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I had singing lessons.  I learned how to breathe "properly" ... how to control how much air was coming out with the "music" ... doing scales helps with warm ups and honing your notes, there's lots of different ones to get your voice ready to go high and low and also to warm up your lips (did you know there's a "proper way to hum" even?) ... sight reading teaches a lot (even tho I was never too good at it)...  recording and listening to yourself is a HUGE thing ... learning how to hit higher notes by lifting your soft palate (at the roof of your mouth, like when you yawn) rather than closing your throat up - 

Voice lessons are good and you will learn a LOT more than you could ever think ... and they can also be just as grueling as any other instrument lesson you could take, your voice is an instrument, so if you do take lessons and pay well for them, expect it to be a serious lesson.    If you do... absolutely look for a teacher that takes his/her students to competitions.  It's a ton of fun and really educational to get judged on your singing by a panel of judges to learn what you need to improve more upon!  I watched a dance competition the other day and it reminded me a LOT of voice competitions.  If I had more time and money, I would take them again!  As it is... my guitar playing and dance lessons for myself are getting to be time consuming and expensive enough... plus the kids are involved in dance and sports.  It really is all good fun!

Ahhhh... now I'm getting some ideas... I will stay away from the water bath, I've heard that it's the "only way" to bake a cheese cake because of it being "like a custard" ... but I don't like mine with a "custard" texture.  I like the somewhat dry "NY Style".  The texture was ok on mine... I think it needed a little more "fluff" to it without being more moist however.  That's why I'm thinking another egg or so.  The taste is a little off however.  It just doesn't have that... overly richness to it that I like!   

OLD DOLL Here's my Mom's Recipe... turns out it's actually My Grandma's recipe ... who knows where she got it!  This recipe is sooooo different than any cheesecake I've ever made!

Cheese Cake from the kitchen of Agnes Violet Henry (Froebel)

1 1/2 Cups (about 20) Graham Crackers - Crushed
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup melted Oleo (crisco)

1 LB Cream Cheese
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

1 Pint Sour Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup Sugar

1. Mix first set of ingredients to form crust. Press into pie dish.
2. Blend eggs into cream cheese one at a time.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Mix well.  Pour into crust and bake @ 350 for 25 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes at room temperature and an additional 5 minutes in the fridge
3. BEAT 3rd set of ingredients for 15 minutes.  Pour over top of slightly cooled cake.  Bake for 10 minutes @350.  Refrigerate immediately.  Cool overnight before serving

Zurf... sorry to hear about you missing your dear Grandma.  Do try Lena's brown bread recipe.  It is DELISH... especially toasted with a glob of butter.  MMMMMMmmmmm

Nela... when I make my Chicken Wing Soup... I make "Red Lobster Style" Cheddar Bay Biscuits to go with.  Just take that biscuit recipe and add in a ton of cheddar cheese to the mix... spread upon the tops a little "Chicken - Better than Bullion".  I hope everyone can find it in their grocery store.  If not... look for "Miners" brand bullion.  Both come in a container and are a "bullion" paste that must be kept in the fridge after opening.  It is superior to any bullion you will ever find (and I personally like my soups and such stronger than any purchased stock).  At Red Lobster they actually top their Cheddar Bay Biscuits with a powder mix that they use to make their shrimp scampi ... my version works great and everyone else thinks they should put garlic and butter on top and still don't know why their biscuits aren't quite the same.  I am in LOVE with those biscuits!  Oh yes... making some today with my soup!

Doug!!!  I wish I could send you a piece of my cheesecake I made yesterday so you could tell me just whats missing!  I took a few recipes that were rather different and tried to make one my own... but something just isn't right.  Don't get me wrong, it's good... my husband is THRILLED that I will HAVE to try again.  I'm thinking maybe another egg, a little less lemon peel, and a bit of salt.  Hmmm... I sure would love to see your recipe.  You keep us updated on when that might be available to the general Chordie public!    Just ONE QUESTION... do you bake it in a bath???????  I've never tried that and wondering if it will really make a big difference???????

