Friday, December 9, 2011
Friday Show & Tell
With this installment of Friday Show & Tell, Writers Li.P.P. is going on indefinite hiatus. Even though we will no longer be blogging together, you can keep up with us on our personal blogs, Lindy Chaffin Start and Pam Asberry. Thanks to all of you for supporting us by reading and commenting. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 10 comments
Labels: Lindy Chaffin Start, Pam Asberry, Writers Li.P.P.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
It just wouldn't be Christmas without these...
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 0 comments
Labels: blogger, hello dolly squares, Pam Asberry, writer
Monday, December 5, 2011
Who Says Healthy-er Can't Taste Good?
Okay, so I have to admit that when it comes to the holidays the last thing I am worried about is counting calories. I'm more a "moderation" girl than a "no bread and cheese" girl. Thanksgiving is the only day of the year I EVER feel over-full and Christmas means all of those delectable dishes we only taste once in 365 days.
Since 2011 has been such a challenging year and I have committed myself to taking the 2012 bull by the horns and changing my life in a complete one-eighty why should I concern myself with healthful recipes at the holidays? Maybe I want to set a good example. Could it be that I want to impress my friends with flavorful and healthy food? Perhaps my intent to completely change in 2012 needs to get a good start, or I need to send 2011 off on a healthier note. No matter. Here are some of the "better for you" recipes I will be serving this year. Enjoy!
Ricotta Dip for Fruit
1/2 Cup low fat Ricotta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 6-ounce container vanilla low fat yogurt
6 cups cubed cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and strawberries
In a blender or food processor, combine ricotta, cream cheese, orange juice and powdered sugar. Cover and blend or process until smooth. In a medium bowl stir together cheese mixture and yogurt. If desired, cover and chill dip up to 24 hours. Serve with assorted fresh fruit.
Chili-Toasted Pecans with Dried Cherries
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
2 cups pecan halves (8 ounces)
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3/4 cup dried cherries or a combination of raisins and dried cherries (4 ounces)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl combine oil and hot pepper sauce. Add pecans; toss to coat evenly. Set aside. In a small bowl combine chili powder, pepper, salt, cumin and oregano. Add to pecans; toss well to coat. Place pecans in a single layer in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Bake fro 12-15 minutes or until toasted, stirring every five minutes. Stir in dried cherries. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature.
Praline-topped Brie
1 each 13-ounce round Brie or Camembert cheese
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
Apple slices and/o toasted French bread slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cheese in a shallow, ovenproof serving dish or pie plate. In a small bowl stir together orange marmalade and brown sugar. Spread on top of cheese. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake about 15 minutes or until cheese is slightly softened and topping is bubbly. Serve with apple and/or bread slices.
I must thank Better Homes and Gardens for these lovely recipes, but for my own personal tips, well, here you go:
- Always go for the whole grain. Be it french bread, mustard or cereal - whole grain is better for you.
- If a recipe calls for crackers or bread, improvise with sliced fruit or vegetables. Serve the brie, as mentioned above, with apple slices. Serve that family-favorite cheese ball with sliced cucumbers, zucchini, celery or carrot slices.
- If you're serving a pasta dish, even spaghetti, lighten it up by using julienned squash (zucchini or summer) or take advantage of the fall harvest and use spaghetti squash.
The best advice I can offer is don't overdo it. Enjoy yourself. Pamper your palette. Don't drink and drive. And if you do eat that one extra cookie, forgive yourself then get up and go for a walk the next day.
Happy Holidays my friends. Feast!
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 1 comments
Labels: feast, food, healthy recipes, holiday recipes, Lindy Chaffin Start, mom, recipe, UnstoppableStart, woman, writer
Friday, December 2, 2011
Friday Show & Tell
Girls live here! |
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 2 comments
Labels: blogger, Christmas, Cozumel, Lindy Chaffin Start, Mexico, mom, Pam Asberry, Santa, shoes, UnstoppableStart, woman, writer
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Wrap Yourself This Christmas!
