747 -- Meme theme

In response to my friend Karen's Meme Mondays I am posting pictures of my favorite "orange-colored item, thing or place." Mine is our brand new (as of less than a week ago) guest bathroom. The tiles are actually a tan-ish color, and they are my favorite part of the room. What's your favorite orange-colored item, thing or place?

641.5 -- Easy appetizers

For the easiest appetizers known to man, get a Sam's club card. There you can find deli rolls (thaw and serve), mini egg rolls (heat and serve), mini quiches (heat and serve), and all manner of other foods that are easy on the oven and the taste buds.

With a borrowed Sam's Club card and three crock pots, tomorrow's party fare will be all too easy.

599.53 -- Dolphins at play

Bottlenose dolphins are generally regarded as social and playful mammals. But did you know they can make their own "objects of play" underwater? They emit a ring of bubbles from their blowhole, then draw other rings out of it, bandy it about, and finally take a bite out of it, making the ring burst into many small bubbles. They do this over and over again. Check it out!



How cool is that?!

508.2 -- All Fall Leaves Leave

Happy First Day of Fall!

What a great season! Beautiful colors. Pumpkin pie. Sweaters. Apple picking. Camp fires. Uncompromisingly blue skies. Family gatherings. Football (high school or otherwise).

Yup, Fall has always been my favorite season. Hands down favorite.

Surprisingly, though, Fall ranks third in Americans' favorite seasons. Come on, what's not to love?

641.5 -- Buffalo Chicken Dip

Here is an up-and-coming family favorite. Make it as spicy as you wish!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
2 12.5 oz cans of chicken
2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese
1 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag tortilla chips (we use Fritos)

Directions:
Drain the cans of chicken. Using a fork, shred the chicken to a consistency like a shredded chicken sandwich. It has to be dippable! Heat remaining ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. When they are mixed, add the shredded chicken. When the dip is heated through, transfer it to a small crockpot to keep it warm. Serve with chips.

401.4 -- Word.

So, I'm beginning to suspect that I suffer from logophilia. Well maybe "suffer" is the wrong word, because actually, I embrace it.

Logophilia refers to a love of words. Which I do. I love words. If it was possible for a person to have any more words in their life than having been an English undergrad major, a library grad school major, a library employee for 8 years (and counting), a former spelling bee champ, and a recreational reader... I would. Because I. Love. Words.

I really like finding new ones -- or old ones I haven't seen or heard in awhile. I like saying them out loud and rolling them around until they feel comfortable. I even like foreign words and phrases -- ones that, by sheer coolness, have made their way into the English language. Words like schadenfreude, de rigueur, sturm und drang. When I find one I like a lot, I'll carry it with me until I can use it in regular conversation.

Recently, at a work conference, I asked a presenter if his library's social networking sites received many disingenuous comments or friend requests, and how they were handled. I'm not going to lie to you... my heart started palpitating when I got to use the word disingenuous in a room full of colleagues.

Just the fact that the word logophilia has been added to the lexicon, makes me think that I am not alone in this. (Apparently American Idol David Cook is a self-professed word nerd. Love that!) But how about any of you? Anyone?

641.5 -- Broccoli Salad

Welcome to the first ever Foodie Fridays! (Otherwise known as a pre-established topic for an otherwise unbloggable day.)

Below is the recipe that has carried me through cookouts, parish picnics, family gatherings, birthdays, welcome home parties, and all sorts of other summer fêtes.

When Jackie brought this to a cookout two years ago (two years already!?), I instantly loved it. Since then, I've shamelessly passed it off as my own with great success. Even people who don't like broccoli (or vegetables of any kind) love this dish.

Salad Ingredients:

• 5 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I usually leave these out)
  
• 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
• 1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
• Optional: throw in a cup of thawed peas if you're looking to add more substance or veggie power!
  

Dressing Incredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar

Preparation:

Combine broccoli florets, raisins, sunflower seeds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl or large cup, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill thoroughly before serving.
Broccoli salad serves 4 to 6.