Live Everyday like a Holiday!

Welcome to a New Ritual in Coloring: Layer & Shade

2025-11-19T07:06:00.002-06:00

I’m delighted to announce the publication of 🎀Layer & Shade: Christmas Holiday Edition. This first edition isn’t just a coloring book — it’s a festive archive of creative challenges designed to bring depth, texture, and joy to your holiday season.

Inside, you’ll discover pages that invite you to:

Layer ornaments and motifs to create dimension and storytelling.
Shade with patience to reveal hidden textures in wreaths, trees, and festive scenes.
Experiment with one‑color challenges (like peppermint red or evergreen green) that transform simplicity into elegance.
Try cross‑hatching rituals that weave shadows into stockings, mugs, and woodland creatures.

🎀 Each page is more than an illustration — it’s a holiday ritual, blending folklore, storytelling, and artistry. And with this first edition, you’ll notice the shimmering silver seal of Seasonal Secrets on the cover — a mark that will unify the entire series. This seal is your promise that each future volume, belongs to a keepsake archive of festive creativity. It’s the emblem that ties every ritual together, inviting you into a growing collection of seasonal magic.

🎀 Think of it as a festive keepsake archive bubbling with holiday spirit — a place where you can experiment, play, and discover new ways to color while celebrating the season.

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“So sharpen your pencils, stir your cocoa, and step into the holiday ritual — the archive is glowing, and the celebration begins.”

✨ Here's it's location on Amazon - Christmas Holiday Edition -

✨ Explore all my books on my Author page.

🎀 This Christmas Holiday Edition is just the beginning. As the seasons turn, new volumes will join the archive — each carrying the silver seal of Seasonal Secrets and expanding the creative rituals within. To follow along, simply keep an eye out for the Layer & Shade series link on Amazon. That’s where every future edition will gather, ready to invite you into new challenges, folklore, and festive artistry.

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Enjoy and Happy Holidays Everyone, Love Pam

Sweet Harmony Cornbread Casserole

2025-11-16T15:11:00.001-06:00

Sweet Harmony Cornbread Casserole is a dish that sings at the Thanksgiving table. It's not just food, it's a ritual of abundance, color, and warmth.

🌟 The Harmony of Your Dish

Corn → golden abundance
Carrots → vitality and brightness
Onion → hidden wisdom, softened in the hearth
Peas → renewal and joy
Red Bell Pepper → passion and celebration
Cornbread + Cheese → the binding warmth of community, the hearth of the feast
Butter + Cracker Crust → a golden seal of prosperity

Together, they create a symphony of sweetness and savor, a true harmony of vegetables and comfort. - it becomes more than a casserole — it’s a ritual dish of sweetness and gratitude, perfect for Thanksgiving

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Yes — sweet corn, sweet carrots, sweet onion, and sweet peas all pair beautifully with a cheesy casserole. In fact, that combination creates a naturally sweet and savory balance that cheese enhances rather than overwhelms. Let’s break it down:
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🧀 Why These Vegetables Work with Cheese

Sweet Corn: Its creamy sweetness is the classic base; cheese adds richness and depth.
Sweet Carrots: Their mild sweetness and tender texture complement the corn, while cheese softens their earthiness.
Sweet Onion: When sautéed, they bring a mellow, caramel-like flavor that blends seamlessly with melted cheese.
Sweet Peas: Bright pops of sweetness and color; cheese rounds them out, preventing the dish from being too sugary.

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🌽 Flavor Harmony

Sweet + Savory Balance: Cheese (especially cheddar, Colby, or muenster) provides saltiness and umami, balancing the natural sugars in the vegetables.
Texture Contrast: Corn and peas give bursts of sweetness, carrots add tender bite, onions melt into the background — all bound together by gooey cheese.
Color Appeal: Yellow corn, orange carrots, green peas, and golden cheese create a vibrant, festive dish.

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✨ Tips for a Cheesy Corn-Veggie Casserole

Cheese Choices:
- Sharp cheddar for boldness
- Colby or muenster for creaminess
- Parmesan sprinkled on top for a nutty finish
Layering Trick: Mix veggies into the base, then top with cheese and breadcrumbs for a golden crust.
Optional Additions: A touch of garlic or bell pepper can add depth without competing with the sweetness. Watch out for the green bell peppers. To much can bite. But tastes great with Mexican seasoning. But hey that's a different casserole recipe that does not have carrots in it. Wink~

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🌽🫑 Why Red Bell Pepper Fits

Flavor Balance: Sweet red bell peppers add a gentle tang and brightness that cuts through the richness of cheese and cream.
Color Contrast: Their deep red hue makes the casserole visually striking alongside golden cornbread, yellow corn, green peas, and orange carrots.
Texture: They soften nicely when baked, blending into the creamy base while still offering a slight bite.

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🍞 Cornbread as Binder ( like Sweet Jiffy Mix) or make your own

Sweet Cornbread: Using a boxed sweet cornbread mix as the binder is a clever twist. It adds structure, a touch of sweetness, and a fluffy texture that holds the vegetables together.
Cheesy Harmony: Cornbread pairs naturally with cheese — think of cheesy cornbread muffins — so it will integrate seamlessly into your casserole.
Holiday-Friendly: This makes the dish feel like a hybrid between dressing/stuffing and a vegetable bake, perfect for festive tables.

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🧀 Flavor Profile of Your Dish

Sweet Corn: Creamy, classic base.
Sweet Onion: Adds depth and caramel-like undertones.
Sweet Peas: Bright pops of sweetness and color.
Sweet Red Bell Pepper: Tangy-sweet lift and visual vibrancy.
Sweet Cornbread: Comforting binder with a soft, cake-like texture.
Cheese (Cheddar, Colby, or Muenster): Salty, gooey richness to balance all the sweetness.

Together, this creates a creamy, cheesy, sweet-savory casserole that feels indulgent yet balanced.

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✨ Tips to Elevate It

Sauté onions and peppers first for extra flavor depth.
Mix cheese into both the batter and the topping for gooey layers.
Add a crunchy finish: breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, or extra cornbread crumbles baked on top.
Optional spice: A pinch of paprika or cayenne can balance the sweetness if you want a subtle kick.
Follow cornbread box directions / you may need an extra splash of milk if it's too thick.
Eggs - Don't forget to beat a couple in.