Aside from the crafty-handmade gifts and the little tokens wrapped underneath my tree I want to give myself and my friends the greatest gift – each other. I plan to open my home to family and friends for one night steeped in frivolous fun – a re-gifters gift exchange, a covered dish, some hot cider, a carol or two, maybe even a viewing of Rudolf or the first Miracle on 34th Street. No matter what we do, just being together is what counts.
Posted by WritersLiPP at 7:51 AM 3 comments
Labels: cheap, crafts, friends, friendship, Georgia Romance Writers, Lindy Chaffin Start, low cost Christmas gift ideas, mom, thrifty, UnstoppableStart, woman
Monday, November 28, 2011
Christmas on a Peppermint Striped Shoestring
Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
~Oren Arnold
I like the way you think, Oren. But you know what? My friends and family are going to be looking for something wrapped up under the Christmas tree.
And I am on a budget. I mean, seriously. Those days of reckless spending and paying off the Christmas bills around the fourth of July are over. If there isn't cash to pay for it, I'm not buying it. And there is powerful little cash left over after expenses. So what is a gal who loves absolutely everything about Christmas supposed to do?
I recommend handmade gifts. Whether you cook or bake, sew or craft, work with wood or provide useful services, you can come up with something to satisfy just about everyone on your list. If you're feeling short on inspiration, click HERE for some great ideas. I'm gonna try my hand at those chocolate spoons this week!
And if you're short on time, I would like to suggest that you visit Etsy.com and support small local craftsmen. To get started, I invite you to browse my selection of handmade jewelry at The Wishing Box (click HERE). And if you need a few stocking stuffers, please consider buying a handful of beaded bracelets to support Asberry School of Music's efforts to help Beading To Beat Autism raise $300 million to build an autism research and treatment center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Shiny! |
Bracelets come packaged in a ziplock baggie containing a color insert describing the project. |
The suggested donation is only $3 per bracelet. 6", 6 1/2" 7", and 8" lengths available; we will do our best to honor your color preferences or, better yet, let us choose for you! These make great party favors, stocking stuffers, and holiday gifts for teens and teachers. Checks should be made payable to Beading To Beat Autism; all proceeds will go directly to the organization. Please leave a comment if you would like to place an order and I will get back to you with the details. Thank you in advance for your support!
What are your favorite low cost Christmas gift ideas?
Author: Pam Asberry
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 2 comments
Labels: Beating To Beat Autism, blogger, Etsy, low cost Christmas gift ideas, Pam Asberry, The Wishing Box, writer
Friday, November 18, 2011
Friday Show and Tell
Florida, here I come! |
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 2 comments
Labels: blogger, Carnival cruise line, Carnival Inspiration, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Lindy Chaffin Start, mom, Pam Asberry, Tampa, UnstoppableStart, widow maker, woman, writer
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A Healthful Twist on Thanksgiving Favorites!
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 4 comments
Labels: Lindy Chaffin Start, mom, Thanksgiving recipes, UnstoppableStart, woman, writer
Monday, November 14, 2011
My Family's Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving 2010 l-r: Casey, Nathan, Eric & SeDonna |
I don't do Thanksgiving healthy. Every year, I make Thanksgiving dinner the way I always have, fat and calories be damned. Then everyone at my table eats himself or herself into a stupor and enjoys every delicious minute. I know I do. It's just one day out of 365. Geez.
I usually do both ham and turkey with bread dressing like my mom's, cranberry sauce, homemade rolls and pumpkin pie, with green beans and corn as a nod to balance. My brother and his wife usually join my two sons and me for dinner, and each of them has another favorite side dish/dessert to go along. Here the recipes.
CASEY'S BROCCOLI SALAD
SALAD:
1 bunch broccoli, chopped small
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup red onion, chopped small
DRESSING:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Combine salad ingredients in a bowl, then stir together dressing ingredients and pour over, stirring to combine. This is good topped with crumbled bacon, but I serve that on the side since Casey is a vegetarian.
1 bag frozen hash browns
1/2 stick butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Arrange hash browns in a greased 13 X 9 inch baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until melted. Pour over hash browns. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.
