Who wants Chocolate? Flourless Chocolate Torte, that is!
It winked at me-each week. For the past couple of months, as I made my way down the grocery aisle, it seemed that the Godiva, Belgium 1926, Flourless Chocolate Torte baking mix was making its presence known to me. Yesterday, I stopped to introduce myself. :o). In other words, I finally broke down and bought a box, having always wanted to whip up my very own Flourless Chocolate Torte.
I finally broke down and bought a box.
I do love a good Flourless Chocolate Torte! I have had the privilege of enjoying some very delicious ones over the past few years, but the gold standard of these tortes has to be one that I dined on in England, at the Forest Pines Hotel, Lincolnshire. In fact, the chef there even gifted me his recipe. I have, as of yet, to try that recipe out. One of these days, perhaps, but in the meantime, this box seemed like a simple alternative.
The gold standard of Flourless Chocolate Tortes has to be this one that I dined on in England. September 2013
The mix not only comes with almost all of the ingredients needed, but even includes a disposable, one-time use “pan”. A baking sheet is needed to place underneath the “pan”.
The mix not only comes with almost all of the ingredients needed, but even supplies a disposable, one-time use “pan”.
Not included in the mix is the “grease” to prepare the “pan, unsalted butter, and two eggs. Unfortunately, I did not read the instructions carefully while in the grocery store, and when it came time to prepare the mix, I had NO unsalted butter! Thankfully, my sweet next-door neighbors had some to trade (for my salted butter), and all was good, again, in the world of baking.
Not included in the mix is the “grease” to prepare the “pan, unsalted butter, and two eggs.
The end result was delicious! I would make this mix again, but allowing plenty of time. In addition to the preparation and almost 30 minutes of baking, one must allow another 30 minutes for cooling, and then an additional two hours in the refrigerator, before adding the ganache
The end result was delicious!
So, if you are in the mood for some Flourless Chocolate Torte at home, consider Godiva’s baking mix. You won’t be disappointed.
(I was not gifted, reimbursed, or paid to endorse this product.)
Enjoy These Previous, Chocolate-related Blog Posts, below
Just click “here” after the blog title, and enjoy. :o) For more Chocolate-related blog posts, go to imannette.net, here, and browse under “archives” on the right-hand side. Hint-type in brownies, or chocolate. :o)
The calendar in front of me proclaims that spring is in “full bloom” (See what I did there? ha), and that April is quickly coming to a close! My promised blog post date for this month looms terrifyingly near. Oh, boy!
Some of the “bloom” that is occurring in my neck of the woods. Can you spot the bumble bee near the middle of this photo?
To quote an oft uttered phrase, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!” Or so it seems! So….rather than going “hurrier” and getting “behinder”, I will take time out from my schedule to sip my tea, relax a bit, and chat with you via this posting. :o)
Travel Fun
How delightful it has been to see family and friends these past couple of months! AND, of course, enjoy the foods of different areas of the country! I share just a few photos of my recent travels.
Iowa
Tenderloins!
Enjoying one of the three pork tenderloins (on St. Patrick’s Day) that I devoured during my Iowa trip, Goldie’s in Prairie City.
The most unique of my Iowa dining experiences was pizza at Fong’s Pizza, Ankeny! They are known for their Asian-inspired Crab Rangoon Pizza. Fans include Alton Brown from Good Eats/The Food Network. See this brief video about Fong Pizza on Youtube, here.
Enjoying NYC with my son and his family. We are all smiles as we take a leisurely carriage ride through Central Park.
Not exactly planes, trains, and automobiles, but bikes and scooters work!
I just HAD to get a photo with Balto! When my youngest two were little, Balto, the animated movie about this amazing dog, was a favorite. It was Balto who helped to get life-saving medicine to Nome, Alaska in 1925. My kiddos happily saw the taxidermied (Is that a word?)Balto at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History many years ago.
I liked this view, just outside of the park.
Eating Our Way Through NYC
Eating a piece of NY pizza is a must when visiting the city!
Mama Mia 44sw was awesome! Italian food at its best, and friendly service, too! They make you feel like you are one of the family! They have been in business since 1971!
Delicious Cantonese food at Big Wong Restaurantin New York’s Chinatown district. (Note-They only take cash as payment.)
Bagels are another must when visiting NYC! These bagel sandwiches at Hudson Bagel were the perfect breakfast!
I hope that you enjoyed my photo tours of Iowa and New York City! Are you hungry, yet? :o)
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Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party! Robin Williams
You know, when you have all of these plans, and all of these items on your “to do list”, but you just didn’t get around to actually doing them? Well, I had plans for February to include some Super Bowl recipes in my next blog post. (The last Super Bowl recipes in one of my blog posts was in 2014!).
George Reeves as TV’s Superman (1954)
This winter, though, it seems, has flown by faster than Superman inflight (“Faster than a speeding bullet.”). To put it simply, that Super Bowl blog post never got finished. So, without any further delay, let’s discuss a couple of tasty recipes that would be appropriate for the Super Bowl, or for anytime!
Super Bowl Food
To me, the food is one of the highlights of Super Bowl Sunday. For many years I have prepared and enjoyed John Madden’s (may he Rest In Peace) delicious Super Bowl Stew for my family and friends. (Find the stew recipe, here.)
John Madden’s Super Bowl Stew
Buffalo Wings have also been a favorite at my house for many a football game, including for the Super Bowl. (Find my baked wing recipe, here.)
Baked Buffalo Wings
This year, I share with you, below, two more Super Bowl friendly recipes: Tex Mex Dip and Annette’s Not Terry Bradshaw’s Baked Beans.
