Bryant & May on the Loose: Review of a London Mystery
Christopher Fowler has done it again. John May, although he was in his eighties, was a dapper man who drove a BMW and wore Prada shoes. His colleague however, octogenarian Arthur Bryant, was an intellectually curious eccentric who gave the appearance of being something the cat dragged in. Together, they ran the PCU – the Peculiar Crimes Unit. What is the Peculiar Crimes Unit? The pair had been heading the PCU since they were in...
Mushrooms in Red Wine Recipe
Delicious mushrooms in red wine with pasta. We are a meat-free household but we certainly enjoy our food. This recipe is splendid for a family dinner but equally good to serve to guests. Although I generally serve this with pasta – any sort – we’ve also had this with plain boiled rice which made a pleasant change and the rice soaks up the delicious sauce beautifully. You could also serve this – with or...
Top New Suspense Thrillers, Part 4: Andrew Peterson, Author
Andrew Peterson, Author Bringing us Nathan McBride Next in the top new suspense novels is a series by Andrew Peterson. So far he has four excellent books available, with the fifth due out in August. Each star Nathan McBride, former CIA sniper. One of the differences we find in Nathan is his kindness and determination to do the right thing, in spite of horrible treatment he has received in the past. Personally I’ve listened to...
Pic of the Week: Clouds
Photograph of the Week: What the Clouds are Saying. Have you noticed that every morning on the homepage here at JAQUO there’s a new photograph taken from the beach? Here is one taken today. This image was captured on Fort Lauderdale beach just as the sun was beginning to rise. Isn’t it amazing how nature provides us with such fabulous artwork? Andy Royston has been taking photographs of the beach for six years – you...
Songs from the Heart : Landslide
A highlight of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks shows has always been Landslide, which is a song that seems to get stronger with age. In later live performances its clear that the song is almost a cathartic singalong, with Stevie; once the great Californian sex symbol, now fairy godmother to the classic rock generation, rising to the occasion. Her audience comes dressed in homage – top hats, shawls, feathers, long long hair and...
Eye of newt, and toe of frog: A potential cure for MRSA?
It’s the 9th century and instead of green smoothie recipes and how to teatox there’s a hot new natural remedy book topping the best sellers list. What ‘Bald’s Leechbook’ book doesn’t tell you about natural remedies just isn’t worth knowing, I mean, have a read of the precision in this extract (that has been translated from Old English) for treating an eye infection; “If eyes be tearful, add to sweetened...
Vegetarian Special K Casserole
Special K Casserole is a very easy to make. It’s been around for years. This is a well know vegetarian casserole to those who are Seventh Day Adventists such as myself. I learned to make it from my Mom. We made a lot of vegetarian foods as I was growing up. It is quite simple to make. All you do is sauté the onions and celery then mix the rest of the ingredients together. Put it in a baking pan and pop into the oven for 45...
Before You Get Another Dog…Wait!
Suggestion 1: If You Lose a Pet, Don’t Get Another Right Away. Our family loves dogs. My husband and I got our first puppy, a tiny poodle, while we were traveling on our honeymoon. From that time on we were not without one, and had up to four, dogs. Until Buster died suddenly one day. It still hurts to say that. Buster (yes that’s his sweet face in the picture) was the first dog we had ever adopted from a shelter. At five...
Wheat Gluten Steaks: Vegetarian
Vegetarian Steaks! Wheat Gluten Steaks are a home made vegetarian meat-like steak that takes the place of real meat. This is a great alternative if you are not a meat eater. I know these gluten steaks as Choplets as they somewhat close to the Worthington brand I buy but making them at home is even better. They make a delicious sandwich at dinnertime. You can fix them up with lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, or anything you like on...
Haystacks: Taco Salad
What is a Haystack? If you’re a person who likes taco salads then you’ll like Haystacks. What is a Haystack you might be thinking. It’s like a big taco salad except you get to make your own stack! All you do is assemble it in layers starting with tortilla chips, then add the bean mixture, then add the veggies. Top it with salsa or sour cream as desired. Its a simple and easy recipe and everyone can join in once all...
JAQUO in Print: Summer 2015
JAQUO print magazine: Summer 2015. Yes, the printed JAQUO magazine is now available! This is even bigger and better than our previous version with lots of articles and ideas. With the summer months firmly in mind, our writers have been thinking about summer reading ideas, cool recipes and places to visit. In addition, you’ll find fascinating articles from eighteen different writers and this issue is a full one hundred...
Electric Guitar Kit Review
Electric Guitar Kit Review. I was given an electric guitar kit for my birthday, which was in February. The fact that I finished in June gives you an idea of how many difficulties I had making it. I don’t want to put anyone off making a guitar from a kit, because it’s been great fun to do and I have learned so much. I’m just pointing out that how much you already know about woodwork, finishes, and electronics, will determine how long...
