May Day: The Perfect Storm

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

~I Must Go Down to the Sea, by John Masefield~

Brought to you by "fellow-rovers" Aunt Julie & Veggie Mom.

Time for Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, and we're playing along!

Wordful Wednesday: A Birthday Poem, AND a Winner!

Hey, all you Pop'rs People! We have a Winner in our SITS Spring Fling Giveaway! Shannon, from Welcome to the Nuthouse, Come On Down! And please send me your contact info~we'll get your Prizes, including Pop'rs and Pop'rs T-Shirts for the whole family, out to you right away!

Thanks, BTW, to the SITS Girls for hosting the Spring Fling. We can truthfully say that A Good Time was Had by All!

In the meantime, you know that Uncle Lynn and Veggie are hosting another Giveaway this week, right? It features Pop'rs Prizes AND a $100 Tar-Jay Gift Card! For more info on that, Click Here. And don't forget to comment on all of my posts this week, for more entries!

Now, Veggie Mom, being the ever-vigilant SIL, wants to commemorate Aunt Julie's Birthday today, with a little ditty she penned just for the Pop'rs Queen. Sorry I didn't bake a cake, Julie Eliz...but this Faux-Veggie Cake's good enough, isn't it?

Ode to Aunt Julie,

On the Occasion

of Her Big Day!

There once was an Auntie named Jules

who often chose to break the rules;

She quilted and baked

and gardened and raked,

as if trained at the finest of schools.

She had a SIL name of Vee

who wrote verse with profoundest of glee;

Vee wrote and she wrote

'til she had a whole boat-

load of limericks, most worthy, for free!

Vee picked up her good friend, named Jammin'

the times they had always were slammin'.

Although Jules had not met

Jay, Vee thought she could get

these two together, no scammin'!

So Vee got a birthday-type cake

from Google, don't make a mistake;

The cake featured carrots, beans, peas,

and strawberries, you see;

fruits and veggies won't cause bellyache.

You probably must realize by now

Jules' birthday is here, oh and how!

So the Vee and the Jay

will come over to play

with Aunt Julie, please take you a bow!

Jules requested a poem for today

like the one that Seuss got, but say, hey!

I just don't have all the brain

power, it is such a drain

to create silly verses all day.

So we are here partly to say

that Aunt Julie's the Girl of the Day.

She doesn't have Seuss

but could this be a deuce

of a present to celebrate her birthday?

Please check out Wordful Wednesday, over at Seven Clown Circus. Also, this Birthday Poem was penned not just for Aunt Julie, but for the Random Complexity Writing Challenge: 219 Words!

Baby Boxing Match

Aunt Julie possesses a "Dog Family." Veggie Mom presides over a "Cat Family." You've met some of our critters, right here. Remember Trouble Elizabeth and Moses in the garden? What about Patch, the Fat Cat? Or Rowdy, the puppy whose name implies everything? And then, of course, Moses and Rowdy as Beach Bums.

Whatever your persuasion~and I know many of you out there feel pretty strongly about the subject of Family Pets~you'll be taken by this Pas de Deux between a Baby and his Boxer...of the doggie variety. The clip comes from The Bonnie Hunt Show.

After viewing this, I beg to differ with anyone who still believes that All God's Critters have no "soul."

From Veggie Mom's Library, to Yours

Everyone in the Pop'rs Family is a reader. Aunt Julie and Veggie Mom, who've been SILs since the Dawn of Time, often exchange books back and forth, and count The Poisonwood Bible as a mutual favorite; The Boys and Uncle Lynn, but especially Shark Boy, prefer James Patterson-type novels; Moker reads everyone and everything; College Girl is currently reading Marley & Me, and The Wild One is the most unusual in the bunch: Although she received the Olsen Twins' book, Influence, for Christmas, she is most into books she reads in college these days, Plato's Republic among them.

Annie sent this Bloggy Book Meme my way the other day. She received the gift from BookWormMom, who was gifted by A Reader's Respite. The meme originated with A Striped Armchair.

A few Rules, natch:

1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva, the originator, can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a BookMooch Point, if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.

So, here goes:

The books that’ve been on your shelves the longest. That's easy. The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne, and Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White. Oh, and don't forget Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans.

A book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time, etc.). When I was a senior in high school, I went on this Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning kick. This is the purest of love stories, made even more romantic because both Robert and Elizabeth were poets. The 19th-century lovers began their courtship in letters. For college graduation, my Dad bought me The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volumes I and II, which covered the courtship as well as the years of their marriage. Here's a photo of the books, which have a place of honor on one of Grandma Vera's marble tables in my living room. Dad also gave me the antique brass bookends that support this 1897 collection.

