Category Archives: #Monday Musings

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…19th-25th February 2023-Monday Musings ,Shrove Tuesday…Pancake Recipes, Carol Taylor’s Virtual World Tour of the Culinary A-Z …Finland ,Thursday Thoughts, AND from Smorgasbord Magazine #The Heart and its functions Part 3…

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Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of posts, you may have missed during the week… in many ways, a good start to the new year we are nearing the end of February … spam is in single figures so I’m happy,  the walking is on track and the knee although not completely better is 90% better thank goodness…the two men in this house I am proud to say are still NOT smoking and have increased their exercises I am so very proud of them …

Monday Musings…

Welcome to Monday Musings where my muse pinpoints anything exciting or unusual I have read, seen or experienced during the last week it could be anything that piques my interest…

On Monday something popped up and reminded me that I watched with my dad the time that John Glenn orbited the earth 3 times my father was an avid space travel fan and although we were over the pond we watched every second of this awesome achievement.

The natural antibiotic in the spotlight last week was Colloidal Silver used by many for colds and viruses even as a cure for pink eye…the music of course there has to be music-smile-was from Whoopie and “Sister Act”

https://carolcooks2.com/2023/02/20/monday-musings-20th-february-2023/

On Tuesday I snuck an extra post in as it was Shrove Tuesday and for many that meant pancakes…

There are many versions of the pancake and some like super thin crepes (like) moi or the thicker pancakes with maybe maple syrup and caramelised bananas with a squirt of cream both are delicious or as a savoury pancake and why not ..it’s whatever tickles your tastebuds…

Pancake Day…21st February 2023…Aka Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday…Lacy, thin crepes or Japanese pancakes…?

Last week’s virtual tour of my A-Z of World Cuisine was Finland the land of reindeer and midnight sun…The Finns respect their long-held traditions and also love other cuisines so whether you hanker to try Finland’s traditional foods or eat foods from around the world you will find it all there…

From lovely rye bread to Karelian pasties/pies or Sautéed reindeer the choice is vast…and I have heard tell that the Hesburger knocks the spots of a Mcdonald’s burger…

CarolCooks2…A-Z World Cuisines…Part 27…Finland…The Land of Reindeers and Midnight Sun…

Thursday Thoughts…

It seems many of you remember “Dolly ” the sheep and cloning of animals still seems to go on from beloved pets to racehorses the video is an interesting one and worth a watch…it was BeetleyPete who reminded me of Biba and provided me with a great link so if you too were a Biba girl then you may love it as much as I did and continuing with my unusual musical pairings it was Metallica and San Fransisco Symphony Orchestra who knew and it’s brilliant…I loved it!

Thursday Thoughts…23rd February 2023…Dolly the Sheep, Biba plus Metallica and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra…

I think we can all agree that a healthy heart is vital to our continuing good health…

In this edition, Sally discusses foods that are needed to support good heart health as it is our most vital organ and relevant to our continued good health and lifestyle…

With all the temptations that assault us when we step inside a shopping mall, it’s no wonder that heart disease is among the biggest killers and its never been truer that “we are what we eat” but help has arrived Sally of Smorgasbord Magazine has a healthy eating plan for you..all the food is normal food nothing fancy or expensive just food in season and fresh…

The Heart is only as healthy as the food we eat…

Please click the link below and it will take you to the original post …See you there the kettle is on x

Smorgasbord Health Column 2023 – The Body our Greatest Asset – The Heart – Foods needed to support this vital organ by Sally Cronin

Thank you for joining me here today as always I look forward to your comments and appreciate any shares…I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend xx

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…29th January-4th February 2023-Monday Musings , Culinary A-Z the letter P think Pancakes and Paella ,Thursday Thoughts, from Smorgasbord Magazine #The Brain and its functions Dementia and Alzheimer’s…

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of posts, you may have missed during the week… I am still virtually spam free…they are creeping back but now targeting new posts…however, once comments close on those they will have to reset and hopefully, they will get fed up but this is preferable to the hundreds I was getting every day…Thank you to everyone for your good wishes on our becoming great grandparents little Bonnie is doing well …

Monday Musings…

It’s nearly the end of another month…February beckons the second month of the year in the northern hemisphere it is usually considered the last month of winter…Trans Fats have been a disaster for the health of the world ..Today I published the link to the Fourth Progress Report on Global Trans Fat Elimination from the virtual event that was held by the WHO. Natural antibiotics have been used for centuries and while I think and do use some of them there is also a place for subscribed antibiotics they can often work hand in hand and sometimes they work better however over the years they have become over-prescribed and people are building up a resistance to them and sometimes a dependency both of which are not good for the world’s health…Then there are Cordyceps…Killer Fungi to read about those and more please click the highlighted link below…

Monday Musings…30th January 2023…Update on WHO virtual meeting 23/1/2023 on Trans Fats, Battery Storage, Killer Fungi and a Natural Antibiotic…The Chilli Pepper

Welcome to a repeat of the series from my very first the wonderful Culinary A – Z and a reminder, not only of the amazing variety of food we have available to us today from around the world, but delicious recipes to showcase them.

