Weekend Plans

Hey Humble Readers...

Have I ever told you about the month of May in our family?  With my side and my Beloved's, we have a total of 10 birthdays and 2 anniversaries.  Three of the birthdays are today, and another is tomorrow.  And several of these birthdays are milestones as well. 

This weekend we are celebrating my SIL's 50th and my MIL's 75th.  Thankfully, this family gathering is just a short jaunt south, and is relatively low-key.  Most of the family is camping at a small campground (we will go out Saturday morning and come home to sleep, then go back on Sunday).  Thankfully, the forecast is calling for only a small amount of rain over the next few days. 

Today of course, has been a day of preparation.  I've done my grocery shopping, made a big batch of potato salad and made a dozen devilled eggs, made sandwiches for our lunch tomorrow.  I'm trying to plan for my own snacking, while still having a few fun 'camping' treats for the wee-lings and my Beloved.  I've put together a small smores kit, and have sliced apples and carrots ready to go into the cooler tomorrow.  I am purposely not going to buy any wine coolers or beer, as I usually would for a weekend like this, because I know that will just undo all the work I've done this week.  It will be hard enough to get my water in while we're out there, I don't need to add completely useless calories and sugar into the mix. 

The car is mostly loaded now, except for the cooler.  It's ridiculous how much stuff we need to haul just for a day out of the house.  Laundry is done.  My kitchen is clean... ish.  It's been a long day, and I'm pooped.  Tomorrow morning brings a blood donation (hopefully, if my iron is good) and then we hit the road.  For now, I'm going to zone out in front of the tv a bit before going to bed. 

100 Day Challenge - Day 5

Starting Weight - 309lb (heaviest was 318lb in the fall of 2009, lowest was 234lb last October)
Weight at Beginning of Challenge - 267
Current Weight - 260.6
Total Weight Lost During Challenge - 6.4 lb

Exercise

• Walked (with poles) 5km
• arms & abs (10 min)
• stretching (5 min)
• grocery shopping
• total number of steps - 10500

Water

•  6 glasses water (4 litres)

Food

• Breakfast: Breakfast sandwich (skinny multigrain bagel, cheddar, egg, ham, sriracha)
• Lunch: Shredded chicken, sliced tomato, cottage cheese
• Dinner: Ranch Chicken Club Sandwiches (bacon, lettuce, ranch sauce Italian bun), Salad (lettuce, kale, tomato, cuke, BBQ dressing)
• Snacks: 1 devilled egg

Sunday Night Chit Chat: Happy Hobbit Day!!

Hey Humble Readers...

Happy Hobbit Day everyone!  Today is my hairy-toed cousins' (several times removed, of course) birthday!  I should have planned a bit of a celebration, but you know what?  I kind of forgot *gasp* until just a little while ago. 

I was in a great mood all day, even with Pippin having a major meltdown at church this morning, until about an hour ago.  Then I had to use power tools.  That involved a lot of foul language, an injured finger, and a few ugly scratches on my newly painted bathroom walls.  But at least the new mirror is finally up, as are the towel hooks.  Whew!

Just realized that Pip was wearing the WRONG colours!
He's wearing Lions orange.  Bah!
Gotta find that kid something in Rider green. 

Today was a football day for the residents of this little hobbit hole.  Ginny was particularly excited because she got to wear her own "jersey shirt" this afternoon.  She's had it for a while but it was way too big last year, and way too warm to wear it until now.  Sadly, the Riders lost it in the last 30 seconds of the game (personally, I think they came to the game too late).  But Ginny was having a blast cheering for "da green guys".  At least she was most of the time.  Sometimes she would cheer for the wrong team, but she thought that was terribly funny. 

She told Daddy that she wants to be a
football player.  Too cute!

Tomorrow's post will be the second half of my interview with actor, director, author, and my friend, JR Vikse.  I heard a rumour that there might even be another give away... You better stop by to check it out.  :)

On to this week's chit chat.  Here's what I'm...

Reading - I'm about a third of the way into The Cuckoo's Calling.  Mystery isn't usually my taste, but I'm liking this one, and no, not just because JK Rowling wrote it.  The main character is intriguing, and I'm liking the grittiness of it.  Who knows, there might be more mysteries in my future. 

Watching - A Mike Holmes show.  Not sure which one, he has a bunch on HGTV.  But I love him, and what he does to make things right for people who have been screwed over by unethical contractors. 

Listening To - My Beloved, making his lunch for tomorrow.

Cooking/Baking - Tonight was a roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and broccoli.  Pretty tame.  Tomorrow is Chicken Pesto Pizza and salad.  I'm also making a big pot of vegetable soup (for my lunches next week) and I'm thinking I'm going to try altering my favourite pumpkin bread recipe into something a bit lower carb.  I've been craving pumpkin bread.

Happy I Accomplished This Week - All my cooking.  The pesto, the tomato sauce, the plum jam.  I managed to get the hobbit-hole cleaned, and I remembered to go to the eyewear place to get them to fix my frames (yes, I had a screw loose). 

Looking Forward To Next Week - Hopefully seeing some movement on the scale.  Donating blood.  Trying a couple of new recipes.

Thankful For - Awesome sales (see the Bonus Question), children who fall asleep before the bedtime story is over, free movie rental from our cable company that allowed us to see "Silver Linings Playbook" (GREAT movie). 

***Bonus Question*** Have you started thinking about Christmas? Shopping yet? Planning anything??  Of course I have!  I started really thinking about it last month, and started my planning right after our little mini-vacation.  I have I have a few gifts already, including my Beloved's main gift.  I went out today, just planning on pricing out a few options, and ended up finding a smoking good price on what I was looking for.  Seriously, I saved more than 50% on it (sorry I can't tell you all what it is, but my Beloved reads this from time to time, and I don't want him to find out).  I was stoked.  I also got a few ideas for the wee-lings, and decided that some of the ideas I thought we would go with just wouldn't work.  I start early so that I can watch for good sales, and to spread out the shopping so that it's not as big a hit on our budget.  I actually have much more to say about how I plan for the holidays, but I think I'll do a whole separate post for that later in the week. 

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This was posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat.  Pop over and check out what the others are chatting about this week. 

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Glorious Autumn!

Hey Humble Readers...