A book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.). A couple of years ago I was traveling on Midwest Airlines. After making a connection in Milwaukee, I noticed a book left behind by a previous passenger: For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway. The book was stamped with the name of a high school in Madison, Wisconsin. I started reading, and took Hemingway with me when we landed. A couple of days later I finished the classic, and tracked down the address of the high school. I mailed the book back, knowing the kid who left it behind would probably have to pay a fine for losing it!

The most recent addition to your shelves. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction last year. I just started it a couple of days ago, but I'm hooked!

A book that’s been with you to the most places. I drug my old tattered college copy Roget's Thesaurus around with me for years. Now computers, Word and Google make Roget's almost beside the point. But I still thumb through it on occasion. Sort of like comfort food for the brain.

A bonus book that you want to talk about but doesn’t fit into the other questions. The Opposite of Fate, by Amy Tan. This collection of essays speaks to me. This might be why: "Who knows where inspiration comes from," Tan says in one of her pieces. "Perhaps it arises from desperation. Perhaps it comes from the flukes of the universe, the kindness of the muses."

And the three I tag for this meme?

• Mindless Junque. Heather is a Daughter of the Universe. I know her choices will be cosmic!
• Lulaville. We'll have to pull her away from Battlestar Gallactica and Lost, but I know Lula definitely will have something to say! Count on Twilight being included.
• Texas Word Tangle. Rhea is a reader. Plain and simple.

Weekend Roundup: Generosity, Your Vote Counts & Recession-Proof Alpacas!

Today's a day for Cleaning out the Cyber-Cobwebs. From my Blog. From My E-mail. From my Mind.

• First of all, Congrats to Tara R., Rhonda and Becky, the winners of Thursday's Pay It Forward Holiday Fest. These Three will be receiving a Very Special Prize that Aunt Julie and Veggie Mom cooked up Just. For. Them! And thanks so much to everyone else who has decided to Play Along and Pay It Forward on their own Blogs. What a simple way to Share the Holiday Spirit! Like to point out that Liz was actually the 3rd Commenter (Commentator?) in the Contest. When I E-mailed her yesterday, however, she demured, saying, "I'd rather the prize go to the next person on the list or someone you know...I love winning things but really would rather pay it forward!!" I think it's a Special Sign that Liz's Blog is named Gratitude and Good Deeds. It bodes for a Holly, Jolly Holiday, I'd say!

• Secondly, I'd like to Give a Plug to my Bloggy Friend Melissa B., who is a Finalist for a Special Blog Award. Those of you who know The Scholastic Scribe know that she's a teacher, and a Darn Good One! Well, Melissa B. Made the Cut in EduBlog's Prestigious "Eddies" Confab. She's been nominated for Best Individual Blog. So, let's demonstrate the Solidarity of Cyberspace by getting out there and VOTING! Click Here to Make Melissa B. a Winner!
  
• The Third thing on my mind is Alpacas. Yup, the cute little (well, not really so petite!) furry critters whose wool is Super Soft and used in Yummy Sweaters. You might remember Julie Eliz's Alpaca Snaps Here and also Here and Here. Well, meet Atticus, who also resides in Southwestern Wisconsin! Saw a story on the news the other night about Alpaca Farming. Seems that these Beautiful Beasts are Recession-Proof! So, if things aren't Going Well for you at Work, think about putting a couple of Alpacas under your tree this Christmas. I hear they also make wonderful stocking stuffers...

Such a SWEET Giveaway!

Time is running out for you to enter our Great New Pop'rs Thanksgiving Extravaganza! To get started, Click Here. Then, Click Here, Here and, of course, Here and Here, before, at last, Clicking Here, Here and Here!! And then, of course, you must Click Here!

Remember--you get one entry for each comment. This Great Giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! And send me a recipe at veggiemom@poprs.com for another entry! If you comment on all my posts from this past week plus send in a recipe, you'll be Living La Vida Loca!

And, speaking of which, we've got a Sweet Recipe for ya today! Kathleen, she of Katydid and Kid, sent me this Delish Dish, which she makes each Turkey Day and for Christmas, too. Enjoy!

