Sunday, May 31, 2009

Onion Ring Recipe


We love onion rings even though we don't have them that often. Not that we count calories or anything :)
Everyone has memories of the place that served THE absolute best onion rings and while this recipe will never replace your FAVORITE place, we think you'll like the delicate flavor these rings provide.

Stumbled upon this recipe some time back and thought maybe one of you might want to give them a try. Like I said, they may not beat the ones you loved while growing up but they're pretty darn good :)
peace
fm


Old Fashioned Onion Rings

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk, or as needed
  • 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
  • Seasoned Salt to taste
  • 1 quart oil for frying

Directions:

1. Heat the oil to 365 degrees F. (Medium High)

2. Separate the onion slices into rings; set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

4. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture, coating well; set aside.

5. Whisk the egg and milk together, add the flour; mix well using a fork.

6. Dip the floured rings into the batter, place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. (Place the wire rack over a sheet of aluminum foil or cookie sheet for easier clean up.)

7. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a plate or shallow dish.

8. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs; coat well. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.

9. Fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain.

10.Season with seasoning salt, and serve.


Saturday, May 30, 2009

Spending Time With Salty Dog

With Melissa in the house this week, we are able to relax and spend time with Salty Dog. We all played on the floor beside him, giving him some loving. Good times with family and our dog.

AA giggling with Auntie-M!


All gathered around Salty Dog:






Another day with Salty Dog.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Friday Night and Mommy is Home!

AA and I bond very slowly on Friday nights. She acts a little shy and always wants Daddy. Once I sit in her play area and play with her toys she joins right in and we are buddies again! Of course, she wanted to show me the Wizard of Oz movie so we giggled and sang through a few minutes before getting ready for bedtime. Her water bottle goes where ever she goes! Sippy cups are useless for water now!!
Mommy loves her evening hugs!


On a sadder note, Salty Dog is not doing very well. He has some pain medication but the disease he has just gets worse. A couple of years ago he had some "back" problems and an occasional issue with his left leg......... we now know that it was the progression of this disease. We are all sad, tears have been shed.
We just can't understand how he can be so alive and wag his tail but be immobile. It just isn't fair! He's been our "baby" for a long time!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Are You A Good Witch or A Bad Witch?

First, just ignore the mouth full of O's (cheerio's)... :) A girl has to snack.

Now you may be thinking AA is dressed up as a Princess but oh no,,,,, not a Princess. No, AA is dressed up as a Good Witch. And as every Good Witch is sure to do, AA is watching her role model, Glinda. The Good Witch of the North.
Which by the way, did you all know that Glinda (Billie Burke) was 53 years old when she made that movie?!! Get back!

Pardon me, the Good Witch Alyzabeth is requesting my attention...and her little dog too!
peace
fm

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Found this Print Friendly program to use when printing out pages from our blog.

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Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Talk About it Tuesday - Tattling

(Even though it's Wednesday :)

I read this post and thought it very worthwhile to pass on. It is not the latest post on the Lazy Organizer's blog but I really enjoyed reading this very informative topic and I think you will too.. I am sure we all can use information that may help resolve situations or give us options.

Lara also makes yummy pillow cases - and shares a tutorial ! Happy sewing!


If you have any parenting topics, let's share. The more I read, the more convinced I am that I should be better prepared to be a better parent.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Passport is Here!

We applied for AA's USA Passport a few weeks ago. No kidding, three weeks ago! It arrived in the mail this past Saturday!
The world is hers! Yahoo!!

One more thing I can cross off the "AA" To do List!!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Dora the Explorer DVD & Art Backpack Giveaway

Quick, this giveaway ends tomorrow! Great prize for Dora fans! From the The Mom Jen.
Enter here at Therapeutic Reviews. You must leave a comment with your favorite Dora character.

Happy Memorial Day!

(giveaways listed here every Wednesday)

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Sunday Photos

Today, we walked on the beach after breakfast....

Waded in the waves during the morning sunlight.




Really wished this close-up was in focus.... I still love it. It was taken at the kiddie pool.
After a bath, snacks are in order...every mid-morning!


The sun continued to peek out on and off today. AA enjoyed playing in the kiddie pool and the waves on the beach.

Our second walk on the beach included having fun with Auntie CR!




Leaving the beach, lots of pointing, as we spot a gopher turtle in the sand dunes.

We did go to the pool after AA's nap (third time!), but didn't take the camera.... I just hate that!!!

We are now playing with AA, just Skype'd with Nana, Auntie-M and cousin Brandon; waiting for the rain delayed Coca-Cola 600 to begin....Memorial Day is tomorrow and our little town has a festival at Spring Park so we will play there. Enjoy your long weekend!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

AA's Loves Ball Caps

Don't know if you remember AA playing with her Daddy's ball caps while we were in China (he wears them every morning to cover the "bed-head" hair-do!!).