Tex Mex Dip
This original recipe hails back to the 1980’s when I was living the life of a Texan. I have always enjoyed this layered yumminess, but it was not a super quick recipe to prepare, and it was not easy on the ol’ WW/Weight Watcher point tally. With this in mind, I will give you both recipes, and allow you to make the choice; quick or not, lower-cal or not. You make the call! (See what I did there? Football, call, referee. Hee hee )
Easy and Slimmer Tex Mex
Ingredients
1-(16 ounce) can fat free refried beans
2-3 (2 ounce) containers of Pre-made Wholly Guacamole, or something similar (Often found in the deli area, or in the premade produce area)
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat Mayonnaise (I like Hellmann’s)
1/2 pkg (1 ounce size envelope) taco seasoning
1/2 cup chopped green onions (Other onions will work in a pinch)
1-2 cup diced tomatoes
1 (3.8 ounce) sliced black olives, drained
1 cup shredded 2%/low fat cheddar cheese ( I plead with you to not use no fat.)
Spread refried beans in the bottom of a 8 x 6 inch baking dish.
Spread guacamole on top of beans.
Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, and taco seasoning mix. Spread on top of the second layer.
Top with chopped green onions, diced tomatoes, drained, sliced black olives.
Cover with shredded cheddar cheese.
Serve with tortilla chips (I prefer multigrain), or Doritos, Carrot chips, or Sliced cucumber.
Enjoy!
The Original Recipe Tex-Mex
Ingredients 2 large cans bean dip (usually sold near the chips) 3 ripe avocado, mashed 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is preferred) 1/8-1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 package taco seasoning 1 cup chopped green onion 2 cups diced tomatoes 2 (3.5 ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained 8 or more ounces shredded cheddar cheeseTortilla chips (I prefer multigrain) Carrot chips Sliced cucumbers
Directions Spread bean dip in the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Mix mashed avocado, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Place as a layer on top of the bean dip. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, taco seasoning mix. Spread on top of the second layer. Top with chopped green onions, diced tomatoes, drained, sliced black olives. Cover with shredded cheddar cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.
Annette’s NOT Terry Bradshaw’s Baked Bean Recipe
Let me begin by saying that I am not normally a reality show kinda gal. Give me a good family sitcom anytime, especially those of the retro variety. Think The Brady Bunch, I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, or the more recent, The Middle. I actually have on The Middle as I type. :O)
Give me a good family sitcom anytime, especially those of the retro variety.
So, when I tuned into former NFL quarterback, Terry Bradshaw’s TV series, The Bradshaw Bunch (The first season is free to watch on Peacock), it was with low expectations. Ladies and Gentlemen, I must admit that this program drew me in! I found myself giggling out loud while following the football legend and his family. (Warning, at times this program is geared toward a PG-13 audience.)
Bradshaw loves good food, and is especially fond of his own recipe for baked beans. Me, being me, I just had to find his recipe! After a brief Internet search, I hit pay dirt! You can find his recipe, here.
I made them, but honestly, although they were good, I feel that my own Hot Mixed Bean recipe not only tastes better, but is easier to prepare. The photo below is my creation of the Bradshaw’s recipe.
Bradshaw Beans made by me. You can find the recipe for Bradshaw Beans, here.
Annette’s Not Terry Bradshaw’s Baked Beans
These flavorful Hot Mixed Beans are great as a side dish, or this recipe can be a meal all by itself!
Ingredients need for Hot Mixed Beans
Hot Mixed Beans
Recipe
Hot Mixed Beans
Ingredients
1 1b. bacon, cut into pieces
1-1/2 onion, diced
½ bottle Heinz chili sauce
½ cup light brown sugar
Small can lima beans, drained
Small can black-eyed peas, drained
1 large can northern beans, drained
1 medium can pork and beans, undrained
Directions
Cut bacon into piece and dice onions.Fry.When done, drain off grease.
Place into saucepan, pot, or crockpot adding chili sauce, brown sugar, drained beans, and undrained pork and beans.
Cook on low heat for 2-4 hours. ( Crockpot temperatures vary, but you may wish to cook on high.)
Enjoy!
Made Me Smile :o)
Disney Mugs
How do you typically begin your day? Most mornings, I enjoy the morning with a steaming brew of my favorite Barry’s Tea, served up in a cute Disneyland, or Disney World, Starbucks mug. Do you have a favorite mug at your house?
My colorful collection of cute Walt Disney World and Disneyland mugs
Esther Williams Movies
On Sunday winter afternoons, I have been enjoying “diving”(Pun alert) into a happy classic film. My movies of choice, lately, have featured swimming sensation, Esther Williams. Each film is a treat for the eyes filled with colorful costumes, amazing swimming sequences, and fun plot lines.
My movies of choice, lately on Sunday afternoon, have featured swimming sensation, Esther Williams.
Enjoy these St. Patrick’s Day-related blog posts, and others, below. Just click “here” after the blog title, and enjoy. :o) For other March-related, and other past blog posts, go to imannette.net, here, and browse under “archives” on the right-hand side.
Top of the Mornin’ to Ya, February 2014, here. Includes locations from the classic film, The Quiet Man, plus other St. Patrick’s Day movie and tv show suggestions, and a recipe for Easy Artichoke Dip.
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Let me begin with the obvious; it is winter here in the northern hemisphere! And yes, that means that it is cold, windy, and snowy outside. Fortunately, it is also warm, cozy, and homey inside! :o)
Winter means that it is cold, windy, and snowy outside.
Fortunately, it is warm, cozy, and homey inside!
There have been many cookbooks written with comfort food and winter fare in mind. I even own a couple! :o). They are filled with delicious-looking recipes, and I especially like the promise on the one cover that states “warm winter dishes for cold weather fun”.
There have been many cookbooks written with comfort food and winter fare in mind.
I even own a couple! :o)
Hello, Chicken Pot Pie Soup!
Wintertime means comfort food! And this recipe that I share with you today for Chicken Pot Pie Soup fits the bill! Although, the definition of comfort food generally means food connected to “nostalgic or sentimental feelings”, I, actually, tasted my first Chicken Pot Pie Soup on a trip to Minnesota, a few years ago, in 2015, while visiting the General Store of Minnetonka’s, Cafe Bistro. What a great place to dine and shop! In addition to their soups and other menu items, they are. also, known for their light, yummy, over-sized popovers! Upon finishing up your meal, one can then spend time shopping and taking in their array of fun and fascinating items on display.
