After Easter Vittles

Photos: Deviled Eggs courtesy of Food and Wine/Butter Cookies by Debra Turner via iphoneOn the left are classic deviled eggs topped with paprika (plus I added freshly ground nutmeg).On the right are my (baked this morning!) butter cookies.  We can taste vanilla, butter and a hint of pecans in every bite.  Into a recipe for butter cookies, I threw in a cup of ground, uncooked oatmeal and about 1/3 cup of pulverized pecans.  [Note: I...

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Happy Easter From The Savvy Shopper

Photo by Orbmiser/flickrEaster is a holiday of bright, lively colors ... from dyed eggs ... to budding flowers ... from baby ducks ... to big girls'-and-little girls' dresses.Photo by AlmaharriEaster is a time of renewal and new beginnings ... in nature and religious faith.Photo by Handful Of QuietnessThis little bunny reminds me of A Tale Of Peter Rabbit.  He is perfectly content resting in gentle hands unlike Peter Rabbit, who was chased...

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Hearty Split Pea Soup And Cornbread For Meatless Mondays

Photo by EatMoreBalance.comRecently I stopped buying canned soups.  As I said in previous posts, either my tastes have changed, or canned soups have changed.  I used to like them; now not so much.  These days I make a batch of homemade soup, eat a meal, then freeze the rest in 16 ounce containers to be nuked (i.e. microwaved) later for quick meals.  One of my favorite soups to prepare is hearty split pea.  Sometimes I make...

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Papyrus Greeting Cards

Greeting cards by PapyrusRecently my mom said, "Now that everyone carries a phone everywhere, you can't get ahold of anyone!!!  Years ago when you called someone at home, a child ... or someone answered the phone and it lead to a conversation!"  Imagine that.  You didn't need to text, email, or tweet a "friend," nor wait for a typed reply.  No peck, peck, pecking ever.Goodness, I know we can't live in the past, but let's...

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Irish Soda Bread: Sweet Or Savory?

Photo by All About FoodI can't claim any Irish ancestry, but aren't we all Irish on St. Patrick's Day?  I do love meat and potatoes, Irish stew, cabbage, root vegetables and Irish soda bread.  I started making soda bread because it tastes similar to buttermilk biscuits, but you can substitute healthier ingredients: like butter instead of lard and whole grain flour in lieu of all white flour.  Soda bread is delicious served warm....

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Are You A Downton Abbey Fan?

Photo: itvI am spending far too much of my leisure time re-watching seasons 1, 2 and 3 of Downton Abbey.  It's so well written and cast that I catch little details with each viewing.  Isn't it the best series to air in a long time?  Unlike so many other shows, Downton's twists and turns make perfect sense while being totally unpredictable.  Worth the price of the Blu-ray or DVD.Each season the cast has grown, both in numbers and...

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Remembering Patsy Cline 9/8/32 – 3/5/63

 It's been 50 years since the world lost one of its most iconic singers.  Because there will never be another talent like Patsy Cline, let's take a moment to remember her.Patsy began singing on a radio show in Winchester, Virginia as a teenager to help support her family.  She had perfect pitch, and through determination and hard work went on to become one of the most respected and influencial female singers of the 20th century.  She...

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Happy 4th Birthday To THE SAVVY SHOPPER

Photo courtesy of  pinkcakebox.comTHE SAVVY SHOPPER turns 4 years old today.  Where does the time go?  This site started because I wanted to see what all this blogging business entailed. My least favorite part of blogging is futzing with photos and the layout.In the print world, it takes a team.  Either you work on the editorial, or the business side.  On the editorial side, staffers work as reporters, writers and...

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