Lisa Johnson

Thanksgiving Dinner!

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Thanksgiving Dinner

This was my Thanksgiving dinner. Not perfectly plated, but it was perfectly delicious! I’m so full and tired.

Thanksgiving dinner was a combined effort. My mom made the turkey and the oyster and cornbread stuffing. We cooked the macaroni and cheese together. I made the collard greens. My aunt made the candied sweet potatoes and mushroom stuffing. Then my aunt and I made the gravy together. The cranberry sauce was the traditional canned variety from Ocean Spray, which you can tell by the lines! LOL.

Thank you to those of you who read my posts faithfully and also to those of you who drop by now and again. You’re very much appreciated! Happy Thanksgiving!

Dinner Tonight + Book Goals

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dinner tonight

This was my dinner tonight! It was very good, but spicier than intended.

I sauteed Vidalia onions and orange peppers in olive oil, then seasoned with garlic powder, lemon pepper and balsamic vinegar.

When I cut up the onions and peppers, I kept the scraps and boiled them in water to make a vegetable broth. The basmati rice was cooked in the broth, along with a bit of of butter and a chicken bullion cube.

Imitation crab pieces were added to the onions and peppers right before removing from the heat. I buy the fake crab every few months, but don’t think that I’ll continue. I did a quick search and found an article stating that they are extremely processed.

Which I knew, but I didn’t realize exactly how much less healthy they are compared to real crab. Again, this should have been more obvious to me. The calories are about the same, but there is way less protein and nutrients than real crab, but more carbs. I think I’ll buy canned crab from now on instead. Although, I guess I should look at that label too!

+ + +

Now to books! Since this year is wrapping up, I have some more book goals. I need to start and finish a book, so I can return it to the library. It’s called, “The Comedy of Error: Why Evolution Made Us Laugh,” by Jonathan Silvertown.

I’d like to read five more books before the year ends. The number is rather random and pulled from the air, but it feels doable and a decent amount. I’m not yet sure what the other four books will be, but I have a few in mind.

One book that I’m really interested in reading is a novel called, “Before the Coffee Gets Cold,” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I heard a lot about this book from several YouTubers and was reminded of it again today. Apparently it’s part of a series of four books. There seem to be a mix of reviews, but I’m definitely feeling a pull to read it.

This book seems to have everything that I love. Coffee, cafes, time travel and short stories. The story is about a small cafe in Tokyo where people can time travel. But they have to return before the coffee gets cold.

This reminds me of a Korean drama on Netflix called Nine Time Travels. Nine magical incense sticks allow the main character to travel back exactly 20 years to the day. But he returns when the stick stops burning.

A Thank You Gift to Self

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thank you gift to self

This thank you gift is for … me. I’m so generous. Thank you self! What a lovely surprise.

Do you read Reductress? I don’t read it all the time. But whenever I do, I literally laugh out loud. A recent article with the title, “Deadline Set by Self Graciously Extended by Self,” could not be better. Below is a snippet.

“Instead of freaking out and panic-finishing the project to meet the deadline I set for myself, I decided to email myself the night before,” you continued. “I very calmly said, ‘Hey, I’ve had some family stuff going on this week – is it possible to extend this deadline by 48 or perhaps 480 hours?’”

After reading this article, I decided to offer myself the gift of another very short post. I can see the NaBloPoMo finish line just over the horizon. And I need a little breather.

The Wild Dahlia in Easton

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The Wild Dahlia in Easton

Yesterday, I wrote about the amazing food at The Farmer’s Daughter in Easton. But I didn’t mention that this part of Main Street in Easton is quintessential Americana. It feels like a village in a Hallmark holiday movie. A quick search reveals that many movies have filmed in Easton, including this particular area.

With the holiday season upon us, the decorations will only add to the atmosphere, helping to increase the romance of it all. Lots of local shops are all within walking distance, so if you visit the restaurant, take some time to stroll around the area and do some shopping.

My friend and I decided to do the same after our meal and happened upon the cutest little flower and gift shop called The Wild Dahlia. We were told that their main business is as a flower shop for weddings and events. Their Facebook page shows that this Friday they’re offering a Wreath Workshop. Cue the bouncy Christmas music!

When you walk in, it smells amazing. Besides selling flowers, they also have candles, perfumes, soaps, lotion, jewelry, cards, and so much more. It’s really the perfect gift shop. I got a candle and some lip gloss too. If you’re looking to support a small business while doing your holiday shopping, stop by The Wild Dahlia in Easton.

The Farmer’s Daughter Restaurant

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cranberry apple skillet cake at The Farmer's Daughter

The Cranberry + Apple Skillet Cake at The Farmer’s Daughter in Easton is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

On a scale of one to five stars, I give it six! The description sounds amazing: “cornmeal baked pancake. roasted cranberry. apple. pear. cider farm syrup + cinnamon honey butter” and it’s better than it sounds. It might sound like it could be too filling or too sweet. But it’s not. It’s the perfect amount of sweet and bits of sour with the cranberry. The amounts of fruit and pancake are perfectly balanced, so it’s not so dense that you couldn’t eat much.

It tastes amazing without the butter, but when you spread the butter on it and taste it, the experience elevates even higher. Like to a spiritual level.

The downside of The Farmer’s Daughter is that everyone wants to eat there. So there is a wait. And it was very cold this morning. Luckily, there is a decent amount of street parking and more parking behind the restaurant. Once you give your name, you can wait in your car and are called when a table is ready.

I was meeting a friend, who lives in the area, so she arrived first and started waiting for us. Once we were seated, we both ordered the Pumpkin Chai Latte.

pumpkin chai latte at The Farmer's Daughter

There is an extensive drink menu for brunch and the most beautiful concoctions kept parading by us as we watched in amazement.

Our lattes were very good, but we both thought they tasted like turmeric. Sort of looked like it too. Not sure what that was about.

Anyway, back to the skillet cake. It was so warm and made me appreciate the cold weather. When you’re warmed from the inside, that cozy feeling you get. Like you want to just snuggle in a blanket, watch a movie and enjoy being inside. That’s the feeling. I prefer the summer, but autumn and winter have a coziness that can’t be beat.

The menu is so creative, playful and inviting. The offerings are unique and make you feel appreciated as a customer. Like even though the owner doesn’t know us, she adores us anyway. What a wonderful experience. Just wow. And the service is wonderful too. Top notch. I’m looking forward to many more meals there.