What About Gods and Pansy Flowers of Freethought
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Traveling Light and Reading Novellas
If you’re lucky enough to be jetting off this summer but still battling with a tight luggage allowance, one thing that may get left behind is that pile of holiday reads. One solution is the eBook but another could be the novella. Novellas are far smaller than most novels but more substantial than a short story, allowing you to still become encapsulated in a literary world; making them a perfect way to indulge in a distraction whilst...
Book Review: Black List, by Brad Thor
Brad Thor is One of the Best. The excellent novel, Black List, may have you reconsidering your electronic fingerprint. Though in all honesty, it may be too late. According to the author the technology included in the book is currently in use or in final stages of development. In a revealing look at our potential future, the author shows what a few people with power over technology might achieve. This is the twelfth selection in the...
How to find a job – four key methods
It’s a full-time job finding a full-time job. You may not realise this but until a few years ago I worked for a careers advice company. There I helped people find jobs, helped people change career and look at training and courses. In my most recent years the focus was on providing advice on CVs and resumes and finding ways into work. As an ex-careers advisor I’ve had many, many conversations about ways in which to find...
Thoughts on Alzheimer’s
Missing Mom When someone you love has Alzheimer’s, holidays and days of family gatherings like the Christmas season can be bittersweet. At this time of year, I am so thankful my faith assures me that I will see my family again in heaven. That doesn’t mean I don’t miss my mom today. What makes it bittersweet is that she is still alive. But the ‘mom’ part of her is more or less gone. Now that this Christmas...
Language Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
When the Voyager Space Probe set off into space on the ultimate adventure, it needed to say hello. So it was equipped with audio files etched onto a gold plated record intended to be heard by whatever form of life it might come across. This fascinating video is one of these files and it contains greetings and welcome messages in 55 different languages. How many languages did you identify? We will probably never leave planet Earth, but...
Growing Up in Boom Times
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The Battle for the Everglades
It doesn’t look like a battle, does it? The Everglades seems to be much the same as always, with the slow, shallow stream of water – what Majorie Stoneman Douglas famously called the River of Grass – flowing slowly south. I recently visited the Miccosukee Tamiami Trail Reservation Area – a beautiful lily-pad dotted expanse of water alongside U.S. 41, known as the Shark River Slough. Experts consider this one of...
Today in history: July
What happened on this day in July? 1st Olivia de Havilland born 1916 First day of the Somme 1916 Diana Spencer born 1961 Alice Guy Blanche born 1903 Last Ford Thunderbird produced 2005 George Sand born 1804 Peggy Sue recorded 1957 Nicholas Winton died 2015 2nd: Live Aid 2006 Helmut Marko accident 1972 Amelia Earhart disappeared 1937 Val Doonican died 2015 3rd: Sebastian Vettel born Carrie Buck born 1906 Hettie Green died 1916 Franz...
Ben Coes’ New Novel, Independence Day
Independence Day, Ben Coes’ fifth book in the Dewey Andreas series, is now available. If you are a fan of suspense thriller, I hope you’ve already read his series. If you haven’t read him yet, I suggest you start soon. Ben Coes became one of my favorite authors with his very first novel, Power Down. It was an amazing start to a new writing career. His most excellent hero, Dewey Andreas, has a background that will let you know the...
Things No One Tells You About Getting Older!
10 Things No One Tells You About Getting Older! Everyone is getting older every day! Aging is a Fact of Life! So many times I can remember looking at older people and wondering what it was going to be like when I was their age, and guess what? I’m there now! The funniest part of this whole scenario, is that when I was younger, I probably thought those “older” people I was looking at, were maybe in their 40’s or...
A Review of Poseidon’s Arrow, by Clive Cussler
Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt: You Can’t Go Wrong When there is time between reading Clive Cussler’s wonderful novels, It seems I forget how much I enjoy them. Every book I have read by Mr Cussler, with or without a co-writer, has been an exciting adventure. Ever since finding Raise the Titanic so many years ago, it has been true. Poseidon’s Arrow has reaffirmed that. From the very beginning the reader is drawn in to the complicated...
Songs about Cities – Manchester
I must confess I knew little of Manchester before I arrived there to study in the late 1970s. Thanks to my cricket fanatic father I was a little wary of the place. The red rose of Lancashire were the enemy of any self respecting Yorkshireman and not to be trusted. Yorkshire Vs Lancashire? Think ‘Game of Thrones’ with cricket bats. For them as don’t know, cotton was the making of Manchester. It was imported through...
Book Review: Power Down, by Ben Coes
Outstanding! Power Down is A Definite 5-Star Read This powerful debut novel sent Ben Coes straight to my favorites list. He has remained there with the subsequent entries in his Dewey Andreas series. Released in August of 2011, it is still a very timely novel that brings to mind the current political issues we still face on energy. Meet Dewey Andreas We are introduced to a remarkable, if somewhat damaged hero, Dewey Andreas. Former...
