Saturday, December 22, 2007

Aegis Wing

Recently, I have been playing Aegis Wing, an arcade game, on XBOX 360 Live. This game is addicting and FREE! I have beat the game on both levels, the insane and normal levels, but I still keep playing the game. There are four players who are able to play and you are a space ship flying around shooting things which are shooting like crazy at you. The fun thing is you meet different people who are online playing the game with you so it makes it interesting and fun.

Free flossers, GLADE refill, dog treats, and more

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Completed Knitting Projects

Earlier this year, many people asked to see pictures of my knitting projects... well I have taken some pictures of some scarves and a purse I knit. Please let me know what you think.

This scarf is K2 Rows, P2 Rows.

The yarn for this scarf is Lion Brand Homespun. I will find the pattern for this one and post it. I also made a small coin clutch to match; however, the person I gave it to, used it as a cell phone case.

This scarf is K2 Rows, P2 Rows.

This scarf is straight knit.

Another scarf straight knit.

I knit this bag and felted it. I will find the pattern and post it.

Caramel-Toffee Apples

This is another recipe from The Costco Connection from December 2007.

15 minutes to make and makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 2 bags (14 ounces each) caramel candies, unwrapped
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 bags (14 ounces each) sliced green apples
  • 2 bags (8 ounces each) toffee bits
  1. Place unwrapped caramels, apple juice and pumpkin pie spice in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
  2. Pour toffee bits onto a rimmed baking sheet. Insert a fork into a apple slice. Dip, skin only, into caramel, then roll in toffee bits until well coated.
  3. Lay on parchment paper to cool. Repeat until all ingredients are used.

Haricots Verts with Shaved Parmesan

This is another recipe from The Costco Connection from December 2007.

10 minutes to make. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 pound ready-to-cook haricots verts
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  1. Place haricots verts (French green beans) in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and drain, if necessary. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and lemon juice. Pour over haricots verts and toss to coat.
  2. Serve immediately with shaved Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

Maple Sweet Potatoes

This is another recipe from The Costco Connection from December 2007.

10 minutes to make and Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (29 ounces) cut sweet potatoes, drained
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Salt and pepper
  • Chopped toasted pecans
  • Additional pure maple syrup
  1. Place drained sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and heat in microwave on high for 5 minutes.
  2. Drain and discard any liquid from bowl. Add butter, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Use a fork and mash to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans and drizzle with additional maple syrup.

Herb Pork Roast & Cranberry-Pine Nut Chutney

I found this recipe in The Costco Connection December 2007. If you want to see how it looks check out this link.

For Pork Roast:

  • 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast, rinsed and patted dry
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons herbes de Provence
  • 1 Teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 Tablespoon crushed garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

For Chutney:

  • 1 Can (16 ounces) whole cranberry sauce
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • 1 Teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 Teaspoon herbes de Provence
  • 1/4 Teaspoon crushed garlic
  1. Preheat oven to 450 F
  2. Season pork roast with salt and pepper.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the herbes de Provence, onion powder, garlic and lemon juice. Rub over pork roast and place roast in shallow roasting pan.
  4. Place roast in oven and reduce heat to 325 F. Roast for 30 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 165 F. (Roast will continue to cook up to 170 F out of the oven.) Let the pork rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
  5. To make the chutney, combine all chutney ingredients and stir thoroughly. Serve chutney at room temperature over pork roast. Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour and 15 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Notes: Herbes de Provence is a blend of dry herbs most commonly used in southern France. It usually contains basil, fennel seeds, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory, and thyme.

New Year Resolutions

The New Year is drawing near and it is time for us to think about our resolutions! I have brainstormed a few common resolutions that apply to most people to get the ball rolling:

  • Lose weight
  • Adopt better eating habits
  • Learn something new
  • Walk for 30 minutes a day
  • Consider a new career
  • Quit drinking soft drinks
  • Organize the house and garage
  • Stop smoking or drinking
  • Spend more time with family
  • Improve time management
  • Volunteer
  • Attend church
  • Knit a Ferrari

I would love to hear your resolution ideas.

Preventative Care for our Animals

I receive e-mail newsletters from PetPlace.com with great information pertaining to our pets. On December 18th, the e-mail included great daily preventative care to use with our pets.

Here are some tips from the newsletter:

  • Use flea control products to prevent fleas.
  • Feed a good quality dog food. Make sure it is AAFCO Approved.
  • If you live in a heartworm endemic area, make sure your dog is on heartworm prevention! This is an easy disease to prevent and a difficult one to treat.
  • Keep your dog on a leash or in a fenced in yard. This will help to prevent many bite wounds, toxin ingestion and accidents commonly seen in veterinary emergency clinics.
  • Observe for problems every day - make sure your dog is eating, drinking and eliminating normally. Early diagnosis and help prevent more severe problems.
  • Use you hands to touch/feel and look at your dog every day - notice any abnormal growth or tumors as well as signs of weight loss.
  • Dedicate 10 to 20 minutes to exercise time with your dog every day. He will be both happier and healthier.

Free 2D Drafting Software Download

If you are interested in 2D drafting software, you will definitely want to take advantage of the latest offer from Siemens a free Solid Edge 2D download! This software is great for both architectural and mechanical drawings.

Monday, December 3, 2007