🥚 Why Eggs Help

Structure & Binding: Eggs act as a natural glue, holding the cornbread, cheese, and vegetables together.
Fluff & Moisture: They help the casserole rise slightly and stay tender instead of dense.
Richness: Eggs add a subtle creaminess that deepens the flavor, especially alongside cheese.

Sweet! - you may need to add an extra spoonful of sugar for extra sweetness.
Melted stick of butter! Adds a creamy salty touch.
Full Flavor! This caramel flavor, sweet flavor and salty flavor is so yummy together!
Do you have to add all the vegetables? Nope, I leave out the peas when I cook it for Thanksgiving and make it with peas for Christmas color. Just remember to ALWAYS use sweet vegetables in the casserole. (sweet corn, sweet onions, sweet carrots, sweet red bell pepper, sweet peas) for a sweet sweet creamy dish.
Create your own Sweet Harmony Cornbread Casserole! There's no real recipe. It just needs to look thick like cake batter - Just Mix & Bake

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✅ So yes — sweet cornbread + sweet veggie + cheese casserole idea is not only workable, it’s a festive showstopper. It bridges comfort food with playful creativity-

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🍴 Your Dish in Layers

Base Binder: Sweet cornbread batter, enriched with cheese for creaminess.
Sweet Quartet of Vegetables: Corn, carrots, peas, onion, and red bell pepper — each bringing color and symbolic sweetness.
Cheese Fusion: Folded into the batter for gooey richness, then layered on top for golden melt.
Cracker Crust: Crushed crackers kissed with melted butter, baked until crisp and shimmering.

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🌽✨ Why It Works

Flavor Balance: The natural sugars of the vegetables harmonize with the saltiness of cheese and the buttery crust.
Texture Play: Soft cornbread, creamy cheese, tender vegetables, and crunchy topping — every bite is layered.
Visual Feast: Gold, orange, green, red — a Thanksgiving palette baked into one dish.
Festive Spirit: It bridges dressing, casserole, and comfort food, making it a centerpiece-worthy creation.

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🌟 — 350°F for about 40 minutes is right in the sweet spot for a cornbread-based casserole. Here’s how that timing works with Sweet Harmony Cornbread Casserole:

🔥 Baking Guidance

Temperature: 350°F is ideal — it allows the cornbread binder to cook through without drying out the vegetables.
Time: 35–45 minutes, depending on your oven and the depth of your dish.
Visual Cue: Look for a golden-brown crust on top, bubbling edges, and a firm center that springs back slightly when pressed.
Cheese Layer: If you add extra cheese on top, it should be melted and lightly browned by the end.
Cracker Crust: With melted butter poured over, it will crisp beautifully in that timeframe.

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✨ Pro Tip

Cover loosely with foil for the first 20 minutes if you’re worried about the crust browning too quickly.
Uncover for the last 15–20 minutes to let the cheese and cracker topping turn golden.
Rest for 5–10 minutes after baking — this helps the casserole set so it slices neatly.

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🌟 Why This Is Special

It’s seasonal: perfect for Thanksgiving, yet timeless enough to reappear at any feast.
It’s symbolic: every sweet vegetable carries meaning — abundance, vitality, renewal, joy.
It’s communal: cornbread and cheese bind everything together, just like family and friends at the table.

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Sweet Harmony Cornbread Casserole

Gather the golden corn of abundance,
the carrots of vitality,
the onion of wisdom,
the peas of renewal,
and the red pepper of joy.

Bind them in cornbread,
sweetened by hearth and memory,
folded with cheese for richness,
sealed with butter and crumbs.

Bake until the crust glows,
a harmony of sweet vegetables,
a hymn of gratitude for the feast.
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Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Love Pam

Why Watermelon Juice Isn't Sold Like Apple Juice

2025-09-18T14:28:00.000-05:00

🍉

Unlike apple juice, which is shelf-stable and easy to mass-produce, watermelon juice is delicate:

It’s 92% water, which makes it prone to separation and spoilage
Fresh watermelon juice only stays good for 12 to 24 hours, even when refrigerated
Because of this, grocery stores rarely stock pure watermelon juice in the same way they do apple or orange juice

🍉

Instead, what you’ll usually find are “watermelon juice drinks”—blends that include:

Added sugars
Preservatives
Other juices (like grape, pear, or apple)
Artificial flavors to mimic watermelon taste

Brands like Simply and Minute Maid offer watermelon-flavored drinks, but they’re not 100% watermelon juice.

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🍉

Where You Can Find It

Some health food stores or specialty markets carry 100% watermelon juice in small batches-
Brands like CoCo Joy and Namai offer canned versions with minimal additives they say-
Or—you can make it yourself with a blender and a ripe melon. It’s easy, fresh, and mythically hydrating

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“She searched for the juice of summer—but the shelves held only echoes. So she sliced the fruit, blended the light, and drank the truth.”

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🍉 Watermelon Whisper Juice

A summer scroll for your kitchen ledger

✨ Ingredients

4 cups ripe watermelon (seedless or seeds removed)
Juice of ½ lime (optional, for brightness)
A few mint leaves (optional, for a cooling shimmer)
Pinch of sea salt (optional, to awaken the flavor)

🌿 Instructions

Slice the watermelon into chunks and remove any seeds
Blend the chunks until smooth—no water needed, it’s already 92% magic
Strain through a fine mesh sieve if you prefer a smoother texture
Add lime juice, mint, or salt if desired
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or serve over ice
Sip slowly, preferably barefoot in the sun

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Fig Leaf Tea Healing Properties

2025-09-11T11:41:00.005-05:00

Busy in my kitchen, I opened my large jar of dried fig leaves to make me some fig leaf tea. Those of you that have followed my youtube channel have most likely seen old videos of my 15 foot tall and 15 foot wide old fig tree. Today I thought I would gather up some healing facts when it comes to drinking fig tea.

Fig leaves (Ficus carica) are packed with bioactive compounds that offer a wide range of therapeutic benefits. Here’s what modern herbalists and ancient healers agree on:

1. Blood Sugar Regulation

Fig leaf tea is traditionally used to support Type 2 diabetes and insulin sensitivity.
Flavonoids like quercetin and apigenin mimic insulin and help regulate glucose uptake.

2. Cardiovascular Support

Helps lower LDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and improve blood pressure thanks to potassium and magnesium.
Antioxidants protect blood vessels from inflammation and oxidative stress.

3. Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Contains polyphenols that act like natural COX inhibitors (similar to NSAIDs but gentler).
Used traditionally for menstrual cramps, headaches, and joint pain.