Spinach and Mushroom Layered Casserole
Spinach, mushrooms and cheese seem to belong together. They taste fantastic! This recipe is no exception. When I first ran across this tasty casserole it was made quite differently than it would be today. It called for 6 tablespoons of butter and a teaspoon of salt. That seemed too much to me, so I’ve changed it up, making it healthier and lighter. First, I used coconut oil to sauté the mushrooms. That is healthier and lighter....
German Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cake Recipe. A tasty distinctive dark chocolate flavor is German Chocolate. This chocolate makes for a great cake. It is topped with a coconut pecan frosting and used for filling between layers too. You won’t want to miss trying this cake! Ever since I was little this has been my all time favorite cake. Between my grandmother and my mom making this cake; it was heavenly tasting! After my mom knew it was my...
Can Coconut Oil Slow Alzheimer’s?
Pure, Organic Coconut Oil Always researching natural ways to combat Alzheimer’s disease, I keep running across the benefits of coconut oil. While it isn’t on the list of top foods—yet—it still is becoming a recommended food to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s as well as many other diseases. Fairly new for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, it continues to gain both acceptance and popularity. It’s surprisingly easy to include the super...
Hot Spinach Dip
Every spinach lover must have their favorite spinach dip. This is mine. The first rule for me is that it must be hot. Leftover it is very tasty cold, but it is cheesy delight served warm from the oven, with crackers, chips or sliced fresh vegetables. It’s easy to make, yet tastes like you went to a lot of trouble. Guests love it. So does family actually. I prefer to make it without artichoke hearts, but they are a popular...
The Life of the Princess of Wales
The Life of the Princess of Wales. She was incredibly unhappy. The Princess of Wales had only been married for a short period of time but she was fully aware that her husband, the Prince of Wales, was still seeing his long-time mistress. And what’s more, she rather suspected that he was seeing other women too. She knew that he’d had plenty of women when he had been single and now it seemed that he hadn’t changed in...
Of Palm Trees and Buried Treasure
Since men first set out to sea there have been tales of imaginary islands. A disc of sand and a coconut palm tree anchored in an azure ocean; a pirate’s treasure buried beneath and some unexpected stories to tell. As a child I was hooked on all those stories. Swashbuckling buccaneers and buried gold from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, castaway tales from Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, Captain Nemo’s...
Coming in July, New Suspense Novels
A Big Month for Many Bestselling Authors July brings an exciting list of new releases from several favorite authors. Mysteries, thrillers, suspense, a fantasy thriller…Many well known names…more in continuing series. All that should build to a wonderful and exciting month of summer reading. A few of my must reads are shown below. For a more complete list of what is coming in July, you can see it here on Mystery Suspense Reviews....
A Scourge of Vipers, by Bruce DeSilva, A Review
Bruce DeSilva’s Newest Novel A Scourge of Vipers was the first book I’ve read written by Mr. DeSilva. It won’t be the last. The title turns out to be quite fitting for the novel. It is the fourth in the Liam Mulligan series, and the fourth book published by the acclaimed author. The many years he spent in journalism clearly enable the author to paint a realistic view of the field and the newspaper business itself. This entry...
Elsie Frost murder: Memorial service planned
Latest news from the BBC’s investigation into the murder of Elsie Frost. I was eleven years old and at school in Wakefield when fourteen year old Elsie Frost was murdered in that city in 1965. In recent months, as the fiftieth anniversary of Elsie’s murder approaches, BBC reporter Jon Manel has been helping Elsie’s brother and sister, Colin and Anne, try to discover more about this unsolved case. In previous articles...
Spinach and Mushroom Calzones
Using a bread machine makes it so easy to have fresh bread any day. Lately I’ve been making dinner and sandwich sized rolls with it so I can use the fresh bread for hamburger buns. This time I cut off a piece to try my hand at calzones. A calzone is another recipe that is surprisingly adaptable. Not only can you use your favorite ingredients and cheese, you can also leave the veggies uncooked when you make the calzone and allow...
London’s Hidden History
Remains of the Old London Bridge A bridge has spanned the Thames between the City of London and Southwark on the site of a natural causeway since the original Roman crossing was built in AD50. Since the conquest it has evolved over time and existed in countless different forms, one of the most famous being the medieval ‘Old London Bridge’ which was finished under the reign of King John in 1209 and survived until 1762. Though only 8m...
Ham and Cream Cheese Roll-ups
Easy Ham Roll-Ups These little bite sized ham and cream cheese roll ups were lunch yesterday. I happened to have some ham slices on hand. Since I didn’t feel like a sandwich, I pulled out some cream cheese, spread it on the ham with some onion, and had one of the fastest lunches I’ve ever made! If you are looking for a low carb, low fat meal, try this out. I always use 95 – 99% fat free ham, and usually use...
