HI everyone,
Thanks everyone for your concern over my legs… I just got a call today and the consultation about what and when it will be done is in January, so nothing’s happening in the short term. That’s just fine with me! :o)
NO… I’m NOT getting another doll! Shucks, but no… it’s something else. Here are a few hints…
Those are your only hints until more is done! It does require my hubby’s help… but it was MY idea! He’s SUCH a keeper! :o)
Here is another thing that is happening here… My Amaryllis is almost ready to bloom. I’m hoping it will be blooming on Christmas!
Here is Cindy’s Amaryllis…in 2 different stages…
Here is Deb’s…
Cindy sent a picture of her beautiful live Christmas tree, so I wanted to show it…
Well, we’ve had a health update, a surprise coming for me, a few Christmas flowers, a decorated tree and now how about a new recipe.
Hi Jeanne,
The other day on Facebook I posted that I had made taco soup, and one of the sofa sisters (who is also a FB friend) saw it, and suggested I send the recipe to you so you could share it with everyone. It would work for a day when you are too busy to do any dolly sewing, or maybe a day when you aren’t feeling so great, or have to play nursemaid or something else prevents you from having a post. So here it is, and I even remembered to take a picture tonight before I finished what was left! This does make quite a bit, but I am great for freezing things, so I have two 30-ounce square rounds of taco soup in the freezer, in addition to having eaten several servings myself the last few days! Hope everyone enjoys it. Charlotte
Taco Soup from Charlotte Trayer
1 lb. ground beef or stew meat
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp. garlic Powder (not garlic salt)
2 cans crushed or stewed tomatoes
2 cans chili beans**
1 can creamed corn
1 package taco seasoning**
Brown ground beef or stew meat with onion and garlic. (If you use stew meat, you will also need to add some liquid and cook it until tender.) Stir in all the remaining ingredients and simmer for about a half hour. Serve with corn chips, grated cheese, sour cream and salsa to taste.
The cool thing about this recipe is that if you need to stretch it you can add another can of corn, beans or tomatoes.
You can also put it in a crock pot to cook once the meat is browned.
Very yummy!! Corn bread goes well with it, if you want more than just corn chips.
**I prefer less of a “chili” seasoning, so instead of two cans of chili beans, I use one can of chili beans and one can of regular pinto beans, and instead of regular taco seasoning, I get the “mild” taco seasoning. It’s good as written, but I prefer it this way.
Thanks Charlotte!!
I hope everyone has a nice weekend,
Monday I have some pictures to share from Linda, so please come back!
See you then,
Blessings, Jeanne
First of all, thank you to everyone for your kind comments to me, about being easy on myself, etc., and for the prayers. I really appreciate everyone’s concern. Ron has been gone 4 months now.
Dorothy, you made me laugh! I’m actually a fairly decent cook, but these days, I’d rather do other things, so I like to say I only have a kitchen because it came with the house!!
Joy, I am no stranger to getting cards out late. I figure, if I get it in the mail before New Year’s Eve, I’m doing well!
Paula, I cannot imagine losing your dad at such a young age. I am so sorry. My dad was 86 when he died (and I was 56), and I thought that was too soon.
Sissy, I will try to remember to take a picture of my matching fabric next time I wear my skirt, and send it to Jeanne. Then we’ll see if it really matches!
Rosemary, if you are having trouble finding fabrics that are thin enough to look proportional on dolls, you might check thrift shops–not only in their fabrics, but also ladies’ blouses and men’s dress shirts, which are often lighter-weight fabrics, that you can cut up and use in doll clothes. I would check the largest sizes first–the bigger the size, the more yardage! Also wash the garment first, so there are no “surprises” afterwards. One time I wanted checked wool for an American Girl coat and couldn’t find anything in the fabric stores–so I went to the thrift store and bought a wool skirt (checked it over carefully for possible moth holes first), then took it apart, hand washed the pieces, and pressed them. It was a small enough check, and light enough in weight to look good on a doll, and one skirt yielded enough fabric for two coats!
Jeanne, I can’t imagine what George is building for you for Christmas. A new bookshelf, perhaps? Some of those pieces of wood look like they could be shelves.
How fun to see the three different amaryllis plants at different stages of growth! I suppose it depends on when you “started” them, and the air temperature, amount of sunshine, and if they’re in a “good” window!!
Cindy’s tree is lovely and reminds me how much I like a real tree. It’s been quite a few years since we last did that. Maybe next year, a little one???
Thank you for sharing my recipe. I hope those who try it enjoy it. It’s relatively easy to put together, and is enough to serve several! (In case you’re wondering, a “square round” is a Tupperware container that goes way way back in history–probably to the 1960s, anyway, although none of mine is that old. They came in three sizes–16 oz. [perfect for 1 pound of ground beef!], 30 oz., and 64 oz. They were called square rounds because, although they’re basically square, the sides are slightly curved so the air in the freezer can flow around them. I believe they are called something else these days, but to us “oldies”, they will always be square rounds!)
Charlotte, I do not enjoy cooking much either. I used to when the girls were little. Now with just me and hubbs, I do make large portions and freeze stuff. .. This recipe is perfect and I will make it!
What a fun and varied blog this morning, Jeanne!
First off, I’m glad you will be having your legs taken care of. I think we all can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing you will not be getting blood clots in your legs!
Now that “present”, with all the wood, whatever could that be? I can’t believe it would be a bookshelf, when do you ever have the time to sit and read? Maybe a display case type of shelf for your dolls, which you do have quite a few of! You have gotten more this year, and I doubt your space for displaying them has grown. So that’s my two cents of what it is!
I love the amaryllis’ that your family has! I remember the fun last year of watching g mine grow, but I did not get one this year, so yours will be my amaryllis fix for this year!
Charlotte, I think of you all the time, after losing Ron this year. My neighbor across the street lost her husband a year ago, plus my own sister, and it has been a difficult year for them.
Your soup recipe sounds so good, and that’s kind of what I do, make a big batch of soup and freeze it in single portions. I will try ours soon! Thank you for sending that to Jeanne!
Wowww I love this recipe, Thank you Charlotte for the recipe and also for the good advice on shirting fabrics. I made a mock up shirt from a shirt pattern I made for AG (years ago) and used some white fabric I found – it is cheap and scratchy, my guess it came from the portion of fabric used for the foundation of a lovely lace bed skirt. Maybe I removed the lace to make a wedding dress,.. just kidding.
The mock up shirt looks good on Lauren’s Glitter Girl. She is only 7. I have made so many skirts dresses and pants…. but I need to make a few blouses for each of those dolls. It is really fun, and the simpler the better for little girls. Sarah is 9. Hubbs got Youtube commercial free for two months and we have been enjoying Christmas music, so much beautiful choral music.
Okay Jeanne, here are my guesses: shelving for fabric storage. Shelving for dolly scenes, a she shed (lol just kidding, really! I would never want one)
As a quilter and sewist, I have made shelved some about 7 old large drawers that are in perfect shape, but the dresser was crashed into. My sister and I had matching dressers, not fancy, made in Denmark and I think my parents bought them before we moved to the US when I was 10. Anyway, one of those dressers I have in full, the other one was in mom and dad’s garage and …. it got crashed into. So, in unloading mom and dads house 12 years ago and moving them to Virginia, hubbs and I rented a big van, and I tried to salvage some of these memories and the drawers make adorable shelves for all of my fat quarters. I try to sort them by color. Today is Friday, it is so drab in Northern Virginia. I think it is going to be drab all day! I am going to be an un- drab person today