SEDONNA'S SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
3 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flaked coconut
1/ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
Combine mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, 1/3 cup margarine, vanilla and eggs; set aside. Thoroughly combine coconut, brown sugar, flour, 1/3 cup margarine and pecans in another bowl. Spoon 1/2 sweet potato mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan; sprinkle with half the coconut-pecan topping. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
ERIC'S CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN PIE
3 large eggs
And there you have it: instructions for a feast fit for royalty. Regardless of which way you go - healthy or not so much - I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Author: Pam Asberry
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 14 comments
Labels: blogger, broccoli salad, cheesy potato casserole, chocolate chip pecan pie, family favorites, Pam Asberry, sweet potato casserole, Thanksgiving recipes
Friday, November 11, 2011
Friday Show and Tell
The view from my bedroom window. |
My neighbor's treasured Japanese Maple |
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 3 comments
Labels: blogger, fall, japanese maple, life, Lindy Chaffin Start, mom, Pam Asberry, rejuvenation, UnstoppableStart, winter, woman, writer
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Pretty Awesome New Stuff – Bad and Good
- Cleaning out closets
- Hosting a yard sale
- Taking a break from everything I aspire to be to search for a job
- Letting go of a relationship I thought was forever
- Yes, I cleaned out my closets. I discovered half of my clothes were either too small or too big so guess what I did. I bought new ones. One of my favorite new outfits I found at Macy’s. Hot, right?
- Okay, so what. I hosted a yard sale. Big deal! I made enough money to re-do my little girl’s room. It’s very pretty and purple now. She no longer resides in a guest room disguised as a kid’s room. She now has her very own space complete with a newly painted night stand and stars and “jewels” on the walls.
- Yeah, yeah. This is where it gets hard. I took a break from everything I aspire to be to look for a job. Listen, it only sounds bad. My passions (writing, cooking, painting) got put on the back burner one more time in my life but in their place I got to take classes on InDesign and Illustrator and learned some cool new tricks of a new awesome trade. I’ve been doing freelance graphic design ever since. So there is still the ginormous void of an actual job but I know its coming. Living in faith, I know, like I know, like I know. So, now is the time for me to reconnect with my passions while I still have some free time and let God take care of the rest.
Red's New Room |
- Letting go of that relationship was probably the most devastating, but in the process I connected with old friends and new, especially the girls, like Karen, Zoe, Pam, Megan, Marjorie and a list of others who must forgive me as I only have so much space in one blog post, BUT you know who you are and you know I love each of you so much it hurts. And lest we not forget the boys like Mark, Bryan and Michael who have been like little beacons of hope for me that good, honest men do still exist.
Posted by WritersLiPP at 9:55 AM 4 comments
Labels: blogger, cooking, encouragement, inspiration, Lindy Chaffin Start, Macy's, mom, painting, UnstoppableStart, woman, writer, writing, yard sale
Monday, November 7, 2011
Seven New Favorite Things
I gave myself an unusual birthday present this year. |
1. Godiva Dark Chocolate.
2. Pillsbury Mocha Fudge Brownies.
3. Once Upon A Time.
4. 100 Push-Ups/200 Sit-Ups.
5. Pumpkin Spice K-Cups.
6. PaperBack Swap.
7. Pinterest.
Click on the pink links to find out more. Then I hope you will go back and visit my blog Between Birthdays often!
What are one of your favorite new things?
Author: Pam Asberry
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 6 comments
Labels: 100 Push-Ups, Between Birthdays, blogger, favorite things, Godiva, new things, Once Upon A Time, Pam Asberry, PaperBack Swap, Pillsbury Mocha Fudge Brownies, Pinterest, pumpkin spice, writer
Friday, November 4, 2011
Friday Show and Tell
Soo-ee! This little piggy's pic was taken at Southern Belle Farm in McDonough, GA |
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 3 comments
Labels: Friday Show and Tell, Lindy Chaffin Start, Pigs, Soo-ee, UnstoppableStart, Writers Li.P.P.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Classics Do It For Me
Make me giggle to no end, that is. Like this one...
