Five Question Friday

1. Is there a special dish you prepare that you are famous for?
My pecan pie is pretty good, so maybe that.

2. Are you (did you) go Black Friday shopping ?
Nope. The stress is not worth the deals.

3. What are your strangest holiday traditions?
Hmm. Since I'm a pagan, I go camping for Yule. So much fun with the drumming and bonfires. Can't wait for it, actually.

4. Pecan or pumpkin pie? (She actually asked "Apple or pumpkin?" I just T-giving'ed it!)
Pecan! With ice cream.

5. When will you put up your Christmas tree?
I guess it depends on when we have time to buy one. If I had my way, I'd have it up tomorrow.

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: W
W for...Water, Topkapi-style

No simple bowls for my beauty Topkapi. No, like the python Queen she is, she requires a glass. I do this every day because she has come to expect it. I have one very spoiled snake.

ABC Wednesday Challenge

This week's letter: J

J for...Jeff the Golden Eagle
My sister works with birds of prey, and one of the birds she has made a bond with is Jeff. He can be moody, as with all animals, but is usually pretty good-natured.


Here he is getting some sun.

Sunday Stealing

Cheers to all of us thieves!

21) Have you ever flown a kite?

Yes.

22) Do you wish on your fallen lashes?

Yes.

23) Do you consider yourself successful?

I guess it depends on what aspect of my life I'm speaking about.

24) When was the last time that you made an obscene phone call?

Um, never.

25) Have you ever asked for a pony?

No, but I have asked for a horse.

26) Plans for tomorrow?

The usual.

27) Can you juggle?

Nope.

28) Missing someone now?

No.

29) When was the last time you told someone "I love you"?

Yesterday.

30) And truly meant it?

Yesterday.

31) How often do you drink alcohol?

Once a week.

32) How are you feeling today?

Sick.

33) Have you every tried to write a meme?

Nope.

34) Have you ever been fired from a job?

Nope.

35) What are you looking forward to?

Tuesday when the new Tori Amos cd comes out,

36) Have you ever crawled through a window?

Yes.

37) What's the most recent bad meal that you had to endure?

It's been months.

38) Can you handle the truth?

Yes. All I can think about is Jack Nicholson.

39) Whose to blame for what's going on?

No idea, don't even pretend to know.

40) What will it take to fix it all up?

A lot of juggling, for which I do not have the skills.

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: U

U can be for...Ukuleles! Not mine, I don't know how to play it, but they're rather pretty, aren't they?


And...Urn plant

Sunday Stealing

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. What's for breakfast?

Cinnamon-raisin bagels

2. Do you read a newspaper daily?

Nope.

3. What do you do when you can't sleep?

Read.

4. Say a word that sums up your mood.

Calm

5. Do you remember your dreams?

Most of the time, since I keep a dream journal I've trained my head to remember.

6. Name something from your dream last night.

My mom was in my dream.

7. Name a food that describes you.

Mint ice-cream

8. Today you are wearing:

Well, right now I'm in my pjs.

9. What's in your pockets?

No pockets.

10. Did you sing in the shower today?

Always.

11. What's the last song you heard?

Back to Earth by Rachael Sage

12. Looking forward to the holidays?

Yes! Especially Halloween.

13. Where do you want to be this instant?

Right were I am.

14. What's for lunch?

Slow-roasted pork.

15. What's something you would like to do soon?

I'd like to relax and read for a bit.

16. Reading anything now? What is it?

Ha! Of course, I'm reading Landing Place by Marina Snow

17. What's for dinner?

Don't know yet.

18. A favorite part of the day is:

Late afternoon

19. Are you happy?

Content

20. Guess how many people will do Sunday Stealing this weekend?

Um...30 people

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: S

S for...Strange Poses

Here is Chaos, sleeping, I'm assuming.



Dublin, also sleeping.



And Topkapi...scanning her belly scales?

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: R

R for...Rottweiler, my baby, Chaos

He's a gorgeous 3 year old, who completely owns up to his name.

Sunday Stealing

Cheers to all of us thieves!

16. What's the longest shift that you worked at a job?

Hmm, can't really remember.

17. What was the last concert that you attended?

A Tori Amos one

18. What the last DVD (or Blu Ray, of course) movie that you watched?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

19. How did you like the film?

I did, although Part 2 is better.

20. What comedian do you love?

Not a huge fan of comedians.

21. Do you ever sleep in the nude?

No

22. Have you ever had a long distance relationship?

Yes

23. What do you think of astrology?

Yes, but not the nonsense that's in the newspapers or magazines.

