Taking It Easy

As much as I wanted to get here sooner and post I have been laying low. Not by choice, but I have had to do some resting and mending. Two years ago, August 10, 2006, I was involved in a very nasty car accident along the Trans Canada Highway here in Newfoundland. The four of us that were in the mini van were heading out to be camp counsellors for a children's visually impaired camp. We had a four hour drive ahead of us to get to the camp. It was a nasty old day with heavy rain, and not the best for driving on the highway. The driver of our mini van took her time making sure not to hydro plane. We didn't care if the four hour drive took us 8 hours instead of the 4 just as long as we got there safely. Well at one point we came upon a construction area. There were no flagpersons posted, so we figured it was safe then to drive through. Sadly mistaken. There was a huge red dump truck along the right hand shoulder of the road heading west (the same way were heading). Our driver decided to drive in the passing lane so not to be in the way of the truck driver should he decide to move out into that lane. We had two other carloads of people driving with us to camp as they were not sure how to get there. All of a sudden the truck decided to make a quick left turn out into traffic. He was now to be perpendicular to us. We later found out from the truck driver that he was getting himself into position to back in to the shoulder to unload the piles of heavy rocks into the ditch. Well as he was getting himself into that position we realized he didn't see us. Our driver tried to outbeat him and pressed on the gas in the hope that we would get out of the way before he possibly would hit us. Unfortunately that didn't happen. We were t-boned by the dump truck. He pushed our van into the east bound lane and only a foot or two from going down into a ditch.

When the paramedics and RCMP arrived on the scene they were all amazed we were all alive. The truck tore the whole side out of our mini van. Picture if you will a large can opener opening up the whole side of a van! We were all wisked away by ambulance anyway just to make sure we were all okay. We learned later that the flagpersons that were supposed to have been on duty and stopping traffic were on the side of the road smoking their cigarattes and drinking their morning coffee. The truck driver after realizing what he did came to see us after the initial impact to see if we were all okay. He came right out and said to all of us "I know I was at fault. My flagpeople are suppose to have been on duty. I had no idea what I hit as where I sit I am so far up"!!!!!!!!

Well the short story of it is I had injuries to my neck, back and shoulders. I have been getting therapy on my back since. Over the weekend it flared up for no apparent reason and hasn't lessoned yet. I tried going into work on Monday and teach that night, but I didn't help matters. I decided to take today off and rest. So I spent the day propped up on pillows reading or napping as my loopy medication I have to take knocks me right out and I feel "stupid"!! LOL

I did manage while propped up to finish my tree skirts and get them all binded and the buttons added to them!! Woooooooooooooo HOOOOOOOOOOO!! I'm happy they are done! Now I can focus more on my Christmas gifts... And to think I only have 6 weeks left til Christmas. Arrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhh!!! NO pressure... Noooooo pressure!!! (rubbing my temples... find my happy place... find my happy place)!!!

I did manage to make my herbed cheese breakfast scones and my cranberry pumpkin muffins.. and oooooooooooohhh la la... YUM!!!

So, here is the recipe for the scones!!!

Cheese and Herb Scone Breakfast Sandwiches

In a bowl combine:
3 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cut in:
3/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Pea sized pieces of butter should still be visible in the mix.

Remove to a large bowl and stir in:
1/2 cup grated parmasen cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 finely minced garlic clove
1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
2 tsp of your favourite dried herbs (I used the Epicure Foccocia spice blend)

Make a well in the center of this mixture and add:
1 cup soured milk

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

NOTE: I found I needed to add a little more flour than what the recipe originally called for

Roll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out scones with a knife or biscuit cutter and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush an egg wash over the tops if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until an evenly light golden brown. Best served warm. Makes about a dozen large scones.

Warm scones if necessary for a few seconds in the microwave or in a foil wrap pouch in the oven for a few minutes. Split scones and fill with:
Scrambled eggs
Bacon
Roasted red peppers

YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ooh they are also great with homemade spaghetti. We had them again that night for supper. I split the scones in half and spread garlic butter on them. Then wrapped them in foiled and warmed them in the oven!!!

Pumpkin-Cranberry Muffins

2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Decorator sugar crystals (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12 regular size muffin pan with shortening or cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir in pumplin, oil, eggs, cranberries and pecans until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkel sugar crystals evenly over the batter in each cup.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the mufins from the pan to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

Well thats it for another evening. I feel the loopy pills taking affect, so I think I'm going to head on to bed. I am going to see how things pan out in the morning and then decide if I will attempt going into work. Wish me luck!!

Quiltingly Yours
Andrea