Category Archives: CarolCooks2

Whimsical Wednesday with Carol…

The Charade – Chapter 20

By Carol Taylor

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The girl was angry, angrier than she had been for a long time… Carl’s eyes had given him away she had seen the real him. Instead of being scared though she was angry it seemed like everyone she knew was keeping things from her or trying to get something from her…Why?

Lost in her thoughts she realised she was standing in front of the door where she was staying and a kind-looking man was smiling at her.

“Did you have a nice walk? The weather is lovely, isn’t it? Come in, Come in you must be hungry.” She followed the man into the dining room where there was a lovely table set with a beautiful white cloth and some very pretty flowers. “Sit down my dear …I will ring Jenny to bring in breakfast…”

Within a few minutes, a smiling girl appeared carrying a beautiful silver platter which she placed on the table the food smelled delicious and the girl realised how hungry she was.

The girl and the man ate their breakfast in comfortable silence.

Hunger appeased the girl sat there sipping her tea and wondering who this man was. He seemed so calm and nice, his smile reached his eyes and she felt warm and safe.

Clearing his throat he started to talk. “You must be wondering why you are here and you most probably are also wondering who I am… Mr James is a dear friend of mine and I know he has been protecting you and trying to keep you safe. There is no party it was just a ruse to get you here but unfortunately that ruffian Carl has followed you but do not worry my dear I will have him dealt with. It is time that you were told who you really are but I have to warn you that with that comes great danger and also a great responsibility.”

The girl was sitting open-mouthed at last she would find out who she really was but at the man’s words, she also became very scared. Her thoughts raced she felt very small and afraid, the man was looking at her with a concerned look. “Please do not be afraid. I will do everything in my power to protect you. You will stay here now, Mr James will be arriving in a few days and then we will both sit you down and answer all your questions… In the meantime maybe you would make an old man very happy if you would allow me to show you around we can do some shopping… I am sure that you are like all young people and love to shop. Now if you would like to go to your room and get changed I will have the carriage bought around for about 11 is that alright?”

The girl nodded her consent and skipped up the stairs…

She felt happier than she had for a while, at last, she would find out who she was…

Entering her room she gasped …her clothes were strewn about the floor what is …A hand went over her mouth and cloth of some sweet-smelling fragrance was clamped over her nose and mouth she started to fall.

Carl looked at the unconscious girl and smiled… It still didn’t reach his eyes…

TBC…

If you can’t decide on what colour nail polish or design to have check these out…

Really weird…..

National Soup Month…

Yesterday I made a lovely mushroom soup …a new recipe and it needs tweaking my little taste tester Aston told me what I needed to do….lol

It pleases me though because it means that he tastes the food and knows when it needs something else so that is good for a child.

Mushroom Soup…

2 lbs of mushrooms…mixed I used straw, button, crimini and some small ones which I can’t remember the name.
1 onion sliced
6 sprigs of thyme tied together
3 cloves of garlic
6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups of water
1 cup of cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Let’s Cook!

Melt the butter and add the mushrooms and add a pinch of salt and cook until they give up their juices and reduce the heat. Cook stirring until the juice has evaporated and the mushrooms start to brown.

crimini straw button mushrooms

Pick out a few nice pieces and set to one side for the garnish.

Mix the onions into the mushrooms and cook until the onion softens about 5 minutes.

Add the thyme and garlic and pour in the stock and water simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the thyme before blending the soup, if the consistency is still too thick then add more stock/water…Return to a pan and add the cream…Taste and season with salt and black pepper…

Mushroom Soup

I hope this has given you a few ideas about what to have for lunch…What is your favourite soup

Today marks a historic day for the UK …

Brexit Day is to be set in stone when the European Parliament in Brussels casts a vote ratifying the terms of Britain’s divorce deal from the EU.

The historic legislative act — the last for the 72 remaining British MEPs who will leave afterwards — will allow Brexit to officially take effect on Friday at 2300 GMT, midnight for most of continental Europe and 11:00 pm in Britain.

