thanksgiving comes early...

I'm starting my Thanksgiving celebration early this year. After spending the last ten days in a hospital room, watching my husband recover from emergency surgery, I am feeling very thankful.....for life....and the soft sounds of my husband snoring ......in our bed.....life is good....and I'm thankful. The very first thing I am thankful for is that this ordeal did not begin until we were on our way home from a short beach vacation with the two oldest grand kids. The time spent with them was so special....something that I will treasure always.... I am thankful for the excellent care we received in our small town hospital....sometimes we think bigger is better....not me....I'll take small town care any day..... I'm thankful for the nurses who worked and worked over my husband on the really bad days.....and for the ones who gave me a hug when I needed it most..... I'm thankful for my daughter and sister who brought food to me at the hospital...I could not deal with food....or where it was going to come from.....I'm thankful for the friend who took me out to eat while her husband sat with mine.....I'm thankful for my mom who sat with me for hours at a time.... for my son-in-law's dad (we just call him our brother-in-law) who stopped everyday on his way home from work and would sit quietly in the room with him and conversation was not necessary.... I am thankful for our church family who visited...I'm thankful for the men that my husband works with who came by daily and encouraged him......I'm thankful for all the friends who kept in touch through Face book and for the prayers they prayed....we made it home....and I am so thankful.....life is good and above all.....God is good.....I give Him all the credit....

the brain....it is a mushing......

Yep...my brain is turning to mush....just does not work like it used to.....how do I know this....well all I have to do is look at the online games I play with other people....they are all word games....and my opponents are killing me....they usually win.....it is the margin they win by that has increased....yep...my brain is mushing....... So why is this happening....well I think I have been a little distracted lately....you would think that by the time the fourth grandchild enters the world, it would not be a big deal....but it is and was....mostly because my daughter always has interesting pregnancies....never the same way twice.... I am incredibly fortunate that we live within a few miles of each other....and that means that I can help with the kids or run errands....or whatever.... I know some people would not consider that a good thing....but I am very thankful for this opportunity. I grew up on the mission field ....that meant that I did not see my relatives very often. I wanted to be a part of my daughter's life....I wanted to see the children grow....I wanted them to know me....and they do.....and when they see me....and run to me and throw their arms around me......well....my heart turns to mush too.....so mushy brain and mushy heart....yep...that's me. Next week, my husband and I will take the older two kids to the beach with us......we missed our annual family vacation this year.....it fell too close to the newest birth....and usually is a grand family affair with daughter and family and son-in-law's parents.....we all look forward to spending that time together at the beach. My granddaughter refers to the newest addition as "the reason we didn't go to the beach this year".....it is a very important event for us......so my husband surprised me with the idea of a long weekend at the beach.....latter than usual....but who cares about that....it is the beach....the sounds....the smells.....the food.....and the opportunity to include the two oldest grandkids......not our regular event.....but a mini version.....so we will be ready for next year......can't wait.....for next Thursday....or next year......life is good....

quiche....ahhh quiche.....

It was one of those days.....I wanted to make a brunch that would have leftovers.....that I could eat in the mornings before I head off to work.....something easy and tasty..... So after thinking through the contents of my fridge....I came up with quiche.....a lovely dish....able to turn a variety of objects into a tasty slice of eggy goodness... My fridge yielded the following combination of items....cream cheese stuffed jalapenos, ricotta cheese, bacon, eggs and Parmesan cheese.. from my freezer...spinanch...and from the pantry....evaporated milk. After whisking the eggs, milk and ricotta cheese together I added the chopped spinach and divided the mixture between two frozen pie shells. The jalapenos were thinly sliced and evenly dotted the outside surface of the pie along with chopped bacon and sausage slices....after a final sprinkle of garlic powder, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese they were ready for the oven....and they were perfection....tender...a little spicy....and there are leftovers.....a little labor (it is labor day after all) and enough left over to enjoy for several mornings....life is good

of the amish, friendship and bread....