Bass Viking ...  Take some Brussels Sprouts a bit of olive oil, sprinkle of salt and lots of garlic and BAKE with a few Taters in the oven... they don't need to be coated in oil or butter... just toss em in the oven with skins on (they'll still get a little crispy)... grab yourself a chicken breast and season her up reallly good with your fab spices and broil (or throw it on the grill)!  Have yourself a few glasses of ice water with a bunch fresh lemon and a dash of your favorite hot sauce!  Of course, nothing compares to good ole fashioned exercising... I'm with Old Doll... lets all start jogging in place during our meals! 

Of course... a little romaine salad never hurt anyone (unless you are like me and tend to turn every salad into an antipasto of sorts! LOL)

Kenny... Love the feeling in this song.  So true... very country lyrics to this too... can't wait to hear a recording! 

EXCELLENT point Jerome!  Those guys "can" sing... so anyone can!    ha ha ha ha!  Tony, maybe you need to try a little Tom Petty... how about Wild Flowers?  It's fast chord changes, but they are "easy" chords... and the singing... pahhh... It's just talking primarily!  Down Up Down (change) Down Up Down (change).  Do it real slow and make it your own friend!

Sorry to hear about the migraines Mark.  I think a lot of people "say" they have a migraine when they just have a really bad headache and due to their bull folks like you that have real ones get thrown under the bus.  I did know a lady that had them a lot and she'd be down for days like yourself.  I imagine the first time going through something like that would make a person think they were on the verge of death.  It sounds just horrible.  I had some horrid caffeine withdrawal headaches once when I tried to quit drinking coffee (I was pregnant)... The docs said the pain I was having was likely similar to that of a migraine... but without the OTHER symptoms.  I can NOT imagine what you are going through.  Come on in and vent/rant to us whenever you need. 

Doug... OMG... your poor child!  That's just so sad to hear.  I hope he can "grow" out of it and learn to stay away from those triggers on his own too.

I say... a compliment is a compliment!  Take it and run Tony!  As for the singing... well... you haven't taken anything that resembles singing lessons yet only guitar lessons.  So who cares?  You're practicing guitar not singing.  Once you get the guitar down better... then you can check out some online singing lesson places and work on that!    Good for you on the compliment!  It's so nice, that moment when someone notices that you're getting it.  I remember that moment.  It was a great feeling.  Embrace it and don't even give the other comment another thought for now.  If she says something again... ask her if she'd like to sing for you while you play.

Well... Boxty comes up in the explanation of Potato Pancake:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_pancake

I just take some left over mashed potatoes... add some seasonings (a little minced onion, garlic, salt, paprika) and eggs... mix it up to a thick slurry and fry in butter in a pan.  I like them crispy and a little salty, the kids put ketchup on them.  I have had "Potato Pancakes" at restaurants that tasted more like a traditional pancake with potato in it and it's served with apple sauce ... I THINK they do that in the south?  That sounds a little more like your Boxty Bread.

Hushpuppies are another southern goodie but they can be had in any GOOD "Fish and Chips" restaurant... basically it's deep fried cornbread.  I have never made them although I do have recipes in my cook books.  I can look and see what I have StranSongs!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hushpuppy

I will see what I have for Cheese Cake Old Doll.  I will probably have to make one so I can adjust the recipe a little however before I share (yes, that's how I cook... to me a recipe is just a guideline and hardly ever a rule LOL).  I am a little picky about my cheese cake... I like it on the DRY side and that's hard to get but I did make it from one of my cookbooks (and a few tweaks) and it came out perfect.  I'll start my shopping list now (everyone will be THRILLED to know I'm making it and when they hear why they'll probably come up with more ideas of things for me to make and turn into a shareable recipe!).  My mom has a recipe for cheesecake that is VERY wet... it cooks up with two distinct layers and has sour cream in it.  I'll have to see if she'll bring it with her next time she comes! 

I suppose my Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup would be a pretty American dish.  In fact... it's something that you can't just get anywhere and I looked up recipes and kind of created my own version.  I lived in the Buffalo, NY area as a kid (where "Buffalo Wings" hail from).  Mind you... my recipe is pretty much "guess work" because I do this type of cooking by eye not measurements, however last time I made it I tried very hard to pay attention to what my eye was seeing and "guess" at what the measurements would actually be!    Using these measurements, you'll have a "medium" wing taste.

