Our Aunt Pat

Here is a woman who has endured so much in her life and never not ever complained. How do you begin to describe such a person?
or Aunt is a strong and compassionate person. She always places others before herself even in her most darkest time.. My Aunt has stage  four Ovary Cancer and is now 4 years in remission accept now the cancer has returned and is settled in her Brain. This is hard to except because people like my Aunt you want to live forever but sadly for non of us that is going to happen.

My Aunt has five children all grown with very busy lives they are extremely close to there mom and have not left her side since the beginning each one of them have inherited her compassion strength and love for life and strongly uphold her family values there mother has a strong believe in her Faith as do her children my sister and I are so blessed to have them in our lives

 Our Aunt does not feel any pain which for a cancer patient is a blessing she simply will go to sleep but for any of us knowing the end results it still is a hard way to go and understand I can only ask  the Gods to empower her children with strentgn and peaceful moments.

I don't like cancer and I don't believe anyone of us do it is a disease that creeps up on us and robs us of our most sacred strengths This I believe.. But My Aunt has always Kept her values and fought this monster with Gods largest sword her Faith and family

I have such good memories of my Aunt and my cousins which will be always in my heart forever  they fill my heart with such joy they are my family my Passion my love.

Always
Lydia

Italian Red Seafood Sauce over Mussels & Pasta

This is My Homemade Italian Red Seafood Sauce served over Mussels and Pasta I made this Sunday night for my dinner and trust me there were no left overs

You will need

2 dozen mussels frozen all ready in butter and garlic
1 dozen scallops
1 dozen med shrimp skinned and cut up
1 Sm can of tomato paste
2 lg cans of tomatoes sauce
2 can of Italian season stewed tomatoes seasoned in garlic Basil and orangeno
1 cup of sugar
1 lg onion cut up
olive oil for frying onions
1 lb of Linguini or fettachhini
2tlbs sweet basil
2 tbs of powder garlic

Directions:

In your sauce pot put olive oil and salte your onions
add tomatoes paste and melt down
add the rest of your sauce
add the rest of your spices and simmer low add sugar

add your seafood except for your mussels they are separate
allow sauce to simmer very slow or a couple of hours but no more remember on a low heat

In a separate sauce pan take frozen muscles and place in a sauce pan cook over low heat while boiling your pasta the muscle have there own sauce once muscle have been cooked and pasta is ready
place pasta in your pasta bowl add sauce to it and serve muscle over the past

This is really wonderful meal and easy to make

Enjoy
Always
Lydia

My Simple Mini Semi Homemade Boston Cream Pies

My Simple Mini Semi Homemade Boston Cream Pie

You you will need;

1 box of yellow cake mix( with the pudding inside)
1 lg Box of Vanilla instant cream pudding
1tsp of real vanilla
1tsb of almond extract
2 extra lg eggs
1/4 cup of oil
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup of water
med dark semi sweet chocolate 2
1/4 cup of corn syrup
 6 muffin pan


Directions:

Follow directions on box for cake
as well as for instant pudding I did list the ingredients but added
more for the pudding
line Muffin pan with cupcake liners
fill almost to the top with cake mix
bake at 350 until done
cool cake and slice off the tops
mix pudding adding vinniale and almond allow to chill while cake is baking and cooling
with a small ice cream scoop place pudding on the cake place the tops on the cake

In a double boiler melt chocolate add corn syrup until all melted
spoon over the tops of the cakes allow to cool

This is a simple and very tasty Mini Boston Cream Pie  your family and Friends will love

Enjoy
Always
Lydia

My Homemade Raspberries Jam

My Homemade Raspberries Jam:

This was a big hit this Sunday Morning with my family and is so easy to make However, it is lenthy so be prepaired to spend some time over the stove but it is worth the wait


You will need:

2 cups of fresh or frozen Raspberries
1 1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of water

Directions;

In a sauce pan over a low to medium heat
Place berries in pan add sugar and water
allow to simmer Slowly until thickens 
stirring occasionally once thick take  off
stove cool in place in refrigerator serve chilled
over biscuits or toast. A true delete

