1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:00 a.m. 2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds! 3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I don't remember - it was one over the winter but I guess it wasn't memorable 4. What is your favorite TV show now? Law & Order SVU, CSI,lots of stuff on Food Network, House Hunters on HGTV, King of Queens, Ghost Whisperer 5. What did you have for breakfast? Cereal and coffee 6. What is your middle name? Lee 7. What is your favorite food? Chocolate! 8. What foods do you dislike? Chinese (I know, I know, weird) 9. What is your favorite chip flavor? Kansas City BBQ What is your favorite CD at the moment? I'm still into that Jimi Hendrix thing for some reason. What kind of car do you drive? Jeep Liberty Favorite sandwich? Still PBJ What characteristic do you despise? Dishonesty, shallowness and cruelty What are your favorite clothes? Jeans, tee shirt and sneaks OR shorts, tee shirt and sneaks If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? England, Scotland and Ireland Favorite brand of clothing? Coldwater Creek Where would you retire? Some place where it is warm most of the year Favorite time of the day? Very early morning or sunset/dusk What was your most memorable birthday? 40th Where were you born? NJ Favorite sport to watch? Football What fabric detergent do you use? Arm & Hammer or Tide Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi (diet please without caffeine) Morning person or night owl? Neither - but definitely more morning that night What is your shoe size? 6 or 6 1/2 depending on the shoe Do you have any pets? 2 very, very spoiled dogs What did you want to be when you were little? Nurse Longest friendship you still have. 38 years Biggest accomplishment? Buying my own home Favorite school sport? To participate in track, to watch football Event you look forward to. My days off each week, does that count as an event??? I love all holidays. What is one thing/product you absolutely detest and would hate to see in a gift package? Anchovies and/or Chinese food How do you pamper yourself? Listen to music, read, get a manicure If I had a day all to myself, I would turn off the phone, watch Lifetime, snack on chocolate and KC BBQ chips and read a wonderful book. If you were a box of cereal, what kind would you be and why? Alphabets - they say lots without being noisy What in your life now reminds you of when you were growing up? Grass that was just mowed, iced tea in the summer, the beach and all of the wonderful smells that go with the ocean.

Riesling Poached Pear Frangipane Pie Directions: Crust 1 9-inch Hannaford pie crust Poached Pears 4 cups water 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 6 pears, ripe but not soft 2 1/2 cups late Riesling wine 1 1/2 cups Hannaford sugar 1 lemon slice Frangipane Filling 1 cup blanched almonds 1/2 cup Hannaford sugar, divided 1/4 cup Hannaford flour 6 Tbsp. Hannaford unsalted butter, softened 2 large Hannaford eggs 1 tsp. Hannaford vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. Hannaford imitation almond extract 1 Tbsp. reduced poaching syrup 1. Bake pie crust according to package instructions for pre-baking an empty crust. Cool. 2. Prepare poached pears. In a large bowl, combine water and lemon juice. Peel, core, and halve pears, and place halves in lemon water. Set aside. 3. Combine wine, sugar, and lemon slice in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Once this syrup mixture boils, reduce heat and keep it simmering. 4. Drain pears and discard lemon water. Add pears to syrup. Poach for 5 minutes, turn pears over, and continue poaching for an additional 5 minutes, or until pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove pears from syrup and place on paper towels to drain. Continue simmering syrup until reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. 5. While syrup simmers, prepare frangipane. Combine almonds with 1/4 cup of the sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add flour and pulse until combined. 6. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium high to beat butter and remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated after each one. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts and poaching syrup. Reduce speed to low, add ground nut mixture, and mix until just combined. 7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread frangipane in pre-baked pie shell. 8. Slice 1 pear half into slices 3/8 to 1/4 inch wide without separating slices. Slide a spatula under pears to transfer without separating. Fan pear half by pressing on stem end. Slide fanned pear half on to frangipane slowly so you can place it correctly. Repeat with additional pear halves until frangipane has pear fans evenly spaced over it, with space in between. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until frangipane is puffed, golden, and solid to the touch. If crust edges start to brown too much, cover them with foil. Cool on a wire rack. 9. To serve, slice remaining pear halves in half. Place a quarter pear on a plate, drizzle with poaching syrup, and place a slice of pie beside pear. Extra poached pears may be refrigerated in an airtight container for three to four days, covered with any remaining poaching syrup. APPROXIMATE NUTRITIONAL VALUES PER SERVING: 450 CALORIES, 62G CARBOHYDRATES, 6G PROTEIN, 19G FAT (7G SATURATED), 60MG CHOLESTEROL, 100MG SODIUM, 6G FIBER

Sorry I missed it yesterday - but hope that you had a glorious day, that'll leave some memories floating around for long enough. Good wishes for a fine year ahead, also. ole joyful

This weekend I'm prepping for my recovery time after knee replacement surgery (5/16). I will be moving my primary sewing machine to the dining room table where it will be easier for me to sit. I'll get a couple of my on-going projects stacked up and ready to go, along with all the thread and other supplies I might need. I'm also going to cut out all the pieces for a few more of the hand applique blocks that I was working on last year! Won't that be great to get back to that project?!? I'll have that kit ready so I'll have something to do even before I can sit at the machine. If I can find time this week I hope to get new covers made for the cushions on the patio furniture. Kate