Penny's Passion

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - September 14, 2022

Welcome to another week of the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad that you are here.

Here you will find inspiration from dozens of bloggers including recipes, home DIY, gardening, decor, family fun, traveling, fitness, and so much more. A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.

If you are a blogger, then be sure to link up below. You may be our next feature!

Before we get this party started, let’s meet the hosts and check out this week’s featured favorites.

MEET THE HOSTS

Ahna – HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Emily – LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Jana – HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED

Chicken & Pasta w/Tomatoes & Spinach in Garlic Cream Sauce

VERY POPULAR

Let's Make Tomato Pie

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Elegant Urns for Fall

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please. Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!

Friday, September 9, 2022

Five on Friday - September 9, 2022

Oh my - what a week! We packed a lot into this short work week and now we're excited to move on to the weekend. Let's kick it off with my five for this week ~

1. The Handsmaid's Tale Season 5

The time is growing near for the next season of The Handsmaid's Tale! This popular Hulu original is releasing on Wednesday, September 14. Two episodes will be dropped, then 1 episode per week. Season 5 will bring us June facing the consequences for killing Commander Waterford. What will happen to the widowed Serena? Will Gilead be reformed? I can't wait to see!

2. Fairy Tale

Stephen King has a new book that hit the stands on Tuesday. It's titled Fairy Tale. In Stephen King style, it's a long one - 608 pages! Here's the summary from Amazon ~

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Early in the Pandemic, King asked himself: “What could you write that would make you happy?”

“As if my imagination had been waiting for the question to be asked, I saw a vast deserted city—deserted but alive. I saw the empty streets, the haunted buildings, a gargoyle head lying overturned in the street. I saw smashed statues (of what I didn’t know, but I eventually found out). I saw a huge, sprawling palace with glass towers so high their tips pierced the clouds. Those images released the story I wanted to tell.”

3. Churrdoughs at Krispy Kreme

Until September 18, you can get Churrdoughs at Krispy Kreme. There are three flavors to entice your palate - Cinnamon Sugar, Cookies & Kreme, and Dulce De Leche. How can you choose? Better pick up one of their 3 packs so you can try one of each!

4. Shoe Clips

We have a couple weddings coming up this fall and I'm going to bling out my pumps with these shoe clips! Turn up the glam on any shoe or bag by simply clipping these on. Amazon has a ton of styles to choose from. They will turn any ordinary item into something special.

5. I can relate...

Eric and I will be working together all weekend at the Ascension Golf Tournament in St. Louis selling ice cream sandwiches. If you're on the grounds, stop by and say hello! And buy the best ice cream sandwich you will ever experience in your life!

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - September 8, 2022

Hey there! Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something I'm thinking out loud about and invite you to link up and do the same. Today I'm thinking about a couple shows we've been watching recently.

Are you a fan of Ghosts on CBS? We have fallen in love with it! I'll be honest, we thought it looked kind of dumb and didn't watch it all last season. A friend of mine texted me last weekend and asked if we had watched it. It was only because she recommended it that we gave it a try. We've blown through most of Season 1 just in time for Season 2 to start on September 29.

Okay, I'm a little embarrassed to even admit we watch this show, but we do. The Bachelorette is wrapping up for Gabby and Rachel and we've watched every episode this season. We even have a bracket going (I'm currently in first place for our group). Now, in all fairness, we have an entire group that watches, and that makes it so much more fun. We gather together every other week to watch together and have dinner. Love watching with a group!

I'm also hooked on The Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix. This came out in April and somehow never made my watch list. Here's the storyline, "Infiltrates Britain's elite through personal and political scandal, where the truth lies between justice and privilege. James and Sophie Whitehouse live in a blissful, rarified world. A Minister in Parliament with a loving family at home--James' trajectory appears without limits. Until a scandalous secret suddenly comes to light. Barrister Kate Woodcroft has her own trajectory, and her prosecution threatens to tear into Westminster, the Whitehouse marriage, and her own personal esteem.".

Do you have any shows you're loving lately? I'd love to add a few to my watch list.

Now it's your turn. What are you thinking out loud about? Link up and share!

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - September 7, 2022

MEET THE HOSTS

Ahna – HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Emily – LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Jana – HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

TOP VIEWED

DIY Pottery Barn Mercury Glass Pumpkin Knock Off

How to Clean Thrifted Finds

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Best Cider Donuts

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.

Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.

Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.

Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive. Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let’s Party!