Lucille Ball is an all time favorite of mine, well her and my mother and my aunt when they get started laughing at something and just can't stop.
Cheers to the girls today!
Posted by WritersLiPP at 7:53 AM 1 comments
Labels: blogger, Clssic television, Georgia Romance Writers, i love lucy, laughing, Lindy Chaffin Start, lucille ball, mom, UnstoppableStart, Vitameatavegimin, woman
Monday, October 31, 2011
Bet You Can't Watch This Without Laughing
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 2 comments
Labels: blogger, laughter, Pam Asberry, writer, Writers Li.P.P.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Halloween Show and Tell...
Red as Jesse from Toy Story - 2010 |
The always fabulous Headless Horseman (here he looks ghostly) |
Screamer! |
* * * * *
Pam Asberry * Dacula, GA
Nathan, October, 2005 |
I am 5" 2", so when this picture was taken, I towered over my little guy.
My, what a difference six years makes!
My advice? Treasure every chaotic moment with your precious little trick-or-treaters this year.
Your big ones, too.
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 4 comments
Labels: blogger, Halloween, Lindy Chaffin Start, mom, Pam Asberry, UnstoppableStart, writer, Writers Li.P.P.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Ghosts of Halloweens Past and Writers LiPP Costume Contest!
Josh and Casey |
Nathan |
Nathan and Casey |
Nathan |
Batdog |
Yep, it's really me. October, 2006. |
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 0 comments
Labels: blogger, Casper the Friendly Ghost, favorite costumes, Halloween, Pam Asberry, writer, Writers Li.P.P.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Halloween Open House and Costume Contest! Come and Play!
Me and Red - Halloween 2009 |
Posted by WritersLiPP at 9:43 AM 2 comments
Labels: costume, fall recipes, Halloween, Lindy Chaffin Start, trick or treat, Un, Wassail
Friday, October 21, 2011
Friday Show and Tell
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 4 comments
Labels: all the single ladies, blogger, divorce, encouragement, Lindy Chaffin Start, Pam Asberry, UnstoppableStart, writer
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Where Do You Draw The Line?
In Lindy Chaffin Start's blog post Monday, she detailed conversations that decisively ended relationships. I was impressed. Me? I seem more like our reader Denise, who commented:
Oh, you are so not alone. I always see the good and write the bad off to just a bad moment. I will forgive just about anything.
Here are some examples from the past.
Me: "I am thinking about going to University of Colorado and getting my Ph.D."
Serious Boyfriend: "Go for it. But I can't promise I will be waiting around for you when you are finished."
Stunned silence. Eventually, I give up my dream of getting a Ph.D. and marry the guy.
Me: "So what's this big secret you want to tell me?"
Friend: "I am having an affair with John Doe."
Stunned silence. John Doe is married and all of our mutual friends know it. I don't approve, but I keep her secret, lying for her when friends ask about their relationship.
Me: "What just happened?"
New Boyfriend: "You're just not as slim and slender as I originally thought."
Stunned silence. I am 5' 2"; at the time, I weighed 105 pounds. My confidence is shattered, but we talk it through and I end up in a four-year relationship with the guy.
Denise went on to say:
I do have a line or two and am drawing more. There's just so much a girl can put up with, right?
I like to think my learning curve is also improving. I am learning to speak up for myself. I divorced the husband. I broke ties with the friend. I ended the four-year relationship. And here are some examples from more recent history.
Me (on a third date): "So tell me more about your situation with your ex."
New Boyfriend: "Well, she isn't exactly my ex. We aren't exactly separated. And she doesn't exactly know I am seeing other people."
Great balls of fire! I don't date married men! Please take me home!
Me: "That's a great idea. I would love to spend Valentine's Day in the mountains with you."
Boyfriend of Six Months: "I'm going to have to cancel our weekend reservation. My mom is expecting me at her house for Sunday night dinner."
I hope your mom will also keep you warm at night! Bye-bye!
