Sunday, January 31, 2010

Brook Break

In total disbelief that a month of Twenty-Ten is gone already, we hiked January out, stopping for a photo shoot by a fast-running brook. See y'all next month! Mambo says, "Woof!"

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Inside Looking Out



Lots of action today, as our feathered friends sought extra sustenance, allowing them to ward of the calorie-burning frigid temps. We had Titmice, Goldfinches, Chickadees and a Downy Woodpecker.... sweet views from our warm interior.

The Godfather

Photo/Text Credit:
NINE NINE EIGHT: THE GLORY DAYS OF BUFFALO SHOPPING, Michael F. Rizzo

My Godfather made a bit of Buffalo, NY, history in this linked book. Yes, he followed in the footsteps of his Dad, my Grandfather and namesake, Nicholas, who found his own calling in the Big Apple Garment District, waaaaaaaaay back when. For my friends and family visiting today, the "N." in "David N." stands for Nunzio, aka, my Uncle Nunz, Mom's brother. Godfather/Unc switched his name around for business purposes; but the family always stuck to the real deal. Rhoda, I know you're chuckling; looking forward to your e-mail.

Don't forget to left double-click on the photo, in order to check out the price of the luxurious housecoat. Can you imagine hanging around looking like this? Them, thar were the good ole days... or not!

Thanks for the find, Cousin Nicole.
(To note: We like keeping derivatives of names in the family.)

Remix


 We Are The World is twenty-five years old. Wow! Forever-current issues remind us that our brethren need a helping hand.

Aside from raising our awareness, it is one astounding piece of music history... over forty amazing artists together for a marathon recording session of ten hours, producing the most recognizable mini-concert ever. Back in the eighties, its sales raised sixty-three million dollars to help feed the hungry in Africa.

At this Sunday's Grammy Awards, Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie intend to request a similar recording session by many of the incredible artists who will be present. Haiti shall be the recipient of its sales profits. Bittersweet is the need for a remix; exciting is the prospect of grouping together so many of our gifted. Surely, it shall move us in the ongoing effort to help the devastated. The power of music... is there anything quite like it?

Friday, January 29, 2010

So, This Is It?

There is no question that I qualify as a tech-
junkie; I admit to that. It's a serious addiction when I choose new technology over new clothes.

On pins and needles all week (just kidding!), I awaited Apple's revelation of the iPad. Whew! So, this is it? I'm saved. Mac and I shall continue to enjoy our close relationship, along with SONY Reader, iPod and cellphone hovering in the wings. We can go forward quite nicely, without the latest toy. Now, I'm free to cave to that new Nikon I've had my eye on... I'm struggling against the common sense I posted recently in (link) "Aloha - Part I".

While I battle The Cart at Beach Camera, I'll soothe myself with (link) "This Is It" of another variety. Finally, it has arrived. Though I've seen it twice on the Big Screen, I look forward to playing and replaying my favorite parts. It is difficult to fathom that MJ was gone, shortly after these rehearsals. Rehearsals. Amazing rehearsals. Only a fraction of what the show was to be, according to his siblings.

Whatever your opinion of Michael-The Person, you must see the legacy of Michael-The Artist; there shall never be another like him.

You Know Who He Is...

Can you IMAGINE a presidential win? Again... enough space... and surely not photo worthy.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Outrageous Edible


You must try these! Use a potato masher for very quick prep time.

3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas...
mash well in a bowl and add in no particular order:
1 egg
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 cup oatmeal (not quick)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
4 dried apricots, chopped
1/2 large carrot, grated
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Mix well, using a wooden spoon. Ladle almost to the top for 12 large muffins/cupcakes; they won't rise too much. I recommend using liners in the pan. Sprinkle with:
Wheat Germ and Cinnamon

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool; they are very moist and good keepers. Joe likes them right out of the oven. Check out the low sugar and even lower fat content. Unlike traditional, too-sweet banana bread, these burst with natural flavors.
♥-healthy... Buon Appetito!