Today it is the letter P and many of my favourite dishes come under this letter one of which is pancakes it will soon be Shrove Tuesday(Pancake Day) as it’s on 21st February…so if you haven’t made many pancakes get practising it gets easier and there nothing like a nice thin pancake with lemon and sugar…perfect…

My thanks go to Sally from Smorgasbord Magazine who is repeating this series…Sally is a star for all the wonderful work she does in promoting blogs and writers to read the original post please click the highlighted link below and it will take to Smorgasbord where you will get a warm welcome from both me and Sally,,, See you there xx

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – P’ for Pancakes, Paella, Pomelo, Pate, Pease Pudding and A Poke Bowl.

Thursday Thoughts the first of February…This morning, many Americans woke up early to see whether Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, a sign that supposedly determines whether we can expect six more weeks of winter or early spring. For what it’s worth, that’s according to a groundhog’s nonscientific forecast – and his accuracy has historically been a hit or miss. Still, people across the US are enamoured with the quirky tradition. The cootchie catcher is also featured do you remember playing that game as a child? To read about that and more please click the highlighted link below x

Thursday Thoughts…2nd February 2023…Groundhog Day, Chinese Steamed Cakes, Knish, Cootie Catcher plus the 1st public Conviences…

Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease and other related conditions are rarely out of the headlines and it is probably everyone’s worst fear…it’s certainly mine!

This week, Sally is looking at how your lifestyle directly impacts your risk factors. There are many theories about the causes of degenerative brain disease but certainly, your lifestyle does have a direct impact on your risk factors…Please head over to Smorgasbord Magazine to read how Sally suggests we can reduce our risk factors…Just click the highlighted link below and it will take you to this week’s edition of the brain and its functions…See you there!

Smorgasbord Health Column 2023 – The Body our Greatest Asset – The Brain – Keeping the pathways clear of debris and staying mentally stimulated by Sally Cronin

Thank you for joining me today for my weekly roundup as always I look forward to your comments and thank you for any shares they are much appreciated x

Monday Musings…12th December 2022…Snow Storms, food based Christmas tree ornaments and Stille Nacht!

Good Morning…and welcome to Monday Musings… a place where my inner child comes out sometimes and also where anything which has wowed or dismayed me has happened over the last week…it is also only 13 sleeps, to #Christmas!…that means that although Monday Musings is about random things I may sneak in some Christmas snippets…

Snow in my homeland…and not THE 5cm which by the next day has gone and the sun shines but SNOW..snow which closes airports…and schools…oh come on we still used to school in my days and dry our clothes on the school radiators for our return journey home but did schools close not on your nelly…

Snow is a rare occurrence in the UK, especially in December…So will the UK see a white Christmas this year?

Technically, 2021 was the last white Christmas in the UK with 6% of stations recording snow falling, but less than 1% of stations reported any snow lying on the ground. Before that 2020 was also a white Christmas, with 6% of weather stations recording snow falling, however, only 4% of stations reported any snow lying on the ground.

Previously 2017 saw 11% of weather stations recording snow falling but none reported any snow lying on the ground. This was also the case in 2016 when 6% of stations recorded falling snow, and in 2015, when 10% of stations saw snow.

There was no record of snow falling at any station in the UK in 2018, or 2019.

I know I love food but I don’t think I know anyone who loves food as much as John Rieber…and this post is all about Christmas tree ornaments in the shape of food…and why not…?

https://biteeatrepeat.com/2022/12/06/who-loves-food-based-christmas-tree-ornaments-i-do-and-heres-proof-johnrieber/

Now Christmas would not be the same without Christmas Carols and as a former choirgirl I have sung most of them and I have a love of choirs, especially at Christmas…there are many versions of Silent Night one of my favourite Christmas Carols..