Have I ever told you all how much I love the fall?  It has always felt like a time of new beginnings, a chance to start over, for setting goals and planning ahead.  I love it.  It has cooled off tremendously in the Shire, and it is much more comfortable in the hobbit-hole.  We have had frost warnings the past few nights, so I'm very thankful that I got my basil and thyme harvested. 

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As I write this, the most intoxicating aroma of tomatoes, basil, and garlic is wafting through the hobbit-hole.  A big batch of my oven roasted marinara is gently bubbling away in the slow cooker.  It's so nice to be able to use fresh, local ingredients in this recipe.  The tomatoes come from just a bit down south of us, the onions from a local Hutterite colony, the garlic is from a local grower, and the basil is mine.  Woohoo.  I really should have started making tomato sauce much earlier in the summer, to take advantage of the tomatoes at the farmers market. 

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It's happened, Humble Readers.  Pippin has hit the "I can take off my diaper" stage.  Three times yesterday.  Thankfully, I caught him each time just after, so the mess was minimized.  Of course, he thinks it's hilarious.

This situation does reiterate something that I've noticed and mentioned before.  He's hitting milestones about four to six months behind when Ginny did.  I'm really trying hard not to be too concerned about this, and I know I was worried about Ginny's lack of vocabulary, but this seems different.  Pippin is 16 months old and hasn't spoken a word.  He makes noises, but nothing that seems intentional, except occasional car noises when he's playing with his cars.  The family anecdote is that my Beloved didn't speak until he was almost five.  Forty years ago, there wasn't much known about Aspergers and we both recognize now that he is somewhere on that spectrum (his tics, obsessive nature about certain things, his difficulty with some social cues).  When do I stop just being concerned about Pip, and actually start actively seeking intervention?  He has a well-baby check up coming up in a couple of months.  Do I wait until then?  Am I being ridiculous?

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I had a pretty major "Yippee!" moment yesterday.  The two plus-size clothing stores here in town both have points cards, and of course I am a member.  One of the perks is getting a special coupon to use in the month of your birthday.  I went shopping last night, and had a couple of truly awesome moments.  First, I needed some new yoga pants.  The ones I wear for walks are capri length and with it getting much cooler over night, it's getting a bit too chilly to wear them.  I also knew that the pair I have now are a bit too big.  So, for kicks, I tried on a pair two sizes smaller AND THEY FIT!  They are an X.  Not 1X, not 2X... just an X.  Yay!  I also tried on, just for curiosity's sake, a pair of size 18 jeans.  AND THEY FIT TOO!  (I confess, I did try a size 16, and that was absolutely a no go.)  Jeans weren't on the shopping list (waiting until Boxing Week sales), just yoga pants and a couple of long sleeved t-shirts (down to a 2X from a 3X last spring), but with the coupons I saved a bunch and came of there smiling.  Also of note, I FINALLY busted through the 70lb wall.  I'm down about 71.5 and hopefully things continue.  After the splurges around my birthday, I need to get back on track. 

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Does anyone know if there is a connection between teething and eczema?  Pip's eczema has flared up again (I had hoped we were getting it under control) and the only thing I can think of is that he's been teething pretty hard the last couple of weeks with his canines. 

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The second part of my interview with author JR Vikse is coming up in a few days.  I hope you'll come back and check it out! 

Productive Day

Hey Humble Readers...

Considering how I felt when I woke up this morning (the crud has developed into a cough), I'm actually very proud of how much I've accomplished today. 

I made plum jam.  My first time making jam since cooking class in junior high school.  Most of it is going into the freezer, to be used throughout  the winter.  I'm happy with how it turned out.  I'm actually feeling confident enough to attempt making my own marmalade.  In a few weeks, maybe after Thanksgiving (first weekend in October for those of us north of the 49th parallel). 

All my beautiful basil

I also harvested my basil.  Can I just say how proud I am of myself for keeping two basil plants alive and thriving throughout the summer?  Me, the hobbit with the black thumb.  I'm thrilled.  I paid $8 for the plants, and given that a little bunch of fresh basil at the store costs $4, I was already ahead just with what I used fresh through the summer months.  I made a total of three cups of pesto sauce (recipe below), dried enough to fill a medium Ziploc bag, and have several branches in a jar with water to be used when I make my marinara later this week (and to be used over the next week or two). 

I figure I spent $8 for the plants.  I used probably $30 worth over the summer.  A cup of pesto at the grocery store costs about $4, multiplied by three is $12.  Dried basil in the amount that I have now is probably worth about $3.  Plus another $15 worth in fresh that is making a nice bouquet on my kitchen table right now.  So that's $8 spent, and $60 worth of product.  Not a bad return on investment.  If I could actually make growing from seeds work for me, I would be able to save even more. 

Dried basil, done in the oven (200F, on convection setting)
for an hour

I also harvested my thyme.  I have it tied in bundles and hanging to dry in the storage room.   

I think I have enough pesto to do me until February or March.  Jam will probably last until Christmas, as will the thyme.  The dried basil will last me until the end of November.  No where near the end of winter of course, but still I'm proud of my work today. 

Before washing

Marinara will be in process tomorrow or Thursday. 

Now I need to stop procrastinating on cleaning the hobbit-hole.  The only cleaning I did today was a load of towels (which still need to go into the dryer). 

Here's the pesto recipe.  It's pretty basic.  I use almonds instead of the traditional pine nuts simply for cost.  Pine nuts are three times the price of almonds. 

I cheated a little and bought the peeled garlic, lemon juice, and
shredded parm. 

Basil Pesto

4 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

In your food processor, combine the basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, the almonds, and the garlic.  I finely chop or grate the garlic, because I don't like biting into big chunks of raw garlic.  Process on low for a about half a minute, until a thick paste forms.  Add the salt and pepper, lemon juice, and the parmesan.  Run the food processor for another half a minute or so, while drizzling in the remaining olive oil.  Taste the pesto and adjust seasonings if needed. 

The finished product

You can either use this right away or freeze it.  I put it into medium sized Ziploc bags, and laid them flat on a baking sheet and stuck them in the freezer.  I pressed dents into the full bags, so that when I want to take some out, I can easily snap off a third (about 1/2 a cup) of what's in each bag.  That's usually enough for some pasta or a pizza or whatever. 

Let me know if you make it, and how it turns out. 

Ok, now I REALLY need to go start making supper. 

Sunday Night Chit Chat: Quiet Weekend

Howdy Humble Readers...