I don’t think that will be it but I also think it will be exciting…

Time for some music…

Fleetwood Mac…

A British/American rock band formed in London in 1967. They have sold more than 120 million records worldwide making them one of the best selling bands.

Founded by Peter Green guitarist, drummer Mick Fleetwood, guitarist Jeremy Spencer and bassist John McVie the band has had many different line-ups over the years.

Gypsy is one of my favourite tracks…

https://youtu.be/mwgg1Pu6cNg

That’s all for this week…

Thank you if you are still here and reading to the end…I look forward to your comments xx

Whimsical Wednesdays…with Carol…

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Good morning and welcome to this week’s Whimsical Wednesdays with moi…Carol, Caz whatever you want to call me as long as it is not too late for dinner…haha

Did you know?

Prior to World War 11 more than half a million stretchers were produced in preparation before World War II even began. Someone had some foresight, didn’t they? Stretchers, which were no more than two steel poles flanking a stretch of wire mesh, were quick to mass-produce. They were also easier to clean than conventional wood or canvas stretchers.

stretcher railings london

Photo credit: STML on Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

During the war, many of London’s housing estates lost their original metal railings when they were manufactured into weaponry to serve the war effort. With a large stockpile of stretchers following the war, the London City Council decided to have the stretchers welded vertically together, fixed onto poles, sunken into concrete, and used to replace this missing fencing. The two kinks in the poles, designed so that they could be rested on the ground then picked up easily, can still be seen on the railings today.

Circular recycling at its best…

Time for a story…

The Charade – Chapter 18

By Dewin Nefol & S C Richmond

The carriage picked her up as Mr James had said it would, she felt nervous but knew she couldn’t let Mr James down and once she met Mr Peasbody she hoped she would remember him and she would be able to relax. The journey to York took a long time and the journey wasn’t very comfortable but finally, the carriage pulled up in front of a very grand building on a fairly quiet road she couldn’t see much of her surroundings as night had drawn in. The driver unloaded her case and pointed to the door. At that moment she felt small almost like an orphan standing before the large front door. She was shown in but a maid and taken to her room, Mr Peasbody wasn’t there but they were expecting her. She was exhausted after her journey, the bed called to her and she fell asleep almost instantly.

She awoke the next morning feeling refreshed, she was also confused not really understanding which way she should turn, she was in a strange house and didn’t know her host yet or what was expected of her. She grabbed her coat and slipped out of the room and out through the front door, she didn’t encounter anyone on her way through the house. Even at this early morning hour, the city is alive with the pulse of a different beat to that resounding in her heart. She feels alienated in a strange place, alone and a little uncertain but yet a part of something far larger and far more expectant of her than she is of herself: expectant in ways both great and small. She walks along the unknown streets taking in everything around her, new sights and smells. Turning into a small street she saw a sign that read ‘Astrological Society’ and below it ‘Open’ and even at this early hour the door stood ajar. Whilst deliberating on the doorstep trying to decide if she should enter the building she hears the sound of footsteps come running up behind her. Turning quickly she is startled to see a small girl run past her and disappear in through the open door. She remains rooted on the spot surprised by the small girl’s sudden appearance and even quicker disappearance when suddenly there’s a scream from inside the building…

T.B.C

January is National Soup month...For those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the months of January and February are typically the coldest.

I love soup, most soups but my all-time favourite is tomato soup… Preferably made with fresh tomatoes but I also and this is a hankering back to my childhood love canned tomato soup and very occasionally I treat myself to a can of tomato soup…

Ingredients:

8 or 9 tomatoes, cored and quartered
3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
5 cups homemade vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
olive oil

Let’s Cook!

