I received an award! The Literary Paw!

On June 7, 2012 seven beautiful kittens were born to a mama cat who had been rescued and cared for by two caring women.  These ladies shared every moment of these adorable furballs early months via streaming video on the Internet.  Literally, millions of people from all over the world tuned in to watch and, remarkably, lasting friendships were formed.    After the kittens went on to their furever homes and the webcam stream stopped some of the viewers remained in contact via chatroom and Facebook – we call ourselves the Kitten Club.

As a Seven Kittens viewer, I was so inspired by the whole experience that I wrote a story about Noodles (the mama) and her seven babies.    I shared it with the Kitten Club. 

I received more praise than I ever expected and many emotional replies.  It was gratifying if not a little embarrassing. 

Honestly, I didn’t think the story was that good.  However, I was happy that it was so well received and that fellow Kitten Clubbers (please don’t club the kittens) enjoyed it.

In fact, my KC friends liked my story so much that they presented me the Kitten Club Literary Award – the purple paw.  I was, and still am, humbled to receive such praise from these wonderful, caring people.

The was an official ceremony and everything;  albeit a virtual one.

The following is the nomination and resulting ceremony.   The award was presented by the established Mistress of Ceremonies, the lovely and talented Maisy who is a KC paw award recipient herself for delivering dozens of hand-knit catnip mouses all over the world to KCers and non-KCers, alike.

Maisy: snuffle..... I do believe Cher has won the "literary paw".

Cher: heh

t4fish: totally!

Diane: Yes, YES!! The Literay Paw!

Maisy : Any volunteers to conduct a literary paw ceremony?

Cher: oy

t4fish: Maisy, you do this so well

Maisy P: oy

t4fish: I can’t, I'm all in tears

Maisy P: are they not all getting a bit "samey" when I do them?

t4fish: no, u'r giving each the special touch

Maisy P: wellllllllllllllllllllll​llllllllllllll if you are sure.......

Diane: I'm sure too!!!!!

Maisy P: ahhh here we all are!

Maisy P: ahem ahem

Maisy P: drumrolllllllll

Maisy P: Cher, by the power vested in me as KC master of ceremonies

t4fish: yay!

Maisy P: I hereby award you the very creative KC literary paw award

Diane: *applause*

Diane: Hurrah!!!

t4fish: *applause*

Maisy P: This award has NEVER BEFORE been presented to a KC member (past or resent) and therefore holds special powers

Maisy P: It is awarded to you for your emotion overload inducing Noodles story (sniff) AND also for your Words wit Friends achievements as you have wiped the floor with many a worthy opponent with your literary skills

Maisy P: Enjoy your paw and keep it shiny.

Maisy P: end

t4fish: *applause*

t4fish: Cher! You're the best!

Cher: wow. i am speechless.

t4fish: I can't see through the tears

t4fish: Speech!

Cher: I accept this award humbly and with great feeling. This is the bestest club EVER with the greatest people ever

Maisy P: Nice paw presentation Adi!

Maisy P: well timed

Cher: I will happily continue to mop the floor with y'all in WWF, but modestly so. And I promise to keep my lovely paw shiny.

Cher: I am thrilled and honored to accept this award

Cher: smooches all around!

t4fish: :D mop away!

t4fish: *applause*

Maisy P: *applause*

Cher: great presentation

Cher: I shared with hubby

Maisy P: awwwwwwwww

Cher: he liked YOUR speech but said mine was lame

Cher: I quote, "some literary giant YOU are"  

Maisy P: hehe

Diane: Smack him for me

t4fish: :)) nooooo it was great

t4fish: yeah, what Diane said

Cher: hehe

Cher: I told him. He may not come home tonight.

It was a wonderful ceremony.  It truly made my day!

That was the middle of December.

When I arrived home from work today there was a small package waiting for me.  Imagine my shock and pleasure when I opened it up to find a sparkly, purple paw pin inside!

Fuzzums, my kitty, graciously presented me with the award with all the authority and pawers granted her as a feline and permanent member of the Kitten Club.

Thank you to ALL of my Fellow KCers.  I love you all and I happy to be a  member of the bestest club in the whole wide world!!

The Paw awards come from The Animal Rescue Site, proceeds to provide food and care to rescued animals.

And, the mice Maisy shipped all over the world she purchased from her veterinarian.  The mice are made and donated to the office and the proceeds from the sale of the mice go to support local animal shelters.

Curried Baked Beans on Toast

This is an interesting and delicious breakfasty thing that a friend of mine posted a photo of on Facebook - along with oh-so  floofy and handsome Nigel the kitty-cat looking for a nibble.

The dish is Curried Beans on Toast topped with an egg. 

 Although baked beans seem to be a foodstuff of American invention, the putting them on toast seems to be a British thing hearkening back to World War II when sources of good protein were difficult to come by.  

