Pickled What?

My mother-in-law, Mama Lou, calls me on Friday to tell me about this great new recipe, "Pickled Grapes." OK, I have heard of okra, asparagus, and onions being pickled. Even eggs and one of my dad's after work snacks "Pickled Pigs Feet." That one I always declined to try!

So when Saturday dawns, I decided to try my hand at "pickled grapes." Mama Lou had told me the ingredients, so I went to the internet and found one that had all the correct spices, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes. I did all my Saturday errands and stopped at the local Tom Thumb last for groceries. Red, green, black grapes...check...rosemary, garlic...check...white vinegar, kosher salt...check. Sugar was in the pantry and we always have red pepper flakes.  Look for pint jars - none to be found. Jaclyn was with me and volunteered (I think) to go to Wal-Mart and get the jars.

While she was gone, I plucked the grapes off the stems and washed them well. When she arrived, we started making the pickled part. Water, rosemary . . . . . where's the rosemary? All three of us; I, Jaclyn and Ronnie looked everywhere, the fridge, the trunk of the car, the pantry, the microwave (I have been known to put items in there that belonged elsewhere). Looked at the receipt and I paid for it so . . . into the car and back to Tom Thumb. Customer Service was very nice and told me to go get another package.

Back to the house, add red pepper flakes. . . . NONE, I can't believe it, we have NONE.  This is a staple in the pantry and there are NONE.  Text the neighbor and a few minutes later her great kids show up with a baggy of red pepper flakes.  OK, we are ready but, did we put in the sugar, vinegar, kosher salt? Don't really remember, but we continued with the rosemary and garlic. Mama Lou's jars had a stick of rosemary, our recipe said to take the needles of a 4" stem of rosemary, so we did. Simmered this concoction and then poured over the grapes in the jar; made 3 pints. Let the jars cool to room temperature, and then into the fridge for at least an hour. By now it is time for Ronnie to cook our mini-steaks on the grill.

Bedtime. Ronnie and I decide to try the grapes - Mama Lou, REALLY? You liked these?!?!? Then I started thinking about the day. I think we may have skipped a few ingredients - mainly the sugar - oh, yea the vinegar was supposed to be white WINE vinegar. 

So come this Saturday, Jaclyn will be gone to the Citizen's Police Academy and Ronnie will be at Christian Brothers doing free oil changes for single mothers, and I will go the grocery store and buy more grapes, white WINE vinegar, stock up on red pepper flakes and check my bag before I leave to come home and make "Pickled Grapes Uninterrupted!"

The funniest part though was when Jaclyn came back over on Sunday. We told her how good they were and she tried one and promptly spit it out!

Here is a beautiful picture of Mama Lou’s “Pickled Grapes.”  Below is the recipe!
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Crispy Fall Weather - Fall Mantel Party 2010

It is so wonderful to finally feel the cool air and the renewal of my spirit. The 100+ temperatures in North Texas made me very “dewy.” I should have bought stock in P&G for deodorant alone!

Fall Mantle Party at the Nester

As soon as the morning air was the slightest crisp, it was time to celebrate by decorating my mantel to bring this new season into my home.

The cornucopia was made several years ago. I bought “fall bushes” took the flowers and leaves apart and glued them to round stryfoam ball. Since orange is not my favorite color, I choose more of the purples and reds. The candle holders and candles I received a couple of Christmas’s ago from my boss (yes, she is a female).

Peter Piper Picked . . .

390 Peppers (Free) (13 strings X 30 peppers)
$20.00 of Postage - Ronnie’s dad sent them, plus detailed instructions, which I found (if you know me the simplier the better) a better way to string the peppers.
$11.63 - One hour and 45 minutes at $7.75 per hour, putting peppers on the string to dry out.
$15.50 –  After they dry, bake in oven two hours and put through food processor.
TOTAL = 1 jar of pepper flakes = $47.13

For $47.13 Sam's would have sold me enough pepper flakes to last a life-time!

