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Monthly Archives: March 2018

Waffle Recipe by Leah

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

 

I made waffles!  I haven’t made waffles in 16 years, but today I made waffles!  Can you tell I’m excited?  Growing up I hated pancakes and loved waffles. (Turns out that I really wasn’t a fan of the mix my parents used to make them, but it took moving out of the house to learn that.)   My dad had a big industrial waffle-maker that he’d gotten from a restaurant that was closing.  I would get so excited when I saw him pulling it out.  I remember rushing to get out the Country Crock spread and Log Cabin syrup; setting the table before my dad had even started cooking them.

 

Well, today it was my girls’ turn to set the table in anticipation of a crisp cake of batter dripping in melted butter and maple syrup.  You see, my parents gave me a waffle maker for Christmas.  Such a delightful gift!  It holds not only the promise of good food, but also the memories of a wonderful childhood.

 

It had been so long since I’d made waffles I knew I needed to really go for it, so I chose to use the Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles copycat recipe.  They were absolutely delicious!  Remember to allow time to chill the batter overnight.  It’s not necessary, but definitely worth it.

 

Waffle House Waffles

Yield: 6 waffles

 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp butter, softened

2 Tbsp shortening

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 tsp vanilla

 

PREPARATION

  1. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.
  2. Lightly beat the egg in another bowl.  Add the sugar, butter, and shortening and mix well with an electric mixer until smooth.
  3. Add the half and half, milk, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix well.
  4. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture while beating.  Mix until smooth.
  5. Cover and chill overnight.
  6. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and allow to warm a little as you preheat your waffle iron.
  7. Spray your waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray.  Spoon in 1/3 cup of batter and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the waffles are light brown.

 

 

 

 

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A Little Fun in SL

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

Gaming Logo

The other day I found a comfy gamer’s hoodie in my Second Life inventory while sorting (a never ending battle when you collect freebies, hit the sales, hunt for gifts, and can’t resist building supplies to improve our pixel home).  After wandering the grid, picking up my goodies, I thought I’d have some fun by checking out some more places at Backdrop City.  I definitely need to take Bre back in outfits that match the themes, but I was having fun and honestly didn’t want to go back through my inventory to find the perfect outfits.  *laugh*

So first I figured a hoodie and leggings meant I should check out more of the gym area first and have her work out while I’m too sick to do so in real life (RL).  *grin* The designers have put some really fun animations into the furniture and if I wish I could have caught a short video of the full motions.  Some were just hilarious with her bouncing back and forth, while swinging punches and dodging.

Snapshot_001

Snapshot_004

I couldn’t resist checking out the Crime and Blood area and happened to have just gotten a new pose that was perfect for the first shot.  Yeah, I know that I’m thoroughly morbid.  *laugh* A nice bloody heart goes well with game over, which amused me even more due to the gaming top.  I just wish I had caught the noose above the “M” better.  Maybe I’ll go back with my bloody nurse outfit and see if I can convince my friend Luke to be my victim.  Hmm…that’ll be an interesting conversation.  *grin*

Snapshot_008

How Bre ended up in the tub scene I’m still not sure, but thought it was a pretty set up, so I’ll definitely be going back, maybe in a little burlesque-type outfit.  Sometimes I accidentally click random areas when my muscles twitch, so I end up putting Bre in some weird spots, like inside walls or bathtubs.  LOL

Snapshot_014

The rose petals reminded me that I hadn’t finished checking out the girly area and I got to use another pose that I found on sale for just 1L.  Bre is definitely the pixel version of my mental self, so sarcasm and orneriness is often my go-to in SL too.  Sometimes you just have to wear a sassy shirt and stick your tongue out at the world while shaking the day off.

Bre at backdrop_013

By the end of the night I found a cute snuggly pose built into the scene and took advantage to get a sweet little picture to finish our little adventure.

