5 Steps to Good Life – #1 Enjoy a Healthy Breakfast

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IMG_05081. Enjoy a Healthy Breakfast

I’ve never been one to skimp on breakfast.  Growing up, our parents always made sure that my sister and I ate a hardy breakfast before we left for school each morning. There are few things more enjoyable than having a morning to relax and enjoy a nice breakfast.

Breakfast can also be a wonderful social event. Invite some of your friends over one weekend for a potluck brunch. To really enhance your life, make it a regular event!

XO Kim

Be sure to stay tuned for #2 of 5 Ways To Celebrate Life.

 

 

pop 12I saw my very first popover earlier this year when my husband, Manuel, and I were visiting the Beaufort Inn, a charming B&B in historic Beaufort, SC. I was raised in the south for the better part of my years and was quite surprised that I had never seen one. My mother had many culinary diversities but I don’t remember ever seeing a popover.

Imagine my surprise when, in the elegant dining room of the inn, the waitress placed a popover on my bread plate. Surely she was mistaken, I thought, nudging my plate toward the center of the table. That oddly  shaped monstrosity could not solely be for me! Certainly it was meant to be shared. Well, imagine my greater surprise when she then placed another on my husband’s bread plate!

“How can I possibly be expected to eat that huge thing!”, I blurted. “I won’t be able to eat my dinner!” “It’s a popover.”, Manuel responded. “It’s hollow.” Manuel had grown up in Savannah, Georgia and had more knowledge of pop-overs than I. My research of popovers taught me that they are an American version of England’s Yorkshire Pudding, and that while they are commonly served with meat, they are also made with spices, nutmeg or simply served as buttery rolls.

Well, indeed, I was very pleased to experience for the first time ever, this fluffy, light, hollow on the inside, delectable, melt in your mouth, wonderful with sweet butter or anything else you might imagine putting on it, surprise. It was pure heaven!

As fate would have it, just a few weeks later I was making my usual thrift store rounds looking for inspirational and vintage treasures and what do you think I saw sitting on the shelf?  That’s right!  A popover pan and it was in it’s original box!

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As usual, when I see something that I get excited about while “treasure hunting” my heart palpitates. I can’t seem to reach for the treasure fast enough, yet my mind’s eye see’s me moving toward the object in slow motion. It’s as though it will disappear or be snatched from beneath me between the moment my eyes see it and the seconds it takes for my hand to grasp it. Strange, I know! It’s a surreal experience. Most of you “treasure hunter’s” out there probably know what I mean.

As with any new ‘find’ I usually do some internet research to learn more about the treasures I acquire. I learned that this popover pan was from 1987. I was so happy that the person it had belonged to kept the original box. The unique design with the open wire rack made it superior to any muffin pan I could have found for making my own popovers,  It was perfect!  What a find for under $4!

The box had a recipe on the front and I couldn’t wait to try it out. I also found several others that varied considerably from the one on the box. The two things that varied most between them was the amount of eggs used and the cooking time. I decided that I would try two or three different popover recipes and have my secret taster rate each. I will share the first, here, today.

The first recipe I used was the one on the box.

It seemed simple enough!  Okay, here goes!

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62The recipe called for 6 eggs.  Mine were small so I used 7.

pop 7I mixed all ingredients together but did not over mix as the recipe advised.

pop 10Divided evenly into the cups.  I filled them as much as I could.

pop 12Yum!

pop 22Secret Taster (My husband, Manuel.)

They were delicious!  They were hollow on the inside and the outer shell was crisp. They were excellent with jam, even the next morning!

Tips

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The United State Air Force Academy Chapel

“Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do”. If only we could all live by such standards. These are the core values of the United States Air Force.

My husband, Manuel, and I recently attended his 45 year class reunion at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Lt. Col. Manuel Joseph Bettencourt, Ret., graduating class of 1968, served our country, along with many great men and women in Viet Nam and for many years after. I am proud of my husband, and appreciate immensely the sacrifices he has made – sacrifices that continue to compromise his present health.

I can’t begin to describe the multitude of feelings I experienced while visiting Colorado and the academy. The beauty of the state is breathtaking. I hadn’t a clue there could be so much wilderness and natural beauty in one place!

View of the Continental Divide

The academy is situated on 18,500 acres. Manuel has spoken often about some of his best years while he attended school striving to live by the standards and the core values of the Air Force. Integrity is one of my husbands greatest assets.

Our second day we enjoyed lunch with the cadets. Sitting among 4000 young men and women, all who will be officers, striving toward excellence. I was so impressed by their commitment and discipline at such a young age. I was humbled by their dedication to this great country.

Chapel Best The Chapel at the USAFA

A memorial service in the beautiful chapel honored 70 cadets from the class of 68 who are no longer living. Some of these men lost their lives while serving our country. Roll Call was given. One by one, each man’s name was called, and one by one, a representative from his squadron would stand. “Absent, Sir!” was heard seventy times in the chapel that morning, each time as heartfelt as the next.

