Your Daily Dose of Cuteness

Boogey Woogie Done Right - HOW DID YOU FIND ME??????

Okay, can somebody enlighten me. I've had a gadzillion hits on Jan's Daily Dish today, all from boogie-woogie-done-right. This happened a few months ago, then it gradually faded away.

Now again today, I've had several hundred hits all linking from Boogie Woogie Done Right. It's great that I'm getting all this traffic, but I'm really curious as to where my site was publicized for all these people to be linking to it.

Can some of you tell me. Either leave a comment or click on the munchiebusiness@gmail.com icon in the right sidebar and send me an email.

Welcome to the Dish, I hope you all enjoy my nonsense...

Curious George Jan, here...

Remember this game show...

If you're under 50, just skip this, but if you're not you will remember Peggy Cass and Kitty Carlisle on To Tell the Truth - watch Kitty spit the dog food out, too funny..... I was a huge fan in the day!

Coffee, the best part of waking up...

I was a late bloomer to the coffee club, started drinking it in my early 50's, after reading some nonsense that it curbed your appetite. I didn't care for it, but continued to drink it occasionally, and now I've evolved into a full-fledge pot a day girl...

I'm picky, though, no Folgers or Maxwell House for me. I've tried them several times, but they just don't do it. So, what does it? Starbucks Sumatra is my latest have to have. I drank Komodo Dragon for a couple of years, ever since my neighbor, Janet, brewed me a cup. I was browsing the beans at Starbucks last winter and asked the barista what their biggest seller was, and he told me it was Sumatra. Oh, it's wonderful coffee, full bodied, rich, but very smooth. I'm hooked.

I have one of those pain in the ass Cuisinart Grind 'n Brew coffee makers. It makes great coffee, and I love the fact that it grinds my beans for me before the brew, but oh is it ever hard to clean. Linds has one also, she complains, too, but we put up with the hard to clean part because of the fresh grind. I tried a couple of different types of podmakers, you know the one cup kind, no mess, no fuss, just wasn't my thing. It didn't make enough and the flavor wasn't there.

I've been hearing a lot lately about fresh roasted beans and how you need to use beans within something like fifteen days for peak flavor. Apparently there are several companies that ship roasted beans to you, I'm thinking about trying it the next time Hooterville visits. We spar about coffee constantly, we don't agree on brands, she poo-poo's Starbucks, telling me I just buy it because it's trendy, I tell her that the samo brands she likes are boring... It's all in fun, and no, I don't buy Starbucks because it's trendy, I buy it because I genuinely like it...

I'm a tea drinker, too, but that's another post...

I'm off to the kitchen to brew a pot...

I've apparently stumbled onto the fountain of youth....

I was watching Fox News this morning, they were talking about how scientific studies have shown that surfing the internet and using the computer keeps your brain from aging.

I figure as much as I'm on this thing, I should have the brain of an 18 year old... Now if they could just do something about the body...

Paula makes pie crust...

I watched this video this morning of Paula Dean making pie crust. She makes it looks so simple, and adds water one tablespoon at a time, using her hands.

She doesn't make it like Lindsay, who makes a killer crust with chilled bits of butter and shortening, but Paula makes it the way I've made it for years, except that I've never used my hands. 

I thought you might all enjoy watching this. And speaking of pie, I was just telling Linds last weekend that my birthday request is Lemon Meringue - mine and Hooterville's very favorite. The lemon meringue pie recipe she uses is from my Milly Scraps recipe section. I got it from Ann Lander's newspaper column, and I've made it for years. Here's the quick CLICK...

~ jan

Oh Maw Gawd.....

We were out and about with the kids Monday morning, going for Thai at lunchtime, and after visiting Keenland we were hungry, but didn't want a heavy breakfast, so Ryan wheeled into this place they had been telling us about. It was called DoughDaddy's, and it was in a gas station....... A GAS STATION??? C'mon, get real.

I'm not kidding, it looked like an ordinary convenience store in a gas station, except there were people EVERYWHERE and when we went in, they had this huge counter of pastries, little old women were scurrying around behind the counter, they had an area with local food, cheese, meats, etc., I was fascinated.