Bre at backdrop_007

Now for the credits:

Gym, Game Over, and Bathtub pics:

Location: Backdrop City Gym (All poses built in unless otherwise noted)

Body, feet, and hands: Maitreya: Lara (In all pictures)

Head and eyes: LeLutka: Simone 3.0 (In all pictures)

Skin and Makeup applier: League – Amaia Medium (Skin In All Pictures)

Shape: Own (In All Pictures)

Glasses: EarthStones Jewelry: Countess Glasses

Nail Applier: Hello Dave: Nude to Me Gloss

Hair: Truth: Ambriel (June VIP GG)

Pants: Neve: leggings in deedee neutral

Shoes: {Poeme}: Double Happy Canvas Chucks (White) – Previous The Wash Cart Sale

Top: [D2T Designs]: WomenStuff Hoodie

Ring: Slipper – Bella Ring (Former Hunt Item)

Pose in Game Over: CURELESS[+] Valentine’s Heart (v.1)

 

Sassy and Suitcase Pictures; all in both pictures unless otherwise noted:

Body, feet, and hands: Maitreya: Lara

Head and eyes: LeLutka: Simone 3.0

Skin and Makeup applier: League – Amaia Medium

Shape: Own

Glasses: EarthStones Jewelry: Countess Glasses

Nail Applier: Hello Dave: Nude to Me Gloss

Hair: Truth: Carla (February VIP GG)

Ring: Slipper – Bella Ring – Former Hunt Item

Shirt: Facepalm Clothing Company: +FCC+ Brutal Honesty Ladies

Pants: *Just BECAUSE* Designer Jeans – Midnight

Shoes: {Poeme} Double Happy Canvas Chucks (White) – Previous The Wash Cart Sale

Location: Backdrop City: Girly/Kawaii

Pose in Sassy picture: GingerFish Poses (on MP) – Black Love

 

By the way lady gamers, Neve is having their Spring half off sale until the 19th, so if you bought the half off gift cards on Black Friday, this is a great time to use that credit!  I got a ton of clothing packs for a quarter of the cost this way.  I’ll be putting them to use in my next visit to Backdrop.  Maybe that’ll occupy me while I am trying to get into the Skin Fair.  In the meantime, happy pampering and gaming! 🙂

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Fresh Grape Salsa and Chips Recipe by Leah

Posted on March 11, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

Grape Salsa

 

Grape salsa.  I found this recipe on a bag of grapes I brought home from the grocery store several years ago.  I love when sellers give you the best way to showcase their product!  This salsa is both sweet and savory with a hint of spice.  The best part is that it’s totally healthy.  We eat it with tortilla chips, but it would also be good with cooked fish or chicken, on roast beef sandwiches, or on salads of orange slices.

 

Fresh Grape Salsa and Chips

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

 

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup each red and green seedless grapes, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 tsp jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp bottled hot sauce (I use Tapatio for this recipe)

tortilla or bagel chips

 

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients except chips; mix well.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.  Drain well before serving with chips.

 

 

 

 

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Children Belong in Families

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

One of the hardest things we have ever gone through in our entire marriage is waiting for progress on the adoption. I originally thought the huge binder of paperwork that I completed and the longing to find her would be the hardest things up to meeting the potential(s). A lot of people blog about the home studies, which are definitely a difficult time since the information out there is so contradictory and it can take a long time to become approved, especially if you’re wanting to adopt or foster really young kids. It’s when you dig deep and get into the adoption forums and some blogs that you hear about the waiting game.

We have had several delays due to some technical issues and a local news station even reported about DCF going to our Capitol to get approval for more funding to use as incentives to recruit and retain social workers. Currently it’s a critical shortage and they need workers now, plus to give workers a reason to stay in such an emotionally difficult career. There are a lot of balls they have to juggle and have incredibly huge case loads. Without enough workers right now we can expect to stay in what we now call “the dead zone” for a few more months. We will hit the end of our first year in this journey in one week. We never thought it would be this long since we have everything ready for Kiddo and have tried to learn as much as possible. We thought that our eagerness and preparation would make us idle candidates, and therefore we would be handled quicker. We’re four months past that possibility.