The sermon was a poignant reminder that we should value and nurture our friendships. It encouraged me to reach out to those who have been in my life for awhile and to embrace and nurture those friendships.

The final day was the Army vs Air Force football game. I don’t believe I have ever experienced a sporting event as patriotic and as symbolic as this one. Before the game began there was a traditional jet fly-over along with a marching band followed by thousands of young cadets on the field.  It was a sight to see.

The National Anthem was played and sung by all while 4000 cadets stood at attention.

The falcon, the mascot of the academy, was flown at halftime. Trained to pursue the lure being swung by his trainer the falcon is released from the highest point in the stadium. All watched intently as the falcon found it’s way to it’s trainer on the center of the field (above) and was ultimately rewarded with it’s bait.

The final and most impressive gesture for me was after the game had ended. All players on both teams ran to their respective opponents seating area. First to one, then to the other, while singing each schools Alma-mater. This traditional and ceremonial act represented the most profound truth that we are all, ultimately, on the same team.

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Another highlight was that Manuel and I were able to rent a couple of horses from the stables on the academy grounds. The two of us had complete access to several hundred acres of some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen, bordering Pike National Forest.  Pure Heaven!  It was there that Manuel and I tied a prayer feather to a tree (a Native American tradition). This ceremony of  folklore is used to communicate to the great spirit your desire to return to that location.

fa760-coloradooctober2013340  Manuel and me on Hoosier Pass at the Continental Divide

Our visit to Colorado was a trip of a lifetime! Who knows, maybe the prayer feather we hung will help us find our way back one day. Thank you for visiting, and maybe next time, I’ll tell you about the bear I saw!

Kim

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10 Minute Vegetarian Pizza

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Ingredients

  • 1 Can Pillsbury Pizza Crust
  • Zucchini, uncooked – sliced (amount used is optional)
  • Yellow Squash, uncooked – sliced (optional amount)
  • Onion, uncooked – sliced or diced (optional)
  • Tomatoes – sliced
  • Shredded Mozzarella cheese – about 1 cup
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese – about 1 cup
  • Goat cheese – (optional) Love it!
  • Olive oil
  • Sea Salt (optional)
  • Black Cracked Pepper (optional)

*So do you get the idea? You can use any amount of any vegetable you want. Same goes with cheese.  This is your pizza. Be creative!

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Directions

  • Prepare Pizza crust according to directions. Remove from oven.
  • Layer vegetables
  • Sprinkle cheeses to desired amount
  • Sprinkle or spray with about a tablespoon of olive oil
  • Add light sea salt and black cracked pepper
  • Bake in 400 oven for 10 to 12 minutes

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Voila!

Bon Apetit!

XO! Kim

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One of my visions has been to create a sanctuary in my back yard. My husband, Manuel, and I have always had a great appreciation for all nature and wildlife. We feed the birds, the squirrels, and although not intentionally, the deer, who seem to enjoy eating from our bird feeder.

We enjoy an abundance of birds in our yard, particularly cardinals. Every year families of cardinals multiply and seem to enjoy the sanctity of our backyard.

Cardinals have been in my life since I lost my mother unexpectedly in 2007. I have come to believe that the cardinals have been sent to me from Mom, to assure me that she is settled in Heaven and looking after me. I can share multiple accounts of cardinal encounters, inexplicable stories, that might be difficult for anyone to believe unless they experienced it themselves. I have doubted, and tested, only to be humbled by the miraculous occurrences that bring these beautiful red birds my way, time after time. There is no doubt in my mind that they are a gift to me from Momma.

Shortly after Mom passed, the vision I had for the yard inspired a passion within to begin the process of turning our back yard into a sanctuary. Step by step Manuel and I created a piece of our own little Heaven, here on earth. Every garden artifact we could find was collected. From an old broken pot to dozens of thrift store treasures; we gathered all we found to bring life to this project.  My son, Aria, donated many plants that he had nurtured from seeds. Friends donated shrubs and pots, while beautiful plant cuttings were gifted from others. We collected every bird house we could find, old and new,  while we continued treasure hunting at garage sales and thrift stores. Before we knew it, our back yard, which had been nothing more than encroaching woodland, was the beautiful sanctuary we had imagined.

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Early one evening after Mom died, my father and I were sitting on his back yard deck in Florida. I had not yet shared with him about the cardinal encounters that had begun to happen to me. While sitting silently together, both of us missing my mother terribly, I heard the distinguishable peep of a cardinal coming from a nearby tree.  “Do you hear that, Daddy?!”, I asked. His high frequency hearing loss did not allow him to hear the bird. A few moments later he said to me, “You know, Kim, your mother sure did love those red birds!” It was that moment I finally accepted that the cardinal’s presence in my life was not by chance and that they were sent to comfort me and to assure me that everything was going to be okay.