Preheat the oven 375F/190C

Grease two baking sheets and place tomatoes skin side down on one, then lightly coat the peppers and onions in olive oil and place on the other baking tray also throw the unpeeled garlic into the tray…Pop it in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

When the tomatoes and peppers are roasted heat your vegetable stock in a pan big enough to take the tomatoes and peppers. Add your roasted tomatoes and peppers to the vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

tomato-soup-482403_640

Allow your soup to cool slightly and then either using a stick blender or your liquidiser blend to your desired consistency… I prefer mine a little chunky. Taste and season.

Serve with a swirl of cream or natural yoghurt if liked…

Enjoy!

Did you know? On January 10th 1863 the World’s first underground railway service opened in London. It was the Metropolitan Line which runs between Paddington and Farringdon.

Time for a tune…

January 15th 1961 – The Supremes signed a worldwide recording contract with Motown Records.

Originally called the Primettes, they became the most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and are, to date, America’s most successful vocal group with 12 No.1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

This is The Supremes, featuring group member Barbara Martin. She was one of two other original members (the first being Betty McGlowan). She left the group because she got pregnant. The other three went into music history.

Then on 15th January 1983, Phil Collins had his first UK No.1 single with his version of ‘You Can’t Hurry Love,’ a hit for The Supremes in 1966. Collins’ version was the first track on the very first Now That’s What I Call Music CD.

I like both versions …but Phil Collins just has the edge for me…

For those of you who love pizza and bagels although I don’t know why they were put in the same category on Pizza Day…The bagel makers have decided they are having their own day so today has been designated National Beigel day...I haven’t had a beigel since I left the UK…I used to love cinnamon and raisin bagels, smoked salmon and cream cheese I am salivating now… I have thought of making them and got as far as reading a few recipes and it seems they are boiled first…Has anyone made their own and are they good and relatively easy to make or are they quite time-consuming?

I have been told you make a lean dough which is a dough with little or no fat or sugar…Then they are cooked for 1 min each side in a beigel water bath…to which honey or barley malt syrup can be added and then they are baked…

beigel bakery-3254475_640

Mmmmm I am sure they would take a tad longer than it took me to type that…I do have very happy memories of eating a salt beef beigel the last time I was in the UK…very nice it was…If you are celebrating beigel day then post your pics with a #nationalbeigelday

Beavers…Cute furry animals that build dams is what I think of if I hear the name beaver…Beavers are also known as a ‘keystone’ species because of their significant positive effect on the environment.

So much so that Beavers are being reintroduced to Cumbria after 400 years as it is thought that they might reduce flooding.

Beavers are to be reintroduced into Cumbria’s Eden Valley to see if they can thrive in upland environments. Fingers and toes crossed that they can thrive and help bring some balance to the environment.

beaver-1352439_640

Beavers are native to the UK and used to be widespread in England, Scotland and Wales, but they were hunted to extinction in the UK in the 16th century mainly their fur, meat, and “castoreum” – a secretion used in perfumes, food and medicine.

With similar efforts underway in Yorkshire and Somerset.

Beavers can help reduce the risk of flooding lower down in river systems by building dams and moderating water flow. Their modifications made to the streams can also raise the water locally, creating wetland areas and boosting biodiversity.

It seems very much to me when you read and look around that much of what is being done is to repair what man has undone…All of of our global warming and climate change has one cause…man…

It seems we find something which is useful or profitable or edible…and we hunt it until it is extinct we now are reaping the benefits and some of us are madly back peddling…

Anyway, this is not the post for doom and gloom I am happy that beavers are being introduced back into the wild and there are plans to introduce other animals back into the wild I do hope that they are left to grow and thrive and do what they do best…

Thank you for joining me for Whimsical Wednesday I hope you have found something of interest or that just made you smile xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you again for joining me for Whimsical Wednesday I hope you have enjoyed yourselves…If you have please leave a comment as I always enjoy hearing from you it makes my day xxx

CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup…5th Jan-11th January 2020…

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Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup…I am settling into my new routine of writing more although January is always a funny, unsettled month for me…I think we all get embroiled in the furore and planning for the festive season and then it goes a little flat.