Adoption is so worth while, because there is so much need and so much potential. The stats for children aging out of the system are heart crushing. Their rate of unsuccessful lives as adults is awful. With some help they can actually work toward their dreams and become happy, contributing members of society as adults. As one quote I ran across says, “Adopting one child won’t change the world, but for that one child the world will change”. (No author cited.)

This waiting period allows all of the fears and doubts creep in, and they totally overshadow that joy and excitement that filled you while you painted their room in the middle of the night, while sharing your previously secret plan to adopt, and sustained you through all of the binders full of paperwork. And if you turn to research during this time, to make you even more prepared to spot potential issues or triggers, you get sucked down into all of these differing opinions of what is “the right way” and you start to wonder if the delays are a sign that you shouldn’t proceed. I’ve had a few hours of crisis throughout this where I questioned if we were the right people to raise an adoptee. During one episode my incredibly wise friend that has a knack for finding the words I really need, found a quote on Pinterest to send me.

Most times I just sit and keep re-reading it like a mantra. It is probably the most needed advice I’ve received during this stage and I’m so thankful for the strength I pull from that thought. Sometimes the whispers of doubt are louder than my mantra, though, and my support system, and the coping techniques my disability psychiatrist taught me, are my life preservers. It’s easy for an introvert like me to get lost in my own mind and to treat the research as a tutorial of what I need to do. I went down that rabbit hole overnight while reading a book about the 20 things adopted kids want you to know. By chapter five I was all ready a complete failure and we aren’t even past the first stage yet. I was paralyzed with doubt yet again. After a lot of tears washed some of it away, and an anxiety pill helped calm my doom-and-gloom thoughts, I remembered that my friend suggested a while back that I gather quotes that will encourage me and help sustain me, for times like this.

He, along with an incredible support system, and a patient other half, truly are right by me throughout this process.

“The dead zone” is such a difficult time that it suddenly seems like “no” is now an option. When we started the process and before this stage started, it felt like nothing could get in the way of our goal. Never once did I think that “maybe I’m not going to be good enough” until this.

This one applies to almost any obstacle we are working through and is a good reminder to keep going.

We haven’t had a chance to even meet them, but in reading their profiles and learning about them, it is truly impossible to ignore that there are children that need us. Looking at profiles during the dead zone is a dual edged sword though. You are reminded of the need, of why you started this path, but it is like a slash across your heart when one of the kids you are looking forward to learning more about, once you finally get to the next stage, is pulled from the website. There is joy and relief that they have found their home, but you can’t help that a slightly selfish part of you had hoped they’d stay available as a possibility to become your child. Something about certain ones just pulls at you somehow and closing the door to that possibility, especially when you have no tentative time frame to be a light at the end of the tunnel, is a bit devastating.

As we wait for the third young lady we have wanted to know more about to leave the system before our profile is completed, we’ve stopped looking at the site and watching the intro videos. Sometimes you just can’t handle having a name and some of their personality in mind when you grieve about the possibilities that are closed off from your future. There’s only so much that we can go through without this hardening our hearts, so we have to protect ourselves a bit until there is enough staff at the agency to get our profile to the next stage. That’s a piece of honesty that you don’t often find even after months of reading blogs and forums. Adopting parents want to encourage others to help these children, but it’s tough to be completely honest and open without fear of it discouraging others. I think a lot of people never make it out of the dead zone, which is another explanation for it. How often do you choose to go for the hardest level when you are first learning to play a game? Very few are so courageous to go full tilt right off, despite the possibilities of pain and difficulty. Parenthood is that gauntlet as well, but at least there are typically some projected time frames for each stage. You don’t go say fifteen months without knowing if you will labor within the next few months. Someone else holds your future in their hands and they’re the only one who has an idea of how long you’ll be in this stage, and you’re not privy to their knowledge. That’s terrifying honestly.

It’s hard to believe that our government always chooses to spend money campaigning against medicinal marijuana or some other hot topic instead of funneling those resources into helping our children. And yes, they are our children. They aren’t soulless dolls that our society should ignore, put away, or forget. Adoption should be promoted as a viable parenting option; not as a last ditch effort to become parents. We should see politicians giving speeches about how they will help bring reform and help to this crisis, instead of slinging accusations about affairs and other stuff that doesn’t really change a doggone thing.

