Kim Iverson - Archive site

This is my secret to great taco seasoning, and meat. I am not a fan of premades because they include chili powder. I'm not a fan. So my secret is: Garlic Salt, Garlic Pepper Paprika, Seasoning Salt Yes, I can do them separately for the pepper and salt, but that's just me. Amounts are fairly equal. Adjust to taste, but equal parts each is good to start. For the meat. Brown your 1lb of meat, then add about a 1/4 c water, and 1/4 tsp each of the seasonings. Simmer and stir until most of the water is absorbed. Or for less salt, do 1/8 tsp for the salts. Mostly I use garlic, seasoning salt, and paprika. A tip for getting ground meat to cook small like the restaurants? Work with fresh meat, flatten out in pan like a pancake all the way to the edges. Then when it browns, try to turn it over in clumps, and begin breaking it up. Some people talk about using a masher, but the method I mentioned first, works for me.

Basic Instructions: Your mission should you choose to accept it. Blog, vlog, sing or dance about the prompt. Interpret it how you wish. Post it in a blog and share. Include “The Blogging Lounge” and “Ariana Browning” in the post. Or just use the image provided. All links posted within Facebook Group are shared on Twitter profile for the group. Join the Twitter group, use the hashtag, and I will RT all. (Includes anything except promotions.) I try to share all prompts on my sites. Read below for full information and links. When you've posted, you're welcome to come back here and share those links in the comments below. I will participate the same way and link my post (if I do one for the prompt) in the comments below. Feel free to save and share the image above. It's a square, which makes sharing on Instagram much easier.  Want to join, and don't have a place to blog? www.arianabrowning.proboards.com  I do frequent the forum, even if ...

I would love to take complete credit for this granola, but I'm afraid I can't. I mix and match parts of it (i.e. to use walnuts in place of mixed nuts, pancake syrup in place of real maple syrup [only because we never have real maple syrup]) but I found this recipe online somewhere years ago and I've been addicted ever since to it. It's very simple to make. I usually make a double batch (just double every single item) and use 2 cookie sheets so that I can make an extra bunch of it. I usually go through it within one month, more if I don't cook dinner at night some times and use this for my dinner.  It's also great to top oatmeal with this granola, or ice cream. Some times you can even use it on top of yogurt, or anything else you may enjoy using this with! The best part of this granola? Is how your house smells during and after you've made it! Now since I always end up with needing to use substitutions, I'll asterisk a lot of the items and tell ...

Cinnamon Roll Bread This recipe is derived from The Pioneer Woman cinnamon roll recipe -  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/   INGREDIENTS: 1 cup milk 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup sugar 3 tsp yeast (I use quick rise) 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional) 2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup flour 1/4 heaping tsp baking powder 1/4 almost tsp baking soda 1/4 heaping teaspoon salt 1/4 cup softened butter 1/4 cup sugar (I prefer 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, but either works) cinnamon to sprinkle over top *optional chopped nuts of your choice (if you choose to use nuts, know that the bread will fall apart very easy) Pan used is an 8x4" loaf pan DIRECTIONS: Mix the 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Stick in microwave for about 1 minute. The time varies. You want it warm enough you can add the yeast without scorching, but not cool enough that the yeast won't react. I have found 1 minute works great for my microwave. Mix i...

There are times when we do things that we often regret, analyze too much over, worry that it wasn't the correct decision. I know I face that one a lot. The over-analyzing. I do it with decisions I make, with things I do, things I don't do. Everything and anything is over-analyzed to a bazillionth degree. I don't allow myself to feel bad, I just naturally am inclined to thinking too much. I have a scientists brain. I study and analyze myself, and others, for fun. As odd as that sounds. But honestly I have always believed that even though my mind becomes filled with a lot of fear based reactions and thoughts of should I have done that?, that yes. The answer to that question is yes , you should have. You should have made that decision. You should have said those words. You should have reacted that way. Because you were meant to. Now, I'm not this overtly religious human being. I'm not this destiny and fate girl. I do believe in some things, I don't in ot...

When you've posted, you're welcome to come back here and share those links in the comments below. I will participate the same way and link my post (if I do one for the prompt) in the comments below. Feel free to save and share the image above. It's a square, which makes sharing on Instagram much easier.  Want to join, and don't have a place to blog? www.arianabrowning.proboards.com  I do frequent the forum, even if I'm not posting. If you use the Forum, I'll share the links through the Twitter profile below. Join the Twitter group!   www.twitter.com/blogginglounge  and read the perks of following and joining us there -  http://www.arianabrowning.com/2014/03/the-blogging-lounge-to-take-over-twitter.html What is  The Blogging Lounge ?  http://www.arianabrowning.com/2014/01/spring-cleaning-except-its-not-and.html Access the archives by clicking the picture. I can't wait to see how this inspires you! Join the Facebo...

