Queen Victoria’s Daughters
Queen Victoria’s daughters Queen Victoria had nine children and understandably, the one who is the most well-known was Albert Edward, her eldest son who became King Edward VII when Victoria died in 1901. Little is generally known about her daughters however. In most cases,they married into European royalty. Queen Victoria wanted her daughters to marry for love – as she had done herself – but that didn’t mean...
Who Was Ottoline Morrell?
The curious life of Ottoline Morrell. When Ottoline Morrell grew to womanhood, she was six feet tall. She had striking, flowing red hair and a strongly-featured face. Knowing that she would turn heads, she dressed flamboyantly. She also led a flamboyant and somewhat scandalous life. She was also the sort of woman that was often caricatured – even by her several lovers. She was born in 1873 into an aristocratic English family of...
Antoni Gaudi i Cornet
June 10th, 2016 marked the 90th anniversary of the death of one of Spain’s most controversial architects! Even though he has been gone 90 years, his work and the mark he has made on Spanish buildings, makes it seem like he is still alive today. Gaudi was a sick child and because of his many ailments spent much of his childhood indoors. Though he didn’t get out much, he watched and learned many lessons by observing the world around...
Make your own Hamburger Buns with a Bread Machine
Make your own Hamburger Buns with a Bread Machine Now that I have a bread machine I try to avoid buying bread at the store. The machine makes it so easy and inexpensive to prepare it at home, and the aroma of bread baking spreads through the house. My review of this fantastic invention is right here. At first I stuck with loaves of bread, not sure I would do well making rolls. But the first time I tried them I found they are so easy...
Tuesday Typo: The BBC
‘Separate’. I’m not going to say that there are no typos in the articles I write. But I’m just me. I’m not a huge and respected organisation such as the BBC. The British Broadcasting Corporation has been a symbol of getting things right and setting standards since 1927. So it’s been around a lot longer than I have. This is why I love to read their style guide and other guidelines for journalists and...
Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly
The amazing true story of Kathryn Kelly: By Barbara Casey. You’ll love this true-life story. Have you heard of Kathryn Kelly? I hadn’t until I read this book and yet she was one of the most fascinating characters I’ve read about. Destined to become a gangster’s moll, Kathryn is a far more fascinating character than her counterpart, Bonnie Parker. Bonnie and Clyde caught the imagination of the public in the...
Zucchini Bread
One of my favorite bread recipes I look forward to making in the Fall is Zucchini Bread. My mom use to make this all the time but since she isn’t about to now I carry on the tradition of making it. I do, however, leave out one ingredient which is the nuts that she always put in it. I’m not too fond of nuts in my baked goods. This recipe calls for vegetable oil but since I didn’t have in my cupboard I decided to try...
If Jeremy Clarkson offends you, don’t watch him
If Jeremy Clarkson offends you, don’t watch him Have you heard about the current Top Gear malarkey? Just a quick explanation – Top Gear is a British television show which combines humour with information about cars.(Do not confuse this with the watered-down US version). It has been described as ‘edgy’. This is because its presenters, the foremost of which is Jeremy Clarkson, are normal blokes. Their so-called...
Headline of the week: Prince Charles on tits
Great tits no guarantee of success in the bedroom, says Prince Charles. The above headline was seen in the Daily Express on April 7th, 2015. Readers were surprised to see that the prince has extended his career to include that of sex expert. As the future sovereign, then it’s true to say that he should have the welfare of the people of Great Britain at heart. But isn’t becoming a sex counselor over stepping the mark a bit?...
Did Lana Turner Murder Johnny Stompanato?
Eric Root claimed that Lana Turner murdered her lover. In a sensational and highly publicised case in 1958, it was claimed that small-time gangster, Johnny Stompanato, had been murdered my his mistress’ daughter. His mistress was the famous Hollywood actress Lana Turner. The court ruled that Lana’s daughter,Cheryl Crane – then fourteen years old – had been responsible for the fatal stabbing. It was ruled as...
How To Make A Whimsical Easter Bunny Cake
When I was younger my Mom made this really neat Easter Bunny Cake. I thought it would be fun to share with you how to make it. It’s really pretty simple and fun to make. It’s quite whimsical looking which is perfect for Easter. That’s me in the picture way back when. We made our cake a chocolate flavor then decorated it with white frosting. Topped it with coconut all over and made pink coconut and sprinkles to put on...