So someday I will advocate for change and for getting enough resources for our social workers to be able to perform their difficult tasks in a timely manner. Maybe changes would stop someone from stepping away during the waiting period. Maybe we can stop “the dead zone” completely someday. Those are goals for another day, for me. For now I will try to not dig up what I planted and have prayed for. I will wait. And I’ll use research as a tool for what to watch for; not as a guide to measure if I’ve all ready failed before I’ve started. I have a lot at stake and need to remember what brought our hearts to adoption.

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Five Flavor Pound Cake Recipe by Leah

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

Five Flavor Pound Cake

 

With a name like Five Flavor Pound Cake you know this cake will be full-flavored.  What you don’t know from the name is that it will be wonderfully moist with a nice light crunch on the crust.

 

The original recipe called for coconut extract.  Not caring much for coconut I opted to use Almond extract instead.  If you wish to make the cake as originally given to me, then use 1 tsp Coconut Extract instead of Almond.

 

 

Five Flavor Pound Cake

 

Yield: 1 bundt cake

 

INGREDIENTS

cake

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs, beaten

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

1 cup milk

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp rum extract

1 tsp butter flavor extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

glaze

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp lemon extract

1/2 tsp rum extract

1/2 tsp butter flavor extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

PREPARATION

cake

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt cake pan.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  3. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and 1 tsp of each of the 5 extracts; set aside.
  4. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and 3 cups of sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
  5. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending wih flour mixture.  Spoon mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until cake tests done.
  6. Let cake cool for 5 minutes and then pour 1/2 of glaze over cake while still in the pan.  Let sit for another 5 minutes and then turn cake out of pan onto wire rack.  Make sure there’s wax paper under the rack to catch the drippings.
  7. Slowly spoon remaining glaze onto top of cake.  Cool completely before servings.

glaze

In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and the five extracts.  Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

 

Make sure you grease and flour your pan or you’ll have a couple patches of cake left in the pan like I did.  It will taste just as good but won’t look quite as pretty.

 

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Fun at Funerals

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

L was looking at Facebook yesterday and showed me the following picture…

He then scrolled through some of the comments (mostly repeats of 3 songs) and I thought it might be some politically incorrect fun to make an actual list. Most are meant to be sarcastic, macabre, or just plain wrong. lol. I’d love to see your ideas for the list, so please take a moment to comment with them! 🙂

Here are some great ones to start it:

Always look on the bright side of life (Eric Idle/Monty Python)

Another One Bites the Dust (Queen)

Bad day (Daniel Powter)

Bad things (Jace Everett) – So very wrong lol

Best Day of my Life (American Authors)

Bitch (Meredith Brooks)

Bring Me to Life (Alixandrea Corvyn)

Bye Bye Baby (Bay City Rollers)

Bye Bye Bye (*NSYNC)

Celebrate Good Times (Kool and the gang)

Deja Vu (Lauren Duski, Katy Perry, etc)

The Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniels Band)

Every Breath You Take (The Police)

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead (obvious pick which I know was listed on FB)

Don’t Fear the Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult)

The Exorcist (Theme Song)

Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks) – ouch

Gives You Hell (The All-American Rejects)

Good Riddance (Green Day) – So Wrong lol

Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)

Hells Bells (AC/DC)

Hell on Heals (Pistol Annies)

Highway to Hell (AC/DC – on FB)

I am Melodramatic (Luke Rainsford) – Almost a little too cheeky for this. *laugh*

Land Down Under (Men at Work)

Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice)

I’ll Keep You Safe (Sleep at Last) – That’ll be complicated now. *grin*

In Hell I’ll Be in Good Company (The Dead South) – them there are fightin’ words 😉

Janie’s Got a Gun (Aerosmith)

Light My Fire (The Doors – perfect for cremation!)

