Pecan Twist

One of my favorite things is a good pecan twist – my favorite are at Panera Bread.  They are tasty and just the right texture – yummy!

One thing that really makes me smile is to find a recipe that comes close to something I usually have to buy – I like to make things myself, that way I know what all the ingredients are and I can tweak things a bit here and there.

I was able to find a recipe for a quick pecan twist, it doesn't have yeast - just baking soda.

The ones I made came out beautifully - I hope you’ll give them a try and I hope they make you smile!

J

Land-O-Lakes Maple Pecan Twists

These quick bread twists are filled with a sweet nut mixture and have a maple-flavored glaze.

Filling

1 1/3 cups finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

Dough

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter

1 cup  sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

3 to 4 teaspoons milk

Heat oven to 450°F. Combine all filling ingredients in small bowl; set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Combine sour cream, 1/4 cup milk and egg in medium bowl; beat with wire whisk until smooth. Stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture just until dough forms. 

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead 12 to 15 times. Roll out dough, on parchment-lined (16x14-inch) baking sheet without sides, into 15x12-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle filling over half the length of the dough to within 1 inch of edges. Fold dough over filling; cut dough into 15 (1-inch) strips. Twist strips about three times; press ends onto sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet; remove to wire rack. 

Combine all glaze ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Drizzle over twists.

The Long and Winding Road

Many times you end up where you never thought you would.  I never thought I would live in the Bay Area, but I find it one of the most gorgeous places I have ever lived – coming from Oregon and Washington, that’s saying a lot.

There are some pretty spectacular views here in the Bay Area – mountains, cityscapes, water views – enough to take your breath away.  But once and awhile, you go down a road you’ve never been before – my idea of fun!  And you see things you would have thought were impossible living in a metropolitan area.

Lake Chabot does that to me – if I didn’t know better, I would think I was out in the middle of nowhere.  The view of San Francisco on a very clear day makes me feel like I'm looking at a “once upon a time” city of my dear childhood books.

Today, I had the opportunity to share something that brings a smile to a dear friend’s face.  It’s a winding road coming out of a residential area, but the reason it makes her smile and the reason I can now share it with you as a smile of my own, is that it has the most amazing views of the Bay – sunlit and shining, greens in every hue imaginable and these are set off by the vibrant colors of the maples and other deciduous varieties, especially at this time of year, placed here and there on the hillsides. 

There are so many beautiful things in our lives – people, places and things, we just need to slow down on the long, winding road of life – let the other drivers go by – take time to drink it in; say thank you and smile.

J

Lunch with the Gals

Today I went out to lunch with some of the gals from Pieced Together Quilters.  There wasn’t much notice given….by me, but thankfully five lovely ladies could make it and it was lots of fun!

It’s so nice to sit around a table during a meal and talk about this and that.  We talked about kids and grandkids, projects – finished and unfinished, friends, family, helping others, and of course, quilts!

It’s a blustery day outside today, but visiting with warm friends and wonderful food, in a cozy environment leaves me with nothing but a smile on my face!

J

Morning Light

It is so nice to sleep in.  There’s really nothing sweeter than rolling over and going back to sleep or even just dozing awhile.  But I’m smiling today because I got up early – around 6:00 am.  I know a lot of people get up a lot earlier than 6, but that’s early for me.

It feels good to get out into the kitchen where it’s still dark and chilly and see the day and the house come to life.  I like being in the kitchen when the coffee maker starts automatically – that definitely makes me smile….it just smells so good!

I like to see my neighborhood wake up too; a few of my neighbors are getting into their cars and heading off to work around that time.  I can see the lights come on in other houses on my street and when I think of their households waking up and starting the day, well, that makes me smile too!

The best thing about getting up early is that sense of accomplishment that comes with getting the routine started early.  It seems like you have more hours in the day or something, which is really nice in the cold, grey days we are in right now!

So, welcome to the day….early today and smiling!

J

Menu

Menu planning for dinners through the week makes my life simpler.  I sit down on a Sunday evening and write out a menu for the next two weeks.  I use a few cookbooks and make sure I include meals I know my family likes and just write it down.

Next I make a grocery list from that menu so that I have everything I need in the house.  The whole process doesn’t usually take me very long and it gives me peace every day!

I know some people like to decide daily what to fix and if you only have a couple of people in your family, it makes sense to wing it.  I like the idea of everyone sitting down at the table for a family meal each night of the work week.  It’s a chance to bring everyone together and go over our day or current events, etc.

