Admittedly, I am not much of a cake eater, preferring pies & puddings to any cake-like dessert. With one exception – the whipped cream cakes that a Rochester, New York department store my dad worked for used to feature in their bakery. They also made an eclair filled with real whipped cream that was to die for! But I digress!
Chantilly Cake
After dozens of years, I have finally found a cake every bit as good as that department store's whipped cream cake. It's called a Chantilly Cake and is exclusively found in the Whole Foods Markets throughout the countries of the United States, Canada, and the U.K.
The reason Whole Foods features this Chantilly cake is it was created for Whole Foods by Chaya Conrad when she was working in one of their New Orleans stores in 2005. Chaya now runs the popular Bywater Bakery in New Orleans.
Chantilly Cake ~ sometimes called Berry Chantilly Cake ~ is composed of white sponge layers with berries and sweetened whipped cream. The cake's name comes from Chantilly cream, which is a French term for sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla or liqueur. For the frosting, a combination of whipped mascarpone and cream cheese is used, with berries such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries folded in and placed on top.
Chantilly Cake Recipe to Make Your Own Homemade Delight
There are several recipes online for making Chantilly Cake from scratch. My favorite is on the Preppy Kitchen website (PreppyKitchen.com), a blog filled with kitchen creations by John Kanell. John describes himself as a husband, dad to twin boys and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious. John lives in Los Angeles.
Personal Reflections of Chantilly Cake
My first introduction to Chantilly Cake from Whole Foods was a year and a half ago at a birthday celebration for one of my grandsons. Since it is my son's favorite cake, it is frequently served at most of the family celebrations, as you can see below.
Summary
Once you have tasted a Chantilly Cake, you will wish to have it often. There is nothing like a whipped cream cake, especially one filled with fresh berries. The sweetness of the whipped cream/cream cheese/mascarpone frosting, combined with the tartness of the fresh berries, is an unbelievably delicious taste treat. Why not give Chantilly Cake a try for your New Year's Eve celebration?
Happy New Year!
Happy Eating!
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I love it when a book makes me laugh! In "A Suitable Arrangement", Martha Keyes created the
characters with wit, sass and just enough spunk to really bring them to
life. They seemed to step right out of the pages of the book to share
their thoughts, conversations and actions in my presence.
I really liked Juliana Godfrey. She held her head high and dared
anyone to challenge her simply because she was not born into nobility.
I especially liked the way she handled the head housekeeper who was
constantly reminding her that she was not worthy of the title
"countess". I could almost hear the housekeeper's fit of temper when
she discovered her sleeping in an "important" place one
morning.
I also liked the way Juliana defended the injured one who she thought was
being bullied by his sibling. She did not hesitate to take action and
stand in his stead.
Juliana respected the unique cultures and practices of the brothers of
Lochlarren Castle, but after a while, she did suspect they might not be
authentic. I must admit, horse races in the castle would be rather
funny, but a bit hard to believe it to be a normal activity. Still, she was willing
to rise to the challenge.
Synopsis of A Suitable Arrangement Castles & Courtship Historical Fiction Series
Juliana Godfrey was very practical. Her mother had died when she was
young and her father worked hard to provide for them. His hard work
paid off! As a wealthy merchant, he was able to provide Juliana with a
hefty dowry which would purchase her a place in society. The right
marriage could open more doors for her father and his business, in addition
to giving her a title which would require acceptance into the
aristocracy.
A marriage to a Scottish Earl that needed money was a suitable arrangement
for Juliana. At least she thought it was until she arrived at his
castle and was not well received. Clearly, it would take a get deal of
the fortitude she learned as a child to survive the Highland Scots.
She was determined to adjust and embrace their culture.
______
As his father was dying, Sandy Duncan learned more about the deep debt he
was inheriting as the new Earl of Lismore. He also found out that he
was no longer considered an acceptable suitor for the woman he had always
thought he would marry. Even though the family liked him, once her
father discovered he could not bring money to the marriage, he was informed
that he would not be considered, even if he did bear a
title.
Sandy is also informed that his father has made a marriage arrangement for
him that would provide the money Lochlarren Castle, and it's dependents, required. Sandy's days of
freedom ended with his father's death. He now had to shoulder the full
weight of the Earldom.
When his bride-to-be arrived at the castle 2 days late, he was in no mood
to greet her with a hardy welcome. Neither he, nor his brothers or
household, stepped outside of the castle to give her a proper welcome.
This lack of courtesy set the tone for the minutes, days and weeks that
followed.
_______
When an earl needs money to pay ancestral debts, restore his castle and
care for family & staff, he marries for wealth instead of equality.