Marco Andretti
Marco Andretti: The third generation Marco is an Indycar driver and the latest in the line of the famous Andretti family. Marco, his father Michael and his grandfather Mario, despite their legendary name, are all modest, quite shy and truly delightful people. Their passion is racing. The family originates from Croatia, which at the time of Mario’s birth was part of Italy. Today, the entire family see themselves as American...
Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett and Alzheimer’s Author Terry Pratchett, who died on March 12th, 2015, wrote over forty books and it’s estimated that he sold 85 million worldwide. He was sixty six when he died. Eight years previously, he had been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer’s Disease and had campaigned to increase funding to go towards finding a cure and preventative measures. This rare ailment did not affect his memory...
Who was Catalina de Erauso?
Who was Catalina de Erauso? Catalina was born into a highly-ranked Basque family in 1585. Like many girls of her day,she was expected to live the cloistered life of a nun. She entered the convent when she was just child. She was desperately unhappy and determined to escape from the dreary future she saw before her. It was arranged that she should take her vows when she was fifteen. As the date approached, she became even more...
The Most Amazing Pound Cake Ever!
The Most Amazing Pound Cake Ever! If you are looking for an easy, quick and versatile recipe for cake that can be made to look ordinary or extraordinary, this is for YOU! Not only is this recipe one of the easiest to follow, it also lets you add almost anything to it to make it different or special. My family has been baking a variety of this cake for the last 50 years or more and they always ask for it again and again. Maybe because...
Garden Tools for Women
Garden Tools for Women. Plant your flowers or veggies with tools that are stylish, vibrant and colorful just for women. Get them in colors such as pink, blue, yellow and more. Get them separately or all in a nice stylish set. Sets are handy for keeping all your tools in one place. I have garden tools that pink flowered. I use them to plant flowers in pots for my deck and front steps. I love that they are pink because that is my...
Rescue and Adopt a Pet!
Rescue and Adopt a Pet! Want a pet cat or dog? Why not adopt one? There are many animals at your local shelters hoping to be rescued and adopted out to good homes. My Kitty Adoption Story: Back in September 2014 we took in a lost girl tabby kitty. It was friendly, adorable and cuddly. She wasn’t afraid of you at all. The day we took her in she was found near the shelter hanging out in a tree. The shelter was not open so...
John T Betsch & Bessie Coleman
John T Betsch & Bessie Coleman John T Betsch’s grandfather was the first black millionaire in Florida. John himself was, in his daughter’s words ‘a race man’ who promoted the black community in the area. In 1930 he, as a member of the Negro Welfare League, sponsored and promoted aviator Bessie Coleman who went to Jacksonville to appear in an air show. You can read about Bessie Coleman here. If you’ve...
Strawberry Pink Camouflage Cake
Strawberry Pink Camouflage Cake Make a fun pink camouflage cake topped with strawberries for Valentines Day! I’ve never made a cake like this or a layered cake before so it was a new experience for me. It was different making the camouflage design but fun. I dropped each color of batter by spoonfuls into the pan. It looked really cool. Wait til you see the photos in the instructions. Tools you’ll need: Large mixing bowl...
Lana Turner & Johnny Stompanato
Lana Turner & Johnny Stompanato. Lana Turner was a Hollywood actress and pin up girl. She had a tempestuous life – she was married eight times – but probably her most famous relationship was that she had with Johnny Stompanato. Between husbands number four and five, Lana took Johnny to be her lover. He had underworld connections. According to Lana, Johnny was desperate to marry her but she objected to his life on the...
Yukon Gold Potato Soup and Gluten Free Cornbread
Yukon Gold Potato Soup. This Yukon Gold Potato soup is gluten free as it does not use any wheat flour to thicken the sauce. It uses Yukon gold potatoes, pork sausage and leeks. You can use red potatoes and I have even used Russet potatoes as well as White Rose potatoes. I make my potato soup like my mother did without milk or cream as my brother was severely allergic to milk and dairy. So I learned how to make my potato soup with the...
Al Capone: The Man Who Created Scarface
How did Al Capone get his ‘Scarface’ nickname? Al Capone hated that nickname. And of course it developed because he had knife scars on his cheek but who did this and how did it happen? In fact, he was only eighteen when he received the injury that he would hate for the rest of his life. It was August 1917 and Capone was working at the Harvard Inn on Coney Island. The place was owned by Frankie Yale, a minor mobster....
