Show-n-Tell {March}

Where oh where has the month of March gone? Oh where oh where can she be? GONE! I never really seem to realize how fast time goes by until certain things are back on the calendar. When you have once-a-month happenings it always dawns on me that "it's already been a month?" moment.

Yesterday was our SHOW-N-TELL. We chose Noodles and Company. Linda got off early from work, so we met up a bit before Julia {my term of endearment for her!} arrived from her food cart, THE NATIVE BOWL. There is never a dull moment. If you remember, last month's meeting was at YUMM CAFE. Anyhoo, we all had the assignment to experiment making the sauce. After a couple of tries, I justified buying the sauce because I LOVE the container it comes in, so that is a buck off the cost to buy the same one at THE CONTAINER STORE right off the bat! Then, the time to make it and quite possibly need to toss it and money to buy the ingredients. I decided it is worth it every penny to just buy the amzing sauce. Linda, the ever-efficient one, the one who takes her newspaper and all of Portlandia happenings very seriously {not kidding....she even called and left a message for the paper in regards to a matter she felt needed to be addressed} saved the newsapaper with a recipe for the YUMM SAUCE! She didn't mention it, because she thought we may have caught it and would have e-mailed her. We laughed so hard! Needless to say, I will be trying this one more time. I will be extremely critical in taste testing, because, although I would love to make it from scratch, I am fine with buying it. That was part of her SHOW-N-TELL. {If you happen to be an English teacher, please stop reading this. I know there are incomplete thoughts, sentences, run on sentences, paragraph problems etc.} Thank YOU!

Linda also brought an album she had already put together from their Spring Break trip to SUNRIVER. It was adorable and detailed. Miss overachiever! She had us drooling over a cupcake hot spot in Bend! can't wait to try it. They went snowshoing for free with a history lesson given by three rangers. She also finds THE DEALS. Anyway, for stressing out over her assignment, she brought great ideas!

Julia is off-the-hook forever because she brought our COOKBOOKS. Her very newest HOT OFF THE PRESS newest cookbook, THE VEGAN DINER. It is available at AMAZON for $12.90. If you buy two you can get free shipping and handling. I hope you go buy one. My hubby is by no means vegan and HE LOVES HER COOKING!!
So, we got our books signed and we were both very happy campers. Julia also filled us in on her new, exciting endeavors and shared favorite brands, tips, gluten free sources etc. etc. We love our ever fun, embarking on new adventures friend!

I have been dying a thousand deaths waiting so patiently to pack my show-n-tell up and show it off. {It is okay. It is allowed. That is what SHOW-N-TELL is for...but only then.} My bestie made me a party in a box. I had the banners up for most of the month of March and I snuck out a few straws, but other than that...I left it intact, so they could be just as excited as I was when I opened it up. THEY LOVED IT! The new mommas sitting next to us...trying to mind their own business, were even drooling! It was fun having them love the talent of Kim and talk so highly of my bestie. Don't you just love complimenting friends and hearing others talk about your friends with such admiration! I DO! It makes you not want to listen to any gossip and certainly not be involved in gossip in any way, shape or form!!!

Back to the box. Her thoughfulness and creativity was so evident. I loved the Gelato cups {I had her save the used ones the last time she met friends for Gelato downtown. What a friend!} The blue and white souffle cups were over the top cute and her re-usable posie cupcake toppers are to-die for! I loved everything, but her card to me and the silhouettes of my children {available on her ETSY shop} were most prized...everything else was the cherry, sprinkles, and a dollop of whipped cream on the very tippy top! Love you, BUNNY!

I love my friends and feel blessed that God has given each one of them to me! They add zest to my life and I am so thankful that Jesus, himself ordained the gift of friendship. They are part of His plan. What joy life is with friends who love you for YOU!

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Show-n-Tell {February}

Nothing like going out to lunch when your house is in total disarray...as if you don't have a care in the world.

For those of you who are just peeking in on my bloggy, two friends and I meet once a month for show-n-tell. Do you remember how fun show-n-tell was in school? I loved it. It makes for great fun and great conversation.

Anyhoo, we take turns planning the where and when. It was my turn to plan, so we met at Cafe Yumm. It is so healthy and good. I would have had them over and would have served the bowl at my house, but going out seemed better since the bathroom mess had crept into the kitchen etc. {I am all for entertaining despite home projects, but I NEEDED out of the pig pen!}

Next week I will show you how to make the original YUMM bowl at home. It works great for entertaining and for PICNICS. We have served it in both situations and it is a family favorite, now!

