Word of the Day 10/31/2012

Phantasm (noun)

1a : a product of fantasy: as b : delusive appearance: illusion c : ghost, specter d : a figment of the imagination

2: a mental representation of a real object

 

Examples: The old mansion, which according to local legend is inhabited by the phantasm of an 18th-century resident, is the perfect location for a Halloween haunted house.

"Like the railroads, the cattle industry was a creature of finance, a phantasm of numbers and calculations so enticing and so disconnected from any underlying reality that numbers ceased to be representations and became their own world." — From Richard White's 2011 book Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America

Did You Know?: The root "phan" comes from Greek verbs that mean "to appear or seem" or "to present to the mind." Does "phan" bring to your mind any other English words, in addition to "phantasm"? Indeed, this root appears in several English words that have to do with the way things seem or appear rather than the way they really are. "Phantasmagoria" and "diaphanous" are examples. Also from this root are words such as "fanciful" and "fantasy," in which the imagination plays an important part.

 

Happy Halloween!!

My Dad's Cabbage & Sausage

Dad's Cabbage & Sausage

 

I had this practically every week growing up, and I still love it! It only takes a couple of ingredients and you have dinner done! Cooking the rice takes longer than cooking the C&S! And in my household, I still have enough left over for lunch the next day!

 

Ingredients:

1 head of green cabbage

2 packages of smoked sausage (I use Hillshire Farm's Smoked Turkey Sausages)

2 - 3 cups White rice (You can do more, it's about a cup per person, we love our rice)

Optional: Sriracha Sauce, Tapatio, any hot sauce for taste.

 

Directions:

 

 

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cut the cabbage in quarters and cut the heart/core out. Then cut cabbage leaves into bite size portions and put into a large skillet. Wilt cabbage and make sure to stir, otherwise the bottom leaves will burn. Roughly 5 minutes.

 

 

2. Cut the sausage up into 1/4" to 1/2" slices. Add to slightly-wilted cabbage. Add salt and pepper for taste. Cover and stir every so often to make sure they don't burn. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes more.

 

 

3. Cook rice according to instructions. Serve cabbage & sausge over white rice and enjoy!

 

 

Word of the Day 10/25/2012

Enigmatic (adjective): of, relating to, or resembling an enigma : mysterious

 

Examples: When Rolf asked her where she had been, Tianna just gave him an enigmatic smile and answered, "Oh, here and there."

"Chris Marker, who died earlier this year at 91, was an enigmatic figure, reluctant to be photographed and prone to biographical embellishment." — From an article by A.O. Scott in the New York Times, September 26, 2012
 

Did You Know?: When it comes to things that aren't clearly understandable, you have a wide range of word choices, including "dark," "enigmatic," "cryptic," and "equivocal." Of these, "dark" is the most sinister, implying an imperfect or clouded revelation, often with ominous overtones. "Enigmatic" emphasizes a puzzling, mystifying quality, whereas "cryptic" implies a purposely concealed meaning. "Equivocal" is the best choice for language that is left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

Word of the Day 10/23/2012

Smashmouth (adjective): characterized by brute force without finesse

 

Examples: Monday night's game, between two teams known for their hard-hitting, aggressive styles, promises to be entertaining if you like smashmouth football.

"The Tigers earned the win behind a smashmouth rushing attack and a passing game that was effective when it needed to be." — From an article by sportswriter Kyle Kendrick in The Ponca City News (Oklahoma), September 23, 2012

Did You Know?: "Smashmouth" crashed its way into the English language during the 1984 football season to describe the brutally hard-hitting play that is characteristic of the game. It has since been used to describe similar physicality in other contact sports, such as hockey and basketball, and has even forced its way out of the realm of sports into politics; we’ve been using it to describe hardball tactics in politics since the 1984 U.S. presidential election. However, this political application of "smashmouth" has yet to make it into the end zone. It occurs too rarely in English to merit its own sense in the dictionary.

Fall Cupcakes!

Fall Cupcakes!

Decorating How-To:

Most Everyone has seen Pillsbury's Funfetti Cupcakes down their grocery store's baking aisles, but I wanted a fall-themed cupcake. I love the reds, oranges, and yellow... I just love Fall!

So I picked up Wilton's Autumn Leaves Sprinkles and decided to try them out on Lemon cupcakes. I know, I know, lemons are not really "fall-themed", but they were yellow, and my coworkers LOVE lemon cupcakes!

So once I mixed the batter up, I poured in about 1/3 of the container, and whisked them in.

Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full (sometimes I like to fill it more), and I sprinkled some more sprinkles on top of the batter. Bake as directed and waalaa! Fall funfetti cupcakes!

 

And check out the inside!

 (I'm going to pour more in the batter next time!!)

 

 

 

 

 

#52 DZP: Read the Hunger Games Triology

#52 DZP: Read the Hunger Games Trilogy

Oh. My. Gawd.

It's no wonder how this book sold over 50 million copies.

It took me forever to say "just read them Shannon, everyone loved them." and so finally I went and bought The Hunger Games.

After book one, I was hungry (pun intended) for more. So the next day I went and bought Catching Fire and Mockingjay. And now after reading the trilogy, I'm sad that it's over, but so happy I read them all.

Yes, I had nightmares, and intense visions that even woke Alex up. I couldn't explain my dreams or describe what the "arena" looked like, but I guess that's why I'm not a teen-fiction novelist.

It reminded me of what reading Harry Potter and Twilight was like. Staying up way too late because of "just one more chapter, then I'll go to sleep". Believing in the fantasy world that the author creates for me. And at the end, I feel a little empty, like I've lost a friend... ok, maybe not a friend, but I spent many nights with these books. I'll miss them, and probably will visit them again later in the future.

If you haven't read them, you should. Meant for teen or not, you should read them. Guys should read them too. Or at least the first book!

My Love

 

Love