Monthly Archives: August 2010

Tasty Tuesday: Baked Apricot Chicken

Posted on August 31, 2010 by

I made the most delicious, and incredibly easy, chicken recipe the other day, and I feel compelled to share it.

One of the best parts of this recipe is that you can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance. So it’s perfect for busy days: just prepare it the night before, and then when the time comes all you have to do is stick it in the oven. Or, in my case, ask another household member to stick it in the oven. :-)

Recipe: Baked Apricot Chicken Continue reading →

Posted in Recipes, Tasty Tuesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Four kitchen items I never knew I wanted

Posted on August 29, 2010 by

I’ve been spending some time trying to clear out stuff from my house. The other day we went through all the spices, and (believe it or not) I actually threw some out. (Sorry I don’t have a “before” picture. I didn’t think of taking a photo until the process was already well underway.) I know I will not use coriander, or savory, or fennel. I’ve had those spices for many years and have never used them. It’s hard for me to throw away things that I think are “perfectly good.” But I’m tired of having so much Stuff, and I’ve decided that if it can’t be reasonably given away or sold, I would rather throw it out than keep it. It’s not that I want to fill up the landfill, but I also don’t want to fill my house with Stuff I won’t use.

As much as I’m working towards getting rid of Stuff, I am not a complete minimalist. There are many things that I’m keeping, in fact, that might seem surprising. Like the things on this list, for example.

Four kitchen items I never knew I wanted: Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Uncluttering | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Kindness of Strangers

Posted on August 25, 2010 by

A recent post on RealDelia and two news stories has me thinking about the kindness of strangers. When a family’s house was threatened by a mudslide, strangers came out of the woodwork to help them. On the flip side, a woman is caught on camera treating a cat cruelly and she becomes the object of death threats.

Are most people kind to strangers?

Once, when I was traveling overseas, a very kind stranger came to me rescue. I was using a bright red day-planner to organize my entire life. All my travel documents, plane tickets, passport, and loads of cash were in that day-planner… Continue reading →

Posted in Observations, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Vacation Haiku

Posted on August 24, 2010 by

Back from vacation Happy, sunburnt and jet-lagged Sleep in own bed, joy!

Posted in Random | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Gone Camping

Posted on August 15, 2010 by

Enjoy the week!

I’ve gone camping. Look forward to seeing you when I get back. :-D Continue reading →

Posted in Random | 3 Comments

Central Air: A Luxury or a Necessity?

Posted on August 14, 2010 by

This summer’s unusually hot weather has me constantly complaining about: the heat and humidity, my lack of central air conditioning, the noise and inefficiency of the window air conditioning units, and let’s not forget my frizzy hair. [And, uh, no. I feel no need to post a photo of said frizzy hair!]

All this complaining brings up the question: is Air Conditioning a necessity or is it a luxury?

My mother, who grew up in the city, describes sitting out on the sidewalk under a streetlamp playing cards until 10:00 in the evening, because it was just too hot to be inside. Air conditioning only started to become common in office buildings, stores, and public buildings in the 1960s. [...] Continue reading →

Posted in Observations, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

Posted on August 10, 2010 by

These delicious pumpkin applesauce muffins just so happen to be non-dairy and part-whole wheat. I brought them this weekend to a small gathering, and by the time I left they had all been eaten. I love it when people eat my baked goods!

And, since pumpkin is my son’s nickname, well, we use it a lot around here.

Enjoy this recipe for Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins. They just happen to be non-dairy and part-whole wheat as well. [...] Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Recipes, Tasty Tuesday | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Identify the problem: Where are my keys?

Posted on August 9, 2010 by

Identify the problem.

It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? I mean, if you are unhappy with something or feeling frustrated, you already know what the problem is, right?

Not so much. At least, not for me.

As I was getting ready to walk out the door recently, I found myself in the all-too-common situation of rushing around looking for my keys and sunglasses. I hate that! More stress, more tension, making myself late, just because my stupid keys are missing. [...] Continue reading →

Posted in Happiness Project, Random | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Trade offs

Posted on August 6, 2010 by

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk?” –Albert Einstein My house is a mess. Seriously, it’s a total mess at the moment. There are boxes all over, clean laundry … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Happiness Project, Observations, Uncluttering | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tasty Tuesdays: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins With Wheat Germ

Posted on August 3, 2010 by

What’s that, you say? Part-whole-wheat-banana-wheat-germ-chocolate-chip-muffins? Yes, that’s right, I say. And they are delicious. Here’s the thing: if you’re looking for a super-sweet and extra-light muffin recipe, this one’s not for you. I don’t mean to imply that these are … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Recipes, Tasty Tuesday | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments