The Life and Times of Wendy Hue

Roast Salmon

2012-01-26T19:04:00.002-05:00

I've been wanting to try this recipe ever since I saw it in the February 2012 issue of Food & Wine magazine.

Roast Salmon with Whole-Grain-Mustard Crust
Ingredients
¼ cup whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons minced chives
Four 8-ounce skin-on wild salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400° and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, olive oil and chives.
Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place them skin side down on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mustard mixture over the tops of the fillets. Roast the fish for 6 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Broil the salmon 6 inches from the heat for about 4 minutes, until the mustard crust is browned and the salmon is almost cooked through. Using a spatula, carefully slide the salmon fillets off their skins and transfer to plates; leave the skin on, if desired. Serve immediately.

I halved the recipe, but since there were still four fillets, only thinner, there wasn't enough mustard mixture to completely cover the fillets. While cooking, this dish smelled wonderful. The flavor didn't live up to the smell, in my opinion, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of salmon. Tom scraped the mustard mixture off of the salmon, but said the flavor still infused the fish, and that it was good. And that's all I can ever hope for.

Purple Friday

2012-01-20T21:45:00.000-05:00

This Purple Friday celebrated the Conference Championship game. It was pretty exciting, and there was a lot of talk about the Ravens' SuperBowl prospects. We did most of the usual things: restaurants, schools, supermarkets and business places across the Baltimore area. There were a lot of new items as well, from new band members participating, to the stop at a mall where Matt Stover and Quadry Ismael were interviewed, and to the stop at a YMCA - and we were running on time. The gig ran later than usual, since there was only one shift, but it really got us pumped up for the game!

Ravens vs. Texans

2012-01-15T18:58:00.001-05:00

Boy, I wish the Ravens would play consistently. At the beginning of the game, it looked like the Ravens were going strong, but somewhere before halftime, they began to slack off, and even though they won, 13-20, the Ravens could’ve been beaten by Houston at any minute! What a nail biter that game was. I just hope they step up their performance for the New England game next week.
The band didn’t perform at halftime, since the NFL had designated the halftime of the 1:00 game on Sunday to recognize Punt, Pass and Kick nationally.

Purple Friday - Relentless

2012-01-13T19:07:00.000-05:00

Ah, Purple Friday! The caravan went well, except that we ended up running about a half hour late due to traffic. Our police escort didn’t hold up their end of the bargain…
We visited eateries, schools, and businesses all over the Baltimore area, spreading Ravens Playoff cheer wherever we went. We were even followed around for part of the time by some Houston television crews. They haven’t had a playoff game in a long time and were really impressed with Baltimore’s spirit. The Pep Band even got some air time on the local news, which I was impressed with.

Pork Medallions with Dijon-Mushroom Sauce

2012-01-10T20:24:00.001-05:00

Lately, I’ve been really crazy over a creamy mushroom sauce that Ted cooks at the Tidewater. I get it served over rice with chicken, and although I’ve never been a huge fan of mushrooms, I think that this dish is wonderful. What’s even better is that Tom loves the leftovers that I bring home - and he hates mushrooms (among many other things). While scanning the Pillsbury website for a new recipe to try out, I found this recipe and was dying to try it out.

Pork Medallions with Dijon-Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
5 teaspoons butter
1 shallot, finely chopped ( 2 tablespoons)
1 jar (4.5 oz) Green Giant sliced mushrooms, drained
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin (½ to ¾ lb), cut into 8 (¾ inch-thick) slices
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cognac or apple juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup whipping cream
Fresh thyme sprigs or basil leaves, if desired

Directions
In 8-inch skillet, melt 2 teaspoons of the butter over medium heat. Add shallot and mushrooms; cook and stir 1 minute or until tender. Remove from skillet.
To same skillet, add remaining 3 teaspoons butter and the oil. Add pork; cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning slices halfway through cooking, until browned and no longer pink in center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm.
Gradually add cognac to same skillet; stir in mustard and cream. Heat to boiling; boil 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Add mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute or unlit thoroughly heated. Serve sauce over pork slices; garnish with thyme.

The flavors were good. The recipe didn’t make as much sauce as I would have hoped, so if I make it again, I would double that part. Tom was kind enough to say that the tenderloin was excellent, and when prodded, he said that the flavor of the sauce was good.

Employee Party 2012

2012-01-08T23:51:00.001-05:00

With the employee party looming, I had discussed with some co-workers my desire to bring a dish, since I just get tired of the same old food all the time. I wanted to bring a crock-pot, and start it when I got to work, then it would be ready in time for the party. I threw out the idea of chili, but the girls thought that might not work well with all of the drinking that would happen. So, we decided on chicken and dumplings. I combined a few recipes I found on-line, and here's how I made my very first Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 T butter
2 medium carrots, cut up (about 1 cup)
2 celery ribs, cut up (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen corn
¼ c chopped onion
½ t garlic powder
½ t dried thyme
½ t kosher salt
½ t black pepper
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can buttermilk biscuits
½ c frozen peas

Directions
Put all ingredients except biscuits and peas in crock pot. Stir well to combine (I also decided to add one can of milk and one can of water).
Cut biscuits into quarters, and add to crock pot, stirring until just combined.
Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on Low setting, or 3-4 hours on High.
About two minutes before serving, add peas.

With more discussion, we thought a dish with bread would be good, because of all of the alcohol that would be consumed. A few days ago, Wanda had told me about a recipe she tried for Crack Bread, which was fashioned after a recipe found on Plain Chicken. So, I had to try it. Of course, slight modifications were made, and here's what I came up with.

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pulls

Ingredients
1 round loaf unsliced sourdough
2 cups shredded cheese
2-3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 stick butter, melted
1 T dry Ranch dressing mix

Directions
Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place shredded cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle crumbled bacon on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

The employee party went pretty well. Employees ate, drank, danced, played beer pong, and participated in a Chinese Gift Exchange. The people who tried out my food said they liked it. The Chicken and Dumplings turned out really well, with just a teeny bit too much pepper. I left the Crack Bread to one of the chefs to bake for me, and he overcooked it a little. It was mostly tasty, but as hard as I tried to distribute it evenly, I did get a piece with an uncomfortable amount of powdered ranch on it.

Playoff T-Shirts

2012-01-04T23:19:00.001-05:00

Tonight, at band practice, we got playoff t-shirts.

Pretty cool!

Chocolate Truffles

2012-01-02T15:13:00.000-05:00

Today, I made yet another Christmas cookie that I found in the Food Network magazine, Chocolate Truffles.

Chocolate Truffles
Bring 1 cup cream and ½ stick butter to a boil in a saucepan; pour over 1 pound finely chopped chocolate in a bowl. When melted, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and stir until smooth. Chill until firm. Scoop with a spoon and roll into balls, then roll in crushed peppermint candies, chopped nuts or cocoa powder. Chill.

They were surprisingly easy to make, and tasty to eat.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:42:00.000-05:00

Meilleurs Voeux

2011-12-30T15:59:00.003-05:00

I finally finished my second bracelet from French General's Botanical Charm Club.

After I finished my first bracelet, I became disheartened with the bracelets and stopped doing anything except looking at the kits when they came in the mail (June's bracelet had some broken glass charms and in July's kit the bracelet chain was too short). It was easy enough to get me interested in finishing up all of those bracelets again.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T23:59:00.003-05:00

I hope that everyone’s Christmas was a happy one. Ours went well, for the most part. For dinner, I prepared a Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze (from the Food Network website) and a Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes that Wanda had a recipe for.

Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze
Ingredients
1 (12-pound) shankless skinless smoked cured ham
Whole cloves for studding ham
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup prepared mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Score top of ham into diamonds and stud center of each diamond with a clove. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for 1½ hours. In a bowl combine the sugar, mustard and vinegar and spread glaze evenly over ham. Bake for another 35 minutes. Transfer ham to a platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
8 c potatoes, peeled and cubed
16 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
1 c parmesan cheese
¼ c buttermilk
Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions
Put potatoes and garlic in pot and cover with water. Boil until potatoes are tender. Drain.
In a mixer bowl, add potatoes, butter, cheese, buttermilk, and salt and pepper. Blend until creamy.

Tom loved the ham, but hated the potatoes. He started off by taking one bite of the potatoes, then said that I made the best potatoes in the world. Then Donnie casually said something about how you can’t even tell that there was garlic in them. Then Tom decided that they tasted funny, and there was a weird aftertaste. I don’t think it was the garlic – he can handle that in small doses – it was probably the parmesan cheese, which he never eats and wouldn’t recognize the flavor of. Donnie and I both enjoyed everything, even the potatoes.
After dinner, we all went out for the yearly Christmas movie and saw Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

I thought it was good, and Tom thought it was one of the best movies he’s ever seen. He didn’t have any criticism about it, which he usually has for everything, so maybe that’s true.
After the movie, I finished making Peppermint Pattie Cookies, which I had started earlier in the day, but had to refrigerate the dough.

Peppermint Pattie Cookies
Ingredients
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
24 to 26 small (1½ inch) YORK Peppermint Patties
White decorator's sugar

Directions
Beat butter and sugar in large mixing bowl; add egg, milk and vanilla, blending thoroughly. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture, blending well. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle. (Dough will be a little soft.)
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Remove wrappers from peppermint patties.
Roll dough into 1¼ inch balls. For each cookie flatten ball slightly; press peppermint pattie into dough. Mold dough around pattie so that it is completely covered. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Using knife edge press star design into surface of each cookie; sprinkle with decorator's sugar.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until cookie is set; sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 2 dozen cookies.

These cookies turned out really well, and both Tom and Donnie said they were good.
Then, to end my Christmas extravaganza, I popped in a movie that Donnie had brought with him, Bridesmaids.

It was funny and sad at the same time. The main character had a life that made me cry, but there were a lot of funny parts, too.

Ravens vs. Browns

2011-12-24T23:10:00.001-05:00

In typical Ravens fashion, the team almost messed up this game. They started out doing really well, but after halftime, either the Browns pumped up their game, or the Ravens got lackadaisical, because the Browns only lost, 14-20. I don’t think the Ravens even scored in the second half!
For the band’s halftime show, we did a Christmas theme, and played Trans Siberian Orchestra’s “Carol of the Bells” and Brian Setzer’s “Dig That Crazy Santa Claus.” The cheerleaders came out onto the field to perform for the second song, which was an improvement from last year where they only showed up for half of their allotted time.
When I got home, I saw that Donnie had arrived (he’s visiting for the holiday). We popped in a DVD that he brought with him, Horrible Bosses.

I actually chose to watch that one, thinking that it would be the funniest of the three movies that he had brought with him, but it wasn’t as funny as I hoped.

Belated Birthday Gift

2011-12-20T21:15:00.002-05:00

My nephew's birthday gift to me came in the mail a few days ago, and I finally put it together tonight. I asked for a necklace that he liked, that I could wear to work, so he and my sister went to Wal-Mart and picked out a pendant, a pattern, and everything else to make the necklace.

I like the way it turned out. Thanks, Dodo!

Sugar Plums

2011-12-19T21:22:00.001-05:00

I made another Christmas cookie that I found a recipe for in the Food Network magazine called Sugar Plums.

Sugar Plums
Finely chop 1¼ cups toasted almonds in a food processor with 1½ cups each prunes and dried apricots, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Roll into balls, then roll in coarse sugar.

I think they were delicious. They were chewy and crunchy and slightly sweet, all at the same time. Tom even liked them!

Spiced Rum Balls

2011-12-13T23:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I made a Christmas cookie that I found in the Food Network Magazine, Spiced Rum Balls.

Spiced Rum Balls
Mix 3¾ cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies, 1½ cups confectioners' sugar, ¾ teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Stir in 3 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1/3 cup each brandy and rum. Roll into balls and chill until firm. Roll in confectioners' sugar.

I liked them, even though I thought they were a little strong. Tom thought they were way too strong.

Ravens vs. Colts

2011-12-11T18:52:00.003-05:00

This game was pretty anticlimatic. I gave the Colts the benefit of the doubt, and expected this game to be the only one they won this season, but they were the same team they've been all year, and lost 10-24.
The band did well. We played a medley of country hits by Carrie Underwood, and I'm glad that that's over with. The first medley was unrecognizable by everyone I talked to, but the second medley was good - Before He Cheats and Cowboy Cassanova.

White Christmas Tags Done

2011-12-10T11:45:00.003-05:00

I finished and mailed off my tags for the 2nd Annual White Christmas Tag Swap.

This year, I made white origami christmas trees and decorated them with pearls and crystals for the front of the tag, and crocheted a christmas ornament for the back of the tag.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie

2011-12-07T23:56:00.002-05:00

I'm also making this pie for the luncheon at Robin's tomorrow. I started it on Tuesday, when I made the crust and custard, and finished baking the crust, filling it with the custard, making the whipped cream topping, and finished assembling it tonight. I'm not a huge fan of coconut, but when my dad sent me this recipe, it looked so good I just had to try it.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie
Makes one nine-inch pie
Crust:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup ice water, or more as needed

Pastry cream:
2 cups milk
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
2 large eggs
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened

Pie:
1 coconut pie crust (recipe above), prebaked and cooled
2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened “chip” or large-shred coconut
Chunks of white chocolate (4 to 6 ounces, to make 2 ounces of curls)

To make the crust:
In a food processor, combine the flour, coconut, diced butter, sugar, and salt. Pulse to form coarse crumbs, gradually adding the water a tablespoon at a time. Use only as much water as is needed to hold the dough together. (Test by gently pressing a bit of dough between your fingers.) The dough will not form a ball or clump in the processor. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and pour the dough into it. Pull the plastic wrap around the dough, then flatten it into a rough round. Chill 30 minutes to an hour before rolling.
Unwrap the round of dough and place it on a lightly floured work board. Dust the rolling pin and your hands with flour. Roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick, adding more flour if it begins to stick. Trim to a 12- to 13-inch circle.
Ease the rolled dough onto a 9-inch pie pan. Don’t stretch the dough to fit; it will shrink again when baked. Trim any excess to a 1- to 1 ½-inch overhang. Turn the dough under along the rim of the pie pan and use your finger to flute the edge. Chill the unbaked pie crust at least an hour before baking.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper in the pie crust and fill the cavity with dried beans or pie weights. Bake the crust until the edge is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from oven, lift off the foil and beans, and return the crust to the oven. Bake until the bottom of the crust shows golden-brown patches, 10 to 12 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the pastry cream:
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and sweetened shredded coconut. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and pod to the milk mixture. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and stir the mixture occasionally until it begins to steam and tiny bubbles start to form around the pan’s edges. (But don’t let it come to a boil.) Remove the pan from the heat.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until well combined. As you whisk, temper the egg mixture (to keep it from curdling) by pouring about 1/3 cup of the scalded milk into the egg mixture. Then add the warmed egg mixture to the milk and coconut mixture in the saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and whisk until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Keep whisking until the pastry cream is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes more. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the butter and whisk until it melts. Remove and discard the vanilla pod. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, then place it over another bowl filled with ice water. Stir occasionally until it is cool. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a crust from forming, and refrigerate until cold, about one hour. The cream will thicken as it cools.
When the pastry cream is cold, pour it into the prebaked pie crust, smoothing the surface with a spatula. In an electric mixer with whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium speed. Gradually increase the speed to high, and whip to peaks that are firm enough to hold their shape. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the whipped cream and pipe it over the surface of the pie, or spoon it over.

To finish the pie:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a baking sheet, spread the coconut chips, then place the baking sheet in the oven. Stir the chips once or twice while they toast, watching carefully – coconut burns easily – until they are lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Use a vegetable peeler to shave about 2 ounces of the white chocolate into curls. Just before serving, decorate the pie with the toasted coconut and white chocolate curls.
The coconut pastry cream can be made a day ahead, covered with plastic wrap as above, and chilled in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve the pie, fill the prebaked crust with the cream, then top the filling with the whipped cream, coconut, and chocolate.

A Legendary Evening

2011-12-06T23:05:00.004-05:00

The Pep Band performed for "A Legendary Evening," which was a tribute to people who have been inducted into the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards in Baltimore. We played a few tunes prior to the evening's events, then retired to a back room where we got a pretty nice dinner.

I know it's tacky, but that was a nice looking plate of food - lemon chicken, a twice baked potato thing, green beans. We're not usually treated that well.
At the end of the evening, after a review of the Baltimore Colts-New York Giants championship game, we played the Baltimore Colts Fight Song, then a short concert while people left the event.

Pete's Shrimp Curry

2011-12-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

Last year's holiday luncheon was held at Robin's house, and it was so popular that we're doing it again this year. This year, I'm preparing a shrimp curry dish that my friend Pete makes for his annual birthday celebration. I always enjoy it, so I hope that everyone else does.

Pete’s Shrimp Curry
¼ lb butter or margarine
2 tbsp cornstarch
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cups milk
2 lb steamed peeled shrimp – I prefer to season the shrimp with Old Bay when I steam them
2 tbsp cooking sherry

This is similar to cooking pudding, so it works best if you use a double boiler. Combine the first seven ingredients and cook over a low heat (Low heat is not as important if you use a double boiler. Otherwise, the mix will burn and stick to the bottom of the pan). I suggest that you pour all but ¼ cup of the milk into the pan. Save the rest of the milk to combine with the cornstarch. The cornstarch is easier to blend in a small amount of cold milk. It clumps if you add it to warm milk – not what you want. Stir regularly, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. The mix will thicken as it cooks. The longer it cooks, the more it will thicken. Use your judgment on how thick you want it. You can add more cornstarch if needed, but be careful not to “make dumplings” with it.
Add steamed shrimp.
Stir until shrimp are heated.
Add sherry.
Serve over rice.
You can add Old Bay or more curry to the sauce if you like a spicier taste. You can freeze the leftovers – either with or without the rice.

The luncheon isn't until Thursday, and I hope that it keeps and reheats well.

Falling For Fall Tags

2011-11-30T10:22:00.001-05:00

I received my tags from the Falling for Fall Tag Swap a few days ago, and finally got the chance to take pictures of them all.

This free digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

They were great. Thanks to Jonelle for hosting!

Herr's Christmas Lights

2011-11-29T22:52:00.001-05:00

Tonight, a couple of ladies from the Tidewater went to the Herr's Potato Chip Factory in Hanover, Pennsylvania to see their Christmas light display.

For such a small amount of space, it was really quite nice.
Afterwards, we went to Conowingo Pizzeria for dinner. I really enjoyed my time out with the girls.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T11:41:00.003-05:00

Things being what they are, I'm celebrating Thanksgiving today. I hope everyone's holiday was a happy one.

Ravens vs. 49ers

2011-11-24T23:42:00.002-05:00

Well, the Ravens rose up to the expectations of the home crowd and won the game against the 9-1 San Francisco 49ers, 6-16. It was hugely exciting to see the Ravens step up to the competition. Honestly, I was surprised to see them do so well.
The band's halftime show turned out rather well. We played a medley of Journey hits, and for only finishing learning the drill yesterday, I think we did a good job.

Almost-Famous Swedish Meatballs

2011-11-22T22:41:00.005-05:00

After reading the reviews in the latest Food Network Magazine, I decided to make Swedish Meatballs for dinner tonight.

Almost-Famous Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients
For the meatballs:
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup minced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ pound lean ground beef
½ pound lean ground pork
1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
Vegetable oil, for brushing

For the gravy:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley(optional)
Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional)

Directions
Make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and %frac14; teaspoon white pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste; let cool. Add the beef, pork, egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until combined.
Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with the parsley and serve with lingonberry jam, if desired.

I don't think I've ever tried the Swedish Meatballs at Ikea, which this recipe is supposed to copy, but I think they were very good. Tom enjoyed them, too, stating that he wouldn't change a thing - and believe me, he usually has some kind of suggestions on how to make things better.

Ravens vs Bengals

2011-11-20T19:04:00.003-05:00

What a crazy game that was! The Ravens and Bengals appeared to be evenly matched on defense, so initially, the game was fairly boring. Then, the Bengals scored and the Ravens had to step up their game. Eventually, the Ravens won 24-31, with an amazing last stand towards the end of the game.
The band didn't do much at halftime, we just formed a huge 3 for Matt Stover's induction into the Ring of Honor.

Cheddar & Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-11-15T20:51:00.004-05:00

I got tonight off, so to accompany my dinner of leftovers, I made biscuits.

Cheddar & Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (1 cup)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
¾ cup buttermilk
Heat oven to 375F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and baking soda. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or you fingers, cut it in until the mixture is crumbly. Add the Cheddar and chives and toss to combine. Add the buttermilk and stir just until combined (do not overmix; the dough will be stcky).
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times just to bring it together. Gently shape it into a 1-in.-thick disk.
Using a 2-in. round cookie cutter, cut out 16 biscuits (flouring the cutter and reshaping the scraps of dough as necessary). Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the bottoms are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

I liked them. At first, I thought that the chive flavor was a bit too strong, but after eating three of them, I decided it was perfect.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

2011-11-09T14:30:00.003-05:00

On the last day of my vacation, I attempted a lunch that wasn't soup - I made my first actual batch of fried chicken.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

2 cups buttermilk
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, and thyme)
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 4%frac12; lb fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 cups vegetable shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Whisk first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken; cover and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Melt vegetable shortening in a large cast-iron skillet. Arrange a deep-fry thermometer in skillet so bulb is submerged. Heat over medium heat until shortening reaches 325°.
Meanwhile, mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a large brown paper bag. Drain chicken, leaving some herbs still clinging. Season generously with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, add chicken to bag, roll top over to seal, and shake well to coat chicken. Let chicken stand in bag 1 minute; shake again.
Fry chicken in skillet until golden brown and cooked through, 10-15 minutes per side. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired. Repeat with second batch of chicken.

Unfortunately, this recipe was a little disappointing - it wasn't as flavorful as I was expecting. That doesn't say much, when my standard is Popeye's Spicy Fried Chicken, but I was amazed at how easy it was to prepare. I couldn't tell you what I was expecting. Now, I will tell you, and I apologize if it disgusts you, that I also fried up the onions that were in the buttermilk mixture with the chicken overnight, and they had a nice bit of zing to them. Tom didn't think I had fried the chicken long enough, and that it was underdone. I can't say I agree with that assessment, because I cooked the chicken for at least ten minutes on each side, and more judging by the overdone parts on the skin. Even though the chicken didn't taste bad (Nutmeg enjoyed it thoroughly), I don't think I'll try this recipe again - I think I'd rather try a Popeye's clone recipe.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

2011-11-08T13:57:00.005-05:00

For lunch today, I made this soup.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1/3 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/3 cups)
Croutons, for topping (optional)
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, half-and-half, both potatoes, bay leaf, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl; add 3 tablespoons water and season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes; drain.
When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf from the soup and transfer the soup to a blender. Puree until smooth, leaving the filler cap slightly open to let steam escape (or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot and thin with water, if necessary. Return to a simmer over medium-low heat; stir in the broccoli and season with salt and pepper.
Add the cheese and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons, if desired.