I didn't really want a doughnut, so I had a Glorious Muffin, I've had Morning Glory Muffins before, so I knew what I was getting, or so I thought, but this one happened to be made with bran, and pineapple, and apples, and it was studded with carrots, and nuts, and raisins, and it was warm. OMG, one bite and I was a goner. Fresh french roast coffee laced with cream, that divine warm muffin, which tasted like no other I had eaten before, all consumed whilst sitting on a barstool in a gas station window. It was a life altering experience. I've never eaten breakfast while watching people pump gas... I'm hooked. DoughDaddy's will be a required stop when we visit Ry and Linds from now on...

Don't knock it 'til you try it. Remember, baby boy is a food snob... this place achieved rock star status in my book...

Did I mention that muffin was warm, just out of the oven???? Yeah, I know I did, but you just have no idea how good it was....

Hey, with a name like DoughDaddy's you just can't go wrong.... DoughDaddy, DoughDaddy, DoughDaddy Dough!!!

Apple Dumplings and Ice Cream, oh my......

We were on our way home from Lexington this morning, I was listening to Martha Stewart's Everyday Food on Sirius Radio, this lady called in and she's absolutely raving about Apple Dumplings made with a can of Mountain Dew. Well, naturally I perked right up because Apple Dumplings are an amazing thing, these were made with cresent rolls, so they were really easy.

When we got home, I Googled the recipe, it came up immediately, and sure enough, rave reviews. Pioneer Woman's Site is the best link for this recipe, not only does she tell you how to make them, she gives you a pictorial for doing so.

Here's the CLICK - go check it out for yourself, see if you don't think it looks awesome, too. And, if you happen to make these in the near future, drop me an email and tell me what you think, as Marti wants to make them for her Bunko group later in the month, and we need to know if the recipe needs to be tweaked at all.

UPDATE: I just found the recipe on another site, I was a bit confused about Pioneer Woman just using 1/2 can of Mountain Dew instead of 12 oz., but apparently she made a smaller batch. Here is more pictures, another
description, using the whole can - same recipe, great pictures here, also. Here's the CLICK!

Sources: Pioneer Woman & Yum Sugar

It’s fall, think pumpkin, specifically pumpkin bread…

My friend, Barb, gave me a wonderful pumpkin bread a few years ago.  I posted it in my Thanksgiving recipes, and many of you have written to tell me how good it is.

Lindsay loves it, she makes it often, gives it for gifts, she made it for us this weekend.  If you haven’t tried it, you’re missing out on a great recipe, ladies – it’s made with instant Jello Coconut Pudding, it’s really moist and just wonderful.

CLICK here if you want to check it out.

~jan

Should they or shouldn’t they?

I just read an article in the Drudge Report that Barack Obama favors women being required to register for the draft.  John McCain does not. 

Also, Mr. Obama would consider officially opening combat positions to women. Mr. McCain would not.

How do you feel about this?  In the event, that the draft is reinstated, do you think that women should have to register and fight alongside men?  The poll is on the left, anonymous, as always – the responses to this should be interesting, please take a moment and vote…

~ jan

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…

In Versailles neighborhood, that is.  We’re visiting Linds and Ryan today, it’s a beautiful fall day, the red maples are a blaze of color. We visited Keenland this morning, walked down by the stables, took lots of pictures of them exercising the thoroughbreds, I have wonderful pictures to share – later…

I need to add something about Lawrence Welk…

In yesterday’s post I referred to Lawrence Welk as wunnerful, wunnerful.  That’s not exactly true.  I really thought the whole show was pretty nerdy, except for The Lennon Sisters and JoAnn Castle playing honky tonk on the piano.  The rest of it, not so much…  Just wanted to clear that up…

If you're under fifty, you might as well skip this post...

It's Saturday night, and if you were like me, growing up in the 50's, you watched Lawrence Welk.  It was wunnerful, just wunnerful.  Norma Zimmer, Myron Floren, and my very favorites, The Lennon Sisters.  I absolutely idolized Janet Lennon, I loved her look, her hair, her clothes, I thought she was just amazing.  I've been looking at their website tonight - lennonsisters.com - and you know what, she still looks great.  She's the only one of the four original sisters that's still performing in Branson, the rest have retired.  DeeDee is seventy years old now.  Oh my, it doesn't seem possible.

I went to YouTube, found a couple of clips, "The Lennon Sisters Reminisce - hope you enjoy them.  Nothing like a trip down memory lane on a Saturday night.

And a one-and-a two-ah...

Does anybody remember this?