ahh..the amish, friendship and bread...
Put it together and what do you have? Amish Friendship Bread....a very interesting object.. Give it to a friend....they stir... feed....stir some more ....and finally it multiplies into more stuff....to give away....or bake.... So I had a batch of starter working it's merry self along on my kitchen counter. (This batch was originally frozen so that I could start it at my convenience.) You stir for several days...feed it once in the middle....stir several more days and then divide into four containers and bake the remaining bit into a loaf for yourself. After you have been through this process several times...well several things happen....one, you run out of friends to give it to....two, you bake it all....or three, you freeze several batches and bake what you will. In theory it should divide into five equal parts...but when I measured it into five containers...low and behold....the fifth container was a little short....but since I would normally be baking that amount I figured it would do the job....even if it was not the same amount as the others....so I put all the containers in the freezer...and when I so desire...I will make some chocolate bread or pistachio bread, or lemon bread....or coconut. You see....each recipe calls for pudding mix ....and that is where all the different flavors come into play...and you can experiment to your heart's content....yep...yep...yep.... My husband loves pistachio so I always keep that flavor of pudding on hand for that very reason... Me...I like chocolate with chocolate chips or nuts or both... It is fun to experiment. I turned it into zucchini bread on this last go round...and it was very tasty....so I have five containers of starter....and I'm ready to start another cycle....of kitchen counter fermentation.....

beginning and ending on a sweet note....
I ate a thin slice of zucchini bread on my way to work yesterday...have to eat with the pills I take.....and then found out we (my sis and I) were supposed to be in a meeting back where we started.....so we turned around....drove back ...and walked in late.....they had already eaten breakfast....and were just getting started on the other stuff...but we were still late.....So we sat and listened...and found some danish during the break.....and listened some more.....don't get me wrong....it was important stuff....just not the what I thought I was going to be doing all morning....so when everything was finished at 12 we headed to lunch....and then on to our regularly scheduled work day......to pack everything we needed to do into the remaining hours......amazing how much you can do in a condensed time period when you need to......and then home again..... I walked in the door....grabbed some refrigerated pizza dough ...some cheese and headed to my daughter's house to attend my first "Food Club". There were seven of us making little individual pizzas and freezing them for later consumption.....my refrigerated pizza dough did not work really well for that so I made pizza rolls....it did work for that! My daughter had made these little sweets to munch on....and they were really good....I had to remind myself that I had not eaten dinner...and these little guys were not my dinner....but they were really good. I called my husband on my way home (he was eating Mexican) to ask if he could bring something home for my dinner....but couldn't get ahold of him.....so I heated up some bread salad....it was good but not quite in the same category as chicken nachos.... So, my goal for myself today is to eat more veggies....and protein....and less sweets.....but it is potluck at church tonight....and there are always sweets...usually of the cake variety......maybe if I make a big salad as my contribution.....I can justify the cake....maybe.....

the weekend that was......

My husband took the grandkids camping....it was a grand adventure...the other grandfather went along for the ride....and a ride it was....rafting down the Hiwassee....getting stuck on a waterfall....men trying to maneuver the raft off the rocks....kids yelling for help....yep....all the ingredients for a grand adventure..... My adventure was a little milder.....dinner out.....major theological discussion....way too intense...but thought provoking never the less.... Shopping time with my daughter and littlest grandchild on Saturday.....eating sushi for lunch....watching him experiment with chopsticks....rice everywhere.....more shopping for school supplies.....half hour break at home before making another trip to the big city....and realizing that my phone had disappeared...turning around and going back....searching the house....only to find it in the car...where it had fallen out of my purse.....back on the road again.....and meeting up with friends for dinner.....then some shopping at one of my favorite stores......TJ Maxx...yes I love that store....especially the home good sections.....on to some coffee at Starbucks....sitting outside and chilling .....then home again...... Made some rice and miso for breakfast the next morning....still in Japanese food mode.....and chilling while I waited for hubby and the grandkids to return......they needed some pool time when they got home....to wash all the camping dirt away.....who needs a shower when you are camping.......and then mexican and music for dinner...... Church on Sunday as usual... lunch with the fam....afternoon naps....and cheese sticks and a cheesy movie for dinner.....the end of the great adventure.....it was a lovely adventure.....and the end of the weekend......

the day it was.....

