Lemon-pepper pork chops, green beans, rice with fresh garlic, steamed cauliflower. I did good if I say so myself! Marilyn Sue, I have to remember to get some sweet potatoes this week. Love them any way they're prepared!

Spicy Chicken Patties 1 cup bread crumbs... 1 pound chicken (skinless boneless breasts) processed 1/4 cup chopped chives (I used dry) 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (next time I'll use a bit more) 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs Make into patties, cook in oil it said 7 mins on each side or until done Sauce 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise 2 teaspoons horseradish 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/8 teaspoon salt (I doubled. Next time will use more horseradish and I used a little bit of prepared mustard) serve sause over meat. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did... patti

G'day everyone! Kristene here from Australia. It was so much fun to read where everyone comes from. I'll have to mark you all down on my US & Canadian map. I grew up in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) but now live in a city called Orange - which is 155 miles inland from Sydney. Kate - Leura and the Blue Mountains are roughly half way between Sydney and Orange. Leura is a very trendy, touristy, craft village, with even a "Christmas Shop" all year round(not many cities in Australia have these).You are correct about the beauty of the mountains being similar to your Grand Canyon - only ours is covered in Gum Trees (eucalyptus).The eucalyptus leaves emit oil which mixes with the air to produce a blue appearance to the mountains from a distance - thus the name "Blue Mountains". The oil in the leaves also makes the trees burn so quickly and easily in bushfires. Regarding Quilting Fabric shops - they are around but NOT in Sydney CBD. That area is for businesses and tourists. The majority of tourists want regular souvenirs (I know we're different). Rents would be cheaper in the suburbs. If going anywhere, it's better to look online and get addresses first and google directions for ease of transport/access. Any proper quilting fabric store would have some Australian patterned fabric - birds, flowers, animals but not always the Aboriginal prints. I usually buy mine on-line from Sydney -needs a larger market to sell this fabric to. My city, Orange, is in the Central Tablelands of NSW where it snows (a little) in Winter and have lovely mild Summers. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, my seasons are opposite to yours, so I am now in Summer and we celebrate Christmas and New Year in Summer in the heat - often with picnics and BBQs. There are 40,000 people in my city and 4 patchwork fabric shops - all within 15 minutes drive from my house! To get Civil War fabrics or any other special fabric, I just go on-line to Sydney and have the fabric within a week. Muslin/Calico - Here in Australia we have both! There are many grades of both fabrics, but generally CALICO is of poorer quality and MUSLIN is of finer quality. When I was faced with using Muslin in a Birthday Block, I asked at my Fabric Store and was told it was similar to calico, but finer and referred to as "Quilters' Muslin" You can get bleached (white) or unbleached (cream) muslin and it's lovely and soft. I lived in Japan for 1 year teaching English, so I adore Japanese prints/patterns/blue dyed fabrics. I brought a lot of fabric home with me (and each time I visit). Batiks also appeal to me with their bright colours that can mingle and mix. We don't have Quilting Guilds in my city, just groups of friends who get together to quilt. My group came about because we all used to have group quilting lessons from the same teacher. When she retired 4 years ago, we decided to band together, find a hall and meet each week to continue our quilting and help each other. The fabric shops all offer classes too. Kristene

Thursday is Emi's night to cook at our house! She made chicken breasts, which she covered with cream of chicken soup and baked, along with baked potatoes and peas! It was delicious. That girl is going to be able to feed herself well, once she is grown and on her own. Funny how different kids are. Oldest daughter didn't really learn to cook until she was in her mid 20's. She just took no interest in it. Son basically taught himself to cook during his pre-teen and teen years. He likes good food and enjoys preparing it. Emi didn't know how to cook when I married her dad two and a half years ago, but is becoming a really good cook with help from her step-mom :-)