testing

I'm just going ahead and sending this draft to test blogger on something. I can't get it to work right.

David and I figured out how to caramelize our burgers. I mixed about a 1/4 c of brown sugar and a 1/4 c of Woosty sauce into a lb. of chuck (along with salt, pepper, garlic, onion.) It was so cool. The patties had a gooey layer of Woosty-flavored caramel on them. If nothing else, it's good for a change of pace.

There are 5 new pictures on Flickr, if that interests anyone.

Such is Life

I just thought of something. Why do humans smell so funny? Molly smells like a corn tortilla. The birdies smell dusty. Brink smells like a fish market. And humans, at best, smell like "grandma's closet" to the power of 10.

Why do you suppose God made it so that we'd come near another human and be repulsed, but come near our cat and crave salsa? Why do my people friends unknowingly cause my nose to wrinkle, while my poor fish makes me think of hot grease?

And yet we're supposed to be more attached to the human-types. I think not.

To Lisa

I know it's a wreck. I was cooking all day. I simply am posting these for my sister, who's helping me decorate.

Lisa, I got 2 of these mirrors. They're identical. I'm trying to figure out how to hang them. One centered over the sink and the other over the stove? The cross stays put and one mirror on each side? That would over-shoot the sink area by about 2 inches on each side. One sideways and centered over the sink with the other going up and down but on a different wall so that they aren't paired? I'm thinking that would be directly left of my counter space if you look at the pictures in the "kitchen" post - there's a tall, narrow wall space there that's empty. That might look good.

I did get the curtain rod, though I haven't yet put it up. I also got a 2-door wooden cabinet that's to the left of the sink, between the sink and door. Way helpful.

Remember to click on the pict to get a big view.

Thanks!

David's Missing Eyebrows

Ok, so apparently multiple people think I shaved off David's eyebrows or something. People, please. I meant that his eyebrows were covered up by his too-long bangs. However, as of last night, Hubby has a fresh haircut.

We have group tonight. And though I do love to cook, I'm very glad to be able to just go and grab something someone else made tonight. (But I am debating making everyone some cookies.)

We have like 7 hours of grocery shopping to do tomorrow night simply because everything in the house seems to have run out at once. (Mark, I'll get the Tabasco.)

Also this weekend, we have the emission test for the car to take care of and I'm shopping for the kitchen! I'd mentioned earlier that my sister is helping me decorate it via e-mail. I'll be looking for a few things. Pity my accommodating chauffeur.

He's So Sweeeeeet

We had PADS volunteer training last night. Yep, you heard me - we! He came and stayed for the sake of driving me (ain't that sweet) and he signed up! We are the 2 who have one of the shelters overnight in late February (so far). We've signed up for 3 shifts a week.
An e-mail should come soon regarding when we're needed to work. I was already excited about finally getting to do this. It's awesome to have Hubby doing it too!

I had a grand lot of fun making quesadillas last night - complete with meat. No doubt I'll eat more today while David's gone. He took a fat chickeny one for lunch.

Tonight, Hubby gets a haircut. Yes! If he lets me tell them how I want it cut (like I got to do last time), I'm gonna say "Half of it!" Currently, he has no eyebrows.

Zzzzzzzz

Ok, so Thursday night's dinner did go over well. But seeing as how only half the crowd showed, we've got a lot of beans in the freezer.

My major project for the day is the kitchen since I haven't done dishes all weekend. And I have to make some entrees since I had to send David chips and dip for lunch (not that he minds such fare).

Tomorrow night is PADS training. Fi Nuh Lee.

It snowed this weekend. There's at least 2 inches on the ground. It's really pretty and sparkly.

I got a prayer partner yesterday at church. Bodacious. She's one of the women in my house group. We're doing it via e-mail which is much more convenient for both of us. I have no car during the day and she has work and school both.

Trying to get ready to go this morning, David kept pausing and drooping his eyelids. It'll be nice to collapse tonight. We both enjoy the weekends a lot, but they wear us out. And it's usually not even 'cause we're doing something useful. We like to stay up too late watching movies. And I figured you automatically got responsible when you married. Zzzzzzz.

Saturday morning we helped load the moving truck for some people in our house group. That is, us and like 20 others from the group. The only thing is, we left before noon, and most of them stayed until like 5. Took a total of 3 truckloads I hear.

Saturday afternoon we took the car to get the oil changed. Big fat yawn.

Oh, but we did get pizza for lunch. We had to stop at the grocery store anyway, and with limited time to make lunch, I grabbed a frozen one - ah, yummy.