Yesterday was a lovely day....the sky was blue.....it was warm....there was a breeze.....not so much this morning..... Everything is grey....looks like rain.....but it is supposed to pass on through. But yesterday....aww.....it was nice..... We eat brunch on Saturday mornings....actually it is pretty much noon by the time we eat.....so I guess that does not qualify as morning....but since Joe works all morning.....it is the best time frame for us....and I have had a little time to decide on a meal..... and I watched Food Network..... yes oh yes.....lots of ideas running around in my head.... So what did I make......a frittatta......or basically a crustless quiche...... It was lovely...and my husband took the pictures to prove it....but I don't have them yet....so will just have to describe it to you.....eggs, rice, spinach, milk and cheese.....seasoned well.....and baked ....and baked...took longer than expected.....and then topped with a thinly sliced tomato and sprinkled with parm cheese.....and served with an apple oatmeal muffin...... And we enjoyed it outside....looking down on the pool......with a little bit of a breeze to keep us cool.....aww yes.....it was another Saturday morning......in our world....and there are leftovers.....ymmmm.....

cleaning day....

Human that I am...I resent having only one day this week to clean....I like the ability to clean any of several different days during the week....it makes me feel in control.....but this week.....there was only one free day to clean.....and so I put it off as long as I could yesterday.....let my very late breakfast settle....then got down to it.....and did some laundry....changed sheets and towels...so everything was fresh and clean.....then while making dinner I started sweating profusely....water running down my face in a constant stream....my hair soaking wet....and I had been looking forward to slipping into my fresh sheets while remaining fairly clean from my day....not the case....and then on top of that....some black shiny bug was running around on our bed....when we tried to catch it ....it flew off....and then had the nerve to crawl on me during the night....wake me up....and then bite when I grabbed it and threw it off of me....who knows where it ended it up....I just wanted it off of me.....yep....yep.....not a very nice bug....but at least whatever I was feeling yesterday (kinda like I was coming down with a cold) disappeared...not so for my husband....he is not feeling well at all....fighting some kind of infection I think......and ibuprofen only goes so far in making one feel better...... But it is a new day.....and I am off to spend some time with the grand kids.....while their mom keeps her midwife appointment....wonder what kind of creative things the kids will come up with today....they know that their family rules are in effect regardless of who is with them...but it doesn't mean that they won't try to creatively skirt some of those rules....yep....yep...better gird myself....because they are charming little creatures....and I dearly love spending time with them....but I don't like to get in trouble with their mother.....and occasionally I do...yep...I do....

blah...blah....blah....

It's 10 in the morning....and here I am....still sitting in front of my computer....trying to motivate myself into the day....course my self appointed job for the day is cleaning...may be the reason I am not so motivated...may be..... But here I sit.....sucking on a cold ezee.....feeling semi yuck....and trying to discourage whatever..... My husband has been fighting something .....swollen glands, ear plugged up...one of those kind of things.....and he tells me that he is sure he is not contagious...as he kisses me....yep....yep.....so either I am susceptible to suggestion.....or I have something like what he has.....yep....yep.... So here I sit....unmotivated.....knowing there are things to do....breakfast to eat....yep....yep....haven't even made it that far into my day.....maybe an egg poached in salsa will improve my mood.....it smells good while it cooks....it tastes good when you eat it....and the flavors linger......think that will work.....I'm feeling a little bit better....course I still have that cold ezee in my mouth .....and it leaves a nasty aftertaste......but if it stops whatever is trying to attack my body....then it is worth that nasty metallic taste.....yep....yep....and I'll replace that with something better.....lots better......

delight for the taste bud...