Lord, I Hope This Day is Good (Don Williams)

Problem (Ariana Grande)

The Safety Dance (Men Without Hats)

Pop Goes the Weasel (obvious too)

Shake it Off (Taylor Swift) – might just be my fav, just a little ahead of Pop Goes the Weasel and Ding Dong. I’ve been in a very sarcastic mood lately, so they all tickle me. *laugh*

Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson)

Something to Talk About (Bonnie Raitt) – Eww!

Staying Alive (BeeGees, on original FB post)

Take Me to Church (Hozier) – So wrong, but the name sounds suitable if you aren’t familiar with the lyrics *grin*

Thriller (Michael Jackson)

Timing is Everything (Country Strong soundtrack) – Timing is a concept we tend to fail at. *laugh*

Tubthumping (Chumbawamba) – You’re staying down this time, Buddy…

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor Swift) – Never a truer statement!

You Light Up My Life (Debby Boone – awesome pick for cremation)

(You’re the) Devil in Disguise (Elvis)

I had a lot of fun making the list and hope it’ll give you a few laughs. Please hop into the comment box with your ideas. In the meantime, hang in there; it’s almost Friday. 🙂

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Balsamic Peach Salad Recipe by Leah

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

Balsamic Peach Salad

 

Those aren’t marshmallows.  As each person came to the table I had to answer the same question. “Why are marshmallows on the salad?”  They’re not marshmallows, they’re mozzarella balls!  I have to admit though; they do look like marshmallows.

 

Marshmallows aside, there is a lot of good stuff in this salad.  This recipe comes from the blog Half Baked Harvest.  She is the queen of salads and bowls, and as salads make a frequent appearance in our home I find myself seeking inspiration from her often.

 

I wanted to share this one with you because while delicious it’s one of the few that I’ve made changes to.  I felt for our family it’s better suited to some simplifications.  For the original recipe check out her blog.

 

Balsamic Peach Basil Chicken Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

 

Yield: 6 servings

 

INGREDIENTS

salad

4 ripe peaches, quartered

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp honey

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp freshly chopped basil

1 tsp dried oregano

kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

8 cups baby spinach and romaine

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

6 oz fresh mozzarella or burrata cheese, torn (I used mozzarella balls because I already had them on hand)

1/3 cup pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)

balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil

2 tsp dijon mustard

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

 

PREPARATION

salad

  1. Add peaches to a bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar and honey.
  2. In a separate bowl add the chicken, olive oil, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
  3. Preheat your grill* to medium high and brush the grates with oil.
  4. Remove the peaches from the balsamic mix and grill for 2-3 minutes or until ight char marks appear, flip and grill another 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the grill and reserve any remaining balsamic mix for the vinaigrette.
  5. To the grill add the chicken and prosciutto to grill for 5-8 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and the prosciutto is crisp.  Remove from the grill and let rest 5-10 minutes.  Thinly slice the chicken and crumble the prosciutto.
  6. In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, romaine and tomatoes.  Top with grilled peaches, chicken, mozzarella, and pepitos.  Serve alongside the balsamic vinaigrette.

balsamic vinaigrette

Grab any remaining balsamic mix from when you tossed it with the peaches.  To that add the olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, basil, mustard, salt and pepper.  Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.

 

*Or roast chicken and peaches about 25 minutes on a sheetpan at 400 degrees F.  Add prosciutto during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

 

 

If you look closely you’ll notice that there are some things in the picture that aren’t listed in the recipe.  A few of the changes I made after having taken the picture.  I have made the salad since then, but foolishly forgot to take another picture.  Besides, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to trick someone else into thinking I put marshmallows in a salad. ☺

 

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Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese Recipe by Leah

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

 

Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese
Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese

My father loves this soup – absolutely loves it.  I cook for my parents a few times a week and every night he’ll thank me for my meal, compliment me on it (Most of the time. He’s become very picky as he’s aged), and then asks me when I’ll be serving “that tomato soup” again.  It’s become something of a joke but I do keep this in my regular rotation.  I keep thinking we’ll get tired of it but every time I serve it my children still greet it with excitement.  It’s rich and creamy with a savory tomato flavor, the Parmesan bringing a salty nuttiness.  It would be delicious with a french or garlic bread but we ALWAYS serve it with a Havarti Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  It doesn’t need a salad, but I try to serve lots of greens, so I’ll add a little baby spinach to the plate and top it with some balsamic vinaigrette.  Perfection!

