WOW! The Word is - Plethora

Plethora Means -- I Can't Stop for a Breath
A little off the beaten track, here -- I follow a blog called Mommy of a Monster, written by a delightful young mother of three who knows how to express herself beautifully, whether it's the joys in her life or those moments when she just wants to pull her hair out. She's also a writer and enjoys word play, as do I, and this week there's a little vocabulary meme called WOW! (Word of the Week!) for bloggers who must use the word plethora, as often as possible, in a post. So, I'm using the word and the little button to maybe entice you to also participate in any of the exercises that may be done in the future.

WOW!

Solar Cranberry-Blueberry Muffins and Personal Pizza

Solar Cranberry-Blueberry Muffins From a Mix

This was one of those days when there was alot to do and plenty of sunshine to get it done.  Decided to do a commercial muffin mix that had been sitting on my shelf way too long. These are blueberry-cranberry muffins and, although they turned out tasty enough, I guess I've become spoiled by those wonderful LARGE muffin tins. The mix made exactly six of these little fellows. They're so...oh, I don't know...so...standard and so tiny. Guess I've adapted (too quickly, perhaps?) to those bigger than life muffins. Love my muffins with character and an in-your-face attitude. These wimps only took 35 minutes in the solar oven so, in between other chores, I decided to try a prepare-at-home personal pizza for lunch.

Solar No-Knead Bread II Chased by Mackerel Sky

Solar No-Knead Bread Under a Mackerel Sky

The gods were testing me, yesterday. I wanted to retry the fantastic no-knead bread recipe of a few days ago, just to see if it would react differently with bread flour rather than all-purpose flour and a fresh packet of quick-acting yeast. After the second rising, the bread was ready to bake and I went out into the sunshine to open up the solar oven. What a gorgeous day -- well, under my part of the sky, it was a gorgeous day; but, off to the northeastern horizon, slowly working its way to my neck of the woods was the first mackerel sky I'd seen in months.

 Not fair! Everyone knows a mackerel sky is a portent of some seriously bad weather. No, no, no, the bread must get done, first!  I will push forward. 

Solar Kielbasa Medley Wins Over Shashlik

Solar Kielbasa, Roasted Peppers and Onion Medley

Okay. Okay. To clear it up, I KNOW I said I was going to make some Shashlik today but, to my surprise, there was no lamb to be found in the freezer!...so this combination popped into my head and, although it could loosely be called a deconstructed Shashlik kabob, that would really be stretching that definition.

So, a Medley it is and a wonderful combination of flavors that makes this a fantastic summer meal that dances on the tongue. Firm and snappy Kielbasa, crisp but softened peppers and onion, a touch of fruity sweetness over a great liquid-absorbing rice that is just plain yummy. Best of all, it's soooo easy to

Solar-Baked Fennel-Mint No-Knead Bread

No-Knead Bread Has a Crunchy Crust, Soft Texture, and is Delicious

Jaz at October Farm got me started on this journey of no-knead breads and the wonderful taste of artisan crunchy crusts with tender textures. I love to visit her because she has the most gorgeous gardens/yard in the whole world! I want to move in with her and just spend my old age rubbing her Chow Teddy's head while sipping a Mint Julep in any one of her many garden 'rooms.' You must check her out. But, mostly, check out her fantastic bread baking.

My first loaf was to copy her Rosemary No-Knead Bread recipe. This is a recipe that you can have all kinds of fun with by adding your own favorite herbs and spices to find the perfect loaf for your family. There is no sugar, fat, or milk, in the basic no-knead

Portugal Day 2010 - Celebrate With Solar Portuguese Paella

Solar Portuguese Paella Celebrates Portugal Day 2010

Casey Angelova at eating, gardening & living in Bulgaria is celebrating Portugal Day 2010 and has wonderful entries from fellow chefs that you really don't want to miss. She invited me to join the celebration and I decided to see how I could make an old favorite in the solar oven.  Well, it turned out just great and delicious, too! Paella has always been a favorite summer dish of mine because it's really so easy to fix, and this Portuguese Paella Recipe was no exception.  I just made a few changes to make it easier for us to eat. I really don't care for the super hot chorizo sausage and used hot Italian sausage instead. But, here's the recipe from Recipezaar that was submitted by Alan Leonetti who was married to a Portuguese woman for twelve years.

I've Finally Been Seduced by Twitter

Didn't Know I Could Twitter But I'm Twittering Now
So, I'm a late-bloomer. I knew it would happen, sooner or later, because if it means taking care of business, I'll plunge into whatever the world is currently using to get the word out. And, whether I like it or not, Twitter is here for however long before the next big-techno thing and it's time for me to stop stalling. I want the word to spread about the benefits and joys of solar cooking and, if Twitter is one of the ways to go, I've got to figure it out.

Well, easier said than done!! Apparently, solar cooking is gaining in the world, because picking a name wasn't easy. My blog name is way too long, my book title is too long, and other easily thought of names were already taken. But -- wait, I  had a name that isn't even out there, yet! I could use that and folks would catch on, wouldn't they? What is it? Solar Chief! That's the name.  I am now officially Solar Chief on Twitter. See? You can follow me here SolarChief on Twitter, and then click on my profile picture and something shows up that lets you follow me. Aren't they clever!

But Why 'Solar Chief' You Ask
I'm so glad you asked...Well, you can tell me the truth, have you been looking at the countdown at the

I'm Being Featured on Writing Without Periods!

Wow! I'm Being Featured on Writing Without Periods!

This is Mary. She writes a terrific blog called Writing Without Periods that is full of wit, nostalgia, and interactive reflection.... A savvy lady who has taken retirement by storm and decided to have a ball each and every day, doing things she's always wanted to do and then having the courage to write about it. 

Now, up until a few weeks ago, I thought she was really cool but then she decided to feature me on her June 5th blog and I knew she had either lost her final marble or connected with her innermost genius!  I'll let you decide. If you haven't been following Mary, give her blog a looksee. I know you're going to love it and I hope you'll become a WWP follower, as so many other really smart people have chosen to do...