They are also known for their light, yummy, over-sized popovers!
And for their fun and fascinating array of items for sale.
With the perfect blend of chicken and vegetable goodness, I became an instant fan of Chicken Pot Pie Soup. The tasty recipe, below, comes from Chef Scott, whose Holiday Chicken Brie was featured in an earlier post, here. Thank you, Scott!
Preparing Chicken Pot Pie
This recipe is sure to be a winter favorite. It can be prepared as a soup, or, if desired, a puff pastry top may be added just before serving.
This recipe can be prepared as a soup, or, if desired,
a puff pastry top may be added just before serving.
Ingredients needed for this recipe
The Recipe
Scott’s Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Ingredients
1 sheet of puff pastry, if desired
(found in frozen section, or in refrigerated section near pie crusts)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
(corn, green beans, peas, and carrots)
1 diced potato
1 stick butter
4 chicken breasts, cut up into cubes
1 quart/4 cups of water
1, or more Tablespoons chicken base
(found in jar near canned soups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2-4 Tablespoons cornstarch, and equal amount of water
salt and pepper
Directions
If using a puff pastry topping…
Cut puff pastry out just a bit larger than the circumference of the soup bowl you will be using.
Bake on parchment (some puff pastry includes this.)
Bake according to the directions, until lightly browned.
Set aside.
In the meantime…
Heat stock pot on medium, just until hot.
Add oil oil and chicken.
Brown both sides until halfway cooked.
Remove chicken and the chicken juice from the pan into bowl, and set aside.
Add butter to stock pot.
Sauté potatoes, onions, and celery are tender.
Add water, chicken and chicken juice, and chicken base.
Simmer on low heat, stirring often, until your potatoes and chicken are fully cooked.
Add frozen vegetables, and bring back to simmer.
Make “white wash” using equal parts cornstarch and water to thicken soup.
Bring back to simmer.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and additional chicken base to taste, if desired.
Spoon soup into bowl, and top with baked puffed pastry.
Enjoy!
Good-bye Winter Decor
I like to sprinkle my house with a bit of joy for whatever season is around the corner. With that in mind, I plan to put away my winter-related decor, later today, and pull out my Valentine’s Day stash.
I plan to put away my winter-related decor, later today.
Do you put up seasonal decor? If so, when do you display your Valentine’s Day pretties?
I would love to hear about when, and how, you decorate for Valentine’s Day in the comments!
Cooking with Gammy
Enjoying my grandchildren at my house for some post-Christmas giggles,
we made these cute Rudolph donuts. They were easy to prepare, and the
grandchildren had fun creating them. :o)
Rudolph the Donut Reindeer
Donut Reindeer
Gather
pre-made chocolate-covered donuts,
canned white frosting
colored squeeze decorator frosting
red m & m
edible “eyes“
mini pretzels
Allow your little one to create a reindeer face, similar to above.
Made Me Smile :o)
As you may have gathered, I enjoy cookbooks. (I read them like a novel!) Over the years, I have reduced my cookbook inventory to a special few, and rarely add to my collection these days, EXCEPT when it comes cookbooks that feature recipes from Disney World and Disneyland. I recently received the wonderful Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World cookbook as an early birthday gift. (Thank you!).
I will be taste testing these many of these recipes soon, and some may find their way into a post in the future!
The Mystery Machine
My youngest son was a big fan of Scooby-Doo growing up, and the Mystery Machine was the show’s splashy mode of transport for Scooby and the gang. On a drive home, recently, I spotted this van in a drive way. Cool! Scooby-Dooby-Doo! :o)
Enjoy these winter-related blog posts, below. Just click “here” after the blog title, and enjoy. :o)
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please click on imannette.net, or click here, to refresh the post.
Please, Leave a Kind Comment! Thank you blog readers! I enjoy hearing your kind comments!
Please note that comments submitted are public.
Check Out Past Blog Posts! To enjoy any, or all, of my past blog posts and photos, click here, or go to imannette.net,
selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts, or you can “search” a topic in the Archives section, in the upper right-hand side.
I have been blogging since 2013, so there are plenty of posts to choose from!
Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth… Edith Sitwell
Zuzu’s Petals: An Interview with Karolyn Grimes, and Racing with Bagpipes, The Celtic Solstice Five-Miler
Happy Christmas Eve! Yep, another Christmas is almost upon us! I love Christmas, and one of my favorite things about the holiday is all of the wonderful seasonal movies that there are to enjoy! At the top of my list of yuletide-watching is Its a Wonderful Life. If you have never seen it, give yourself a Christmas gift and watch it this Christmas! This 75-year old film still stands up today, and has a heartwarming message.
At the top of my list yuletide-watching list is Its a Wonderful Life (1946).
One of the young stars of this 1946 holiday classic is Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu. It is little Zuzu who broken-heartedly asks her daddy (played by James Stewart) to paste her fallen rose petals back onto the stemmed rose that she has won at school that day. And, it is she who delivers that unforgettable and iconic line at the end of the film.. .’teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.’ It gets me everytime! (For my previous post with information about this movie, go here.)
Little Zuzu sadly asks her daddy (played by James Stewart) to paste her fallen rose petals back onto the stemmed rose that she has won at school that day.
The two photos above are of an esteemed family Christmas ornament purchased from Ms. Grimes’ website years ago, here.
Earlier this week, Ms. Grimes graciously granted me a phone interview! She had just returned home after several engagements related to her association with It’s a Wonderful Life, including a recent appearance in Seneca Falls, New York. This little town transforms itself into Bedford Falls (The town in the movie) for the month of December. See a short piece from the Today Show on Seneca Falls, the movie, and a short interview with Karolyn Grimes, here.
Ms. Grimes shared with me, that the It’s a Wonderful Life set was a fun set filled with good memories. There were other children there to play with; the other child actors playing the Bailey children. She said that she particularly enjoyed Mr. Stewart, who she described as nice, and the director Frank Capra, who she said was also nice, and would get down to her eye-level to speak to her and direct her.