Thank you for joining me today..if you are experiencing snow or biting cold weather stay safe and wrap up warm if venturing out …as always thank you for popping by especially as its a busy time of year and as always I look forward to your comments xx

Monday Musings 25th July 2022…

Monday Musings where normally I share some things that have thrilled me, made me think or smile or even have a mini-rant but generally it is my happy place and I hope yours…July has arrived as has the sun but it is also coming to the end…will August be as sunny? I hope so for those I am leaving behind as most do love the sunny days it makes one feel feel so much better…

I only have a few days left of my trip its been such fun and lovely to catch up with family and friends who have made me very welcome…I have been very lucky with the weather and have had to use a bigger case for all my purchases… it’s a good job I have a bigger luggage allowance on my return trip…phew…

Today I am sharing the good news we are going to become great-grandparents in Jan 2023…

That means another trip to the Uk…not for Christmas but for afterwards…maybe I can bring the sunshine with me again…or just buy some wellies…lol…

Now for some “Global Good News”…

How Sussex farmers(UK) plan to rewild a nature-rich green corridor to the sea
23 July 2022 – The Weald to Waves project aims to boost biodiversity by rewilding land as part of the government ‘landscape recovery’ pilot scheme. The Weald to Waves project aims to create at least 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) of nature-friendly land in corridors running from the rolling hills of the Weald down the valleys of the Rivers Arun and Adur to boost biodiversity on land and in the sea.

Will this mean Climate Smart rewilding while still providing food…an interesting clip…Fingers crossed it will be a way forward…To read more Global Good News about bees and electric cars etc etc… please click here

The Earth shot Prize this wonderful project founded by Prince William and Sir David Attenborough is headed for Boston(US) this in December this year…

I can’t wait to see who are the finalists this year and see what innovative ideas they have come up with…

That’s all for today’s Monday Musings…Thank you so much for joining me as always I look forward to your comments…next week normal service will be resumed and I will be back to visiting a few more blogs but I have had a wonderful time visiting family and friends around the Uk all who have made my visit so special…xx

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup… 6th -12th March 2022-Monday Musings, Health, A-Z World Cuisine, Bangladesh, Eggplants and Saturday Snippets where a “Hand” is my prompt

Welcome to my weekly roundup...March has definitely arrived tonight the sky was a vibrant
red which means tomorrow will be another scorcher…
Snow is still falling in some parts of the world…but I am already seeing
images of the first snowdrops that means spring is on the way…Here instead of the
welcome rain the wall to wall sunshine has arrived…
What is in store for you then this week if you are catching up…  My new A-Z  World Cuisines
featuring food from Bangladesh has been very well received I have had some lovely comments
plus it’s fun to research and write… Monday Musings are just some findings from the week
before which I either find amusing or not, … and on Tuesday there was another  Chicken
recipe… beautiful colourful chicken breasts…it is also National Celery Month and this delicious
crunchy vegetable has some surprising uses…

Friday review and the subject was “Eggplants” which I love although I know they are not everyone’s choice of vegetable …Saturday Snippets is always a joy to write for me…and this week it was the “Hands”  all part of the human body…plus there are some fascinating connections to the word ”Hands”…from a hand of cards…to some hands which support a golden bridge …

Right…enough of my chatter…Let’s have look at last week…

Monday Musings!

This week it was a Bookstore Typewriter which was such a cool idea and the response was phenomenal…Part One of “Can fake meat save the world?”…plus what to do if the unthinkable happens..not at all scary but informative a good watch…

Monday Musings …7th March 2022…

I love chicken for so many reasons and one of them is it’s quick to cook…Multi-coloured Chicken breasts are no exception…Cook for one person or ten…Quick and tasty…

CarolCooks2 in my kitchen…Multi-coloured Chicken Breasts…

A-Z of World Cuisine and this week I visited Bangladesh virtually of course…There were curries and a beautiful seven coloured tea…

CarolCooks2…A-Z World Cuisines…Part 7…Bangladesh…Seven Coloured Tea!

Every day, week Month there is a food day…I only participate if it is a food I like/ eat and this month it is celery…surprisingly it has more uses like being used as a cure for home brined bacon…it is also lovely as a healthy snack with cream cheese or a lovely hummus…a surprisingly versatile vegetable.

CarolCooks2…National Celery Month…Home-cured bacon using Celery Juice…

Eggplants you either love them, Hate them or are somewhere in between…I haven’t always liked them but do like the small ones which I can get here..they are not so bitter or slimy but I did agree with Jim that he has had good and not so good experiences with eggplants and I do think much of it is in the preparation of the eggplant, particularly the big purple ones.