Twelve to Murder, by Lauren Carr, A Review
A couple found murdered in their mansion, a man’s name spelled out in blood. Could it really be that easy? Not likely in a novel written by Lauren Carr! If you are familiar with her series, you will know there will be many potential killers with as many potential motives. This one involves… A long ago kidnapping A woman killed when her car goes over a cliff A missing man who may have done it Drugs and the dealing of them...
Spinach Dumplings with Dipping Sauce
Spinach Dumplings with Dipping Sauce The Chinese New Year celebration is beginning! While searching for a menu of what is usually served, dumplings caught my eye. Aren’t they a favorite to most of us? You can fill them with vegetables, meat, or even something sweet for dessert. And the sauces for dipping often make the dumplings twice as good. The idea for using spinach and tofu came from a recipe I saw in Food and Wine...
The Best Little Carpet Cleaner for Spots
The Bissell Spotlifter 2x Portable Deep Carpet Cleaner Cordless Spot Carpet Cleaning–So Easy My little carpet cleaner by Bissell is a favorite around our house for those little spots that seem to come from nowhere. I don’t know what we did without it. I suppose we tried cleaning up spills and spots by hand. That usually worked okay, but it seemed like we could never get the liquid out sufficiently so eventually it would...
Hot Fudge Cake in the Slow Cooker
Hot Fudge Cake in the Slow Cooker Gooey chocolate goodness made in a slow cooker. This scrumptious, moist dessert is so easy. No mixer required, simply stir, pour, and let your crockpot do the rest. This was a first for me. I’ve never made dessert in a slow cooker before. I can see I have been missing out! Wouldn’t you know Betty Crocker already had this and several other recipes to suggest? When I saw the words...
Duchess of Cambridge: Get the look
Duchess of Cambridge: Style. In June 2015 Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, showed classic yet modern style when she was photographed wearing an outfit that comprised a stylish blue and white striped top, skinny blue jeans and casual yet classic boat shoes. She looked elegant, relaxed and ready for fun. (Many women noted with more than a touch of envy that her figure looks amazing just a few weeks after the birth of her...
Cinnamon Biscuits
Lightly Sweet Biscuit Made with Coconut Oil Baking powder Biscuits taste so good with coffee in the morning. Let’s be honest, they taste good nearly any time of day. Since I started making them with cinnamon they’ve become a favorite lightly sweet breakfast treat. Often I will simply drop them by small spoonfuls onto a baking pan. That makes them half size and bite size. Since they often go to a brunch at church, smaller works...
Avocado Chicken Quesadillas
Avocado Chicken Quesadillas Avocado Quesadillas with Chicken are another San Diego County favorite. There was a little local restaurant on the coast that served them. It wasn’t fast food, but it was very casual dining frequented by locals. Fresh avocados grow in many backyards there, so we ate them often. The dish was always so good that it was hard to order anything different. Since it is far away now, I had to try to copy it. ...
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Combining Cauliflower with Potatoes Mashed potatoes seem to be a favorite side dish with all of us. But, if you’re like me, you don’t fix them very often because most other vegetables are healthier for you. On top of that, many are lower in calories too. After experiments with cauliflower in lieu of part of the rice in my Fried Cauliflower Rice recipe, I decided to try it in potatoes too. I’d heard of mashed...
Anolon Hard Anodized Cookware, for more even cooking
The Value of One Good Set of Pans Until my husband gave me this set of hard anodized Anolon pans one year, I never thought the quality of pans mattered much when cooking. For several decades, the pans would wear out every few years, and a new set would replace them. I never thought much about it. The first time I cooked with the new hard anodized calphalon pans, I learned the difference. They were–and are still–amazing....
Victim culture: Cry-baby society
The victim culture: A disturbing part of today’s society? In Nazi Germany and Nazi-occupied countries free speech was censored by jack booted thugs. Today, we are censored by victim culture and the fact that we don’t want ‘to offend’. Offend others and they become the victim and you become branded as a racist, sexist or some other variety of ‘ist’. This was demonstrated in June 2015 when seventy...
Elsie Frost murder: The police typist
Police typist Liz Weaver and the murder of Elsie Frost. The people of Wakefield in West Yorkshire were stunned and horrified when fourteen year old Elsie Frost was brutally murdered on the outskirts of the city. This terrible event took place on Saturday October 9th, 1965. The murderer was never found. Fifty years later her sister Anne and brother Colin discovered that the police files about Elsie’s death were sealed. Their...
The Lasko Desktop Fan, Small but Mighty
A Cool Breeze in a Very Small Package A mini lifesaver for a hot day! I’m so pleased with the small Lasko desktop fan that I bought three of them. The last few days were very hot for our area. It’s moved on now, most likely heading east. This little fan sure helped during those days! When the air is still, the heat seems to hang in the air, totally draining my energy. The breeze from this fan was all I needed. I set it on...
