Amuse Bouche

Our good friend and co-coach Randy Emert is a chef who continually works to improve his skills and increase his knowledge. In fact, he is currently studying to be a sommelier, wine expert. His end goal is to be a Master Chef. Tonight Randy and his wife are hosting the semi-exclusive neighborhood Euchre party. As you might have guessed, when they are the hosts, everyone clears their schedules to be able to attend...and partake of the food offerings.




Amy and Randy graciously invited us to try some of the food before the party started. Admittedly I was hesitant to show up. Ken had to listen to me ask multiple times, "Are you sure they want us to come?" He said, "Randy told us he was setting up the food a 1/2 hour early for us to come try it. They will be sad if we don't come."

So, we snuck away for a bit and tried the amuse bouches that were laid out on the kitchen island. (And yes, Randy was right when he thought that I might not show up. He arranged for private tasting plates that Amy was about to deliver...but we arrived just as she was calling our house.)

The first thing that I tried was the Roast Beef Roulade.

It consists of Roast Beef...or Roast Beast if you are a Shrek fan...cream cheese, horseradish and chives...I think. It was pretty tasty. ( My amuse bouches were a few bits b/c I wanted to taste and savor it slowly and carefully.) Amy says it is another Euchre player's favorite offering when Randy is hosting.

Next I tried the Mozzarella/Basil/Tomato on a pick drizzled with reduced balsamic glaze.

I enjoy this combination of flavors and tried to tell Ken that there was only one on the plate! haha. But he ate the other bite.

The Cucumber Canape was probably my favorite.

Randy used sour dough bread for the crouton foundation, a dill layer then the cuke and some dill garnish. Yummy!

What I did not snap a pix of was the Pouched Jumbo Shrimp with a side of cocktail sauce that Randy whipped up. We took the extras home and C* actually ate a whole one! He decided that it tasted better without the sauce. I have said that M* and E* HAVE TO EAT ONE BITE...and as I write this, there has been wailing and tears. And they will eat one bite after I post!

Here is some sausage that Chef Emert made earlier this week:

It was served with a Cajun sauce...but not spicy at all. I'm not always a big fan of sausage or Cajun or smoked things. But this was mild enough for me. I'm sure Ken was probably hoping for the fire red stuff...haha. He likes to burn the taste buds off his tongue.

Lastly, we tasted a variety of cheeses with some crackers.

I don't remember the specific names of all the cheeses. But the blue cheese is the "best" brand for blue cheese. The Gouda was from Denmark. Living in Germany, I had Gouda cheese which was supposed to be far superior than US Gouda...a whole different flavor from what was told to me. The Parmesan cheese was also a high quality cheese. And cheddar.

Oh, and there was a fruit plate:

But we didn't try that one.

So Ken has said that his favorite was the "roll up thing and the cucumber on the crouton." haha. I think that the cucumber canape was my favorite...for it was crunchy and smooth, crispy and cool...all in one bite!

While we might not be in the Euchre crowd, I'm sure grateful for generous friends who share their talents with us. Thanks to Chef Emert for the array of Amuse Bouche...and I'm sorry for any and all misprints of your menu!

Kinetic Card Tutorial

Today, I decided not to go in to the elementary school library for some volunteer time. Instead I went to the post office to mail a couple of things. Who should I run into? The fabulously kind and talented stamper, Dawn of Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. We chatted quite some time...all about stamps, of course. If you know Dawn's blog, you know that she produces great videos.

I went home and lounged on the couch watching recorded TV. Then in a spurt of enthusiasm, I decided to try my hand at another tutorial. (FYI...The previous tutorials have links in my sidebar.)

Without further ado,

the Kinetic Card Tutorial...

for my Mom who is turning 60 in a few days and in the past encouraged me to make more tutorials. So Mom, this is an early one for YOU!

You can make something on your card go from the left side...
to the right side with just an exact-o knife, scrap of paper and some ribbon!

First choose your object. It can be a boat, truck, car....decorate it, cut it out.
On the main panel, stamp/embellish/decorate. It will be 4x5.25.

Using an exact-o knife, cut two parallel slits the length of the panel...BUT leave about a quarter inch on each side. The space between the slits should be a hair wider than the ribbon you choose to use. Here I will be using a 1/4 inch grossgrain ribbon.