Here is a rundown of our date:

Julie Hasson: She brought her brand new, HOT off the press vegan cookbook. It will be released this next month and I can NOT wait to get it. I was drooling over every.single. recipe and picture. Even if you love meat, this book could convince you that being vegan is a very good thing!

Linda Shaw: She brought a handmade card for each of our girls who are both in college. She took the school mission statement and printed them up and used the school colors and a large letter on the front with the school emblem. Very thoughtful and creative. Since it was cold and flu season she brought samples of THROAT COAT. It is organic tea that REALLY works. Come to find out, Julie's mom used it all the time back in the day. Good to know.

Lisa Pearson: I got to bring a homemade KLEENEX tissue holder made by my friend Kim's momma. How sweet is that? Also, she made the cutest coffee sleeve. Every time I use it, people will comment and ask me where I got it. I love telling them that my bestie's mom made it for me! I also use it for ice water. It keeps my hands from getting soaking wet!

I would have taken the beautiful primroses, too {my hubby buys them for me every year} and the darling posie that Kim MADE...but they will be talked about next month and I just could NOT wait to show you. And what do you think about the sweet vintage jam boxes? Donna {Kim's momma} found them and gave them to me. She has the BEST eye for all things domesticated. Trust me. Thank you Donna!

Do you ever do show-n-tell with your friends? If you had show-n-tell today, what would you share?

Maybe you are enjoying the short and sweet posts without all the drama and blah.blah.blah, but next week, hopefully I will have a bit more time to write and be a bit more detailed!

Happy Happy Happy Friday!

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Bistro Focaccia & Monster Pretzel Cookies {October's Show-N-Tell}

Today was Show-N-Tell for the month of October. Wow time flies! I hosted our Show-N-Tell today...because it was my month to choose the date, coordinate and decide on the agenda. So, I decided to host it at my home. I served Gingered Juice, Bistro Focaccia and fresh veggies. Once again, the conversations were all over the place. Everything from our hubbie's jobs, college life, HOMECOMING, childhoods, Christmas packaging, Borders Rewards, Stress, time management, family dinners and SOMEHOW...we even talked about laundry...thanks, LINDA!

This lunch was perfect. The chopping was done last night, the Ginger Juice Concentrate was also made up in advance so that the ginger was able to TOTALLY infuse our drinks.

Here is the recipe I tweaked with my twinsie's suggestions.


Bistro Focaccia

Adapted a bit from Pampered Chef {PC used canned bread}

Focaccia Bread Base

Ingredients:

2 cups very warm water

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

3 cups bread flour

1 cup all purpose flour {I use half white/wheat}

1 Tbsp. sea salt

olive oil


Directions:

In a measuring cup, add yeast to very warm water.

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour and salt. Add yeast water. Stir with a spoon
until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth.


Cover dough and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

With olive-oiled hands, spread dough on SILPAT. Using your knuckles...spread dough out forming holes in the dough.

Using a silicone pastry brush, spread olive oil out on bread.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Take out of oven and spread a little more olive oil on dry parts of bread.

Sprinkle peppered jack cheese on first, then the rest of the toppings and end with the Parmesan.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown.




Bistro Topping:

*2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded


1 red pepper, chopped

1 {8oz.} jar marinated artichokes, drained and chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup Kalamata olives, chopped


½ cup green olives with pimiento, chopped



*¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded


Need to make it up ahead of time? Mix ALL ingredients together and store in fridge. Get out of fridge and let sit out for 30 minutes then bake!

Enjoy!!





Shared with: comfy in the kitchen


Linda brought an activity for us to do for her Show-N-Tell:



Aren't they cute little monsters? I'm sure your little ones would love these. If anybody were to have a Sesame Street party...these would certainly be fun to make.

She got the idea from Martha Stewart {of course!}

She took about one cup of white chocolate candy melts and melted it over low heat. Once it was melted, she added a tad bit of green food coloring and a half bag of pretzel sticks that she had broken up a bit.

Stir it all got stirred together.

Then let it sit for a few minutes.

Form mounds of pretzel mix on to Roulpat or waxed paper.

Cut mini marshmallows in half with scissors and pull a bit. Stick peanut M&M on top of marshmallow and then on mound for monster eyes.

Shared with: stone gable

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SHOW-N-TELL Club

This morning as I was reading Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say REJOICE!" I was reminded that life should be filled with JOY.

It should be about refusing to let life's circumstances dictate our attitudes.


Believe me, I am the first one to get impatient with an overly energetic child bouncing off the deck and on the furniture as he is getting the dogs completly wound up AT dinner time, and we have had our share of life-altering situations that will be part of who we are for the rest of our lives.

Life should be about looking at things from a different perspective. Not our perspective, but through God's perspective.