Kathleen's Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 sweet potato (10 ounces)--baked, peeled and pureed
1/4 cup cold half-and-half
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup of the pureed sweet potato and the half-and-half and mix just until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently 6 to 8 times, just until the dough holds together. Roll or pat the dough into a 9-by-7-inch rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with the sesame seeds and pat them in. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 squares. Arrange the biscuits 1/2 inch apart on the prepared sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.

A Feast Fit for a Family+A Giveaway=Fun!

We're right in the middle of The Great New Pop'rs Thanksgiving Extravaganza. To get started, Click Here. Then, Click Here, Here and, of course, Here and Here, before, at last, Clicking Here and then Here! You get one entry for each comment on my posts through 11:59 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve, so The More Comments, The Merrier!

You get extra entries for E-Mailing Veggie Mom some of your favorite recipes. Just pull down your recipe box, pick out your faves, and send them to veggiemom@poprs.com For each recipe you send, you'll get another entry. Five Lucky Giveaway Participants will win a complete box of Pop'rs, that good-for-you seasoning that encourages One and All to Eat Their Veggies! Pop'rs come in 8 Delicious Flavors, and The. Fun. Factor. Can't. Be. Beat.

Today we're featuring The Will Family, and their Three-Course Repast of Hot Artichoke Dip (pictured above), White Chicken Chili, and Coca Cola Cake. Your Loved Ones will think you're Pretty Fancy Pants if you serve them a three-course meal!

Aunt Toni's Artichoke Dip

1 Large Can of Artichoke Hearts (packed in water)

1 Cup of Mayonnaise

1 Cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated

1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese (powder type)

1 (8 oz) Package of Cream Cheese (softened)

1 tsp Garlic Powder (or a couple cloves of minced, fresh garlic)

1 TB. Parsley

Drain water from artichokes and chop small. Mix mayo, jack cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and parsley. Add artichokes and mix well. Pat into a 9 X 9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with your favorite cracker or tortilla chips.

Will Family's Easy White Chicken Chili (with rotisserie chicken)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 3lb Rotisserie Chicken, skin removed, chopped in bite size pieces

3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile peppers, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

5 (14.5 ounce) cans Cannellini (white kidney beans), undrained or Great Northern Beans

1/2 cup - 1 cup of Sour Cream at room temperature

Monterrey Jack Cheese to top

Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Sliced Jalapenos

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 10 minutes, or until onions are tender. Add the chicken, chicken broth, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add the beans. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, add sour cream and stir until heated through. It may take a couple of minutes for the sour cream to melt into the broth. Serve with shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapenos, and your favorite bread or tortilla chipsOf course you can also use 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of the rotisserie chicken (but why?...that would be more work). I also used leftover Thanksgiving turkey last year and it was great!

Will Family's Coca-Cola Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 cups mini-marshmallows

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 TBL unsweetened cocoa

1 cup Coca-Cola

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, sift together sugar and flour. Add marshmallows. In saucepan, mix butter, oil, cocoa, and Coca-Cola. Bring to a low boil and pour over dry ingredients, blend well. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to batter along with eggs and vanilla, mix well. Pour into a well-greased 9x13 pan and bake 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven and frost immediately.

Coca-Cola Frosting

1/2 cup butter

3 TBL unsweetened cocoa

6 TBL Coca-Cola

1 (16oz) box powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine butter, cocoa, and Coca-Cola in saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over powdered sugar in separate bowl. Blend well and add vanilla and pecans. Spread over hot cake. Let cool and cut into squares.*The secret to this cake is not to overcook it. When baked correctly, it is incredibly moist. Check it at 35 minutes.

Fx4 Includes a Little Girl, a Cat, 2 Yummy Recipes & a Giveaway!

Dear Pop'rs Pals: Playing along today with Candid Carrie and her FanTAbulous Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, and also with The SITS Girls and their Linky Love Weekend! This shot shows The Wild One and Patch, snuggled up about 10 years ago on Lion King Sheets. Looks like a Long Winter's Night is ahead, doesn't it? I'm sure TWO had at least one mug of Aunt Julie's Hot Cocoa before hittin' the hay!

Lest you forget, I wanna remind you about The Great New Pop'rs Thanksgiving Extravaganza! To get started on the Giveaway Route, Click Here, and leave a comment. Then, don't forget to Click Here, Here and, of course, Here and Here, commenting merrily along, before, at last, Clicking Here! You get one entry for each comment, so the More Comments, The Better!