Well, I was actually disappointed by this recipe. It was a little bland, so maybe it needs a little salt, and the texture was a little off, a tad bit grainy. Plus, the servings are huge. The recipe says that it serves four, I think it should be more like 6-8.

Beer and Cheddar Soup

2011-11-07T15:07:00.002-05:00

I am taking a few days off from work while they paint my lab and put in a new ceiling, so for lunch today I made soup.

Beer and Cheddar Soup

Ingredients
½ pound piece of slab bacon, sliced 1/3 inch thick and cut into 1/3 inch dice
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
One 12-ounce bottle lager or pilsner
About 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
½ pound sharp yellow cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Garlic-rubbed toasts, for serving

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Add the celery, onion, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the saucepan and cook over mederate heat, stirring, until softened, 8 minutes. Add half of the beer and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add 2¼ cups of chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk this roux into the soup until incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheeses and the remaining beer and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Add a few tablespoons of broth if the soup is too thick. Serve the soup with garlic toasts.

Let me tell you, it was pretty delicious. I was concerned that the beer flavor might be overpowering, but it wasn't. Tom tasted it and said (what's new?) that it needed salt. Well, I forgot to season it. He also commented that there might be a little too much heat, and he might suffer for it tomorrow, but he's very sensitive that way. Despite Tom's comments, he did say it was very good. I agree, and it was easy to make.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

2011-11-06T18:47:00.002-05:00

Tonight's dinner was brought to us by Pillsbury.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

Ingredients
4 center-cut bone-in pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 2 lb) trimmed of fat
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ ground red pepper (cayenne)
¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries
2 medium baking apples, peeled, chopped (2 cups)

Directions
Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; place in cooker.
In small bowl, mix brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, red pepper and cranberries. Spoon over pork in cooker; top with apples.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes.

With my first bite, I thought, "Oh my gosh, this tastes like dessert." Tom thought it was wonderful, too. He wants to same the apple chutney to serve over ice cream. I think not because of the pork influence, but it was quite a compliment coming from him.

Weiner Schnitzel

2011-11-05T21:29:00.004-04:00

I had this evening off, so for dinner, I made a recipe that Wanda recommended for Weier Schnitzel. I paired it with some a family recipe for sour cucumbers.

Wiener Schnitzel
1 ½ pounds of veal cutlets
½ cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup finely ground bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
6 Tablespoons butter
1 lemon

Pound each cutlet thin between two pieces of waxed paper.
Place flour in a flat dish or plate large enough to hold cutlet. Place beaten egg in another dish, bread crumbs in a third. Season each with salt and pepper.
Dredge cutlets in flour. Dip into beaten egg. Dip into bread crumbs until thinly but thoroughly coated. Place on waxed-paper-covered platter and place in refrigerator for about an hour.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in large skillet. When sizzling, brown cutlets quickly on each side until golden. Remove to platter.
Melt remaining two tablespoons butter in same pan. Squeeze lemon juice into butter, stir, and pour over cutlets.
Serves 4.

Tom and I both think it turned out well. He couldn't handle too much of the cucumbers, but I'm proud of him for trying them.

Chili Cook-Off

2011-11-03T13:47:00.003-04:00

We had a chili cook-off at Huber today. I fixed two types, and was pleased with both of them. The first was Lazy Man's Chili Soup with Beans. It was great, brown some ground beef, open a few packages of this, a few cans of that, throw it in the crockpot to cook overnight, and it was ready for work in the morning.

Lazy Man’s Chili Soup with Beans

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
1 package (1.0 oz) ranch dip mix
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 can (10 oz) tomatoes & green chilies (mild) – drained
2 cans (14.5 oz/ea) tomatoes with onions
1 can (12 oz) chili beans
1 can (11 oz) golden, whole kernel corn – drained
1 Tbsp TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce
1 package (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (8 oz) sour cream
1 bag (any size) corn chips – optional

Directions
Brown the ground beef in a large pot. Drain the beef and return it to the pot. Add the ranch mix, taco seasoning, drained tomatoes and chilies, tomatoes with onions, drained chili beans, drained corn and TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce to the pot with the beef. Cover and cook on medium heat for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat and spoon into individual serving bowls. Add 1-2 oz of cheddar cheese and ½-1 Tbsp sour cream. Serve with corn chips if desired.

The second chili was Jamaican Jerk Chili, which was by far the favorite of the two I made. I got so many compliments on it.

Jamaican Jerk Chili
1 large red onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 Jamaican hot pepper
¾ lb hot Italian sausage (approx 4 links)
1 lb ground beef
1 heaping Tablespoon Jamaican dry jerk seasoning
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 can fresh-cut diced tomatoes (1 lb 12 oz)
1 cup ketchup
2 cans small red kidney beans (15.5 oz each)
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
8 small round breads

Chop up onion and all the peppers. Remove the skin from the sausage and brown in a skillet, chop up as it browns, approx 5 min. Then add ground beef, while browning add jerk seasoning, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Add ¾ onion and all the peppers, then add crushed garlic, continue cooking about 5 min, or until completely brown. Add tomatoes and ketchup, cover and simmer 20 min. While the chili simmers, cut and scoop out the bread to hollow for bowl. Save inside bread to be toasted and served with chili. Add kidney beans and simmer 10 more minutes. Serve in bread bowl topped with grated cheddar cheese and remaining onion. Enjoy! Serves 8

I got both recipes from the Marlboro Chili Roundup Cookbook.

MDIFT Show

2011-11-02T23:37:00.002-04:00

I went to the Maryland Institute of Food Technologies trade show today. It was at the Marriott in Hunt Valley which was a very nice venue. The show was held in a ballroom, which was nicer than last year's show, which was held in a lobby-type area of the hotel that hosted the show. The food and drink this year were not as nice as last year, though.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T00:01:00.000-04:00

Ravens vs. Cardinals

2011-10-30T19:24:00.002-04:00

Oh what a game! The first half was a trick, the second half a treat. By the end of the first half, everyone thought that this game would be a repeat of the Monday Night Football game against Jacksonville where the Ravens performed extremely poorly. But, fortunately, the Ravens must have had a serious pep talk, in order for them to pull out of a 24-6 deficit to win 27-30.
The band's halftime performance was slightly better. We played a medley of songs which included Night on Bald Mountain, Thriller, Addams Family, and the song from the Sorcerer's Apprentice with the dancing brooms. Even I heard a timing problem, and I'm not good at noticing things. Oh, well. Our next show should be fine, a tribute to Matt Stover with his induction to the Ring of Honor. Nothing to mess up there.

I'm Mobile

2011-10-24T13:47:00.000-04:00

Today, I got my car back. The timing belt on my engine slipped and bent some rods, so a friend at Huber sourced a replacement engine for me. He also found a guy who would install it inexpensively. So, after a week of waiting, it's done! And for half the price that the shop we had the car towed to quoted. I can't tell you how happy I am to be part of a two-car family again.

Apple Cupcakes

2011-10-21T11:52:00.004-04:00

Last night, or should I say early this morning, I made Apple Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting.

I found the recipe while I was searching for the recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting. I had taken some of those cupcake to work with me, and several of the other waitresses thought they were delicious. Well, one of them has a birthday today, so I thought I'd whip these up and bring them in. I think they turned out really well. The only change I made was instead of baking apples, I used Red Delicious (since that's what I had), and added ½ teaspoon lemon juice to try to cut down their sweetness. The cupcakes were great at 2:30 this morning, I just hope they age well. And the only criticism I have is that unless I did something wrong, there just wasn't enough frosting.

