The easiest recipe in the world. I don't care how cooking-naive you think you are, you can make THIS.
Italian Beef
1 roast (I used sirloin this time, but chuck, arm and others do just as well) 3-5 pounds, not too fatty
2 packets Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix
1 can of beer (seriously, any kind.) or, if you don't do beer, water, stock, wine, soda....but beer gives it a certain flavor and tenderizes the meat nicely.
Dump the whole shebang into a crock pot and cook on Low all day while you are at work. When the roast falls apart, slap it on a bunch of your favorite sandwich rolls and maybe add a slice of pepperjack cheese to it, like I do. Don't forget napkins.
I've also known people to do this with chicken breast, and add a jar of pepperoncinis. I sometimes add a tablespoon or so of extra Italian Seasoning, for some extra ooomph.
Really, its three ingredients, and literally a "one-pot" meal. You can't go wrong.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree....
Normally, I say that my boy is his father's son. But this weekend, he sure was my little guy. This weekend was the annual Apple Festival at the local orchard. We go every year, drink fresh pressed cider, feed the goats, and attempt to get a pony ride in. For the first time this year, Ty not only WANTED to ride a pony, but he actually had a good time doing it instead of freaking out once he was in the saddle.
My little Punkin'.
This year, we also decided to take him apple picking. Why, I don't know, since we still have a ton of apples at home, but he was sure cute.
They have this great sign there that we try and take his picture with each year. We usually forget until its time to go, though, and then he's not really in the mood to pose for pictures any more. But yeah, that's my 3 1/2 year old. And yes, he's really that tall.
My little Punkin'.
This year, we also decided to take him apple picking. Why, I don't know, since we still have a ton of apples at home, but he was sure cute.
They have this great sign there that we try and take his picture with each year. We usually forget until its time to go, though, and then he's not really in the mood to pose for pictures any more. But yeah, that's my 3 1/2 year old. And yes, he's really that tall.
Cooking like fools
When Ginny and I get together, there is never any doubt that we'll spend a large chunk of time in the kitchen, and this weekend was no exception. She brought with her several ideas for food, and nearly a bushel of apples. So, we started with a batch of applesauce. Then we made two LARGE apple crisps (one of which my co-workers are enjoying as we speak). We broke out the garlic chive cheese I made (which turned out very lemony this time around, I might add),
and, courtesy of the farmers market, we made oxtail braised in soy and red wine, broccolini with red peppers (from my garden) and jus from the oxtail. Soooooo good! Also at the market, we picked up this gorgeous artisan cranberry orange goat cheese.
Sunday, we raided the garden. It was my intention to pull all the remaining basil from the garden this weekend and turn it into pesto. However, there was so MUCH basil, that we only got through about half of it. By the time we got done plucking leaves from the first batch, we decided that was enough for one day. We thought this was very picture-worthy.
It turned into this lovely pesto, of which we have quite a bit, but I still need to try and make another batch this weekend and use what's left in the garden.
and, courtesy of the farmers market, we made oxtail braised in soy and red wine, broccolini with red peppers (from my garden) and jus from the oxtail. Soooooo good! Also at the market, we picked up this gorgeous artisan cranberry orange goat cheese.
Sunday, we raided the garden. It was my intention to pull all the remaining basil from the garden this weekend and turn it into pesto. However, there was so MUCH basil, that we only got through about half of it. By the time we got done plucking leaves from the first batch, we decided that was enough for one day. We thought this was very picture-worthy.
It turned into this lovely pesto, of which we have quite a bit, but I still need to try and make another batch this weekend and use what's left in the garden.
Girl Time!
My girl Ginny came out to visit this weekend, and have some girl time. She arrived on Friday night and we spent most of the evening visiting, alternately playing with Little Man, since he was, once again, being punished for being a rotten little pissant at school that day.
Saturday, the little turd was up at 5:30am, but somehow even with the early start, we didn't get moving until much later. We had big plans for the day.
As I'm sure you've divined, I am a big foodie. Well, so is Gin. There was a St Louis restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, on the Food Network not long ago that we decided we had to try the next time she came out. So, we loaded the tot into the car and drove down. We stopped first at the Soulard Farmers Market to pick up some of the gorgeous oxtail that you can often find there, as well as some nice produce and gourmet pastas. After lugging my 47 pound child around on my right love-handle for nearly an hour (because I completely forgot to bring the stroller), we headed for lunch. Sweetie Pie's is a soul food restaurant. We went to the location at the Mangroves...which made it a good thing my husband wasn't along because he would have completely freaked out since it was kinda (well, ok, a little more than kinda) in the 'hood. This doesn't bother me or Gin, we'll go anywhere for good food, but the hubs? Yeah, he's not quite so open minded. We'll just put it that way.