The back of my 1996 ornament, with a small bell inside the base.
Ms. Grimes also spoke about her part in another one of my favorite holiday classics, The Bishop’s Wife, where she played young Debby. She said that Cary Grant was her favorite to work with. He liked children and talked with her, read stories to her, and hung out with her when time allowed. When Grant practiced his ice skating on the set’s rink, he pulled young Grimes around on a sled!
Grimes played Debby on The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
Two other prominent actors that Ms. Grimes worked with were Bing Crosby and John Wayne. She mentioned that when starring with Bing Crosby in Blue Skies, that he was very nice and often he, and his friend, actor Jerry Colonna, would include her in their daily chats.
Grimes described Bing Crosby as nice. An article discussing Bing Crosby, from Carolyn Grimes’ website, is here.
She said that she remembers John Wayne, while staring Rio Grande, as tall and masterful. Wayne would call her Little Miss Carol. :o)
Karolyn Grimes starred in Rio Grande with John Wayne.
I was surprised to learn that Ms. Grimes has written three cookbooks in conjunction with It’s a Wonderful Life. I only knew of her first one, which I own. When asking which recipe from her cookbook that I should share with my readers, she did not hesitate. She immediately said, “Mrs. Martini’s Creamy Linguine“. Don’t you just love the name?! I set out immediately to make this dish. It was yummy! The recipe is below.
Karolyn Grimes’ first It’s a Wonderful Life Cookbook
A big thank you to Karolyn Grimes for sharing her time and memories with me!
Related It’s a Wonderful Life Stuff
It was recently announced that Turner Classic Movies has showings on the big screen of It’s a Wonderful Life on their December 2022 schedule! View the schedule, here. Sign me up!
If you want some fun trivia about It’s a Wonderful Life, try The It’s Wonderful Life Trivia Book, written by Tommy of the movie/Jimmy Hawkins along with another child star, Paul Petersen (Petersen was on the The Donna Reed Show, and Donna Reed was a star in It’s a Wonderful Life.)
The Recipe
In my haste to eat, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product (OOPS!), but I do have this photo (below) of the ingredients that I used in this recipes.
Ingredients needed for this recipe
Mrs. Martini’s Creamy Linguine
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of flour
1 cup milk
Pinch of salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (I used 1/4 tea.)
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for topping (I used fresh)
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Linguine noodles (I used the fresh, refrigerated variety)
Directions
Cook noodles.
In saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and add flour, stirring constantly until thick. Add milk and heat through, stirring continuously.
Stir in remaining ingredients except noodles.
Cook over medium heat until cheese are completely melted and mixture thickens.
Pour immediately over cooked noodles and toss until well coated.
Top with sprinklings of Parmesan.
Great as a small main dish or as a side dish.
Enjoy!
The Celtic Solstice Five-Miler
I enjoyed posing for a photo op with this magnificent Irish Wolfhound.
Let me first begin by saying that I am not a runner, or at least, I wasn’t. It was in July of this year that I began… easing into the running world, using the walk/run method training program developed by Jeff Galloway. My motivation? An upcoming 10K at Walt Disney World in 2022.
In fact, in April of 2019 at Walt Disney World, I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Mr. Galloway. I expressed an interest, at that time, in possibly walk/running in the future, and he encouragingly said, “You can do it!”. :o)
I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Mr. Galloway in 2019.
On December 18, 2021 I ran (technically walk/ran) my very first race, a five-miler. For those of you who have been following I’m Annette for awhile, you may recall that I participated in a virtual 5K A Christmas StoryRun in December 2016, but I walked it with my son.
I walked in a virtual 5K A Christmas StoryRun on December 3, 2016 with my son. Read about that “race” here.
Anyway, I digress… I actually finished last Saturday’s race, and lived to tell about it! I survived! I did it! By my side the entire race was my friend, Joanne, patiently encouraging me throughout. Thank you, Joanne!
At the finish line with my friend Joanne, who patiently encouraged me throughout the race. Thank you, Joanne!
I would like to share with you the sights and sounds of The Celtic Solstice Five-Miler 2021 . Well, technically, I guess, I am sharing just the sights, and not the sounds , but there sure were some fun things to see! Take a look!
The pretty and intricate emblem on the back of my race top.
Enjoying the pre-race activities
Upon arrival we were greeted by wonderful Irish music!
Kilts, and Bagpipes, and Running Costumes, Oh My!
There were…
Bagpipes and kilts,
Kilts getting coffee,
Couples in kilts,
Funny sweatshirts, like this “Scott-ish for hire”variety,
Kilts at the start of the race,
Kilts at the finish of the race,
Celtic capes and festive hats,
Running trees,
Happy elves,
Buddy elves,
And a racing Santa.
AND…
There were racing officials in holiday attire, with a popular racing spot in the background. :O)
There was very delicious, barley-filled vegetable soup awaiting hungry and thankful race finishers,
Thanks to this soup meister! He stirred up 100 gallons of his secret recipe, for this race. Thank you! Yum!
Worn out from the race? :o)
I did it! :o)
Cooking with Gammy
Christmastime is filled with many wonderful treats, including gingerbread men and brownie reindeer.
Gingerbread men and Brownie Reindeer
Both of these are easy, simple treats that are fun to decorate, using pre-made Little Debbie treats.
Pre-made Little Debbie treats
Gingerbread Men
Gather pre-made gingerbread man cookies, canned frosting, sprinkles and colored sugars. Allow your little ones to frost the top of the cookie, and then decorate with sprinkles and/or colored sugars.
Frost with canned frosting.
Decorate with sprinkles and colored sugars.
Enjoy!
Reindeer Brownies
Complete instructions for these cute little reindeer are here.