Tomato Basil Soup with Parmesan

Yield: 3 quarts (about 8 servings)

 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup carrots, finely diced

1 cup celery, finely diced

1 cup onions, finely diced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 (14 oz) cans diced petite tomatoes with juice

4 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup flour

1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup butter

2 cups half and half, warmed

salt and pepper to taste

 

PREPARATION

  1. In a large soup pot warm oil over medium high heat.  Add carrots, celery and onions.  Stir frequently for about 5 minutes.  When the vegetables soften and the onion becomes more translucent add in the garlic and the oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  Saute for 2 more minutes.
  2. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, chicken broth and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer about 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
  3. In a large skillet melt the butter over low heat.  Once melted slowly whisk in the flour.  Continue to whisk for 5 minutes.
  4. After the 5 minutes take about 3 cups of the soup and add to the skillet.  Whisk immediately.  Once thickened add the contents of the skillet back into the soup pot.  Stir to combine and your soup will begin to thicken.
  5. Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend.  Stir in warmed half and half.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Ladle into serving bowls and serve warm.

Havarti Basil Grilled Cheese Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

good quality wheat bread

Havarti cheese, thinly sliced

vine-ripened tomato, sliced

honey

fresh basil

PREPARATION

Spread a thin layer of honey on each slice of bread.  Top half of the bread slices with cheese, tomato, 2-3 basil leaves, and another slice of cheese.  Place the final slice of bread on top.  Add a thin smear of butter to the outside of the sandwich and heat in a hot skillet or on a griddle.

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Backdrop City

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

Gaming Logo

 

I was on YouTube and went down the rabbit hole of random topics, and ended up on a Vlog post by Strawberry Singh.  She made an SL video about Backdrop City (slurl embedded for your convenience) and the sim owner joined with a voice chat about all of the different backgrounds and vignettes that she made there.  The location is open to all residents as a blogger place for photography, however some of the areas are members only, so if you have a group slot open I would definitely recommend joining the group, especially since it’s a 0L group fee.  After watching I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself and doing a little photo shoot of Bre.  I doubt you want to see all of the different poses, so I just picked a couple of my immediate favorites (I’m going to check out more themes when I’m done writing this *grin*).  Slurls will be embedded for all locations, so you can copy and paste into your location for a quick teleport.

 

Bre Dressed Up_080b

Although I’m not usually into Kawaii, this Kawaii themed area is also part of the “cute & girly” area, and I found some lovely fairytale and doll setups.  After posing with some adorable carriages and unicorns, I found this doll case and started playing with the windlight (WL) settings.  There are several poses all ready in the case and I thought this pose was so pretty.

Bre dressed up in:

Hair from Truth – Char (VIP Group Gift February)

Body, hands, and feet from Maitreya (with my own shape)

LeLutka Bento Head – Simone 2.0 (with my own shape)

Skin and head appliers – League – Amaia in Medium with Freckles

Makeup – Alaskametro<3 – Rose Gold Lelutka Applier Set

Gown – *Just Because* – Kimbra in Blush (not wearing included train)

Earrings – :::Krystal::: – Brilliance Jewelry Set in Gold (I couldn’t find a store slurl or on MP)

Glasses – EarthStones Jewelry – The Countess eyeglasses

Ring – Slipper (Now Elle Boutique) – Enchantment Hunt Prize (Bella Ring – hunt is over, but as of 3/4/18 I found the prize still in the store.  You’re looking for an open book that says “Enchantment”)

Location: Backdrop City

 

Bre working out_002

Bre had quite the workout in the gym and fitness area, so after some time boxing and using the gym equipment, it was only right to use the showing off pose in the equipment.  *grin*