Now, I will admit that I think about food a lot... meals I have eaten...meals I want to eat....meals others make that I wish I had the opportunity to eat....the list goes on and on. Sometimes the simplest things leave the greatest impression.....like my quickie breakfast I had to eat to take my pills.....what was it....well it was my own version of Greek yogurt, granola and honey....simple and delicious. I discovered Greek yogurt in food magazines. Our local stores do not carry it so I had to wait until a trip to a large city provided the opportunity to buy some and try it....and I fell in love.....no longer would those no fat...no sugar....gelatin solidified whatever suffice.... But I could not purchase this product locally....so what could I do.....then I discovered that I could make my own by purchasing plain, whole fat yogurt (1 Quart) and draining it through a coffee filter...in the fridge...and it would get thicker and thicker as it sat. It works....and you would be amazed at the amount of liquid that deposits in the glass container under my coffee filter lined strainer. Perfect. Now you may want a sweeter product that what I enjoy....and you can play with all kinds of jams to create any fruit flavor your little heart desires.....personally I like blackberry jam mixed into mine....oh yes....delicious..... The other meal consumed this week that I remember with groans of pleasure was a meal of shrimp and grits...found in a place that my husband had heard about and we decided to try out....it had lots of personality, a humorous menu....and fabulous shrimp and grits...... Now I am a Yankee....and grits are not a natural love of mine.....although I make cheese grits for Christmas brunch every year...and they are lovely....but this dish was sublime....I groaned with pleasure with each bite....of cheesy grits...and spicy shrimp.....and we will go back ....and eat that dish....again...and again....it was so good.....aww....food..... I do thank God that it is necessary for life.....if we have to eat to stay alive.....we might as well enjoy it each bite along the way......so what should I fix for brunch...hmmmm

eggs....one of my favorite things....

I love breakfast...not so much the fixing of it....but the eating of it is mighty fine.....yes it is..... And the time of day does not matter....breakfast for breakfast....breakfast for lunch....breakfast for dinner....it is all good..... Usually I grab a breakfast bar on the way to work....or eat a little yogurt.....that is about all the time I have..... But I'm off today and I can work my way leisurely into the day....and I was thinking about eggs.....poached eggs to be precise.....but not poached in water.....how boring is that.....eggs poached in salsa.....with a couple of flour tortillas to catch any remaining bits on the plate....oh it is a wonderful thing. Now I have been making this recipe for years...and years....and I still love it every bit as much today as the first time I made it. I honestly don't remember where I first came across the idea of poaching the eggs in salsa... I think it was a fat saving device since the eggs did not need any kind of fat to cook in. Here is the basic idea....take two heat proof cups....pour a little salsa into the bottom of each (maybe two tablespoons each). Crack an egg into each cup...prick the egg...stick it into the microwave for about 2 or 2 1/2 minutes....at about half power....the time is the only tricky part....full power will turn the eggs into golf balls....and you want them a tiny bit soft in the center....at least that is the way I like them...but you want the egg white to be fully cooked. After the eggs cook, I turn them out onto my plate and chop them all up.....so I can use my tortillas as a scoop....if I please..... And that was my breakfast this morning.....and it was so good..... I could actually do it again for lunch....but I am eating Vietnamese for lunch.....I'm thinking curry....and it will be really good......

what a day....

Yesterday was "one of those days"....it started out so innocently ....until my sister and I arrived at work and realized that my lap top was not in it's usual place because it had been misbehaving and the IT guys were going to look at it...and we were supposed to pick it up on our way to work that morning.....and now we were 45 minutes away....where I needed the lap top to work....hmmm.... My mom graciously agreed to pick up the lap top and meet my sister half way... So off they each went.....from opposite directions and the lap top was transferred .....and the work day commenced....yep....but the problem that was supposed to be fixed....well....it still exists.....computers....can't live with them....can't live without them..... fortunately this is a small problem.....I can work around it..... Lunch time came and went.....back to work..... We remember to get our afternoon walk in.....(it had been awhile....we have good intentions but the day gets busy and before you know it....time to go home)...then it was time to head back.... My husband calls and suggests eating Mexican.....always a good thing.....so we head to our local beloved establishment....live music....good times....and food falling on me....yep...managed to go all day without spilling anything down my front....and then food falls from above....it really does....really really need to get another one of those stain pens....yep .....I really do......so bedtime rolls around....and I lay there .....wide awake for two hours.....decide to get up and finish reading a book.....then back to bed again.....woke up at the usual time....hmmm.....feeling a little tired today....maybe I need an extra dose of caffeine.....might be a good thing.......

the world of technology...

