Recently I found a way to dowload and watch my favorite show from BBC, a Soap Opera called “EastEnders.”  Most people in the United States can’t get it, but I can now download it and watch it on my cell phone.  At any rate, I remembered why I loved watching it so much.  The writing is fantastic, and the characters do a great job of making it so believable.

One of the long-time characters, “Dot,” had something to say on a recent episode that needs repeating:

“If anybody is aware of time, it’s us (older people).  It’s people your age (younger people) who forget.  I mean you sit around agonizing over what you’ve done and what people think of you, and what you’re gonna do next and all the while, time… is tickin’ away.  And it goes so fast.  And the older you get, the faster it goes.  You wanna grab hold of it, make the most of it, before it’s too late.”

Well said, Dot!

Tags: Inspiration, Soap Operas, Writing

 

It’s ABOUT TIME!  We are extremely excited about the launch of our epic online novel series, “The Ranch Hand,” which will debut with the first two chapters on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009!  This novel is TWO YEARS in the making, and it’s high time we get this show on the road!

We make NO PROMISES, other than the following:

• A great story
• Characters you will fall in love with
• Plenty of twists and turns
• Humor… action… love…
• Movie quotes
• Prize giveaways (We’re not kidding)
• And even COOKING TIPS!

We plan on plenty of interaction with fans, including a feedback forum on our facebook page!  Please join us.  You WON’T be disappointed!  Or maybe you will, but you will at LEAST be entertained!

Tags: Launch, novel, The Ranch Hand, Website

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are MOVING!  We are leaving our humble abode downtown Los Angeles and heading to where the ACTION is!  We are headed to Hollywood with plans to take over the town in the coming years!  In the next few weeks, we will be headed to a place where you can find Darth Vader and Tinkerbell in the SAME PLACE!

Wish us luck!

Tags: Hollywood

We are currently calling for sponsors and submissions for banner ads for the upcoming launch of our epic Online Novel Series, “The Ranch Hand.”  The first of what will be three novels will be posted in “serial” fashion over the course of about four months.  Space is available for banner and sponsor ads at the bottom of each page of text (or wherever space is available).

Banner ads will be similar to the following:

The dates for the upcoming launch are tenatively scheduled for sometime in August.  Anyone interested in sponsorship should preview the first chapter of “The Ranch Hand” by clicking HERE or visiting the go23red.com website first.

Tags: advertisements, novel, online, series

Ladies and Gentlemen, I gotta say that the 12 (twelve) bucks a year I spend on a subscription to LA Magazine is one of the best investments I have ever made, if for nothing else than the recipes that they sprinkle in throughout the year.  Here’s a recipe from Sumi Chang, owner and Executive Pastry Chef at Europane, one of the top 20 bakeries in the Los Angeles area.  It’s pretty much copied word for word, and the tips at the bottom are mine, but I truly wouldn’t mess with this one.  ENJOY!

Please note:  These ounces in the ingredients below are measured in weight, not volume, so a scale is required.

You will need:

• 6 ½ ounces butter (about 1 and ½ sticks)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract of ½ vanilla pod
• 6 egg whites
• 7 ounces powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 ½ ounces almond meal
• 1 ¾ ounces flour
• ¾ ounce cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 banana or pear chopped into ¼ inch cubes (optional)
• pearl sugar for decorating

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees.

HEAT butter and vanilla in a saucepan until bubbling, golden brown, and nutty-smelling.

POUR the mixed butter and vanilla into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.  If you are using a vanilla pod instead of extract, remove the vanilla pod at this point.

GENTLY WHISK egg whites and powdered sugar in a bowl over a bain marie (a warm water bath) until frothy and warm to the touch.  A bain marie can be constructed using a small saucepan with 1 inch water over low heat.

STIR TOGETHER almond meal, flour, cocoa powder and salt.

FOLD into egg white mixture.

ADD browned butter and vanilla mixture and stir until evenly mixed.

STIR in chopped banana or pear if you are using either one.

Note:  Batter can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

POUR batter into buttered muffin tins about 2/3 full, or, for the pillow-top effect, pour into Yorkshire pudding pans to about 2/3 full.

SPRINKLE with pearl sugar.

BAKE about 30 minutes, until just set.  Wooden skewer or toothpick should come out barely dry.

Makes 8 – 12 brownies, depending on size of muffin molds.

Low-Fat Tips:  Turkey burger can be used in place of the flour, the butter, and the powdered sugar.  JUST KIDDING!  I am sorry to say that there are no low-fat tips for this one.  You want to make sure you use actual butter (not margarine) for this one, both in the recipe, and when buttering the muffin tins.

• Nutrition information for this recipe is not currently available.
• For you Weight Watchers® followers, you are looking at a good 8 to 10 points per muffin.  I would err on the side of 10 points and use your FLEX POINTSâ„¢ for that one.

Secret Tip:  If you don’t care for banana or pear, substitute ½ cup applesauce warmed to room temperature instead.

Tags: Cooking, desserts, Food, Recipes, yummy

Ladies and Gentlemen, this recipe is one of my personal favorites.  The lovely and talented Jesse Davis served this up with all kinds of yummy trimmings, but without a doubt, this dish made a definite impression on us.  Granted, Jesse is a wonderful cook anyway, but this was just simply incredible.  You can vary the recipe some if you like, but I like it just the way it is.  Enjoy!

You will need:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
• 1 ½ packages dry onion soup mix (like Lipton®)
• 1 16 oz. can jellied cranberry sauce
• 1 cup French dressing

PLACE chicken breasts in a glass baking dish in a single layer.