At some point someone decided to curry them - perhaps due to the British colonization of India a taste for curry was acquired,  the two were combined and dish was born?  I just supposing, but it makes sense.  At least to me it does.

So, I decided to try it and, I must say, I actually liked it quite a lot.  It's very easy to make, tasty and satisfying.  

Quick Curry Beans On Toast (for two)


1 20.7 Oz. Can Campbells Pork and Beans
3 Teaspoons Curry Powder
1 Pinch Salt
1 Pinch Pepper
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Mint
4 Slices Bread
3 Tbsp Butter
4 Eggs, Poached or Fried

Empty the beans into a saucepan.  Add the salt, pepper,  mint and curry powder.  The mint is not so much for flavor as to round out the spiciness of the curry.

Mix well, and then cook until warmed through over medium heat.  

Once the beans are warmed through, add one tablespoon of butter and mix well.  This makes the curry creamy.

Toast and butter the bread then arrange two slices per plate.  

Pour the cooked beans onto the toast. Arrange an egg atop each of the bean covered toast slices.

Enjoy!

Classic Green Bean Casserole

I recently made a baked ham and one of the things I like best as a side dish to ham is green bean casserole.  I've made several different variations of this recipe but this one is THE best I've ever made . . . rich, cream and delicious.







Classic Green Bean Casserole

1 28 Ounce Can Cut Green Beans, Drained
1  10 3/4 Ounce Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 Cup Mi1k
1/4 Tsp Pepper
1 Can French-Fried Onions

In a small casserole dish, combine soup, milk, and pepper in a 3 quart casserole; mix well. 

Stir in beans and 1/2 of French-fried onions.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Stir. Sprinkle with remaining onions. 

Bake 5 minutes or until onions are golden.

Homemade soap . . . easy peasy

I don't buy commercial soap for myself anymore . . . I make it.  It's very easy to do but requires time, attention.

You make soap out of pretty much any kind of fat or oil.  I make bacon fairly often for breakfast and it's pretty much a waste to throw away the by-product when it can be so useful.  I pour the fat off into a container until I have enough to make a batch of soap.  The recipe that follows uses one quart of bacon fat.

To answer the big question . . . soap made from bacon fat does NOT smell like bacon.  All the baconny smell is neutralized during the saponification process.

Why would I bother to make my own soap when it's fairly cheap to buy?  Self satisfaction?  Yeah, there is the whole "Hey!  Look what I did! I made that!" thing.   But that's not the only reason.

Homemade soap is loaded with natural glycerin.  Glycerin is removed from commercial soaps and sold at a premium for its outstanding moisturizing properties.  Not only is homemade soap excellent for your skin but it cleans well, too.  And, with the omission of scents it's great for anyone with allergies.

The following is a method I use to make a basic lye soap using reserved bacon fat.  Let's make soap!

A word of caution . . . this method utilizes lye (sodium hydroxide).  Lye is extremely caustic and it cause severe burns and eat through many materials it comes in contact with.  So use caution when working with lye.  Use protective gear .  . . very important!  Whatever you use to make the soap (bowls, spoons, etc.) should be designated as such and never used for food.

To answer the next question . . . even though soap is made with such a caustic chemical homemade soap is remarkably gentle and soothing.  The saponification process . .  the chemical reaction between the lye and fat which creates the soap . . . negates the harshness of the lye.

What you will need:  

• glass or plastic container to dissolve the lye in
• a kitchen thermometer
• a large bowl for mixing the soap (2-quart minimum)
• a kitchen scale
• wooden or plastic spoons
• soap molds
• safety gear - protective eye wear, heavy rubber gloves

Make sure any bowl or utensil you use is non-reactive to lye.  Stick with glass, plastic, enameled or stainless steel.  Some materials . . . such as aluminum . . .  react chemically in a bad way when they come in contact with lye.

The mold can be pretty much anything . . . I have special soap molds but they are completely unnecessary, more of a nice to have than a need to have.  Something that is a long rectangle large enough to hold a batch of soap that can be cut into bars . . . it doesn't have to be perfect.










You can purchase lye at hardware stores or there are a number of sources on the internet that sell lye; soap making or bio-diesel making suppliers are good sources.  Don't use commercial drain cleaner that contains lye . . . it also has other additives you don't want in your soap.  

Lye is an alkaline . . . vinegar is an acid. So, have vinegar on hand to neutralize any spills.  

Okay . . . so NOW let's make some soap.

Cher's Bacon Soap

2 Lbs (1 Quart) of bacon fat (or other lard)
4.4 Ounces (1 Cup + 1/8 Cup) of Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
7 Fluid Ounces Very Cold Water
Scented Essential Oils (Optional)

Make sure everything is accurately measured.  Like baking, making soap is a science.