Celebrity & Entertainment Obsession
Celebrity & Entertainment Obsession: By Michael S. Levy. What a fascinating book – and subject – this is. There can’t be many people who haven’t noticed that today’s interest in celebrities is more than just a passing one — it really is an obsession. Why is this? The author investigates thoroughly in this easy-to-read book. Until I read the book, I was under the impression that society’s...
Plan a spa weekend – at home
How to have a luxury spa weekend at home Spas are incredibly popular today. Some people love going to day spas to be completely pampered but the ultimate luxury is spending the weekend at a magnificent spa resort where your only goal is to be pampered and to relax. The problem is that this can be terrifically expensive. But with a few careful purchases and a little planning, you can enjoy a luxury weekend at home. Planning is the key....
Times Like These: E.E. Smith
Times Like These: A delightful and entertaining read. Evelyn came from an unusual family. Her parents had married, separated, divorced, remarried (“at least twice to my knowledge”) and this book begins during one of their spells of togetherness – in 1945 when Evelyn was thirteen years old. Evelyn had been working since she was eleven years old as a summertime maid in a boarding house; she had lied about her age. As...
Card Playing Day
Today is officially “Card Playing Day” and it’s a good thing too. I am worn out from all the visiting, eating, drinking, laughing and just all around merriment of the Christmas season, to need a “day off”. One where I can play cards without feeling guilty or to have that itch to be doing something worthwhile. If you are anything like me, Card Playing Day is just coming around at the right time. It’s a time to sit back, relax, grab...
White Chocolate Berry Muffins
White Chocolate Berry Muffins. These fruity muffins are a sweet delight for breakfast, an afternoon snack or anytime! Rasberries, blueberries, and melted white chocolate bits. Yum! I was looking for a recipe that would allow me to use up some frozen raspberries I had on hand, when I ran across this one. It’s an old Betty Crocker recipe I had in my book, but with a few changes. Rasberries are always a treat, however they are...
Christmas Card Memories
Christmas Card Memories. Sending out Christmas cards to family and friends is a time to say Happy Holidays. It’s a way of letting them know your thinking of them. I love opening up my mailbox to see I’ve received some cards. I love to hang them up as part of my Christmas decorations. There is always so many designs you can choose to send; even order photo cards. The First Christmas Card Sir Henry Cole was born July 15,...
Christmas Bazaars and Bake Sales
For anyone who belongs to a group, be it of seniors, church groups, ladies crafting clubs and the like, you know as well as I do, that Christmas is a time when people are not only out shopping for handmade items, but they are also on the look out for Classic Bake Sale Goodies. I think one of the reasons this is so, is because everyone get invited to house parties or some sort of get together and we all feel the need to “bring...
Drakelow Tunnels
Drakelow Tunnels: Ghosts and cannabis Drakelow Tunnels are located in Kidderminster in England and have a fascinating history that includes the Second World War, the Cold War, ghosts and even cannabis. A curious combination, that’s for sure. This huge underground complex was built in the early stages of the Second World War and was an entire underground factory, including facilities for the workers. The Rover Car Company was...
Bug Jewellery
Bug Jewellery has been fashionable for many years. Everything from bees to dragonflies, cicadas, grasshoppers and bugs of every kind. I personally love butterflies, lady bugs and bees. Bug Jewellery is not for everyone, but I happen to really like it. Red bug bejewelled jewelry box In ancient times, Bug Jewellery was worn not just by women but by the men also. In Egypt, the Scarab Beetle was worn by the army as a talisman of...
Adult Coloring Books, A Gift for All Ages
How many years has it been since you grabbed a handful of color pencils, markers or crayons and sat quietly coloring? Personally for me, this was a pastime that I really enjoyed as a child. I would sit quietly coloring and making each outline in a coloring book my own. When there weren’t enough lines in the drawing, I would add my own and color until my fingers were almost numb. I had the most intricate patterns drawn into an...
No Bake Oatmeal Cocoa Cookies
Oatmeal Cookies Recipe: No Oven Required. A no bake cookie that is easy to make even for kids. There is no using a oven to make these cookies just a mixing bowl and spoon. All kids love to help so these would be perfect for that. You can have them mix the dry ingredients together while you warm a few of the other ingredients up in a saucepan on top of the stove. These are perfect to make on a hot day since no oven is required. Who...
Christmas Countdown: Advent Calendars For Children of all Ages
I know that some of you may already have turned off your curiosity because you feel it’s just too early to start thinking about Christmas. Well I must disagree with you. After all Christmas is not just a one day holiday, it is a whole season holiday starting with the first Sunday in Advent. Even if you are not religious, you can follow along on twenty four days leading up to Christmas. For years, I made Advent Calendars for my...
