Welcome to the "new" Country Chatter
 

It is time for another issue of Country Chatter, the best time of the year has arrived in the Valley - Fall!!!!!  The cooler weather arrived this weekend with snow in the mountains up north.  It was 88 here over the weekend and going to be that again this coming weekend.  And Halloween is coming, and this coming weekend, the house will get decorated inside and outside.  I put up about 900 lights, purple and orange.  Pumpkins and more pumpkins with ghosts hanging from the tree out front.  Did I mention that Fall is my favorite time of the year? It will cool down enough that I can finish painting outside and inside, but with the economy unsure, I am waiting on the wood floors until after the election and see how things turn out.  The Cubs lost again but DA Bears are winning.

Joanie and I ventured to downtown Phoenix to the Civic Center for a Scrapbooking Festival this past month.  We spent about 4 or 5 hours down there, saw some old friends from when we both worked at Craftmart.  I learned how to make scrapbook pages, got tons of paper and can't wait the next one.  Another new hobby, that I can't wait to start on.  We tried to go Copper's Town for lunch, anyone remember Alice Cooper (the rock singer), he has a restaurant about 3 blocks from the Baseball Park but......... the wait was too long and we were hungry, so we ended up going somewhere else. 

Claudia had a yard sale over at her daughter's mobile home park this past weekend, both of us love to go to yard sales and to park and swap.  The yard sale this year was awful for the sellers, a lot of the people who were selling didn't even sell anything and Claudia didn't sell as much as she did last year.

Country Chatter is so proud to announce that Sweet Nothins has joined us on the website, you will find beautiful fall and Christmas floral decorations.  Please check back often, she is always adding new items.

Girlfriend Wisdom

As God was creating the world and placing humans on the earth to explore the wonders of life, a group of Guardian Angels gathered to create a plan for the assignees to find True Happiness.
One adventurous Guardian Angel said, "Let's put it on top the highest mountain.  When they find it they will fee a great sense of accomplishment.  They will take pictures and become famous."
The group thought it was a good idea but decided that not everyone would have the capability to climb the highest mountain on earth.

"Oh, I know", said another Guardian Angel, "Let's put it at the bottom of  the ocean in a hidden treasure chest with gold and precious jewels.  They will have to search for years with a big boat
 and expensive equipment.  A real test of endurance and perseverance."  Hummm, thought the group,
only a few will find the treasure of True Happiness.

Finally, a sweet, young Guardian Angel spoke in a soft voice, "I know a place that is hidden from
humans, is available to everyone, and will help them grown and share the secret of True
Happiness."  The group was so excited, "Oh, this sounds great, where shall we put the great
treasure of True Happiness?"

With a mischievous smile and a bowed head, she smiled and put her hand on her chest,
"In every person's own heart."   It was unanimous, the Guardian Angels knew that the journey
to True Happiness would still be adventurous, bring untold riches, and humans would learn
the value of endurance and perseverance.  So ever since the beginning of time, the place
where True Happiness resides is in the chambers of your own heart!

Girlfriend  Wisdom:

Place your hand on your own beating heart and feel the presence of True Happiness.
 

Activities Around the Valley

This is for my friends who need a little reminder about what is going on around my part of the world.
It is time for the valley to come alive and for everyone to come out for all the shows and
all the wonderful activities.
I am also going to include a special section which will feature two shops from either
Historic Downtown Glendale or Catlin Court.
Time to take a class or two at the Park District or your local craft shop

Downtown Glendale and Catlin Court are celebrating fall with new shops and restaurants, be sure and stop in and say hello, and tell them that you heard about them from Country Chatter.

The two featured shops this month are The Apple Tree located at 5811 W. Glendale Ave, Glendale, 623-435-8486 and Pals Forever located at 7005 N. 58th Ave. Glendale,
623-463-6484 - We have set up a special page just for them
Link to the Shops

Crafter's Corner


If you are in the Phoenix area and are interested in any shows, please get in touch with the kittens at
admin@calicokittendesigns.com and they will be more than happy to send you a list of shows.

Bear is in charge of link exchanges and was wondering if anyone would like to exchange links with Calico Kitten Designs.
You can get in touch with him at admin@calicokittendesigns.com and he will be more than happy to sent you ours. One small note from Bandit, if you have any EXTRA Pringles (the original favor) he will make sure that you on the front page of the links.

Recipes

Each and every month, there will be a special section for them.  Since Halloween is this
month, how about some recipes using pumpkins???

If you would like to have yours in the next issue of Country Chatter, please email Bandit at admin@calicokittendesigns.com and he just loves samples.

Pumpkin Muffins

2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) pumpkin puree
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans or raisins
cinnamon-sugar, optional

Directions for Pumpkin Muffins
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir to
blend.  In separate bowl, combine pumpkin, melted butter, milk or half-and-half, the beaten
eggs, sugars, and vanilla; mix until blended.  Stir pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients
until moistened.  Fold in pecans or raisins.  Do not overmix.  Line 12-cup muffin ten with
paper liners or grease well and dust with flour.  Fill about 3/4-full with the pumpkin muffins
batter, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, if desired, and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25
minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Makes 12 to 16 pumpkin muffins.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground corianders
pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
3 (15 oz.) cans of 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin*
5 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook,
stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.  Add spices and stir for a minute more.
Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat,
simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.  Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor.
Cover tightly and blend until smooth.  Return soup to saucepan.
With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix.  Slowly add milk while stirring to
incorporate.  Add cream.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  If a little too spicy, add more cream
to cool it down.  You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.
Serve in individual bowls.  Sprinkle the top of each with toasted pumpkin seeds.

*  To make pumpkin puree, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff,
lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees until soft, about
45 minutes to an hour.  Cool, scoop out the flesh.  Freeze whatever you don't use for
future use.

Well, I hope that you have made it down to this little part, I love talking about
Arizona, sharing this state with everyone.  I want to share a part of my world
with everyone and doing this newsletter is my way of thanking
everyone for being a friend.  I watched the debates tonight, please when it comes to the general election in November, go and vote.  I do not care who you vote for but please vote.  The country is in a mess and I don't know about you but........ I love this country.  Say a prayer for our Armed Forces and pray that they will be home soon.  Tigger and Katie want to say hello, they have been yelling the whole night.  Halloween is coming the end of the month, dress up, be a kid and have some fun that night.  Forget about everything else and enjoy the ghosts and goblins that will be out that night and don't forget to crave a pumpkin.

Count your blessings, hug your family and friends,
thanks for being a part of Country Chatter
And just remember Fall is here !!!

Hugs,
Cindy and the Kittens

Country Chatter
Cindy Kingren
623-210-3511
(after 4 - Pacific time)
dacarebear@yahoo.com or
admin@calicokittendesigns.com