Sally has also reviewed the health benefits of the eggplant /aubergine a post which is well worth the read x

CarolCooks2…Friday Food Review…Eggplant, Aubergine, or Brinjal…

Saturday Snippets…

This week my prompt was ” Hand”…as always I had fun and made some discoveries with the word “Hand”…I was aware there was a handfish but didn’t know much about it…and the songs so many to choose from…I also omitted another of my favourites “If you are happy and you know it clap your hands”…but thanx to Jennie who reminded me and also the Beatles…” I want to hold your hand”…in my defence I have the length of my post to think about and I try to feature tunes I like and maybe haven’t listened to for a while plus the Beatles they are not on my radar often…I know many of you love them…I like them or some of their tracks…I’ll now duck…lol…x I’m more of a George Harrison/John Lennon fan…

Saturday Snippets…12th March 2022…You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist. Indira Gandhi

Thank you so much for joining me today for my weekly roundup…I hope you are all, having a fabulous weekend…I am now of to do Wordle/Quordle and have a catch up of the news…

My thoughts and prayers are also with the brave people of Ukraine and I hope that the rumbles I am hearing about increased bombardments are unfounded or the use of chemical weapons…

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup… 20th February-26th February 2022-Monday Musings, Health, A-Z World Cuisine, Australia, Porcini Mushrooms and Saturday Snippets.

Welcome to my weekly roundup...
February is nearly over we are in the last few days of the month… Snow is still falling in
some parts of the world…but I am already seeing images of the first snowdrops which means
spring is on the way…We have had rain all this week the first  in months and very welcome it
was by all of the plants and us too as it cools the air…
What is in store for you then this week if you are catching up…  My new A-Z  World Cuisines
featuring food from Australia has been very well received I have had some lovely comments
plus it’s fun to research and write… Monday Musings are just some findings from the week
before which I either find amusing or not, … and on Tuesday there was another  Chicken
recipe…

Friday review and the subject was Porcini Mushrooms which I love plus I found the research most interesting I love how nature depends on other factors i.e certain trees for its reproduction a bit like how humans depend on humans …Saturday Snippets is always a joy to write for me…and this week it was the “Tongue”  all part of the the face…

Right…enough of my chatter…Let’s have look at last week…

Monday Musings!

Monday Musings is a short post for me…lol…just a few topics that have caught my eye during the previous week…this week there was an interesting podcast on Rotisserie chicken and one which although it didn’t surprise me in many ways …still made me decide I would not be buying it any more…Counting Crows as the theme of the song just fitted the subjects of the posts today plus some good news that land was being returned to its rightful guardians and that made me happy as over centuries there has been too much land grabbing and marginalizing of indigenous peoples…

Monday Musings…21st February 2022…Counting Crows, Carrots, Rotisserie chicken 

After Monday’s podcast on Rotisserie Chooks(Chickens), it seemed on right that I should offer you a fitting substitute which you can make at home which equally delicious if not better x

CarolCooks2 in my kitchen…Love Rotisserie chicken but don’t have a Rotisserie? Not a problem!

You probably know by now that not only do I love a one-word prompt but also have fun researching and writing A-Z’s…currently it is on world cuisine and last week it was Australia…and Marmite rules in my world…

CarolCooks2…A-Z World Cuisines…Part 5…Australia…Is not just Roos and Vegemite!

We eat plenty of onions and garlic plus it is lovely to hear how good it is for us as well and probably why the mosi’s don’t like my blood…Please head over to Sally’s to read how good eating plenty of onions and garlic is for you…Garlic breath then chew parsley and keep a packet of mints handy …

Smorgasbord Health Column – Food Therapy Rewind – The pungent defender’s Onions and Garlic by Sally Cronin

Porcini mushrooms are another mushroom that relies on trees to grow particularly pine trees or chestnut trees …

CarolCooks2…Friday Food Review…The Porcini Mushroom…

Thus far over the last 4 weeks, the one-word prompt has been face, eyes, nose and now tongue any guesses as to next week’s one-word prompt…no prizes just the satisfaction that you know how my brain works…lol

Saturday Snippets…26th February 2022…Tongue…Can you touch you nose with your tongue?

Thank you for joining me today...if you leave a comment it will surely brighten this day as we have Covid in the house..our grandson tested positive yesterday…Covid is certainly not going away anytime soon it seems…

Have a great Sunday and laugh a lot…its free and good medicine xxx