Happy Sunday night.  I hope that you all had a good weekend.  Mine has been ok.  Nothing big happening except for a huge dump of snow.  I'm sure winter is never ever going to end.  February and March are always the hardest. 

Ewan MacGregor was great in this movie!
So were Stanley Tucci and Bill Nighy!

Friday night I went out for coffee and to a movie with a couple of friends.  It was nice to get out with the girls.  We saw "Jack the Giant Slayer" and I have to say it was fabulous!  I was expecting a bit of cheesiness and over used special effects, and while there was a bit, it was a great adaptation of the old fairy tale.  I especially adored the little twist at the very end.  I was actually applauding in the theater. 

Sadly, staying out way too late (ended up not getting home until around 1am) set me up for a rough couple of days.  I had difficulties getting and staying asleep, and Saturday morning brought our eye exams (more on that later), so I was a bit of a slug.  And trying to do an eye exam when you're super tired is a challenge.  I spent the rest of the day nursing a headache and dozing.  I even copped out and ordered pizza for dinner

AF decided to make her presence known this morning, so Pip and I stayed home from church.  Ginny went to Sunday school for the first time and apparently she did really well.  Well enough to be invited back again next week, even though she's too young for the youngest class.  This afternoon the cramps eased enough for me to get a bit of work done around the hobbit hole.

So, nothing big, nothing extraordinary.  Pretty dull actually.

Anyway, on to the chit-chat.  Here's what I'm...

Reading - Still reading The Book Thief.  It's been a not-so-great week for reading for me.  I'm really enjoying the book, I like the narrator's voice throughout, and his interjections into the story. 

Watching - Once Upon A Time.  The actress who plays Mrs. Pattmore from Downton is in it tonight. 

Listening to - Not really watching, but listening to an old episode of Criminal Minds.  Other than that, the house is quiet.  Wee-lings are in bed, and my Beloved is out running a couple of errands.

Baking/Cooking - Tonight's dinner was yummy, although not what I had originally planned.  Because we had pizza last night, I ended up making last night's scheduled dinner tonight.  Hunter Schnitzel with a mushroom peppercorn sauce, German potato salad, and green beans.  Yummy! 

Happy you accomplished this week - Our eye exams.  It was educational, how the doc checked the wee-lings.  Ginny had one of her rare super shy moments, and didn't want to talk, so that made things challenging.  He had her name some figures that he showed her on a card and once she had said them once, there was no getting her to say them again when he adjusted the distance.  Pippin's exam was actually a bit easier.  I held him on my lap and the doc just had him follow a little puppy figurine around, and then did a "peek a boo" exam.  Both wee-lings eyes are looking very healthy, and right where they should be in terms of development (and Ginny doesn't have a lazy eye, even though my Aunt J was adamant that she did.  Pthbt!)  My Beloved's prescription has changed dramatically, so we'll be prioritizing his new glasses.  Mine has only changed a bit, and the doctor said that the issues I've been having with fine print and eye strain/fatigue are likely still carry-over from the GD.  It should level out in the next few months. 

Looking forward to next week - Not sure.  It's shaping up to be a quiet week.  Hoping to stay on top of my spring cleaning list.   Thankful for today - That the cold I felt coming on the other day seems to have been nothing.  That spring will come... eventually.

Bonus Question:  Have you ever left the house in your pjs?  Not in recent years.  When I was living on my own, I sometimes would go out in my pjs at night and hit a drive thru for dinner or a snack.  But I would never get out of the car.  I've just never been one to let strangers see me in my jammies. 
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This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat.  Click over and check out what others are chatting about tonight. 

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Winter Doldrums

Happy Valentine's Day Humble Readers...

Well, it's happened again.  Nary a word from me since Sunday night... what's going on here?  I have a dozen blog posts rattling around in my head, but they just don't seem to want to exit through the ends of my fingers. 

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The snow in the Shire is slowly melting.  We've had snow on the ground since before Halloween, so I'm not at all sad to see it go.  That's not to say that the weather has been nice, far from it.  Yes we've had sunny skies, but we have constantly been rocked by wind all week.  I love the effects of a Chinook wind, but I'm not a fan of the wind itself. 

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I broke down and watched the season finale of Downton Abbey the other day.  I'm not going to give anything away, I promise, but I do have to say I'm pissed.  Seriously, the whole evening after I watched it I was MAD.  It's going to be a long wait until next January for season 4.

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Weight-loss update: I'm plateaued again.  I'm down 24.5 pounds, which is awesome.  But I'm stuck again.  I'm a little bit concerned because I inevitably gain weight when we go to K-town.  Mostly because of all the wine we consume when my mom, sister and I are together.

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I'm happy with how my super-fake King Cakes turned out for Mardi Gras.  I'm not much of a baker, so the real deal was rather out of reach for me to attempt, but I wanted to have a special "zert" as Ginny called it.  So, this is what I made...

Pretty simple really.  Crescent rolls (in a tube), filled with a bit of nu.tella, then topped with a simple glaze and sprinkles in the colors of Mardi Gras... purple, gold, and green. 

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So, it's Valentine's Day.  A pretty important day in the hobbit hole.  Today is the 7th anniversary of when my Beloved and I were matched on eHarm.ony.  I always try to do something special for dinner, and when it's in the budget we do try to go out at some point around V-day.  This year's special dinner is New York strip steaks, double-stuffed twice-baked taters, oven roasted asparagus, sautéed mushrooms and onions, and cheesecake for dessert.  Things are well in process at this point, and I'm planning on leaving some time between when Ginny gets up from her nap and when my Beloved comes home to have Ginny make a card for her daddy. 

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I'm hoping to squeeze some time in tomorrow for Pippin's 9 month post.  I'm already a few days late, and I want to get it out there.  How is it that he's been on the outside for as long as he was on the inside already???  When Ginny was this age, Pippin was conceived.  Wow.

Sunday Night Chit Chat:

Howdy Humble Readers!

Happy Sunday!

Things here in the hobbit-hole have been a little bit busy this weekend, partially because I had a completely unmotivated Friday.  Blood donor clinic, grocery shopping (which I despise doing on a Saturday afternoon... but I can't blame anyone but myself for that), and the hairdresser for me yesterday.  Walmart and Toy's R Us (for a replacement on a Christmas gift) for my Beloved today.  Church for all of us this morning, too. 

All dressed up for church.

Pip, caught napping!