January always seems to be the month for tragedies like the Australian bush fires, the plane crash, Prince Harry and Meghan wanting to step down as Senior Royals all major disasters …

Monday 6th January 2020…Recycling and Climate Change latest news…

Of course, the bush dominated the beginning of this post they have been burning now since September and have caused deaths and devastation…There is most probably more to come and many questions to be answered…

butterfly and bee flower meadow

I also mentioned wildflowers and the butterfly and bee populations and our carbon footprint which is something which every single one of us can do something about and improve…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/06/recycling-and-climate-change-6th-january-2020/

Tuesday 7th January…

I reblogged Smorgasbord Blogger Daily where Sally laid out her plans for the year and promoted myself and a few other authors and bloggers…

Debby Giess will be writing a new column over at Smorgasbord after her Winter break Sally and I have one more cooking from scratch to prevent deficiency this coming week with Phosphorous as the nutrient in question… and then Carol will be featuring her A – Z of food every two weeks. She is going to be getting her cookbook and novel ready to be published this year (no pressure then Carol ♥)

Sylvia with her authentic Italian recipes and the lovely William Price King who provides the music…So lots to read about…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/07/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-weekly-round-up-29th-december-to-4th-january-2020/

Wednesday 8th January…

Egg-drop-soup-recipe

The day where anything goes whatever takes my fancy…In this case, it was sausage rolls and a mummy Rhapsody as well as a delicious soup recipe…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/08/whimsical-wednesdays/

It was also the last of our nutritional deficiency posts this week it was Phosphorus where Sally provides the health information and I provide the recipes, in this case, it is a lovely pork fillet recipe for starters…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/smorgasbord-health-column-cook-from-scratch-to-prevent-nutritional-deficiency-with-sally-cronin-and-carol-taylor-phosphorus/

Thursday 9th January…

Another Blogger Daily from Sally where she shares my post on Climate Change and the bush fires as well as a great book review and some helpful tips on a book launch…Very handy…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/smorgasbord-blogger-daily-monday-january-6th-2020-book-review-by-michelle-clements-james-booklaunch-booksigning-tips-mary-smith-climate-change-recycling-carol-taylor/

I also shared a beautiful painting which depicts the bushfires in Australia…

melina-ilustrats

https://tidalscribe.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/australia-is-burning/

Friday 10th January…

In my kitchen where I cooked pan-seared salmon with lovely crispy skin and a spicy Thai sauce and some other taste tingling goodies…

Pan-seared Salmon

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/10/carolcooks2-this-week-in-my-kitchen-pan-seared-salmon-with-spicy-thai-dressing/

Lastly…Sally Cronin who writes Smorgasbord Magazine was with DG Kaye where Debby was asking the questions..for a fascinating insight into the lady we love …pop over to Debs…

That looks like there could be some fun and shenanigans to come….x

https://dgkayewriter.com/q-and-a-with-d-g-kaye-featuring-author-blogger-and-promoter-sally-cronin/

That’s all for this weeks roundup…Thank you for reading and thank you to everyone who supports me by commenting I so love to hear from you…You all rock…x

Tomorrow it time for another update on Climate Change and REcycling but I have lots of good news this week although those devasting bush fires keep on burning…

We love you Australia and keep you in our thoughts but you are strong and resilient and will get through this…Much love xxx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great weekend 🙂 xx

Whimsical Wednesdays…

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Good morning everyone to the first Whimsical Wednesday of 2020…I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and New Year and 2020 will be all you wish for…

Have you heard or seen one of these Suvie’s…I hadn’t until I read Scott Anderson’spost it is very interesting and I know a few people who would love one as they love all that is new in gadgets…I would love to test one if the manufacturers wanted me to…I have an open mind but suspect they are more for the busy working person rather than someone who is retired however that may not be correct they may be the best thing since sliced bread…They certainly sound interesting and innovative…

Scott also provided this link to the wonders of a Suvie…Have a look it is nothing if not quite fascinating https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/suvie-kitchen-robot/

Did you know? On the 3rd January, 1870 construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension/cable-stay hybrid bridge in New York City that connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States (completed in 1883) and a first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world.

brooklyn-bridge-999916_640

At the time when constriction was finished, Brooklyn Bridge was the longest bridge in the world with a total length of 1825 meters. It stayed longest until 1903.