Then (Yes, there's more!), please E-Mail Me some of your favorite recipes. Just pull down your recipe box, pick out your faves, and send them to veggiemom@poprs.com For each recipe you send, you'll get another entry. Five Lucky Giveaway Participants will win a complete box of Pop'rs, that good-for-you seasoning that encourages One and All to Eat Their Veggies! Pop'rs come in 8 Delicious Flavors, and the Fun Factor. Can't. Be. Beat

Without Further Fanfare, we bring you Cheesy Corny Orzo and BBQ Chicken in a Biscuit, brought to you by Simply Anonymom, she of yesterday's Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting! Take it away, Anon!

Simply Anonymom's Cheesy Corny Orzo
1 can chicken broth
1/2 C orzo
1/2 C corn (I use frozen white corn)
pinch dried parsley
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 C sharp cheddar grated

Put chicken broth, orzo, and corn into pot on stove. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer, add seasoning and cover. Stirring occasional until orzo is tender and liquid is gone (like with rice). Stir in Cheddar and serve. Yumm-o!

Simply Anonymom's BBQ Chicken in a Biscuit
This recipe is so cheap, easy and fast. A perfect trifecta!
1-2 chicken breasts
1 bottle BBQ sauce
2 rolls of canned layer biscuits
Minced jalapeños
1/4 onion sliced, grilled
2-3 slices cheese (I used cheddar the size of sliced American cheese)

In sauce pan over medium heat, add chicken breasts and BBQ sauce. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and pulls apart (about 25 minutes). Remove chicken from sauce and shred. Spray cupcake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Open one container flakey biscuits. Tear biscuits in half and put in the cupcake pans. Add shredded chicken to the biscuits. Top chicken with minced jalapeños, onion and cheese. Open second container of biscuits. Rip biscuits in half and top the chicken mixture. Bake in oven according to biscuit directions (mine was 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes).

OK, Bloggy Friends...Get those recipes to me! Veggiemom@poprs.com is the place to send 'em. I'll be lurking, waiting for your entry!

We're Giving Away Some Great Recipes And Five Popr's Prizes, Too!

Interest is increasing day-by-day in our Great New Popr's Thanksgiving Extravaganza, which runs through 11:59 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve. To get started, Click & Comment Here. Then, don't forget to Click Here. And Here. And Here. And Here. We absolutely adore comments, plus each comment earns you a Great Giveaway Entry!

Another way to squeeze in a Few Extra Entries is to E-Mail Veggie Mom with a favorite recipe. Each recipe you send earns you another entry in our Great New Pop'rs Thanksgiving Extravaganza, so get crackin'--We have Five Grand Pop'rs Prizes to give away!

Today's Treats come from Simply Anonymom, a winner in our last Bloggy Giveaway! She's serving up a Delicious Dessert, so pay attention! Anon says this Carrot Cake is "the moistest cake ever!"

Simply Anonymom's Carrot Cake (from Joy of Baking)

3/4 pound raw carrots finely grated

2 C all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 large eggs

1 1/2 c granulated white sugar

1 c vegetable or canola oil

1/2 c crushed pineapple or applesauce (optional)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 pan. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract and pineapple or aplpesauce. Add the flour mixture and beat just until mixed. With a large rubber spatula, fold in the grated carrots. Pour batter into pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. When done, remove from oven and cook completely. Ice with Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below). If you want to make two 9" round cakes, decrease baking time 5-10 minutes. Add 1 C nuts if you want it crunchier.

Simply Anonymom's Wonderful Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 c unsalted butter at room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat)

2 c powdered sugar, sifted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Zest of one lemon (optional)

Beat the cream cheese and butter with mixer on low speed until very smooth. Gradually add in sugar and beat on low until smooth. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest (optional) until throughly mixed. Frost cake, cupcakes, cookies or whatever you plan on using with the frosting.

Beer Cheese Soup & a Bloggy Giveaway!

As part of our Great New Pop'rs Thanksgiving Extravaganza, I'm running readers' recipes in this space through Turkey Day. To get started on the Giveaway Route, Click Here, and leave a comment. Then, don't forget to Click Here, Here and, of course, Here, commenting merrily along! You get one entry for each comment.

Then (Yes, there's more!), Please E-Mail Me some of your favorite recipes. For each recipe you send, you'll get another entry. Five Lucky Giveaway Participants will win a complete box of Pop'rs, that good-for-you seasoning that encourages One and All to Eat Their Veggies! Pop'rs come in 8 Delicious Flavors, and the Fun Factor Can't. Be. Beat!

