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A place for random thoughts, ideas, and fun! |
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What really goes on in Amy's brain? I'll use this space to share more about myself and my interests, journal some of the more exciting goings-on in my life, and work through some of the writing ideas and dilemmas I'm wrestling with. Enjoy! Movie Review Mondays . . . if you watch a film after reading a review, please come back and let me know what you thought!    |
I started a new venture here on writing.com the other day! "Dear Amy"  I'm really excited about it, and hope it continues to flourish. It's turning out to be exactly what I'd envisioned . . . a mix of serious and silly questions; an opportunity for me to help people, and make them laugh; and a catalyst for my writing. ** Image ID #1259681 Unavailable **  ** Image ID #1271837 Unavailable ** ** Image ID #1273868 Unavailable **  |
| I've been trying to shut down for the past few days, and I wasn't sure why. I realized last night that it's because the house is upside down. I was doing ok, functioning and not getting overwhelmed, as long as the stuff that was being packed and moved was being stowed away. But now my family room is a maze of boxes, and huge bags of stuffed animals. My living room has a hutch standing in the middle of it, and boxes everywhere . . . there are clothes bins all over the bedroom . . . Everything I've packed is stacked neatly against the wall in the kitchen. It's when I realized that I'd done that, that I also realized I was having a major problem with the chaos around me. I can't move the hutch, I can't move the huge boxes . . . so I shut down. I focus inward, and shut out the world. I know it's not healthy, but I don't know any other way to be. I told Bob last night, after I realized what was going on. I need all this stuff to go into the POD . . . then maybe I'll be able to function again. Yuck. ** Image ID #1259681 Unavailable ** ** Image ID #1271837 Unavailable ** ** Image ID #1273868 Unavailable ** |
| I won 2nd place! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. First contest I ever entered at WDC . . . and I got 2nd place! The contest the started it all . . . "Invalid Item" And the delicious story I wrote . . . "Dessert" Nothing like winning a contest to inspire one to keep writing . . . now, what should I write?? |
| I just received a 2 month upgraded membership from RAOK! I decided it was time to resurrect my blog in celebration! Thank you RAOK!! ** Image ID #1259681 Unavailable ** |
| I haven't been in a very bloggy mood for the past several days. I even missed my Movie Review Monday. I offer an apology to the multitude of readers who count on this for entertainment guidance. What's been happening in Amy's world . . . A carelessly written blog remark (not my own) was the catalyst for much change in my life. After dealing with a hefty amount of hurt and confusion, my relationship with my husband is better than it's ever been. We're communicating more, and more productively. We're spending a lot more time together, as well.  No more evenings spent on our respective computers. In order to help our family run more smoothly, and ease a lot of stress and anxiety for both of us, we've made the decision to move. We've been talking for many years about moving closer to Bob's office, and Sarah's school . . . but financially it was just never an option. We've found the most adorable house, and we both fell in love with it immediately. We worried about getting a loan pre-approval, and getting in a bid before someone else got to it first. My cousin did the pre-approval for us. Bob did a ton of research, looked at all sorts of numbers, and felt very confident in what we’d decided to do. We met with the realtor to sign an offer contract, which she would then present to the sellers’ realtor. Things were looking really good! Then I made the mistake of sharing our plans with the two people who can always make me feel like an idiotic child who leaps into things blindly, and has no clue what she’s doing. And of course, not being the one who had done the research, looked at the numbers, and knew all the answers, I ended up SOUNDING like that idiotic child. Up and down, up and down. I’d love to stay at an emotional even keel for a while. So our realtor called us last night. The sellers had accepted our bid, with a few minor changes that we were ok with. However . . . the sellers’ realtor has a problem with the mortgage company – not with my cousin, but with the company . . . which is, by the way, a MAJOR mortgage company. Was this going to be a deal breaker?? Up and down, up and down. Her compromise – if we get a second pre-approval, from a lender of her choosing, then she will allow us to get the loan through my cousin. Huh??? Whatever. I just want to get the show on the road. My stomach is a wreck . . . which is another story altogether. Amygdalia |