Rudolph the red-nosed, purple-nosed, pink-nosed reindeer… :o)
Enjoy these related blog posts, below, including , one about a 5K several years ago, several with Christmas movie suggestions, and mouth-watering Christmas recipes! Just click “here” after the blog title, and enjoy. :o)
A Christmas Story Christmas, December 2016, here. Information about the holiday movie, A Christmas Story and about the related 5K.
What’s Slumgullion, December 2018, here. Information about It Happened on 5th Avenue, and its featured dish, Slumgullion.
Get I’m Annette Delivered Straight to Your Inbox! Be an I’m Annette follower! It’s easy!!! It’s fun!!! It’s absolutely free!!!! Receive my blog via email, Free, immediately upon each posting. Sign up now, on the right-hand side of this page, or click here.
A Special Note about Photos in I’m Annette Followers! If you are receiving this blog via email, and if some of the photos do not come through clearly, please click on imannette.net, or click here, to refresh the post.
Please, Leave a Kind Comment! Thank you blog readers! I enjoy hearing your kind comments! Please post yours positive thoughts in my comment section at the bottom of the blog post.
Check Out Past Blog Posts! To enjoy any, or all, of my past blog posts and photos, click here, or go to imannette.net, selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts, or you can “search” a topic in the Archives section, in the upper right-hand side. I have been blogging since 2013, so there are plenty of posts to choose from!
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us… Hebrews 12:1-3
My royal “crown”of choice is in the shape of these festive sequin Mickey Mouse ears. :o)
How many Christmas movies have you watched so far this Yuletide season? Do you favor a good Christmas classic, like White Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life, or a more modern Christmas film like A Christmas Story, or Elf, or do you find yourself watching the Hallmark(ish) kind of holiday fare?
Do you favor Christmas classics like White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, and Elf?
I, personally, love them all! Christmas movies? Bring ’em on! So if you are a fan of the TV Hallmark, or Hallmark-like Christmas variety, there is no shame here! :o)All Christmas movies are embraced here! (If you are not a fan of this variety of movie entertainment, skip down to “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!”, below.) I find myself particularly drawn to a subcategory of the December TV offerings, Hallmark-style; that is, the royal Christmas genre.
When was it decided that it is at Christmas when everyone meets and marries royalty? Who knows, but it makes for a couple of hours of very easy entertainment (In other words, no thinking required)! Some are better than others, to be sure, but they all have a bit of regal charm. Several on Netflix even have gone on to become a trio of holiday movies, such as:
The Princess Switch, The Princess Switched Again, and The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star
A Christmas Prince, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding, and A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby
Christmas With a Prince, Christmas With a Prince: Becoming Royal, and Christmas With a Prince: The Royal Baby
Are you sensing a pattern here? ha
The first one, The Princess Switch, is the one out of all nine of these, that I like the best.
Disclaimer-None of these royal movies can stand up to the likes of It’s a Wonderful Life, but I still find them fun for a much lighter fare.
A few of my royal Christmas movie dvds.
A Recipe Fit for a Royal
Do not be intimidated! Do not skip over this recipe! This recipe looks difficult, but it really isn’t. In fact, it only requires four ingredients! I have been making this for years. The first time that I enjoyed this yumminess was at my daughters sorority in 2012. It was a special dish prepared for the parents by the house chef/cook. He was kinds enough to share his recipe. (Thank you, Scott!) I changed a couple of things, when I got home, to make it easier to prepare, but this is basically his recipe. It’s a keeper!
Holiday Chicken Brie requires only four ingredients, and it isn’t just for holidays!
Holiday Chicken Brie
Ingredients
Approx. 6 (6 x 6) Frozen, or Fresh, Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farm, Sara Lee-in the frozen section, or Wewalka-in the refrigerator section )
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use pre-packed thinly sliced)
Brie (I use President’s brand-Light Brie, when I can.)
Seedless Raspberry Polaner All Fruit (jam) (Any all-fruit jam will work)
PAM cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven at 400-425 degrees.
Pan sear chicken breast in PAM cooking spray. Let cool, while preparing pastry.
Place chicken breast on pastry square.
Slice Brie, trimming off outside rind, and place on seared chicken.
Wrap pastry around chicken by brining up the four corners together. Seal/crimp edges.
Bake at 400-425 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees for poultry.
Heat approx. 1/4-1/2 cup jam in microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Plate pastry, garnish baked pastry with hot jam, and serve with additional jam on the side.
Good served with a nice green salad.
Enjoy!
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!
As I write this to you, I am enjoying the holiday decor that surrounds me (while ignoring the pile of papers littering my counter, and the dishes that need to be loaded into the dishwasher!). Please allow me to share a couple of my favorite spots around my house this Christmas.
This gift from a friend is the perfect sign for my front door!
I excitedly added these six (white) houses to my Christmas decor several years ago, but I always felt like it was lacking a little something. This year, I stumbled upon this church (in the middle), and added a string of twinkle lights to complete my display. See the previous “house” display, here.
Mickey Snowman was my addition to my Christmas decorations this year. Isn’t he cute? Read more about it, here.
Made Me Smile :o)
Thanksgiving spent with my daughter and her husband was such fun! Yes, it made me smile! As did their dog, Pongo, and cat, Nala! They are so cute!
Eating out at The General Store was yummy, and their Christmas decorations were delightful!
Pongo poses for a picture.
Nala lounges in the sunshine.
Enjoy These Related Blog Posts, below, including , Christmas movie suggestions and recipes! Just click here after the blog title, and enjoy. :o)
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Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Luke 2:14
Runaway Fried Chicken and a Terrifying Cucumber Crocodile!
Having some fun, cooking up a couple of tasty treats. On the left, Sallie Ann’s Runaway Fried Chicken and on the right, Jenny’s/Vincent Price’s Cucumber Crocodiles
One of the fun perks of being a (hobby) blogger is meeting new friends! I met Sallie Ann in 2018, after connecting over her interesting cookbooks filled with mouth-watering recipes. You can read more about our meeting, here. You can read even more about the amazing Sallie Ann in these two previous posts here, and here. After posting Sallie Ann’s recipe for Runaway Fried Chicken in my last blog post, I knew that I just had to give her chicken a try! It was delicious! (I did deviate from Sallie Ann’s original recipe by using chicken thighs purchased at my local grocer’s for my poultry creation, whereas Sallie Ann’s original recipe used chickens that her family had raised.)