I still haven't taken down the Christmas tree. I'm just gonna wait until I'm tired of it I think. It is our first one after all. Besides, what would Molly sleep under? I'd hate us to have colorful stockings instead of furry gray ones.

Guess that's it. Adieu.

Jan. 18, Thurs.

We're doing fine. Current news is that I'm going to fix up my kitchen a bit. It's looking dull. I found a purple curtain and my sister's helping me with other ideas.
I've made atleast 3 gallons of pinto beans for our house group's dinner tonight. Today I'll be making 3 recipes' worth of cornbread, too.
The house is finally the cleanest it's been since I got sick. I'm noticeably catching up, though I'm not done yet.
Molly has a tummy fur knot the size of a ping-pong ball that I can't get out.
And we're still hooked on Battlestar - third season now.
Just lettin' ya know we're doin' good. Hope you all are, too!

Yum Yum

Hi this is David. I figured it was about time for me to leave a post here. I read over the list of dishes my Lovely Wife wrote in the last four posts and it sounds like she put up a lot of the things that we've been eating since we got married. So just in case any of you were wondering, I'm eating VERY good food! I love my wife. Let me officially go on the record and say that she is an awesome cook. Thank you, that is all.

Veggie Recipes - Broccoli, Potatoes

Broccoli: protein, fiber, vitamin A, serious vitamin C, calcium, iron

Potatoes: protein, fiber, serious vitamin C, iron








Broccoli-Cheese Pasta:

1 stalk broccoli
8 oz. block of Velveeta, cubed
2 (ish) c milk
12 oz. noodles, any kind
salt

Wash and cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Use the florets and little stems, but not the stalk. (You can add the stalk to one of the following recipes.) Wrap it air-tight in a big piece of foil with about 1/4 c water and put in oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
While broccoli steams, cut Velveeta and put in medium saucepan. Melt over low heat, constantly stirring. Add milk and mix in a little at a time. Add salt to taste. When Velveeta mixture is thin and hot, fold in the broccoli. Pour onto noodles.

Cream of Broccoli Soup:
(or peas or asparagus)

2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, minced
salt
2 tbsp. flour
4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 lb. fresh or frozen broccoli, thawed; frozen peas, thawed; or fresh asparagus (trimmed)
(before using broccoli stalk, cut off the dark green outside)
1/2 c heavy cream
pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until onion's soft. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
Add broth, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer 5 minutes.
Food process the broccoli. Add to soup and simmer 10 minutes.
Puree the soup again until smooth. Return to pot, add cream, simmer briefly. Salt and pepper.

(This soup can't be frozen, but it also doesn't make much - about 2 meals.)

Broccoli Rice Casserole:

(Never done the same way twice. Here's one method.)

1 c uncooked rice
1 c grated cheddar or Velveeta
1 c broccoli bits
1 can cream mushroom soup

Cook rice. Mix rice, broccoli, and soup. Put in small casserole and spread cheese over top. Bake at 350 until cheese is totally melted.
Other things to add might be butter, sour cream, salt, or pepper.

Rice: also good added to soups. Try white rice in chicken noodle, tortilla, or vegetable.

Potato Soup:
3 big baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 (ish) c milk
3 tbsp. butter
salt

Boil potatoes in medium saucepan until they start to fall apart. Pour most of the water off. Mash the potatoes. Add butter first. When melted, fold in milk until desired consistency. Salt to taste. Makes about 3 bowls.
Other brilliant ideas: Add grated cheese, chopped green onion, sour cream or yogurt, bacon.

Curry Potatoes:

Cook potatoes as above, but with little milk. They should be mashed-potato consistency. Then start adding curry powder! Just keep going until you think it tastes good. Also good with sour cream, yogurt, or cheese.
This is a great item for a veggies-only meal because it's flavor-packed.

Herbed New Potatoes:

12 small new potatoes (the red ones)
4 tsp. butter
4 tsp. minced fresh parsley or 1 1/3 tsp. dried
4 tsp. minced fresh chives or 1 1/3 tsp. dried
salt

Peel half-inch strip around the middle of each potato (so they look like oreos) and place in a medium saucepan of cold water. Cover by 2 inches with water. Boil until easily pierced with fork, but no more. Don't overcook. Drain.
Melt butter and stir parsley, chives, and salt into it. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.

Veggie Recipes - Tomatoes, Spinach

My tomato and spinach offerings here. For what it's worth, if you live somewhere with El Chico's, they have great spinach enchiladas.

If anyone requests it of me, I'll include salsa recipes. I have 3; red, green, and creamy green.