4. Digestive & Detox Support

Soothes IBS, gastritis, and gut inflammation.
Acts as a gentle laxative and liver tonic, aiding detoxification.

5. Respiratory Relief

Used in folk medicine to treat asthma, bronchitis, and coughs.
Often brewed with dried figs for added soothing effects.

6. Skin & Mood Benefits

Antioxidants promote skin healing and reduce oxidative stress.
Essential oils like linalool offer anti-anxiety and antibacterial effects.

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How to Brew Fig Leaf Tea

Simple Recipe:

3–4 fresh or dried fig leaves (use the mature leaves)
2 cups water
Simmer for 5–10 minutes
Strain and sip warm, optionally sweetened with honey

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"Steeped in ancient shade, fig leaves whisper healing into every cup."

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Why Rhyming Matters in Witchcraft & Potions

2025-09-09T04:29:00.001-05:00

Long before paper, printing presses, or even written alphabets, rhyme was the memory’s lantern. People used rhythm, rhyme, and repetition to pass down everything from healing recipes to mythic lore, laws, genealogies, and spells.

Let's tap into something ancient and enchanting—rhyming in witchy potions isn’t just theatrical flair, it’s deeply rooted in ritual, rhythm, and intention.

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Why Rhyme Was a Memory Tool

Oral Tradition: In cultures where knowledge was spoken, rhyme helped preserve accuracy across generations.
Mnemonic Power: Rhyming lines are easier to recall—our brains latch onto patterns like melody and cadence.
Community Sharing: Rhymed verses could be sung, chanted, or recited in rituals, making them communal and enduring.
Protection of Knowledge: In times of persecution or secrecy (especially with herbal or magical lore), rhyme disguised meaning while preserving it.
Think of nursery rhymes, folk songs, or even ancient epics like The Iliad—they were all designed to be remembered, not read.
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Why Rhyming Matters in Witchcraft & Potions

Rhymes have long been used in spells and potions because they:

Focus the mind:

Like a mantra, rhyme helps the practitioner stay centered and intentional.

Create rhythm:

The cadence mimics natural cycles—breath, heartbeat, moon phases

Aid memory:

Oral traditions relied on rhyme to pass down spells and recipes.

Amplify energy:

Repetition and rhyme build emotional resonance, which many believe strengthens magical effect.

Symbolize harmony:

Rhyming words reflect balance—an essential concept in healing and ritual.

Even in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the witches chant:

“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” This isn’t just spooky—it’s a rhythmic invocation of transformation

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Here's some Examples of Rhyming Potions: (Things from my books)

🌿 For Protection

Brewed with bark and rosemary’s bite, Calendoulah stirs by candlelight. A pinch of salt, a whispered charm, To shield the heart and guard from harm. This brew will hold you through the night.

🍵 For Peaceful Sleep

Lavender dreams and chamomile sigh, Calendoulah hums as stars drift by. A drop of honey, soft and slow, Let restless thoughts begin to go. This brew will hush the midnight cry.

🧄 For Strength

Garlic glows in broth so bold, Calendoulah stirs with hands of gold. Thyme and sage, a healing flame, To mend the wound and name the name. This brew will help your strength unfold.

🌙 For Intuition

Mint and moonlight, steeped with care, Calendoulah breathes the midnight air. A fig leaf floats, a truth revealed, The brew uncovers what’s concealed. Let inner knowing rise and flare.

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In Closing,

The Halloween Season has started and I've published a few Halloween related books in honor of the spooky season. One of which is "Halloween Herbal Companion" you can find it here.

Happy Fall to All!

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I just read Cinderella's Story

2025-09-07T14:47:00.005-05:00

Cinderella’s story is a poetic arc of resilience, transformation, and love. Whether you follow the Grimm Brothers’ version or Charles Perrault’s, the heart of it remains the same: a kind, mistreated girl who never loses her grace, even when covered in ashes.

She’s denied joy, mocked by her stepsisters, and left behind when the palace ball begins. But then—poof!—a fairy godmother appears, turning a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, and rags into a gown that glows like moonlight. The only catch? The magic fades at midnight.

And when the clock strikes twelve…

The carriage crumbles
The gown vanishes
The glass slipper remains

That slipper becomes the shimmer thread that leads the prince back to her—not because of status or wealth, but because of the quiet magic she carried all along.

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Cinderella Story - www.readthetale.com

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Halloween Herbal Companion Book Has Arrived!

2025-09-04T05:17:00.000-05:00

The kettle is whistling, the moon is rising, and Miss Calendoulah has brewed something special just in time for October’s shimmer...

I’m thrilled to announce the upcoming release of my newest book: ✨ Halloween Herbal Companion: Healing, Brewing & Blooming ✨

This keepsake edition is part of my Herbal Healing Series and invites you into a garden of seasonal comfort, poetic ritual, and moon-brewed magic.

What’s Inside?

Herbal Tea Recipes for autumn healing and Halloween charm
Steam Intentions to guide your seasonal reflections
Lore Pages featuring Raven’s whispers and Calendoulah’s wisdom
Healing Garlic Soup (yes, it gets its own poetic spotlight!)
Interactive Tea Tags you can cut, paste, and personalize
Poetic Prompts to stir memory and meaning
Whimsical Illustrations of Miss Calendoulah in her garden

Whether you’re sipping fig leaf tea under a full moon or crafting a brew for clarity and calm, this book is designed to be both practical and poetic—a companion for your seasonal rituals and cozy nights.

🛒 Shop Halloween Herbal Companion Book here

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Why You Feel Sleepy After Eating

2025-08-20T04:22:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed how sleepy people get after a big meal—especially during the holidays? One moment everyone’s laughing around the table, and the next, half the group has vanished to find a cozy corner for a quick nap. It got me wondering: Why does eating make us so tired? So I did a little digging, and here’s what I found.

Feeling sleepy after eating—often called postprandial somnolence or the classic “food coma”—is a common experience, and it’s caused by a mix of biological and nutritional factors. Here’s what they say is really going on:

1.) Blood Sugar Fluctuations

Meals high in refined carbohydrates (like white bread, pasta, or sugary snacks) cause a rapid spike in blood sugar.
Your body releases insulin to bring it back down, and that crash can leave you feeling sluggish.

2.) Tryptophan & Serotonin

Foods like turkey, milk, eggs, and nuts contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps produce serotonin, which regulates mood and sleep.
A meal rich in protein and carbs can increase serotonin levels, making you feel drowsy.

