Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Pioneer Woman, my Bud...

Those of you who follow my blog know that I met Ree, The Pioneer Woman, last year at a book signing and we became instant friends. We discussed Spanx after all and you can't help but be friends after a conversation of that nature!

She left out the reason for her spanx though. I assumed it had something to do with having children, growing older, gravity and such things. I now know that it has to do with the absurd amounts of butter in her recipes. And cream. Heavy cream.

I must admit that I've only made three of her recipes, although I've read her book cover to cover many times. I like to read cookbooks, but I'm not much for cooking out of them. Never made a single recipe from my Farm Chicks books, and although I have 30 Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, I've only made about five recipes.
I don't make a recipe unless it's tried and true by someone I know, has a beautiful picture, and doesn't have weird ingredients. My friend Lynda and my SIL Meagan try new recipes all the time and they turn out wonderfully, but I'm just not that brave.

Anyway, back to PW. I ventured out of my comfort zone and made her mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and I must say they were the Best Mashed Potatoes I've ever had!!! But I haven't tried anything since, although the book keeps opening to the cinnamon roll recipe! But when I was at Haggen on Friday I picked up some Rib-eye steaks with her recipe in mind. So last night I made her rib-eye's with whiskey onion sauce. But I didn't have whisky so I used brandy.

Holy Moly!!!!!!! This sauce is amazing!!!!! And full of butter. And heavy cream. And you cook the steaks in butter. We went through many napkins, what with all the drooling!

After dinner I was looking through her cookbook and came across her Maple Pecan Scones. It used half and half, but I had cream that had to be used up, so I substituted. And I don't like maple so I used almond flavoring. And there was butter involved. And the frosting had butter too, but it also called for whole milk, which is almost like cream, so I used that instead.Now I know why she wears spanx, and that I will be wearing them too. ASAP!!!


To top off the evening I finished her new book! I tried to read it slowly so I could drag it out and savor it, but that lasted one night! This book is so good! and funny!!! and steamy, but not revealing!!!! Still, I couldn't read it in broad daylight!! Had to wait til night, when it was dark and romantic!!! Should have lit a candle!!!!

And all of a sudden it was finished. done. kaput. Sadness enveloped the room. I hope she's writing a sequel. In the meantime I have scones. And I bought my own copy so I can read it over and over again!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Randomness...

While the rest of the country has been covered with ice and snow, here in the Pacific Northwest we've been treated to this...
Sunrise over Mt. Baker with the promise of a beautiful day!!
And at the end of that day we got to see this...



I guarantee that my camera did not do this justice. The colors were so vivid! God was working some serious magic with his paintbrush!!!!
I treated myself to an early Valentine's day goodie, courtesy of Lisa Leonard Designs! It was the mason jar that made me do it!!! It's so cute and I've worn it many times already. I added the charms to my other necklace that I have from her. She has such quality and beautiful jewelry and is so helpful too. Thanks Lisa!!


I finished this during the last Seahawks game. Things weren't going so well for the Hawks so I planted myself in my sewing room and tackled this job!!!! Lynda and I have been adding up how many unfinished projects we have and it wasn't pretty!!!! Of course I need to quilt this, which is my least favorite part, so I can't cross it off the list just yet, but it would be nice to get done for spring.



And, working at the library has it's benefits!!!! As soon as I knew Ree's book was coming out I put it on hold!! I got it yesterday and have only read the first chapter, as I have to finish another book, but this is going to be GOOD!!!!




Stay cozy!!! Spring is coming!!