When you know what you’re fixing each night, you can focus on other things through the day and it takes the thinking and or last minute worries out of the equation.  It makes dinner happen more easily and with less stress…at least for me!

My menu and knowing what I’m preparing for dinner makes me smile!

J

Snowmen

I love snowmen – they are my favorite thing about this time of year.  I haven’t seen an actual snowman for a really long time.  Probably because I live in the Bay Area and we don’t get a lot of snow.

So to fill in the snowman blanks in my real life, I like to decorate with them.  Today I will help you to smile by sharing some of my favorite snowmen on the blog!

I made this snowman wall hanging recently – it features three bundled snowmen hiding behind a fence.

This one is part of another wall hanging I made last winter…this little guy is one of my favorites.

And to top it off, I found some flannel sheets on sale this week that I just couldn’t pass up – part of the reason was the price, but I admit, it was the snowmen that sealed the deal.

Hope you are smiling…..

J

Success and Happiness

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

Herman Cain

J

Don’t Buy Me a Kindle

I like books, they make me smile.  I’m not so sure about the very popular electronic readers – IPAD, Kindle, Nook, etc.  It seems like a great idea, you don’t have to carry around a bunch of books.  When you go on vacation, you can actually take a bunch of books with you and not have to pay the extra baggage fees.  If you are a student, you don’t have to lug around all those text books.  The advantages, I suppose, are great.

What I don’t like about them is the potential for books becoming obsolete.  I like the feel of a book in my hand.  I like to turn the pages.  I like the ability to go to the back or up to the front and hold my place where I am. 

The other thing I like is a bookshelf full of books.  If I had a big enough house, I would have an entire room dedicated to books.  A library, if you will, with those rolling ladders and comfy chairs and blankets.  There’s something quite comforting about a full bookshelf, it’s one of those old-fashioned fixtures that make everything seem right with the world.

I will smile when I see one of those electronic readers at the beach or on an airplane, but I will continue reading books the old-fashioned way….paper page by paper page.

J

Memory

Today I am smiling because of a very special memory.  Early this last fall, we had a couple of guests stay with us and visit the Bay Area.  One friend is from Austria and the other from the Isle of Man, both of them, a long way from home.

We were quite pleased to have them visit; they had a place to stay and good food to enjoy.  What they gave us in return were some really great memories.

One evening while they were here, we had a family sing-a-long.  Our friend from the Isle of Man is an accomplished guitarist and he played nearly every song we requested.  He sang with all his heart and played with all his being.  We sat there for three wonderful hours listening, singing, mesmerized by the talent, the fun, and the generous gift that is music.

It’s been a long time since they were here and yet those sweet memories continue to make me smile!

J

You’ve Got Mail

Call me old-fashioned, but I love getting mail.  Email is okay, but the real mail, the snail mail, is what dreams are made of!

There’s really nothing like getting a letter in the mail, anticipating the contents and then getting it open and sitting down for a good read.  I’m not talking about bills and credit card offers, notifications or junk, I’m talking about a good old-fashioned letter or card.

It takes time to write cards and letters.  Some people really don’t like to write or they don’t know what to write or it takes them a long time to write, so unfortunately, the snail mail form of communicating is becoming obsolete. 

We live in a fast-paced, electronic world and it takes its toll.  One way to slow things down and disconnect is to get out that pen and paper and start writing.  It will be therapeutic!  It’s good for the writers and the receivers. 

Thinking about all those letters out there making people feel warm and loved and cared for really makes me smile!

J

Movies

A few of my favorite movies have been on lately – it’s amazing how good some movies can make you feel.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch the movie, “Dave”, “You’ve Got Mail”, “Holiday Inn”, (my mother was adamant about us watching musicals). 

It’s nice to feel good and happy after watching a movie.  All of these movies have happy endings.  I’m a stickler for a happy ending.  People say, “Happy endings aren’t reality!”  To that I say, “Yes, but they are movies, not reality!”  If you want reality, then you better just watch the news – ugh!  Sometimes it’s nice to escape.

Give me a happy-ending movie every time….it’s sure to make me smile!

J

Source of your joy

~ Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. ~

Thich Nhat Hanh

J

Thank you, John Madden

Today is Sunday and in America, Sunday means football – 
American football.

I just want to send out a great big thank you to John Madden.  John Madden was a football player, a coach of the Oakland Raiders and then went onto to become a commentator for several networks. 