Sour Cream Cranberry Bars
Are you looking for a dessert that is good for Fall? Well I have just the one for you! They are Sour Cream Cranberry Bars. They use dried cranberries. I wasn’t so sure about this recipe at first but after making them and trying one I was hooked. What an amazing taste! This is a fairly easy to make. Just follow the steps in the recipe. That’s all I did since I’d never made it before. I didn’t have regular dried...
Mom’s Sheet Cake Brownies
Brownies To Die For! These homemade sheet cake brownies are super delicious! My mom use to make these all the time when my boys were younger. She liked to make them for mostly holidays but could made anytime of the year. I loved them so much they became a favorite of mine. She always made them just right. One of the things that made them so good was that she’d keep them in the freezer. After she was done frosting the cake...
German Chocolate Cake Bars Recipe
German Chocolate Is To Die For! I’ve been a huge fan of German Chocolate all my life so I fell in love with this recipe right away when I found it. I just had to make it! I gathered my ingredients, mixing bowls, and utensils to put these bars together. I keep pecans in my freezer so all I had to do was get them out and chop them up for the coconut mixture. A good alternative is walnuts if you don’t have pecans. The...
A Classic Must See: Phantom of the Opera
A Classic Story That Many Still Love. The Phantom of the Opera is a movie that must be seen! The stage performances of this classic has been seen world wide for years and years. I know that when it was playing in my city, it had a run of at least 5 years. In that 5 year time span I managed to go and see it 3 times and I would have gone 3 more times if anyone had asked me……. The Phantom of the Opera has been one of the most...
Mom’s Blueberry Dessert
My Mom made the BEST blueberry dessert when I was growing up. It is my very favorite dessert besides German chocolate cake of course! Mom started making this Blueberry Dessert for family gatherings when I was a young girl. It became such a hit and a to die for dessert each time it was served. The flavor of this is so rich and blueberry tasting! It’s not to hard to make. I have a hard time making the carton whipping cream up so I...
Ahava, Love in Hebrew!
I’m not big into cosmetics that you put on your face and I’m not knocking anyone who is, but for me, I prefer to keep things simple. To that end, you won’t find me wearing a whole lot of makeup on a daily basis. I just don’t have the time or the talent to use some of the millions of products out there. I would rather not wear any make up than wear it incorrectly! There is one thing though, that I cannot do...
Sesame Street
Today is a day that everyone under the age of 100 will be able to relate to in some way or another……what has lasted this long or made such an impact that almost everyone has heard of it? None other than your favorite characters on Sesame Street! Today is the anniversary of the very first episode of Sesame Street that aired on November 10, 1969. On that day, Cookie Monster, Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, Grover and Oscar the...
Willow Tree Figurines
One of my favorite gifts has to be the Willow Tree Figurines! There is a beauty in their faces that makes them universally appealing. So many emotions are played out in their rather simple stances and a little bouquet of flowers in their hands makes one understand right away, that they are appreciated by the sender of the gift. Whether it’s a mother and father, boyfriend, girlfriend, or grandparents with children, the way the figures...
Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
Cinnamon rolls are a favorite with coffee anytime but wait until you try them as cake rolls. This recipe is a cross between a coffee cake and cinnamon rolls. Lets Get Started! I had this recipe laying around for a little while waiting to make it. Gee, what was I waiting for. It turned out so fantastic! After it is was baked; it came out looking like a cake this is cracked on top. I thought I’d done something wrong at first but...
Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert Bars
Garden Rhubarb Memories As a little girl I loved going to the garden with my Grandma to pick rhubarb. After we’d pick some we go back to her kitchen and get it all washed up. Then first and foremost after that we’d dab some of the smaller thinner stalks into sugar and eat it just like that. They were so good that way. That’s one of my most favorite garden memories with my Grandma. Making This Recipe With this recipe...
The World’s Easiest Almond Bark
Dark, Milk and White Chocolate Almond Bark. At Holiday time, everyone is rushed and time is one thing that everyone doesn’t seem to have enough of! Having said that, I love recipes that are easy, look real nice, are flavorful! It’s a bonus when it doesn’t take up too much of that precious time, and still lets your friends and family know that you care about them! This recipe fits all those categories to a “T”!...