The building is beautiful, it looks like the neighborhood is working on some revitalization. The interior of the restaurant is equally lovely. The owner is a former backup singer for a great Motown act and the decor reflects that history. This is not a fancy restaurant. The setting is great, the service is fabulous, but at the end of the day, it is a cafeteria style eatery. You walk up to the line, take a tray, and let the lovely lady behind the counter tell you what they are serving that day. Ginny had the catfish, sweet potatoes, and mac & cheese (which came highly recommended), and I tried the fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cabbage/greens. They pile the plates so high, there was no need to order anything for Little Man at all, he did perfectly well just eating off of ours. Just like his Daddy would have, he enjoyed the catfish best. I gotta say, the reviews of this place all say you need to try the mac & cheese, and yes, it was good, but damn. The cabbage? I could have eaten nothing BUT that. The fried chicken was perfect, but that cabbage is what sticks in my mind. I have to be honest and say I was a bit worried about how it might come back to haunt me, so to speak, but I ate every last little bit of it anyway. And you know what? It didn't. Absolutely wonderful, I'd definitely recommend it if you get the chance. Total cost for both our meals and 3 drinks was around $25, and the staff was very attentive, accommodating, and very friendly, got a nice healthy tip.
Saturday, the little turd was up at 5:30am, but somehow even with the early start, we didn't get moving until much later. We had big plans for the day.
As I'm sure you've divined, I am a big foodie. Well, so is Gin. There was a St Louis restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, on the Food Network not long ago that we decided we had to try the next time she came out. So, we loaded the tot into the car and drove down. We stopped first at the Soulard Farmers Market to pick up some of the gorgeous oxtail that you can often find there, as well as some nice produce and gourmet pastas. After lugging my 47 pound child around on my right love-handle for nearly an hour (because I completely forgot to bring the stroller), we headed for lunch. Sweetie Pie's is a soul food restaurant. We went to the location at the Mangroves...which made it a good thing my husband wasn't along because he would have completely freaked out since it was kinda (well, ok, a little more than kinda) in the 'hood. This doesn't bother me or Gin, we'll go anywhere for good food, but the hubs? Yeah, he's not quite so open minded. We'll just put it that way.
The building is beautiful, it looks like the neighborhood is working on some revitalization. The interior of the restaurant is equally lovely. The owner is a former backup singer for a great Motown act and the decor reflects that history. This is not a fancy restaurant. The setting is great, the service is fabulous, but at the end of the day, it is a cafeteria style eatery. You walk up to the line, take a tray, and let the lovely lady behind the counter tell you what they are serving that day. Ginny had the catfish, sweet potatoes, and mac & cheese (which came highly recommended), and I tried the fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cabbage/greens. They pile the plates so high, there was no need to order anything for Little Man at all, he did perfectly well just eating off of ours. Just like his Daddy would have, he enjoyed the catfish best. I gotta say, the reviews of this place all say you need to try the mac & cheese, and yes, it was good, but damn. The cabbage? I could have eaten nothing BUT that. The fried chicken was perfect, but that cabbage is what sticks in my mind. I have to be honest and say I was a bit worried about how it might come back to haunt me, so to speak, but I ate every last little bit of it anyway. And you know what? It didn't. Absolutely wonderful, I'd definitely recommend it if you get the chance. Total cost for both our meals and 3 drinks was around $25, and the staff was very attentive, accommodating, and very friendly, got a nice healthy tip.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Shhhhh...don't tell!
I just finished this little pair of lovelies at lunch today. Aren't they pretty little sparklers?
This is part of a set I am making as a birthday gift for our teenage babysitter (well, ok, she's turning 20). There will be a long, matching necklace, as well, but I'm waiting on some new silver tube beads for that.I just love Blue Goldstone, don't you? I may have to make one like it for myself!
This is part of a set I am making as a birthday gift for our teenage babysitter (well, ok, she's turning 20). There will be a long, matching necklace, as well, but I'm waiting on some new silver tube beads for that.I just love Blue Goldstone, don't you? I may have to make one like it for myself!
Cheesy request!
Hey there again everyone! I’ve had a request for more information about my CHEESE!
I wish I could claim credit for this one, but I actually found the recipe on another blog. Unfortunately, by the time I had the yogurt to make the cheese with, I couldn’t find the blog any more, but it was a simple enough recipe that I winged it, and it was WONDERFUL.
So, here’s the basic idea:
Get one large container of plain yogurt (preferably Greek, but I used regular ol’ plain yogurt the first time and it was fine.)
Mix it with a teaspoon or so of kosher salt, some garlic (I used about a tablespoon of the minced variety from the jar in my fridge), the zest and juice of a lemon, and some chives, minced. As you can see from the pictures in my last post, I put a TON of them in this time. I can’t remember if there was anything else to it or not, so hopefully it turns out just as good as last time.