Ravens vs. Texans

2011-10-16T23:06:00.002-04:00

Today, the Ravens played the Houston Texans, and beat them, 14-29. It was honestly a kind of dull game, and when the Texans finally pulled into the lead after scoring their second touchdown, I thought we'd lose for sure. But the Ravens pulled it out. Joe Flacco impressed me with how well he passed the ball this game, compared to the last couple.
For our halftime show, the band performed a Led Zeppelin show. We played The Immigrant Song, Black Dog/Kashmir, and Rock and Roll. It had a lot of energy, but there were some tempo/phasing issues. Not great, but nothing to be ashamed about.

Spooky Little Books

2011-10-14T23:56:00.003-04:00

The Spooky Little Books arrived today.

The bag was packed full of fun little books with a Halloween theme. I was so excited to get it, and I wasn't disappointed!

Second Scarf

2011-10-13T22:03:00.002-04:00

I finished my second scarf for the Special Olympic Scarf Project today. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. It's nice and thick.

Crochet Hook Case

2011-10-11T15:03:00.002-04:00

I finished crocheting a crochet hook case today.

I still need to find a fun button for a closure, and stitch in lines so that each individual crochet hook will have it's own spot, but the hard part is done. You can find the pattern here.

A Purple Evening

2011-10-10T20:58:00.000-04:00

Tonight was the Pep Band's annual performance at A Purple Evening. It's an event where ladies can get together and get out on the field to try drills, get autographs, tour the locker room, among other things. Usually, the Pep Band plays outside of the stadium for the ladies lined up to get in to the event. This year, we played inside the stadium next to our recruitment booth (which was near the line for autographs). The people who were standing in our area seemed to enjoy the music, and it was fun playing for them.

Tenderloin and Cupcakes

2011-10-09T22:00:00.002-04:00

Recently, I've rediscovered my desire to cook as a hobby, so I filled this evening with cooking.
For dinner tonight, I fixed a recipe that my sister recommended, Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin. It seemed simple, and there weren't many ingredients.

After slicing the pork tenderloin and three scallions lengthwise, the pork was opened like a book, and the scallions placed inside.

The pork was closed up, and, according to the recipe on the Internet, could be rubbed with Dijon mustard. I wasn't sure how Tom would like that, so I only rubbed half of the pork.

The pork was wrapped with bacon,

and the bacon was rubbed with a sugar and pepper mixture.

The whole thing was baked, and looked pretty terrific coming out of the oven.

To add a classy touch, I warmed up a can of green beans as an accoutrement.

Overall, I was pleased. It was simple, and Tom absolutely loved it. He wanted the bacon to be crispier, but when he warmed up the leftovers in the microwave later in the evening, he thought it was perfect. I thought the scallion flavor was a little overpowering, and that the sugar was a little too sweet. That's probably my fault, I used Splenda instead of granulated sugar, which meant there was probably more sweetener there than intended. The next time I attempt this recipe, I'll try to replace the scallions with fresh herbs and work on the sugar aspect.
After dinner, I made Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting.

They turned out well. I thought the flavors were good, but the frosting was a little too sweet for my taste. Tom said he loved them, but he likes sweet. I also made the caramel twice, thinking I messed it up the first time. The second try, which is what I used for the frosting, wasn't as dark or flavorful as the first, since I was afraid of messing it up, but after a little research on the Internet, it looks like I could have fixed the first batch. Oh well, I learned something for next time, and there definitely will be a next time!
What I thought was especially great about tonight's bout of cooking, was Tom asking what I was going to cook next. He seems more open to trying new things than I gave him credit for. Just when you think you know someone...

Ravens vs. Jets

2011-10-02T23:53:00.002-04:00

Tonight's game was weird. It seemed to go really fast - I don't remember a lot of the game. The Ravens won 34-17, which was crazy, since I don't remember many of the scoring drives. What the hell? I must have been concentrating on my Pixie Stix and pistachios waaayyy too much.
For our pregame show, we formed ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Cool, huh?
Our halftime show was so energetic, I just loved it. We played Uprising and Knights of Cydonia, both by Muse. I haven't found a video of it on YouTube, yet, but I hope to.
On a note that's a little lower than the great pre-game and halftime shows that the band did, my car broke down on the way down to Baltimore. Jeff, the guy I've been carpooling with, thought it was my timing belt. Luckily, another band member stopped to help us out, so after waiting for the tow truck, we made it to the stadium in time for rehearsal. I'll learn tomorrow how bad off the car is.

Special Olympic Scarf Project 2012

2011-10-01T23:56:00.001-04:00

This year, I'm getting an earlier start on the Special Olympic Scarf Project. I learned about the project last year, and after meeting the deadline, I've been looking forward to learning what this year's colors were going to be.
After completing my first scarf, I'm not too crazy about the colors.

Crocheting this scarf made my eyes hurt! I really think it was the pattern, though.

Ravens Rookies Night

2011-09-23T20:45:00.003-04:00

Tonight the pep band played for Ravens Rookies night. The weather has been pretty crappy lately, and I was afraid that, as was our usual practice, we would be playing outside of the stadium, in the rain. Luckily, tonight, we played in the concourse. We were waaayyy down at the end, but the people that showed up in our area seemed to enjoy our music. I had a good time.

Spooky Little Book

2011-09-20T15:24:00.003-04:00

I completed printing out my Spooky Little Books Sunday night, but have been cutting, folding and glittering since then. I'm really quite pleased with them, and they turned out the way I wanted them to.

The research into old herb names was a little tedious, but well worth the effort.

Crock Pot Success

2011-09-18T21:22:00.000-04:00

And for the first time in my disjointed memory, I used my crock pot. Last night, I prepped the food items, and before work this morning I threw everything in and turned it on.

I sliced up some red potatoes, tossed them with canola oil, dried rosemary, salt and pepper, and fried them up in a pan with some butter. For my final trick, I opened up a can of corn and warmed it up on the stove with some butter. Tom said it was a great meal, but I thought it was average - the meat wasn't flavored with enough rosemary and garlic. Maybe because I used dried rosemary, maybe because Tom added water to the crockpot while I was gone, thinking there wasn't enough liquid in the pot. Who knows, but the roast was still tender and flaked apart with a fork.

Slow Cooker Rosemary-Garlic Beef Roast

Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 8 Hr 20 Min
Makes: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5- to 6-lb beef boneless sirloin tip roast
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup Progresso® beef flavored broth (from 32-oz carton)
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:
In small bowl, mix oil and Worcestershire sauce; brush over beef roast. Rub roast evenly with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. In 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, add onion. Pour 1/4 cup of the broth over onion. Place beef roast on onion. Refrigerate remaining broth.
Cover and cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.
Remove beef from cooker; cover to keep warm. In small bowl, mix remaining 3/4 cup broth, the chili sauce and flour; stir into hot mixture in cooker. Increase heat setting to High. Cook uncovered 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with beef.

And, yes, due to Tom's tender taste buds, I omitted the chili sauce from the gravy. It still turned out well.

Huber Day 2011

2011-09-17T15:20:00.001-04:00

This year's Huber Day Picnic was at Valleybrook Country Club, the same place as last year. Unlike last year's picnic, today was chilly, and misting slightly. There was plenty of food, but it was too cool to go swimming, even though there some die hards who still tried out the pool. I didn't stay long, since I had to work in the evening.
I did, however, finish blocking the doily that I started on the drive up to Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago.

I think it turned out all right.

Ravens vs. Steelers

2011-09-11T19:05:00.000-04:00

Wow! I was expecting the Steelers to put up a better fight than that! The Ravens won our season opener, 7-35, with an amazing game. Normally, I can't stand ass-whoopings like that, but the game was still exciting. The Steelers played well, but things just didn't go their way.
The band's pre-game show went well, but the rest of the pre-game ceremony was quite touching. As a tribute to the ten year anniversary of 9-11, a 300 foot long American flag was carried onto the field by 150 first responders and service people and unfurled after a live feed was played on the big screen where Robert DeNiro announced the playing of Taps at the location of the plane crash in Pennsylvania. It was quite moving. To continue our tribute, we played Empire State of Mind and America the Beautiful at halftime.