3.) Melatonin-Rich Foods

Some foods naturally contain melatonin, the sleep hormone—like tart cherries, oats, rice, and pistachios.
These can subtly signal your body to wind down.

4.) Large Meal Volume

Eating a big meal diverts energy to digestion. Your body focuses on breaking down food, which can leave you feeling tired.

5.) Circadian Rhythm

Many people experience a natural dip in energy in the early afternoon. Eating during this time can amplify the effect.

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health.clevelandclinic.org

verywellhealth.com

medicinenet.com

msn.com

Is Raven the Cat a Muse or Something More

2025-08-19T07:50:00.000-05:00

Recently I've been asked about the word "muse" in some of my Halloween books that front Raven the cat as a host or narrator... so I thought I would give some companion information for my readers. Let's talk about the word "muse" first: A “muse” is one of those deliciously layered words that feels like it belongs in my world of whispers and shimmer trails.

Here’s how it unfolds:

✨ In mythology: A Muse (capital M) is one of the nine Greek goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences—each inspiring a different creative domain like poetry, music, dance, or history.

✨ In everyday creativity: A muse is someone or something that sparks inspiration. It could be a person, a place, a memory, or even a mood that nudges your imagination awake.

✨ In poetic language: To “muse” (verb) means to ponder or reflect deeply—often in a dreamy, thoughtful way. Like sitting beside a flickering candle and letting the shadows tell stories.

Is Raven the Cat a Muse or something more? Well let's discuss it in detail.

In the flicker of candlelight and the rustle of autumn leaves, Raven appears—not just as a character, but as a whispering guide. But is she a muse?

A muse, by definition, is a source of inspiration. In mythology, she’s a goddess of the arts. In everyday life, she’s the spark that nudges creativity awake. Raven, with her shimmer trails and watchful eyes, fits this role perfectly. She doesn’t just decorate the pages of The Haunted Host Handbook—she animates them.

Whether perched in a party scene or prowling through poetic prompts, Raven invites readers to imagine more. She’s part myth, part memory, part mischievous mentor. And yes, she’s a muse.

So yes, Raven the Cat is absolutely a muse

✨ —part myth, part memory, part mischievous guide. And your illustrated spreads? They’re visual muses, whispering party ideas without saying a word.

✨ If you’re curious to see how Raven inspires haunted happenings and seasonal storytelling, you can find her in The Haunted Host Handbook—available . Let the lanterns lead.

✨ I set up Raven as a free printable for you - Click here - or click tab at the top of the page for other seasonal printable.

🐾 Oh and... just so you know - The Raven you see in my books is named after my very own black cat with yellow eyes that lives with me. Giggle!

May Raven's whisper lead you through the shadows - and into celebration.

Pam

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Why Email Invitations Are Taking Over

2025-08-18T06:11:00.003-05:00

The Rise of Email Invitations: A Modern Twist on Party Planning

Gone are the days of licking envelopes and waiting on snail mail—today’s hosts are embracing a faster, more creative way to invite guests: email invitations. Whether you're planning a haunted bash, a cozy tea party, or a glitter-drenched pumpkin carving day, email invites offer flexibility, flair, and instant delivery.

✨ Why Email Invitations Are Taking Over

Instant Delivery: No waiting for postal delays—your invite lands in inboxes within seconds.
RSVP Tracking: Platforms like Paperless Post, Evite, and Smilebox let you monitor responses in real time.
Customization: Use tools like Canva's Email Invitation Creator to design invites that match your theme—complete with fonts, graphics, and even animated elements.
Eco-Friendly: No paper waste, no stamps—just digital shimmer.
Easy Updates: Need to change the time or add a costume note? You can resend or edit without fuss.

✨ How to Create a Magical Email Invite

Choose a Platform: Canva, Paperless Post, and Smilebox all offer free templates and RSVP features.
Design with Intention: Match your invite to your party’s vibe—whether it’s velvet mischief or pumpkin grins.
Include Essentials:

Date & Time
Location (or Zoom link)
Dress code or theme
RSVP instructions
A poetic tagline or Raven-approved whisper

Send & Track: Email directly or share via link or text. Most platforms let you send reminders and follow-ups.

🐾 Raven’s Tip for Realm Hosts

This invitation was conjured from....

The Haunted Host Handbook—available on Amazon.”

🖤

Now Offering Free Printables to my readers!

2025-07-23T13:26:00.000-05:00

New! Free Printables Coming Soon

Hello Friends,

I’m thrilled to share that a new tab has appeared at the top of this blog: Printables. It opens a shimmering doorway to helpful tools, holiday resources, and party prep guides you can download, print, and use year after year. For Free!

Whether you’re planning a seasonal gathering, organizing classroom magic, or keeping track of your Realm rituals and celebrations— I will be creating printable pages to make it all a little easier. (and a little more enchanted).

Inside the Printables section:

Party Prep Tools
Seasonal & Holiday Resources
Celebration Planning Pages
Forgotten Holiday Spotlights
Calendar Inserts & Seasonal Timelines
Welcome Sign Prints for the door
Frame-worthy Poetic Printables
Coloring Pages
Puzzle Pages

✨ A Dash of Creative Mischief

Some printables are inspired by my seasonal books, with sneak-peek coloring pages, themed puzzles, and activity sheets tucked in for readers who love to play inside the Realm.

All files are formatted for black-and-white printing and designed to sparkle with crooked charm, no matter the season.

🕯️ Visit the new Printables tab at the top of this page to explore what’s ready—and keep watch for fresh downloads added soon.

Visit the new Printables tab at the top of this page to begin.

Blessing to all, Pam

I’ve Been Crafting something meaningful and I'm ready to share it

2025-07-21T10:06:00.004-05:00

For years, I’ve shared seasonal wonder on this blog

—rituals, traditions, recipes, forgotten holidays, and cozy little moments that bring meaning to the calendar. But behind the scenes, something new was stirring.

I started writing books.

Not just books—seasonal companions, poetic party guides, holiday wall art, and coloring pages that echo the same shimmer I love to share here. They’ve been quietly growing like pumpkins in moonlight.

I’m proud of them. They carry my love for forgotten lore, print-only beauty, storytelling, and celebration. They’re playful and heartfelt. Some are narrated by Raven the Watchcat. Some are traceable. Some have spider secrets. I even tested the waters on creating puzzle books and found I love to create them. lol~

And yes—now they live on Amazon.