Time for a story…

Chapter 17

by Carol Taylor

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Tossing and turning the girl could not sleep if she did it was that same recurring nightmare. Finally, she arose went to the bathroom then the kitchen to make some warm milk maybe that would induce sleep she was so very tired.

Sitting in front of the dying embers of the fire she shivered and pulled her pretty blue shawl tighter around her shoulders. I need to sleep as I will have a busy few days I don’t want to let Mr James down.

The girl’s mind started to wander as she tried to put together all the pieces to complete this puzzle.

When she left the shop that night in that beautiful dress she had felt that maybe her life would take a turn for the better and all her questions would be answered by George.

“Silly girl,” she told herself life is not like that at least for you but why shouldn’t it be? Gathering her thoughts she tried to make some sense of recent events.

Mr James although very kind knew things he wasn’t telling her, she was sure of and why did he find these jobs for her it was as if he was making them up to give her a little money …Not much but enough to survive…Why? He denied all knowledge of this William was he one of her brothers?

Carl, who was he and why was he following her? She had a bad feeling about him especially after she had seen him at George’s it was obvious that George felt threatened by him. Why?

This Mr Pearson, the girl didn’t remember him at all was Mr James trying to get her out of harm’s way? Was it just a ploy to get her away without arousing suspicion?

Finally, the warm milk started to take effect the girl found her eyes closing She woke with a start; the sun was streaming through the gap in the curtains and made her squint.

I better start to pack or I will be late… The girl decided to pack her new dress in case she needed it inside the case she also found some new clothes and shoes. Someone had been shopping…

When I come back from this job I am going to ask Mr James I am not going to take no for an answer…I need to know who I am, I need to find out why I seem to be hidden…

This thought had slowly dawned on her she had never been allowed to apply for a regular job and her lodgings had been picked for her it seemed like she was being hidden in full sight if that made sense. From what or whom?

So many questions were going around in the girls head and she decided that she was also going to go to the library and look up the old newspapers see if she could find out anything about her disappearance…Were her parents not looking for her? Were they still alive…George had said she had brothers …

It seemed like she had been living in a fog or maybe her brain just didn’t want to accept what had happened but it was clearer now and many pieces dropped into place.

I will find out who I really am I am not going to be fobbed off any more. The girl then realised that it felt like a weight had been lifted she felt almost euphoric and hopeful that all would soon be revealed.

Meanwhile, Carl had also been going over the facts he needed that necklace time to get tough …

George was worried, he had been to the library that day and he knew what had happened and thought he knew why? Should he tell the girl? Would it put her in danger? He decided he was going to pay Elizabeth a visit and soon.

That girl, so sweet needed answers …Was he going to be the man to do it?

TBC next week…

Did you know? Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. He is also one of the people that I would choose to have at my dinner table such a brilliant mind and man who overcame all the obstacles that life threw at him.

Time for some music…

Sorry, all you vegans and Vegetarians as much as I love vegetables and eat many dishes made with just veggies I hate Quorn and believe that you should eat a balanced diet…

It shows you how much we love vegetables as little Lily when asked what was her favourite part of her Christmas dinner after thinking about it she said Broccoly…This spelling is a family joke…Don’t ask…Haha