IDOL Confirmation - Week 3

There is definitely some amazing talent out there, amongst even more amazing young-life stories. Last night's show revealed quite a few "possibles". We're hangin' in with the auditions, taped last summer... but we're really just waiting for the true competition to begin.

Stop, Block & Tell

You've all heard of the latest teen suicide, I'm sure... a result of cyber bullying, a practice that now starts amongst children as young as eight years old. All those hours "connected"... we've possibly created a monster. Please link and read this important information from the NYS Division Of Criminal Justice; be aware of the warning signs, whether protecting your Children or Grands.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Joy To Share

 5 days old...

 2 days old..



MISS LAUREN OLIVIA



Congratulations
to dear friend, Jason, and his beautiful and kind wife, Amy, on the arrival of their anxious-to-be-born Baby Girl.
It has been a slightly rough road for the parents; so, won't you please share in the joy of this little
Bundle Of Inspiration.
♥♥

FOCUS!

It's Democratic Primary Day in the Village. If you're local, the image should be quite clear. Please help Brian advance to the next step in his goal.

Thanks so much for all the support, thus far.

ADDENDUM:

Okay, the Democrats didn't put Brian and his fellow candidate through; however, now it's on to the actual election on
March 16th,
as they are still in the race for the Republican Party. There is hope... let all parties speak.
More thanks.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Girl Talk

My Gran's up again... yes, I think she is responsible for my love of braids. As was the style of her generation, she had very long hair that she twisted into a bun every day. The "do" suited her gorgeous features quite well. But the best part was at nighttime, when she'd brush out those silver locks, ultimately braiding them for sleepin'. Mostly, I remember one long, fat braid; but she occasionally wove two.

For years, Aubs wouldn't let anyone touch her hair to put it in braids or pony tail(s), depriving G'ma of some serious playtime. Suddenly, though, at the age of seven, she has decided that a one-braid "do" is acceptable. She especially likes the waves it creates when she frees it. What a girl. We're working on French braiding; I'm almost there... but mousse is in order... although, the friend who braided...

...this gorgeous girl's locks tells me to structure while hair is wet. Cute story here... Little Friend was at the birthday party yesterday. Aubs came to find me in the crowd, excitedly telling me that she had to show me how pretty her hair looked. She led me by the hand to behold this beauty; and we decided that we're gonna keep at this braid thing.

Now, my littlest Girl Grand loves to sit and have her hair "done". This gorgeous creation was done by moi; I'm so proud... smile. Now her hair is about three times as long... and a big, blonde mop! I'm itchin' to do some art work here, but today's visit wasn't quite long enough. Soon we'll bond with some lovin' Girl Talk, while I have some fun.

Blessings all.

Nourishment

When, during the course of one week, two people in my life recommend the same book, I listen. Niece Vicki and dear Friend PV sent omens. Smile.

Published in 1988 in Portuguese, (link)
quickly became popular enough to be translated into many languages, receiving worldwide attention and acclaim.

It's such a personal read... I've abandoned my thought to quote passages, in an attempt to "review" the book. I've already consumed it twice... a tiny book with a big message... food for the soul.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Colts Congrats To Our Resident Piano Man...

You know who you are!

And A Happy Day To Me & Mr. D.

Somewhere in the depths of my archives, in a February 2009 folder called (link) "RESTORATION...", there are my rescued posts from last January 24th - February 25th. I nearly erased all those entries; it's a long story! I was thrilled by the save, as my very first blog entry and the birth of Color Me Inspired occurred on this date, last year. Many, many thanks to all who stop by to read and interact; I am SO inspired by you all.

I'd be remiss in neglecting to mention the amazing coincidence of Gavin's early and predicted (by moi) arrival, just moments before midnight, on my favorite musician's birthday... the story has already been told. So, rather than bore you again, I'm here to say,
"Happy 69th Birthday, ND... your Beautiful Noise continues to rock my world, as we get old together!!!"

Grand Five - Time To Party!