Sallie Ann’s Runaway Fried Chicken recipe was delicious! See Sallie Ann’s website, here.
Who said you can’t play with your food? Not me! Neither does my blogging friend, Jenny! In fact, she recently hosted a Cucumber Crocodile Creation Contest to launch her newest cookbook Supper with the Stars with your host Vincent Price, co-authored with Peter Fuller. Find Vincent Price’s recipe for this crocodile creation, here. Using Mr. Price’s instructions, I made an attempt at the CCCC/Cucumber Crocodile Creation Contest. You can see my entry, below. Winner, or not, it was great fun to join in!
Supper with the Stars with your host Vincent Price is Jenny’s (co-authored with Peter Fuller) movie star cookbook. Her happy blog is here.
My attempt at a Vincent Price-inspired Cucumber Croc
Autumn
I’ve mentioned this before, but I LOVE fall! Autumn’s colors are such a delight, and it is such a cozy time of year. In honor of fall, I’d like to share with you, below, a few photos taken in the past couple of weeks. :o)
My friend recently shared this delightful photo with me. (Thank you, Julie!) Her granddaughter, in Iowa, is enjoying a”shower” of colorful leaves.
Winterberries are a colorful autumn sight at my local hiking area.
The orange and yellow leaves of the Maple trees line this local road .
Enjoying the spectacular fall colors in my neighborhood, as I set out on my daily walk.
Cooking with Gammy
Gammy time in November means exploring turkeys, pumpkins, pilgrims, and the Mayflower. :o)
Turkey Donuts
Always a hit with my “grands” (grandchildren), are these simple biscuit donuts. The youngsters enjoy cutting out the middle of the biscuits. (I fry them in hot oil, safely away from the little ones.) You can find the recipe, here.
The youngsters cut out the middle of the biscuits.
A whole fleet of chocolate donut Mayflowers set anchor in my kitchen. This food craft is an annual favorite at my house and takes just three ingredients: mini chocolate donuts, stick pretzels, and fruit roll ups. Paper is used for the sail. For instructions, go here.
Mayflower donuts
Mayflower Craft
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Baking up a pumpkin cake recipe, here, into cupcakes was met with smiles. Once the cupcakes were baked and cooled, they were frosted and decorated and ready for eating. :o)
Preparing the batter
The cupcakes were iced with cream cheese frosting and decorated with candy corn.
Enjoying the finished product! :o)
Made Me Smile :o)
Mixing Bowls
If you are a fan to the British TV program The Great British Baking Show on Netflix, like I am, then you will recognize the iconic bowl in the photo below and in the stirring cupcakes photo above. The pretty and functional Mason Cash mixing bowls are the unsung star of this show!
Unfortunately, both of my smaller mixing bowls recently went to that “great baking kitchen in the hereafter”, and I had been making do without. A couple of weeks ago, I was shopping at our local grocer, when I spotted it! There it was! A smaller variety Mason Cash mixing bowl! Wow! And to make the discovery even better, it was almost half the price of others that I had seen online! This treasure went home with me! :o)
My Mason Cash mixing bowl makes me (almost) feel like a contestant on The Great British Baking Show!
Wedding Bells
I am a mama bursting with pride as I share this photo of my youngest son and his wife on their wedding day! They were married in a beautiful beach ceremony on October 23. What a joyous celebration it was for this great couple! Congratulations Elisa and Chandler!!!
What a happy occasion! Thank you to the sister of the bride for the use of this lovely photo!
Enjoy These Related Blog Posts, below, including , Thanksgiving recipes! Just click on where it says here and enjoy. :o)
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Sallie Ann Robinson, Embracing Daufuskie Island (South Carolina), Part 2
This fun Sallie Ann Robinson cookbook is chockfull with tasty Daufuskie Island recipes!
Cookbook photo Copyright 2003 by Sallie Ann Robinson Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu
After posting Sallie Ann Robinson, Embracing Daufuskie Island (South Carolina) last week, I am back to share with you one of Sallie Ann’s actual recipes! I plan to try this recipe out very soon, and I will report back when I do. If you decide to give it a try, please let me know by writing in the comments below!
In her youth (Sallie Ann says that she was around the age of 11-12), Sallie Ann was given the chore of preparing chicken for dinner for her family. Along with the cooking of it, Sallie Ann first had to “prepare” the live fowl for the frying pan. In the “preparation process”, the doomed chicken made a run for it, fleeing into the nearby woods. After several hours, the bird was located and herded back home. Dinner was then prepared, using this recipe, for “Runaway Chicken”.:o)
Sallie Ann’s version of this humorous childhood memory can be found in her cookbook Gullah Home Cooking the Daufauskie Way, page 99.
A mother hen and chicks in a Daufuskie yard.
Photo Copyright 2003 by Sallie Ann Robinson Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu
Runaway Fried Chicken
1 young chicken, plucked, cleaned, and cut into parts sprinkle paprika sprinkle salt and black pepper 1 and 1/2 cups cooking oil 1 and 1/2 cups flour
Season the cleaned chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Flour the chicken by placing it in a bag (paper or plastic) with the flour and shaking to coat. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag and shake off extra flour. Test the oil temperature by drop- ping in a dab of flour, which should brown, not burn. Add the chicken to the oil. Cook thoroughly, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.
Recipe Copyright 2003 by Sallie Ann Robinson Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu
Thank you!
A big thank you to Sallie Ann Robinson for your enjoyable phone interview for this blog post (and last week’s), and for your generously sharing of your recipe and photos! Thank you, too, goes to the University of North Carolina Press for the sharing of photos, text, and the recipe!