One of our Pop'rs Veterans contributed this recipe to the cause. Aunt Julie just loves Beer Cheese Soup, so thanks, Tracy P.!

Tracy P.'s Beer Cheese Soup
1 stick of butter
1 cup flour
4 cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 jar (15 oz.) Cheese Whiz
6 oz. beer
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup freeze-dried chives

Melt butter in pot. Add flour and cook on low heat for five minutes, stirring constantly.
Add chicken broth gradually, while stirring to prevent lumps. Stir in whipping cream.
Add Cheese Whiz and stir until melted and smooth. (Requires a little patience!)
Add beer, Worcestershire sauce and chives, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring constantly. (Trust me when I say that if it starts boiling, it will foam up and over quicker than you can come up with a catchy colloquialism. Mark my words. Clean up while it cooks if you must, but do NOT turn your back on it. Just sayin'.)
Garnish with popcorn and serve!

Keeping Warm on a Cold Winter's Night...

...Or, What do ya do when it snows 10 days before Thanksgiving? And BTW, that's Aunt Julie's house, right there, with the first Measurable Snow of the Season in Northeastern Wisconsin!

In our family, when the weather gets like this we sit down with a mug of Aunt Julie's Hot Cocoa (recipe to follow). And I have to warn you, folks: Auntie J. is just about out of recipes, so pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease E-Mail Veggie Mom with some of your own!

Before I launch into how to make this Warm-and-Sweet-in-the-Tummy Concoction, I want to remind you about The Great New Pop'rs Thanksgiving Extravaganza, running from now until 11:59 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve. For each recipe you send to Veggie, you get one entry. And for each comment you leave on my posts between now and the Giveaway Deadline, you get another entry. We're giving away Five--Count 'Em!--Boxes of Pop'rs to Five Lucky Bloggers. That's a Complete Set of Pop'rs, those oh-so-good-for-you seasonings, which come in Eight Fun Flavors, and encourage everyone to Eat Their Veggies!

I'll close today with a little riddle, then the recipe: Why did the Veggie Mom cross the road? To get a steaming mug of Aunt Julie's Hot Cocoa!

Aunt Julie's Hot Cocoa
8-quart box Carnation dry milk (use Carnation; the generic brands aren't quite fine enough)

1 pound powdered sugar

1 pound Nesquik

8 oz. coffee creamer (any brand will do, but make sure it's "plain")

Mix ingedients together. Boil water. Put about 1/3 cup of the Hot Cocoa Mix in a mug, pour the hot water into the mug, and stir. Add tiny marshmallows, and enjoy!

A Dual Celebration: Post #150 and a Turkey Day Giveaway!

We're celebrating the kickoff of Uncle Lynn's Great New Thanksgiving Extravaganza and the advent of our Centennial-Point-Five Post by inaugurating a Very Special Bloggy Award.

But before we get to The Bling, I wanna remind you about the Super-Cool Pop'rs Giveaway that's Underway. Right. Now! Click Here to get started. And remember: When you E-Mail Veggie Mom with a recipe, you get one entry in this latest Pop'rs Giveaway; when you comment on my posts between now and 11:59 p.m. Thanksgiving Eve, you get one more. And remember: The more entries, the merrier!

Back to The Matter At Hand. The My Blog is Pop-tastic! Award is routed in the tenets of the Pop Art Movement of the '50s and '60s; that cutting-edge tribute to creativity and imagination.

When I started this blogging project last June, at the behest of my BIL, Uncle Lynn, I was more than a little confused, and, I must admit, a tad bit intimidated by all those Creative Souls out there in Cyberspace. But as I've grown as a blogger, over these 150 posts, I've grown as a person, too. And it is largely due to all of you Bloggy Friends who helped me along the way that Veggie Mom has been able to Come. This. Far.

So, here's to all of you Creative Geniuses out there, who've helped me along, have offered encouragement, and have shown me that blogging is not only a way of communicating, but a channel for my creativity, too.

As with all Bloggy Bling, The My Blog is Pop-tastic Award comes with a couple of Rules and Regs:

1. When you receive The Award, please post it on your blog, linking back to the person who gave it to you.
2. In addition, please link to This Post, which explains the origins of The Award.
3. Please visit Veggie Mom's Post (that's This One!), which explains the origins of The Award, and Sign Mr. Linky, so we'll be able to keep a record of all whose Blogs are Pop-tastic! Feel free to leave a comment, too!!
4. Pass The Award along to SIX Bloggy Friends, whose creativity merits inclusion in this circle. Link to their blogs in your Awards Post, and notify them that they've received The Award!

