I am playing cat and mouse with the sun this morning. At local noon I want to check to see if the sun reaches the proper mark on the sunroon floor as the rays slant in. The weather is the same as it was yesterday. Random thunderstorms and such. We have broken clouds to the north and east and inky dark thunder clouds to the south and west. Every now and then the sun will break through and shine for a moment, inching closer to the proper mark. The weather is unsettled. There were tornado warning issued last night. I had the tv and weather radio turned off. Most of the warnings were well to the east, toward the Georgia end of the valley. I will feel a bit of relief knowing the earth is still spinnning properly about it's axis, and the earth is still spinning properly around the sun. One finds comfort in what one can......

I roll fresh Asparagus in this Garlic Butter and put it on my Charcoal Grill in a screen basket. OMG! Learned this from Pappadeux's Restaurant. Garlic Butter 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup olive oil 2-4 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano Directions 1In a small bowl melt butter in microwave. 2Using a garlic press, or food processor, mince and pulp garlic. 3You can use more or less garlic according to taste. 4Combine melted butter, basil, oregano, and garlic. 5Whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil. Don't overcook Asparagus. Sometimes I add a little chicken broth. Gayle

Apple-Cinnamon Bread Dough 3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 2/3 cup (2 ounces) apple nuggets or chopped dried apples 3 tablespoons King Arthur Easy-Roll Dough Improver (optional, but very helpful) 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon instant yeast 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter or margarine 2 tablespoons (5/8 ounce) Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk 1 cup (8 ounces) water Filling 3/4 cup (4 ounces) Baker's Cinnamon Filling* 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) water *Or substitute your favorite cinnamon-sugar filling for the Baker's Cinnamon Filling and water. In a mini food processor or blender, combine 1/2 cup of the flour and all of the apple nuggets. Process till apples are coarsely chopped. Combine the apple-flour mixture with the remaining dough ingredients, and mix and knead them together -- by hand, mixer or bread machine -- till you've made a soft, smooth dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour. Roll the dough into an 8 x 24-inch rectangle. Mix together the filling ingredients, and spread it on the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll the dough up starting with a short edge, pinch the ends closed, and fit it, seam-side down, into a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pan. Cover the pan, and allow the loaf to rise for about 1 hour, or till it's crowned a scant 1 inch above the pan's rim. Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes so that it doesn't over-brown. Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf. This is from the King Arthur Flour web site....I have this rising right now on the cabinet. It does make a soft, sticky dough. I can't wait to taste this. My hubby loves to take peanut butter and honey sandwiches to work...tomorrow's sandwiches will be made with this bread. Deb Bookmark/share this recipe Reviews

Here's a great slaw to go with the salmon! Alaska Cole Slaw 5 cups shredded cabbage 1/2 cups almonds, toasted 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries 1/2 cup celery, diced 1/4 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper Dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1 tablespoon honey mustard 1 tablespoon honey Salt and pepper Combine cabbage, almonds, cranberries, celery, green onions, and green pepper in a large plastic bowl with a snap-on lid. Combine all dressing ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour dressing over slaw just before serving. Stir well