Various pictures

One of the benches.  It was decorated by some local art students.

A Lion that is on one of the buildings Downtown.

Now this one is an old hotel that is now residential housing.  Very ritzy and upper class.  But when I see this window and the balcony all I can think of is Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair.

I took these pictures the same day I was Downtown for the circus.  I enjoy walking around Downtown and checking out all the different architecture.

Thank you for checking my blog out today and may you be blessed, Laura

Serene Saturday

Last week we had a few days of fog.  I went out back to snap some pictures and took this one of Miss Maple.  I wasn't sure if I should title this serene or spooky but chose serene.  I love Miss Maple not only is she beautiful in the Spring with her new green leaves.  She is beautiful in the summer with her very full body of leaves that hang over us as we sit under her.  In the Fall when those same green leaves turn red, orange and yellow and shower whoever is brave enough to sit under with the leaves.  Even in the winter her limbs are so thick that the snow collects until it can't hold anymore and then drops snowballs on us.

I hope that in your life you have a tree such as Miss Maple.

Thank you for reading and may God above bless your life, Laura

Christmas lights at the zoo

  Our zoo's tree was named one of the nations best.  Now granted I maybe biased but I agree.  I've been watching the zoo workers hang the lights including the "Big tree".  I think the lights are just beautiful.  Here are some facts that the zoo posted on their Facebook page.

The Toledo Zoo Some interesting facts about these decorations and the Zoo's energy to power them:

1. The lights on the Big Tree are all LED lights which, besides being dazzling (as you can see), are more energy-efficient than traditional lights. Zoo-wide, more than half the lights at the Lights Before Christmas are now LED lights, and we are gradually increasing that percentage.

2. We carefully dismantle the lights at the end of each season and re-use them the next year.  PS One thing that they do not mention here is that the checking of all the strands starts in September and yes they go thru each and every light on each and every strand.

3. Part of the energy to power and heat the Zoo comes from solar panels, a wind turbine and a geothermal system.

New recipe for you - Sausage Stars

Sausage stars

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bulk sausage (use mild, medium or hot your taste preference)

1 bunch green onions, about 10, chopped

1 packet Hidden Valley ranch dry dressing mix

1 package won ton wrappers

Preheat oven to 350

Spray pan with nonstick spray.  Place 2 wonton wrappers in a muffin pan cup.  Overlap the wrappers to go up all sides of the tin (You want to form a cup with them).  Spray the pair with the nonstick spray.  Bake for about 4 minutes til lightly browned.  Turn off heat.

Meanwhile brown the sausage, do not drain grease.  In fact you may need to add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.  Add chopped onions and mix a bit to soften them.  Add package of mix.  Mix thoroughly!!  Trust me you do not want to bite down on a bite of the dressing.  Use soup spoon and place 1 or 2 spoons of mix into the cups.

Put back into the warm oven and let sit for 3 or 4 minutes.  This gives everything a chance to come together better.

Serve warm you’ll need a vegetable for the side dish.

Now you can adjust the sausage to meet the size of your family.  This recipe used the package of wrappers and made 11 “stars”.  I don’t remember where I got this recipe from but it is not one of my own.  If you have the patience you can use just one wrapper and make appetizer size stars.

Free Kindle book

Something new that I have not posted before free Kindle books.  Yep I stopped into the digital world recently and bought a Kindle Touch.  It took me almost 2 weeks to figure out how to download without wi-fi but I did.  Now I have 52 books and magazines to read.  In my hunt today for particular magazine editions I found this.
http://www.amazon.com/Vegetable-Gardening-Practical-Vegetables-ebook/dp/B0084APA94/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1352937519&sr=8-9&keywords=weekend+homesteader

Enjoy when I ordered it 3 minutes ago it was free.

Blessings, Laura

Recipe Review - Hot Chicken Salad

Hot Chicken salad

Taste of Home April/May 2006

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chopped chicken

1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2 ribs of celery, finely chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

1 can (4 oz) mushrooms stems and pieces, drained

2 Tbsp finely chopped onion

½ cup crushed butter flavored crackers

½ cup crushed potato chips

½ sliced almonds, toasted

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir in cracker crumbs.  Spoon into a greased 1 ½ qt baking dish.  Bake uncovered at 375 for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with chips and almonds and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Yield is 4 servings

NOTE:  They do not recommend using reduced fat or fat free mayonnaise.

Results: another great yummy recipe.  I really like the Taste of Home magazine and recipes.  The only change I made was NO fungus (aka mushrooms) in this.  I could not handle the thought of eating that many mushrooms in a dish.  I think this could be a great dish for a party but can't figure out how to thin it out.  I ate mine with saltine crackers but some good pumpernickel bread pieces would be very tasty also.

Thank you for reading and may the Lord bless you, Laura