Enjoy
Lydia

My Standing Rib Roast Recipe

Now what can be more delicious then a Standing Rib Roast and so festive around the Holidays I have found that it is one of the easy roast to bake

You will need

8-10 lb Standing Rib Roast
1 pkg of Lipton French Onion Soup
a tablespoon of garlic powder
a tablespoon of fresh pepper
1 cup of Italian Bread Crumbs\
2 tablespoon of Olive oil

Directions

Heat oven to 450 along with the roasting pan
Mix Lipton Soup. garlic.pepper together
rub roast down with olive oil
rub roast all over with your blend
add bread crumbs last make sure you cover the entire roast
Remove roasting pan from hot oven and place your standing rib roast
in roasting pan cover the expose bone with aluminum foil
place in 450 oven for at least 35 min
turn heat down to 350 bake for another 40 min or until crust has formed and inside in slightly pink
depending on how you want your your meat I like my roast medium rare.
Once you have a good crust and meat is ware you want it to be remove and allow to rest for 20-30 min
Serve with your favorite sauce and side dish
 Serves 6 with some left over

Enjoy
Always
Lydia

A Day Shy from a Year

It has been over a year since we were robbed yes robbed. I have not mention this in my blog as it happed on December 23 2010 Two days prior to Christmas and a day after the Winter Solstice. A morning I don't think I will forget but a morning I learned a valuable lesson.

My sister and I were on our way to take the dogs to the groomer this was a rarity as it is usually me bringing the dogs so it was a morning of great planning. Dropping the dogs off, Breakfast, and last minute Christmas Shopping. Now don't get me wrong, Our family is not big on gift exchanging. Just getting together for a wonderful Christmas Dinner.Cornish Hens were on the menu so I wanted to pick up the Appetizers and last minute things I would need and looking forward in sharing the day with my sister.

We left late for the groomers usually I have to be there by 8 am but we were late. Calling the groomer and letting her know off we went.
Enjoying the morning and completing all of the last minute shopping we headed home knowing I would have to return to the groomers to pick up the dogs..

Driving into the driveway I notice that the Screen to the window was by the garbage can and the window opened. Both my sister and I were staring at it but it had not hit not for a couple of minutes. Then it hit! OMG we were robbed!! We went into the house and low and behold everything gone!! All of the computers, cameras, TVs everything gone!! Our home was torn apart such a horrible feeling. My sister called 911 and we got out of the home waiting for the police. Our cats were in the house but the police advised us to wait until they arrived before entering the home so we waited. Finally they arrived and we walked through the house to find our cats. One by one they came out pretty shook up but OK and very happy to see us.

They took everything of my sisters who worked very hard for all she had. Our Moms jewelry everything gone that quick, gone.


Since then a day shy of a year we had to go to court for the sentencing of the person who robbed us and yes justice was served somehow the Gods saw it and gave back to my sister what he had taken . It is a road that this person while have to journey and faces hard times but hopefully he will have learned his lesson.

We have since move to a quiet town a town not know for gangs or high crime but like I believe it can happen anywhere. Where we are now my dogs are happy my cat Spike loves it here and both my sister and I feel more at home and safe  then ever a feeling I had lost living in the town we came from.

For me I still Lock my doors. Make sure the windows are closed and locked but somehow it is safer and cleaner A Day Shy from a Year

Christmas Day 2011

 Our Cyber  Fire Place

 Dad & Maggie Enjoying
The Hot Crab Dip

 Our Dad could not get enough

 My Simple but Elegant
Christmas Table setting

 Pretty Table

 Awe The finished Biscottie

 The Biscottie Once Baked
and sliced

In the Oven we go
for the second bake


I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours. The parents here and our dear friend Dot
My sister finally arrived after a day of call for Trauma. It was good having everyone together in
my sister new home

Merry Christmas and looking forward to a healthy Safe Prosperous New Year!!

Always
Lydia