Purple Friday

2011-09-09T19:26:00.000-04:00

This Purple Friday kicked off the 2011 football season. The band accompanied cheerleaders, PlayMakers, our mascot, Poe, and the ravens, Rise & Conquer, from the Baltimore Zoo, who also attend our games. We played at schools, Giant food stores, Verizon stores, M&T Bank locations, a Joseph A. Banks store, Hightopps restaurant, Bill Bateman's Bistro, and the AirTran terminal at the airport. It was a busy, busy day, and one of the best parts was seeing John, our band president, in a band uniform.

He really should play with us more often, because he looked like he was enjoying himself!

Flood Prep & Kickoff Party

2011-09-08T20:57:00.000-04:00

This afternoon at Tidewater, we cleared the restaurant out again, but this time in preparation for the flood waters from Tropical Storm Lee. The rain from further up the Susquehanna River was beginning to arrive, and we needed to be prepared.

The most entertainment we had was from the sailboat anchored in the river, which was eventually knocked loose and floated downriver to who-knows-where.

There was already some flooding around town, which would only get worse when high tide came.

That evening I had a pep band gig, the Kickoff Party at Power Plant Live! We performed a short concert prior to the festivities.

A Viewing and a Funeral

2011-09-06T19:18:00.001-04:00

What a crazy couple of days! Yesterday, Tom drove us to Pennsylvania to be with my family for Aunt Ethel's viewing. I can't believe how much I cried, especially when Theresa, a cousin's wife, told me how Aunt Ethel had been planning on having a big Labor Day cookout for the family. Uncle Lyle decided to go through with it, for Aunt Ethel, and after the viewing we all gathered at their house for the cookout. Food, wine, family - you just can't lose there.
The next day was the funeral. I bawled like a baby. After the interment, my immediate family went to the house that my parents are planning to retire to, my grandparent's old house. Then to the wake. The ladies of the First Reformed Church of Christ outdid themselves with the luncheon. Then Tom drove us home.
It was a whirlwind of activity, and I'm very glad that I went.

Goodbye, Aunt Ethel

2011-09-01T15:13:00.003-04:00

Thank you, Aunt Ethel, for all that you have given me through the years. I've never expressed to you how much I appreciate what you've done for me, especially during my college years. Your hospitality when allowing me to stay at your home during school breaks, and your help when moving in and out of the dorms was greatly appreciated. You will be missed.

That's Why...

2011-08-29T09:55:00.001-04:00

So that's why we didn't have electricity yesterday! I didn't feel comfortable driving under this thing to get to work, but the road was closed going the other way.

Getting Ready for Irene

2011-08-27T16:51:00.000-04:00

When I got to work this morning, the decision was made to close the restaurant. So, we ended up moving everything off of the porch and out of the dining room, just in case the worst happens with the hurricane. It was so unusual seeing the deck,

porch,

and dining room

with no tables. After clearing everything out, the windows were covered with plastic and secured with sandbags.

The windows on the porch were also taken out, but that happened after I left.

Ravens vs. Redskins

2011-08-25T23:44:00.000-04:00

Whew, what a day! For practice and lunch, the weather held out, but during our concert, it started to rain. Then it started to rain harder. And it continued to rain hard during our march up the spine from Camden Yards to M&T Bank Stadium. I was soaked - almost to my underwear! But, luckily, before we went out to run our pregame show, the rain had stopped. So, aside from watching the game in a wet uniform, it was a good time. The Ravens beat the Redskins 31-34, and it was a really good game. The Redskins were ahead for the whole game, until the very end, where the Ravens pulled out a win.
We also had guests from NFL Films, who were filming the band for a 30 second spot called, "Spirit of the NFL." Look for it during the Ravens/Jets game, I think.

Earthquake

2011-08-23T14:59:00.000-04:00

How exciting was that? 5.9 on the Richter scale centered near Richmond, Virginia! I wonder what it was here in Maryland (a co-worker is speculating around a 3).
I was standing in front of a fume hood, when the hood began to shake. I looked up, wondering if someone was doing work on the roof of the building. Then I thought, nah, maybe a big truck is going by. But as the next few seconds passed, and the shaking didn’t stop, I moved into the hallway, and saw my computer monitor through the office door shaking like crazy. I have never experienced an earthquake before, and it was really kind of cool.

Ravens vs. Chiefs

2011-08-19T23:58:00.000-04:00

Today’s preseason game against the Chiefs was really disappointing, from my musical point-of-view. My disappointment came because of the weather. Prior to every game, the band performs a concert. Today, there was the danger of thunderstorms, so we cut the concert extremely short. The game went well, though, with the Ravens winning 13-31.

Birthday Shadowbox Sent

2011-08-08T15:57:00.000-04:00

Well, I finally finished it!

A month after it was due to be sent out, I finally mailed out my Birthday Shadowbox. I will never let myself get that far behind again!

Howard County Fair

2011-08-07T16:56:00.000-04:00

Today’s band gig was the Howard County Fair. Every year, we perform a concert, and march in the parade around the fairgrounds. This year, it rained a little on us. Other than that, we were fabulous, as usual.

Ravens Scrimmage and Martina's Party

2011-08-06T21:54:00.001-04:00

This morning, the Pep Band performed for the Ravens Scrimmage.

We played outside the stadium for the fans waiting to get into the event. Then, we went inside the stadium and performed during the scrimmage. I must admit, it was a tad bit boring, but I think it was because I couldn’t understand what the announcers were saying. It would have been a lot more interesting if I understood what the team was doing out on the field.
Afterwards, I went to Marty & Martina’s annual end-of-summer party. I saw Dawn and Brenda (old co-workers from the Tidewater) and their spouses. Unfortunately, it rained pretty hard, so I left after about an hour and a half, but it was really nice to catch up with old friends.

Diaper Cake for Hilary

2011-07-14T01:35:00.000-04:00

This is my latest diaper cake, which I've been working on for about a week.

Instead of running out to Bel Air to get the plastic cake tiers, I used cardboard cake rounds with Johnson's Baby products for the pillars. And instead of the flowers I've decorated with in the past, I used more baby products from Johnson's, and a few toys. Our baby shower is on Friday, and I hope Hilary likes the cake!

Room

2011-07-13T00:52:00.001-04:00

Wow, how good was "Room" by Emma Donoghue?

Told from the point of view of the 5-year old inhabitant of Room, it's about his life there and after. It was certainly a tear jerker, and a little disturbing at times (sometimes I couldn't read it for a few days at a time). When I told Tom what it was all about, he said it sounded stupid, but what does he know? I still liked it a lot, and I thank Chyanna from the Tidewater for recommending it.

Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-04T19:10:00.005-04:00

Today was a hot day comprised of our usual three parades: Dundalk, Towson, and Catonsville. While in Dundalk, we saw Kayla (a former member of our section) and her two daughters. In Towson, these were a few fun parade entries.

I think this is the first time I've ever seen the Weinermobile in person!
In Catonsville, after our concert for the Fields family , who graciously allow us to hang out in their yard before we step off and provide snacks and beverages, we saw Izzy and Dave, our former section leader and her husband, along with their daughter. Jen was also there with her new son. Aside from being a long, hot day, it was quite enjoyable.

