Mouthful of Goodness

The Pioneer Woman Cooks|Ree Drummond

THIS is what's for breakfast. Cheddar Onion Bacon Biscuits 

from  The Pioneer Woman Cooks! website. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¾ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ cups Vegetable Shortening (Crisco)
• 10 Tablespoons Milk (whole Milk Is Best)
• 4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1 whole Egg
• 10 slices Thick Cut Bacon, Fried And Crumbled
• 1 cup finely Diced Onion
• 1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until all combined.

Combine milk, oil, and egg in a separate bowl. Whisk together.

Combine flour mixture, milk mixture, bacon, onions, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir gently until all combined.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes in 375° oven until golden. Remove from pan and serve warm.

Book Trailer: Night of the Living Trekkies

Remembering 9-11

The Boy In the Striped Pajamas

In reviewing my past few blog entries, it occurred to me that I've been a tad maudlin lately. My sister says that I have a dark side to my personality so maybe it's that, but usually when I'm feeling this way it's a reaction to something (or someone) that's disgusting me. The news has been offending me lately, with all the book burning talk, religious intolerance, friends and family losing jobs, YouTube videos of puppies thrown in the river, Sarah Palin "refudiating," general stupidity ...all to a Justin Bieber soundtrack. (((shudder))) Of my dark mood, I deeply apologize. That's why I was reluctant to watch this 2008 movie, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." Of course, I knew of the book, by John Boyne, and had a vague idea of the plot. Unlike a friend of mine who has a fondness for "Holocaust literature," (fighting urge to use the word "twisted" ha ha) I do not share this seemingly bleak desire to relive this boil on the butt of human history. It would just make me angry, and like I said, I can do that by watching the nightly news. Anyway, I finally did get a chance to see this film and I was pleasantly surprised.  Unexpectedly, the movie did not make me as depressed as I thought it would. The story is about an 8-year old boy named Bruno who is the son of a high-ranking Nazi SS officer whose new job is to oversee a "camp," filled with Jewish prisoners. Bruno is unaware of the implications and horrors of such a facility and believes his father's propaganda films which show Jewish "guests" of the camp playing outside, eating at a café, all in general good health. This is confusing to the young boy, who befriends a fragile old man who works in the house named Pavel. Pavel used to be a doctor but now peels potatoes for the officer's family and is regularly a victim of casual brutality by younger Nazi officers. After spilling a wine glass at dinner one evening, Pavel disappears. Confused and ultimately bored, Bruno resorts to exploration and on one such expedition, meets a young Jewish prisoner sitting behind the barbed wire fence who happens to be his own age, named Shmuel. Through Shmuel's eyes, Bruno realizes the true nature of the camp and thus, the truth about his father's job. He struggles with the (currently relevant) question, "Why do we hate?" Is it because someone tells us to? The unlikely friendship blooms in spite of the obvious reasons it shouldn't, and the boys learn trust and forgiveness in the face of horrendous circumstances. The ending left me with mixed feelings of deep sadness tinged with an unsatisfying feeling of retribution. I expected to come away from this movie hating what evils humans are capable of. There is that, but I also came away surprised at the unadulterated kindness humans are also capable of. Perhaps this is what my friend finds when she reads so much on this subject: Despite the worst things imaginable, if we only listen to our own hearts...in the end, there is hope.

Read a Banned Book

"A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it.
Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man's mind. Who knows
who might be the target of the well-read man?
Me? I won't stomach them for a minute.…
Take your fight outside. Better yet, into the incinerator."

Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Celebrate Banned Book Week 
September 25 - October 2, 2010

Go out of your way to read the books
"they" don't want you to read.

Banned Books List

Read irresponsibly.  I do!

Library Patrons

Customer exchange I had recently. The names have been changed to protect the innocent...and also, me.

********************************* 

Customer: I'd like to report a missing book.

Me: Okay, let's look at your account and see which one is missing. What's the title?

Customer: Mad House by Chris Grabenstein.

Me: Well, I don't see that book on your account. And could you be thinking of Mad Mouse?

Customer: Oh. Yes.

Me: That title is not on your account.

Customer: I know. I want to report it missing from your shelf. It should be there and it's not.

Me: (checking catalog) Our copy is checked out. Can I request it for you?

Customer: No, you're not listening. It's missing, I tell you. MISSING!! The catalog says it's on your shelf and it's missing.

Me: No, sir. We only have one copy and it's checked out to another customer.

Customer: The catalog says you have it IN at Woodoaks!!

Me: This is Oakglen.

(silence)

Customer: Oh.

Wearing White After Labor Day

Believe it or not, there are still folks who will wag their finger at you after September 1st and say, "You're not supposed to wear white after Labor Day! ha ha!" I suppose they're trying to be humorous, but I want to wag my finger back at them and say, "This isn't 1955 anymore!" Different sentiment...different finger.  But where did that saying come from?  I looked it up and it turns out there's a practical reason for the admonishment. Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday in September, marked the end of winter and white, being a summer color for clothing due to its ability to reflect light and heat, was no longer practical in the cooler weather. The saying became popular during the 1920's as a fashion warning to the nouveau riche who may have the money but not the sense enough to know that it's time to put away the lighter colored linens and cotton clothing they wore on summery escapes. During the mid-50's, the saying was meant to only apply to white bags and shoes. A practical application to the rule may have meant trying to avoid wearing light colored shoes during the cold and slushy winter months and getting them soiled. Like so many fashion rules, this one is also out-functioned and outdated. The weather here in Houston requires its own rules. When it's still 90° on Halloween, but the stores are selling wool turtleneck sweaters, you just have to throw the rulebook out the window.  Even etiquette guru Emily Post has long ago abandoned the white after Labor Day rule. In fact, wearing "winter white" is considered very "fashion forward." Ask Michelle Obama, who wore a beautiful white gown to the January Inaugural events. And just try wagging your finger at the...Pope. Okay, too far!  I'm trying to be more tolerant of the fashion-misinformed. I just can't promise that I won't slug the next person who tries to pinch me for not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day.