I don't know why it's taken me a lifetime to figure this all out. But the good news is that am no longer willing to spend five minutes with a man who diminishes me in anyway or puts me at the bottom of his priority list. Nor am I willing to keep dirty secrets for a friend or put up with any kind of abuse from anyone--whether it's directed at me, at a minority group, or anyone else. At this stage of the game, it's about being true to myself and treating others the way I want to be treated.
If that isn't true love, I don't know what is.
Where do YOU draw the line?
Author: Pam Asberry
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:23 AM 8 comments
Labels: blogger, Pam Asberry, self-love, writer
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Exorcism Factor: Things I Heard and Swore I Would Never Repeat
"See ya!" 5 FINGERS© Nithi Chungyam | Dreamstime.com |
Me: “For?”
Friend: “My ex is after me for back child support.”
Refrain from slapping. See ya!
Me: “Girl, you look great! How did you lose so much weight?”
Friend: “Well, did I ever tell you that cocaine is my drug of choice.”
Head tilt. Huh? See ya!
Me: “I really appreciate your help this weekend. Is there anything I can do to repay you?”
Friend: “Didn’t you tell me once that the doc had given you Xanex for your panic attacks?”
Me: “Yeah. Why?”
Friend: “I’ll buy them from you.”
Are you kidding me? See ya!
Whole host of expletives resound in brain. See ya!
Sadly, I am naïve enough not to pick up on the warning signs like most. Believing in people is what I do. Seeing the good, refusing to admit the bad until it smacks me across the face – WHACK! Gratefully, I am well aware of when to call a friendship quits.
What about you? Is there something you’ve heard from a friend that has ended a relationship? Something you swore you would never repeat?
Pam is up next. Until Friday Show and Tell I bid you a good week.
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 14 comments
Labels: blogger, Lindy Chaffin Start, morals, UnstoppableStart, values
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday Show and Tell
The neighbor's mailbox-eating tree... |
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 2 comments
Labels: autumn, blogger, Friday Show and Tell, Georgia flip-flops, Halloween, Lindy Chaffin Start, Pam Asberry, UnstoppableStart, writer
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Fall Recipes: Black Bean Soup
My blog sister Lindy believes that perfection can be found in pork tenderloin. That may be true for you carnivores out there but, as far as I'm concerned, perfection can be found in a simple pot of homemade soup, like this recipe for black bean soup, adapted from my 1981 edition of Laurel's Kitchen. Yes, I have been dabbling with vegetarianism for a long, long time.
BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 1/2 cups black beans
1 1/2 quarts water
2 heaping tablespoons VegeBase
(or substitute 1 1/2 quarts vegetable broth for the water and VegeBase)
2 tablespoons oil
1 carrot
1 onion
1 potato
2 stalks celery
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Pinch garlic powder
Wash the beans, place them in a pot along with the water and VegeBase (or vegetable broth) and 1 tablespoon oil. Cover tightly, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours or so, until the beans are very tender.
Makes about 9 cups. Great served in a bowl topped with hot sauce and a dollop of sour cream and a side of cornbread, or leftover on a bed of rice and topped with salsa and grated cheddar cheese.
Click the links below for some of my other favorite fall recipes. Enjoy!
Spicy Pumpkin Muffins
Snickerdoodles
Apple Streusel Pie
German Chocolate Pie
Author: Pam Asberry
Website: http://pamasberry.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pamasberryfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pamasberry
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 3 comments
Labels: apple streusel pie, black bean soup, blogger, fall recipes, german chocolate pie, Laurel's Kitchen, Pam Asberry, snickerdoodles, spicy pumpkin muffins, vegetarian, writer
Monday, October 10, 2011
Best Things These Li.P.P.s Ever Tasted – Fall Recipes
- 1 split baby tenderloin, fat trimmed
- Emeril’s Original Essence
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Posted by WritersLiPP at 12:01 AM 5 comments
Labels: apples, fall, Lindy Chaffin Start, pork tenderloin, recipe, UnstoppableStart