Put on protective eye wear and heavy rubber gloves.  In a well ventilated area (poisonous fumes) pour the lye into the water and stir carefully with a wooden or plastic spoon until lye is completely dissolved.  Very important . . . lye INTO the water not the other way around.  There will be an immediate chemical reaction and the mixture will get extremely hot.  Place the container on a solid, level surface and leave undisturbed until it cools to the proper temperature - 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the lye is cooling, melt the lard and get it to the proper temperature - 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The bacon fat tends to have bits off bacon . . . not a huge problem, most of that will remain as sediment in the bottom of the pot you use to melt the fat in otherwise it will pretty much be dissolved by the lye.   If it really bothers you then just strain it out once the fat is melted.

The temperature don't have to be exact,but it should be close. If the fat is a little too warm and the lye a touch cooler, it's okay. 

When the lye mixture and the fat have reached temperature, pour the fat into the bowl for mixing the soap.  I use an old Kitchen-aid stand mixer because then I don't have to manually stir the soap.  But that's a luxury and that's only because hubby bought me a bigger/better model and I happened to have a spare lying around.  









Once the fat is in the bowl start stirring while slowly streaming in the lye mixture. Continuously stir until it is thick . . . like a slushy.  Keep in mind this can take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour (sometimes longer). This is why the Kitchen-aid mixer is so useful.

Once it has reach the correct thickness you can add the essential oils for fragrance or leave it plain . .. . about two ounces.  I used a combination of lavender and eucalyptus.  

Then pour the soap into your mold scraping the sides of the bowl.  Lining the mold with plastic wrap helps with removing the soap from the mold later on, but can leave wrinkles.  But that's not a big deal . . . it doesn't have to be perfect.

Rinse any equipment that has come into contact the lye with vinegar and water to neutralize any lye that may be left behind.  Then wash the soap making equipment thoroughly with hot soapy water.

After a few days the saponification process is well under way and the soap should be firm enough to remove from the mold.  Pop the soap out of the mold.  At this point you can cut the soap into bars using a knife or other such implement.  





The soap is not immediately ready to use; it will have to cure for at least 4 weeks before you attempt to use it.  The bars will need to be placed in a place where there is some air circulation and allows for moisture to be wicked away . . . such as a cardboard box or a brown paper shopping bag.

You can test the soaps readiness by washing your hands with it after the four weeks is up.  If your hands feel slimy after you've rinsed your hands with water then it's not ready.  Rinse your hands with vinegar to neutralize any stray lye and let the soap cure for another 2 weeks or so.  

Store your soap where there is access to air . . . not in a sealed container.  It has a relatively long shelf life but you will find that you will go through your homemade soap faster than with commercial bars.  This is because of the glycerin in the soap, which makes it dissolve at a faster rate.  

Firewater Friday - Bacon Infused Bourbon (method 2)

I've tried two different methods of infusing bourbon with bacon . . . with distinctly different results.  Both tasted like bacon of course but this method is a much more baconny flavor.  The recipe below imparts a more subtle bacon but smokier taste.  I like them both a lot, they each have wonderful qualities so it's hard to decide which I prefer.


Bacon Infused Bourbon


1/2 cup of rendered bacon fat
4 cups of bourbon


Cook a pound of bacon.   Eat the bacon and reserve the rendered fat

Add a 1/2 cup of hot fat to a jar and allow to cool but not solidify.  

Once the bacon fat has cooled off a bit add the bourbon. 














Seal and allow to stand until it reaches room temperature. 

Place the jar in the freezer for 24 hours. 

The fat will solidify but the bourbon will remain in a liquid state. 

Open the jar and pour off the bourbon, straining through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove any loose fat particles. (I used a nylon stocking as a strainer).

Transfer to another jar or bottle for storage.

Beer and Paprika Beef Stew

This stew was inspired by meat leftover from fondue and a bottle of beer.  I'm easily inspired . . . hehe.  It made a fantastic stew . . . rich and delicious.  Served up with some warm bread . . . also leftover from fondue.  Yum!

The beer you choose is up to you but whatever you select will change the flavor of the stew.  I used a Yuengling Lager and it was so good!

Beer and Paprika Beef Stew 

1 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Pound Stew Meat, 1-inch Pieces

1/2 Medium Onion, Diced

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Beer, 12 Ounces

1 Can Beef Gravy 

1 Cup Water

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 Teaspoon Paprika

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 1/2 Cups Baby Carrots

8 - 10 Baby New Potatoes, Halved

Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat the remove from pot and set aside on a plate when brown. 

Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. 

Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper. 

Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

The gravy will thicken as it cooks.  If  it gets too thick, add additional water as needed. (I didn't have to add any additional water)

Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. 

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve in bowls along with warm crusty French bread.