This post is not about Pickles the Firehouse Cat (don’t tell me I’m the only one who cherished Pickles the Firehouse Cat!).

Nor is it about Pickles the dog that found the stolen World Cup… (Click on his picture for more information)

Nope.  I’m writing about pickles.
Straight-up Pickles.
The pickles you eat.
I’m thinking that Saturdays might be the days when I share my latest recipes with you.
Ah…55 words into it and I haven’t told you anything important.
The Truth about Pickles
1. You can pickle almost any food: Cheese, Meat, Fruits, Veggies, yes. yes. yes. …

I made runzas this weekend. They are originally a Russian food, but the Volgan Germans brought them to the midwest, so most who know of the runza, know of them from a fast food chain in Nebraska.

The traditional runza is made with ground beef and cabbage and a wee bit o’ cheese. I make mine with chicken and mushroom and paprika and a wee bit o’ cheese. I also included an optional potato filling for you vegetarian types.
You can fill these runzas with whatever you want. …

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. I’m a mama twice and a step-mama once, and I’m making shaker lemon pie.

Shaker lemon pie got me thinking about life giving me lemons, and how sweetness can make nearly any lemon more palatable.

In this video, I’m talking about these things, and eating a lemon… Hope you enjoy it!

Tangerine-Lemon-Pecan Mistake Cake
Hey- this cake is a mistake. A mistake you want to make.  This cake is a reminder that total failures can be sweet, nourishing, fabulous.
Your soul was baking cakes one day, and couldn’t get one out of the pan. The cake looked so sad broken there, until I remembered that cracks are where the light gets in. Cracks Create Character.
Make a Mistake. Make a Cake. It’s all good.
The Cake
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup grated orange zest …

Missing the Sun? Have the Winter Blahs?
Maybe you live somewhere warm and you’re not missing the sun?
I hope so.
I’m Missing the Sun
I live in the Grey Pacific Northwest.  We all look like Droopy right now.  We’re scaring the newly transplanted Californians.

When you are feeling blah, you’re probably not really wanting to do much like meditate or yoga or reflection. And that keeps you away from your sunny self.
You are sunny on the inside. Right Now.
So, here’s a trick that helps your intuition and helps you feel …

I’ve noticed this new thing.  I noticed it six months ago, leaving my friend Maryellen’s house.  As I got in my car, she called out, I love you. Almost as an afterthought, these words flowed out of her mouth.
And now, whenever I leave her house, she calls out, I love you.  I think she says this to many people.  I think it’s very nice.
Then today, I called my friend, Dave, to get his recipe for Oxtail Ragout. He is like a brother to Brian and me. He walked me through …

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
but your chakras are delightful,
and since you are lit within,
let you in, let you in, let you in.
Hey! I hope you’re having a beautiful day.
Did you know that you have a bright energetic system within. It’s fascinating. It’s your energetic body.
Working with your chakras is a great way to appreciate the light within you.
I’ve made a chart that describes your 7 primary chakras, with a few helpful hints.

You can download it here: Bridget’s Chakra Chart
You can learn about the location and colors related to …

My post this morning was a dark passage.  So, let’s lighten things up with the perfect combination of dark and light- the turkey.
People worry about cooking turkey. When done right, it’s easy to deliver an awesomely tasty moist bird.
A well-cooked bird has many different flavors to it. Any spices add to the depth of the meat (instead of just covering the taste of it).
The Secrets
Here are the secrets to the perfect bird:
1. Brining (soaking the bird in a salt and sugar mixture for 24 hours in a refrigerated place).
2. Aromatics …

I am a sucker for stews and cassoulets. Really, anything that combines veggies and wine and meat and makes a melange of all things savory.
Ratatouille is a dish that’s made up of coin-sized chunks of eggplant and peppers and zucchini and tomato.
If you are having a day where you need to fill yourself back up, I highly recommend this Gratatouille.
The difference between Ratatouille and Gratatouille is that you count a blessing with every veggie slice. As you add each slice to your skillet, you think of something that you …