Reading - The Changeling by Philippa Gregory.  Only just started it late last night, but I think I'm going to like it.  It's Gregory's first foray into young adult fiction.  It's set in fifteenth century Italy, and so far I've just met the two main characters.  I'm anticipating much intrigue and drama. Finished my re-read of Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts last night... stayed up much too late reading. 
 

Watching - A documentary on one of the Queen's palaces (Holyroodhouse), and later Downton Abbey.  I adore Sunday nights!




Listening to - My Beloved doing the dishes.  All else is peaceful.  Pippin's sleep issues seem like a thing of the past.  (**knocking on wood**)








Baking/Cooking - Tonight was typical Sunday fare... a pork roast, mashed taters, veg, and yorkies.  I'm excited to try making Toad In The Hole next week. 



Happy you accomplished this week - Quite a few things actually.  I was able to give blood!  Hooray!  My iron was nice and high, and I had no issues at the clinic.  I got a haircut yesterday, my first since last April.  Basically the same style, just three inches shorter.  I placed an order for Ginny's winter coat and snowpants for next year (an awesome sale online at Please Mum.  Paid $38 total for both... regular price was well over $100).  And I did a fun craft project that, when framed, will be my mom's Christmas gift this year.  I will post a picture of it later in the week. 

Looking forward to next week - Making optometrist appointments for all four of us.  My Beloved hasn't been for an eye exam since I've known him, I need a new rx, and the wee-lings need to have their first exams. 

Thankful for today - My church family.  A wee little man who seems to be his happy, well-rested, well-fed (have I mentioned that he'd been uninterested in solid food during the sleep issues?).

*BONUS QUESTION* What chore around the house do you dread doing the most?  While I don't enjoy cleaning the bathroom, I have to say that laundry is my least favourite chore.  Which is a large part of why my Beloved does most of it.  It just drives me crazy that it's never ever completely done.

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This was posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat.  Click over and check out what others are chatting about tonight.

Sunday Night Chit Chat

Hey Humble Readers!

mega blocks as teething toys

I hope that your weekend was great, busy if you needed it to be and quiet if that's just what the doctor ordered.  Things around the hobbit-hole have been fairly mellow, with Ginny slowly returning to her normal happy almost-two-ness (albeit still covered in spots) and my Beloved recovering quite nicely from his little 'procedure'. 

Our only outing this weekend was to church this morning, and it was nice to connect with people I haven't seen since this crud landed on our house almost three weeks ago. 

Beloved's week off was great.  We got a few important things done around the hobbit-hole, and got to spend some time just enjoying being together at home.  We got through all the Lord of the Rings movies, and he actually enjoyed them.  Of course, I was sitting there blubbering like a baby at the end, like I always do, and he was just laughing at me.  I still can't believe that we've been together for more than 6 years and he had never seen them!

On to the chit-chat

What are you....

Reading - Still reading the Hobbit.  Just haven't had much reading time this week, and my usual, before sleep reading has been very abbreviated (as in, just a couple of pages a night).  I have so many other books on my to read list, I need to make more progress!

Watching - Maybe the new Ken Burns movie "Dust Bowl", or I may just go to bed early tonight.

Listening to - my Beloved doing the dishes and Pippin grunting as he tries to get up on all fours. 

Cooking/Baking - Tonight's dinner was Parsley Stuffed Chicken, baby taters, and green beans.  The chicken was done in a dutch oven on top of the stove, with just salt, pepper, and butter and stuffed with an onion and a bunch of parsley.  Tasted great and was super simple. 

Happy you accomplished this week?  Did a super deep clean on the hobbit-hole, rearranged the nursery so that Ginny can't climb into Pip's crib from hers, rearranged a few things in the kitchen, watched the LOtR movies, and made some serious progress on my Christmas list.  Only a couple more things for my Beloved and then some hand-made things I need to get done. 

Looking forward to next week - Crafting with the girls on Tuesday, tackling a few more around the house projects, GINNY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Thankful for today?  My family... the fact that we have two beautiful wee-lings.  There were so many days when I thought this wouldn't be a reality. 

You're handed a round trip plane ticket to anywhere in the world for a weekend and $1000 cash. The catch? You have to go alone, right then & there with only whatever you have on hand. Do you go? Where would you go?  Hmmmmmm, that's a tough one!  Ultimately, I think I'd go.  Now where?  maybe it wouldn't be the other side of the planet, but I would pick somewhere where a lot of my bloggy buddies are close to, and set about meeting them. 

One last thing... my Beloved has an interview for a great job tomorrow (substantial salary increase, great benefits, and job security with room for advancement... talk about awesome if he gets it!).  If you think about it, could you send prayers/positive vibes/good thoughts his way?  We would appreciate it.  :)

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This was posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat blog hop.  Click over and check out what everyone else is chatting about tonight!

Foodie Fridays: Comfort Food (& A Quandary)

Hey Humble Readers...

Today's recipe is brought to you in honour of my Beloved, and his need for some TLC today.  My brave Beloved went for his vasectomy today, and was feeling a tad... well... less than his best.  The procedure went well, and with the prescribed pain killers and an ice pack, he'll be back to his happy self in a few days. 

So, he was in need of some comfort food. 

This recipe is fairly easy, and makes use of one of the best values in the grocery store... the rotisserie chicken.  Think about it... a rotisserie chicken costs around $8 (here on the frozen flatland) and a tray of three boneless skinless chicken breasts costs around $10.  I use the dark meat pieces for this recipe and then save the breast pieces for chicken salad or chicken fried rice later in the week. 

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms

10-12 cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
1 med onion, diced
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 sherry or dry white wine (optional)
2 tbsp flour
1 box chicken stock
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried chives
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas

In a large heavy pot, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Add olive oil.  Add quartered mushrooms, and saute until lightly caramelized.  Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms from pot and set aside.



Please disregard the stained pot.  I made coffee-braised
roast beef one too many times in that pot, and it's stained
the enamel

Melt remaining butter in pot and add the diced onion.  Saute until just softened.  Deglaze the pan with sherry or wine (if desired), making sure to scrape up the brown bits.  Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir into onions and butter until it resembles wet sand.  Slowly begin to add chicken stock, while stirring.  Add milk, starting with 1 1/2 cups (add more if soup gets too thick later) and bring to a slow boil (should thicken slightly).  Reduce heat to slow simmer.  Add in garlic, thyme, chives, rice, and chicken.  Stir frequently to ensure that rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.  Allow to simmer gently until rice is cooked.  Add in frozen peas. 

