Monday, January 25, 2010

Sleep Talking, Sailing Round the World, Books,

Over the weekend I heard about a woman who's husband talks in his sleep and says the wierdest things - she has made a blog out of it all and has had over a million hits. It seems quite incredible to me. Some people are wondering just how true it is, I know Matt doesn't believe it. He now tells me I talk in my sleep although he has never really understood what I said. I had no idea although I do remember once my first husband, John, saying I shot bolt upright in bed one night saying "I'll have a gin and crusho" as I don't drink gin and we have no idea what a crusho is, it seemed somewhat odd. I am disappointed that Matt doesn't know what I am saying although I do remember, now I am writing about it, I was once told I gabbled in an invented language when asleep. I think that was in my much younger days. I had forgotten all about it.
Another story in the news is about the 16 yr. old, Jessica Watson, who has set off to sail around the world single handedly. There is a lot of fierce argument about the whole thing. She says she feels she understands the ocean - at 16, I don't think so. Matt and I have lived on the water most of our lives and wouldn't say we understood it. I wish her all the best now she is under way, but I personally think its a damn fool thing for a 16 yr. old to do. I know what the oceans can throw at you. I have lived through hurricanes (admittedly not at sea), I have been at sea during a force 8 gale when we were all scared silly and hoping to survive and if any of you saw The Perfect Storm, there is no saying that she couldn't run into something like that. I wouldn't want a youngster of mine attempting such a thing. If you would like to read more about it go to http://yachtpals.com/jessica-watson-7047 where I believe there will be regular reports of her trip. Her yacht is supposed to be virtually unsinkable - now where have I heard that before?
I am, by the way, using my treadmill regularly and gradually building up the time I spend on it. I got hold of a book on CD (I was surprised how many CDs) and listen to it whilst walking. Its one of the Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braun, The Cat Who Turned On and Off, I read one, about a year ago I believe, they are quite fun. Sunday I also finished the Suicide Kings by George R.R. Martin. Turned out to be a good story but it jumped around a great deal going to several different characters in one chapter. Multiple points of view I guess is the term. It certainly wasn't a book I could read quickly. I am not sure if I want to read any more of the series or not. Had I done so before, I would have latched on to what the heck was happening a lot quicker. At first I found it all really wierd. I have now got A Darkness Forged in Fire to read plus the sequel The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans. I know nothing about these two at the moment so we shall see what transpires.
On the 17th I published a recipe from What's Cooking called Catalina Cranberry Chicken. I cooked it last night and we have leftovers for tonight. It was absolutely delicious. I was very pleased with it. I can highly recommend it and it was so simple to do, you just mix the ingredients, dollop it over some chicken and cook for 50 minutes, what could be simpler. The result was really, really good, so do try it. I had thought of cooking it at the weekend for guests, but I didn't really know what it was going to be like. I am generally not an advocate of cooking with packets of this or cans of that, but this was certainly a worthwhile exception. Now we don't really want to eat it again that soon so we have to put our thinking caps on. I am definitely planning a dessert from the same magazine for Saturday, but the main course is still up in the air.
OK, so I was so impressed with our chicken dish tonight I thought I would share this dessert with you. It says 16 servings, I am not too sure about that, I guess it depends on who is eating these servings, right?
Caramel-Nut Cheesecake
What's Cooking by Kraft
16 servings
1-1/4 cups HONEY MAID Graham Crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 pkg. (250 g each) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream 3 eggs
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
HEAT oven to 350ºF. MIX crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min. MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended. Pour over crust. BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until centre is almost set; cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with nuts and caramel topping just before serving. Have a great day

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