So, mix it all together and then tie it up in a couple of layers of cheesecloth and hang it from a wooden spoon (or something) over a tall container in the fridge for a day or so to drain off all the liquid (the second picture in my last post shows this in progress). If you get enough liquid built up in the bowl that the cheese is sitting in it, be sure to drain it off so the cheese continues to dry out. Probably would be a good idea to put plastic wrap over the whole shebang to keep the rest of your fridge from getting funky. I didn’t do that this morning, so I bet Matt’s beer is gonna smell like garlic when he gets home. J Don’t force liquid out by squeezing it, you’ll just push cheese through the cloth. After a day or so, turn the cheese out into a container and EAT! This is not a hard cheese, but more of a very soft, spreadable cheese that goes beautifully on crackers. My personal favorites are the Triscuit Thin Crisps, Quattro Formaggio flavor.
I’ve also found that after the “finished” cheese sits in the fridge, it will continue to leech off a bit more liquid over time, so don’t freak out if you see water in the container and think it has gone bad, it hasn’t. I’m not an expert, but I would guess this would stay good in the fridge for a week or more, but it sure didn’t last that long in mine. It was so good, I ate it all up in a couple of days!
So, all you stealth readers out there – here’s a challenge for you! Make yourself some cheese! Maybe even try some new variations on the flavors….I’m thinking honey and walnut might be good…. And then comment here about it so I know what you think!
OH! I just remembered – I think it was supposed to have a pinch of sugar, too. Oh well! Next time!
Man, I just had an idea….capers and sun dried tomato….mmmmm! The ideas just keep coming!
And hey, Ann Marie - thanks for stopping by!
I wish I could claim credit for this one, but I actually found the recipe on another blog. Unfortunately, by the time I had the yogurt to make the cheese with, I couldn’t find the blog any more, but it was a simple enough recipe that I winged it, and it was WONDERFUL.
So, here’s the basic idea:
Get one large container of plain yogurt (preferably Greek, but I used regular ol’ plain yogurt the first time and it was fine.)
Mix it with a teaspoon or so of kosher salt, some garlic (I used about a tablespoon of the minced variety from the jar in my fridge), the zest and juice of a lemon, and some chives, minced. As you can see from the pictures in my last post, I put a TON of them in this time. I can’t remember if there was anything else to it or not, so hopefully it turns out just as good as last time.
So, mix it all together and then tie it up in a couple of layers of cheesecloth and hang it from a wooden spoon (or something) over a tall container in the fridge for a day or so to drain off all the liquid (the second picture in my last post shows this in progress). If you get enough liquid built up in the bowl that the cheese is sitting in it, be sure to drain it off so the cheese continues to dry out. Probably would be a good idea to put plastic wrap over the whole shebang to keep the rest of your fridge from getting funky. I didn’t do that this morning, so I bet Matt’s beer is gonna smell like garlic when he gets home. J Don’t force liquid out by squeezing it, you’ll just push cheese through the cloth. After a day or so, turn the cheese out into a container and EAT! This is not a hard cheese, but more of a very soft, spreadable cheese that goes beautifully on crackers. My personal favorites are the Triscuit Thin Crisps, Quattro Formaggio flavor.
I’ve also found that after the “finished” cheese sits in the fridge, it will continue to leech off a bit more liquid over time, so don’t freak out if you see water in the container and think it has gone bad, it hasn’t. I’m not an expert, but I would guess this would stay good in the fridge for a week or more, but it sure didn’t last that long in mine. It was so good, I ate it all up in a couple of days!
So, all you stealth readers out there – here’s a challenge for you! Make yourself some cheese! Maybe even try some new variations on the flavors….I’m thinking honey and walnut might be good…. And then comment here about it so I know what you think!
OH! I just remembered – I think it was supposed to have a pinch of sugar, too. Oh well! Next time!
Man, I just had an idea….capers and sun dried tomato….mmmmm! The ideas just keep coming!
And hey, Ann Marie - thanks for stopping by!
Got Cheese? and other topics
Well, its finally Friday, and BOY am I ready! The hubs was supposed to have tomorrow off and just called to say they changed their minds about working this weekend, so I doubt he shares my enthusiasm, but me? Yeah, I'm there.
Let's backtrack to yesterday for a minute. My mood improved greatly as my headache went away, and I stopped off for a couple of groceries and a bottle of wine after work - I just didn't know at that moment how much I was going to need the wine.
I picked T up from school and after we got in the car, I opened his book bag to see what he was bringing home. A note. Addressed to Matt and Beth Anne. Uh-oh. T's regular teacher had been out for the afternoon, so I didn't get to talk to her in person. Turns out, Ty had been quite a trouble maker at school yesterday, hitting two of his classmates. So, that was strike number one against my evening going well. T got sent to his room the moment we got home and got no movies last night.