I served this with homemade buns.  Yummy!

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Ok... now onto the quandary.  And I'm really looking for input.

Ginny, has stopped eating.  Mostly.  My little girl, who loves food, and has always eaten really well, is refusing to eat.

You may recall that a couple of days ago she was congested and had a fever.  It has come and gone a couple of times over the last few days, but it has been easily controlled with tyl.en.ol and wearing lighter clothes. 

Ginny was a little bit pukey on Wednesday (less than 24 hours after the onset of the fever) and threw up a bit of her breakfast.  She ate well later that day... both lunch and dinner.  Then, on Thursday she started refusing to eat.  She ate a couple of spoonfulls of yoghurt at breakfast and that was it.  She refused to eat both lunch and dinner.  She also refused a snack of mandarin orange segments (which she usually looooooves).  Today, she ate applesauce for breakfast, but no cereal or yoghurt.  Lunch was only 4 little cubes of cheese and a few small pieces of ham.  She completely refused dinner (and she normally devours soup & buns). 

She's still drinking milk and water, so I'm not concerned about her getting dehydrated. 

There are several things that I'm thinking may be possible contributing factors. 

• She's just not feeling well.  She's been kind of up and down ever since that fever set in.  She'll be okay for a while, and then be very lethargic and just want cuddles.
• She may be teething.  She's not happy with having her teeth brushed and she actually bit me today when I tried to check her molars (they still haven't cut through).
• We started feeding Pip solid food this week.  Maybe she's jealous of the attention he's getting about eating?
• She's just trying to exert her independence?  Some sort of excercise in becoming self-aware? 

My Beloved and I are trying very hard not to make a big deal about it at the table, because we don't want this to trigger some sort of larger battle with food.  Our rule is, she can choose not to eat, but she will sit at the table with her bib on until everyone is done eating.  And she isn't allowed to play with her food.  If she's not going to eat it we will move her bowl/plate to the other side of the table where it is available should she change her mind. 

Do you think we are handling this right?  When should I get concerned?   I am, of course, going to keep offering her all her usual snacks and meals, and I've always bought into the accepted wisdom that if a child is hungry they will eat (and most children can miss a few meals without being negatively impacted). 

But the Mummy in me is struggling. 

Foodie Friday: A Work in Progress

Hey Humble Readers...

First up, thanks for all your suggestions on my last post.  I think I'm going to go for it, and hang on to the reciept just in case.  :)

And now I need some more input.

I used this recipe tonight for inspiration but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping it would be.  It was good, even worth repeating, but it needs some tweaking.  The author of the original claimed it tasted like the spice blend in KFC without all the deep fried badness. 

(And just take that comparison to KFC as a warning.  This is comfort food, not health food.  Tonight, I reeeeeeeeeally needed comfort food.)

I did tweak the spice blend a bit, because it did seem rather bland as written.  My issue wasn't with the flavour.  I'm happy with how that turned out.  I'm just trying to figure out how to get the crunch factor I was hoping for. 

Baked Fried Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs)
Milk (enough to cover the chicken pieces)
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp grill seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F.  Soak the chicken in milk for 20-30 minutes.  In a large ziploc bag, combine flour and spices.  Melt butter in a 9x13 baking dish in the oven.  Spread the melted butter over the whole pan.  Toss chicken pieces in the flour and spice mixture to thoroughly coat.  Place chicken pieces in pan and return to oven.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Flip the chicken breasts and bake for another 20 minutes.  I then put them under the broiler for 5 minutes to darken/crisp up the coating.

I served them with mashed potatoes, corn, and a simple pan gravy. 

How could I have made them crunchier?  Maybe add some cornmeal to the flour mix?  Or panko?  Any thoughts? 

Monday Snapshot: A Busy Day

Howdy Humble Readers...

Whew... it feels like it's been crazy morning already.  I'm pooped. 

The wee-lings' laundry has been folded and put away.  There's another load in the washer that I have to deal with. 

Everyone's dressed, beds are made and the diswasher is empty.  Breakfast and a snack have been consumed, and lunch is in process.

Pippin has been is major teething pain today.  Seriously, even with a solid dose of ty.len.ol he was still in sooo much pain, poor wee man.  He seem's to be mellow at the moment, which is a blessing. 

But the big task on today's list is well under way and I'm thankful that the hard part of it is over.  I peeled and chopped 50+ apples this morning to make applesauce.  Ginny was fascinated with how the apples floated in the sink full of water.  I had enough apples to fill my slow cooker and another large pot on the stove.  She also managed to munch down almost a whole apple, stolen from the pile of apples I had chopped.  As an added bonus, the hobbit hole smells divine!

Apples peeled and chopped, two cinnamon sticks and two
strips of lemon peel in a slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours,
stirring occassionally.

It goes a little quicker on the stove, but you need to add a bit
of water, and stir it often.

This should be enough to make enough applesauce in the freezer to get us through until the new year... I hope.  It's hard to say how much Pippin will like it, but Ginny adores having applesauce in the morning with her yoghurt and cereal. 

While Ginny naps later, I'm going to put our Christmas lights out on the balcony because it's rather nice out today (above freezing).  Then I'm hopefully going to give my kitchen a real deep cleaning.  After that it will be time to prep for dinner (Pork Souvlaki, Greek salad, and lemon roasted potatoes. YUM!).  And I'm hoping to get to the dollar store after dinner.

Man oh man... all this while I'm still feeling the effects of the crud.  No wonder I'm tired.  :)

*****
This was posted as a part of PAIL Bloggers' Monday Snapshot!  Click over and see what others are up to today.

Sunday Night Chit Chat: A Houseful of Sickies!

Hey Humble Readers...

So you may have (or probably not) noticed that I didn't get a Foodie Friday Post up this past week.  That's because Thursday afternoon the Crud landed in a big way on yours truly.  My Beloved had been suffering with it since last weekend, and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  A head cold accompanied by a doozy of a headache and fever.  Not fun.  But I am feeling moderately improved, and my Beloved is almost over his bout.  Now if we could just get past two teething wee-lings with diaper rash who are having difficulties with the time change...

Pip falling asleep sitting up.  He was fighting it so hard.

