Angie Pedersen's The Blog of ME

International Talk Like William Shatner Day - 3/22/09

This instructional video will give you tips on how to Talk Like William Shatner more effectively.

Recipe: Grandma's Hot Cocoa Mix

I made a big batch of my grandmother's hot cocoa mix yesterday, so I thought I'd share the recipe here.  I really need to make a digital recipe card for it, since it's a family staple.

My husband adds it to his coffee every morning for his version of Cafe Mocha.  If we're out of cocoa mix, he doesn't have any coffee (or he goes to Starbucks - but I think he just goes there to flirt with the coffee girls).

I have fiddled around with different substitutions, like Splenda for part or all of the sugar, and sugar-free Quik instead of regular Quik, and the result is 'adequate', but my husband always goes back to the original recipe.

Grandma's Cocoa Mix

5-3/4c dry powdered milk
1c sugar
1c powdered creamer (I use fat-free)
2c powdered chocolate drink mix (like Quik)
2-3T baking cocoa powder

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, and store in tightly lidded container.  Makes about 10c mix, or about 40 servings.

Use 1/4c mix to 6-8oz hot water (or coffee) to make hot cocoa (Cafe Mocha).

photo credit: ikkoskinen

April Sketch Duet artist at Scrapbooker’s Club House

Thought I would mention that I am the Sketch Duet artist for April's kit at Canadian community site, Scrapbooker's Club House, as recently announced on their Scrapbooker’s Club House Blog.

This past weekend I created two exclusive sketches for them - a 4¼x5½ card sketch and a square layout sketch.  They will be included amongst the contents of each creative kit shipped out.

Twitter Roundup for @AngiePedersen: week of 3/8

• Via @WoodenHorsePub: STUDIOS must have tested well in 2008; it is a quarterly this year. Details on our home page, www.woodenhorsepub.com.


• My daughter & I like the Weight Watchers Just 2 POINTS! Snack Bars in Mint cookie crisp - Really chocolate-y.      


• I wonder if there are any scrapbooking Page Flippers floating around anymore?


• Just tried WW's new Cappuccino Cream Melts - 10 candies/1PT.  Hard cappuccino candy shell w/ creamy center. Not quite as good as they sound. They are available at the meetings, like the Fruities. Anyone can buy WW food from meetings, even non-members during biz hours


• Via @dannybrown: This always makes me smile: go to Google and type FIND CHUCK NORRIS and hit "I'm feeling lucky"


• Another neat idea from Scrapbookers' Club House - Paper-crafted "Bag-a-lope" #craft


• Neat idea from Scrapbookers' Club House - Texture Photos for Scrapbooking


• I'm the only one at the crop on a laptop - brought #digi scrapbooking evangelism kit: printed layouts, recipe cards, hybrid album.  On-site education.


• Crocheted some pet mats to donate to @WaysideWaifs next week. Patterns from http://www.snugglesproject.com


• "Your fears are not walls, but hurdles. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquering of it." -- Dan Millman


• OMG could this be any cuter?? Crochet Lil Bunny Cap pattern at youcanmakethis.com


• Via @CraftTestDummy via @CraftCritique: Attention crafty people... when tweeting about craft use #craft. Genius!


• I not only fell off the WW wagon, but got run over by it. Up 4 lbs after 2 weeks no weigh-in. Ugh. Bringing health lunch & snacks to crop today.

New Gluten-Free Food & Lifestyle Magazine: Delight

I just heard about a new magazine for the gluten-free and food allergy audience - some of my friends fall in that category, so I thought I would mention the magazine here.  Here's the official blurb from their website:

Delight gluten free is a fun food & lifestyle magazine for people with Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance and food allergies. It hosts delicious gourmet recipes and easy semihomemade as well. Don't miss the Gluten-Free Meals on a Budget either. Whatever your food allergy you should be able to find something that fits your household.  In their February issue they offer gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free and even some rice-free recipes. The magazine also has a travel section coming in May that will host lots of fun ideas and good advice for when you venture out on the road. Personal stories, inspiring articles on Autism, Q & A with the Doc are among the other features of this magazine.

For more information and to subscribe, visit their website: http://www.delightgfmagazine.com

Recipe: Creamy Chicken-Spinach Soup

A new recipe was recently 'approved for a repeat performance' at my house, and Weight Watcher-friendly, to boot!  The leftovers have been great for lunch this week!

Creamy Chicken Spinach Soup
POINTS® Value: 7
Servings: 6
Level of Difficulty: Easy

From "Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook", pg 169

Ingredients

• 9 oz frozen cheese tortellini, without sauce
• 14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth
• 2 cans reduced fat canned condensed cream of chicken soup
• 10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
• 9 oz chicken breast, cooked, skinless, diced
• 1 cups fat-free skim milk
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/2 tsp Celery salt
• 1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced

Instructions
Cook tortellini in Dutch oven according to package directions. Drain. Return to Dutch oven.
Add remaining ingredients & stir to combine.
Bring to boil. Cover and let simmer until heated through.

Yields 6 (1-1/3 cup) servings.