Here’s where you can explore them:

I've added an Author tab at the top of the blog for those who want easy access to my books.

"I’ll be sharing more soon—book spotlights, seasonal downloads, perhaps a few behind-the-scenes whispers. For now, thank you for being here. You’ve walked beside my journey even when you didn’t know the path had pages."

Let’s keep celebrating the Holidays, together.

Here's to coloring carefully, dreaming wildly, and following the light wherever it leads.

Pam 🖤

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🕯️ The shimmer doesn’t stop here…
Explore my seasonal library of print-only books, poetic party guides, and curated creative picks.
📚 Visit My Author Page | 🛍️ Shop My Seasonal Storefront
Curated by the Keeper. Judged by the Cat. 🐾

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Download your free Halloween Party Prep Checklist: Click here to open the PDF

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My favorite Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcake Recipe

2023-02-18T00:00:00.001-06:00

Several years ago, I hosted a Chocolate Mint Party in honor of National Chocolate Mint Day, and this is the recipe that I used. I wanted to share it with you because it's my favorite recipe to use when I'm using fresh chopped mint from my garden.

National Chocolate Mint Day is celebrated annually on February 19th, but chocolate mint desserts are enjoyed all throughout the year! What better way to enjoy the flavor of mint than by baking up some sweet chocolate mint cupcakes.

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Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

2 cups walnuts, toasted, cooled
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

White Chocolate Mint Frosting

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

8 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon green crème de menthe

Preparation

For cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 12-cup mini-muffin pans. Using on/off turns, blend first 4 ingredients in processor until walnuts are finely chopped. Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl until very thick, about 4 minutes. Gradually beat in cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in walnut mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons batter into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Cut around cupcakes to loosen; turn out onto work surface. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

White Chocolate Mint Frosting:

Bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; stir until melted. Mix in crème de menthe. Transfer frosting to bowl; let frosting cool at room temperature until firm enough to pipe, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

Spoon frosting into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe frosting decoratively atop cupcakes.

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My Closing Thoughts~

I make these cupcakes in Spring Summer and Fall, when my mint is growing so perfuse all over the place.
I also like to make these cupcakes at Halloween. The colors just go great on a Halloween decorated table. Once I created a Frankenstein table where all the food and drinks were either black or green. This cupcake was a hit on the table that night.
I also made this cupcake for a small garden party I went to. All the guests brought something that was made with something from their herb garden.
Happy Chocolate Mint Day. ~ "Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses some material from wikipedia /article chocolatemint©/and other related pages. Photo:flickr.com/26396724@N05/ / gone-ta-pott / epicurious.com

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White Christmas Candy Recipe

2022-12-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

What is White Christmas Candy?

White Christmas is an Australian no-bake sweet, made from a combination of Copha or white chocolate, icing sugar, sultanas, glacé cherries, desiccated coconut, milk powder and rice bubbles.

It is cooked in a rectangular slice tin, and cut into small slices or cube pieces because of it's richness. It is very well known in Australia, being a sweet that children can easily be taught to make. This sweet treat is also popular given as gifts in clear cellophane bags or jars tied with ribbon.

White Christmas Recipe 1

250 g copha
3 cups rice bubbles
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 cup full cream powdered milk
30 g glace cherries (red and green)
1/2 cup sultanas
30 g glace apricots
30 g glace pineapple

Line 28cm x 18cm lamington tin with baking powder-

Melt copha- Add to all other ingredients combined in a

large bowl and mix thoroughly-

Press mixture into tin and refrigerate until firm-

Cut into serving size pieces-

White Christmas Recipe 2

250g Copha
140g (1 cup) pure icing sugar
180g (1 cup) sultanas
100g (slightly rounded 1/2 cup) chopped glace cherries
100g (2/3 cup) finely chopped dried apricots
85g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
106g (1 cup) full cream milk powder
40g (1 1/4 cups) rice bubbles

Line an 18cm by 28cm slice pan with baking paper.

Melt Copha in a small saucepan over low heat.

Sift icing sugar into a large bowl. Add sultanas, cherries, apricots,

coconut, milk powder and rice bubbles and stir until well combined.

Add melted Copha to bowl and stir until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.

Firmly press the mixture into the pan using the back of a spoon.

Tightly cover pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and then refrigerate until slice is cold and set. Cut White Christmas into small squares to serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. / Wikipedia / Photo: Whitechristmas.jpg

Party Food / Fried Dill Pickles and dipping sauce recipes

2022-11-13T00:00:00.001-06:00

A fried pickle is a snack item found commonly in the American South. It is made by deep-frying a sliced battered dill pickle. Great Party Food!

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Example of Fried Dill Pickle Recipe

1 qt. sliced dill pickles - sliced long or slice round
1 egg, beaten
1 c. milk
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 drops hot sauce
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
3 1/2 c. flour
Dried dill for seasoning
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well. Set aside. Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, salt and pepper, stirring well. Dip pickles in milk mixture and dredge in flour mixture, repeat process. Deep fry in hot oil, 350 degrees until pickles float to surface and are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with Dried dill to your liking.

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Do you want Breading?

2 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup lemon pepper
1/2 cup dill weed
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic salt
Pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste

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What-ah-ya Dip!

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons catchup
3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
Mayonnaise to thicken (at least 1/4 cup)

In a large mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together, Add mayonnaise, as needed, to thicken. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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RANCH DIP FOR VEGGIES OR CHIPS

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 1/2 c. cottage cheese

Mix well and use for vegetable dip or with chips.

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📅 November 14 is National Pickle Day

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2022-10-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups pumpkin pie filling

2 cups pureed sweet potatoes

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups chicken or turkey broth

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

chopped chives for garnish

sour cream for garnish

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Stir in

pie filling, sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Add

broth, pepper and salt; stir well until smooth. Reduce

heat and simmer for 20 minutes. To serve, garnish soup

with chives and sour cream. Serves 8.

Poem: I'm not a witch but no one can tell

2022-10-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

Poem: I'm not a witch but no one can tell

I'm not a witch but no one can tell
because I still have all my herb books and ale.
I fashion my potions to help those feel better

but many consider me evil and scattered.

Soups, brews, lotions and salves~

I make all of these just by using all plants.

My knowledge of picking, crushing and drying

then caldron-ing it up until its ready for bottling.

I'm not a witch but no one can tell

My garden grows greener than any oh well.

My herbs are all flourishing and producing my tools

my mortar and pestles are working to brew.