Thanks again to Everyone Out There who's made blogging such a sweet ride! Without Further Ado, I present you with the Winners of The My Blog is Pop-tastic Award:

• Candid Carrie. CC's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta speaks for itself.
• Susie's Homemade. She's one of Veggie's Newest Bloggy Friends. Her Creations are The Best!
• The Journey to the Hot Tub. Have you noticed that Lizzy's Gone Pink? And I'm really feelin' the new little stick figures!
• The Scholastic Scribe. Melissa B. is so generous! She presented Veggie with the Superior Scribbler Award a while back. One good turn deserves another...
• Lulaville. This Gal Gets Me Goin'...Flashback Fridays and Twilight will do it every time!
• If Mom Says OK. Tara R. speaks her mind. And her pronouncements are always what We Need to Hear.
  
  
  

Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*: Day #4: Something Wild is Going On!

OK, I definitely think I saw a snowflake or two today! Is it time to break out the soup pot yet? Veggie Mom's just gonna make an Executive Decision here. With nighttime temps in the 20s, we say it's Soup Weather, whether the calendar says so or not!

Aunt Julie tells me not to let you in on the Big Secret of this Little Recipe...that it's sooooooooo easy! But you'll figure that out when you make it yourself. So, for Day #4 of Aunt Julie's *Recipe Week*, we present:

Aunt Julie's Wild Rice Soup
½ cup wild rice. Rinse, and cook 35 minutes in 2 cups of water. Drain.
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of potato soup
2 cans of milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Warm everything together. Top with fresh bacon bits. This Superb Soup will keep warm very nicely in a crockpot. Serve your soup with some nice Fresh Sheboygan Hard Rolls. Can't get to Northeastern Wisconsin? They deliver!

~Tomorrow (as long as we're in "Soup Mode"): Aunt Julie's Broccoli Soup!~

Election Day Plaid Party!

Hot Tub Lizzy, she of Plaid Party Politics, asked all her supporters to Wear Plaid to the Polls on Election Day in a Show of Solidarity. Well, I voted early last week...stood in line for two hours to exercise my Right as an American, thankyouverymuch, to avoid five to seven hours today!

So, this shot captures Veggie Mom lounging around Tuesday morning, enjoying a Cup o' Joe, watching the Early Election Day News, and wearing my Packer Plaid. And, as an added plus, please notice my Recent Pedicure...Wanted to get all duded up for the Photo Op! This shot sorta reminds me of a long-ago post...Remember The Dirt Farmer? Think my Little Piggies look a tad nicer here, don't you?

If you'd like to catch Lizzy's Closing Campaign Argument, Click Here. Something about Slumber Parties in the White House?

And the Grand Prizes Go To...

As we wrap up the Halloween Season and our Great New Popr's Halloween Giveaway, we've got two more prizes to hand out. That's right...The Grand Prizes! Now, according to our rules, one Complete Set of Pop'rs--All Eight Flavors!--goes to a Pop'rs Newbie who entered our contest, and one goes to a Pop'rs Veteran. Each Grand Prize winner also wins Eat Your Veggies! T-shirts for the family!

So, are ya ready? Could we have a little Drumroll, puh-lease?

The two Grand Prize Winners of The Great New Pop'rs Halloween Giveaway, selected at random, are:

• Sandi, at Holding Patterns.
• Karla, at Zander & Me.

And who is the cute little guy in the video? Why, that's Karla's Z-Man...he was sick last week, and his Mommy added a little incentive to get him to take his Benadryl. As Karla said in her post, "Just a Spoonful of Pop'rs makes the medicine go down..." A Crafty One, that Karla!

Ladies, please e-mail Veggie Mom with your info plus T-shirt sizes, and we'll get those prizes right out to ya! And thanks to all of Our Bloggy Friends for entering The Great New Pop'rs Halloween Giveaway...and stay tuned for More Giveaway Info later this month!

101st Post: An Explosion of Questions & Answers!

Today, we'll wrap up our Sweet Centennial Celebration: Day 2.

We have a few more questions from Faithful Readers, who are also in line for Our Great New Pop'rs Giveaway. Remember, Uncle Lynn starts handing out Pop'rs prizes tomorrow. We'll have a finalist every day until Saturday, when we'll announce our Grand. Prize. Winner! Uncle Lynn is fielding these questions, unless otherwise noted. Here We Go!