Most importantly, John Madden was my teacher.  I’m sure he doesn’t put that little piece of trivia on his resume, but he could.  I attribute most of my knowledge of football to John Madden.  He was the patient teacher who would explain the crazy plays and the even crazier calls by the officials.  He was the patient man in the midst of many who I watched football with over the years.  He was willing to answer my dumb questions, like, “What does 10 yards have to do with anything?” 

I love watching football – I like to see the quarterback figure out what to do next.  I love the long throws and the incredible catches.  I love the long runs and the last minute wins.  Best of all, I pretty much understand what is going on in the game, all of this, and I have John Madden to thank!

John Madden is retired now from his commentator job.  He has video games and restaurants and he and his wife do a lot for the community.  I miss John Madden on Sunday Night Football.  Whenever I watch a football game, though, I always think of him and smile!

J

Smile

"A smile costs nothing but gives much. 
It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. 
It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. 
None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. 
Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. 
Some people are too tired to give you a smile. 
Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give."

Author Unknown

My Busy Backyard

I have been talking for some time to my husband about building out our large bedroom window – making it into a bay window with cushions and pillows.  I think it would be great to have someplace to sit and watch the backyard. 

We have a busy backyard!  There are so many birds in the trees and on the ground; sometimes it looks like the ground is moving when you look out from our second-story window.  Along with the birds, we have a family of squirrels.  We had quite a job keeping them out of the bird feeder (which will have to be another blog entry).  We did succeed with that, but then we decided to get a squirrel feeder.  The squirrel food has sunflower seeds, corn and peanuts it’s just what squirrels love to eat! 

So the squirrels have their feeder.  You can hear the clap, clap, clap of the lid as they dig in and retrieve the treasures.  The birds are happy with the suet, thistle and birdseed, as well as the two birdbaths and plenty of landing places.  What I need is a landing place to watch them all – like a bay window, complete with cushions and pillows and maybe a blanket throw and also a place to set my cup of tea or coffee…..

Okay, my husband has a point.  If I had that bay window, I wouldn’t do anything else….I’d spend all my time watching my busy backyard….with a smile on my face!

J

Home Alone

I’m not sure how it happened, but I find myself alone today.  Jonah headed out for his annual trip to Denver.  Thankfully, there were no weather delays for him and he’s already there having a great time!  Ken and Josh both got called in for work, which is pretty great because Josh has been looking for work for awhile.  So here I am, all by my lonesome.

I am smiling because it just doesn’t happen very often that I have the whole house to myself.  I can scream, run, sing at the top of my lungs or huddle up all by myself on the couch with a book.  It can be as noisy or as quiet as I want – I like it.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t love my guys to be here with me – I do – very much, it’s just that now and then it’s nice to have the whole house to myself.  I also wouldn’t want to do this full-time.  A house can swallow you up if you’re alone all the time.  I will smile the rest of the afternoon just enjoying this rare opportunity to be home alone.

J

Thinking of You

I have had three people call me this week, people who don’t usually call.  They said that they had been thinking of us and wanted to call and touch base.  One wanted to check in; another needed some encouragement – which in itself was encouraging to me.  The last one wanted to encourage me and let me know that I was in their thoughts and prayers.

It’s funny how that goes.  You think of others in difficult situations with health problems or job problems.  You think about them and say a prayer for their comfort or encouragement.  They are on your mind.  We often don’t realize that we are on others' minds as well.  They are thinking about us, considering our lives, our examples, and possibly, our trials.  They send up a prayer for our well-being. 

In the midst of a busy life, taking a moment to think about others and realize that others are thinking about me, makes me smile!

J

Dishwasher

I love my dishwasher.  It holds quite a bit and it’s pretty convenient.  It has lots of settings and it’s very quiet which is a plus!  The one thing it doesn’t do is clean itself out….I mean, it’s high-tech and all, but it won’t clean itself out and make sure all the dishes get back into the proper locations.

So it REALLY makes me smile when, as I am stepping into the shower, I hear the dishes getting put away.  I like to think of it as my dishwasher going high-tech and fulfilling my wishes.   But, it’s very nice to know that the guys in my house see it as something worthy of their time.  I’m never sure which one has cleaned it out, but I seek them out and thank them asap! 

There is something so wonderful about coming into the kitchen with the dishwasher unloaded and ready for the day! 

Thanks guys!  You make me smile!

J

White Chili

It’s time for another recipe – this one is one of my family’s favorites.  I obviously don’t fix it often enough because when someone took a spoonful of white chili this evening at dinner, he chortled with delight and said, “This is so good!”

That made me smile!  I hope you all enjoy the recipe – it’s easy, delicious, and obviously makes you smile when you eat it!

