Hey ladies - this is a super cool site which just launched for BC awareness month:

www.myspace.com/pinktogether

For every virtual flower donated, General Mills donates $1 to the Susan G. Komen foundation - up to $25K. Please support these amazing ladies & donate! Warning: You will get teary.


Save the ta-tas!

I might do that, it's a great idea, but i've know these guys for a good while now, and they've helped me out so much, I think it needs a little something extra.



I get worried about sending wine, since I know almost nothing about it, and these guys like to think at least that they do. It's a minefield. And these particular dudes might not appreciate the spa treatment!!! I'll keep thinking! Though if anyone knows any specialist food websites that I could send them goodies from, that would be appreciated.



I was watching the morning news shows (light entertainment with weather info) the other day while working out, and every channel had breast cancer stories on. I was blubbering on the treadmill. Thankfully I had the place to myself

Ahem!

Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday dear Gillian
Happy Birthday to me

Maybe restaurant gift certificates?

You can never go wrong with chocolate!

Spas - I was thinking along the lines of a massage. I don't know anyone in the industry who doesn't like massages! But yeah, that could be a bit gay if you don't know them.

I've bought gourmet stuff from this website:

http://www.igourmet.com/

For wines - maybe pick one off this list? I figure you wouldn't go wrong

http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Top100/2...0,4955,,00.html

And Happy Birthday Gillian! Are you settling in to Charlotte okay?

Thank you.

Yes, I'm setting in just fine. It's been a hectic first week of getting everything sorted (and shopping, shopping, shopping for lovely things for my new apartment).

Things are settling down a bit now, although I have the DMV to deal with next week! I also have to find a job!

Cool, that's perfect, thanks Robin!!!


and Happy Birthday to Gillian!!!

Happy birthday Gillian!

Pointy - another idea is that you could get them something traditionally Irish - that might be a nice touch

That's great news! I do really like that part of the country (my brother and father live about an hour away in Spartanburg, SC), I definitely like the cost of living there.




Perfect - Guiness!

I am currently trying to find a good christmas cake receipe. I made a really nice cake last year but can't remember where I got the receipe from.

I don't like Christmas cake I kinda want to like it but I just can't... Now Christmas pudding I do like Do they even sell those here? We found advent calendars in World Market if anyone is interested and have been keeping eyes open for boxes of Christmas cards...

I'm the opposite to you. Love christmas cake (esp my own, lashings of brandy) but not keen on christmas pudding.

I don't like either. Yuck!

It's cold here in CT and I miss the hubster. I wanna go home to the Valley where it is always scorchio!

virtual hugs, maven

Ta muchly, julez.

Look at it this way, you and Bruce will go through that "honey I missed you so much" phase where life will be so fantastic!!

Plus, maven, you may as well enjoy the sweater wearing while you can. Soon you'll be complaining how bloody hot your are in the valley!

>>>>>>>huggggssss<<<<<<< to maven

I'm sick being unemployed and watching the economy go south. It makes me nervous.

OK, so its like 500 degrees in my office right now and I'm wearing a sweater. That I can't take off! I am roasting my arse off and its so very unpleasant.

I had to de-ice my car this morning for the first (and probably not the last) time this month, not good.

Its chilly outside here, too. However, they have the heat jacked way up in my office building for some reason. I'm starting to feel ill because of it.

Lucky you have heating, ours doesn't go on for another month. They are trying to save money.

It's a lovely 81F here in Charlotte today. Am I missing the Massachusetts weather? Hmmmmm, let me think about that...

Now just imagine that you're outside in that weather and forced to wear a heavy sweater (jumper). That's how I feel.

That's the approach I'm taking at my house...no heat until Nov. 1st. Its tough since we've had some pretty cold weather, but its too early in the season to become heat dependant. Here we rely on the heat well into April. 7 months of heating bills would crush me financially. Six is bad enough.

Well it is warming up again and is meant to be over 100 by the end of the week again but we are making the most of the milder weather -we still have the windows open but the cool breeze has diminished somewhat and we have the fan blowing warm air around the room...

I expect the AC will be back on towards the middle/end of the week but hopefully we can turn it off at night

We will defo be moving to somewhere that has four seasons though - I am getting used to the heat but Jeremy has always hated it and the thought of snuggling up all warm in front of a fire while it is cold outside just seems wonderful...

That's one of the reasons I found Charlotte so appealing, it has four distinct seasons. MA had hot summers and cold winters but spring and autumn only lasted about a week each.

Hmmm yeah - something that Jeremy and I want to do is look through all the States and shortlist the ones that have four seasons then shortlist cities in each and move from there - we have plenty of time to figure it out though so

good morning uk!

Good morning Charles and everyone else.