Vegetarian Enchiladas with Crumbled Soy and Cauliflower
Vegetarian Enchiladas with Crumbled Soy and Cauliflower Mexican food is usually a top choice when deciding to go out for dinner. Since I enjoy eating it more often than I go out these days, it has been fun and tasty to try some dishes in my kitchen. Burritos and enchiladas are among the most requested. In either dish, the ingredients are so flexible. Any meat, poultry or fish, all sorts of vegetables, and cheese, rolled up into a...
Ampersands: Working with Text
The best ampersands for graphics. When you’re working with text, especially for decorative graphics, the chances are that you have some beautiful ampersands installed on your computer. Don’t simply use the ampersand that comes with the font you are using – experiment. Below you’ll see some examples and these will give you some idea of how a couple of words in a basic sans serif font can bring the ordinary to...
Suspect by Robert Crais, a Book Review
Since publishing the article here on Jaquo about Robert Crais’ upcoming novel, The Promise , It seemed fitting to recommend the book that first introduced me to Mr. Crais’ and his excellent books. That book would be Suspect. It is still one of my favorite books. Robert Crais is the author of the wonderful private detective series featuring Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. There are more than ten in that series so far. Besides that he has...
Potatoes in Light Cheese Sauce
Lighten up Cheese Sauce for a Delicious Potato Dish Potatoes in Cheese Sauce is another of my sweet Mom’s recipes. I hadn’t thought of it in so long, that it was like seeing an old friend when I did remember it. We didn’t have it often, but I can even see Mom serving it at dinner one time. I thought it looked so pretty when she served it, and, as with all of Mom’s dishes, it tasted so good! Once I...
Third Hand Smoke and the Churchill Room
Third Hand Smoke and the Churchill Room at the George V in Paris. First there was first hand smoke, then second hand and now third hand. Zut alors, how can one keep abreast of modern medical manias? A noted North American medical institution offers this wisdom: “Third hand smoke is generally considered to be residual nicotine and other chemicals left on a variety of indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke. This residue is thought to...
How to Keep Out of Trouble When Traveling Overseas
How to Keep Out of Trouble When Traveling Overseas. Traveling overseas is a very exciting thing to do especially if you’re young and on a gap year, or if you have just finished university. However, the group of (mostly European) young men and women who stripped off when they reached the summit of Malaysia’s sacred Mount Kinabalu forgot to do a most important piece of homework – research. Their behaviour was a display of their of...
Chicken Florentine Pasta
Ah…Pasta! Seems I can never have noodles often enough. Sometimes I’ll mix zucchini noodles in with it. Sometimes long skinny angel hair sounds best, other times ziti or rigatoni. Anyway you serve it, it’s a favorite choice. That being the case, it is a continual challenge finding ways to lighten up the topping I serve with it. As you see in this recipe. Spinach is a must, along with chopped onion. This time I...
Book Review: Destiny, by Tom Lowe
Could papers written hundreds of years ago hold the secret to conspiracies today? Can one man uncover the truth? You will want to find out! Grab a copy of this exciting thriller written by Tom Lowe. Mr. Lowe’s first stand alone novel is sure to be a hit. The Audible version of Destiny was just released June 9, 2015. The book version was first published in February 2015. Once I started, it was very difficult to stop listening to...
Songs about Cities : Chicago (Encore)
When it comes to Chicago music it all boils down to one thing. A cultural moment that overshadows all else. A watershed experience, not just for the city, but everyone else on the planet that witnessed the car crashes, the celebrity cameos, the flamethrower attacks, the shopping mall destructions, and the relentless car chase carnage that was The Blues Brothers. This is the second of two articles about music inspired by the great city...
How to Lighten Up a Chicken Salad
How to Lighten Up a Chicken Salad Chicken salad has been a favorite of our family since the late 70’s. A good friend and I would stop at a deli called Kaplan’s for lunch quite often mostly because I would crave their chicken salad. I don’t know if the restaurant still exists, but my chicken salad recipes still does. It took years of testing and tasting to come up with a recipe I thought was similar. We used it for years. These day I...
Gobly Cake Recipe
Who wants a slice of Gobly Cake? Gobly Cake is a recipe I found in the West Yorkshire Archives today. I was searching for something else and found this instead, and couldn’t wait to try it out. The recipe appears to date back at least 70 years. ‘Gobly’? Most likely because it’s tasty so you want to gobble it down. It’s the sort of daft Yorkshire word you would conjure up here to describe something...
Veggie Platter with Buffalo Ranch Dip
Fresh, Crisp Vegetables in a Spicy Dip Fresh vegetables are in abundance right now, fresh being the operative word. While it is a good idea to freeze, can, dry, etc., to preserve the variety for the rest of the year, there isn’t much better or more delicious than fresh, raw, cut up vegetables. Fresh from the garden or from a farmer’s market, they taste healthy and wonderful just as they are. So why mess with a good...
Crossroads Motel, Oxford, Wisconsin: Review
Crossroads Motel, Oxford, Wisconsin: Review. When we turned into the motel driveway it’s a little woodsy drive in. As you near the clearing you see a lighthouse in the grass and then a little further in you see a fire-pit and a volleyball ball net. Then there is the long row of motels. The office is off to the side. You can park right in front of your door which is nice. Inside The Motel When we opened the door to our room we saw two...