Reading - Sad to say, I'm still reading Casual Vacancy.  I'm enjoying it, honest I am.  I just haven't been able to get much reading done this past week.  *sigh*  I need to get my butt in gear, I need to be re-reading the Hobbit soon!

Watching - Nothing much right now.  Later, once the wee-lings are asleep it will be my usual Sunday night fare... Call the Midwife and Upstairs Downstairs. 

Listening to - Ginny whispering secrets to her Daddy.  It's toooo cute!

Cooking/Baking - Lemon Dill Roasted Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed veg (broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots), and yorkies.  It's Sunday!  Tomorrow I'm making up another big batch of applesauce in the slow cooker.  Ginny just flies through it, and with Pip starting solids soon we're just going to go through it faster.

Happy you accomplished this week - Sorted through most of Master Pippin's clothes.  He's completely outgrown his 3-6 month wardrobe.  There are a few holes to fill, but I think we're in pretty good shape right now.

Looking forward to next week - Re-establishing my daily to do lists.  I've gotten off track, but as of tomorrow morning, everything goes back to a routine.  It's the only way we'll get through the holidays.

Thankful for today - For the fact that my cold symptoms seem to be fading, for a warm chinook wind that's melting the snow, and for my Beloved who has let me be a whiny sack of snot for the last couple of days. 

What was your favourite show as a child? Tough one!  When I was really young Mr. Dress-up was the bomb!  When I got a little older (about 8 I think), I fell in love with Dr. Who... it was the doctor with the camel coloured coat, poofy hair, and the long scarf around his neck.  I remember it used to be on PBS and I would be very upset if I had to miss it (back in the days before VCRs, and decades before DVRs). 

*****
This was posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat.  Click on over and see what others are chatting about tonight!

Foodie Fridays: Comfort Food!

Hey Humble Readers!

I've been wanting to resurrect my Foodie Fridays for ages now, but through the summer and early fall, one thing and another has gotten in the way.  Well, no longer!  And today I'm bringing you a mash-up of two great comfort foods.  Meatloaf and a cheeseburger!

But first, I need to tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a wee hobbit who didn't like bacon.  The smell, the mess, the taste.  Nothing about bacon appealed to her.  She would avoid being home when bacon was being cooked.  She would get upset if someone mistakenly brought her a sandwich with bacon on it.  As she grew up, she grew to be able to accept bacon in certain foods.  In perogies?  Ok.  Crumbled on top of a loaded baked potato?  I guess so.  Fake-o bacon bits on a salad?  If I must.  But then, late in her 37th year, suddenly someone turned on the bacon switch in her brain.  All of a sudden, bacon didn't seem like such a bad thing.  The salty, crispy goodness began to call to her... mock her... laugh at her for all the years that she avoided contact.  She was still picky about it.  It must be good quality bacon.  It must be cooked crispy.  And it will likely never be eaten with breakfast.  But bacon had wormed its way into her heart, and there was no looking back.  And the not-so-wee hobbit and bacon lived happily ever after.

Why did I tell you this story?  Because THIS RECIPE WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER WITH BACON!  When I first made it, I didn't even consider adding bacon to it, but I'm telling you now... make it with bacon, top it with bacon.  Bacon, bacon, bacon!

Cheeseburger Meatloaft

1.5lb lean ground beef (or your ground meat of choice)
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1/3 cup ketchup, chili sauce, or steak sauce
1/4 cup mustard
1 egg
1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp grill seasoning (like Montreal steak spice)
1 1/2 cups diced dill pickles, divided
1-2 diced tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk (don't use skim)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 tbsp mustard

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, soup mix, ketchup, mustard, egg, bread crumbs, grill seasoning, and 1/2 cup of the diced dill pickles.  Get in there and use your hands (just remember to remove your rings).  Once the mix is thoroughly combined, form it into a loaf shape shape and place on a well greased baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer to ensure that you have gotten to at least 160 in the center.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.  While the meatloaf is baking, melt butter in a medium sized skillet.  Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour.  Allow the flour to cook out for a minute or two.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly as it thickens.  Once it's thickened, you can always add a touch more milk to thin it if needed.  Melt in cheese and stir in the mustard. 

Slice up the meatloaf (as best you can.  Somtimes it can be uncooperative like in the picture below) and top with cheese sauce, pickles and tomatoes.  Serve with mashed taters (with horseradish and sour cream if you're adventurous) and steamed veggies. 

If you try it, please let me know what you think.  Oh, and MAKE SURE TO TOP IT WITH SOME CRISPY BACON BITS!

Sunday Night Chit Chat

Howdy Humble Readers...

So it's Sunday again...  Another week has just flown by!  Of course, this past week has been dominated by kleenex, cough drops, and lots of extra fluids.  Still, we are on the mend! (the wee-lings are handling this cold with much better grace than I have)

Ginny looking very solemn,
showing off her new haircut

What are you:

Reading?
Gah!  After my big hyped-up talk last week about how I have my reading mojo back... this week has shown just how pathetic I am.  I am still reading Order of the Phoenix, only a couple hundred pages from where I was at this time last week.  I have got to get it in gear!

Watching?
Nothing this evening.  There is absolutely nothing on.  I thought that a couple of my shows were starting back up this week, but it turns out I'm a week ahead of things.  But that's okay.  It will give me time to hopefully finish up reading HP & OotP tonight.

Baking/Cooking?
Dinner tonight was the first of 3 new recipes for us this week.  Parmesan Pork Roast, served with the typical Sunday night extras... gravy, mashed taters, veggies, and yorkies.
PS - if you're ever curious about what's being served in the hobbit-hole, check out the menu over there on the right.  I have gotten a lot better about updating it every week lately. 

Happy you accomplished this week?
LOL... If I accomplished anything this week it certainly wasn't anything earth shattering.  Everyone was bathed, dressed, and fed.  That about covers it.

Looking forward to next week?
While it's not terribly grown up of me to admit it, I'm looking forward to my birthday.  I don't know what my Beloved has planned, if anything, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. 

Thankful for this week?
The fact that we are all, relatively speaking, healthy.  Yeah, I'm a wimp and can't stand being sick, but overall we are a healthy bunch.  My Beloved has had maybe one sick day since I've known him, and the wee-lings are healthy and happy. 

What website could you NOT go a day without checking in on?
I could state the obvious and say Blogger or Pinterest, but instead I'll give you...