Today is a special day on our calendar; yes, it is. It seems impossible that Gavin is turning five already.... but then, for all he's accomplished in such a short time, he sometimes seems older. Be assured that when he's not actively busy, his wheels are turning in observation of whatever is happening in his world.... and he's planning his next "move"! He's a little sponge, for sure, bursting with energy! Below is the poem I created for his '09 photo book... Happy Birthday to our beautiful boy.














please left double-click for clarity

Friday, January 22, 2010

Remembering

In our small world of fewer than six degrees of separation, we'll not forget our connection to the Gengel family, brought to our attention by a guest here (link Haiti...). Today's update is a sad commentary on the aftermath of their tragic reality: (link) BritneyFamily

Sending heartfelt sympathy and love to this family and all others whose families have suffered such devastation.

The Epitome Of Meaningful Star Power

hopeforhaitinow.org

And The Answer Is...

...link for Yankees schedule SpringTraining...

"People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby

Maybe all four referred to in the previous post
should take up "staring out the window."
It beats mud-slinging and deceit.
Just one female opinion.

Three Clowns And A Home Run...

...all in one week. Three late-night (link) "men?" and a two-year-in-the-waiting (link) "confession" add up to nausea. And that's about as much of my time all four in total are worth today.
When is spring training?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

A Shade...

...growing in popularity... just ask Massachusetts!

Legal-Easy



With a little help from my freezer, I doubled flavor by com-
bining:





A quart of pumpkin purée - 11/01/09 post -
A quart of this week's homemade chicken broth - (link) A Request
A frame from a cooked turkey breast, with a little meat left on it
A few fingerling potatoes
A sliced onion
Some raw cabbage
A little thyme

I brought ingredients to a low simmer and forgot about it for 1-1/2 hours. Flavors were just blending here. When finished, frame and potatoes were removed; turkey was shredded and potatoes cut to be returned to the pot. Next up was lots of parsley and ground pepper. Topped with a dollop of low-fat plain yogurt, "delicious" elevated to "extraordinary"!

To note: Don't have pumpkin? Butternut squash would work well. You can bake or simmer beforehand... or, chunk and toss in raw, puréeing it when cooked.

Bon Appétit.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Guilty As Charged

So, my NY TIMES online made (link) TIME online, in the matter of the pending access fee to come in 2011. It's reasonable, I think, to support the effort to keep the newspaper alive. The article states that 17 million readers per month enjoy ink and paper-free news. Mac and I share this luxury, seeking our daily news from those we consider to be the best journalists worldwide.
"... after all, it's the freakin' NEW YORK TIMES..."
Charge me!

IDOL Chatter - Week 2

There is nothing idle about many of the human interest stories presented during "Idol" tryouts. As always, we're enjoying the show. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Grand Lady's Permission To Repeat

Please left double-click for clarity... I'm lovin' this... and she's still gorgeous, to boot!
Is this what a daily dose of pasta does for one? :-)

Existence

This is a Haiti-related article from today's (link)
Please be warned that it is heartrending, as it deals with the ultimate loss of dignity.

"I Am... I Said" (ND)

Equal Time

Winter slumber... what a life!

Comfy, Mambo?

So, do you think brushing a small horse is easy??

A Request


Think "poached" or "simmered"... never "boiled". Boiled chicken is dry and stringy, responsible for chasing many from a Jewish grandma's table. But properly simmered chicken will burst with juiciness and leave them begging for more. This recipe is using one chicken. Were I to be serious, I'd get out the Dutch oven and at least double it.

Layer split carrots, potatoes, lots of garlic and some celery into your pot; add ground pepper. Use salt, if you must... I do not. I like a simple broth and will season further, according to tomorrow's dinner... you'll see.


With skin and bone... important - herein lies flavor and gelatinous qualities ... place washed chicken, skin side down, onto veggies. Fill with water to about halfway up chicken. Bring to a quick boil and immediately lower to a bare simmer, tilting lid up on a wooden spoon. After about ten minutes, skim. Then, just let 'er simmer for about fifteen more minutes; turn chicken. Give it about another fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on size of pieces. To note: Dark meat really can't be overcooked; so, not to worry if that's all you're using... within reason.