Songs about Cities : Chicago
Chicago is where I first set foot in America. I arrived at O’Hare International Airport and entered the city via an airport shuttle. The sun was just breaking through the morning rain and I was dropped right in the center of town, close to the Wrigley Building. I walked around like a chump for days just gawping at the place. It was so fitting that Chicago was my first experience of an American city. I’d been a follower of...
A Mile By Mile Travel Guide for The Oregon Coast
It’s Summer–Time to Plan Your Trip! Any time you can get a mile by mile guide for a place you are visiting, go for it. I love this book! Summer will be here before you know it. Are you ready? You know what that means: kids out of school, time to play, and vacation! I already have several things planned for this year. You too? Even though I live on the Oregon Coast, there is so much I haven’t seen. Last summer I got...
Butter Pecan Balls, A Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookie
A Cookie Tradition. Melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness, covered lightly with powdered sugar. Sound tasty? Of course they’re scrumptious any time of year, but Pecan Balls are still one of my favorite and longest Christmas traditions. Especially in the dessert category. Christmas is a time for tradition. It’s always a treat to see favorite decorations and ornaments unwrapped, lights hung inside and out, the angel placed on...
No Fail Chocolate Chip Cookies
No Fail Chocolate Chip Cookies These are the best home made chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tasted, and it’s totally because of the recipe not because of me! Rich and chewy and very chocolatey, I can’t believe I made them. I have a confession. Until a friend gave me this recipe, I was a total failure at chocolate chip cookie baking. I’ve tried so many different recipes from relatives, cookbooks, magazines, and...
Salmon and Edamame in Ponzu Sauce
Salmon and Edamame, Brain Health Favorites. Salmon with Edamame in Ponzu sauce is a dish that was a favorite restaurant dish of mine when I lived in southern California. With that restaurant now 900 miles away, I decided to try to create it myself. I think I did pretty well–it came out so tasty! Grilled salmon, one of the best foods for brain health, served with edamame, another powerhouse food. Since we’ve had...
Alfredo Sauce Made from Mushrooms?
Alfredo Sauce Made from Mushrooms? When I first ran across a similar recipe to this on Pure Wow, I knew I had to try it. Mushrooms are so tasty, and also very low in calories. I love Alfredo sauce, but try not to use it often because it is so rich and high in calories. Making a sauce from mushrooms sounded too good to be true. It works! It still surprises me that mushrooms will make such a thick sauce, but they do. The original recipe...
Re-inventing Key Largo
By the time that Maxwell Anderson wrote his prose play Key Largo, the drama’s island setting on the southern tip of Florida had almost erased the name. Anderson’s self-important drama was actually focused on the Spanish Civil war and was written in the form of a Shakesperean tragedy. The trip to Florida by the plays protagonist King McCloud (Key West is his destination) was one of atonement as he seeks out a fallen...
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Four Ingredients I was looking for something easy, low budget and with just a few ingredients. Then a co-worker suggested making home-made sloppy joes. All you use is hamburger, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar she said. That sure piqued my interest. So I went home and made it. Oh my goodness I’ll never buy the canned sloppy joe sauce ever again! Making them like this is so good and even better. I was never reallly fond of the...
Roast Cauliflower with Lime
Roast Cauliflower with Lime Cauliflower is delicious no matter how you fix it. Raw, steamed, roasted, or included in any casserole recipe. Still, cauliflower roasted with lime and cilantro is a hard recipe to resist. Easy to fix, pretty enough for company, it’s new favorite. Seems like I used it in everything these days, from fried rice and mashed potatoes to tuna casserole and meatballs. Actually one head of the tasty vegetable...
Create a logo in minutes
Create a logo in five minutes or less. There may be a time when you need a logo, or a symbol to represent a part of your business or event, fast. For example, a magazine or website wants to write about you and asks you to email a logo – by return please. But your business is just getting off the ground, you don’t have logo yet. Create one quickly and easily. You have hundreds of hidden logos on your computer Don’t...
Book Review: Last to Die, by Tess Gerritsen
Last to Die is another excellent, suspenseful mystery by Tess Gerritsen. As soon as I finished Ice Cold, by Tess Gerritsen I had to get Last to Die, another book in her Rizzoli and Isles series. It was so good! At the end of Ice Cold, a young, self sufficient teen who calls himself Rat, is invited to attend an unusual private school in Maine, after his family is killed. I’d grown fond of him in Ice Cold, so was curious to see...
Create & print photographic business cards easily & quickly
How to create quick business cards. Even today, business cards are still in use. The problem is though that we don’t need to order hundreds as we used to in the past. But how can this be done economically? In the days when we lived offline things were different, but today few of us need hundreds of business cards but we don’t want to a) employ an expensive designer and b) buy in bulk. There is an answer. You don’t...