Here is a pix with the two slits. I slid a piece of white paper to show the placement. I'll call this the track.

Next, cut a thin piece of paper. Fold it in thirds around your 11 inch ribbon. Adhere the paper to the ribbon in the center section. Position the paper at the 5 inch mark. (You will need to be sure that there is enough ribbon to slide back and forth without ending up short for your vehicle.) Use sticky strip or ATG gun to tape the ribbon to the paper.

Detail...
Next, place the ribbon behind the card panel and bring up the two sides through the slits. Wrap around the "track." Basically, making a "link." You do not want the link to be stuck to the track. Again, use sticky strip or ATG gun to tape the link on itself. View from the back. Be sure that you can slide the ribbon back and forth, back and forth smoothly. The "link" needs to be fitted, but not too tight that it can not run smoothly back and forth along the track.

Now, adhere the boat, or other vehicle, to the paper link. You may want use a small dimensional if you want more depth to you card.

After adding any other embellishments, glue or tape down the main panel to your card base. Be sure that you do not adhere the link or track to the card base. This kinetic card will be sure to make bring a smile to someone's face!

Today...

Today was a pretty lazy day. I stayed up too late looking for a stamp that ended up being on the underside of an ink pad. Yes, there are some draw backs to unmounted stamps. Especially if you are neurotic about having to find lost/missing things!

In the AM, I went to the GirlScout Council (about an hour away) with my neighbor who is a new Daisy leader.

Then I came home, ate lunch, watched a little recorded TV...then took a nap on the couch. I was seriouly tired! What a day. So I checked my computer before the kids arrived home...and found FUNTASTIC news in my inbox. News that will be announced in MAY. So come back then. haha. Oooh the suspense. Luckily I know what the news is. B/c along with not enjoying lost items, I do not enjoy suspense.

So E* has lost his gloves. Which after talking to the PM busdriver, it sounds like someone else picked them up. They are probably gone for good. Barb will be happy to know that after I repaired then and embroidered initials on the outside of everyonne's gloves, I made C and E crocheted chains. The gloves were attached and the chains fit through their coats. Hopefully no more problems. M* has declared that she can take care of her own gloves and sees no need to have the chain in her coat.

I do have a few more things to design for the blog hop...Luckily I have my ideas...just not the energy!

Oh good news I can share...my kids might, just MIGHT, be getting interested in the piano. I have tried to teach them without luck of them really caring. And I guess I didn't MAKE them practice after a few days. But our neighbor friend down the street has started lessons and needs a piano to practice on every day. He will now be coming here. Today, C got out his book and played a bit too. Maybe we will make progress.

Oh, and Ken did remember my 1/2 bday. (As if he could forget it when I announced it this morning at the top of the stairs! haha) He arrived home from work with some carnations and cherry twizzlers. Thanks Ken!

The kids have been crazy today...a bit loud and a LOT of RUNNING. The list of 72 things they can do before even ASKING me to play video games/computer/tv worked out to well today. C and R*, the neighbor, did about 14 things I guess. They wanted to carve wood, but settled on soap. The entire family now knows that the pastry boards is NOT A CUTTING BOARD! haha. See, I just assumed they understood. I kept my cool b/c I know how much trouble I used to get in with my mom's special items. Best of all, our kitchen has a zesty smell...even if it isn't "zestfull" clean! (Okay, it's clean, but needs to be mopped. Mopping is definitely not a half bday activity.)

Now it's time to HIT THE HAY...do my kids know that phrase?

February 3rd

Happy Half Birthday...to ME!

New Button!

Well, Tracey B must have made the new SA Guest Designer button just for me...to match my polka dotted blog...haha. Of course, I will either have to keep the dots for a very long time, or Tracey is going to have to come up with a new button for each background that suits my whim. It's super cute...the button. So no worries. Well, I was just up here taking a little break...but I need to get down stairs to some fresh rubber...wait, wait...I can't spill the beans yet! (Or would that be "spill the reinker?")

Jinx...

Actually... hopefully not.

I said in jest that my mom might not even live to her 60th birthday...which by the way is on Sunday. She knew I was joking. But oddly enough, she isn't online all day, didn't answer her phone. Did not call or email...

Ohoh...