I was feeding the M&M’s tonight…  Remembering pets of my childhood, and how we fed our cats Puss ‘n Boots.  It was a large 15 oz. can, and Mother paid ten cents for it at Marlin’s Department Store or Oscar’s Food Shoppe.

Maggie is on Prescription Dog Food, Hill’s LD, only available thru my vet, and it costs $28.00 a case.  Maggie eats dry vegetarian food mixed with yogurt, it costs $15.00 for a little bag…

Is something wrong here?  I know it was fifty years ago that we paid so little for pet food, but Geezy Pete, this stuff is expensive!

Hopefully, Mags will be off the Prescription Diet in a few weeks, and I will no doubt, feed her something like Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance, or California Naturals no grain food…  Mollie will eat it, also.

A bag of it will be a little under $15.00, that’s not a very big bag either…  It’s either that or Ole’ Roy, which hubby keeps threatening them with…  Somehow I don’t think that will happen, but ya know, our kitties thrived on Puss ‘n Boots, but OMG, did it ever smell!!!!

Have we come along way baby??? Sometimes I wonder…

Isn’t this a great old ad?  I didn’t want to shrink down the size. I thought you would all enjoy reading it…

How about a little comfort food on a Saturday afternoon...

7 things x 7....

7 Things I plan to do before I die:

1. Visit the New England states in the fall and spend a few days in NYC.
2. Go sailing, preferably at sunset.
3. Learn French, I've always wanted to.
4. Lose 20 lbs. and keep it off.
5. Go camping, just once, me, hubby and the dogs, to some beautiful, woodsy secluded spot, when the air is crisp and clean, build a campfire, roast wieners, make s'mores, listen to classical music on my ipod, experience nature at sunrise, breakfast and hot coffee in the fresh air... Actually, hubby would hate this, I'll do it with Hooterville...
6. Spend a weekend on a houseboat with the family.
7. Hold grandchildren in my arms, spoil them terribly, and love them endlessly.

7 Things I do now:

1. I get to spend my days doing what I enjoy, family, friends, dogs, nature, just being home...
2. I spend a lot of my spare time on the computer. ummmm, not a lot, more like all..
3. I read when I go to bed at night.
4. I feel like I'm evolving into a much more informed woman as I age, the body has gone to hell, but I'm a lot smarter.
5. I can crochet, embroider, cross stitch, sew, but I don't enjoy doing any of this anymore...
6. I love to go on long country rides. Nature is so important to me and I get a real buzz out of communing with it . . . listening to birdsong, looking at different plants and flowers, watching the bunnies and squirrels in the garden, the butterflies and the hummies, soothes my soul.
7. I really do take time and smell the roses, I live in the moment...

7 Things I can't do:

1. Stay organized, I'm afraid it's not in my nature, grrr . . .
2. Wiggle both of my eyebrows independently. I can wiggle my left one, but not my right! I can also wiggle them both together.
3. Deny the M&M's anything, I'm such a sucker for puppy dog eyes...
4. Sleep the whole night through without waking up at least once to look at the clock or pee. Another grrr . . .
5. Get offered a piece of chocolate cake and say no thank you. Why would I even want to???
6. Put two fingers in my mouth and whistle shrilly! I've always wanted to be able to do that.
7. Discipline myself on a consistent basis.

7 Things that attract me to the Opposite Sex:

1. Honesty and Loyalty.
2. A Nice Smile and kind eyes.
3. A hearty laugh.
4. Strong shoulders.
5. Masculine hands.
6. Good sense of humour.
7. A kind heart.

7 Things that I say most often:

1. Jeez Louise!
2. Maggie, Mollie, where are you?
3. Oh shit!
4. Jesus Christ on a bicycle, favorite saying for years and years!
5. Love you!
6. I've gotta get a life...
7. Has anybody seen my glasses . . .

