ABSILVER's World

 T op Recipes of 2020: These are some top recipes for us in 2020. Where I had pictures of my efforts, I included them. Barefoot Contessa hits from 2020 I love the Barefoot Contessa.  Her recipes work, and you just have to follow them and remember she put days, months, and years into perfecting the recipes so just follow them the first few times. Ina Garten’s Overnight Mac ‘n Cheese:   This may be the best Mac ‘n Cheese of all time for me.  You mix lightly cooked macaroni with cream and ½ the cheese and keep it in the fridge for 24 hours.  Then you take it out, mix in extra cheese and add bread crumbs, and it was cheesy and tasty. Smashed Sweet Potatoes:  This was easy, and the surprise of adding pepper made it a surprise.  All the flavors merge into what is a not too sweet dish that was great. Irish Soda Bread:   This was an easy entry into bread making.  We enjoyed it, and it was great, especially for breakfast.  To prove the “don’t mess with the Barefoot Contessa,” I tried to impro

  So my top ten pet peeves as we end 2020: 1) People who wear masks into a store, to take them off right after they enter.  While we are at it, those who wear the mask and show their nose, those who choose not to wear them at all, and those of all ages seem challenged by masks.  Whether you will be stricken very ill or not, the choice to wear a mask not only puts me at risk but everyone of all ages I may be in contact with, including my in-laws.  2) The curiosity of Texas, at least driving in East Texas, why is using your turn signal too stressful? This impacts me as another driver and while walking the dog. Is knowing where you are going at an intersection asking too much? 3) The barrage of tweets by the president and his minions about the rigged election.  Especially as he takes credit for getting 8 Republican senators re-elected, since all candidates were on the same ballot, it can't be rigged for the president and not rigged for everyone else. 4) It is not reasonable to blame t

So, I started again to write and came up with the idea of a COVID survival kit.   I have had some challenging days around the pandemic.  I am not the easiest person to live with during normal times and am sure a greater challenge during the pandemic.  But, overall, we have weathered the storm so far pretty well, I think.  We are in our tenth month of being somewhat locked down, and I thought I would share some of what has helped me as it might help others.  So, here it goes, we have been officially locked down since March 7th.  I know that date because it was the day I flew back from Savannah.  In the beginning, we stored up on essentials, not knowing what this meant.  Would the stores run out of toilet paper, and we even bought enough dry beans to store to be extra safe.  After trial and error, here are some of the tips that have helped me survive the pandemic. Find space in your home to be alone . It is not just for your peace of mind but for others.  I have an "office" as

As many of you know, I have been working with two colleagues and friends to start a new consulting company that has taken a great deal of my time and exhausting my writing talents. But, I keep thinking there must be something to contribute to my own blog. This morning I thought about the top ten lessons from the pandemic. 1) Does it really matter?  Does it matter what car you drive?  Does it matter how many square feet are in your home?  Does it matter which celebrity you ran into at Starbucks? Does it matter whether you are the president or a kid in school?  It doesn’t matter at all to COVID, as it doesn't discriminate. Hopefully, as we look forward, we will all remember our change in priorities learned during the pandemic.  I hope to keep my focus on human relationships, health, safety, and happiness compared to the desire for material goods and power.   2) The digital divide in this country is getting larger.  Like it or not, there is a divide between those who are leading a d