Lady Sybil Is Hurt

If you are wondering who Lady Sybil is, she's one of our Chickens of Downton Abbey. Of course, whoever got hurt or sick first was inevitably going to be Lady Sybil. When my husband phoned me to tell me one of the chickens was limping, I knew it wasn't going to be good. It was only a matter of time before the pecking order began trying to take her out.

Chickens are worse than a bus of middle schoolers, I am telling you. They sensed the weakness in her straightaway and began pecking on her like she was dinner. To isolation for Sybil it was.

My husband with Sybil 

After looking up her ailments on different forums, we were fairly certain that she somehow hurt her leg. There are no bites, there are no bruises, no loss of feathers....nothing except a bent up leg she keeps limping on.

So, my generous dog, Oscar, donated to Sybil his cage as her sick bed. Sybil was put on quarantine not only to keep the rest of the ladies off of her, but also to give her a safe place to rest up and heal. Hopefully she won't go the same way as Downton Abbey's Lady Sybil...but there are no guarantees. She was just chilling in her cage for the most part, until my husband gave her a bath and then didn't dry her off because he thought she would dry naturally.... but she didn't. So then I had to bring her inside because it was 53 degrees yesterday and she was cold. We put her in a box and put a heater on her until she dried out.

My husband is kind of obsessing over the chicken when there really isn't much we can do. He said, "I knew going into this that we might lose a few chickens, but now that this has happened, I feel bad." I sympathize with him. It's human to feel bad, especially knowing that the chicken is in pain.

In all the hullaballoo of her being hurt and on quarantine and not knowing if she will get better the subject of slaughter came up. The thing is, if she's hurt and is not going to get better, then at some point or another it can be assumed that she will die. If she dies on her own, well, we can't eat her. If we kill her, then we can. It sounds a bit morbid, I know, but this is the reality of having chickens.

And if there is one thing I like it's fresh food. Is that bad?

Well, even so, when we were talking about it, (it being the killing of the chicken and all) naturally we began to talk about who would do it. The long and the short of it? Neither of us wants to. For me, it's not that I can't kill the chicken; I absolutely know I could...it's just that, I'm worried about my soul. Allow me to explain.

I once read this book and it had a lot of elements of buddhism in it. It said that the butchers were the lowest people on the karmic chain because they kill the animals. So that has me worried...it's not like we're throwing lobsters in a pot here, this is a chicken that I have petted and tried to heal and stuff. Also, I am afraid that if I do kill the chicken that I will changed in a way that only someone who has slaughtered an animal would be.... it's heavy stuff, you know.

But it's also the nature of things. I would want my chicken to be well killed, if that makes sense. With respect and everything, and perhaps the only person who can do that is me. Really, I am hoping that Sybil lets me off the hook here, and just gets better. If she doesn't, it looks like I've got a decision to make...

What do you all think? Will Sybil get better or not? Should I kill her and eat her or let her die of natural causes and not eat her? Leave it for me in the comment section below.

Quick Fix: Prosciutto Chips!

I love those bacon bit thingys that come in that container and you sprinkle over salad....but there is no way I will buy them because, honestly, who in the heck knows what is really in them. I highly doubt it's bacon. The long and the short of it is that I like bacon bits on my salad, but generally refuse to eat them. So, when my mother in law told me that she made these prosciutto chips and that they were easy, I was DYING to try them.

They are like the no-fuss version of bacon bits on a salad without all the mystery and intrigue. That and they aren't really bacon, they are prosciutto, but they are ham, so....

however you feel about bacon bits, you are sure to love these. They are versatile, too. You can put them on salad, or serve them with eggs. Heck, you can eat them straight out of the oven. Whatever tickles your fancy. I won't tell. Or maybe I will.

I got this prosciutto at BJs, which, incidentally, has the best (and I mean BEST) prices on deli meats. This particular day, the lady sliced everything so thin that I wanted to scream. Because waiting in a deli line for 45 minutes to get meat that is sliced way too thin is infuriating. And because the prices are so low that I somehow justify these atrocities. 

Any-who, once I peeled apart the endlessly thin paper-like layers of my prosciutto, I laid it out my baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I love parchment paper. It's the most awesome stuff. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes in the oven and ..... 

TA DA! These prosciutto chips came out perfect! So perfect that I nearly forgot about the 45 minutes I spent in the deli line and the disappointingly thin meats. Almost. 

YUM! I did sneak a bite before I took this picture. No shame in my game. 

Now like I said, you can totally put this on a salad. OR, if you are feeling frisky....... 

You can serve it between some polenta and eggs, like I did!!! This was SO good. 

CLICK HERE for the polenta recipe. Fry up some eggs and slap them on top and you've got yourself a breakfast that is so good, you might need to go back to bed afterward. 

YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSSS SIR! 

Easy Prosciutto Chips

Time: 12-15 minutes | Makes as many as you have! | Difficulty: Easy 

You will need: 

A baking pan lined with parchment paper 

Prosciutto 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Lay out your prosciutto slices in a single layer on your lined baking pan. 

Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until crispy. Realize that it was so easy and break out into an evil "muah ha ha ha ha" laugh. Because you can. 

Serve crumbled over a salad, or with eggs and polenta!!!!! 

Bossy Italian Book Review: Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Image from Beautifulcreaturesnovels.com

Beautiful Chaos left me hanging on, big time. So I downloaded and started Beautiful Redemption PRONTO! I had to know what happened to Ethan. This book was a little bit different from the other three in the way that it was set up--and I really liked that right off the bat. When I started reading, I immediately knew the set up had changed: I was getting a story from both Lena AND Ethan's points of view.

I enjoy when author's do this. After all this time, hearing Lena's inner monologue was refreshing, and the perspective changes were a good was to mix it up from the format of the other books.

The suspense was still rich, and I was, of course, still rooting for Lena and Ethan, even with the circumstances being what they were. I don't want to give anything away, but there was a very bittersweet quality to this book, and that was good for me.

I hate when everything ends too neatly, if you know what I mean. I want at least a little bit of grit, and this delivered the grit right up until the end. It ends well and it ends not so well...depending on who your favorite is.

In the end, this series was a great read and it's completely worth seeing through to the end. It can't be easy to write four books that tell such a great story of love, power, and light and dark, but these two ladies have done a great job. And, well, that got me to thinking....in the first book, we learn that Lena will be claimed, either light or dark. Everyone is sort of waiting to see what will happen, and they aren't sure which way she will go.

Now, I know we aren't a bunch of casters, we're all just mere mortals...but for us, it's the same. We've got the same light and dark within us all. I don't know if we've got a choice which way we fall; sometimes you just have to wait and see until you're claimed. So in that way, we're all Beautiful Creatures waiting to be claimed and see what our fate holds. 

Ham & Egg "Muffins" Recipe

Since we got chickens, we've been cooking a lot of egg dishes. And by "we" I mean me, although I will say my husband is brilliant at eating them. I have been experimenting with these "muffin" style eggs, and I have to say, I am in love. They are so easy that anyone can make them, and they are delicious!

Also, I am obsessed with things that are in muffin form, or miniature form, so this all really works out for me. I can get pretty intricate in the kitchen, so I enjoy when something is simple and straightforward, and that is what this recipe delivers.

To begin, Pam (or grease) your muffin tins. I am making four of these for two of us, but you can make as many as your little heart desires. Or your big heart. 

Next, line your muffin cups with your lunchmeat. I used ham. 

Then, crack your eggs into the ham cups and pop the whole thing into the oven (which should be preheated to 375 degrees) and you are going to bake them for 10-12 minutes for runny yolk, 15 for non runny yolks. But you want the yolks runny, right? I mean who doesn't want their yolks runny? 

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with toast. 

YUMTASTIC. Eggscellent. And also, let's take a moment to appreciate that I made these eggs and still burned my toast. UGH. But I blame my toaster...it has a mind of it's own. I need a new toaster. So if anyone wants to gift me one, I'm down. 

Ham & Egg "Muffins" 

Time: 15 minutes start to finish | Serves 2 (easily increased) | Difficulty: Easy 

You Will Need:

4 slices of ham 

4 eggs

1 muffin tin 

Pam or butter to grease tins

Method: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Grease your muffin tin. 

Place ham in four of the muffin tin cups. Crack eggs into ham-lined muffin cups. 

Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes for runny yolks, and 15 minutes for non-runny yolks. 

Salt & pepper and serve with toast! 

Tips for Cooking Fresh Clams

When it comes to cooking fresh clams, there are a few simple tips that will get you well on your way to perfect clam eating. It's not rocket science, but when I was cooking my first round of fresh clams, I had trouble locating tips and tricks for cooking with fresh clams on the internet...and  you know that motivated me to take down some tips for my readers!

I live at the beach, so summer is seafood season, and I want everyone--no matter where you live--to enjoy fresh seafood. I want you to feel confident in the kitchen when you are preparing your fresh seafood. These little things will make a big difference for your clams.

Tips for cooking fresh clams! 

1. Discard the dead ones

The first thing that you want to do is go through your clams and take out any that are open like this. If they aren't closed, it means that they are dead, and you don't want to eat them. 

Also, a quick story here. One of the clams shared the living crap out of me by opening and closing itself. I almost died. I literally jumped across the room and screamed. Then, my husband says that the clam was "gasping for life" and I told him to shut up! I know that they are alive, but geez...the graphic nature of my husband's comment was clearly not what I wanted to hear. 

2. Salt water soak 

Get a half a cup of kosher salt and mix it with a big, big bowl of cold water. 

 Put your clams in the salt water and allow them to sit there and soak for about a half an hour. 

3. Scrub 'em good 

You want to scrub them really well at this point, and I like to do it under water because it gets alllll the grit off. I also used my potato scrubber and my rubber gloves because I didn't want my hands to smell all clammy. Hehe. 