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
A Cookie to Satisfy. Oatmeal and peanut butter are two of my favorite cookies, so what could be better than combining both? I like to include these in my holiday cooking, only then I will sprinkle them with red or green sugar. It’s become a new tradition to bake these along with my favorites, Pecan Balls and Ginger cookies. Of course, these are a tasty snack year round. The oats and peanut butter also offer nutritional value....
Once: The Musical
Toronto has been host city to a number of world class musical productions and it just doesn’t stop! The musical “Once” was also filmed in Toronto and that is where I was introduced to it. The story is one of music and the meeting of talented people trying to forage out a living on the corners and streets of many cities the world over. Hoping of course, that enough people will drop some change into your bag while you play your...
A Useful Guide for Preventing Alzheimer’s
The word “Alzheimer’s” sparks fear in the mind of more and more these days. With baby boomers entering the group, the aging population is increasing in percentage dramatically. In a recent article in the New York Times, a reporter said the aging population in New York City had risen thirty percent. It may be much higher in states that are popular retirement havens like Florida and Arizona. The fact is the number with the disease is...
Book Review: Dog Tags, by David Rosenfelt
There aren’t many books that I read that having me laughing as often as David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter Series. I’ll be listening along, since I love Grover Gardner’s narration, caught up in the drama when Andy will say something that forces a laugh out. It is so much fun I could listen to his books over and over. I did with this one, as a matter of fact. Since I read the books in order after my first Rosenfelt book, I went back to...
Book Review: The Fold, by Peter Clines
Peter Clines Has Done It Again If you are looking for an exciting book, give this one a try. If it isn’t already, The Fold is bound to be a bestseller. I got the audiobook through Audible and finished it in two days. That reinforces once again the benefit of audiobooks, since there is no way I would have had that much time to sit down and read. The Fold encouraged me to clean, run errands, and stay up late, as long as I could...
Gramma’s Ginger Cookies
Gramma’s Ginger Cookies Ginger Cookies, My Grandmother’s Way These ginger cookies are one of my favorite comfort cookies! Probably because the recipe is my grandmother’s. Whenever our Norwegian grandparents would visit, we would come home from school to the aroma of cinnamon rolls or these cookies wafting through the house. Sweet, spicy and so delicious. Fresh from the oven or cooled, they are a delightful cookie...
Florida Mystery Authors, A Challenge
When asked to write an article about Florida crime writers I was instantly enthused. First it sounded interesting to choose a specific area, such as a single state. Secondly, Florida has has a reputation for an unusual collection of people and locales, each very distinctive, each with their own troubles and benefits. You will find the influence of nearby islands, such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. You will find crime and crime lords in...
Homemade Veggie Pizza
Veggies on my pizza! Veggies are so good for you and I love them. There are many ways that you can make them. They can be used by themselves cooked or raw, in casseroles or even on pizza. That’s what this recipe is all about, veggies on your pizza. Buying veggie pizzas is a easy, normal instinct to do but making it homemade is just as easy and healthier for you. Just think of topping your pizza with fresh veggies from your...
Vegetarian Taco Hot Dish
Taco Hot Dish. Turn a regular Taco Hot Dish recipe into a vegetarian one instead. Swap out one ingredient for a different one. It’s nice when you can adapt a recipe that you really like a lot to fit the health needs of yourself or when cooking for others. Its fun to experiment with these types of recipes in switching out ingredients to see what works or doesn’t work. So find a recipe of yours to see what alterations you...
Easy Breakfast Sandwiches to Make at Home
Easy Breakfast Sandwiches to Make at Home. Breakfast can be boring. I know oatmeal is one of the best things you can eat for breakfast, and I really like it, but some days I need a change. Yesterday was one of those days. Looking around for something to fix I nearly gave up and thought I’d hit a fast food drive-thru. That reminded me of a breakfast sandwich I used to make often. So why not make one at home? I wanted something that...
Songs about cities : Miami
Some cities have elegantly created meditative pieces written about them, that are played in ornate halls by string quartets. Some cities are honored in symphonic jazz arrangements that are premiered by orchestras and conducted by legends. Miami on the other hand has good time party songs performed by dudes with moustaches, wearing wife-beaters, gold chains and sunshades. I looked long and hard for songs that might inspire the mind,...
Shinichi Mine and YouTube, Part 2 of Our Interview
I first met Shinichi Mine a few years ago on Squidoo, an article writing site. His articles were very popular. Always unique, very interesting, and accompanied by wonderful photographs, whether he was traveling or cooking. Since that time, he has developed a successful (and beautiful) blog, Tabieats, and forged into YouTube videos. Forged is the word, and seamlessly is how he did it. From the start, he’s done a wonderful job...