When was the last time you remember being joyful? Not happy. JOYFUL?

We are fully aware that life is tough. Not a day goes by that we are not ALL reminded of that. Marriages are on the rocks, innocent children and soldiers are dying, babies in orphanages are not being held and cuddled, hearts are broken, jobs are far and few between, and those who have never dealt with addictions are turning to them to "cope and deal" with life.

Here is a quote I LOVE: Joyful people stay riveted to the present-the here and now, not the then and never...Swindoll

"I was regretting the past
And fearing the future...
Suddenly my Lord was speaking:
"MY NAME IS I AM." He paused.
I waited. He continued,

"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE PAST,
WITH ITS MISTAKES AND REGRETS,
IT IS HARD. I AM NOT THERE.
MY NAME IS NOT I WAS.

"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE FUTURE,
WITH ITS PROBLEMS AND FEARS,
IT IS HARD. I AM NOT THERE.
MY NAME IS NOT I WILL BE.

"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THIS MOMENT,
IT IS NOT HARD.
I AM HERE. MY NAME IS "I AM"

HELEN MALLICOAT

...AND THAT is how we can have joy. Knowing that our life is in God's very capable, loving hands. Despite our fears, worries and everyday stresses only HE can give us joy. Maybe we have had joy in the past. Maybe not. Maybe we are thinking that in the future we will have joy when the children are older, when the baby is sleeping through the night, when morning sickness is gone, after the house sells...etc. WHAT about today? God is there for YOU TODAY. This very second.

*************************************************************************************

I have talked about my friends Linda and Julie before. We are the three that get together for Show-n-Tell once a month.

When we first started getting together we would talk about food and direct sales. As our friendship has grown we now talk about food, food carts, aging, fun walks to take, culture, children, barns, shoes, buying in bulk etc.

Julie is Vegan, I am "pretty much a vegetarian" {chicken once in awhile and love seafood}. Linda eats and likes just about everything...so it is alot of fun chatting about our different recipes and tweaking them to suit our eating habits.

This last month, Linda took the bull by the horns and gave us a date, time and place. No questions asked. That is the way it works! We met at PF CHANGS.

*Julie's Show-n-Tell: Her new hairdo, new lipstick...{she got off the hook a bit since she is working on finishing up a new cookbook!}

*Linda's Show-n-Tell: Dove Chocolate Discoveries catalogs. Since we all met through Direct Sales, we were all OKAY with it. She is hosting a party, and we are all attending. No way around it. She is so excited! We all trust Linda. If she thinks it is good. It is going to be! The catalogs are TO.DIE.FOR. Think White Chocolate Cream-filled Cupcakes,Triple Cream Fudge Cake and Frosted Espresso-glazed Brownies! I KNOOOOW!!!

*my Show-n-Tell: A bit of the loot I received from Garnish. We thought of a million and one ways to package and display different foods!

We ate our lunch and then unanimously decided to finish our date at CASH-N-CARRY!

We packed in several more important topics which included ice cream scoops...the good ones that will last forever and the ones that don't last one run through the dishwasher...and yet another reason to carry feminine products in your purse.*** {Mom, if you are reading this, STOP.RIGHT.NOW!}...

***{My hubby had taken me out to a fancy schmancy dinner auction and I was chewing gum. I had cleaned out my purse. No receipts, no appointment cards, nothing except my wallet, lipstick and feminine paper products in the zippered part. {Because that is the decent place to carry them!} Well, there were cloth napkins and no sugar packets {usually my back up} sooo, my hubby asked what I was doing {the table was filled with other people} I told him I needed to spit my gum out! I had my purse on my lap and tore the paper off THE PRODUCT and wadded my gum up in it. Well, my hubby needed to spit his gum out, too. So, he asked for a piece of paper. I obliged. The submissive wife that I am... :) OH.MY. HE WAS COMPLETELY mortified. We laughed so hard!}

So, all I am saying is this: LAUGH! Ask God to give you joy...in the midst of the storm or laughter while it is smooth sailing!

*Do you have friends you can laugh with?

*Are you able to find the humor in the everyday?

Today, I am grateful for friends. {No particular order} The friends who live far away, my closest friends that hold my heart, friends that encourage the deepest part of who I am, My daughter..., adopted "moms", the best mother-in-law EVER, my kindred-spirits, friends I only see once-in-a-blue moon, my twinsie who knows all my secrets, and the friends I have never met and the ones I have yet to meet and my Momma who loves me the way I am and who will still be pulling my skirt down, suggesting I wear a cami and reminding me to turn down the water until I'm 101! I LOVE YOU ALL...and you bring me OUTRAGIOUS JOY!

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