Ghostly Pumpkin Decor
Ghostly Friendly Hello – BOO! Ghostly Pumpkin Pumpkin Ghost. A friendly ghostly Hello! My ghost found its way into my pumpkin. Now I have another Halloween decoration for my deck. A ghostly pumpkin! This ghost is used for make a ghostly flower pot. This is a unique ghost stake set and I have never seen it anywhere’s else. I just love that it can be used for a few different decorations. I went out to the pumpkin patch and...
Howl at the Moon Day
I know many people who last month waited and waited to see the Blood Moon and some of them were awestruck with the beauty of the moon that night and then the eclipse that followed. Others weren’t so lucky. The clouds came in an ruined the evenings attraction sending many to bed earlier than they had expected. But wait just a minute! Here is another chance to go out and howl at the moon, like you have never howled at it before! Why?...
Unusual gift ideas
I don’t know about you, but age and growing up mean two different things to me. The growing up part, I would like to leave right where it belongs…….somewhere back there! The Aging stuff, well, no one really gets away without doing some of that…… The problem is that most of us get caught up in the Growing Up and forget all the fun that could be had along the way. There are so many fun things that should be...
Fire Boy Cookies
Basler Leckerli/Laeckerli. This cookie comes from my native country Switzerland and it is delicious. The picture does not do justice for the flavour of the cookie when you take that first bite. It is a little bit of heaven when you are able to indulge in this specialty cookie and a hot cup of coffee or tea. Save Print Fire Boy Cookies Rating 5 from 1 reviews Ingredients 450 grams honey (16 ounces) 300 grams of sugar (10.5...
Highland scones recipe
Highland scones recipe I have to admit that baking is definitely not my forte.But even I can handle these easy-to-make scones. They take only eight minutes in the oven and are simplicity itself to mix – no blenders, whisks or things-that-need-cleaning are used. Once you have the basic recipe, it opens up so many ideas. The recipe below contains currants, as these are traditional but you could omit these and other ingredients...
Thanksgiving in Canada
Canadians from coast to coast are gearing up for Thanksgiving 2015 to be held this year on October 12th. While Canadians will celebrate this holiday much earlier than our American Cousins, we will probably be feasting on many of the same food items. After all, that is what Thanksgiving is all about. We are thankful for the great summer months and the produce that farmer’s fields everywhere have grown. We delight in what Mother Nature...
Apple Slice Cut-Out Designs
Did you know you can make designs in apple slices? I’d never really thought of that until I saw it while looking for some apple recipes. I just have to share it, plus I had to try it. When I found out you could make designs in slices the photo I found was of Halloween. As the fall season sets in, these apple cut-outs will be great. The fall seasons are perfect for for doing these since the apples are fresh off the trees. Who...
Small Spaces: The Master Divided Pan
Perfect for cooking in small spaces. I promise you, it’s not very often that I get excited about a kitchen appliance, let alone a humble pan. But this is simply brilliant. Such a simple idea but so very good for cooking in small spaces. My kitchen is truly tiny and this is a fabulous solution. I imagine that it would be great if you cook in a boat or RV too. And think how useful this can be for camping trips.The pan only needs...
Star Wars Gifts
It doesn’t seem to matter that 30 + years has gone by since the beginning of the Star Wars epidemic! It doesn’t seem to matter that the little boys, that were so taken with the likes of R2D2 and C3PO, Luke Skywaker and all the rest of the crew, first catapulted onto the Silver Screen are now in their 30s and 40s. By Christmas of this year, there will be a whole new generation of kids, who love Star Wars and won’t be able to get enough...
Salted Caramel Cookies
When I saw this limited edition flavor by Betty Crocker I couldn’t resist making these. I got the package and took them home to make. Package mixes are really easy. Generally all you need is stick butter, eggs and maybe some water. This recipe only called for the butter and eggs. Just make as directed on the package. You can’t go wrong. When I tried the cookies when they were done I loved the flavor. A very simple flavor of caramel in...
Maple Bacon Cookies
The bacon craze for cookies is here! Sounds interesting, huh? Quite the combination! As I was walking around in the store one day I saw a cookie mix flavor called Maple Bacon. It said ‘Limited Edition’ on the package plus the mix is by Betty Crocker. I’m not the biggest fan of bacon so this was going to be something new to try for sure! Although, bacon in my cookies? When I got home I read the instructions. They are made...
Create responsive Amazon ads
How to create responsive Amazon ads. In September 2015 Amazon released a new ad creation system which looks fabulous and is even easier to use that previously. You no longer have to wade through Amazon.com searching for products and copying and pasting several codes. All you need to do is go to the Amazon Associates homepage and click the link on the top navigation for ‘native shopping ads’. See below. There are various...
