Pampered Chef in October

Not too many of you may know this but I am doing a few side "jobs" to subsidize my income now that I'm only geology-ing two days a week (and field work only twice a year now, as opposed to three weeks out of every four). I started a custom embroidery business called Teague's Embroidery with a website in progress specializing in children's embroidery called BitsyStitchery.com. My other very fun part-time job is being a Pampered Chef consultant. It made sense for me because half of my kitchen is Pampered Chef, I love to cook/bake (although my baking stinks), and I very much miss waitressing and taking care of "my regulars".

So pardon my occassional bit of advertising that I'll write in blue in case you want to skip! This month is a very good deal for those of you, like me, that enjoy the stoneware from Pampered Chef. Stoneware is what got me hooked to begin with way back when I was 18 or 20, or whenever it was I decided I liked the kitchen and bought my first piece of stoneware. This fall they released a limited-time taupe glazed stoneware collection that is beautifully neutral and will go with any kitchen decor in my opinion. I ordered the deep dish pie plate and covered baker for myself.

If you are interested in earning some free product plus the host special of 60% off of stoneware items, plus discounted items and a 10% discount for a whole year after the show, please consider hosting a cooking show! If you live in Charlotte, I will bring my gear and do a cooking show for you and friends, neighbors, co-workers, family... etc. If you don't live nearby, you can host a catalogue show which is basically rounding up orders from anyone you know. Contact me for details at kteague@comporium.net


I am hoping to get to making that zucchini bread today, maybe pulling out my tomato plants for composting and enjoying the beautiful weather here in Charlotte. Have a good day, people!

Zucchini Bread Revisited

Over the past few weeks, I have received 3 zucchini bread recipes from helpful readers and I am so excited to try them out! The ingredients are all similar, but with varying amounts of spices added. Since I am a spice person, I am posting below the recipe sent from Liz in Vermont which includes all the fun fall spices, with a blending of Colin's recipe from England of added walnuts and honey substitution for the sugar:


Liz's Zucchini Bread with Colin's advice:


3 cups of flour
3 cups of shredded zucchini
1.5 cups of honey
1 cup of oil (I use grapeseed oil for everything, but canola or veggie oil should work too)
3 eggs
1.5 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of baking powder
2 tsp. of cinnamon
0.5 tsp. of cloves
0.5 tsp. of nutmeg
4 tsp. of vanilla
1 cup of chopped walnuts

Liz says to go on and throw everything in together and mix well with an electric mixer. She also suggests squeezing out excess water of the fresh zucchini. Bake in 2 loves or 3 small loves at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

We're back in town!

We had such a good time and I think we saw just about all of the English portion of our family.. and friends too! And Mum, thanks so much for mailing my cell phone back to me! I'm looking forward to it's arrival.

Bryan's Great Uncle Don

Bryan's second cousins Tracey, Katie and Sandra

Bryan's great uncle Jon

Paul's long-time friend Robert

Bryan's second cousins Chris and Trish

Bryan's second cousin Steven and Steven's daughter Grace

Marjorie's friend Joan

Marjorie's friend Rosemary

Marjorie's friend Joy

Marjorie's friend Monica

The Birmingham clan: Auntie Alison, Uncle Barry, Cousins Craig, Adam and Sam

Friends Jools and Ian

Great Auntie Sheila

Second Cousin Colin

Great Uncle Michael and Auntie Andrea

Great Uncle Jim and Auntie Pat.

Bye for now! xoxox

Enchanting England!

The south coast of England is one of the prettiest places I have been and every time we go to visit Paul's family, we go to Beachy Head where the chalk cliffs are at their best. Each time I see them I am surprised again at the depth of green of the grass and the color of the cliffs, because the pictures we take never look as green or striking as the cliffs are in real life.


We hiked two hours to Bell Tout and back along the cliffs

We spent a day in Alfriston, one of my favorite villages in the area, where the streets are too narrow for two cars to pass and the buildings are hundreds of years old. We stopped to have cream tea and scones (I had delicious fresh mint leaf tea from their garden).

One of the old houses that we picked as "our house" years ago when I first came here with Paul.

We walked along the Cuckmere River that winds through Alfriston.

For four days we were in Birmingham area visiting Paul's sister, Alison, and family

And we did more walks while we were there.

It took Bryan awhile to warm up to the family and friends that he met, but at least he warmed up to Mum quite well in the end.