1. Tracey P. is a Minnesota Vikings Fan. They like to taunt their Green Bay Packers Bretheren, across the Mighty Mississippi: I would like to know who is Uncle Lynn's favorite player on the Minnesota Vikings! :-) Anyone who gets beat for a Packer’s touchdown!
2. And also for Uncle Lynn, from Tracey P.: When is he planning to come out with a matched set of purple and gold pop'rs (I'm thinkin' butter and cheese flavors) for us to put on our popcorn while we watch football? 'Cuz that would totally rock! Think green and gold!
3. Tiffiney wants to know: What is the best flavor of Pop'rs you have tasted? :) Love them all!
4. Gombojav Tribe is kinda silly, but has a point: Can Pop'rs make brussel sprouts taste like truffles? :-) Hmmm–chocolate truffles? Maybe not, but only Pop’rs can make brussel sprouts SING!
5. The Tribe has another question, too: How long have you been using Pop'rs? Pop’rs are brand new!
6. And The Tribe weighs in with one more: What's your comfort food--the one you will eat without any Pop'rs needed? Carrot Cake!
7. Tiff, she of no Linky Love, has a question, nonetheless: OK, I'd like to know which Pop'rs flavor makes the best tasting drink! Now, that is a neat idea for us to work on. Should we make one to change water?
8. And, here comes Tiff again: Can you tell us some fun Pop'rs cocktail recipes? Meaning, which two or more Pop'rs can you mix together to make an awesome flavor? That is a tough one–I am not sure any of them improve by mixing together. But, thinking about it, I think we may introduce a “plain” Pop’rs so that you guys can have some fun trying out different things to mix in and shake on–you would have to share your ideas with us, though.
9. Simply Anonymom, who's also celebrating her 100th Post, asks: What was your inspiration for Pop'rs? Kids!
10. She's not trying to be very anonymous in her questioning, is she? Can I use them on my popcorn? Yes, I especially like the Butter Pop’rs! Popping popcorn!
11. Anonymom has another: Can I put the Pop'rs on my vegetable soup and will it still work? Very cool. The hotter the soup, the quicker the noise will be gone, though. We do this all the time. We are playing around with a formula which will last longer in hot foods, and will keep you posted!
12. And, one more from Anonymom: Can I use Pop’rs in place of salt? Pop'rs are a good-for-you seasonings, but they don't taste "salty." They'd be a good option to "wean" you off of salt, though!
13. Tiffiney was all about Marla's Poppin' Video! Very cute video! How often do you use Pop'rs? Every day!
14. Z's Mom, a previous Giveaway Winner, has another question: Hey, any plans for vanilla or banana-flavored Pop'rs???? Yummy!!!! We do now! How about this one: We just started adding Pop’rs to Chocolate and making popping chocolate candy bars!
15. Vicki, our Bloggy Friend who also happens to be the proprietress over at Best Posts of the Week, asks a poignant one of Veggie Mom: How are you enjoying your empty nest? I think I've mentioned before, I can't wait until I'm at that stage :) It’s pretty lonely around here. And awfully quiet. But Moker and I talk more, and get to watch the TV in the family room, so we can get used to it!
16. Tabitha Blue sounds like a gal who doesn't necessarily stick to the everyday life: What are some of the more “exotic” (not everyday) veggies you've served to your family that they like and that aren't too hard to prepare? Veggie’s kids love artichokes and acorn squash!
17. Angela has a great question: What is your favorite recipe of those you have posted to use Pop'rs for? Veggie thinks Taco and/or Buffalo-flavored Pop'rs would taste good in Oven Stew.
18. Melissa B. has a thought: Do you recommend eating Pop'rs straight from the container like that, or are they better on food? Oh, it's FUN to fool around with the Popping Part of Pop'rs, but we prefer them on food! BTW, Lula, one of our Giveaway Winners, recommends the Buffalo flavor on baked potatoes!
19. Marrdy wants to know: At what age did you become a Packers fan? We are all born that way!
20. Nissa asks a question that actually comes up quite a bit in our family: Do you prefer your drinks with or without ice? :) Veggie Mom is an ice-lovin’ gal! But no ice-crunchin’ around Aunt Julie!
21. Channah, every the curious sort, throws this out: Has there ever been a Pop’rs flavor that didn't make the cut/make it past the family taste testers? Well, this wasn’t Pop’rs, but we made a carbonated hard candy once in BACON flavor that was particularily nasty! The jalepeno was pretty bad, too!