Teddy Bears
Uncle Klaus’ Bear Family: Every Family should have one Uncle Klaus! My uncle Klaus, is a one of a kind, but I’m sure others have someone like him in their families too! Our history goes back quite a long way, and every once in a while, I get a note in the mail (snail mail) with some old pictures and a little story attached to it. It always has something to do with our time together and is a memory that he holds dear. On my part,...
Windows 10: Using Microsoft Edge
Microsoft has made a great browser — at last. I’m not joking. For over twenty years – almost my entire internet life – I have genuinely hated Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. I mean, hated. So when I started using Windows 10, I fully expected to delete the supplied browser from my system in order to free up space. I’m so glad I didn’t. Believe it or not, it’s a splendid browser....
Windows 10: Using Multiple Desktops
Working more efficiently with virtual desktops on Windows 10. I have to report that I’m really enjoying using Windows 10 to date. At first, the upgrade seemed to be more cosmetic than anything (pretty is good!) but further exploration shows that you productivity can be hugely increased using various new features. The multiple virtual desktops feature is one of my favourites. You can access existing desktops or create new ones by...
Art in the Blood by Bonnie MacBird
A new Sherlock Holmes mystery. Impossible? Not in the hands of Ms MacBird. Yes, here we have a new Sherlock Holmes adventure that even the most traditional Conan Doyle aficionado will enjoy. If you think that nothing could compare to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, then this book will surely change your mind. When this book landed on the review desk at JAQUO HQ, I too was dubious, but I can thoroughly recommend Art in the Blood...
Watermelon Cake
Watermelon cake with vegan coconut whipped cream. My granddaughter had her 20th birthday in July. Her wish was to have a vegan dinner as that is the diet she and her boyfriend follow. So my daughter, her mother, decided to make an unusual cake for her made of watermelon and topped with whipped cream made from the cream part of the canned coconut milk. Here is the link for the various results from different brands of coconut milk when...
Family Histories, the Good, the Bad and the Beautiful
Family History. Sooner or later, everyone has that desire to know where they came from and how they ended up being where they are today. Now, for some of us, the desire ends up being a desire and it will never move any further. Others, will try to find out where they actually did come from, and start tracing back their family history. What is certain, is that everyone of us has a family history, whether we know what that is or not!...
Banana Recipes
Some of our favourite banana recipes. We know that not every food that we love is necessarily good for us. But bananas are something we can eat at any time, guilt-free. They can also be a delicious way to add more fruit – and therefore more goodness to the meals we eat or make for our families, especially when baking. They can be used for savoury dishes too – I like to add sliced bananas to a spicy curry at the last...
The Wizard of Oz
The year was 1939 and Hollywood was still a small town that was just starting to grow. Film and movies were already a favorite pastime, and inroads were being made to make films even more interesting and stimulating. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, The Wizard of Oz was breaking all kinds of new frontiers in story telling, especially in the film market. A fantasy, based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank...
Aidell’s Spicy Mango and Jalapeno Chicken Meatballs in Spaghetti
My daughter made us a very quick and easy meal last night using Aidell’s meatballs. She cooked the pasta according to the package directions. She made her favorite tomato based pasta sauce and added the Aidell’s Spicy Mango and Jalapeno Chicken Meatballs. You can use any kind of pasta sauce for this quick meal. She added some spinach just before serving so that the spinach was just wilted. For my serving I need my pasta...
Fruit Cake
Pioneer fruit cake without alcohol from Sweden and Wales. Fruit cake without alcohol: This formula for fruitcake has been handed down from Sweden and Wales. There have been many variations of it. It does not use alcohol as their religion did not accept the use of alcohol. The difference was that you first cooked the raisins in the cinnamon and water. Save Print Fruit Cake Rating 5 from 1 reviews Prep time: 45 mins Cook...
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Cookies
Silver’s Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Cookies. Nom Nom! My daughter Silver has an issue with gluten so she has been cooking gluten free for a few months. That has helped her to get rid of her gluten intolerant intestinal pain issues. My daughter Silver is my second to the oldest daughter. I was living with IoBlue my youngest daughter. I now live with my oldest daughter Miss Norway who is a good cook as well as a...
Swedish Flat Bread
Family Tradition. I learned to make Swedish Flat Bread with my boyfriend and his Dad. It’s a family tradition in his family for the Holidays especially Thanksgiving. I had never made this before so I was excited to learn this new family tradition. I thought it was really neat since I am of Swedish nationality. It’s always fun to learn from your heritage. It was a lot of fun to learn. It’s not that hard but is a...