My OB Said What? 

I started reading this site a couple of years ago, and now it's a habit.  It's a collection of all the stuff that doctors and nurses say to (primarily) pregnant women that is 100% assinine.  From the sublime (Thoughtful Thursdays are a glimpse into the sane in the medical profession) to the absolute ridiculous (one of today's contributions was said by an OB to a new dad repeatedly "Are you sure you're the father?").  Sometimes the comment section can get a bit heated, but all in all, I find it enlightening and entertaining, in a sick and twisted kind of way. 

Wanna know what Sunday Night Chit Chat is about?  Click over to Carla's corner of the blogosphere and see what other's are talking about tonight.

Things I Missed Talking About...

Howdy Humble Readers...

Well, that was a week of my life I'll never get back.  Jeez. 

It was just a doozy of a cold, and I guess I was due.  I haven't battled the Crud since my second trimester with Pippin (when I caught EVERY germ going around).  I'm feeling better for the most part, just a lingering cough (particularly at night), a gravelly voice and varying levels of plugged ears which are improving. 

I have been reading along with most of you this week, although I haven't made it to commenting.  I do apologize.  And there were so many blog posts I had planned, so many things I wanted to talk about this past week, like...

• Pippin's four month post.  I wanted to tell you all about how big he's getting (he's in size 3 diapers already!), about how much hair he's lost, and about how he's trying to sit up.  About how he's so fixated on sucking on his fingers that sometimes he can almost get his whole hand in his mouth.  About how he has this habit of not being able to fall asleep at night unless he fusses for 15 minutes first, like he's mad that he's tired and doesn't want to give in.  And about the beautiful way he laughs at his big sister (which I still haven't managed to get on video). 

• How hot is Michael Shanks?  Seriously.  For those of you who don't know him, he used to be in Stargate SG-1, and now he's in Saving Hope.  In SG-1, I thought he was kinda cute, but his character started out as such a dweeb that I never really appreciated him in a drool-worthy kind of way.  Now.... YUM!  Maybe it's the scenes with him in a tux or in doctors' scrubs. 
• Tuesday... 9/11, the fourth anniversary of when we lost Emily Hope (our first angel baby), and a year since we found out we were expecting Pip.  Whew... the emotions that day, on top of having a crummy cold, were pretty intense.
• A question for any of my Jewish friends (and it's probably super stupid)... why does it matter if laundry soap is kosher?  What makes the average laundry soap un-kosher?
• Have I ever told you all about my crazy annual craving for turkey?  Every year, usually in June, I start craving turkey.  I mean a full on turkey dinner.  Stuffing, sweet potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, the whole 9 yards.  It kind of makes sense.  The last time I would usually have had a turkey dinner was Christmas.  (And no, a turkey sandwich made with deli turkey won't do!)  But by June, it's too dang hot, and turkeys are too dang expensive, to think about cooking the full deal, so by mid-September I'm thinking about turkey on a daily basis.  Thankfully, Canadian thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away!  October 8th baby!
• Christmas prep... Blame it on my years in retail, but now that the autumn is here, I need to be thinking hard about the holidays.  There are sooooo many crafts that I want to do!  Damn Pinterest!  I currently have one idea for a gift for my Beloved (which is stellar, as he is notoriously hard to shop for) and I'm toying with a couple of ideas for Ginny.  Pippin won't need much, and I'm sure he'll be spoiled by Gramma and Mama. 
• I have not forgotten about Foodie Fridays... I've just really let them slide by the wayside.  I am seriously hoping to resurrect them this coming week.  I have a new recipe that I'm trying this week and if it turns out well then I'll be sharing it with you.  And if it doesn't, I'm going to plan a backup post.  I promise!

I think that's about it.  I'm hoping for a good night's sleep tonight, but it totally depends on the wee-lings.  Yup, that's right.  They both caught the Crud.  Pip was feverish all day yesterday, and both of them have been snarf-ly and grumpy.  Ginny woke up in the middle of the night last night crying because she was stuffed up.  **sigh**  We will survive this.  :)

Sunday Night Chit-Chat

Howdy Humble Readers...

 

Wow, what a week we've had around the hobbit hole.  Teething, tantrums, a rather large police action less than a block away (that we still don't know any real details about) that involved what sounded like three blasts from a seriously big-a$$ gun, and then finding out that a friend was hospitalized with a serious bout of stomach flu.  Crazy!

 

But now it's Sunday night and that means, Sunday Night Chit-Chat over at Carla's My 1/2 Dozen Daily. 

 

Sleepy boy... with a fixation on his fingers!

What are you:

 

Reading?

I'm about halfway through Order of the Phoenix, so a bit more than halfway through my annual Harry Potter reread.  And my 'to read' list just keeps growing!  I ordered my copy of A Casual Vacancy (Rowling) this week, and I've the advanced reader copy of the new Ken Follet mega-epic on my night stand.  Zoiks!

 

Watching?

Nothing at the moment, but I'm planning on watching a mini-marathon of Once Upon A Time this evening.  Gotta refresh my memory for the season opener coming up. 

 

Baking/Cooking?

Dinner tonight was a new favourite.  Super easy Chicken Verde over Salsa Rice with Black Bean Salad.  Just throw 3-4 frozen chicken breasts in your slow cooker with a jar of salsa verde (tomatillo salsa), a tablespoon of cumin, and a tablespoon of chili powder.  Cook on low for 6 hours or 3 hours on high.  About halfway through the cooking time, add in a can of black beans (rinsed & drained) and a cup of frozen corn kernels.  At the end of the cooking time, shred or break up the chicken breasts. Serve over rice (I cooked my rice in chicken stock and salsa) or quinoa.  Not all that pretty to look at, but very very yummy. 

 

Happy you accomplished this week?

Went through and reorganized Ginny & Pippin's closet and dressers, filled most of the holes in Ginny's fall/winter wardrobe at the consignment store, and took Ginny for a haircut.  My wee sweet girl now has bangs (and I will post a pic as soon as I get a good one).

 

Looking forward to next week?

Making some progress on my Christmas crafting projects.  I think I've decided on my hand-made gifts for this year, so combined with the projects that I really want to do... I've got to get my butt in gear. 

 

Thankful for this week?