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Let's Make Tomato Pie

Our little garden has been overflowing with ripe tomatoes recently. Even after sharing tomatoes with anyone who will take them, our kitchen counter is still lined with the ripe red gems. I looked through my recipes to find one that used tomatoes and found one for Tomato Pie. I whipped one up and it was delicious! So delicious that I want to share the recipe with you.

Here's What You Need

1 9-Inch Deep Dish Pie Crust

4-6 Tomatoes (depending on the size)

10 Basil Leaves (julienned)

3 Green Onions (chopped)

1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 Cup Mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper

6 Slices Thick Cut Bacon

Here's What You Do

Bake the pie shell according to the directions on the package.

The tomatoes need to be peeled. An easy way to do this is to place the tomatoes in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then immediately put them in a bowl filled with ice water. This little trick makes the skins on the tomatoes peel right off.

Slice the tomatoes and place them in a strainer. Salt and let set to drain for 10-15 minutes. Lay the tomato slices on a paper towel and pat them to remove as much liquid as possible.

While the tomatoes are draining, mix the mayonnaise and cheeses. Set aside.

Place a layer of tomato, half the chopped green onions, and half the basil leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers.

On top of the two layers of tomatoes, spread the mayo-cheese mixture.

Sprinkle the bacon crumbles on top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This dish was quick and easy to make. We served it with a salad and enjoyed every bite!

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Five on Friday - September 2, 2022

Glad you stopped by this first Friday of the month for Five on Friday! Let's take a look at this week's five ~

1. National Food Bank Day

Today's a great day to celebrate - it's National Food Bank Day! If you're grocery shopping for your family, pick up a couple extra non-perishable items and drop them off at your local food pantry. Those donations help feed some of the 42 million people in our country who struggle with putting food on the table. Be the good. Donate to your local food pantry today!

2. Carrie Soto Is Back

Taylor Jenkins Reid has a new book out - Carrie Soto Is Back. I loved the audio version of Daisy Jones & The Six, so I decided to get the audio version of this new book of hers. This book reminds me a lot of Daisy Jones, only it's the sport version versus music. So far, I'm about 3 hours into it and love it! Here's the summary from Amazon ~

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

3. Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul

Sterling K. Brown is one of my favorite actors and his new movie is out today - Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul. Definitely going on the list of movies I want to see! It's playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock. Here's the summary~

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is a satirical comedy starring Regina Hall as Trinitie Childs -- the proud first lady of a Southern Baptist megachurch, who together with her husband, Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown), once served a congregation in the tens of thousands. But after a scandal forces their church to temporarily close, Trinitie and Lee-Curtis must reopen their church and rebuild their congregation to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen.

4. Eyeshadow Stick Set

At a conference I was recently at, one of the ladies had the most gorgeous eye makeup. Before the meeting was over, I had to know what kind of makeup she was using. I finally got up the nerve to ask her and she was gracious enough to send me the link. Come to find out, she got it from Amazon. I couldn't get it in my cart fast enough! This stuff glides on and remains in place all day long. I just not never use another kind of eyeshadow again!

5. Any given day...

Have a wonderful, long weekend! We are both off work on Monday and I'm looking forward to having a couple nice relaxing days. Pop in next week to see what's happening!

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

What I Read In August

It's September! Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something I'm thinking out loud about and invite you to link up and do the same. Today I'm reflecting on the books I read in August.

August was a busy month so I was pleasantly surprised when I looked back and realized I read three whole books. I know - a lot of you book people probably whip through three books a week. But for me reading three books in a busy month is quite the feat! Here's a summary ~

First up is Book Lovers by Emily Henry. I'm not going to lie, I'd seen this book floating around the internet and I totally judged the book by the cover. That cover just didn't seem appealing to me and it wasn't until my daughter-in-law raved about it that I decided to give it a try. I know, don't judge a book by the cover! Lesson reaffirmed.

I totally loved this book and would give it a 5 out of 5. Emily Henry has other books out (Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Happy Place) and they are all going on my to-be-read list. Here's the summary from Amazon ~

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming...

Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

I've been making a conscious effort to read more books that are "free" with my Kindle Unlimited membership. This month I read When I'm Gone with my subscription. Love it too! Summary ~

Dear Luke,
First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you…

Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home.

The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.

The last book is The Book Woman's Daughter. This is a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which I read for book club a couple years ago. I was so intrigued with the story of Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, coupled with the fact that the delivery lady had a condition where her skin was blue, from the first book that I just had to read the second book. I wasn't as thrilled with this one as I was with the first, but it was still a decent read.

In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.

Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive. But the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way.

If Honey wants to bring the freedom that books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.

And that's a wrap on my August reading! What was your favorite read from the month?

Now it's your turn. What are you thinking out loud about today? Link up and share!