However, Sandy Duncan, Earl of Lismore, has met his match!
My Recommendation
The humor in this book gave a wonderful balance to the antagonism between the characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Books by Martha Keyes Previously Reviewed on ReviewThisReviews.com
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I consider every year to be part of my photography journey, where I learn some new techniques, enjoy new photographic opportunities, and hopefully increase my knowledge and skills. 2023 was no exception. During the past year, I got out of my comfort zone and photographed four big events, I attended a photoshop summit where I learned a lot of new techniques and I even went back and reedited some old photos using what I have learned in the past 17 years since I started this journey. The photo above is one of my past photos taken in 2010 and reedited this year.
Education
I always try to take a class each year either in person or online. There are so many available, along with many You- tube instructional videos. This year I listened to many free videos I found online and this fall I attended a Photoshop Summit online that had five days full of speakers all instructing us on various aspects of Photoshop. They were very interesting and informative. One of the subjects I found most interesting was about the new "generative fill" feature in Photoshop. By just circling an area in a photo, you can remove an item or add something new. Here is an example of a Halloween photo where I used this feature. The first photo is my original photo.
In the next photo you will see that I first used generative fill to remove the mailbox and then added several additional items to the photo. See if you can find all the additions.
I also used what I learned in the seminars to redo some older photos. In this one the original photo had lots of people on the sidewalk leading to the lighthouse. I used generative fill to remove them.
Special Events
Sometimes I find I learn more when I take myself out of my comfort zone. This year I was asked to photograph four major events. Two of them were weddings of family members and two were events at church.
Both of the weddings were casual. The first was held completely outdoors at my brother's home and the second was held at a small historic chapel with the reception being an outdoor event. I was a little apprehensive at first, but the casual settings helped to put me at ease. I carried two different cameras each with a different type of lens and settings and I was pretty pleased with the results. Here is a photo from each of the weddings.
The church events included the ordination of our newest pastor and a 20 year celebration of our senior pastor. For these occasions I sat in the balcony and was able to photograph the ceremonies from above. I used my camera that is a Sony mirrorless one that does great with lower light and inside photos without using a flash. Here are two photos from those events.
Group Support
I find photography groups to be a great way to meet people with similar interests and share ideas. I belong to two different groups; one Create 52 is an online Facebook group and the second is an in-person photography club in our town.
Create 52
This online group challenges us to be creative in both our photography and in our post processing. We are given a topic each week and then we create a photograph to match the topic. An example of this is during the week before Christmas our topic was Christmas card. For this topic, I took a photo of our Christmas tree and then took it into Photoshop. In Photoshop, I added an artist filter and placed it on a textured background. I then added lettering and finally used generative fill to add stars around the lettering. Here is my result.
O'Fallon Photo Club
Our in-person photography club meets once a month. In this group we share ideas with other photographers, and we also bring photo files to get constructive criticism. We share ideas for places to go for photography and we take a few field trips each year. At the end of each meeting, we are given a topic for the month, and we post photos of that topic in the clubs Facebook page. This fall several of the club members met at our local botanical gardens on an evening photographer's night, where we were able to bring in our tripods and capture some low light photography. There was a Chihuly exhibit going on at the gardens so there were lots of great opportunities for nighttime photography. Here are a couple of photos I took.
Mentoring
I volunteer with a group called Willows Way that provides support for challenged adults. This group has a photography club and I serve as one of the mentors for the group. Each month we take several of the participants and their aids to a different locale to photograph. We have gone to local parks, museums, and farmers markets. I love to work with these wonderful people and find I get as much from them as I give. It is a wonderful opportunity. This summer we went to a farmers market that also had a sunflower field. We talked about unique ways to capture the sunflowers. Here are two of my photos.
As I close, I Wish You and Yours a Very Happy New Year. May your year be filled with joy and peace and lots of new things to learn.
Here are a couple of my favorite photos this past year.
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The Taverner's Son is a well written deeply moving novel that has a beautiful story line that everyone can really sink their teeth into. Family secrets, tragedy and a small village help to make this book a real page turner. I love the characters and each one of their with own "quirks".
What family doesn't have some sadness and misunderstandings that get in the way of family connections? I don't think there is one family out there who can't relate in some way.
So it is with Will Kendrick. He has lived most of his adult life away from the small town that was his home. Misunderstandings and pride make it difficult to get through to the part where we still love each other. And sometimes it's too late to do anything about it!
Will gets a phone call letting him know that his father has passed away. Living on the west coast for many years, Will had not given his father too much thought. Now he is in shock and trying desperately to make sense of it all, realizing that there is no more time left.