2 cups (about) cooked chicken
(or fry up about 5 Chicken Drumsticks in oil - see below)
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (crushed red pepper)
5 Tbl Hot Sauce (or more, to taste)
1 sm onion (diced/chopped)
3 lg cloves garlic (diced/chopped)
3 ribs celery (diced/chopped)
2 Additional ribs celery left uncooked for topping (diced/chopped)
1/8 tsp salt & pepper
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 - 1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
(I like 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons "Better than Bullion" brand)
1/4 Cup Butter
2-3 Tbs flour
Crumbled Blue Cheese

In a stock pot, melt the 1/4 cup butter.  Brown the garlic and diced onion.  Once this starts to brown, add in the 3 ribs of chopped celery.  Cook until the celery is translucent.  Add in the spices (cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, basil and parsley).  Add flour and create your rue.  Cook until the flour starts to brown.  Add the milk and stir until it begins to thicken.  Next add the chicken stock. Keep stirring until everything comes together and turn down the heat to a simmer.  At this point you can add in your hot sauce.  Simmer for a while and you prepare your chicken.  If you feel this needs more kick, wait to add it until after it has simmered for a while (about 20 minutes) as the flavors will intensify a little as it cooks.  Taste as you go... the hot sauce adds the "tang" of a wing with a little kick, the cayenne pepper adds that spice to the back of your throat. 

If you are using prepared cooked chicken, cube it up!  You can use left overs here, or for a short cut purchase a pre-roasted and seasoned chicken from the grocery store for about $5.00.  Some suggest just poaching chicken IN the pot at this point and cook it in the soup while it simmers.  They then take the chicken out, shred it and put it back in.  That's ok if you want to, but I don't like shredded chicken in this dish, it just doesn't feel authentic.  I like to use about 5 drumsticks because they are always a cheap buy at the grocery store (you can't go wrong for $1.20 per pound).  Sooo... butterfly the drumsticks.  In a cast iron pan (or large frying pan) add about 1/2 inch of your favorite frying oil.  Place the drumsticks in the pan fat side down.  Cook until no pink remains turning occasionally to prevent burning and encourage even browning.  When finished, the outside should be crispy and browned and resemble a freshly deep fried chicken wing.  FLAVOR!  Pull chicken off the bones and cube.  If you find that the chicken isn't completely cooked, simply return it to the pan and finish frying it.

Taste your soup... delicious huh?  At this point you can add more kick with your hot sauce and cayenne pepper if you desire (or you can let your guests add their own at the table).  Add the chicken just before serving and give it a good stir in (this keeps those crispy edges from getting too soggy).  Serve in bowls and top each with a generous amount of raw chopped celery and crumbled blue cheese.  My homemade "Red Lobster style" Cheddar Bay biscuits go great with this.  My husband prefers to place his soup directly on top of his broken biscuit.  Happy eating... have a glass of milk too!

Sounds Awesome Cam!  I hope you two enjoy yourselves

usually it's the melody first... although once in a while a song's lyrics will grow on me and then I'll fall in love with the melody... it all depends.  One REALLY important thing for me however, is the song being within my range.  If I can't sing along, I tend to not listen to a song so much

Thank you Lena!  We do something similar with English Muffins sometimes - I never tried it with pita bread.  That's a good idea!

I wonder how those Buttermilk Biscuits would be made with a little wheat flour?  I've made my pizza dough before and used half white flour and half wheat flour and no one seemed to know the difference!  I was telling my mom about our conversations on here and she just CANNOT believe that I'm sharing recipes with someone from Ireland.  She thought I just found the Brown Bread recipe online, it took a bit of convincing until she believed that it was directly from my dear guitar playing friend IN Ireland!  Ha Ha... I'll bet we're all the talk at her next church lunch.

... just as I had all my doughs ready the other day, come to find my oven wouldn't fire up!  AHHH!  Apparently it takes forever to get a repair man to my house.  They're finally coming today.  I had to send my breadsticks to my friend for her to bake and enjoy... I cooked the pizza on the stove top (that was actually reallllly good!), and my mother took the brown bread home with her and brought SOME of it back!  Sadly, the brown bread dough sat in the fridge for a couple days before Mom got here to take and bake.  It's DELISH... but I can't wait to make and bake it fresh to see how much better it is!  I put sunflower seeds and almond slivers in it... I LOVE it!  Going to toast some up and have a touch as breakfast this morning!