Clipping, cutting and wrapping in red ribbon

I give you a gift of the magic I'm willing.

Tinctures and poring; directions for use.

Stepping and steaming are all of good use.

I'm not a witch but no one can tell

plants are a bounty and healings prevail.

written by: Pamela Price Svoboda

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Harvest Chili has pumpkin puree and cream cheese in it

2022-09-29T00:00:00.014-05:00

I love to cook what I've named "Harvest Chili."

I usually fix this chili every Autumn during the months of October and November when the fall flavors are so prevalent and when the weather gets a chill in the air.

The base of my Harvest Chili is pumpkin or butternut squash and cream cheese. I prefer a chili that has a really thick gravy to it because I like to be able to dip crusty bread in the sauce and have it stick to it.

These ingredients make it soooo smooth and creamy and perfect for dipping in bread. Give my recipe a try- It's different but I think you'll love it! Also... I wish my photo had been better but as you can tell it's a bit blurry. I guess I moved when I took the picture. 😖

Harvest Ingredients

1 medium size butternut squash or 1 can pumpkin puree
3 - yellow, red & green bell peppers
6 oz diced celery
1 large potatoes
1 large sweet onion diced
1 finely grated carrot
2 - 80z cream cheese
1 can - Chicken or beef stock
1 stick of butter
salt and pepper

Step 1: Cooking the harvest ingredients

Sautee diced onions, celery and bell peppers with butter in bottom of your soup pot.

When soft and translucent add your small diced potatoes and butternut squash (or 1 can of pumpkin). Cover with all chicken stock and any water to cover all.

Cook on medium until all the veggies are soft and falling apart.

Use an emerging blender or put in an electric blender to blend smooth.

Add 2 8oz of cream cheese.

Stir until the cream cheese has melted and blended throughout the soup.

Turn on low - add water if needed

Step 2: Repairing the meat and seasoning

For this step you can use your favorite chili con carne/chili recipe or try this one-

Note: this recipe also works well with chicken instead of ground beef-

Brown 2 pounds of ground beef in large fry pan: drain all fat

Add this list of spices to meat and simmer for 30 minutes-

1 quart cold water
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
2 bay leaves

Step 3:

Add 4 cans of beans - pinto, black beans, kidney beans, chili beans, or northern etc-

Add 1 or 2 large cans of tomatoes. I like lots of tomatoes

Remember to remove the bay leaves from the pot-

Step 4:

Combine everything into the pot of harvest ingredients and simmer for 1 hour-

Keep checking and adding water if chili is to thick

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This is what it looks like after you simmer the pumpkin and cream cheese in it. See how the color changed ~

My Closing Thoughts ~

Oh my gosh this post was involved. Gesh! It made me tired just writing the ingredients down. Ha! But once you start making it its not as bad as the long list looks. LOL! You will like the taste. The creaminess of the pumpkin and cream cheese makes it wonderful. Trust me. Wink ~
Or... just open 6 cans of your favorite chili and add a can of pumpkin and 1 block of cream cheese. Now that's what I'm talking about when I say EASY. hehehe!

- "Live everyday like a holiday." Pam

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► 🛒 ❤ Chili Seasoning / https://amzn.to/3HW0CkQ

► 🛒 ❤ Can Chili / https://amzn.to/39SaPSV

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Gingerbread Latte Recipes

2022-09-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

What's Not-ta-like about a Gingerbread Latte!

Yes indeed Starbucks sales them, the local coffee shop in the mall sales them- And my kitchen at home has them too! Oh yes, Gingerbread Latte is a favorite coffee drink for many people. It's a drink that reminds me of the fall season, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all rolled up in one. I guess that's because I drink it during these holidays more than the any other time of the year; come to think of it, these spices are also used the most during this time of the year as well. If you love the taste of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or vanilla; then you will love this hot coffee drink. And Oooo yes! You can't drink it without whipped cream and gingerbread cookies either!

Now let's talk about the recipe. The Internet has many different ones that vary slightly. Many of them call for gingerbread flavored syrup but you need to know that this syrup is seasonal in many markets. But don't let that scare you. You can still make delicious gingerbread lattes by making your own homemade syrup. Recipes Below-

If you can't find the syrup at your market and you don't have the time to make it yourself, you can also order it from several online sources.

🛒Gingerbread Latte Syrup

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Recipe 1 / Ingredients:

1/2-1 fluid ounce gingerbread-flavored syrup (seasonal in some markets)

4 ounces espresso

4-5 fluid ounces steamed milk

2-3 tablespoons frothed milk or whipped cream (optional)

1 pinch ground cinnamon

Measure syrup into serving mug or cup.

Brew espresso, and steam the milk, producing a small amount of frothed milk, or crema.

Add espresso to mug or cup, then steamed milk, and top with froth/crema (or whipped cream, if desired). Sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon and serve.

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Recipe 2 / Ingredients:

2 fluid ounces espresso coffee

2 tablespoons gingerbread flavored syrup

1/2 cup milk, steamed

1/8 cup whipped cream

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

In a coffee mug, combine espresso coffee with flavored syrup. Pour in steamed milk. Top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla powder.

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Homemade Gingerbread Syrup

Gingerbread flavored syrup is available seasonally in some markets. Look for it in the flavored syrup aisle. If you can't find it at your market, you can easily make your very own "Homemade Gingerbread Syrup" that's perfect for gingerbread latte and as a syrup pored over coffee cake and pancakes! You can also order it from several online sources.

Gingerbread Syrup Recipe

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup fine granulated sugar (bakers sugar is great for this)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla in a small to medium saucepan.

Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. When done, pour into a melt-proof container and let cool. It will thicken a bit more once cooled.

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📅 August is National Coffee Month

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Ginger & Whip | A disgustingly, wonderfully sweet gingerbrea… | Flickr

Egg Salad Sandwich

2022-09-10T00:00:00.001-05:00

Enjoy this list of egg salad recipes in honor of National Sandwich Month and all Egg Holidays!

Egg salad is part of an American tradition of salads involving a high-protein or high-carbohydrate food mixed with seasonings in the form of spices, herbs, and other foods, and bound with an oil-based dressing. Its siblings include tuna salad, chicken salad, potato salad, ham salad, pasta salad, lobster salad, crab meat salad, etc.

Egg salad is often used as a sandwich spread, typically made of chopped hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, minced celery or onion, salt, pepper and

paprika.