How's everyone's week going? I am having a party Friday night and I'm trying to think of things to serve. It was demanded that I make my awesome guacamole, and I'm making cupcakes. I was trying to think of a few other things too. At Gaelic Imports a few weeks ago I had these mini pasties that were amazing...however what do you guys think? Would it be a weird mix to have mini pasties, guacamole, and cupcakes?

Definitely not - an eclectic mix is always good!! How about deviled eggs? I am planning on making some for my hallowe'en party. Truffles could be good as well - easy to make and really yummy Do you have a theme for the party? Sometimes I find that helps Otherwise check out some of the things on allrecipes.com

Really the theme...well there isn't much of one. honestly, I wanted a party only to drink a lot and to give me an excuse to make this cake:



Yes, it is a Tom Selleck cake. However, I think if I might try to do it the cake would be an epic fail as my icing artistry skills are at the novice level. Instead I'm going to bake cupcakes and draw a 'stache on them and fill it in with brown sprinkles.

It's quite a crowd...the group ranges from Americans to Brits to Canadians to Indians so I wanted to have a bit of something everyone could enjoy.

Oooh Indian snack food is yummy And that is a great cake - you should give it a go anyway - I mean, how hard can it be? And if it looks crap at least you will still get to eat it

Go with a "Foods from around the world" theme and pick a treat from each of the countries you are entertaining.

LOL...but look at how perfectly coiffed Tom's hair, eyebrows and 'stache are on that cake? I would fail as a human being if I didn't get it right



What would I do for Canada eh?

Something with maple syrup???

I didn't look very hard but there are a few sites out there like this:

http://gocanada.about.com/od/recipesfromca...ink_Recipes.htm

Poutine? Timbits? (lol - do you guys have Tim Horton's in Chi-town?) I'll check with my Canadian friends in the Canada forum & get back to you!

Haha I did think about Tim Hortons...unfortunatly Dunkin Donuts rules the city. I thought maybe doing something with Canadian Bacon...

*Marilyn* offered the following dessert idea:

Nanaimo bars...

Reduced: 91% of original size [ 560 x 420 ] - Click to view full image

The Nanaimo bar is a dessert of Canadian origin popular across North America. A type of chocolate no-bake square, it receives its name from the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. It consists of a wafer crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light custard or vanilla butter icing, which is covered in chocolate made from melted chocolate squares. Many varieties are possible by using different types of crumb, flavours of custard or icing (e.g. mint, peanut butter), and types of chocolate. Two popular variations on the traditional Nanaimo bar involve mint flavoured custard or mocha flavoured custard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanaimo_bar

The Original Nanaimo Bar

Ingredients:

***Bottom Layer ***

* 1/2 cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 5 tablespoons cocoa
* 1 egg beaten
* 1 1/4 cup graham wafer crumbs
* 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
* 1 cup coconut

***Second Layer ****

* 1/2 cup unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons cream PLUS
* 2 teaspoons cream
* 2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder
* 2 cups icing sugar

***Third Layer ***

* 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Bottom Layer

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.

Second Layer

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Third Layer

Melt chocolate and butter overlow heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

This recipe for Nanaimo Bar (Official) serves/makes 24 bars.

http://www.nanaimo-info.com/gpage.html

ooo they look yummy

Those look delicious. I think those are going to be given a go...

Good thing I have a bunch of people coming to help me eat all this stuff.

Oh and Ginger, so obvious, but someone else suggested a Canadian classic - beer!

LMAO...well that will never be a problem! Though I honestly will pass on the Molson...I don't mind LaBlatt though.

Maybe I could do just a "beers of the world" theme. We have a fancy schmancy beer shop down the street and they carry beer from about every corner of the globe.

Mmmm - they do look yummy... fell off the wagon yesterday though so back in diet mode again Ah well - I'll feel better about it when I can fit into my clothes again

yeah...get all your guests completely pissed then you can feed them anything!

those things look super yummy. I've had a bit of a baking addiction recently. It's great to have a proper oven again, I didn't have one for sooo long. And I gave myself a joining the union present - a kitchenaid mixer. Omg I love it. it's just a plain white one, the cheapest of all of them, the lovely coloured ones are wayy more expensive for no reason.

So far this week I've made cornbread muffins, 2 loaves of bread, banana bread, oh yeah, and I got a slow cooker and made some pulled pork. God, I need a job.

My parents are coming over next monday!! whoo hoo.

What should I ask them to bring over. I'm not sure I want them to bring tons of sausages or anything on a plane for that long. hmmmm

CHEESE! I miss the real stuff when I'm in the US... but that's probably not a good idea either for a flight, huh?

happy hump day everyone.

and i've now officially seen everything. a tom selleck cake.