Remove chicken; pour the rest through a strainer, rendering broth; cool and refrigerate liquid (a quart here). You'll later skim the layer of fat that will solidify on top.

First Night: Mash potatoes, carrots and garlic together with a little butter or margarine; season as you wish. Remove skin from chicken to serve. The rendered onions are nice and a little chopped parsley adds color... but trust me, no one will care.

Next Day: Use broth to make chicken soup, adding shredded leftover chicken. Make traditional matzoh balls; or add what you like; i.e., pre-cooked noodles, rice, barley or quinoa. Or, blend with puréed pumpkin or tomatoes for a different soup. Or, use in that favorite recipe. Season whatever however you wish!

Next Day: For the chicken (if you cooked enough!), there are endless possibilities: sandwiches, wraps, chicken salad (I use seasoned yogurt/lemon juice instead of mayo!), pot pies, etc. It's the best kind of chicken to have in the fridge.

As with all my recipes, anything goes. Use whole chickens. Toss in necks and giblets. Skim fat from broth and purée those veggies right back into it, making a thicker soup base. The list goes on. Please share your favorite end result.

Bon Appétit.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Six Degrees Or Fewer

Please allow me to bring my earlier post and comments, (link) "Haiti", to the forefront for myra44's friends. This family, along with too many others, have the collapsed Hotel Montana and like images embedded in their mind's eye, as they await news. Honestly, as a parent, I cannot fathom how they manage to cling to their sanity. Thank you for your positive vibes and prayers herein. Please link to today's anguished update:

Hooked On Sook

Just lovin' playing catch-up with the Adventures Of Sookie And Bill, aka Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll, aka Vampire Porn, aka (link) TrueBlood.
Ricky, listen to PV on this one... you need a good series to catch up on!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Control

Please left double-click...

Friday, January 15, 2010

A Tad Erratic

Apologies for the current roller-coaster nature of my blog. In light of human suffering, I'm always reminded of the last words in THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP, "... we are all terminal cases." (John Irving) It brings my mind (and yours, I'm sure) to wondering why some people are born to such lives of misery in getting to the end we'll all share.

Sooooooo, as I go from cheery posts about "Idol" to misery-laden photos, your understanding shall be valued.

A Tear For Humanity
















Photo TIME.com

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Indulge



The entire dish, as pre-
pared, comes in at about 350 calories. I used a 10-inch pan here. "Crispy" is key:

My combo consists of chopped (raw) cabbage, onion, fresh parsley; alfalfa sprouts; freshly ground pepper. Add a scant 1/4 cup flour and sprinkling of wheat germ; toss. Now, stir in beaten egg + extra white. (All whites can be used-3 would do here.)

Pour into hot, Pam-sprayed pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Spray top and pop under heated broiler element for about another 3 or so minutes.

While hot, sparsely spread with a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss.

Take creative license... anything goes! Make it your frittata!

Buon Appetito.






Haiti Update - "Times Millions"

The American Red Cross Ten-Dollar Text Campaign has been very effective and is trustworthy. Just Ten Dollars:

Text HAITI to 90999 for the donation to be charged to your next cell phone bill.

Real Deal OatMeal

A friend is struggling with getting real oatmeal to its proper consist-
ency; thus, I'm sharing, in case the problem exists for others. The key is to use a large (7" in my demo) bowl and an under-plate. That way, if the phone rings during the last minute of nuking time, you're covered! Ideally, watch it! Just mix together and nuke on high for
3-1/2 minutes (your microwave will dicate time):


3/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats at 225 cal.
1-1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup at 30 cal.
1/2 large apple (or 1 small)....at 50 cal.
Cinnamon

Less water than the box recipe calls for allows this to bubble a bit, without spilling over; this cooks your thinly sliced apples. If it's too thick, add a drop of water or skimmed milk, upon completion. I top with more cinnamon, a calorie-free bonus; go for a tad more syrup, if you need it sweeter.

Remember... anything goes... "Real Deal" recipes cry for creativity; so, use your favorite ingredients.

Eat HEART-y for only 305 calories!