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
With Autumn just around the corner these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie are perfect. I love baking with pumpkin in the Fall. It is such a treat. Loaves & Fishes & So Much More Cookbook This pumpkin cookie recipe featured is one that I found in a cookbook that I got while out on an adventure driving through Elroy, Wisconsin. We saw a cheese store and just had to stop. Sitting on the counter was the Loaves & Fishes & So...
Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Chocolate Chips, Toffee, Nuts Do you occasionally get a craving for a rich, gooey cookie? A Chocolate Chip Toffee Bar is sure to satisfy that desire. Easy to put together, these delectable morsels are a great dessert to have on hand to serve family or guests or both. This is a recipe I got from my mother, THE best baker! (I bet you thought your mom was). She was always asked to bring dessert to any function or party. Every year at...
Zucchini Brownies
I kept seeing this brownie recipe with zucchini, banana and apple sauce in them floating around Facebook for awhile. It caught my attention cause it seemed to be on everyone’s page. So I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve put zucchini in other desserts so it can’t be that different plus it was healthy in other ways too. Read on to find out more about it! It was really moist with using bananas and apple sauce which...
Prince Charles and Lady Diana tie the Knot!
For many years, the world was wondering when and if the Prince of Wales was ever going to marry and give the British People and the Monarchy some good news. Prince Charles was the most eligible bachelor in the world, and rumours were all around about who might be the “lucky” lady, that would be the next Princess to be and be with her husband the next in line to the throne. Well on this day in 1981, Prince Charles indeed had the whole...
I Love My Dog and My Dog Loves Me!
Walking a dog should be a joy and a good way to get some exercise for you and for your pet. It should not be a pull and push match between the two of you! Choke collars, prong collars (not nice at all) and any other type of collar that sits at your dog’s neck, will hinder your dog’s ability to walk nicely, without stressing him/her out! If you don’t believe me then listen to what some dog owners and people who are in the “KNOW” have...
Memories of Woolworth’s
Memories of Woolworth’s. What does the name Woolworth’s conjure up in your mind? Could it be that it was Friday and parents were doling out allowances to their young ones? They in turn could hardly wait to go to Woolworth’s to see what treasures could be had with their hard earned pennies. I know that this was part of my childhood, finding that special scarf or pair of shoe laces, skipping ropes and yo-yos or spending hours...
Fresh Spinach Recipes
Recipes using fresh spinach. In the twentieth century, children had to be more or less force-fed if their mothers wanted them to eat spinach, despite Popeye. But today, fresh spinach is to be found in some of the tastiest recipes – on pizzas, in lasagnes dishes, on fresh salads, in casseroles, dips … Spinach it adding its health-giving properties to a huge variety of delightful dishes. And of course, here at JAQUO Magazine...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The Murder of Elsie Frost: Updates
Who murdered Elsie Frost? Elsie was fourteen when she was brutally murdered in 1965. This took place in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Although a man was arrested for her murder, he was released and in 2015, her brother and sister,Colin and Anne, found that they were denied access to the police files. In fact, the files have been locked until 2060. You can read the details here. If Colin and Anne have the good fortune to be alive in 2060, they...
The Murder of Elsie Frost
Who murdered Elsie Frost? Although it happened in 1965, the murder of this fourteen year old girl hasn’t been forgotten in Wakefield, Yorkshire. There are still many people who remember it well. Her brother Colin and sister Anne will never forget, of course, but why are they – and the public – being denied access to her files after all these years? And why are these files closed and their contents unable to be...
Memorial service for cow
Memorial service for cow shot by police. Okay, I’m prepared to admit the the police might have over-reacted a little. When three cows escaped onto an English road, police were concerned for the safety of the public. I’ve researched this and oddly, cows escaping is not an unusual phenomenon. Cows being shot by the police is hardly unusual either. In the most recent case, two of the three escapees were successfully captured...
Quiz: Pin-up Girls
Do you recognise these wartime pin-up girls? When we think of pin-up girls, we tend to think about the days of the Second World War. Hundreds and thousands of glamour shots were sent around the world and adorned the lockers, bunks, cabins and walls of servicemen everywhere. The girls in the photographs were often actresses – or were in the fringes of Hollywood and stardom. Many went on to be huge stars. There are eight examples...