And for the second year in a row, we’ve all gone crazy for sausage rolls. LadBaby has managed to see off competition from Stormzy to achieve the Christmas number one with his festive track, I Love Sausage Rolls – a savoury take on Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll. The YouTuber, real name Mark Hoyle, his wife Roxanne and their two sons Phoenix and Kobe scored a huge 93,000 chart sales – that 18,000 more than the 2018 Christmas number one from LadBaby, We Built This City (On Sausage Rolls). And with 85,000 of that coming from digital sales, I Love Sausage Rolls is the fastest-selling download since Artists For Grenfell’s Bridge Over Troubled Water in June 2017. While some may be a bit miffed that a song about sausage rolls has beat Stormzy to the number one crown, it’s all for a fantastic cause…The Trussell Trust…

It is fun and catchy and for a good cause…and I love a good sausage roll…

After all, those sausage rolls and I ate a few but I only make them over Christmas so they are a once a year treat…It will be time very soon to get back on the healthy eating train…No faddy diets just simple adjustments and an increase in your mode of exercise…There is no one better placed than Sally from Smorgasbord Magazine to give you all the tools and advice you need to help get rid of those Christmas pounds.

lady feet weighing scales

So after or before you step on those scales pop over to Sally’s you will be pleased you have…x

Did you know? January is National Soup month...For those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the months of January and February are typically the coldest. While I am not going to give you a recipe for soup for every day of the month I will give you a soup recipe for some of those days starting with one of my favourite soups and that is Vietnamese Egg Drop Soup…A beautiful soup made from… Tomatoes, chilli, egg, mince, spring onions and Dill…. A virtual assault on the taste buds…

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp oil ( I use coconut)
3 spring onions
3/4 lb ripe tomatoes ( chopped and cored)
1 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp Fish Sauce
1/3 lb finely minced pork
1-2 chillies diced diagonally
2 eggs beaten
2 sprigs of coriander or dill
5 1/2 cups water
Black Pepper to taste

Let’s Cook!

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add tomatoes and salt, cover and cook until soft about 4-6 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.

Add fish sauce and chillies….I would add I tbsp of fish sauce and taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

Add mince and move around to break up any big clumps.

Add water, bring to boil and skim off any scum that arises.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes add spring onions and simmer for another 10 minutes.

If you are not serving immediately then remove from heat and keep the lid on.

To Serve:

Bring soup to simmer, Taste and adjust seasoning, fish sauce or salt.

Pour beaten egg into the bowl in a wide circle; stir gently to break up into strings.

Ladle soup into a bowl, add a generous sprinkling of pepper and garnish with Coriander or Dill.

Enjoy!

Did you know? Chicken Noodle soup is top of the best selling soup list in the USA… In the UK tomato soup tops the best selling soup list followed by potato and leek soup…

Lastly, this video tickled me and made me laugh…The original is one of my favourites but I really think that every time I hear now I will remember this…Three moms perform a parody of Bohemian Rhapsody…Enjoy!

I do hope this has left you with a smile on your face…x

Thank you for joining me for Whimsical Wednesday I hope you have found something of interest or that just made you smile xxx

About Carol Taylor:

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Thank you again for joining me for my first Whimsical Wednesday of the New Year please leave a comment as I always enjoy hearing from you xxx

Smorgasbord Health – Christmas Cook From Scratch – Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – Cranberries #bittersweet

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Time to get your cranberry sauce made for Christmas but did you know about the great health benefits Cranberries can provide? If not it is all in this post along with some other great recipes and they also make great cocktails a very versatile little fruit…Enjoy!

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Here is another of our posts where I share the nutritional benefits of an ingredient and Carol Taylor incorporates it in a delicious recipe. Next week Carol will be back to share some of her creations from her Thai kitchen offering you some alternative delicacies to eat over the festive season.

This week… ..Cranberries – a bitter berry which has a long history in medicinal terms and is still used today in certain over the counter preparations.