And don't skimp on this step--really. Seriously. Especially if you are making a sauce and want to have the clams in there. Because nothing ruins a sauce like a sandy bottom. 

 Check out this awesome shell. It was the only one like it in the bunch, so of course I had to snap a picture. Beautiful, right? 

4. Cook those clams!!! 

There are a variety of ways to cook your clams. I just threw my in my sauce ( I was making a white clam sauce) and put the lid on. It took about ten minutes and they all opened up. 

YUM! 

So do YOU have any tips on cooking fresh clams? Are you a fresh clam pro?? I would love to hear your tips for cooking with fresh clams! Leave it in the comments section below! I love to hear from my readers! 

We Need To Talk: About Lube

It’s funny because I don’t remember where in the world I learned about lube. It wasn’t like my mom ever told me, “hey there is this great stuff called lube.” Even still, somewhere along the way, (in high school) and might I add early on, I discovered Astroglide and my [sex] life was changed. Changed.

I started using lube about the same time I started having sex. Why? Because I like to have sex, and the more lube you use, the longer it lasts...and the more times you can do it. And it feels good, too. Still, I feel lke a lot of women don’t know about lube or don’t use lube because they think it means they are dried up or something.

I want to put that myth to bed: it doesn’t mean that you are dried up. It means you are getting it on and you like it wet. Wetter. There is nothing not to love about lube. It's a va-jay-jay's bestie.

Now I can just see you all behind your computers being like, “Okay, I’d like to try this lube, but when do you put it on? How do you put it on without ruining the mood?” For me, I just like to say, “Hey, can you put on some lube?!” before the big insertion happens, but I realize that some of you might not be comfortable being that brazen about it.

For a more subtle approach, you can introduce lube during foreplay, which I think has to be the easiest way. So, when you are giving a hand job, squirt a little lube on the tip and keep right on handing it. Your man will be happy because it will feel great and then you are basically ready to go for the intercourse portion of your newly lubed up evening (or morning, or afternoon, or both.)

Now that we have that covered, we should also talk about kinds of lube because there are all kinds out there, and they can all be a little different. I am a huge fan of Astroglide because it’s the closest thing to the real thing, if you catch my drift. No scents, no fuss, just lube. I also enjoy KY products, which tend to be a little fancier...KY has this really great warming one, which gives a little heat on contact that really makes my day. When it comes to choosing lube, though, the best way to pick it is to try it for yourself. Try a couple different ones and see what you like the best.

Now, I know that buying it in the store can be a little awkward...which is why I like to turn it around and make the cashier feel more awkward than me ( I do this with condoms, too). For this strategy, I pick the youngest male cashier in the joint and I only buy the condoms or the lube. And then I stare at them while they check me out. It makes them feel really awkward and it’s hilarious to watch them squirm. I especially love when they ask, “Is that all?” and I reply, “YES! That is ALL.”

Hehe.

Everyone Deserves To Find Their Own JOY!

On the surface, this seems like commonsense, right? Everyone deserves to find their own joy. Simple. On the surface. If we dig a little deeper, though, and if you are anything like me, it’s deceptive in its simplicity. Let me start with a bit of a confession: I’m a fixer. This isn’t necessarily bad or good, or even unique. Nonetheless, there it is...I’m a fixer. Well, I’m actually a fixer in recovery.

If someone has a problem, is unhappy, or vents to me about what is going wrong my first inclination is to find them a solution--a way to fix that. At work? Great asset. Personally? Not so great. Hence, the “fixer in recovery” title. I have been on a personal journey and one that has brought me a great amount of joy in my life. When I find something I love, I just want to share it so badly. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to open, ready, or willing to hear what brings me (or you) joy. And that is okay.

When it comes down to it, people are going to have problems. I can dish out a million great solutions for them, but in the end, they have to go out and find their own solutions that lead them to joy. When you are a natural fixer, like me, you might feel the inclination to offer unsolicited advice to people at one time or another. This is really where it sticky.

Sometimes people will be happy about this advice...but other times? Not so much. Because not everyone is on the same page, path, or wavelength. Sometimes people just flat out don’t want to hear what you have to say. I’ve been on both ends of this equation, and I have to tell you, it’s not really all that great from either end.

When I see someone that I care about doing things that are contradictory to what I think may make them the happiest, I know it. Once you know something, well, you can’t un-know it. By the same token, though, others feel the same way about me at times...and they aren’t always right. You can’t shove solutions down people’s throats, and to go one step further, sometimes we are just wrong about what makes other people happy.

In other words: people have the right to go out and find their own joy. They have every right to screw up, to be down in the dumps, to make decisions you don’t understand, and to learn and grow and emerge who they are. When I find myself in these moments, as part of my “recovery” from being a fix it, I try to turn inward and focus on my happiness and my joy.

So tell me, are you a fix it? Are you in recovery from your habit or do you find that you just can’t help yourself? What’s one way you can focus on your path of joy today? Leave it for me in the comments section below!