24 decidedly Recipes

american cheese (or whatever kind you prefer), tomatoes, spinach leaves , torn in half (more or less, you decide, i like a lot!!), white bread (or whatever kind you prefer, if you use large slices you may need to add more ingredients), margarine or 1 tbsp butter, salt, garlic powder

flake oatmeal, turmeric (original recipe called for 1/4 tsp....you decide), salt (1/4 tsp. in original), ground coriander, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, ground allspice (original recipe called for ground cloves), nutmeg, honey (i omit, but my daughter adds 1 package of equal after cooking for sweetness), milk, sometimes i add finely diced dried fruit , like apricots (optional) or cranberries (optional) or raisins (optional) or sometimes i add toasted chopped walnuts (optional) or almonds, after cooking depending on my mood and what is on hand (optional)

old age, i decided , is a gift., i am now , probably for the first time in my life, the person i have always wanted to be., i would never trade my amazing friends , my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. as i ve aged, i ve become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. i ve become my own friend., i don tsp chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that i didn tsp need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. i am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant., whose business is it if i choose to read or play on the computer until 4 am and sleep until noon, i will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50 s, 60 s, & 70 s, and if i, wish i will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if i choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set., will get old ., i know i am sometimes forgetful. but there again , some of life is just as well forgotten. and i eventually remember the important things.., over the years my heart has been broken ..., but broken hearts are what give us strength andunderstanding and compassion. a heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect., i am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. so many have never laughed, and so may have died before their hair could turn silver., as you get older , it is easier to be positive. you care less about what other people think. i don tsp question myself anymore. i ve even earned the right to be wrong., answer your question , i like being old. it has set me free.. i like the person i have become., i am not going to live forever, but while i am still here, i will not waste time lamenting about what could have been, or worrying about what will be. and i shall eat dessert every single day. (if i feel like it), may our friendship never come apart especially when it s straight from the heart, may you always have a rainbow of smiles on your face and in your heart forever and ever

pie pumpkin (those medium to small ones, their meat is sweeter), acorn squash (optional- i had 1 and decided to bake them both up together), since this was the first time i attempted making pumpkin by myself , i experimented with two types of seasoning, non-hydrogenated margarine , 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, and lots of the following spices- jamaican jerk seasoning, smoked paprika, parsley and sea salt., a sweet rub made out of the following- about 1/3 cup of honey , 1 tbsp packed brown sugar, cumin, nutmeg, sage, parsley, chili and garlic powder, salt and pepper., water for the bottom of each pan.

halibut, chili sauce (mild, medium, or hot , you decide), sour cream, mayonnaise, hard boiled eggs, chopped, peeled, grated carrot, salt and pepper

ground beef (750 g minced meat) or 1 1/2 lbs lamb (750 g minced meat), oil (for frying ), white bread , normal thickness, milk (125 ml), onions or 2 smaller, curry powder, very mild (cape malay is the best), breyani spices , generous, crushed* (see note below), turmeric, tomato, ripe, peeled and chopped, sugar, apple, peeled and coarsely grated, grated lemon rind, seedless raisin (this is for you to decide), salt, apricot jam, egg, milk (200 ml), almonds, whole, blanched (or use split almonds), egg , plus, milk , and, turmeric

tri-tip roast (trimmed is great , but some like un-trimmed cause the fat adds flavor. that might be true, you decide), soy sauce, straight bourbon whiskey, of your choice (i use jim beam ), beer (i like to use new castle), el yucateco chile habanero sauce, yellow mustard, minced garlic clove, fresh ground pepper, fresh ground sea salt

bake time is afforded should you decide to bake your own sponge, biscuit, or genoise cake. otherwise, you can purchase it, if you like., cake base, cake base about 1 cm in height, click here for cake base recipe., passion fruit mousse : (18cm), passion fruit filling (strain the seeds), passion fruit essence, milk, sugar, gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp hot boiling water, whipping cream, icing sugar, mango cubes as desired, strawberry cubes as desired, passion fruit jelly topping, passion fruit filling (with seeds), warm water, gelatin dissolved in 1 tbsp hot boiling water

bread or 1/2 french baguette, eggs, milk (preferably 2%), cinnamon, nutmeg (this is for you to decide!)

butter, softened, sugar, eggs, squared unsweetened chocolate, melted, vanilla, flour, baking powder, chopped pecans, cream cheese, butter, softened, sugar, egg, flour, vanilla, chopped pecans, chocolate chips, marshmallows, butter, cream cheese, softened, unsweetened chocolate, milk, powdered sugar, vanilla

what ever filling you decide to fill the rolls with(ie: pie filling, cream cheese, fruit, be creative!), cresent rolls, butter (if you decide to cover the rolls in sugar or cinnomin, or just want them crispy on the outside!), sugar or cinnomin

whole chickens, white rice (cooked ), smoked link sausage (sliced into 1/2 inch slices), butter, olive oil, white onion (chopped into medium chunks ), red bell pepper (cut into long strips), green onions (chopped very finely), tomatoes (diced into large chunks ), cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional), tomato paste, capers, canned early peas (petit-pois), canned smoked oysters (optional), sliced black olives or 4 -5 oz whole green olives, as is traditional, white wine (optional) or 1/2 cup beer, you decide, traditional (optional), salt and pepper

potatoes, egg, milk, flour, paprika, salt or sea, dried thyme , basil, oregano, chili powder and garlic powder, cayenne pepper ( you decide ), vegetable oil (i like sesame oil )

this recipe was made every year at christmas , without the chocolate, until my great grandmother passed away. i recently decided to add melted chocolate...just to spice it up a bit, potato, peeled, melted semisweet chocolate, confectioners sugar, peanut butter

boneless pork chops, frozen , at least 1 inch thick, sweet onion, sliced, head garlic, peeled and rough chopped, carrots, cut into thirds (more or less to your taste ), chicken broth (this is all i had, i used a whole can and it made a lot gravy, so you decide), mrs. dash garlic and herb seasoning mix (more or less to your taste), salt and pepper, flour (depends on how thick you want the sauce)

ground turkey, chopped onions, head garlic, minced, green pepper, chopped, white navy beans (rinsed and drained ), black beans (rinsed and drained ), crushed tomatoes, whole plum tomates (squished up with your hands), cumin seed, liquid honey, juice of 1 orange, hot sauce (you decide how hot!), salt and pepper to taste

beef , lots of it. i buy the costco packs 3-4 lbs, carrots , depending on size, white onions, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, chopped, jalapenos (i keep the seeds) (optional), tomato bouillon cubes or 2 tbsp tomato paste, water (you decide), olive oil, beer, you like, sea salt & pepper