I head to the dairy section and find a tub of blue cheese. In the nut section I find a package of pecans. I head back to produce. I think I need something fruity. A pear. Good. And what's this? It's a container called Juicy Gems - fresh pomegranate arils. I think back to my trip to China last Christmas. Definitely in season and they'd be pretty. I grab one of those. I also grab a bottle of raspberry walnut dressing. I think I'm good to go!
It's Thanksgiving and I've already prepared my menu and bought my ingredients. Then the romaine lettuce warning comes out. I throw away my romaine. Now what? I go to the grocery and the produce shelves where the lettuce usually sits is virtually empty! Well, there are 3 sad looking bags of shredded iceberg. I grab one of them. What else can I find? I think about the packaged salads but they are also gone. No, wait. There is one Asian mix and one Asiago Kale that has brussels sprouts, kale, and radicchio in it. I grab that one. What can I add? I grab a tub of baby arugula. The tiny leaves are a similar size to the ones in the kale mix.
I head to the dairy section and find a tub of blue cheese. In the nut section I find a package of pecans. I head back to produce. I think I need something fruity. A pear. Good. And what's this? It's a container called Juicy Gems - fresh pomegranate arils. I think back to my trip to China last Christmas. Definitely in season and they'd be pretty. I grab one of those. I also grab a bottle of raspberry walnut dressing. I think I'm good to go!
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I am a huge fan of the British Baking Show. To me, it is the perfect example of how a show can both inspire bakers and demonstrate how competition doesn't have to be nasty. In fact, the bakers not only often help each other, but cheer each other on. Plus, there is no prize money. Simply the honor of being the final baker is enough. Of course they get that fabulous cake plate and beautiful bouquet as well. And there is none of that sappy story line of what one will do with the money once one wins. No forced drama. It's a pleasure to watch. The outdoor tent in some beautiful England location is charming. No Hollywood stages anywhere! There was even a challenge where the final bakers had to go outside to a firepit to bake pita. Fantastic! The judges give tips on how to fix the various problems that occur. The bakers are eager to learn and benefit from the advice. Over ten weeks, the bakers become friends we cheer and worry for. When a season ends, I mourn until another season finally airs. As an American, I have learned so much from watching this show, and I've learned quite a bit of British lingo as well. The good news is that the judges occasionally have specials in which they demonstrate some of their prized recipes. This one is a chocolate and cherry loaf recipe Paul Hollywood featured in a Christmas special. And it is delicious! |
I remember the excitement of visiting the public library as a child. The magic and suspense of reading favorites like The Velvet Room and The Secret Garden tugged at my imagination. Biographies of George Washington Carver and Betsy Ross allowed me to see the lives of those who came before me and to appreciate their accomplishments. Poetry collections like my favorite The Tall Book of Poems, which I took with me on sleepovers, introduced me to a range of poetry where I could consider how the placement and rhythm of words affected your mood – sometimes bouncy, other times melancholy. Plus, I really loved the way that book felt in my small hands. My goal in writing children’s books, I think, is an attempt to recreate those feelings, those early years of reading books where everything seemed possible.
I received an M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and won the Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award from SCBWI. I worked as a Children's Librarian for 20 years and still prefer to read books written for young people. I have two Cavapoo dogs named Prince Albert and Daisy Wu, and a black kitten named Mortimer. I am married and split time between homes with my husband Rod in Dayton, OH and in Cadiz, KY where we enjoy our pontoon boat on Lake Barkley.
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