Thank You Notes!

Posted on December 26, 2012 | 1 Comment

I can’t say how important thank you notes are. I don’t give further gifts to people who don’t show their appreciation for them. So, if you’re off today, take a minute to thank the people who made your Holidays bright.

This year, the turkey was amazing (I will put up the recipe in a few days) and we had dinners with both families. I got a WiiFit board (that we’re returning because it’s not what we thought it’d be), an office chair, new shoes, a hunting back, a new purse, a toaster, lots of chocolates and a little spending money. I got myself/Hootie/Lucy a new cat box that is supposed to be easier to sift. I also got myself a flat whisk, cupcake set, 30 below rated socks, some touch screen gloves and a new water bottle. I will probably still buy myself a set of thermals and a few other things. I am also considering upgrading my phone to a Galaxy Note II, but we’ll see about that.

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Posted in Tales from the Backwoods

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Posted on December 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

I celebrate Christmas, or at least have been trying to, but if you’re celebrating another Holiday, enjoy! This year has been a mixed bag for me. I started out very Ba-humbug, especially with the school shooting and resulting stupidity. I worked at it and forced it until a started to feel it. I forced myself to put up decorations, make up care packages and wrap presents. By the time I was done with that, my Christmas spirit was feeble, but alive.

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I tried to build it with Christmas activities, but I didn’t get to participate in much that I wanted. The weather sucked, The Dude wasn’t into it or some other thing kept us from it. It really put a damper on my fledgling spirit. I like to put something on the front door, on the truck grill, put up a tree, go to see carolers and lights and festivals, going to buy presents and make a lot of cool stuff. A lot of my problem was expectations this year, although they were (as I felt) pathetically low. All I expected was a few decorations, I didn’t expect any presents since money’s been tight and to go out and do a few things together. I suppose I’m mostly missing the going and doing things, but those were the things I was counting on instead of presents.

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We went to my mom’s for an early Christmas, which was great, except for the fight we had on the way there. He’d been complaining about having to get up to drive us there and I felt it was unfair to complain about this singular thing I wanted to go and do. Anyhow, I slept all day yesterday because I was depressed and have been putting on a brave face this morning. Christmas music while opening our few presents helped and a turkey in the oven is warming me up. My dad was overly-generous with me and it’s totally brightened my Holiday, my mom’s gifts were great too. The Dude got us a Wii-Fit board that I’ll have to check out.

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Please Don’t Drink and Drive!

Posted on December 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

This month is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention month and today being Christmas Eve, please don’t drink and drive! It’s not that hard to call a cab, have a designated driver or to plan on staying overnight at your party. New Mexico has a huge problem with drinking and driving.

According to University of New Mexico Division of Government Research, in 2007:

  • 42% of all fatal crashes involved alcohol.
  • 5% of all crashes involved alcohol.
  • A person died in an alcohol-involved crash every 50 hours.
  • A person was injured in an alcohol-involved crash every 5 hours.
  • An alcohol-involved crash occurred every 3 1/2 hours.
It's not worth this. Get a DD, drink at home or get a ride

It’s not worth this. Get a DD, drink at home or get a ride

We see on the news all the time people who have 5, 6, 7 arrests for drinking and driving. It makes no sense and I don’t understand these repeat offenders, but drinking and driving kills. Please don’t be stupid/selfish and try to drive, there are more important things than you getting home when you’re drunk.

Here’s a bunch of resources to get free rides home. There is no excuse!

PORTALES
Enmu Safe Ride
Phone: 575-607-9995 or 575-607-5999
Hours: 24/7
Details: Free to Eastern New Mexico University students only;
http://www.enmu.edu/current-students/orgs/safe-ride.shtml

CADDy (Chauffeur and Designated Driver) Program (Santa Fe) The CADDy program provides a safe ride home via Capital City Cab to adults from a liquor establishment or residence/party where alcohol is served. Santa Fe County subsidizes cab fare up to $25. Cab riders pay $1 and the difference of the fare over the $25 limit. The service is offered on Friday and Saturday nights from 5:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Call 438-0000 for a $1 cab ride home.

These guys will even drive your car home for you for a tip (ABQ, Bernallio, Bosque Farms, Corrales, Rio Rancho, Isleta and Los Lunas) http://designateddriversondemand.com/about-us.html

ABQ- http://abq.designateddriversinc.com/

There are also tons of resources out there for Designated drivers and a lot of states offer rewards to designated drivers. A lot of bars will also give you free sodas and non-alcoholic drinks if you are a DD.

https://www.facebook.com/myturn2drive

http://www.santaanastarcenter.com/DWI_Prevention_Program_2.aspx

http://www.unm.edu/~cj475fall12/story_pages/mcelroy_story1s.htm

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Gallery

Holiday Funnies

Posted on December 23, 2012
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This gallery contains 4 photos.

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White Russian Cupcakes

Posted on December 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

Today is my dad’s birthday, so I made him some cupcakes based on his favorite drink, White Russian. These came out tasty, but the frosting has uncooked alcohol, so adults only! I was shipping these, so I used a cookie cutter to hollow out the middles a little, so they were stuffed. Piping the frosting right on top is fine if you’re enjoying them in your own zipcode.

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makes 12 cupcakes
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large egg and 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/8 cup Vodka
1/4 cup Kahlua, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a seperate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until combined. Add egg and egg white, one at a time. Then add the vanilla, Vodka, and 1/8 cup of Kahlua. Gradually add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, ending with the flour mixture.
Bake 17 -20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcakes comes out clean. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush the tops with the remaining 1/8 cup Kahlua. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Kahlua Buttercream
1 stick of butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
3 – 4 tablespoons Kahlua
Beat butter until creamy. Add salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add Kahlua 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

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Cheater French Onion Soup

Posted on December 21, 2012 | 1 Comment

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I combined a few recipes for this one, it’s got all the flavor and finesse of the French version, but with a crock pot to cut the active time.

Ingredients:

2 yellow onions, sliced thinly

3 Tablespoons butter

S&P to taste (at least 1/2 tsp salt)

pinch of sugar

8 cups beef broth

1 sprig thyme or 1/2 tsp dried

1/4 cup white wine

Baguette bread

Gruyere cheese

1. Add onions and 1 cup beef broth, salt, butter and sugar to pan. Saute until broth evaporate and onions caramelize. Once done, add to crock pot.

2. Deglaze pan with wine and scrape up browned bits. Add to crock pot.

3. Add remaining broth and seasonings and cook in crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

4. Ladle soup into crocks. Top with thick slices of baguette and cover with cheese. Broil on low 1-3 minutes until cheese melts.

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Homemade Limoncello

Posted on December 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

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This is going to take about 2 weeks to age, but is totally worth the wait. You’ll need:

peel and juice of 5 ripe lemons, plus extra for garnish (make sure they are unwaxed)

1 quart (or 2 cups) vodka (the cheap stuff is fine)

3 cups sugar

3 cups boiling water

1. Peel the rind with a potato peeler, but avoid the white pith. Put in a large glass container.

2. Pour vodka over the lemon rinds, seal and turn to mix.

3. Leave for about a week, shaking the jar from time to time.

4. Put the sugar in a large heatproof bowl, add boiling water and stir to dissolve. While the syrup is still hot, add vodka and lemon-rind mix. Stir and return to jar(s). Leave for another week.

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5. Strain and add a few strips of lemon rind for garnish. Seal and keep forever.

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