Now let 's just start out by saying that technology and I are just learning to be friends..... we are becoming friends through repetition....the more I repeat what I just experienced....the better the possiblity that I will remember how to do it the next time around....maybe.....hopefully......It is getting better. My daughter, husband and sister are my teachers....and they are patient folk... Last night my husband surprised with a flash drive so I will not lose any photos and music that I have saved on my computer... If the computer crashes....they do that sometimes you know.......the photos would be irreplaceable....the music would mean another trip to our local used book/cd store....doable.....but really don't want to ...... So.. this little sucker holds 4gb..... After my husband showed me the general process, I proceeded to download my music first.....it took up about 1/4th of the drive...not too bad.....then I started on my photo folders....hmmm.....10 minutes for the first folder..... two minutes for another....then I hit the big one.....it said 110 minutes to download......hmmm ....not sitting in front of the computer and watching the progress bar for that one.......what to do....what to do....oh yeah.....I can watch the last episode on the current disc from Netflix.... I'm partway through the "Tudor's" Season 2 ......more beheadings.....drama and court intrigue......yep....that works..... Fortunately that was the folder that took the longest to download and after watching that last episode it was ready for the next folder.....the timing was perfect..... So everything is on my little flash drive....except for the pictures that the Kodak site grabs every time I download from my camera.....but this flash drive is now full....so on to the next.....but I kinda ...mostly... know how to do it this time....really.....ummm...maybe.....

summer smiles....

Awww summertime.... I love summer.....love to soak up the sun.....and enjoy the fruits of my husband's labor.....like the tomatoes and peppers that are currently residing around our pool.....We also have a few strawberries....enough to check each day and see if something is ripe....and pop it in your mouth....for that quick burst of tart flavor....life is good in the summertime.... We were invited to a friend's house for leftover BBQ last night. This gentleman has a commercial kitchen in his back yard....and while he does not enjoy it like he used too....(I think he is tired.....and ready to pass that mantle on to someone else....like my daughter's husband and my husband) .....he still cooks as if 20 or more people will be there for dinner... He is in his 70's and there are very distinct roles for men and women in his world.... He is also retired military...they tend to be very opinionated...oh yes they do.....but it is always interesting to listen to his stories of the different countries he was posted in and the food he ate....because that is the the common bond between us....food....we always talk food....what we are cooking....what we are eating.....what we want to cook.....it is all good..... and entertaining..... People expect him to cook for them....they call him up all the time and ask what he is cooking for dinner......and while he is flattered by the attention....he is also tired of it..... He and his wife enjoy coming to our house for dinner....we are probably the only ones, outside of his children, who ever invite them over for dinner....it is restful for them to come to our house and eat food that they have not had to prepare....and it is a pleasure to cook for them.....and in the summer time .....it is all about small pleasures like that....good food and family and friends to enjoy it with....

life in my world...

I live in a small world...by my own choice.... My family and friends sustain me....I really don't need much else...except to talk about food....yep.....I love food..... It is a good thing that it is necessary for life....and that it tastes good.....and that there is enjoyment in creating it....because all of those things are part of the food experience.....in my world..... I really believe that you either have a natural desire to create and eat food or it is almost a burden......necessary to continue whatever drives you......well I admit that reading and food drive me.....welcome to my world.... I really don't talk about what I read because the kind of stories I read are my escape....and what is an escape for me will not necessarily work in the same way for someone else....I have a lot of books....and I read everyday.... But food....ah....we can talk about food.....I love to create something that appeals to the visual as well as the taste buds....both are important.... I love to create out of my refrigerator.....out of leftovers or whatever I normally stock in my pantry. I usually do not go to the grocery store and buy things for a specific recipe....I create from what is on hand.....and I would much rather cook for a small group of people....could be just my husband and myself....or a small group of six or seven people....much bigger than that and the pleasure is gone.....So there you have it....a small glimpse into my world....and what did I make recently that brought me pleasure....banana ice cream with toffee chips....yummm...it was really good....and easy....