22. Nik asks: Was there a different name that was considered that almost beat out Pop’rs? Sparkling Spice–we still use that to talk about the product, but just decided Pop’rs was best. It has more POP! to it, don'tcha think?
23. KKJD1 must really like spicy food! What do you think the Buffalo Popr's would taste like on hot wings? Awesome!
24. Always thinking of family dinner plans, KKJD1 also wants to know: Do you have a certain flavor for chicken or other meats? Taco and Buffalo are great on chicken and also on tacos, sausage pizza, and burgers!
25. Kally comes back with a thoughtful question: Buffalo...hmmm very interesting. Wondering what this tastes like? Just like the seasoning on Buffalo Hot Wings--nice and spicy!
26. Sarah, a curious reader who didn't Share the Linky Love (at least with us, anyway, has the first in a series of questions: Are there any health benefits to using Pop'rs? Every Pop’rs seasoning contains kid-targeted vitamins as developed for us by our friends at Fortitech –check them out, they are outstanding at this stuff! Also, the whole idea of Pop’rs is to make Pop Rocks relevant–soooooooo...Pop’rs are designed to bring the same popping excitement, but applied to GOOD foods to make the GOOD foods more fun and interesting to your kids.
27. Sarah has another one for Uncle Lynn: How did you come up with such a fun name--"Pop'rs"? Thank you very much for the compliment–I wanted to have something that had the word POP in it, be simple to say, simple to make into a logo for our products, and maybe shirts and hats, but still be totally unique so we could begin to build a following; we think we got it right!
28. Sarah also wants to know: Are you going to come out with a Pop'rs recipe book anytime soon? It'll be fun for both adults and kids! Wow–We will need some help with that one, since the best laboratories and kitchens are the ones that belong to our customers.
29. Always thinking about Eating Healthy, Sarah asks: Are your Pop'rs flavors vegetarian/vegan friendly? Of course–just don’t shake them on the wrong stuff!
30. Sarah's also up for the challenge: Please tell us how you went about creating these flavors. Was it a challenging process? We work with some really good companies to help us with our ideas, like Fortitech for the vitamins, and a really cool company named Van Druenen Farms for the real fruit flavors. We, our kids and their friends, come up with ideas, then we get samples of the flavors and materials we need and Aunt Julie, our lab “cook” Lori, and Uncle Lynn (me) all play around until we think we have it right–then we let Soccer Boy share it with his friends to see what they think. For instance, the boy shaking Pop’rs on the Broccoli in our Giveaway photo at the top of the blog is Soccer Boy's friend, Eric.
31. Here's Sarah with another quick question: How did you first react when you were featured in Rachael Ray's magazine? Scared, then excited, then scared–it is a big responsibility when someone like Rachael notices you!
32. OK, Sarah, give us another one: How would you describe Wisconsin in one word to someone who has never been there? Friendly!
33. And one more question from Sarah: What are Veggie Mom's, Aunt Julie's and Uncle Lynn's favorite Pop'rs flavors? Veggie Mom’s faves are Taco (natch; she’s a Native Texan!) and Colorburst, 'cause it tastes so good and is so pretty! Julie also loves swirling color changing in yogurt, & Lynn. of course. luvs them all!
34. Simply Anonymom has a couple more questions: Did you like vegetables before Pop'rs? Some of us did; others, well, now you know part of why we invented Pop’rs!
35. Simply Anonymom also wants to know: What is the best combination of Pop'rs and vegetables? The very first one we ever did was Butter Pop’rs on a nice warm bowl of cut corn–nice.
36. And the Lovely Mannequin, a previous Giveaway Winner as well, asks our final 100th Post Centennial Celebration Question: Any plans of adding even MORE great flavors? Maybe a holiday edition? Yummy. YES! Watch our site, and we will of course let Veggie Mom know, so she can spread the word when we are ready–we won’t have this one in time for this year, but I promise next year we will have a Pumpkin Pop’rs! Shaken on vanilla ice cream–there goes my diet again!

That's all, Folks! We did get a few Giveaway Questions after the deadline had passed. We're sorry, but rules are rules, and we have to stick to 'em, or we would incite a Bloggy Riot! Tune in tomorrow, for the first Giveaway Prizes of the Week. Remember, we'll be awarding Popr's Prizes all week, culminating in our Grand Prize Winner Giveaway on Saturday! Thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate my Sweet Centennial, and Good Luck!