Havre de Grace Parade and Fireworks

2011-07-03T23:09:00.003-04:00

Today was the annual 4th of July Parade in Havre de Grace. The band was around the 30th unit in the parade (we're usually around 60), so we didn't have as much time to hang out. We played Washington Post March and Swinging Doodle Dandy, and even though I've been hating Swinging Doodle Dandy in practice, it seemed to come together quite nicely. I saw a good number of people I know along the parade route, and that always makes me happy to be in the band. After we finished, I found Mel where she was staked out along the parade route, and watched the parade with her and her family. Afterwards, I went to her place for her annual party, and ate, drank, and was merry until around 8:45 when the Ambulance Corps sent their ambulances around announcing that the fireworks had been cancelled and to go home - it had started to rain a little. One of my fellow party-goers looked up the weather on his phone, and said there was a storm cell right above us, and another in Baltimore right then. I continued to hang out, expecting the traffic to be bad with the mass exodus of people after the announcement, but just before 9:30, some people who had left the party came back and said that the fireworks were back on! How crazy was that?

As soon as the fireworks were over, I headed home, to get some sleep for tomorrow's parades.

Summer Lovin' Tags

2011-06-17T13:06:00.003-04:00

I stayed up really late last night in order to finish the tags for the Summer Lovin' Tag Swap. They were based on ATC's I'd done for a swap years ago that I never received anything for - luckily I'd made a few extras for posterity's sake, and I was able to use the ideas again.

We were also asked to make one tag for a swapper who is getting married in the fall, and this is what I came up with.

One of the meanings of daisies is "Loyal Love," and isn't that what you would wish for any person on their wedding day?

KaBoom - Reservoir Hill

2011-06-16T15:56:00.004-04:00

For the third year in a row, the Pep Band has performed for the KaBoom Playground Build Project, done in conjunction with the Ravens.

This year, we played for the kids for about a half an hour, then moved over to where the dedication would be, and played there for a little bit. I actually saw Dick Cass, president of the Ravens, shoveling mulch!

The playground looked good, and I hope that it's a good contribution to the community of Reservoir Hill.

Special Olympics 2011

2011-06-10T22:41:00.003-04:00

At today's Pep Band gig, we did the Opening Ceremonies for the Maryland Special Olympics Summer Games.

This is the first year since I've been doing this gig that I've actually seen the torch that was lit. I usually only see it on the television monitors in the auditorium, but this year we went through the exit where the torch was set up.

And of course, Joe Flacco was there and made a speech.

Olympic athelete, Kimi Meisner, is at the far podium in that picture.
After getting home, I finished putting my first bracelet in the Botanical Charm Club, Fleur de Turquoise. I'm proud of myself for actually finishing it!

Paper-Thin Alibi

2011-06-06T23:35:00.000-04:00

I started this book while I was at the beach, and finished it a mere two days later!

In my opinion, "Paper-Thin Alibi" by Mary Ellen Hughes was much better than the last book I read. It moved along a lot quicker, and the heroine seemed smarter, she gathered clues and made more headway in the mystery than the last heroine. There are also some neat craft tips at the end ;-)

Rise and Conquer

2011-06-04T23:26:00.007-04:00

This year's Raven's Roost Convention had the theme, "Rise & Conquer." It was very appropriate, seeing how the two ravens that attend the games are called Rise and Conquer, but also because of the impending NFL lock-out. The Pep Band played regardless of the NFL, and we were fabulous, as usual. There weren't as many float-type entries in the parade this year, but I still had a couple of favorites.

Afterwards, I walked up to Castle in the Sand with Tressie for lunch (about 10 blocks away), then walked back around 20 blocks to find Tom where he was on the beach. We spent the rest of our time on the beach, and went to dinner at Phillips All-You-Can-Eat Seafood Buffet after checking in to our hotel. After dinner we stayed in, since it was around 10, and I did some crafting and read. I finished "The Long Quiche Goodbye" by Avery Aames.

I must say, that book was a little slow going, and sometimes I felt it was overly-descriptive about the cheese and wine. That's a shame, because I love cheese and wine.

Completed Little Book Swap

2011-05-26T15:19:00.002-04:00

They're finally done, and with barely a minute to spare! I stayed up really late last night scanning in the pages I created for my Little Books for the swap hosted by Michelle. Then, with PhotoShop, I added a quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne, then printed them out. I spent today cutting them out and assembling them, and they're ready to go in the mail tomorrow. I didn't have enough time to add any extra bling to them, but I think if I ever do another swap like this, I'll be better prepared.
This is what I came up with:

Front and Back Cover

Pages 2 and 3

Pages 4 and 5

And Pages 6 and 7

I'm really happy with how they turned out, and I can't wait to see what everyone else did with theirs.

Drew's Wedding

2011-05-21T23:31:00.003-04:00

After driving home from Pennsylvania today, I attended Drew's wedding to Carianne.

I know Drew from the band, and I thought it was all really sweet. It was the first actual Catholic wedding I had ever attended, so all of the "calling and answering" was unusual.
At the reception, I found out that Drew made the wedding cake himself. Who knew he was that talented?

And the rest of the reception was nice with the first dance,

the cutting of the cake,

the bouquet toss,

and the garter throw.

I'm very glad to have been invited to share their special day with them.

Trip to PA

2011-05-20T23:10:00.002-04:00

Since Dad was in the area, we went to Pennsylvania to visit with Aunt Ethel and Uncle Lyle.

We had a pleasant drive, and after dinner, Dad took me to the mall to find a dress for the wedding tomorrow. Later, Duane, Theresa, Kristen and Ben (Kristen's fiancee) arrived, and we stayed up late talking and drinking wine.

It was really good to see the family.

Secret Garden Tag Swap

2011-05-19T16:38:00.002-04:00

Today's mail brought tags from Wanda's Secret Garden Tag Swap.

Thanks to all of the ladies who participated - they're awesome!

Shadowbox Swap

2011-05-18T13:33:00.004-04:00

I have, yet again, overcommited myself. I've just joined what looks to be an incredibly fun swap, the Birthday Treasury Shadowbox Swap. I've only got a month to pull something together, but since I'll only have one partner, it shouldn't be too bad. Here's one that Amy, the hostess made.

Wish me luck!

Botanical Charm Club

2011-05-09T16:24:00.005-04:00

Well, I've gone and joined the Botanical Charm Club for a year.

It's a "club" from French General where you get bracelet kits to make. I've really enjoyed taking Kaari's classes at Silver Bella, and I love the kits that have already been put out, so I thought I'd treat myself.
And surprise, Wanda, I also got "Pom Pom de Paris" set of bracelets.

It's a little extravagent, but I'll enjoy putting the bracelets together - and wearing them!

The Next Tag Swap

2011-05-02T10:58:00.003-04:00

Since the Secret Garden tags have all been sent in, the next hostess to volunteer is Jonnelle. The theme is Summer Lovin. I made some ATC's years ago with that general theme, and I think I can incorporate the same idea into these tags. I can't wait to see how they turn out. If you'd like to join, email Jonnelle at scraps4alex at live dot com.

Secret Garden Tags

2011-05-01T22:54:00.002-04:00

Well, I finally finished my tags for Wanda's Secret Garden Tag Swap.

They turned out how I thought they would - I'm happy with the dimensionality of it, and I love the quote. I hope they hold up okay, since I didn't use heavy paper.

William Donald Schaefer Funeral

2011-04-25T18:10:00.001-04:00

I had a pep band gig today that was not the kind of thing that we usually do. Former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore, William Donald Schaefer died this past week, and we were asked to perform at Baltimore's City Hall while his body was transferred from Annapolis to Baltimore to lay in state prior to the burial.

He had requested in his will that we play upbeat music for the occasion, and we did, and when his body arrived, we played the Baltimore Fight Song, slowly, starting with one trumpet, then adding the rest of the trumpets, and finally the rest of the pep band. It was really quite moving.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

St. Patrick's Day Parade

2011-03-13T19:08:00.004-04:00

Today, the band participated in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Baltimore. Compared to previous years, the weather was quite nice. We played "Whiskey in the Jar" and the "Fight Song." The most challenging part for me this year, was that we were expected to memorize our music. I don't know about you, but I feel like my brain power isn't what it used to be.

This was my favorite of the four floats that I saw while waiting for the parade to start.