A closely related sandwich filler known worldwide, is Egg Mayonnaise, where chopped hard-boiled egg is mixed with only mayonnaise.

Egg salad can be made creatively with any number of other cold foods added. Tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles, pickle relish and cucumber are common. Other variations can include cooked lentils, peas, beans, olives, peppers, or cottage cheese.

Nutrition

Eggs are one of the most highly nutritional foods that you can eat. In fact, one average sized egg contains about 75 calories, 6.25 grams of protein, and 220 milligrams of cholesterol. It also contains large amount of vitamins, minerals, macro and micronutrients (including but not limited to: carotenoids, choline, betaine, and many others). In essence, in one small package, eggs provide our bodies with essential amino acids.

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Recipe: Old Fashion Egg Salad

1/4 cup Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
6 Hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup Finely chopped celery

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion,

salt and pepper. Add eggs and celery then mash. Cover

and chill. Serve on a lettuce leaf or spread on bread.

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Recipe: My Youtube Video for National Egg Salad Week from over 15 years ago! Yep way back in 2007!

3 large hard boiled eggs
1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped onions
(dryied minced onions work also)
1 or 2 tablespoons chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash table blend
salt & pepper to taste.

mix well / refrigerate

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Recipe: Breakfast Bacon & Cheese Egg Salad

This recipe served me well for many ah breakfast! Yep.... you don't have to eat egg salad sandwiches just for lunch ya know. Hey.... it is bacon and eggs!

6 Hard-boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 Celery Stalks finely chopped
1 Green Onion or Scallion Sliced
4 strips chopped Bacon - cooked crisp & drained
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon mustard
Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Mix & mash all together. Serve on toasted bread.

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Recipe: Bacon & Horseradish Egg Salad

This is my favorite egg salad recipe because I'm crazy about horseradish and I'm crazy about bacon.

6 Hard-boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 Celery Stalks finely chopped
1 Green Onion or Scallion Sliced
4 strips chopped Bacon - cooked crisp & drained
1 tablespoons cream Horseradish
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard
Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Instructions: Mix and mash all together.

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Low-Fat Yolkless Egg Salad

6 large Eggs; hard-cook -- discard yolk for another use.
3 tablespoons Sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons Green onions -- chop fine
1 tablespoon Pimiento; dice -- opt
1/2 cup Cooked -- mashed potatoes
3 tablespoons No-fat mayo
1 tablespoon Creamy mustard blend
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
2 teaspoons Curry powder -- opt

Chop egg whites. Combine egg whites, relish, green onions and pimientos; set mixture aside. Combine mashed potatoes and next 4 ingredients; stir in curry powder. Fold into egg mixture. Serve as a salad, sandwich filling or stuffing for veggies.

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Dill Egg Salad

This egg salad is for all those who love the herb Dill!

8 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 red onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove

from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

2. In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, onion and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon.

3. Serve on bread as a sandwich or over crisp lettuce as a salad.

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Kickin Egg Salad

We call this one kickin because of the red pepper in it.

If you like red pepper then you will love this one.

4 boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise or fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste

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resource / gone-ta-pott / my youtube / wikipedia /

Toasted Creamy Avocado Sandwich / What's in that sandwich?

2022-08-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

I saw this sandwich picture and it looked so good I tried to recreate it. So what's in that sandwich?

I toasted my bread just like in the picture. Not sure what kind of bread it was but I had a fresh made loaf of white bread, so I went with that. I cut my slices a bit thicker than the standard slice.

Then I smushed up a bowl of avocado. Do I spread it on plain or do I make it into guacamole first? I wasn't sure so I went with plain first.

I then sliced up cucumbers and layered it on. Do you think it's cucumbers? I think it was cucumbers. It looked like it had 2 layers so I sliced up 2 thin layers of cucumbers.

Then I layered sprouts on the sandwich. I wonder what kind of sprouts it was. Bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, I will go with what I've got.

Then comes the white stuff. What do you think that layer is? Is it cottage cheese? Is it cream cheese? Is it feta cheese? I couldn't tell from the picture, so I just mixed all 3 together. LOL!

I went heavy on the salt and pepper.

I made my sandwich a tall sandwich just like the picture. So tall I could barely get my mouth around it. Yum!

Then I tasted..... this tastes really creamy
Then I tasted again..... this tastes really different

It tasted very light. It tasted a bit to light but good. So I took the remaining smushed avocado and made guacamole and tried that instead of plain and I like it much better. That flavor move made it feel more satisfying. I loved the layer of cucumbers. The sprouts were.... just ok. The sandwich was so beautiful though. But I have to be honest I was hungry again after 2 hours. It didn't fill me up. But it did make me crave the creamy sandwich again.

What do you think was in the sandwich?
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Happy National Sandwich Month everyone

"Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam

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Chip Buddy Sandwich

2022-08-10T00:00:00.002-05:00

"A chip sandwich, chip butty, (in British English) or french fry sandwich (in North American English) is a sandwich made with bread or bread roll (usually white and buttered) and chips (french fries), often with some sort of sauce such as tomato sauce (i.e. ketchup) or brown sauce. It was originally considered a working-class meal, served in pubs. The chip butty is a vegetarian-friendly, albeit junkfood, dish and has recently made a comeback. It is more common in the north of England."

"A football chant (sung to "Annie's Song" by John Denver) called "The Greasy Chip Butty Song" is popular with the supporters of Sheffield United Football Club."

Variants include chip bap or barm, using a floury bap or barm cake instead of white sliced.

Barm cake: is type of bread roll, similar to an English muffin, with flour on top. It has a characteristically strong flavour that comes from the traditional barm leaven made from a natural leaven with the addition of hops. However, the Barm Cake is more likely made from commercial yeast these days."

The original barm cake is found in areas of North West England. In wider northern England, a similar bread roll would be known instead as a "breadbun", "breadcake", "bap" or even (in the enlarged form of Tyneside) a "stotty".

Chips are a popular filling, sold in most fish and chip shops in the north west of England often called simply a 'chip barm'.

Ingredients

Chips from a chippy

Batch Loaf Bread or (according to preference) sliced white bread, or pitta bread for kebab-shop style

Butter

Tomato Sauce (ketchup) (optional)

1. Make sure you get your chips from a reputable chippy, and make sure they're not too greasy and have been well drained.

2. Take two slices of batch loaf (the heel works best) and butter both on one side, then apply ketchup and spread evenly over the bread.

