Monday's Memory: The One With the Pizza

last march
right after my birthday
my friend angie came into town
she snapped this photo
of anthony and i
when we introduced her to a great little pizzeria here in nashville
mmmmm...hungry yet?

pause

anthony's granddaddy went Home early this morning
it's his 79th birthday
tonight we celebrate him

i've only had the pleasure of knowing him since i've been dating his grandson
slightly over a year and a half
not enough time
but long enough to know he was a class act

quiet strength
noble
humble
wise
and hilarious
he had this way of saying one little thing
which made us laugh for hours

what a GREAT life he had.

Recipe of the Week -- Shepherd (or Cottage) Pie

As per my usual I made this for St Patrick's Day. This year I took it to the hospital and shared it with Anthony's family who were all gathered with his granddaddy. It was my attempt at bringing Irish cheer to the hospital, and it was enthusiastically received. I've shared this recipe before, but it deserves a repeat. Plus I've changed it (anyone surprised?)

Just for the record, I make this with lamb (Shepherd's Pie) or ground beef (Cottage Pie). It's a technicality that some people are very strict about :-)  

Cottage/Shepherd's Pie

1 lb ground beef (or one pound ground lamb)
1 onion, chopped
clove of garlic, minced or chopped finely
1-2 cups mixed veggies (I use carrots, corn and peas normally)
1 1/2-2 lbs potatoes
1 stick butter
1/2 cup beef broth
2-4 tbsp tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 cup of red wine (this is totally eyeballed and I'm fairly sure I used closer to 1/2 cup this time around)
3 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
salt, pepper, other seasonings
(rubbed sage, thyme, mint, etc)

Begin by peeling, chopping, and boiling potatoes in salted water for 20-30 minutes.

About 10 minutes after they begin boiling, melt 4 tablespoons butter in large frying pan.
(which means you have time to harvest, plow and plant approximately 30 plots on farmville. just in case you wonder.)
Saute onions in butter and mixed spices until tender over medium heat (approx 10 minutes). About 5 minutes in, add clove of chopped garlic and the carrots.

Add meat and saute until brown. Add peas and corn, salt and pepper, worcesterchire sauce, splash of wine, and beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding the tomato paste/sauce about 5 minutes into this process.

When potatoes are tender mash them. I add about 2-3 tbsp butter, milk, and even amounts of salt and pepper as I mash. You, of course, can season how you would normally season mashed potatoes.

Line baking dish with beef, onions and veggie mixture. Layer mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so peaks will brown nicely.
(or not...it's gonna taste the same)
Cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Turn on broiler and let brown for an additional 5 minutes.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up: Volume 10

remember bank robber Santa?
well
he came back
as bank robber leprechaun

so the mystery is solved
but the guy in the suit(s) is dead
big-time police shootout
killed the driver of the getaway car eventually
and the actual robber killed himself as he fled on foot
thankfully, the only casualty on the law enforcement side was the police car that got shot up

(news story here)

nashville always makes the news for odd things...
(this time we made *international* news!)
i wonder what's next?

Thursday's Ten: Things found In...

Does anyone else need to clean out their purse as badly as I do?

We're about to find out.



Ten Things Found in Your Purse
(or wallet, laptop bag, or manpurse)

1. wallet (well, that's normal)
2. camera (still normal)
3. small notebook that I use to jot down scripture and prayer
4. coupons (random ones, some of them likely expired)
5. not one or two but three shades of Burt's Bees tinted lip shimmer
6. old Victoria's Secret mint tin that I use for a change purse
7. plastic spoon. no, I don't know why.
8. a thank you card from a friend
9. individual cracker bag. unfortunately the crackers are more of a powder by now
10. a baggie full of earrings that I've made so that I have a backup when I inevitably forget to put them on in the house. oh, and random necklaces and bracelets for the same reason.

how about you?
what will we find in YOUR bag?


(grab the button and sign MckLinky)

I ♣ This (Irish for I ♥ This)

nashville has a controversial piece of art
it's called musica
it's a gorgeous bronze statue in the middle of a roundabout on Music Row
some folks around here apparently took issue to it when it was raised
and it has the nickname of "nudies" to most of us natives
(but I still think it's beautiful. don't you?)

musica (or the nudies) has the (un)fortunate position of being right.next.to an Irish pub
in fact, the pub that i spent a lot of time at before my friend opened his own
(and where i will still be going from time to time)

with all the irish and scottish pride rampant in nashville today
is it any wonder that the nudies were kilted?

St Patrick's Prayer

May those who love us love us.

And those that don't love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if He doesn't turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we'll know them by their limping.

(Irish blessing)

one of my favorite days of the year is today.
last year, i linked to a favorite veggie tales rendition of the St Patrick story.
this year i link you to this site, which will give you all the history you'd like.
my ancestry is german and irish, and today is a day i spend in thanks
for the one who brought my faith to ireland
to the people who would become my family
to the green island i hope to one day visit.

it is a day where many people drink
after all, that is a common irish pastime
it is a day where i will go to the pub, sip on a pint, and listen to some great irish tunes
but i will also remember
the true importance of today

St Patrick's prayer is what i leave you with today. these are his words. may they bless you today.

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

today

i have no wise words today
no coherent thoughts to speak of
just sharing part of my heart

i'm aching for those who ache

i'm rejoicing for job opportunties in the near future -- i begin a nanny gig at the end of april
for a sweet baby boy who will be 11 weeks plus a month
(because he's 11 weeks now)
his parents are wonderful
easy-going and laid back
the kind of parents who take their cues from baby within a structured environment
striking that natural balance that benefits both child and parent
undoubtedly the sort of parent i will be
so we clicked
and i'm thrilled that this will be happening
although i'm still on pins and needles while i wait for something to happen for the next month point five
and i'm thankful through all of it that God is still God

if you are a prayer, a thinker, a person
please keep anthony's family in those prayers and thoughts
one grandparent is in hospice with stage 4 lung cancer
another admitted yesterday to the hospital with congestive heart failure
both sides of the family now keeping vigil by two hospital beds...thankfully in the same building

if you're one to light a candle
to cross yourself
to use prayer beads
i'm pretty sure any gesture would be appreciated right now

st patrick's day is tomorrow
if you are one of faith
celebrate

we will be

today i vow
to lose myself in music
because right now i have a gift
time
and while i could spend it cleaning my house
and truth be told, i need to spend more than a few minutes on that task
i also need to spend a portion of it
doing what makes me me
what the One who created me
well, created me to do
and so
i will play
and worship
and enjoy life on the piano bench
for just a bit

do something today
that you were created to do

and tell me about it
because i want to know

Made By Lora

necklace for a charity auction (wine not included)necklace for a friend to wear to her son's rehearsal dinner

earrings for the dress I wore to the wedding