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Please enjoy the photographs of our back yard sanctuary which is dedicated to the memory of my loving mother, Ida Brewer.

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20130919-122015The Story – It’s not (just) about the buffet!

This buffet was a real find at a local thrift store for $40! I had in mind that if I could not find a buffet, I would keep my eyes open for a dresser which would nicely double as one. Just think of all the storage space! What luck when I actually found the real deal! It’s exactly what I had been looking for to replace the one I had which was made of a composite material (and cost me a small fortune!). I had longed for a substantial buffet made of real wood – something with unique qualities and good bones. Boy, did I luck out! This piece was as well made on the inside as it was on the outside. It’s original finish was cherry though it was quite scratched up. After all, what did I expect for $40, I told myself as I struggled with the decision about whether or not I should buy it.

I wasn’t sure if I was up for the task of sprucing it up and I certainly had never challenged myself to restore a piece of furniture this large. The mere size of it was intimidating and no, I didn’t have the time! My better judgment influenced me and I actually talked myself out of this big, $40, plus 10% off for Senior Day, purchase and I left the store!

20130919-122115.jpgThe Dream

Well, that night I couldn’t get my mind off of the buffet. I stood in my dining room staring at the spot where it would sit. A nagging part of me wondered what my husband, Manuel, would say if I asked him, once again, to take his truck, to pick up this monstrous piece from the thrift store and to bring it home. There it would sit in our garage (the garage that we haven’t been able to park in for two years!) along with the other “projects” on my “to-do” list.

My mind’s eye could not erase the vision of how this buffet might look in that perfect spot! I imagined the order to my life having this big box would bring. A place to put all of my entertaining dishes and accessories. I saw visions of myself, perfectly coiffed and impeccably dressed sitting at the dining room table, an artful display of delectable food lain across the buffet like a Better Homes and Gardens magazine picture. Friends and loved ones would surround me admiring what they might perceive as a life of perfect order. All this for $40, how could I go wrong! With that buffet, I had convinced myself, there was a real possibility for world peace!

20130919-122139The Commitment

I suppose by now it’s fairly obvious which part of my mind won this battle! So here it is, the new project. I promised myself that it would precede all the other projects and well, it almost did. But finally, I can present it to you as proof that any of us can accomplish anything (within reason) that we set our minds to. So here goes – my tutorial about restoring this buffet, and the sense of accomplishment that grew within me during the process. After all is said and done, it’s not really (just) about the buffet!

20130919-121805The Process

Using a belt sander, once I began the process of sanding the cherry stain off the top to remove the scratches I decided to sand the entire buffet to remove all the finish. I wanted a more natural color and decided to leave a splotch of roughed up cherry finish here and there to create a distressed look. When sanding off old finish you will want to be careful not to sand the veneer layer off. Another way to do this without sanding is to use a paint or stain remover. There are several methods of stripping furniture.

 After completely sanding the old finish off I wiped the buffet with odorless mineral spirits. This alone brought out the beautiful grain of the veneer. Once dry, I used a 220 grit finishing sand paper, wiped with a soft cloth and finished with a tack cloth to remove all dust. I learned that this is a very important step.

Miniwax Wipe On Poly in a clear satin finish was the first step I used to finish the piece and although it was clear satin, it still enriched the grain of the wood. Multiple applications will deepen the color but it’s necessary to allow each coat to dry fully according to the directions and to sand between each coat and wipe thoroughly before applying the next making sure to remove the dust. I didn’t want the color to be as dark as the cherry and I really liked the natural color of the wood veneer.

The buffet looked beautiful with the warm natural grain showing through but it still had a rough, porous wood, feel. I wanted the final result to have the smooth luster of a cabinet finish.

Back to Google!

After researching several sites and learning methods to help me achieve the results I desired I was finally able to get that beautiful, lustrous finish by using Miniwax Polycrylic Protective Finish in clear satin. This is a latex finish and cleans easily with water. Use according to the directions on the label. I used three coats, sanding between each. (This was time-consuming. It took a couple of weekends.) The more coats I used the more durable and glass-like the finish became. It’s Important to let each coat dry completely (at least two hours) and to lightly sand between each coat with 220 grit or something comparable for finishing. Oh, and don’t forget to wipe thoroughly with a tack cloth to avoid dust and debris from being sealed into the finish. Follow the directions on the can to avoid air bubbles in the finish. I found that a synthetic brush and a sponge tip applicator worked best. At one point I could not get rid of the bubbles, but soon realized that I wasn’t sanding well enough between each coat. Once I corrected that, I was able to get a smooth finish without the bubbles. Sanding between each coat is important.

So that’s it! I hope you like the finished product and that my experience might inspire you to face your own similar challenge. The gratification is inexplicable!

Ahhh, so happy! Life is good.

Now, for that dinner party!

Thanks for visiting.

The Finished Product!

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Thanks so much for visiting!

Kim