7 Favorite Foods:
(Only Seven???)

1. Chocolate Candy, always with Nuts, Caramels, too...
2. Chicken and Dumplings, flat slicker dumplings, not drop ones
3. Pork Chops, preferably with Mashed potatoes and Gravy
4. German Chocolate Cake, Butterscotch Brownies - CLICK for my recipe - they're amazing
5. Lemon Ice Cream, also Pistachio, Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey and G.D. Ritzy's Butter Pecan Cashew
6. Lemon Meringue Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Banana Cream Pie
7. Bananas, Pineapple, Peaches and Nectarines, oh and Bing Cherries, I adore Bing Cherries

7 Regrets, I've had a few:

1. That it took me too many years to realize that I had a voice, I could say no, I didn't always have to do what was expected of me.
2. People in my life that were there for a season, not a lifetime.
3. I'm not gifted artistically or musically, I admire people who are so much, they are so lucky to be born with that ability.
4. I never got that horse when I was younger, yeah, I know you've heard this before.
5. I never learned to tap dance. Impossible now, I should have done it in my 30's.
6. I never attended Yoga classes, either - but Dilly does! Another shoulda when I coulda...
7. My biggest regret of all is that I didn't discover Yorkies at an earlier age, oh, I would have bred them and had petite bebe dogs everywhere...

When pumpkins drink...

I know, it's really bad. But you have to admit, it's funny. Thanks for the giggle, Dilly...

I've got a goodie for you tonight, just in time for the weekend...

I found a new site that streams movies and television shows, all free. I've found sites similar to this one in the past, but the difference with this one is that you can enlarge the screen to full size so that the movie fills your monitor, and the quality is good, not choppy unlike ones from the past when the quality was pretty bad.

The quality is so much better than it was even just a year ago, technology just keeps improving, and we all benefit. You will really enjoy Hulu, there is a ton of stuff to choose from. I was watching a great movie, Sense and Sensibility earlier, it was enlarged to full screen on a 24" monitor and the quality was excellent.

The site is hulu.com

Just hover over the channel menu, there is something for everybody.

I'm sitting here, watching this clip from their site, just cracking up. This is SO me in a few years. Hell, this is me NOW!!! Right, Hooterville?? Oh this is so funny, take a minute and give it a watch, ladies...

Enjoy, it's a good thing...

~ jan

Are you ready for this….

Meet Clara Meadmore, she’s a 105 year old virgin from Cornwall who says that celibacy is the key to a long life.

And this is the lovely Clara in her mid 30’s, quite a foxy lady, wasn’t she?

And that’s her secret for longetivity, huh?  Well, girlfriends, looks like we are all doomed to an early grave!!!!

More power to Ms. Clara, though, who will receive a card from the Queen and have a ‘drop’ of wine when she turns 105 on Saturday…  Here’s lookin’ at you, kid…

Geezy Pete, what a dinner!!!!

Hubby called me on his way home from work. I had showered, put on the war paint, the jeans, the warm sweater, I was all set to go to the fall festival. The traffic was horrendous, the crowds were awful, he decided it wasn't such a great idea to go to the festival, but we could go somewhere else.

I vetoed going out, told him I would just fix something healthy at home. Fixing dinner at home entails cooking two separate meals, because his idea of healthy doesn't exactly jive with mine....

I needed to something fast, so I made him turkey smoked sausage, creamy pasta from a box sans the butter, and nuked him some frozen peas, he's not picky, he'll eat anything... meanwhile, I'm thinking, egads, what am I going fix for me.

I decided on my old standby when I'm too lazy to cook, a can of black beans sprinkled with taco seasoning, served over couscous. Couscous is fast, you bring the water to a boil, dump in the grains, put on a lid, take it off the stove, and in five minutes, voila, you have couscous! I had bought it at the bulk food store, so it was in a plastic bag, alongside all the other bags of healthy brown things, I measure it out, boil the water, dump it in, fix the beans, stir his pasta, saute his sausage, oh I was a whirlwind in the kitchen.

His meal is ready, he's good to go, I take my beans out of the microwave, get a bowl from the cupboard, lift the lid on the couscous, and holy shit, it was swimming in water. It didn't swell. I take a closer look, realizing with a sinking feeling that I had not used couscous at all, but sesame seeds.

Oh, what the hell, I love sesame seeds, I drain some with a slotted spoon, pour some beans over and that was my dinner. It's over now, I'm still picking those friggin' seeds out of my teeth.... and how did it taste, you might ask? It was HORRID!!!! Absolutely, positively, HORRID!!!

Is this my punishment for eating that handful of candy corn, when I have avoided sugar like the plague for weeks now? Is this what my life has come to??? Eating black beans over sesame seeds. I didn't even have any salsa, or ffree sour cream, or scallions.... Poor pitiful me...

What a crock!!!!! WHAT A C-R-O-C-K-!-!-!