Will makes the plans to return to the little fishing village of Apalachicola. First he had to make his way from California to Tallahassee and then drive from there to what had been his home. As he drives the roads back to his "home" memories come flooding back to him.
Of course there are the people of the town whom he had known growing up and many that had left the small town for bigger and better opportunities. But there was also one of his oldest and dearest friends from his childhood who remained. Jess, his long time friend from grade school, who had always been there during his childhood, made her life in the small town of Apalachicola.
Will is making his way around town and sees the tavern where he spent many days helping his father. Homework was done on one of the small tables in the back. Penny, the cook and keeper of the kitchen took Will under her wings when Will's mother had died. Will was only 3 years old when his mother died. Penny and her husband were the imaginary parents that Will wanted. His father had become distant and depressed, withdrawn from his son and anything that reminded him of his beloved wife. Will was the spitting image of his mother. So that made things even harder for Will's father. And now Will is standing in the Tavern that now belongs to him.
Will has a lot to learn about the father he didn't know so well and more about his mother too. When you lose your mom at 3 years of age, you really don't know too much about her. As you get into the book, the story takes on a life of it's own and you will be hard pressed to put the book down. So many questions that Will has and so few answers, yet, there is something going on that doesn't make sense.
I don't want to give too much of the story away, but, I would encourage you to pick this book up. It really is a riveting story of family, family secrets and how they impact the people who are being "saved from the truth". This book is masterfully written, a love story with twists and turns that you will not see coming. It is a page turner that you won't want to put down.
I received this book from VoraciousReadersOnly with the promise of sharing a review. It was my pleasure to read this book and review it for you here.
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I hope you all had a wonderful, Peaceful Christmas.
Now feels like the time for me to start the gardening year. At first the
feeling is slow, almost imperceptible, but its there and each day the days are getting just that little bit longer and the
prospect of getting out there more appealing.
The shortest day in terms of daylight hours where I live is over
and despite the cold weather and seemingly bleak outlook, if you listen and
look carefully you can feel nature starting to wake up.
Now is the day if I am home, that I venture out into the
garden. During most of December I rarely go into the garden, we have heavy, wet
clay soil and when rainy it only gets muddy and then compacted if I tread
on it. In freezing weather it really is hard like a stone. I can do a lot
more harm than good gardening at this time in our
garden. So generally for most of December the garden and I have a break from each
other.
However today I look and listen and I can feel my soul wanting to
reconnect with the garden. There is often not too much to look at now and all the winter jobs are
done. However, as I gaze around I look for tiny signs of growth and appreciate the bones of the garden.
The evergreens that are always there, are so reliable, so constant and
without the distraction of colour and flowers, they come into their own
right now.
Holly Types And Growing Needs
The best at this time of year is the Holly. Although Holly can be
deciduous, we grow only the evergreen type. The Holly tree is a symbol of
winter and festivity and many of us cut and bring in Holly branches to decorate our homes in
winter.
The holly tree,common Holly, or to give it is rather pretty Latin name Ilex aquifolium, is an evergreen shrub or tree that can potentially
grow up to around 15 meters plus or about 50 feet tall though you can prune to
keep it more manageable.
There are also many smaller varieties reaching up to half that size such
as Ilex aquifolium 'Silver Mermaid' 6m x 4m (approx 20 x 13 feet) or
even smaller sizes suitable for a pot like Ilex aquifolium
'Hascombensis' 2.5m x 1.5m (approx 8 x 5 feet). These are more suitable
for a small garden or if you simply want a smaller tree with less
maintenance. Some even have lovely variagated leaves such as Ilex x
altaclerensis 'Golden King' 6m x 3m (approx 20 x 10 feet), which is a female
variety and does produce red berries.
Holly Berries can be colours mostly from red to yellow and orange on
different varieties. A Holly Plant is generally either male or female so to get those beautiful
berries you will need a female tree with male tree nearby. However
some of the male varieties even though there are no berries, have really
gorgeous leaves and habits and are worth growing.
Holly is grown in gardens both domestic and stately, woodland and hedgerows
mainly. It can be a specimum plant glorious on its own or grown as part of a pretty
inpenetrable spiky hedge which is excellent for security. We grow it alone
and as part of our mixed hedge. It is also found in the wild where the
common Holly can grow very tall and wide indeed if unchecked.
Holly is beautiful with often very dark green, glossy, and usually very
spiky sometimes variagated leaves. It can have small white flowers in Spring, though most will not be grown
for the flowers. The main feature of the female Holly is the beautiful berries that really brighten up the day and look spectacular against the dark
green leaves.