  The other day, or rather night, I had a moment that I thought I would share with you. It's very easy to look upon people who live in the public eye and believe they must be the most confident, fearless people on the planet. I know that's something that people have always believed about me. Either I'm assumed to be extremely confident, or well . . . a bitch. I can't remember what set it off exactly. I was in the midst of reading some material about authors, reading a book, and studying grammar and writing. Somewhere in there, in the midst of the evening hours, I remember reading a random sentence and then I was struck with this "oh my god, millions of people around the world may one day know my name, and read my books," realization. I understand that it's an obvious thought. I write, I publish, people will see the books. I will receive the attention. But I don't know. I was just hit with the realization that sometimes occurs...

Follow my blog with Bloglovin When you've posted, you're welcome to come back here and share those links in the comments below. I will participate the same way and link my post (if I do one for the prompt) in the comments below. Feel free to save and share the image above. It's a square, which makes sharing on Instagram much easier.  Want to join, and don't have a place to blog? www.arianabrowning.proboards.com I encourage you to join the forum group.  Forum Link for this post - (coming later in the day) I can't wait to see how this inspires you! Join the Facebook Group if you'd like.

Crescent Pinwheel Biscuits Yield: 12-14   This is a wonderful, and quick! recipe for using with any dinner. You can customize how the pinwheels turn out, depending on what you put in them.

Here is a quick teaser from what I'm working on. Edits are going good on Dark Illusions: The Final Chapter. I am enjoying this sunshine we're having today as well. Making me a bit more peppy. Hopefully that will transfer over to the amount of edits I get done. Here is your snidbet (yes, I meant that.) :) ============Snidbet================== A low deep rumble bubbled out of Sean. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the way everyone’s heads moved left and right, curious where the sound came from that caused a deep and carnal fear to overwhelm them. They would wonder if there was an earthquake, but then figured out that the “earthquake” bloomed from one place. Their instincts kicked into high gear as they realized something powerful existed within the room. The prey instinct grabbed hold, stayed with them, and they wanted to give in, wanted to run for their lives. But being the strong men that they were, who faced fear head-on, they held their ground.

It's been a long time since I shared something I was working on. I thought I'd give you a bit of the dragon story that I am. Today. Tell me what you think. :) NOTE: This is a draft, subject to change. All rights reserved. But you CAN share the link to this if you would like as long as everything remains intact. =============================Snippet============================ Closer . Still no sounds appeared outside the door. Nothing moved, nothing stirred. Through the window, she saw no wind, no shadows, nothing lurking about. But something was out there. It slid across her skin, within her flesh like millions of pins prickling against her nerves. Everything heightened. Even the forest beyond the cottage seemed to have stilled. Waiting. Sensing something headed her way. Alara backed up to her bedroom until the back of her legs smacked against the mattress. She almost tumbled backward. Steadying herself, she leaned to the side and stretched her fingers out. Wi...

All day Friday and Saturday , you can get Dark Illusions: The Next Chapter for free from Amazon!  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFFKCM4 Also, just before I went to share this, a friend of mine, Diana Lebow, sent an email to me and she is in need of some financial help. If you can donate anything, that would be wonderful, if not, at least share it if you can.  This particular woman is also an editor, and one that my current editor knows, I would use as a second, or backup editor, if she weren't available. So if you're in need of an editor, I will also share that link to her listing. She is a social media management person so on her donations page, she has a bunch of different offers as well, that include just that. If you need some advertising, check out her offers. Her donation link:  http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-me-keep-my-car--3 And her editing information link:  http://canamsocial.com/for-writers/i-find-typos/

Isn't the name enough to make your mouth water? I am working out the kinks of this and meanwhile enjoying the failed attempts. No, not at all. I mean it's cinnamon roll bread. Who would enjoy that? Here are some of the images so far, and what's to come. What you can't see is my highly adorable pig cutting board it's on. Made from bamboo--new favorite "wood" tools. What you can't see in the images is the middle part. That's the failed part. Why we hide it beneath beautiousness that distracts you.