Chocolate Chip Mug Cake
Microwave Cake In A Mug I have been dying to try making a cake in a mug. So I did! They looked so fun and easy. I was inspired even more when I’d seen Zoom Yummy’s recipe on her blog. It looked totally inviting. I decided to use my Snoopy’s mug with his name on it for this adventure. Snoopy is my fiancé. We shared the mug cake for our dessert after lunch. We each had our spoons dug right into it! It was cute and...
Yorkshire Cooking: Herders’ Fattie Cakes
Herders’ Fattie Cakes Recipe. High on the Haworth to Colne road, on the borders of West Yorkshire with Lancashire, stood an old inn: The Herders Inn. Like many pubs in Britain, this one closed a few years ago and became increasingly derelict (see photo at end of this article). In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the inn was a half-way stopping off point for the cattle and sheep drovers who drove their livestock to market along...
Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe
Calling all chocoholics! This chocolate cake is a true sweet fix with both batter and frosting chocolate! This was my first time making this particular sheet cake recipe. At first I thought the recipe looked a bit involved but it really wasn’t. It was fairly simple. Just mix your dry ingredients as the recipe reads then make the stove top part. Add it all together. Really quite simple. Now when it came to the frosting; that was...
Rhubarb Cobbler
Mom’s Rhubarb Recipe I learned about this cobbler recipe from my sister. She made it for a family outing while visiting. It turned out so good that there wasn’t any left over. She said it was a dessert Mom made. I don’t remember her making this rhubarb dessert. I have all my Mom’s recipe boxes so I got them out and starting hunting through them for the recipe. I found it! It said on the recipe in the corner my...
Chocolate Cornflake Clusters
Chocolate cornflake clusters recipe. I watch a foodie channel on my Roku called ifood.tv. It is a free foodie network station where they share food videos and recipes on it. One of the recipe they made was these Chocolate Cornflake Clusters. As I watched the video on how to make them I thought they looked easy to make. So thought I’d give it a try. I mixed up the ingredients to make the chocolatey mixture. Then added it to the...
Magic in the Air!
While most birds do not have any difficulty finding food for themselves in the spring, summer and fall, there is one exception to that rule. Our everyday (I won’t ever call them ordinary) birds, the ones that frequent our gardens throughout the year, know very well how to forage for seeds, nuts and bugs. However there is a bird that frequents us in the nicer months and I’m sure that everyone would love to have them in their gardens...
Online Writers: Should you write with search engines in mind?
Online Writers: Should you write with search engines in mind? Statistics have varied over the years but there’s no doubt that a great number of your website visits will come from search engines. So when you’re writing an online article, should you write specifically for search engines? Or should you simply write and hope for the best? The fact is, that you should be doing both. The good news is that you don’t have to be a search...
Yorkshire Cooking: Fat Rascals
Yorkshire Fat Rascals. Yorkshire Fat Rascal cakes are a timeless favourite in the region, although they were only given this name in recent times. The recipe goes back to the 15th century and is based on a Yorkshire ‘turf bun’, so called because they were often baked on a griddle over a turf fire at the end of the cooking day. Left-over bits of dough and lard were squashed together with honey and fruit and baked into a...
How to create a Google ad
How to create a Google ad Do you use Adsense? Would you like to have Google ads on your site or blog? All you need is a free Google Adsense account and then it’s simplicity itself to add your own money-making advertising to your website or blog. How much money will you make? It depends on how many hits your website gets but every penny you earn is welcome. To be eligible for an Adsense account, the first thing you need...
Those fat people with no heads…
Those fat people with no heads… You know the ones I mean.Every time you see an article about how as a society we are getting more and more overweight, there’s going to be a photograph of someone’s middle section. Or someone with no head (well, not a visible one, anyway) like the one you see here. And I’m getting a bit concerned about them… I mean, you’d recognise yourself, wouldn’t you? I...
William & Kate: Baby number two
William & Kate: Baby number two On March 20th, 2015, it seems that American magazine were tired of waiting the required nine months for the expected royal baby. Not one but two of them reported that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, had given birth to a girl in dramatic circumstances. See the screenshot below from the Daily Mirror, a British newspaper. As you can see, it was announced that the baby had been born, that it was a...
Inventing the Victorians
Inventing the Victorians Interesting. We think we know all about the Victorian era and the people who lived in that period. We have definite ideas about their morality, their pastimes and their way of life in general. Could it be that we’re wrong? Maybe we have a completely false idea about the way people lived in Victorian times. Perhaps we know less than we think we do. In fact,maybe we are very mistaken in our ideas. In...