Reasons Why You Rock

I was fortunate to attend a 2.5 hour seminar by Kathy Light, author of “Reasons Why You Rock”, this past Saturday.   As she begins, she reflects –
"One Saturday, when my daughter was just seven years old, she came bounding down the stairs with her usual cherry smile proclaiming, ‘Mommy, you have to come see the Power Point I made on the computer! It’s called, “Reasons Why I Rock” and it’s about all the reasons why I rock. If I ever get sad, I’ll just read it and it will make me feel happy!’ "

WOW! What a statement!
WOW! What a wonderful way to make us all be better – focus on our positive selves! WOW! What a great way to spend a Saturday morning with good friends and a great teacher!

Kathy Light’s book  is all about what it says – Realize Your Greatness and Amplify Your Personal Power. With chapters devoted to How YOU Rock, with worksheets to complete; you actually take the time to reflect on aspects of your life where you ROCK. As you write down your thoughts, you get more and more introspective and realize that you do ROCK!
I would recommend this to all my girlfriends (and guyfriends) . . . go to her website to learn more! http://kathylight.com/

See Anything Out of Place?

I always put ice cream in the Microwave for about 20 seconds to get it soft – well, it works too well, if you get your 2 scoops out and then put the ice cream, not in the freezer, but back into the microwave.  The bright side - it gives me an excuse to try Blue Bell's "Cotton Candy" and "Blackberry Cobbler" flavors!

The Yearly Breast Exam Unplugged

Picture this: Annual physical at the Doctor Gorgeous's office. Blood pressure check, draw some blood, pee in a cup (messy), EKG. Next comes the breast exam. Even though I passed through menopause 10 years ago when I was 30 (wink, wink), I am still hot as a firecracker most of the time. And no it is not the extra 30 lbs of fluff covering the slim body I see in the mirror! I have been hot since I was born! I digress...

Now to the breast exam . . . Did I mention that my doctor looks like he stepped out of a GQ magazine! Well, now I am laying down on the table with my right arm above my head and he starts the exam. Now to The Good Part, I say outloud, "Wow, your hands feel good!" If you know me at all, you know that this is not unusual for me to speak without thinking! (Remember I am hot as a firecracker all the time, well, I forgot to finish the statement... "because your hands are cold" . . . NO, I just say, "Wow, your hands feel good!"

Before I could explain myself, Doctor Gorgeous says, "Everyone likes to be felt up every once in a while."

I almost fell off the table and peed my pants at the same time! So here I am, breasts and all, and Dr. Gorgeous and I are laughing like teenagers on their first date!

If all yearly physicals were this much fun, I would petition the AMA for semi annual visits!

Housewives of NYC and JCPenney Manhattan

To cap off Earth Week, JCPenney Manhattan hosted a Denim Drive , benefitting Goodwill, at our Manhattan store with our Green Living partner Danny Seo. Excited customers started lining up at 6:00 AM to donate their denim and receive a JCPenney gift card and reusable tote bag as a thank you from us!

Within the first hour, we had accepted more than 100 donations, and by the end of the day, we were able to collect nearly 500 pairs of jeans for donation.

Special guests, Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon and Countess LuAnn De Lesseps of the Real Housewives of New York City,

joined the excitement, donated their jeans and autographed our reusable tote bags. Inside the store, one lucky customer was shocked to find Jill, LuAnn and Kelly behind the cash wrap ready to ring up merchandise! The Housewives made the unsuspecting and very happy shopper's day by also paying for her purchase and taking some photos with her.

While walking through the store, Jill picked up an Olsenboye tee, requested especially by her teenage daughter. Media was buzzing about the Denim Drive and Danny Seo as well as the Housewives' appearance. US Weekly interviewed Danny, Jill, Kelly and LuAnn. Of course, our Manhattan associates make it all happen! Special thanks to Assistant Store Manager David Garkawe and SET Execution Manager Lisa Wicka for helping pull together a great end to Earth Week!