The generosity of people from our church.  One lady gave us a belated baby gift for Pippin (a cute outfit that will fit him by Christmas) and another brought us a bookcase she's no longer using.  I'm going to see if I can find a tutorial on painting laminated furniture, so that I can paint it to match our living room furniture.  Any tips?

 

What is something you've been procrastinating on and really should just do it and get it over with already?

The baby books!  I am so far behind on Ginny's and I haven't even started Pippin's yet.  It's just so daunting.  I'm thankful that I have this blog as a record (at least monthly) of their happenings. 

Sunday Night Chit-Chat!

Howdy Humble Readers...

Well, it's been another debilitatingly hot weekend here on the flatland.  I keep thinking that we might be at the end of the really hot weather, and then it rolls around again.  And I know, come November, I'll be crying that it's too cold.  There's just no pleasing some people, is there?

I'm participating in Carla @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily's Sunday Night Chit-Chat again.  If you want to join in the fun, just click over (after you check out my randomness, of course!).

My daughter, the architect!

What are you...

Reading?  Making good progress through my annual re-read of the Harry Potter series.  Currently about a third of the way through Prioner of Azkaban

Watching?  Not really watching anything right now.  Tonight, however, we'll be doing a marathon of America's Got Talent, because we have four hours of it on the DVR from last week.

Listening to?  Ginny sucking the last few drops out of her water bottle.  It's 'alle-alle'!

Cooking/Baking?  Tonight is pretty basic... roast beef in the crock pot, taters, and veg.  BUT I'm really pleased with how last night's dinner turned out.  It was my first ever attempt at a panzanella salad.  Zucchini, yellow squash, roma tomatoes, orange tomatoes, homemade chunky croutons and a bit of italian salad dressing.  Cut veggies into chunks and roasted them under the broiler (would have been better on the grill, but our outdoor grill doesn't work) with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.  Chopped up half of a day old baguette, drizzled it with olive oil, and popped under the broiler to toast up.  When all done, toss together with a 1/4 cup of italian salad dressing.  I served it with grilled smokies (done on our counter top grill).  It was so good, and I have lots of ideas on how to improve it in the future. 

Panzanella Salad w/ Grilled Smokies
All the veggies came from local growers at our Farmer's Market!

Happy you accomplished this week?  I went shopping this afternoon and stocked up on supplies I think I'll need for Ginny's new adventure that begins tomorrow (see below).  And I also found my Beloved's birthday present FOR HALF THE PRICE I HAD INTENDED TO PAY!  I was able to get him a little something from the wee-lings, and a little something that I needed too (can't tell you what it is yet because my Beloved reads these posts)!  I love a good sale!

Looking forward to next week?  Starting tomorrow, Ginny starts potty training!  I know that 20.5 months is a little young, but she's showing lots of signs of being ready, so I want to give it a shot.  We'll try it for a few days, but if it doesn't seem to be registering, then we'll pack it away for another month or so and try again later.  I'm pretty excited about it.  :)

Thankful for today?  Having enough food in our freezer to get us through another couple of weeks before we have to go to Costco again.  And that we live in an area, even with it's short growing season, where there are many growers (including several Hutterite colonies) who grow great produce and sell it locally. 

*BONUS QUESTION?* As a famous athlete, you are offered a $500,000 endorsement to promote a product that you dislike and would NEVER use. Do you endorse it?  No.  I admit it would be tempting, but ultimately I would have to look my family in the face.  And if I lied about something like that, just for money, I wouldn't have any integrity left.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: This, That & The Other

Hey Humble Readers...

As promised, this here is a post that has absolutely nothing to do with mummy-hood, babies, breastfeeding, or sleep schedules.  Instead you're going to get a bunch of the randomness that's been going through my head over the last couple of weeks.

*****
I'm hoping to resurrect the Foodie Friday posts again sometime soon.  I haven't been doing a whole lot of scratch cooking lately, but I did make the most incredible pork roast last weekend.  Of course, I didn't think to take any pics of it, but it was beautiful and it tasted heavenly.  And it was super easy... salt & pepper a pork loin roast and roast in a hot oven (425F) for about a half hour.  Remove from oven, and lower oven temp to 350F.  Spread grainy dijon mustard over the whole roast.  Press a generous amount of brown sugar into mustard (all over) and return to oven, until a meat thermometer reads 165F (it took about an hour).  Baste with drippings often.  Don't forget to allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.  Drizzle with drippings when serving. 

*****
I have confessed here before that I watch way too much tv.  But I have to say, the thing that could cure me of the habit is this summer's line-up of trashy reality tv.  The commercials are actually making me kind of sick with all the pseudo-match-making shows and Gor.don Ram.say crap (and you all know I LOVE cooking shows... I just can't stand him!).  Why can't they just run re-runs?  The joys of having ultra limited cable.

*****
Am I the only person who is intrigued by Snow White & The Huntsman?  Or at least, I am until I remember that Kri.sten Ste.wart is playing the lead.  The trailer looks great, I'm just not sure that I could handle a couple hours of her acting.  I also really want to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Rock of Ages, The Dark Knight Rises, and the Odd Life of Timothy Green.  What's on your must see list for summer movies?

*****
I'm getting that urge to re-read Harry Potter again.  It's totally a summer thing.  As soon as the weather turns warm, I want to delve into the world of wizards and muggles.  It's kind of like the urge I get in the fall to read Tolkien.  I'm happy to say that I am experiencing a bit of an increase in my interest and ability to read again.  All through last fall and winter, I didn't have the focus to read more than a couple pages at a time.  I actually ordered a new book the other day, and I also finished reading a book written by a friend that I'm hoping to review for you all soon. 

*****
You know you're anal retentive when you spend a couple of hours reorganizing one of your pin boards on Pinterest.  I had a sort of catch-all board that had a lot of miscellaneous things in it that had gotten a little out of hand.  So last night, I went through the whole thing and made a couple of new boards.  I really am an addict.  Oh, and while I'm discussing Pinterest can I vent a serious pet peeve?  It drives me crazy when people pin pictures of food/recipes and just put "Yum" or "I must make this soon" in the comment section.  Dang it, tell me what it is!  LOL.

*****
Well, I'm fading here.  I'm going to try to catch a bit of a nap while it's quiet in the hobbit hole.  Do you have any fantastic plans for the weekend?  We're going to the farmer's market tomorrow, and I'm planning on doing the grocery shopping ALL BY MYSELF!  I'm super stoked to get an hour or so just to be out on my own.