Pastry Magic!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Claire and Mikayla's pumpkins!

Claire and her roommate are getting into the spirit of the season.

The puppet theater arrives in kinder!

Kindergarten Puppet Theater

The latest Keating family project is done! John Bridget Kellie and Laura are excited about the completion of the new addition to Kellie's classroom.

Laura did the tri-Rock Tri in Austin

Bridget and Laura attempt to visit Johnny Cash Museum

Claire begins classes at UT

Happy Birthday

Lizzy we miss you.

Happy 80th Papa Don!!!

Feeding the ducks on Block Island

BLOCK ISLAND

Happy Birthday Christine!!!

Now the trip to Galveston can include a bike ride on one of Christine's new bikes.

Lunch Hour NYC

Here are some recipes from Horn & Hardart's Automat.  I picked these up at the Lunch Hour NYC exhibit at The New York Public Library.  I will add some more soon.  Below the recipes are some videos related to the exhibit.  The second video is really interesting.  I watched it in the exhibit.  

Burgundy Sauce with Beef and Noodles

2 lbs. lean beef (chuck or round)

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 medium carrot (grated)

1/2 medium onion (grated)

1/2 celery rib (finely minced)

2 garlic cloves (finely minced)

1 tsp. salt

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. Maggi seasoning

1/2 cup tomato juice

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups Burgundy wine

2 cups broad noodles, freshly cooked

Trim beef of any fat or gristle.  Save the fat.  Cut beef into 1 1/2-inch cubes.  Season it with salt and pepper. Dredge with flour.

Render the fat in a heavy pan.  Sear the meat in it.  Add all the other ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover.  Cook slowly until tender.

Just before serving, remove the bay leaf and mix in two cups of freshly cooked noodles.  Serves 4-6.

Creamed Spinach

1 lb. raw spinach

2 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 tbsp. flour

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

Wash spinach.  Cook in a covered pan, using only the water that clings to the leaves.  When done, chop fine.  

Melt butter in a separate pan.  Add flour gradually, stirring constantly until it is of smooth consistency.  Add milk slowly.  Cook until thickened.  

Add spinach to the sauce.  Add seasoning and blend well.  Serves 4.

Pumpkin Pie

2 cups cooked pumpkin (mashed)

3/4 tbsp. salt

1 can (14 1/2 fl. oz.) evaporated milk

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Heat oven to 425.

Beat all ingredients together with a rotary beater or wire whisk.  Pour into a pastry-lined 9-inch pan.  

Bake 40-45 minutes.  Insert a silver knife into the filling about one inch from the side of the pan.  If knife comes out clean, the filling is done.

Leo turns 80!!!!

Pictures from Abrams Farm and North Light Fibers

One of two llamas on Abrams Farm

Two of Four Alpacas at North Light Fibers

Camel

Katherine with Alpacas

Claire petting the Zedonk

Pictures from the Block

The Little Mermaid

Katherine at the beach!

New Orleans

Wrapping up a week in New Orlens. Saw the filming of The Butler on Magazine St. But no real star sightings. Also wonder if the shadow on this picture of the most haunted house in New Orleans is an orb or reflection. Wonder what the Ghost Hunters would say. Cooking classes were a great outing and learned that you should boil shrimp for about 1 1/2 min in salt and then cool in crab boil in the fridge.

Claire's orientation

Claire gets ready for her move to Tennessee.

The graduates!

2012 family and friends high school graduates!

Escaped!

Laura in SF CA for Escape from Alcatraz!

Little Robins

Here are a pictures of the robins from May 14 and May 20, plus a video.  The nest was empty just a few days after the video.

Robin's Nest

Robin's Nest in My Bougainvillea

I went to water my bougainvillea tonight and a bird flew out.  It occurred to me there might be a nest, so I took it down to snap these pictures.  I hope the birds weren't too disturbed and come back.

Claire's Art recives highest award!!

Claire's art was selected at regionals to advance to state this past weekend. She found out this morning her piece received a Gold Seal the hightest award given at the state level! This is a picture from my phone it is not that good clear but it is the only one I have.

Ice Breaker

Sharon and Laura successfully completed their triathlon yesterday. They were both please with their times. The race consisted of a 1/2 mile swim, a 13 mile bike ride and a 4 mile run. The swim was cold and required wet suits. Congrats to Sharon on her 5th place finish in her age group!

Claire and Friends get ready for the prom. It is hard to believe how much more grown up high schoolers look. I have seen John's prom picture. I looked about 14 in mine.

Happy Easter

Mimi on Easter with her "fastinator". You decide, is she too old or not? It definetley goes with the outfit. Hope everyone had a great Easter. Next post hopefully will be Laura and Sharon in Sacremento completing the triathlon.

NCAA FANS

BIJOU on SPRING BREAK