Cooking with Gammy
Gammy time, this week, meant that my granddaughter and I enjoyed “studying” owls , and making Owl Belly Buttons to eat! :o)
Owl Belly Buttons and an Owl Craft
This easy-to-make, three-ingredient treat has been made with varying colors of m&m’s over the years to fit the “occasion”, such as orange and black for “scarecrow” or “jack-o-lantern” belly buttons, yellow, orange, and brown for “turkey” belly buttons (Yes, they would look exactly like those in the photo below! :O)), red and green for “reindeer” belly buttons, and …well you get the idea. :o)
Yesterday, an emotional 90-year-old Captain Kirk ,William Shatner from Star Trek (1966-1969), fame took an almost 11-minute flight into space. How cool is that?!
Click here, to listen to Shatner’s reactions after the flight.
I am a Star Trek fan from way back. My favorite episode is the comical “The Trouble with Tribbles” S2, E15. What’s yours? Let me know in the comment section!
Enjoy These Related Blog Posts, including Sallie Ann , Fried Chicken, Fall, and Halloween! Just click on where it says here and enjoy.
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Please, Leave a Kind Comment! Thank you blog readers! I enjoy hearing your kind comments! Please post yours positive thoughts in my comment section at the bottom of the blog post.
Check Out the Last Eight Years of Past Blog Posts! To enjoy any, or all, of my past blog posts and photos, click here, or go to imannette.net, selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts,or you can “search” a topic in the Archivessection, in the upper right-hand side. I have been blogging since 2013, so there are plenty of posts to choose from!
My vintage chicken/rooster greets me each morning, keeping watch over my kitchen.
Sallie Ann Robinson, Embracing Daufuskie Island (South Carolina)
Author Sallie Ann Robinson with her book on South Carolina’s Daufuskie Island’s history, that she co-authored with Jenny Hersch. Photo taken September 5, 2018
First impressions… Meeting Sallie Ann in September 2018, I was struck by her infectious smile and upbeat personality. (Please, read more about that meeting, and the interesting story of how that meeting came to be, here.)
I happily met Sallie Ann in September 2018. Read more about our meeting, and how that meeting came to be, here! Photo taken September 5, 2018
Sallie Ann was born, and grew up on the island of Daufuskie Island (South Carolina). In fact, she was one of Pat Conroy’s students, featured in his 1972 book/memoir The Water is Wide. The book was made into the 1974, Jon Voight film, Conrack, and later into a 2006 Hallmarkmovie, The Water is Wide. In Conroy’s book, Ethel, his student, was in reality Sallie Ann, and Yamacraw Island was actually Daufuskie Island.
Graduating with my elementary education degree in May 1980
I discovered this book as a brand new, just out of college, South Carolina elementary school teacher in 1980 (See photo above.). I was fascinated. So, when visiting Hilton Head Island in 1981, I embarked on the boat ride over to see the island that Conroy so descriptively painted in his novel. (Even today, the only way to get to Daufuskie Island is via an hour-long ferry ride.)
A photo from Daufiskie Island, taken in April 1981. Note the mode of transportation that took me there from Hilton Head Island. :o)
These days, after spending years of living off the island, Sallie Ann resides on Daufuskie Island with 450 other residents. Called by some “The Gullah Diva”, Sallie Ann keeps the history of Daufuskie alive by writing books and cookbooks, children’s books, by cooking, and giving tours of her beloved island. Sallie Ann has hopes of aiding in the restoration of the handful of original Daufuskie Island historic homes into bed and breakfast accommodations, and cleaning up Daufuskie’s aging cemetery.
A pretty Sallie Ann photo from her new updated website, here.
It was through a friend’s text a few months ago, that I learned about an informative, new,four-part program on Netflix, that had just begun to air, called High on the Hog. It explores the history of African American cuisine. How interesting! My interest was further piqued, upon learning, that Sallie Ann Robinson appears in Season 1, Episode 2: The Rice Kingdom! It was fun seeing her enjoy the exploration of Gullah cooking in the Daufiskie Island segment! And by Sallie Ann’s own admission, “it was fun”making the show! :o)
Read this wonderful article about Sallie Ann by the BBC is here.
Life is precious and for the living. Enjoy it, because tomorrow is not promised. Remember, and remind yourself, that life is what you make of it. And most important, you have the power to reach for the sky because its big enough for all to have a slice and ENJOY! …..Sallie Ann Robinson
Thomas Jefferson Liked Macaroni and Cheese!
The Sallie Ann portion is not the only fun in this series. Among the other gems unearthed on High on the Hog, is the not often-told history of macaroni and cheese in America! Spoiler Alert-Thomas Jefferson was a big fan of this dish! I found the original Jefferson recipe, here, and here. For a little history on this All-American dish, prepared by James Hemings, Jefferson’s enslaved cook, read here and here.
Macaroni is so All-American that it is found in many U.S. kitchen pantries, including mine!
Cooking with Gammy
I have been enjoying Gammy time with my almost two-year old granddaughter, lately. :o) See some of those cooking creations below.
If You Give a Moose a Muffin
If You Give a Moose a Muffin (by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond) was a fun to read and, of course, made us hungry for muffins! :o)
A fun book
Moose craft
Muffin mix
Yummy muffins!
Squirrels and Acorns
Reading about squirrels, and counting them on our walk, were fun activities, but frosting the tops of donut holes, dipping them in mini-chocolate chips, and adding part of a pretzel stick for a stem, was tastier!
Donut acorn
Pumpkins October means pumpkins! So we baked pumpkin cookies!
Easy pumpkin sugar cookies, and the raw dough is safe to eat!
Made Me Smile :o)
Tea If you have read my blog before, you are aware that I am a BIG fan of Barry’s Tea! Most days, I begin my day with a cup of this wonderful “no-nonsense” tea! Read about how I discovered this tea brand, here.
Enjoying my Barry’s Tea!
Mickey Snowman The one addition to my Christmas decor this year is this Mickey Mouse Snowman! All sold out last year, I was very happy to locate one this year at Lowe’s. My grandchildren will love seeing it lit up inside my entryway this holiday season. :o)
How cute is this Mickey Mouse Snowman?!