1 ½ lbs. chicken – cubed (canned chicken works well in this)

1 small onion – diced

1-2 cloves garlic – minced (to taste, or use garlic powder)

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sage

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. pepper

2 cans white beans

2 cups chicken broth

Sauté chicken (unless using canned), onion, garlic in a little olive oil.

Add the rest of the spices and chicken broth.  Simmer.

3 Tbls. butter

¼ cup flour

Whisk together – stir in and blend into chili until thick.

Serve with a great big green salad and warm cornbread with honey butter.

J

It’s a Wonderful Life

We watched the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” last night.  It seems to be a holiday staple for the television networks.

When it was originally released in 1946, it was considered a box-office flop.  That seems ironic to me because George Bailey, the character played by Jimmy Stewart, considered himself a flop and was about to commit suicide when he was reminded in a very special way how needful and important his life was. 

It’s taken a long time to see the value in the movie – it is now one of the American Film Institute’s 100 best American films ever made.  It is listed as one of the most inspirational by this group. 

I watch this movie every year.  It’s very inspirational to me....every time!  It’s an inspiration to know that little things you do in your life, though not immediately rewarded or acknowledged, have a powerful impact on others around you.  It’s inspirational and challenging. 

Each time I watch this movie, I am reminded that the little things do matter, that some things that are worth waiting for, you have to wait for.  That selflessness isn’t easy but has gigantic rewards, that love and appreciation for others and their well-being makes life wonderful. 

The movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and its many lessons makes me smile.

J

Miracle

"There are two ways to live your life - one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle."


Albert Einstein


If everything is a miracle smiles come easy.

J

Shout Out

When I began this blog – I thought the name, “Joy:  To the World” was a clever play on my name.  I never thought that I would actually be reaching as far out into the world as my stats show that I am!

So this is a “Shout Out” to all of you wonderful people, some of you, I know.  Some of you, I don’t know.  To those in Croatia, and the Isle of Man;  to those of you in Denmark, Canada and the USA; to those of you in Malaysia, Australia, UK, and Chile – THANK YOU to each of you for following my blog and smiling with me every day!

J

Pearls

Everyone needs something to smile about every day.  ‘Pearls Before Swine’ is one of my favorite cartoons.  I love how the characters play off of one another and how the facial expressions tell a story all their own.

I was able to meet Stephan Pastis once.  He gave a talk in Walnut Creek that we attended.  He used to be an attorney and he hated it – probably not enough to smile about!  He was very personable and down-to-earth.  His cartoon strip is #1 in America, it makes me smile that I had the opportunity to meet him. 

His cartoons are smart and funny – something that makes me smile!

http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/

I hope they make you smile too!

J

Birds

Not long ago, we had the opportunity to walk through Berkeley.  I know, I know, it’s a crazy town.  It’s got some great shops though, coffee shops, donut shops, book shops….

We were all merrily walking down the street when a cat in the window of a pet shop caught our eye.  It didn’t look like a very happy or healthy cat, but it was the draw that took us inside. 

Once inside we were amused to see that there were only two cats and two rabbits in the entire shop, the rest of the occupants were birds.  Birds of every size, color, and price!  They were chirping and singing and hollering!

There were some with incredible markings and colors; others had these weird hairdos that made us laugh.  There were so many in each cage though, it seemed a bit crowded and not very happy overall.

When we got home, I smiled at the fact that we are bird owners too.  We own a flock of about a dozen mourning doves, several dozen yellow finches, a half-dozen nut-hatches, a couple of blue jays and a husband/wife couple of red-headed woodpeckers.  I know we have an owl or two also, because I can hear them in the early morning who-whoing.

Our birds are lively and hungry and funny.  We love watching them and their antics.  The finches really like the thistle seed sock and will fight and squawk to get position on the bottom where the seed is abundant.  They start out on the top and then work their way down – it’s pretty funny.  The doves like to eat hearty and then sit around all fluffed-up for the day.  They either sit on the ground, which we think is kinda risky with all the cats around, or they sit on the deck rail where it’s easier for us to watch them commiserate about the food or weather.

Our happy, free birds make me smile….everyday!

J  

Sadness and Smiles

Several wonderful gentlemen I knew died recently.  They were valiant in the final battle of their physical lives.  They leave behind caring families and friends.  It’s very sad and sometimes very hard to smile when we experience loss like this.

There are a few things to smile about though – the memory of their laughter, their example, their unending faith.  The other thing that makes me smile, albeit with a tear in my eye, is the outpouring of love and concern from people all over the world.  The ability to communicate with others so quickly enables us to express our sympathies and our love almost immediately.  