Cranberries have a documented medicinal history and were used by the Native American Indians as a nutritious addition to their diet normally sweetened with honey as of course the berries are very tart. The Indians also used the berries in poultices for wounds as they recognised the antibacterial and antibiotic effect of the fruit even if they could not scientifically prove these properties. Colonists, who had been introduced to the…

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Whimsical Wednesday…with Carol…

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Welcome to my world and whimsical Wednesdays…

The battle of the Christmas ads has started…and every year they seem to get better and better…I use u tube a lot and based on U tube views….Mogs Christmas is tops…I wonder if any of this year’s ads will knock it off its top spot…? That little dragon is cute…

I love this because of the safety aspect…dodgy Christmas lights, it promotes reading and that is always a good thing and mainly…Kindness…

We should remember those less fortunate than ourselves at Christmas …BUT …That old saying of Christmas comes but once a year is also true …What about the other 364 days?

Please be kind and take it a step further…Social media is wonderful but it can also be so very cruel…Please think before you comment and before you share…Or better still do what I did the other day…

More and more I am seeing cruel, nasty comments on FB…There are many things we see which we may like, we may agree with, it may not be our opinion BUT we live in a democracy and I was brought up to keep it buttoned if I didn’t have something nice to say…Above all if you do have something to say don’t make it personal especially in these upcoming elections…I also see it on celebrity pages people get personal to me that is not on …Have your say everyone has a right to have a say whether we agree or not…Be nice and don’t get personal…

If we all did that the trolls couldn’t and wouldn’t prosper...Nuff said…

Did you know? The first artificial Christmas tree was made of goose feathers…Originating in Germany over 100 years ago and was meant to replicate the snow-covered fir trees in the forests…Now they come in all shapes, sizes, and mediums, we have leaves and glitter and so many colours…Nothing beats a real tree though especially if you can dog it up and replant it again my dad used to do that and they were pretty resilient they came up bigger and better the next year…He did that until they got too big and then started again.

I even love just a twig or a branch decorated quite simply they look stunning and with all this wind and rain I am sure on your travels you might see a small branch which has broken off which would be ideal…

When my children little we used to make our own chocolate decorations it was good fun…This video shows you how to make chocolate Christmas trees, simple and easy to do and they look lovely…

Time for some music…

I am taking a trip down memory lane here…I remember quite clearly singing along with What do you want to make those eyes at me for…Moon River…Return Sender…I love me a bit of Elvis…

1959	WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THOSE EYES AT ME FOR?	EMILE FORD & THE CHECKMATES
1960	I LOVE YOU	CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS
1961	MOON RIVER	DANNY WILLIAMS
1962	RETURN TO SENDER	ELVIS PRESLEY
1963	I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND	THE BEATLES
1964	I FEEL FINE	THE BEATLES
1965	DAY TRIPPER/WE CAN WORK IT OUT	THE BEATLES

Each week until Christmas I will pick my favourite. from the chart I publish..The Beatles are in town three years on the trot…on this chart…Out of all these my favourite? It has to be Moon River followed by Elvis…I liked the Beatles but I wasn’t an out and out fan…there were no, out and out Christmas tunes in the early ’60s or if there were any they didn’t top the charts…

Time for a story…

The Charade

Chapter 12

by SC Richmond

Carl hurried towards her and swept her into his arms.

“You look lovely, so beautiful, that dress, is it one of George’s grandson’s designs?”

She wriggled free, blushing “Yes” she stammered. She was about to tell Carl about her wonderful discovery but something stopped her. Something wasn’t right… Carl sounded strange, something was up. He always seemed to appear, no matter where she was, she was beginning to feel as if he was watching and waiting for her. It was beginning to make her feel uneasy.

“What time shall I pick you up tonight Cinders?

He laughed at his own joke. The girl was no longer excited about going but knew she had to make the effort.

‘Is seven ok?”

Carl nodded and smiled “seven it is.”

The girl wandered home her thoughts all in a whirl… who was he? She also decided that she would visit the shop in the morning to collect her clothes and see if she could persuade George to tell her more,,, What was he afraid of?