We received a new pink toddler size ball cap from Aunt Patti - she sent us a box of gifts and the ball cap is AA's favorite! I think AA will be one of those girls who may actually look cool in a cap! Now to figure out what sports she will play.
Thank you Patti!!

Didn't realize we had the hair hanging down the front of her face.....



Daddy helped and rearranged the cap.... No hair in the eyes!


Playing at her kitchen....



We tried on AA's Red Sox outfit, which is a size 3T, a gift from her Auntie-M. It is too big but thought I would check out her new ball cap with the outfit. She also won't smile as she focuses on the tag, she wants tags taken OFF! Too serious!
She's ready to head to Boston! (well, Daddy would rather head to St. Louis!!).

Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend!

It's Easy If You Try

Imagine..... and no we're not espousing any political or religious view. We just thought it was cool to recognize how adoption impacts our lives and the world.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Storm of Five Days

Our life has been very wet over the past few days. Flooding with about 16 inches of rain (Flagler County received 24 inches!).
We were lucky in that only a few branches and bushes came down. The dock and boat survived.....
Doesn't do justice to show the wind.... 25 mph with gusts to 50 mph.

Notice the water level up to the top of the dock boards and beyond the yard fence (which we lost in a prior storm and hadn't replaced!)....

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Breakfast Crowd

AA's breakfast is never a solitary affair. Oh no, baby girl takes her sweet time gathering what she will need before settling down for a little Dora or Barney or Kipper or Elmo dvd action.

Today she brought some spare dvd's. A calculator. Her cell phone. A book. Her boa and of course, we never have breakfast without her bed mate, Elmo.
And with that we polished off our milk, oatmeal with bananas and fresh watermelon. I wonder who and what will be coming for breakfast tomorrow? One just never knows.

BTW: Dora was the featured attraction this morning... :)
peace
fm

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Monday - Cookies for a Rainy Day

Monday was a rainy day in NE Florida, great for plants!

We ran some errands, faxed papers to my new Doctor, had lunch (leftovers from our Italian meal yesterday) and then nap time! Mommy napped again too.
After nap time, AA continues to get her fill of watching Barney and playing at her kitchen. She LOVES her kitchen.
Since we do not give AA any sweets or "unhealthy" snacks (mainly due to wanting to give her the best nutrition to jump start her growth since China); I decided it was time for AA's first cooking lesson and treat.
We measured the ingredients for the Peanutty Crisscross Oat Cookies....

Too bad we didn't put a bow in her hair... those bangs growing out are all over her face!!


Showing her the picture of how they will look after baking.....

Out of the oven and very HOT!

The final product (dessert plate from Nana)!

Blowing on them... hurry up, cool cookie, cool! Sippy cup of milk just waiting.....

All smiles and much talk about the Cookie Monster!


I'll leave you this last picture of AA showing her pleasure.... scrunching up that nose in delight!!


We used a standard Quaker Oatmeal Peanut Butter cookie:

1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup peanut butter

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened

1/3 cup water

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Granulated sugar


In large bowl, beat brown sugar, peanut butter and margarine until creamy. Add water, egg and vanilla; beat well. Add combined oats, flour and baking soda; mix well. Cover; chill about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with tines of fork dipped in granulated sugar, forming crisscross pattern.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.


Monday, May 18, 2009

Playtime: With Daddy & Tea Time

Sunday morning before church........ AA loves to play with her Dada which makes it easy for me to take pictures.
Twirling.....

Putting the bow/clippie back in.....

Falling on Dada, playing and hugs....

We all fall down...... time on the floor.....!!



Sunday afternoon, we both napped (Mommy not feeling well; while Dada was at the Grands' dance recital) and then watched a Barney VHS tape (we do have one VCR player left in the house!). It looked like rain but we braved it to the park and then dinner at a local Italian restaurant (I hadn't eaten any lunch and was out of energy!). A play date for just AA and Mommy!
We came back from dinner and played kitchen some more. AA wanted to make tea, so we served real hot mint tea to cap off the evening!
AA's surprised look when Dada appears with the camera!

Pinky extended.....

The cute white table is for outdoors with Adirondack furniture, but it fits well in our play kitchen area (gift from sister Leaa); the red chair is from Nana and I get to sit on the pink chair from her pink desk (it is the biggest "little" chair and I sort of fit on it; is from C&W).



Another weekend with AA's smiles, hugs and love!!

Just a note to get ready........ we have several bloggy friends that are so EXCITED; they have travel news and will be going to China soon - to heck with that piggy flu!!!
Follow along their journey; keep watching for the links on the right sidebar. Some leave next week and a few more in early June! We can't wait to see their forever family day! If you know someone leaving soon, please leave a comment.... I can feel the tears of joy in anticipation!