Mickey Jack-O-Lanterns Speaking of Mickey Mouse, gotta love a little Halloween Mickey, right?
Mickey Mouse is as scary as my house gets on Halloween! :o)
Fall Autumn brings beautiful weather on my daily walks! The fall colors are just beginning to show!
Autumn walks mean beautiful weather and colors.
Enjoy These Related Blog Posts! Just click on where it says here and enjoy.
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Please, Leave a Kind Comment! Thank you blog readers! I enjoy hearing your kind comments! Please post yours positive thoughts in my comment section at the bottom of the blog post.
Check Out the Last Eight Years of Past Blog Posts! To enjoy any, or all, of my past blog posts and photos, click here, or go to imannette.net, selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts,or you can “search” a topic in the Archivessection, in the upper right-hand side. I have been blogging since 2013, so there are plenty of posts to choose from!
Mr. Owl, brings me smiles, reminding me of the owls in the Haunted Forest from The Wizard of Oz (“I’d turn back if I’d were you!”), Wishing you a happy and safe Halloween!
This is my favorite time of year; the end of fall, right before autumn begins.
April (Played by Greer Grammer) From the TV show The Middle (S8E3, 2016)
Happy Fall! I just had to begin this blog post with this silly, yet, nonsensical quote from one of my favorite sitcoms, The Middle. Hee Hee.
Fall is my very most favorite time of year! (Insert my happy smile here.) With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, in my mind fall has now begun! Even though the calendar declares that the first day of autumn officially begins September 22, I beg to differ. Autumn IS here!!!
With this proclamation, my fall decoration bin has been lugged up from the basement to see the light of day. My home now is sprinkled with a little bit of festive fall fun. Take a peek.
My home now is sprinkled with a little bit of festive fall fun.
A Dessert From My Childhood
I recently rediscovered this flavor from my childhood. It is a simple, yet yummy, dessert that originally came from my Aunt Helen. I remember in my younger days (In sixth grade?) stealthily sneaking into this dessert whenever I could, often picking out the chilled chocolate chunks from within. Oh, so yummy on a hot summer day. I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
This simple, yet yummy, dessert originally came from my aunt.
The Recipe
Chocolate Chip Dessert
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust
1 +1/2 crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons melted butter
Top Layer
2-packages of 3.4 ounce boxes of instant vanilla pudding
1 +1/2 cup cold milk (I use skim milk.)
3 cups of chocolate chip ice cream-softened
8 ounce Cool Whip whipped topping-thawed (I use Truwhip whipped topping with no trans fats)
semi-sweet mini chocolate chips-optional, but recommended (My addition to the original recipe.)
Directions:
Thoroughly mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Pat onto bottom of 9 x 13 pan.
Mix together vanilla pudding and milk. Add softened ice cream, and then thawed whipped topping.
Pour pudding mixture evenly over the graham cracker crust.
Sprinkle top with mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Cover with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator.
To serve, cut into squares.
Enjoy!
Cooking with Gammy
I love being a gammy, and I enjoy cooking! Combine these two things together, and it is fun times for all! One of my grands’ favorites recipes to cook up together comes from Walt Disney World’s, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Cookbook (2015), in the form of Fruit Sushi.
One of my grands’ favorites recipes comes from Walt Disney World’s, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Cookbook (2015), in the form of Fruit Sushi. (A lot of delicious-looking recipes are in this book!)
I keep the five ingredients needed, on hand, for whenever my grand kiddos want to whip up a batch of these colorfully enhanced Rice Krispie Treats.
The five ingredients needed, for these colorfully enhanced Rice Krispie Treats are shown above.
The day that this photo was taken, the grocery store was gummy worm deficient, so we used fruit snacks, instead. :o)
Spread 1/3-1/2 cup (using greased with PAM measuring cup) mixture onto each fruit roll-up.
Roll the Fruit Roll-up tightly around the Rice Krispe mixture and gummy worm.
Slice into 1-inch pieces and serve.
WDW Fruit Sushi
Ingredients
PAM cooking spray
12 fruit roll-ups
4 cups miniature marshmallows
3-4 Tablespoons butter (The original recipe calls for 3 Tablespoons)
6 cups of Rice Krispies
12 gummy worms (Fruit snacks can be used in a pinch.)
Also, wax paper and small sandwich bags
Directions
Unroll and unwrap fruit roll-ups, and place flat on wax paper. Set aside.
Melt marshmallows and butter in sauce pan over low-medium heat, stirring until smooth. Remove melted marshmallow mix from heat. (I do this part.)
Add Rice Krispies, and mix well until cereal is totally coated.
Spread 1/3-1/2 cup (using greased with PAM measuring cup) mixture onto each fruit roll-up. (Original recipe calls for 1/2 cup.)
Place one gummy worm lengthwise in the middle of the Rice Krispie mix of each Fruit Roll-up.
Roll the Fruit Roll-up tightly around the Rice Krisipe mixture and gummy worm.
Slice into 1-inch pieces and serve. (I do the slicing part, as a sharp knife is required.)
Store extra in air-tight container, or baggie.
Annette’s Notes I use (as do my grand children) a small sandwich bag sprayed with PAM to work with and form the Rice Krispie mixture.
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Please, Leave a Kind Comment! Thank you blog readers! I enjoy hearing your kind comments! Please post yours positive thoughts in my comment section at the bottom of the blog post.
Check Out Eight Years of Past Blog Posts! To enjoy any, or all, of my past blog posts and photos, click here, or go to imannette.net, selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts, or you can “search” a topic in the Archivessection, in the upper right-hand side. I have been blogging since 2013, so there are plenty of posts to choose from!
Just so you do not think that all that I eat is of the sweet variety (Such as Chocolate Chip Dessert and Fruit Sushi), here is a photo of some delicious crab that I enjoyed in August!
I'm Annette! 
