Month: May 2010

“Feathers O’ Forlorn” Turkey Cookie Centerpiece

store.yummyarts.com Make this delightful Thanksgiving Cookie Centerpiece with easy step-by-step instructions by Tami Utley. It’s available at the YummyArts Store. YummyArts Members get a discount on this and all how-to video sets at the store: www.yummyarts.com

I want to do something nice for a retirement home, what should I do?

Yesterday, I went to this really nice retirement home to sing Chanukah songs and light candles. I stayed for awhile talking with a few of the residents, and they all have very interesting stories and they have great personalities. One of them took me to her room and she didn’t have much and she told me, "I have a blanket, food, and love. That’s all I need." A guy told me, "Once you get this old, you don’t think about what you want or what new clothes to buy. It’s thanking G-d that you are alive each and every day."

I’m sorry that is so long, but if you heard that, wouldn’t you want to do something nice for them?? I do, and I’m going to. I just need ideas. I know i’m going to make them cookies, some christmas, some hanukkah, and some just regular cookies. but i want to do more, pleasee give me ideas! it’d be really appreciated.

Innaporpriate calls from husband in rehab.?

My husband was admitted to a rehab facility for abuse of prescription medication and alcoholism and also to try to quit smoking weed because they all go together as any addict knows. He is in a very angry state right now though and the past two days when he calls he just gets very upset with me and acts pretty much like a smart a$$. To give you an example last night was ok… I told him I found out I had strep throat and I had been puking because of all the sinus drainage im having as well ( some kind of virus on top of it) he didn’t really say anything about it… we just kinda moved on in the conversation. This morning he called me while I was at work and I had just puked all over my desk and he said whats up and I said, well I just puked again… His response: SOoo, you want a cookie or something? (Like as in do you feel special because of that). I said, umm no and he responded with "we are supposed to be talking about me, not you." I proceeded to ask him, so how are you doing? and he said "DO NOT ASK ME THAT!!!" very sternly. So I tried to move on I was just kind of ignoring his bull **** because I know why he is acting that way. He is mad because the medicines are not giving him a buzz anymore– thats a quote. So I mentioned Christmas (he gets to come home for Chrismas) I said so your mom is wanting to do their christmas thing on Christmas day in the evening instead of going to your grandmas house and he got extremely upset about it saying all he wanted to do was see his family and I said well maybe it’d be a good idea because your grandmas house will be full of people trying to get you to use and he said YOU DON’T NEED TO GIVE ME ADVICE OR TELL ME WHAT TO DO. I talked to his counselor who said he has not shown commitment to the program thus far and they are still working vigilently with him on this and that if I recieve phone calls like that from him I am to tell him I am not going to be talked to that way and hang up. I called my mother in law and told her all this and she offered to pick up my daughter from daycare today and take her home for the night so I can get some stuff done around the house and i told her there was no extra clothes or anything for her to take at daycare and she said we have all kinda of stuff here from goodwill we can put her in, but saturday during visitation he asked me, the next time you bring her could you put her in something a little nicer??? I just can’t take on all the responsibilities plus him being a jerk to me right now… I don’t know what to do. Any advice on this situation would be helpful… Im so sad…

Napolitano Holiday Christmas Cookies

Napolitano Cookies Recipe: Ingredients: 1 cup dried cherries 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped FOR THE CLEMENTINE DOUGH 1 1/4 cups whole blanched almonds 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 3 tablespoons finely grated clementine zest and the juice of 1/2 a clementine 1 large egg 1 tablespoon freshly sqeezed grapefruit juice 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour FOR THE CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO DOUGH 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 1/2 tablespoon espresso powder (I use the Ferrara kind = DELICIOUS!) 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Directions: Make the Clementine Dough: Place almonds and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal; set aside. Place butter and zest in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until white and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed, add almond mixture; beat until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add egg and grapefruit juice; combine. Wrap in plastic, and store, refrigerated, until ready to use. Make the Chocolate-Espresso Dough: Sift flour, cocoa powder, and espresso beans in a large bowl; set aside. In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Working in additions, gradually beat in flour mixture, scraping down sides of bowl twice. Wrap in plastic; store, refrigerated, until ready to use. Line an 8 …