Lunatics
Lunatics. Lunatics. An ugly word now, but was the common description given in the 19th and early 20th century to people with mental illnesses. A few miles from my home stood a large psychiatric hospital. It opened in 1888 as ‘The West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ and housed a large population of people with mental illness. For many detained there, it was where they lived – and died – their bodies abandoned and...
The Magnificent Oregon Coast
Towering Trees, Amazing Beaches, Rocky Shorelines The entire Pacific Northwest is near paradise if you are a fan of the outdoors. It’s beauty has always called to me. Spread across it you will find exquisite beaches, snow covered mountains, dozens of rivers and lakes, not to mention hundreds of state and national parks. The waterways and surrounding snowy mountain ranges of Washington have always been a draw, but the Oregon...
Book Review: Body Language, by James W. Hall
Welcome to Miami Miami is the setting at the beginning of this novel from James W. Hall. Body Language is a strange tale of a crime scene photographer, working nights, trying to find a serial killer. Sort of. On the other hand, it’s an odd tale of her not-very-nice husband hoping to pull off the perfect crime. Both are putting Alexandra Rafferty in grave danger. Both involve twists and turns, and that includes the position of the...
The best solar charger for your phone & devices
Charging your phone using solar power And it’s not just your phone – when there’s no electricity, you discover just how much you rely on other devices such as your iPad, Kindle or other devices. Perfect for extreme weather Today, bad weather can knock out power for many of us and losing the use of your communication methods isn’t only inconvenient, it’s dangerous. Living in Florida, I know only too well...
Apple Crisp, The Old Fashioned Way
Apple Crisp, The Old Fashioned Way Mom often made this simple, old fashioned apple crisp for us when we were growing up. It was always a favorite. Dad liked ice cream with it, but I like it just the way it is, especially when still warm from the oven. The flavor is delicious, the crumb topping just crumbly enough. It’s very easy to make too which is always a plus to me. The hardest (or most time consuming) part of the recipe is...
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
I love when the end of summer comes and its time for the zucchini to blossom in the garden. It’s like the next part to garden with Fall approaching. There are a number of great recipes that you can make with the zucchini. One that I really enjoy making is Chocolate Zucchini Cake. It is simple to make and usually goes over well with everyone who tries it. Although the first thought may be to those who think zucchini in a cake...
Vegetarian Won Tons
Vegetarian Won Tons Making Wontons Wonton making is incredibly fun! I’ve always looked at wontons and egg rolls and thought they would be too hard to make. Since I had some time this morning I decided to experiment. I hope you’ll enjoy this as much as I have. The best part is you can put anything in them you like! I added two others as long as I was making the basic ones. Kids would get a kick out of helping too, and...
Wafer Sandwich Cookies
Wafer Cookies with Frosting in the Middle. Delight your guests and family with these light wafer cookies filled with frosting. They are lovely for an afternoon tea. These wafer sandwich cookies have become a new family favorite. I first ran across the recipe while looking for something festive to make for a party at my Mom’s memory care residence. I loved the colorful frosting in the center, and knew all Mom’s friends...
Almost instant strawberry tart
Ten minute strawberry tart. This was a popular recipe in the nineteen sixties and seventies and I see no reason why it can’t be revived today 🙂 Yes, it uses a pre-baked pie case (I use the graham cracker type) and, apart from the fresh strawberries, it uses items from the store cupboard but the labour involved is ten minutes tops. Kids love it but you can give it a more adult, sophisticated flavour by adding just a few drops of...
Using Paper.li Curation Service to Promote your Work
Promote & market your online articles using paper.li curation service. There are many excellent curation services that you can use to promote your online writing, your blog or your website. One of my favorites is paper.li and it’s so easy to use. You are familiar with curating and sharing what you love on sites such as Pinterest and paper.li takes this one step further. It automatically generates a daily (or weekly) online...
Cheesy Tuna Casserole with a Twist
Cheesy Tuna Casserole with a Twist Tuna casserole is one of this dishes you love or hate. Before you decide though, check it out. This one might be just a little bit different that the ones you’ve had in the past. Whenever I told my husband that I was making it for dinner, we would go out instead—guaranteed! While he apparently wasn’t fond of it, it was always one of my favorites, especially when it has all these ingredients in it!...
Great News for Adam Mitzner Fans
I just received notice that Adam Mitzner’s latest novel, Losing Faith, is now available, recorded by a new narrator, David Marantz. Mr. Mitzner was a huge hit on Audible with his first two novels, A Conflict of Interest and A Case of Redemption. When Losing Faith was released on audio, many fans were disappointed in the narration. The newest novel is an exciting legal thriller you won’t want to miss. I read the actual book this...
Beach out your Dorm Room
Bring the ocean along, wherever you go If you have a student going away to college soon, you will know how important it is to find a comfortable style for their personal space in a dorm. Something stylish, something that reflects their likes and their taste, and something cheerful yet relaxing. Since beach is synonymous with relax, what better atmosphere for a college dorm room? Soothing colors, the sound of the ocean, will help a...
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