Spicy Cheese Soup:

1 tbsp. oil
10 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 small bell pepper, diced
1 10 oz Rotel, with chilies
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
4 cups chicken broth (2-3 cans)
1 c. evaporated milk (full can ok - over 8 oz.)
8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
Optional: sour cream and cilantro for topping

Heat oil in skillet; add tomatoes, chilies, and bell pepper. Cook until tender. Add Rotel and broth. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in milk and cheese. Simmer until cheese melts.
(Very large skillet works well. To make sure greens are soft, wrap with a little broth in a foil packet and let steam for 20 min. at 350.)

Pesto Pasta Salad:

Mix in large bowl:
1 pkg. Knorr Pesto Sauce mix
1/2 c water
1/4 c olive oil
Add: 8 oz. bowtie or penne pasta, cooked
8 oz. pkg. mozzarella, cut in 1/2 in. cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
(8 oz. chicken - optional)

My version: 5 plum tomatoes instead of cherry
cheese: 1 c grated mozzarella
3/4 c grated cheddar
1/4 c parmesan

Cold Spinach Dip:

Mix: 1 pkg. Knorr vegetable soup mix
1 1/2 c sour cream
3/4 c mayo
Add: 1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed really dry
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
3 finely chopped green onions

Cover and chill for atleast 2 hours. Good with tortilla chips or thin, crispy bread.

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip:

Mix: 2 pkg.s cream style spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 oz. block Monterrey Jack pepper cheese
1 c grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
16 oz. jar salsa, not chunky (my version - not part of recipe)

Use small casserole dish. Bake at 350 about 15 minutes. When bubbling, stir and let it warm up again. Good with tortilla chips.

Veggie Recipes - Replacing Meat

I'm no expert on this topic, but I know a pinch. Without meat, you have to replace iron and complete proteins. This'll help.

The protein has to include dried legumes and something else. I don't know how this works, but I think the idea is to get protein from multiple sources each day. I know some of the combos can be: beans and cornbread, beans and rice, nuts and cottage cheese. (Cottage is also great with sliced fruit like peaches or pineapple.) Tofu is also a great source of protein. Look in the last blog for some. If you don't like nuts, try sunflower seeds. They even come honey-roasted.

Iron can be replaced with avocado, potatoes, sweet potato/broccoli in that order. Spinach is somewhere in that iron list - next blog. And the broccoli and potatoes in the blog after that. There's sweet potato in the last blog.

So here's some help in eating these items:

Plain 'Ole Beans:

Grab the smallest bag of pintos or mixed beans you can find at the store. Pick through them - there could be pebbles or gross-looking ones. Rinse 'em good. Soak them in atleast twice their height in water for 12-16 hours, cold. Boil them until soft or turn on the crockpot to high for several hours. (I'd suggest the crockpot.) Salt and eat. For more flavor, you can add a chopped tomato or some canned tomato juice, beef broth, cajun seasoning. A pinch of white cheese makes it taste creamy.

Cornbread:

Mix:
1 c cornmeal
1 c flour
1/4 c sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix seperately then add:
1 egg
1 c milk
1/4 c oil
Bake at 450 for 15-25 minutes.

Refried Beans:

Cooking them? I dunno. Grab a can at the store.
Heat them up and use them for bean burritos or chalupas.
Include salsa, cheese, guacomole, sour cream, cilantro, or chopped onion (green has iron, white has calcium).

Guacomole:

Smash 2 avocados. (They should be soft enough to squeeze, but not without a little effort.)
Stir in atleast a tbsp. of lemon or lime juice so they don't turn brown too quick.
Add whatever you want: salt, pepper, chili powder, sour cream, cilantro, salsa or chopped tomato, chopped onion, cumin, cayenne, garlic.
(When storing, put a piece of plastic wrap right on the guac. Then put another across the top of the bowl. However, brown spots can just be stirred in later.)

Avocadoes:
Can also be sliced into spicy soups, not-sweet salads, and put on sandwiches.

"Meaty" Salad:

lettuces that include dark greens (like spinach) - iron
a sliced dark red tomato - protein and iron
canned corn, drained - yummy
canned kidney beans, drained - protein
green onion, sliced tiny - iron
white cheese - protein
avocado slices - iron
I suggest creamy Italian or a mixture of Ranch and salsa for dressing.

Banana Nut Muffins or Bread:

1 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp. baking powder
2 c flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3/4 c chopped nuts

Beat sugar and shortening. Add eggs and bananas. Mix dry ingredients seperately then add. Don't over-mix. Add nuts. Bake at 350. Loaf pan takes 50 minutes. 12 muffins - start with 15 minutes. Knife should come out clean. When cool, brush with melted butter.

