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....