Fort McHenry Gig

2011-03-03T23:36:00.002-05:00

At tonight's Pep Band gig, we went to Fort McHenry for the rededication of their new Visitor's Center. What made it extra special, was that today marked the 80th anniversary of the "Star Spangled Banner" being made our national anthem. I had never been to Fort McHenry before, so it was kind of cool. Before the ceremony, the flag that was flying when we got there was changed to the original Fort McHenry flag - with thirteen stars. It was huge!

There were re-enactors.

I especially enjoyed Fort McHenry's Drum and Fife Corps.

At the ceremony, they played the second runner-up for our national anthem, "O, Carolina."

And another cool part of the ceremony was this cake, made by the Ace of Cakes for the ocassion. Instead of cutting a ribbon to open the new visitor's center, the cannon on the cake shot it.

Then, one of the cannons at Fort McHenry fired twice. It was super loud, and the echo off of the buildings in Baltimore was really cool. The only unfortunate part to this whole thing, was that the band was unable to take a look inside the visitor's center, where the original "Star Spangled Banner" was on display.

Played With Fire

2011-02-25T23:02:00.003-05:00

I finally finished reading "The Girl Who Played with Fire," by Stieg Larsson, tonight.

I thought it was very good. It was a much easier read than "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," but only because all of the Swedish stuff is becoming a little bit more familiar. I can't wait to get started on the next book in the series.

Look What I Won

2011-02-21T23:30:00.001-05:00

So, in yesterday's post, I mentioned that there was a raffle. We bought tickets and dropped them in little baskets in front of the items that we were interested in winning. I didn't expect to, looking at how many people were there for the benefit, but I won something - the movie basket!

What is just too cool, is that not a week ago, Tom said we really need to pick up the movie, "Fools Gold." Well, guess what one of the two movies in the basket were? You guessed it. The other movie is "P.S. I Love You."

Holly's Benefit

2011-02-20T20:22:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who's been praying for Holly. She's doing a little better, and can now eat mashed potatoes and applesauce. Tonight, we had a fundraiser for her at the restaurant. In addition to donations made by people at the bar and some proceeds from every drink purchased being donated, we had a raffle and silent auction (Mel and I set up the room).

We had donations from people and businesses from all around town - it was great to see the community pull together to help out a friend in need. It was a crush, and hugely successful.

Mini Fabric Collage Swap

2011-02-15T23:28:00.004-05:00

Well, today I finally finished my collage for Jessica, in the Mini Fabric Collage Swap, and received the collage she sent me. I tried to tailor what I made for her with what I learned she liked on her blog.

The background fabric has pink polka-dots (she likes polka dots), the pocket in front is pink (one of her favorite colors), she seems to really love buttons, and she likes owls (hence the addition of the owl charm). I had hoped to make a Tiny Book to put in the pocket, but the supplies didn't come in time, so I inserted some more buttons instead.
This is what I got from Jessica. It's wonderful, not quite what I would have expected for myself, but I love it.

Dragon Tattoo

2011-02-14T23:14:00.006-05:00

I finished reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," by Stieg Larsson, tonight. The book turned out to be very good, despite my initial misgivings. I feel like it took forever to get through the first chapter, but only because I couldn't tell why it was so important to focus that much on a seemingly unrelated subject. After that, it all got much easier and enjoyable to read. And do the Swedes really drink that much coffee?

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

Sent Scarves

2011-02-10T14:39:00.003-05:00

Well, I sent my scarves today. I feel good about it, and am glad that I sent them out a day ahead of time. I had slowed down my pace, but hopefully I'll get a few more done, just to finish up the yarn that I have. There are more states that have deadlines later than Maryland's, so if you knit or crochet, feel free to contribute your time and skills. Visit the Special Olympics Scarf Project website for more details.

Fifth Scarf

2011-02-08T23:38:00.003-05:00

I finally finished my fifth scarf!

I think this will be the last one I make for Maryland - I've slowed down, and don't have enough time to make another one. I'm proud of what I have completed so far.

SuperBowl XLV

2011-02-06T21:30:00.000-05:00

How conflicted am I? SuperBowl XLV did not go as planned. Pittsburgh lost, and I am truly saddened by this fact. If only there hadn't been the injuries for the Steelers. But, I did win one quarter in my football pool. I ended up making a grand total of $50. I would have gladly lost that quarter if it meant the Steelers would have won.

Fourth Scarf

2011-02-02T23:16:00.001-05:00

Here's the fourth scarf I completed for Scarves for Special Olympics.

I'm slowing down - I don't think I've ever put this much effort into crocheting anything in a really long time. This pattern is the third from Red Heart, designated as Special Olympics patterns.

Prayer Request

2011-01-31T22:04:00.002-05:00

I have a friend who is currently in the hospital. She waitresses with me at the Tidewater Grille, is in her early 20's, and just had a baby back in April. I ask you to pray for her.
In the middle of the month, Holly went to the hospital with pains in her back and abdomen. Initially, the doctors thought that she had colitis, and she was hospitalized. Within the next few days, they determined that it wasn't colitis, but a blood clot in a vein in her intestines. She was moved to University Hospital in Baltimore, and has been there ever since. She's been on blood thinners, with hopes that the blood clot would either dissolve or be absorbed back into her body. Last night, she went into surgery where they found out that part of her intestines had died, so they cut that part out. Tomorrow morning, they're going back in to see if any more of her intestines have died, before reattaching them to her bowels. Then they're going to try to attack the blood clot. There's been internal bleeding and infection, and hopefully the surgery tomorrow with cure that.
If you believe in the power of prayer, please, please, please include Holly in your prayers.

Third Scarf

2011-01-30T17:22:00.001-05:00

And it took me three days to make my third scarf for the Special Olympics Scarf Project.

It wasn't because the pattern was hard, it's because on Thursday, I had to dig out of a snowstorm, so my hands and arms are sore from shovelling, which led to sore legs and back and the desire to go to bed early. This was a pattern from Red Heart.

Second Scarf

2011-01-27T23:20:00.001-05:00

I'm proud of myself, it only took two days to make the second scarf for the Special Olympics Scarf Project.

This pattern was from the Lion Brand website, but I added the color changes.

One Down

2011-01-25T23:11:00.001-05:00

Well, I've completed my first scarf for the Special Olympics Scarf Project.

This pattern is off of the Red Heart website. I think it's adorable, but I won't make another one with this pattern - it didn't lay as flat as I wanted it to.

Scarves for Special Olympics

2011-01-23T23:30:00.003-05:00

I heard about this project a few days ago, and even though the deadline is fast approaching, I think I'm going to do my part to help out (at last count, Maryland has only 44/600 scarves - way short of their goal). So, tonight, after work, I ran to Wal-Mart and picked up yarn. I've always enjoyed doing my part with the band for the Maryland Special Olympics Summer Games, so I think this will be a really terrific thing to do. If you know how to knit or crochet, and have the time, a lot of other states need tons of help. Visit Scarves for Special Olympics to learn more.

The Vet

2011-01-20T23:40:00.003-05:00

Today, we took Reggie to the vet. He's lost a lot of weight in the past couple of weeks, so we wanted to get him checked out.

He was very well behaved, and luckily, the blood work ruled out thyroid disease and cancer, but he seems to have an infection. Diabetes wasn't even mentioned (thank goodness), but the herpes in his eye seemed to be what the vet honed in on. He's had it since he came into our lives, so I never think about it. And checking out his teeth was a biggie, too. They look horrible! He's always had bad breath, but I never looked at his teeth until today! The vet said that there's possibly an infection in his eye, and that he might have to get his teeth taken out. Poor baby, but bad teeth would explain him losing the weight, it might hurt too much to chew the dry food we feed the cats. We fed him some wet food, and he ate with gusto. I hope he's feeling better soon.