It prefers to grow in a sunny or semi shade position on moist but well
drained soil. It is not fussy about soil being happy in loam, chalk, sand or
clay and acid, neutral or alkaline soil type. It can cope well in an exposed
site or a sheltered position and is content to face any way except
north.
I have only space to mention a few varieties of Holly here. If you want
Holly in your own garden there are so many varieties offering different
sizes and features it is best to research what is suitable for your garden
and needs.
Uses Of The Holly Tree
The Holly tree is a very valuable tree for its many uses.
As the wood is hard, heavy, and fine-grained, it is good for making
furniture, carving, and inlay work. Leaves and berries are wonderful for
crafting projects whether it is using real Holly or artificial
Holly.
It can be used for Christmas or New year decorations including wreaths, and table centre
pieces or a winter display to brighten up a dull corner.
At a time when flowers are rare in the garden and expensive to buy, a
display of Holly in a vase is a beautiful alternative through out
winter.
Holly For Nature
For nature Holly is an extremely valuable tree. The spiky leaves provide
safe shelter all year round and nesting sites.
The Winter time berries are food for birds and small mammals and
the flowers in Spring attract bees and pollinators.
Even its roots help to stabilise the soil and prevent erosion.
Holly In Mythology and Symbolism
The Holly tree has a rich history of mythology and symbolism.
For many of us Holly is a part of the Holiday festivities bringing in
boughs of Holly real or artificial for home decor and is a symbol of
joy. When we bring in Holly into our homes it is also supposed to
protect from evil spirits and lightning, and to bring prosperity and good luck!
Holly has associations with the sun god and the winter solstice, and was considered a sacred plant by the Druids, Romans, and
Celts. It was believed to have magical powers, such as healing,
protection, and fertility. It was also a symbol of peace, joy and goodwill, and was used to
make crowns and gifts.
The Holly was adopted by Christianity, as a symbol of Christ's birth, death, and resurrection with the crown of thorns
representing blood and eternal life.
We even have songs about Holly such as "The Holly And The Ivy", perfectly
performed here by Kings College, Cambridge UK.
So the holly tree is a stunning plant in nature and in our gardens that has
history, mythology and many benefits for us and wildlife.
To step outside into the garden on a crisp cold day in the midst of
winter or wrap up and enjoy a winter walk and see a glorious Holly tree
covered in gorgeous berries is a highlight of the season and one I always
look forward to.
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All good things must come to an end for Hallmark Christmas movie fans. The beginning of a New Year signals the end of Hallmark Christmas movies 24/7, but Hallmark Christmas In July is just a few months and a few snowflakes away.
Hallmark Christmas remains very popular with viewers and the 2023 season was no exception. For the 2023 Christmas movie season Hallmark debuted 31 original movies for the Hallmark Channel and an additional 9 for its' sister channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Between both channels fans has a huge selection of Christmas movies new and old anytime of the day or night and the ratings reflect the popularity of Hallmark Christmas programming.
Most Popular 2023 Hallmark Christmas Movie
The winner is A Merry Scottish Christmas with Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolfe debuted with 3.3 million viewers beating out
A Biltmore Christmas, Christmas Island and Haul Out The Holly: Lit Up are next in line for Hallmark Christmas movies ratings. Two of the four star Lacey Chabert part of the Hallmark A team of actors year round.
In October Hallmark was ranked sixth amongst cable network shows. Enter the Christmas line up and Christmas movies 24/7 beginning in late October and viewership substantially increased. In November Hallmark had the third highest rating for cable shows because of Christmas 24/7.
What's New For 2024 ?
Hallmark's streaming service will debut an unscripted 10 episode series with Lacey Chabert titled Celebrations. The series will follow Chabert as she celebrates real life heroes. Chabert has starred in 38 Hallmark movies including the highly rated Wedding Veil six movie series.
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As winter's chill wraps the world in a cozy embrace, some hearts are filled with warmth and joy as we gather to celebrate the most magical time of the year. Let's remember all aspects of this time of year: the good, the happy, the sad, and the lost.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas
The air is filled with the sweet melodies of carols, and the streets are adorned with twinkling lights, creating a festive atmosphere that warms even the coldest of nights. It's a season of love, laughter, and the simple pleasures that can make life truly special.
During this enchanting time, families come together, creating cherished memories that will be fondly remembered for years.
Whether it's sharing a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace, decorating the tree with ornaments collected over the years, or simply relishing in the company of loved ones, the holidays remind us of the importance of connection and the joy of togetherness.
Let's take a moment to appreciate the love surrounding us and express gratitude for the bonds that make life meaningful.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, let's remember the spirit of giving and generosity. The joy derived from sharing our blessings with others is immeasurable.