Tell me that just isn't the cutest damn thing! My hero. Brother's shirt when he was a lil guy. Saw it the other day and just knew it'd be perfect for Kona. And he loves it! Lol

To be honest, this is the second time that I've read this book. I don't remember when the first time was. A very long time ago, that's about it. I remember it being incredibly intense that first time I read it though. On my binge of these authors, this was one of the books that first popped into my head. I had to climb up into the attic to get this sucker out. That's how many books I've got. I started placing tupperware containers in the attic. One of them holds a massive amount of the Stephen King and Dean Koontz books. Anyhoo, because I'd already read this book before, I didn't get as freaked out, but as usual, it did grab and hold my attention. I have this book in a hardbound cover with dust jacket. I'm not sure what it is about hard bounds, but I love it even more because of that one simple fact. I bought this brand new so again, that's one of those little things that make me cherish it more. I think the only thing I didn't like was Dean ...

When you've posted, you're welcome to come back here and share those links in the comments below. I will participate the same way and link my post (if I do one for the prompt) in the comments below. Though those of you who follow this blog, will get the blog post as normal, in the email, on this site, however you follow.  Feel free to save and share the image above. It's a square, which makes sharing on Instagram much easier.  Want to join, and don't have a place to blog? www.arianabrowning.proboards.com I encourage you to join the forum group.  Forum Link for this post - http://arianabrowning.proboards.com/thread/76/blogging-lounge-prompt-begins-2014 I can't wait to see how this inspires you! Join the Facebook Group if you'd like.

This is a piece I wrote back in 2009. Quite old, but powerful. Resharing as is, no editing or polishing other than to embed a newer video because the old link was broken. ======== Pain sometimes hurts more than we can bear. But pain reminds us that we can feel. Otherwise we’d be no better than the monsters that surround us, doing more harm than good, trying to make themselves feel some thing—trying to quiet those angry voices within their own heads. Without pain we wouldn’t feel that our hands were burning when we placed them on a hot stovetop, or that we’ve cut ourselves on that broken piece of glass. There are times when pain rips up apart so badly that we wonder how we can even go on. We wonder if the tears will ever stop; we wonder if the heart will ever stop hurting; we wonder if we can even take that next breath, or will we. But we do. Those tears eventually stop and dry up; the pain in our heart loosens enough for us to go on; and we continue breathing even while thinking...

I'm sometimes surprised at the way I stick with my writing. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love to write. What I mean by that is that I am not the most committed to anything. I'll rephrase. I don't commit. Period. I don't know why I hate it so much, why I fight it so much. I simply grow bored far too easy and move on. I haven't learned to stick with something for long. It some ways that's a good thing, in others, not so much. I don't know why that is either. I think, okay now this I'm going to stay with. Then I get bored and if it's not working in some way, I am completely done. No turning back, no passing go. Hop off the train and run to catch the next one, or make a new one and make my own darn way. With my writing though, I've been at it since I was 18 and I still get the same rush. I used that as a quote on my website right now. (If you haven't stopped by, come see the new colors and alterations on my site.) Certain things cat...

 This has been a huge hit on my Old World Charm - Modern Living site. I hope you get a kick out of it. I've continued to make these as I need them. The extra large one I made below I destroyed to use the rings, since I didn't need the binder anymore. The biggest tip I'd suggest, and that I don't mention below, is maybe to use a thicker cardboard, or double it up. If you're like me, you need the durability, but for everyday purposes, the below work great. The best part of this project is what I mentioned above. If you get sick of it (I become far too bored with things and change them around a lot) you can rip it up, make a new one, or just destroy. Feels nice to destroy sometimes, doesn't it? =================================================================== Homemade Notebook  from book binding rings Makes: one Size: Depends on the rings you use. I made a 1 1/2" using 3 rings, and another 3 1/2" using two sets of 1 1/2 rings. I'l...

I just finished, Firestarter by Stephen King this morning. I tried to find the cover that I have, and this is what I found - CoverVia - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1567985.Firestarter I saw this movie when I was young, but mostly only remember that Charlie was played by Drew Barrymore. I don't remember much else about it. So the entire time I read, I kept seeing her face as the little girl. A lot of these Stephen King and Dean Koontz books are going to be popping up in the near future from me. I'm gorging myself on the best authors I can read. Or at least the ones that I deem the top. Others may disagree. From a writer standpoint, it's to study in the background while I read the book. A funny thing happens when you become an author/writer yourself. You find that while you read, you ingest parts of the grammar and writing that you wouldn't before. So while I'm reading, there is this part of me that says, oh, so that's how he writes this or th...