Veggie Recipes - Part 1

Bethany has requested my tried-out and approved-of veggie recipes. So, I told her I'd put them here incase anyone else wants them, too. Enjoy! Some of these are coming directly from America's Test Kitchen and my Mommy; just giving credit where due.

(Other news: Bethany came to visit last week - way fun, PADS training is the 23rd, and the high next Tues is supposed to be 18! Use our link to Bethany's blog to get an idea of what we did together.)

Ratatouille:

Mix in your biggest bowl:
1 eggplant (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 3/4 in. cubes
2 med. zuchinni, summer squash, or mix (1 lb.), cut into 1/2 in. cubes
1 red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 in. thick
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (save 1/3 c juice and add to mixing bowl)
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
(For later: 1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar)

Spread in 9x13. One hour at 375. Mix half-way through cooking time. When done, sprinkle with the vinegar. I suggest going light on the eggplant and heavy on the seasonings, esp vinegar. Serve hot or room temp. Can be used as a topping for pasta or chicken.

Candied Sweet Potatoes:

(I'm halving this for you - it's massive.)
Sweet Potatoes:
4 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes (3-4 med.), peeled and cut in 1 in. chunks
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c water
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Topping:
1 c pecans
1/4 c packed light brown sugar
little less than one egg white, lightly beaten
1/8 tsp. salt
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch cumin

Melt the butter in a 2 qt. saucepan over med-high heat. Add all potato ingredients. Bring to simmer. Cover and reduce heat. Stir often until the potatoes are tender. Remove lid and bring to a rapid simmer until brown sugar sauce has reduced to a glaze. Pour into med. baking dish (smaller than 9x13). Mix all ingredients for the topping and spread over potatoes. Bake at 450 just until the pecans are toasted, 10-15 min. You can also substitute 2 c mini marshmallows for the topping.

Soy Mac 'n' Cheese:

10-12 oz. macaroni, cooked and drained
Sauce:
12 oz. silken tofu (atleast one that's moosh-able)
1 1/2 c firmly packed cheddar or cheddar-style
(about 10 oz. cheddar-style)
2 tbsp. butter
salt (a bunch)
Optional: black pepper, cayenne, paprika

Puree tofu until smooth. Put in med saucepan with cheese and butter. Gently simmer until cheese is melted. Combine with noodles and salt in big bowl. Serve, or bake at 400 in casserole dish.
You can add veg. oil, milk, or cream.

(Tofu is a great source of protein and this type can be pureed and added to creamy casseroles or soups. Just adds to the creaminess.)

Hashbrown Casserole:

1/2 c butter, melted
2 lb. frozen hash browns, partly thawed (or 3 big baking potatoes, cubed 1/2 in. or smaller)
1 c chopped onion
2 c grated cheddar
1 can cream chicken soup
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c sour cream

Mix everything but one cup of cheese. Spread in 9x13 and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 min.

Green Bean and Corn Casserole:

Mix and pour in small casserole dish: 1 can french-cut green beans, drained,

1 can corn, drained, 1/2 an onion, chopped and sauteed, salt

Mix and spread over veggies: 1/2 c sour cream, 1/2 c cheddar cheese,

1/2 can cream celery soup (freeze other half)

Crumble 1/2 pkg. Ritz in a skillet with butter. Spread over casserole. 30 min. at 350.

Sorry 'bout the last recipe. The computer got weird. I'll ask David tonight.

Holidays and Birthday

Updating info on previous blogs: I'm no longer sick, but still weak and fatigued. And we weren't able to do PADS on Christmas. I hadn't gotten better by then.

Ok, moving on to other what-we're doin's: Christmas eve we stayed up till midnight, shredded open our presents by the lights from the tree, and went to bed. That's all we did for Christmas. I was still mostly dead.

New Year's Eve was my first day at church for 3 weeks - wonderful! That night we walked a couple blocks to some friends to goof off until 2007. We played games and snacked for 4 hours, toasted the New Year, and went home about 12:30.

As of yesterday, I'm 25. So when David got home from work we dressed up and went out for Greek and ice cream. It was lovely. We plan to go to the Magnificent Mile soon to get me a dress for my birthday present.

Tomorrow (Thurs.) morning I'm gonna drop David off at work and go get Bethany. We'll hang out all day and then David and I will take her back home after he gets off work and we've had dinner. Bethany and I used to sit on her bed and talk for 4 hours at a time so not having seen her since the wedding has been a trick. I'm lookin' forward to it.

Somehow, I have to get things atleast decently cleaned before then. It's hard to being so tired!
Ugh. I think I'll go back to bed for a while.

love y'all,
hawli