Bre is wearing the same skin, appliers, ring, and glasses as at the Kawaii area, plus:

Hair – Truth – Makena (October VIP GG – if you’re female and not in the group, it is well worth the group fee because Truth is SO generous with fatpacks with the new stylist each month)

Clothing – Neve – Watson shorts in Neutral pack, Relax top in Lively pack

Shoes – {Poeme} – Double Happy Canvas Chucks in White (from a former The Wash cart sale, so now they’re 99L at the mainstore)

 

While goofing off I got a notice about a limited edition tee pack over at Facepalm, so I couldn’t resist getting it and heading home.  The designer for Facepalm has made some of the funniest, snarkiest, tops I’ve seen on the Grid and I think I now own almost everything at the store.  LOL When I’m not in the mood for getting IMs from strangers while wandering the Grid, those tees tend to prevent those random conversations.  *grin*

 

Bre Dressed Up_121

 

“Some days I think the only thing keeping me from becoming homicidal is that the voices can’t agree on which weapon would be the most fun”.  Plus, Facepalm sells the tees in fatpacks, so there are a lot of sassy phrases to choose from.  The Coffee Filter pack is another favorite of mine.

Bre is wearing the same body (LeLutka whimsy mood active), appliers, glasses, and ring, plus:

Hair – Rezology – Meadow

Tee – Facepalm Clothing Company – Twisted Mind HUD pack

Shorts – Classy Chics – Denim Mesh Shorts and HUD

Tattoo – Letis Tattoo – You Raise Me Up

Location – Private Sim

 

 

Backdrop City has a ton of areas, including Instagramish, Sci-Fi, Stairs, Retro, Lost & Stranded, Crime & Blood, and even Pool Party.  There is so much to see and try in this one sim!  My close friends know that Bre has gone through pretty much every injury and death that can be done, even jumping from the Eiffel Tower and not getting my chute deployed in time, so she did a nice splat before getting up, so I’m betting I’ll have a lot of pics after I explore the Crime area.  Mwahahahaha!!  And yes, I do have quite the devilish streak since avatars don’t die.  I may drag Luke along and torture him for a few new pics for our gallery frames at home.  😀

 

 

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Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake Recipe by Leah

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Georgia's Pampering

 

Cake

Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake

About 4 years ago my husband and his coworkers were experiencing a difficult time at work – a time of transition and pressure.  They’re a great group of people and have formed friendships out of their co-working relationships but all the additional pressure was putting a strain on them and they needed their spirits lifted.  In an effort to lighten their load and show some love I started baking.  Well, you can say that I made the right decision.  All the treats were well received and greatly appreciated, but this cake in particular was a huge hit!  It has been requested again and again and every time I send it my husband brings home a cake plate that has practically been licked clean.  Don’t bother waiting until fall to make this cake.  It’s a winner year round.  

Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake

from Platter Talk.  

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon (I use pumpkin pie spice)

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs, room temperature

1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin

1 jar (16 oz) caramel sauce or ice cream topping (I use and 11.5 oz jar of Smuckers Simple Delights Salted Caramel Topping)

 

PREPARATION

  1. Coat a 4 1/2 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, turn to HIGH.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in mixing bowl.
  3. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until light.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.  Add packed pumpkin, blend until well mixed.
  5. Gradually add flour mixture and beat at low speed for a minute or so until smooth.
  6. Spread evenly in slow cooker and cover.
  7. Cook on HIGH setting 2 hours* or until center-inserted tooth pick comes out clean.  let cake stand, uncovered 10 minutes.  Invert onto wire rack, invert again onto serving plate.**
  8. Drizzle half of caramel sauce over cake.  Serve warm with additional sauce. (I only drizzle the sauce, I don’t serve the extra.)

*Cook time will depend a lot on your slow cooker.  My old slow cooker required closer to 3 hours.  My new cooker is just about 2 hours. 

**If you wish to avoid the lines from the wire rack on the top of the cake place a piece of parchment paper on a plate.  Invert onto the parchment paper first, then again onto your serving plate and gently peel the parchment paper off.

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