Whether donating to a local charity, volunteering at a community event, or simply extending a helping hand to those in need, the true magic of the season lies in spreading kindness and goodwill.
May this season inspire us to be more compassionate, and may the ripple effect of our actions create a wave of positivity that extends far beyond the holidays.
The Holiday Season can be a Challenging Time for Some
Yet, amid the merriment, let us pause to acknowledge that the holidays can be challenging for some. While many of us are surrounded by the love of family and friends, some may be grappling with loss, loneliness, or difficult circumstances.
Let us extend our hearts and minds to those who find this season a poignant reminder of their struggles.
As we bid farewell to another year and welcome the promise of new beginnings, let's carry the warmth and goodwill of the holiday season into the days ahead.
May the coming year be filled with love, laughter, and endless possibilities.
May the season's spirit linger in our hearts, guiding us to a future filled with joy, prosperity, and the magic that makes life truly extraordinary.
Cheers to a season of love, laughter, and the joyous celebration of life's beautiful moments, mindful of those needing an extra dose of kindness during this time.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to You 💗
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Barbie fans who enjoy building sets will enjoy constructing Barbie-themed Mega Bloks sets. They were released long before the 2023 Barbie movie on March 29, 2012. At that time, Mattel announced that it would work with Mega Bloks on the creation of a series of building toys themed around Barbie. Fans would now be able to build their own Barbie worlds.
Mega Bloks said, "We are thrilled to join forces with Mega Bloks to create the first Mega Bloks building sets based on Barbie" and I am sure they were. Who wouldn't want to work with Barbie, one of Mattel's most recognized brands?
Mega Bloks is also a very well-known manufacturer, known for a line of building toys that are thought to be "innovative, well-designed, affordable and high-quality products." As a team, these two companies created some wonderful building sets that are reviewed here on this page.
Watch this three-minute video to see how you can build, design and decorate with Mega Bloks Barbie sets.
WHAT AGE ARE THESE SETS APPROPRIATE FOR?
Mega Bloks says that the Barbie Sets are appropriate for children aged 4 years old and up. Small parts make them inappropriate for younger children but there is no limit to how old you can be to play with them. Adult fans will have fun building, designing and decorating with Barbie Mega Bloks, too! Some more recent sets have an older recommended age of 10 and are even designed for adult collectors.
BUILD 'N STYLE LUXURY MANSION, SET 80229
Your builder will love this fantastic house, a mansion with eight different rooms that can be organized as she likes. There's no doubt that this set will make a little girl's eyes light up. It includes two of the Mega Blocks Barbie dolls or micro-dolls as they are called, Fab Girl Barbie and Teresa.
BUILD N'STYLE BEACH HOUSE, SET 80226
Yes, Barbie also has her very own beach house. This set includes two micro-dolls, Beach Fun Barbie and Beach Fun Nikki and the that is comprised of two rooms and a patio that can be arranged however the builder likes.
BUILD 'N STYLE POOL PARTY, SET 80228
The Build 'n Style Pool Party is cool or at least Barbie and Ken will be when they take plunge! It comes with two micro-dolls called Pool Party Barbie and Pool Party Ken and a multi-level pool that actually holds water. The pool area is built and decorated by the builder using the umbrellas, trees, flowers and other accessories that are provided.
BUILD 'N STYLE CONVERTIBLE CAR, SET 80223
Where would a beach-themed Barbie set be without a car? The Build 'N Style Convertible Car allows Barbie to get around with the top down! We love it. Although it is nothing like the Barbie convertible from the 1970s, it still seems very like Barbie to me. The pink car features wheels that turn, a working trunk and a doll called Go Barbie.
ORIGINAL MEGA BLOKS BARBIE SETS
A few more of the very early releases:
The Pet Shop The Fashion Boutique The Fashion Stand The Ice Cream Cart Party Time Movie Star Puppy Pals
2023 MEGA BLOKS BARBIE SETS
The sets discussed above were the original releases but Mega Bloks has released more Barbie sets since 2012. The most exciting set released in 2023 must surely be the Barbie DreamHouse, which is shown above. It is a replica of Barbie's home in the hit movie of the same name and is intended for adult collectors and rated for players aged 10 and up. With 1795 pieces, it comes with micro-dolls representing Margot Robbie's Barbie and Ryan Gosling's Ken.
The earliest sets discussed here on this page were sold under the name Mega Bloks, and have been discontinued. If you are looking for a specific one of them you may have to turn to eBay. Click here to see what Mega Barbie sets are available on eBay today.
The more recent sets are sold under the shortened name, Mega.
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