Knowing that so many reach out in whatever way they can to help those who are grieving makes me smile.

J

Y’all

Ken and I had a bunch of errands to run today – Target, OSH, Costco, TJ’s, Safeway, etc.  We also had a time crunch because Comcast was coming today to hook up our phone and internet. 

As we were walking in from the parking lot to our first stop, a woman who looked like she was waiting for a ride looked at us. I smiled at her and she returned that smile with, “Y’all make a good couple!” 

That surprised us, we weren’t expecting her to say anything – but to say something so nice and so sweet to complete strangers – definitely something to smile about!

J

Family Breakfast

My family wondered what got into me today – I really wanted a good, old-fashioned, country inn style breakfast!

I cooked up some turkey bacon, some eggs and fresh cream biscuits and made some homemade hash browns.  We enjoyed some fruit salad too, compliments of Ken.  We all gathered around the table and enjoyed all the great food and drink and conversation. 

This really made me smile, because I hardly ever make breakfast – unless it’s for dinner.  There just doesn’t seem to be enough time to put something like that together!  We usually all just fend for ourselves with smoothies, hot cereal or whatever. 

Today is our last airport run for awhile – Jeremy is heading home today and we have to say good-bye.  Breakfast was a nice ending to all the visitors and friends and family we’ve had with us since before Thanksgiving sharing food, fun and fellowship. 

We’ll look back on this time with smiles!

J

“A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.”

Andy Rooney

Refrigerator: Clean

After a big holiday and many people and so much food you think you could feed a neighborhood, one of the biggest casualties is the refrigerator.  I have a side-by-side refer and its space isn’t very efficient.  All sorts of things get lost in the back and then it seems more like a laboratory than a refrigerator!

It was pretty fun last night making tacos, Jer was stirring the beef and beans, Josh was chopping the tomatoes and lettuce, Ken shredded some cheese – not sure what Jonah was doing….and then Ken started to find the ingredients that we needed from the frig.  He went in looking for the guacamole, what he found before he was through was no fewer than four cartons of sour cream in varying degrees of age.  It was really pathetic – but I was happy that one of them had a good date and was still sealed – definitely something to smile about.

One of my goals for today, which probably goes without saying, was to clean that refrigerator.  I tossed everything that I couldn’t recognize and stuff that had been in there way too long also.  I washed everything down and Ken replaced light bulbs.  It looks so nice and fresh and clean.  I’ve got food in there for the weekend and I’m smiling!

J

TSA

There have been some pretty bad reports about the TSA officers at airports lately.  I have a good story to tell – which I think they deserve.

Ken painted a picture for Jen and also made a wrought iron frame for it.  It was really neat looking – the painting was from one of Jen’s photos so that made it pretty special. 

The frame was pretty big though and we weren’t sure how she was going to get it back to Denver.  We thought it would fit in the largest suitcase we had, but it didn’t.  We thought about shipping it too.  The final idea was to package the canvas separately and have her pack that in her suitcase and then have her carry the frame on with her carry-on luggage.

This is where the fun began.  When she put it down on the belt to send it through the scanner – it wouldn’t fit.  Several TSA agents talked to her and held the frame and asked her about it and the whole time they were smiling and laughing.  It wouldn’t fit through the scanner so they had to carry it around and check it over by hand.

She said they thought it was really cool and talked to her about it with smiles on their faces!  She thought maybe Ken should start selling them since it seemed to get pretty great reviews at the airport!

So, with all the airport runs and greetings and farewells we’ve gone through this week and with the hullabaloo about body scanners and pat downs, I am happy to report that the only pat down we witnessed was on the beautiful wrought iron frame which will soon be hanging in an apartment in Denver, Colorado!  That makes me smile!

J

Jeremy’s Home

Jer came in last night – he had a great flight with a change in planes in Las Vegas, but he arrived safely.  Yay!

There’s something crazy that happens when Jer comes home.  We all were standing around in the kitchen when someone asked how his day was, if he’d had to work or a lot to do before he flew out to California.  After that question was asked, we were all participants in the “Jeremy Comedy Show.” 

Jeremy has the ability to take the little happenings in his day and turn them in to hysterical moments for all who are listening.  We heard about the fact that he woke up on Tuesday morning, not able to remember all that he did the evening before, like brush his teeth and turn off the television.  We heard about his split-second decision to go have coffee when he had been headed home to pack.  I guess you had to be there, but by the time he was done, we were all laughing!

Jeremy holding court makes me smile!

J