The night passed in a whirl. Carl was very thoughtful and attentive, she had so many thoughts going round and round in her head that she really didn’t notice. Maybe she would find her parents. At last, she felt there was some hope. Something she hadn’t felt before.

Carl had noticed a change in her, she was preoccupied and no longer hanging on to his every word. He also noticed the admiring glances she was getting from other men and he didn’t like it one bit.

Home, at last, she kicked of her shoes and slipped out of her dress. She hung it on a hook on the outside of the wardrobe door. She fell asleep dreaming about her dress and the young man who made it and also about what an adventure she had today and tomorrow she may find out a bit more about her mother.

For the first time in a long time, she slept like a baby, a small smile playing on her lips she dreamed about what she may find out and tonight those nightmares didn’t appear.

The day dawned and she was up and dressed in no time at all. She left the flat and almost skipped to the shop she was so happy. Rounding the corner she noticed that all the shutters were still down. As she drew closer she could see a bag propped against the door. It was her clothes.

There was also a note from George telling her how beautiful she had looked in the dress and how like her mother she was but also mentioning that due to a family crisis the shop would be closed for a while. It was almost as if he was saying goodbye to her. She stood and burst into tears.

Out of sight across the road, stood Carl… watching.

Tommy Steele...I can still see those twinkling eyes…He was Britains 1st rock n Roll star discovered in a coffee bar in Central London way back in the early 195o’s…

Tommy Steele was also a guest on the Six-Five Special does anyone remember that show which was presented by Pete Murray? Petula Clarke my dad liked her…Lonnie Donegan all the stars I was brought up listening to…

Like a smile kindness is infectious…xxx

A recipe… I can’t go without leaving you a recipe can I?

Music and food are an integral part of who I am…

A Christmas Starter…Beetroot Tartare…

Note my Christmas plate the tartare hides the father Christmas…The recipe can be found here …xx

That’s all from me today on Whimsical Wednesday… I hope you have enjoyed reading this post…xx

About Carol Taylor

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there are now regular columns on my blog this year. It is important that we are mindful of the world we live in…

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead xx

Smorgasbord Health Column – Cook from Scratch to prevent nutritional deficiencies with Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – #Minerals – Manganese

6 Replies

Next in this series is Manganese…Sally is the nutritional expert and I supply tried and tested recipes which are easy to follow and contain in this instance Manganese…

In this series, we look at cooking and your diet from a different perspective. Usually, we emphasize the health benefits of food and how they can be incorporated into your diet. But, what happens if you do NOT include them in your diet.

We wanted to share with you what happens if your body is deprived of individual nutrients over an extended period of time…..

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

In this series we look at cooking and your diet from a different perspective. Usually we emphasize the health benefits of food and how they can be incorporated into your diet. But, what happens if you do NOT include them in your diet.

We wanted to share with you what happens if your body is deprived of individual nutrients over an extended period of time.

Thankfully most of us eat reasonably well, with plenty of variety, but if you take a look at a week’s worth of meals, do you find that you are sticking to a handful of foods, all the time.

Variety is key to good health, to provide your body with as broad a spectrum of nutrients as possible that the body needs. Taking a supplement or relying on shakes and bars to provide your daily allowance of vitamins and nutrients is not in your body’s best…

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Retired? No one told me!

Tonight I Dream. Tomorrow I Do!

Category Archives: CarolCooks2

Whimsical Wednesday with Carol…

The Charade – Chapter 20

Thank you if you are still here and reading to the end…I look forward to your comments xx

Whimsical Wednesdays…with Carol…

The Charade – Chapter 18

CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup…5th Jan-11th January 2020…

Whimsical Wednesdays…

Chapter 17

Smorgasbord Health – Christmas Cook From Scratch – Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – Cranberries #bittersweet

Whimsical Wednesday…with Carol…

The Charade

Chapter 12

Smorgasbord Health Column – Cook from Scratch to prevent nutritional deficiencies with Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – #Minerals – Manganese

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Chapter 17

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TBC…

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