3. Next add Chips in a manner akin to herringbone floor tiling, making sure to minimise any gaps. You can add multiple layers.

4. Put both slices of bread together and eat immediately.

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Resources:This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses some material from Wikipedia/article chipbutty/and other related pages/ gone-ta-p0tt /Top Photo by: flickr.com/djackmanson

Bacon butty Sandwich

2022-08-09T00:00:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends! This post is in honor of bacon and National Sandwich Month. I'm doing a series of sandwich posts for you guys in honor of the love of sandwiches. Ok, let's talk about the bacon butty sandwich.

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"A bacon sandwich (also bacon sarnie or bacon butty (UK) and bacon sanger or pigwich (Aus) or "piece 'n' bacon" (Scotland) is a form of sandwich made from two pieces of brown bread that's usually buttered, a larger-than-typical amount of cooked bacon, assembled to form a bacon sandwich.

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What Sauce is used on a Bacon Sandwich?

Often some form of sauce, such as tomato ketchup or brown sauce, is included. (HP Sauce advertises itself as the perfect complement to a bacon sandwich.) HP Sauce has a malt vinegar base blended with fruit and spices and is usually eaten as an adjunct to hot or cold savory food or used as an ingredient in soups or stews.

"Steak sauce (in North America)—brown sauce (in the British Isles)—is a generic term for a dark brown sauce commonly served as a condiment for meat. In the United States, as its name implies, the sauces is predominantly associated with beef, while elsewhere it is often used on a variety of foods."

"The most well-known brands are A1 Steak Sauce in the United States, and HP Sauce in the United Kingdom. In the UK brown sauce is also popular on bacon sandwiches and pie and mash."

United Kingdom Favorite

"Bacon sandwiches are an all-day favorite throughout the United Kingdom. Rarely found on the menus of high-class restaurants, they are often served in greasy spoons. Other ingredients such as sausage, cheese, fried or scrambled eggs, mushroom and baked beans are often added."

Variation

A variant of the bacon sandwich is the BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich.

This sandwich is so popular that it has its very own holiday celebrated the month of April- National BLT Sandwich Month

Hangover cure

Traditionally regarded as a hangover cure, in April 2009 researchers found that the dish's high level of amines could indeed help alleviate the effects of a hangover.

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Hey, do you know what a "Chip Butty Sandwich" is?

Well, I will be doing a post about that next. "Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam

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resources / gone-ta-pott / wikipedia /

Food Inspiration / Zucchini Pizzetta Bread or little Pizza

2022-08-08T00:00:00.004-05:00

I have some Food Inspiration for you today. When I only have a little.... I make pizzetta bread.

This picture is a good example of an easy way to use up the last of your zucchini by slicing it up and baking it on homemade bread. (pizza / pizzetta) Which is exactly what I did for my lunch today. Early this morning I went out to pick some zucchini because I had in my mind, I was going to make some fresh baked lofts of zucchini bread. But when I went out, I found that I didn't have any. Animals came in the night and ate my zucchini and only left me with 1 little zucchini. So, when I only have a little... I make pizzetta bread instead.

Let's talk about Pizzetta so everyone understands

A pizzetta (plural: pizzette) is a small pizza that can range in size from a finger food at around eight centimeters (3 in) in diameter to that of a small personal-sized pizza. I think they work great not just for a light lunch but for a party table where small finger food is being served. For me... I make it the most when I only have a little bit of something left that I need to use up. Wink~

How it's traditionally served

Pizzetta can be served as an hors d'oeuvre, a snack food and as a light meal. It's common for it to be served with wine to complement the dish. Which is exactly how I enjoyed it today. It is sometimes prepared without a sauce, but you can make a sauce if you want to. I didn't make a sauce today; I just used herbs and zucchini and enjoyed a glass of wine with it and I very much enjoyed it. Pizzetta can be prepared using flatbread as a bread base, but puff pastry is also used too. Additional herbs and greens can be added after pizzetta has been cooked.

A look into our Holiday Calendar

📅 Did you know we have a National Pizza Day that's celebrated every February 9th? Yep, we sure do! These tiny little pizzas would be fun to make for that.

My Closing Thoughts~

I hope this has inspired you to use a little to make a lot.

"Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam

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Fresh Sandwich Fillings & Spread Recipes

2022-08-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

A spread is a food that is spread with a knife onto bread, crackers, or other bread products. Spreads are added to bread products to provide flavor and texture, and are an integral part of the dish, i.e., they should be distinguished from condiments, which are optional additions. Spreads should also be distinguished from dips, which do not employ a knife in applying it to crackers or chips."

"The spread serves three main purposes, it prevents the bread from soaking up the filling causing it to become soggy, it adds flavor as well as moisture to the sandwich."

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Lemon Mayonnaise

A great addition to any sandwich as a sandwich spread.

Yields: 1-1/4 cup

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons coarse-grained mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

In a small bowl stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, zest, mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

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Orange Cream Cheese

Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. sugar
grated zest from 2 oranges
1-2 tbsp. Grand Marnier

Whip cream cheese in food processor or blender until smooth. Add grated zest, sugar and Grand Marnier. Blend until fluffy and sugar dissolves, scraping down sides often. Spoon into serving bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Substitutions

Tangerine Cream Cheese

Use tangerine zest instead of orange

Lemon Cream Cheese

Use lemon zest and lemon liquor

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Raspberry Cream Cheese

Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed
1-2 tbsp. kirschwasser (raspberry liquor)

Whip cream cheese in food processor or blender until smooth. Add 6 to 8 raspberries (reserve remaining raspberries for garnish). Add sugar and kirschwasser. Blend until fluffy and sugar dissolves, scraping down sides often. Spoon into serving bowl and refrigerate overnight.

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CHICKEN CRUNCH SANDWICH SPREAD

Homemade chicken salad recipe with large chunks of chicken.

Boil 1 whole chicken-pull meat off the bones in chunks.
2 cups sour cream-
1/2 t poultry seasoning
3 oz Cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped Dried Figs
1/4 cup Finely chopped mixed nuts
1 t Minced candied ginger

Combine chicken spread with cream cheese, California dried figs, nuts and

ginger. Use as a sandwich filling.

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Olive Cheese Spread

Served as an appetizer spread with crackers, or as a sandwich spread with bagels or crusty French rolls.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Muenster cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
4 oz. can sliced pitted olives, drained

PREPARATION:

Combine cheeses and butter in large bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in olives. Chill a few hours to blend flavors.

Serves 24

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