STIR together the onion soup mix, cranberry sauce, and French dressing in a bowl until well-blended.

POUR the mixed marinade over the top of the chicken breasts, cover the dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

REMOVE plastic wrap from baking dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

BAKE chicken until the top is bubbly and slightly browned.  Cooking time will vary from 45 minutes to one hour and 15 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts and your altitude.

Makes 6 servings.

Low-Fat Tips:  Turkey breasts may be substituted for the chicken breasts.  Adjust cooking times accordingly.  Low-fat or fat-free French dressing may also be substituted, but make sure you use a dressing you have had before, as some of the lower-fat dressings compromise on taste.  If you can find it, use a sugar-free jellied cranberry sauce and add about 2 tablespoons grape or apple jelly in the mixture.

• Nutrition information varies widely depending on the brands you use.  Follow the nutrition guide for each of the ingredients.
• For you Weight Watchers® followers, you are looking at about three or four (3 – 4) Points per serving for the MARINADE ONLY.  Check the nutrition information for the meat you use and adjust your points accordingly.

Secret Tip:  If it’s available in your area, use Dorothy Lynch® Dressing instead of French dressing.  You won’t be disappointed!  Feel free to add some dried minced onions to the mixture when you stir the marinade together.

Great for the Grill:  The author of this recipe (Jesse Davis) recommends grilling the chicken breasts.  You will want to watch for flare-ups and regulate your grilling temperature as the high sugar content in the marinade may burn easily.

Tags: chicken, Food, Recipes, yummy

I found this one in a Diabetes Magazine a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was worth sharing. Don’t forget to take a look at the Low-Fat Tips and/or the Secret Tips at the bottom of the recipe. You’ll be glad you did!

You will need:

• 1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green or red bell pepper
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 whole wheat sandwich rolls or hamburger buns cut in half, warmed

COOK ground turkey (or beef), onion and pepper in nonstick frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until turkey (or beef) is browned. Drain. Return to pan.

STIR in tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, pepper and garlic powder. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

SET the bottom half of each roll on a plate. Spoon about one-sixth of the Sloppy Joe mixture over the roll, then top with the other half of the roll. Serve. These are great with coleslaw.

Makes 6 servings.

Low-Fat Tips: Whether you use ground turkey or ground beef, rinse the browned meat with hot water to reduce the amount of drippings that cling to the meat and then allow it to drain well. Before you return your browned meat to the pan, rinse the pan with hot water as well.

• If you follow the fat-free version, it only has about 151 Calories, 2g fat, and 1 to 2g Dietary fiber (if you include the bun).
• For you Weight Watchers® followers, you are looking at about four (3 – 4) Points per serving, depending largely on which kind of bun you use. Check the nutrition information and adjust your points accordingly.

Secret Tip: You wanna make these Sloppy Joes into something special? When you stir in all of the sauces before simmering, add a level tablespoon of grape jelly. Trust me on this one. Of course, you are about to add one Weight Watchers® point per serving, but it’s worth it. Give it a try!

Tags: Cooking, Food, Low-Fat, Lunch, Recipes

Here’s a fantastic dessert that goes well with coffee, tea, wine, hot chocolate or any other beverage, or it stands alone very well.  I used to make something like this years ago during my culinary career.  Now that I am a Type II Diabetic (yes, it’s been a year now) I am constantly on the lookout for recipes that have ingredients that can be substituted with low-fat or sugar free ingredients.  I will NOT compromise on taste, and with THIS recipe, you don’t have to.  Enjoy!

You will need:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup finely chopped slivered almonds
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted
• 1 pkg. (8 oz) Philadelphia® Cream Cheese, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups thawed Cool Whip® Whipped Topping, divided
• 3 cups milk
• 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O® Instant Pudding and Pie Filling, any flavor

HEAT oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Mix flour, nuts and margarine; press onto bottom of a 13 X 9-inch pan.  Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until well-blended.  Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip; spread over the cooled crust.

BEAT milk and pudding mixes with whisk 2 minutes; spread over cream cheese layer.  Top with remaining Cool Whip.  Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Makes 12 servings.

Low-Fat Tips:  Use fat-free cream cheese, Sugar Free Whipped Topping, fat-free milk, and Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding and Pie Filling.

• If you follow the fat-free version, it only has about 200 Calories, 8g fat, and 1g Dietary fiber.
• For those of you who do Weight Watchers®, you are looking at about four (4) Points per serving.

Tags: Dessert, Food, Low-Fat, Recipes

 

A Poem by Rodney V. “Rotund Beer Swizzler” Earle

 

Let’s go drinkin’, just me and you.

Let’s go drinkin’, and we’ll have a few.

We’ll talk about life and winning the lottery.

I don’t care, let’s talk about pottery.

We’ll talk about love, win or lose.

We’ll talk about anything you choose.

We’ll talk about weirdos and idiots today.

Can we talk about Shakespeare?  Is that okay?

How about the war or country hics?

Sorry, I don’t do Politics.

We’ll talk about those athletes rotting in jail.

We’ll talk about the lameness of the U.S. Mail.

We’ll talk about the price of gas.

I’ll say that Exxon can kiss my ass.

 

Let’s go drinkin’, just me and you.

Let’s go drinkin’, and we’ll have a few.

 

  

Oh… I almost forgot… for those of you who don’t drink,

please replace the phrase, “Let’s go drinkin,” with “Let’s have coffee.”

Just remember: it’s not the drink.  It’s the company.

 

Tags: Drinking, Friendship, Life, Lottery, Love