| I make this recipe every year for our holiday party. It could not be simpler, yet it’s elegant and absolutely delicious. Amy’s brie with raspberry in puff pastry 1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, thawed 1 small wheel brie cheese Seedless raspberry preserves 1 egg, beaten Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread raspberry preserves over top of brie wheel (I typically use 2-3 Tbsp, but you can use more or less, if you prefer). Place brie, preserve side down, in the center of the puff pastry. Fold edges over to wrap around cheese completely. Don’t worry about overlapping edges. Turn brie over, and place, folded edges down, on a greased round, deep dish pan (I use a deep dish pizza stone). Use a pastry brush to brush egg wash over puff pastry. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Serve with crackers, apple slices, etc. Amygdalia |
| Nothing ever possibly in the least ever happens here. Based on the stage play of the same name, The Philadelphia Story is a classic in every sense of the word. Tracy Lord, Philadelphia socialite, is getting married. Again. Two reporters from Spy magazine are sent in, undercover, to do a story on the wedding. Their presence, and the presence of Tracy’s ex-husband, C. K. Dexter Haven, is the catalyst for much self-discovery. Katharine Hepburn is her regal self, in the role of Tracy Lord, a role she also performed in the stage play. Jimmy Stewart won a Best Supporting Actor award for his wonderful acting as sharp-tongued writer Macaulay Connor. Cary Grant is dashing and charming as quick-witted Tracy's ex, C. K. Dexter Haven. The dialogue in the film is witty, sharp, and fast paced. They don’t write it like that anymore. Watch it, love it, quote it for all time! Amygdalia |
| Tomorrow I'm driving up to my cousin's house to cook for Passover. This is one of my absolute favorite times of the year. Our family seders are wonderful, but the cooking will always be the most special part of the holiday, for me. For my family, no holiday would be complete without enough food to feed an army. Cooking for Passover isn’t just about cooking for the two seders; enough food is prepared so that everyone can take home leftovers to get them through the entire eight day holiday. Cooking typically begins at least two weeks in advance. This year, that wasn’t possible, so the weekend is going to be a cooking marathon. There are many special foods that are eaten at Passover, but first and foremost is the matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, the only grain that is allowed during the holiday. No flour, no rice or other grains, no yeast or other leavening ingredients are permitted. All baking must be done with matzah cake meal – finely ground matzah. Eggs are a main staple, serving as the only rising agent in baked goods. Charoset is another food that is eaten during the Passover seders. Meant to commemorate the mortar that the Israelites used to build the Egyptian pyramids, charoset’s sweetness also reminds us of how sweet it is to be free. There are different recipes for charoset made around the world, but the traditional one for my family is the typical Eastern European one made with apples, nuts, cinnamon, and red Passover wine. A symbol of spring, an egg, typically roasted, is also a part of the seder. Horseradish symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. Other seder table items include a roasted shankbone to symbolize the animal sacrifice offered at the Temple of Jerusalem, a green vegetable, and salt water to remind us of the tears our ancestors cried while they were slaves. In addition to all of those ritual foods for the seder table, there are usually about 20 different dishes prepared for our meal. The meal begins with either matzah ball soup or hot beet borscht. The next course is gefilte fish or chopped liver. Then comes the hard boiled egg course. For the main course, the choices are roasted turkey, stuffed cabbage, brisket, and stuffed veal. Side dishes include 3 different kugels (a starch based casserole, savory or sweet, with egg) – matzah apple kugel, potato kugel, and spinach kugel; claremont salad; homemade applesauce; candied sweet potatoes; green vegetable; two kinds of stuffing (one for the turkey, one for the veal) . . . I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. Because that’s certainly not enough food to satisfy everyone, desserts include spongecake, 2 kinds of mandel bread (sort of like biscotti), and two kinds of meringue cookies. Assorted boxed candies round out the meal . . . and the people! Anyone who’s read earlier entries in my blog will recognize that this holiday is a tricky one for my immediate family. With Jakie’s food allergies, it’s very difficult to find a variety of foods that he can eat. ~~~~~~~~ Recipes: Claremont Salad 1 medium cabbage, shredded 2 carrots, sliced finely 1 red onion, sliced finely 2 European cucumbers, sliced finely (leave skin on) 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons salt 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup vinegar 1/2 cup oil Mix cabbage, cucumber, carrots and onion in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and blend with vegetables. Store in tightly closed jars. Can be eaten the first day, but improves with age (within reason). Potato kugel 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 8 medium potatoes 2 medium onions, quartered 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 1/2 tbsp sugar 5 large eggs, beaten with a whisk Preheat oven to 425. Place oil into large 9 x 13 baking pan & set aside. Fill large bowl with cold water & add some ice cubes. Peel potatoes & place them into bowl of cold water. This will prevent them from turning brown. Finely chop onions in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Remove to a large bowl. Cut potatoes into chunks & place into the food processor; process until almost smooth. Add potatoes to onions. Add sugar, salt & pepper. Fold in eggs. Place baking pan with oil into oven. When oil sizzles, carefully remove from oven & spoon some of it into the potato mixture. This will help make the kugel fluffy. Mix well. Spray pan with cooking spray. Pour potato mixture into oiled pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Homemade applesauce 10 lbs Rome apples 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup hot water dash salt vanilla Place washed apples cut into quarters into large pot with 1/2 cup hot water. Add a dash of salt. Cook until very soft. Using a Foley food mill, process all of the apples. The skins and seeds will stay behind in the mill. Add sugar to dissolve, and vanilla to taste. Cool. Can be frozen. Amygdalia |
| The most important thing, kid, is that you’re doing something you like to do. Housewife Cathy Palmer enters a writing contest, and wins a trip to Paris to meet the author of her favorite series. Shortly after her arrival, an accident causes her to develop amnesia. When she awakens in the hospital, she thinks she is Rebecca Ryan, the protagonist from the story contest. She’s convinced that the author’s son, Alan, is Rebecca’s sidekick, Dimitri. Soon she’s unwittingly embroiled herself and Alan in Parisian intrigue. Plot twists will keep you guessing until the very end. Jobeth Williams plays plain, discontented housewife Cathy Palmer, and sexy, international spy Rebecca Ryan with equal ease. Tom Conti is engaging and funny as the baffled Alan/Dimitri, who allows himself to be dragged into the adventure by the beautiful woman who charges her way into his life. I first saw this film in the theater, when I was a high school sophomore. At the time, I thought Rebecca Ryan ruled. 20+ years later, I still love this movie. Silly and utterly unrealistic, I still laugh out loud each time I watch it. Amygdalia |
| Welcome to Foodie Friday! I may share a recipe, review a restaurant, or talk about food in some other way. You never know. Heh heh. Today . . . Amy’s mushroom turnovers I devised this recipe when I was looking for some dairy and egg free hors d’oeuvres to serve at a party. Most recipes that I found had cream cheese in them; none had white wine. They have been a huge hit, each time I’ve prepared them. My 3 year old son can’t get enough of them!  They’re a bit time consuming to make, but worth the effort. 1 package mushrooms, finely chopped 2 T butter (I use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks – dairy free and quite tasty) 1/4 cup minced shallots 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/8 teaspoon salt (I tend to use very little salt when cooking – just enough to enhance the flavor. Feel free to add more to suit your taste) 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup white wine 2 packages Pepperidge Farm puff pastry Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Sautee shallots for 1 minute; add mushrooms and spices. Sautee for 5 minutes. Add white wine and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Remove from skillet and cool. Defrost puff pastry, and lay flat. Smooth out cracks, and use a rolling pin to thin the puff pastry slightly. Cut circles using a water glass. Place @ ½ tsp of mushroom mixture in the center of each circle. Wet edges of pastry with water, stretch slightly, and fold pastry over filling. Use a fork to crimp edges closed. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake turnovers approximately 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. They also freeze quite well. Place unbaked turnovers on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, and place in freezer until frozen. Remove to a freezer safe container, separating the layers with wax paper. I don’t even worry about defrosting them before baking. *The recipe makes a lot of mushroom mixture. You will likely have some left over. Try it on crackers. Yum. |
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Oliver.
Both of the kids were SUPER charming this morning. I'm thinking of going on strike.