24. What's you're favorite lyric quote from a song?

Guess I'm an underwater thing so I
Guess I can't take it personally
I guess I'm an underwater thing I'm
Liquid running
There's a sea secret in me
It's plain to see it is rising
From Liquid Diamonds by Tori Amos

25. Tell us something random about yourself.

I love all the SAW movies.

26. Have ever attended a theme party? If yes, do tell.

Yes, we all had to dress up as animals. I went as a snake.

27. What is your favorite thing about winter?

The weather, I love the cold.

28. What was the name of your first pet?

Tamara

29. What have you done so far this weekend?

Lots of reading and writing.

30. Has your humor ever been called “sick”?

No.

31. If you could have one thing, what would it be?

I think it kind of jinxes it if I say it. I'm superstitious like that.

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: Q

Q for...Queen of Mardi Gras

This is one of the costumes my sister and I saw in the Mardi Gras museum in New Orleans.

ABC Wednesday Challenge

This week's letter: D

D can be for...Dublin, our cowardly Basset Hound. He's afraid of any and every loud noise.

Ruby Tuesday

Strawberry Pie



For recipe, please see here.

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: P

P for...Python and Pirates, at the same time!

This is my beautiful male python, Damascus, hanging out with a crew of very confused pirates.

ABC Wednesday Challenge

This week's letter: C

C for...Coral

She is my beautiful milksnake, who looks similar to a coral snake, hence the name.

Sunday Stealing

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Movie you love with a passion.

Love, Actually

2. Movie you vow to never watch.

Facebook

3. Movie that literally left you speechless.

Black Swan

4. Movie you always recommend.

Black Swan

5. Actor/actress you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie.

Ralph Fiennes

6. Actor/actress you don’t get the appeal for.

Gweneth Paltrow

7. Actor/actress, living or dead, you’d love to meet.

Ralph Fiennes

8. Sexiest actor/actress you’ve seen. (Picture required!)


Umm, Ralph Fiennes LOL Do you see a theme here?

9. Dream cast.

Harry Potter movies

10. Favorite actor pairing.

Jolie and Pitt

11. Favorite movie setting.

Victorian London

12. Favorite decade for movies.

Now

13. Chick flick or action movie?

Action, for sure.

14. Hero, villain or anti-hero?

Villain, all the way.

15. Black and white or color?

Color

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: O

O can be for...Ophelia, my beautiful kitty



Or the other Ophelia

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: N

N can be for...New Orleans (French Quarter view)

Look What I Made-Chocolate Rugelach

Rugelach Recipe
(From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours)

Ingredients:

For the dough
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces (See Note below)
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces (See Note below)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling
2/3 cup raspberry jam, apricot jam or marmalade ((I used peach jam)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds)
1/4 cup plump, moist dried currants ((I used raisins)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the glaze
1 large egg
1 teaspoon cold water
2 tablespoons sugar, preferably coarse sugar

Method:

For the dough
1) Let the cream cheese and butter rest on counter for 10 minutes. It should be slightly softened but cool.
2) Put the flour and salt in a food processor, scatter over the chunks of cream cheese and butter and pulse the machine for 6 to 10 times. Then process, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, just until the dough forms large curds. Do not work the dough too long that it forms a ball on the blade.
(Note: I used a stand mixer and I find that it’s easier to process by cutting the cream cheese and butter into cubes of 1-cm)
3) Remove the dough from the food processor, divide into half, shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to a day. (Wrap airtight, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)

To make the filling
1) Heat the jam in a saucepan over low heat, or microwave until it liquefies. Mix sugar and cinnamon together.
2) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (Silicone baking mats are great for rugelach.)

To shape the cookies
1) Pull one packet of dough from the refrigerator. If it is too firm to roll easily, leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin.
2) On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11- to 12-inch circle. Spoon (or brush) a thin gloss of jam over the dough, and sprinkle over half of the cinnamon sugar.
3) Scatter over half of the nuts, half of the chopped chocolate and half of the currants. Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch.
4) Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 wedges, or trigangles. (The easiest way to do this is to cut into quarters, then cut each quarters into 4 pieces.)
5) Starting at the base of each triangle, roll the dough up so that each triangle becomes a little crescent.
6) Arrange the roll-ups on one baking sheet, making sure the points are tucked under the cookies, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (The cookies can be refrigerate overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don’t defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.)

Getting ready to bake
1) Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

To glaze
1) Stir the egg and water together. Brush a bit of the glaze over each rugelach. Sprinkle the cookies with sugar.
2) Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until they are puffed and golden.
3) Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

ABC Wednesday Challenge

This week's letter: A

A for...Amazing Black Mamba (not my picture, but my favorite snake)

Alphabet Thursday

This week's letter: M

M for...Mask