Upon arriving home, I saw the package on the front porch that I had been expecting all day. I don't know if I had mentioned this before, so here's a little background. About a month ago, I ordered a new King Sized Rustic Log Headboard for our new King Sized bed. It came a couple of weeks later, but both the side posts were defective. Not only were they split, end to end, but they were clearly not even the same wood as the rest of the headboard.
I called the next morning and they promised to send replacements out on Monday (the call was on Friday) and I would have them by the 15th or 16th. When I still hadn't received them by the end of the day the 16th, I called again. The response I got was less than encouraging. "Well, our shipping guy has been out this last little while...." So, what? You just don't bother shipping my order, and you don't even have the courtesy over a week and a half to let me KNOW they haven't shipped? They promised to get them out by the end of the week (which happened last Friday) and send me a tracking number.
Well, they arrived yesterday. I opened them immediately. Do you think I was happy?
So, I called that very moment and when "Jordan" answered the phone and asked how I was, my response was "Well, Jordan, I'm not very happy right now". After telling her I was ready to ship the whole caboodle back and get a refund, she promised to get it right this time, and that I would have two more posts by the middle of next week. I'm so sick of this. I let her know, in no uncertain terms, just how sick of this I am. This is their last chance, and I'm not even happy I agreed to let them have it. I'll keep you updated.
SO, on a more positive note - Ginny is coming out tonight! YAY! One of my bestest friends in the world is coming to spend the weekend with me and have fun doing girl stuff. For the occasion, I started a batch of garlic and chive yogurt cheese this morning.
Look at all the yummy chives from my garden (It was no fun trying to find them amongst the wet weeds and snip them off this morning in the dark, either.)
I've posted about this before, but it just looked so pretty this morning that I couldn't resist posting pictures again. SO good. And, good FOR you! We'll be snacking away on it tomorrow night.
So, if you don't hear any more from me today, and you see a story on the news about a furniture store in Utah being set on fire....suspected arson....well, you'll know where I've been. But in the meantime, have a great day!
Let's backtrack to yesterday for a minute. My mood improved greatly as my headache went away, and I stopped off for a couple of groceries and a bottle of wine after work - I just didn't know at that moment how much I was going to need the wine.
I picked T up from school and after we got in the car, I opened his book bag to see what he was bringing home. A note. Addressed to Matt and Beth Anne. Uh-oh. T's regular teacher had been out for the afternoon, so I didn't get to talk to her in person. Turns out, Ty had been quite a trouble maker at school yesterday, hitting two of his classmates. So, that was strike number one against my evening going well. T got sent to his room the moment we got home and got no movies last night.
Upon arriving home, I saw the package on the front porch that I had been expecting all day. I don't know if I had mentioned this before, so here's a little background. About a month ago, I ordered a new King Sized Rustic Log Headboard for our new King Sized bed. It came a couple of weeks later, but both the side posts were defective. Not only were they split, end to end, but they were clearly not even the same wood as the rest of the headboard.
I called the next morning and they promised to send replacements out on Monday (the call was on Friday) and I would have them by the 15th or 16th. When I still hadn't received them by the end of the day the 16th, I called again. The response I got was less than encouraging. "Well, our shipping guy has been out this last little while...." So, what? You just don't bother shipping my order, and you don't even have the courtesy over a week and a half to let me KNOW they haven't shipped? They promised to get them out by the end of the week (which happened last Friday) and send me a tracking number.Well, they arrived yesterday. I opened them immediately. Do you think I was happy?
So, I called that very moment and when "Jordan" answered the phone and asked how I was, my response was "Well, Jordan, I'm not very happy right now". After telling her I was ready to ship the whole caboodle back and get a refund, she promised to get it right this time, and that I would have two more posts by the middle of next week. I'm so sick of this. I let her know, in no uncertain terms, just how sick of this I am. This is their last chance, and I'm not even happy I agreed to let them have it. I'll keep you updated.SO, on a more positive note - Ginny is coming out tonight! YAY! One of my bestest friends in the world is coming to spend the weekend with me and have fun doing girl stuff. For the occasion, I started a batch of garlic and chive yogurt cheese this morning.
Look at all the yummy chives from my garden (It was no fun trying to find them amongst the wet weeds and snip them off this morning in the dark, either.)
I've posted about this before, but it just looked so pretty this morning that I couldn't resist posting pictures again. SO good. And, good FOR you! We'll be snacking away on it tomorrow night.So, if you don't hear any more from me today, and you see a story on the news about a furniture store in Utah being set on fire....suspected arson....well, you'll know where I've been. But in the meantime, have a great day!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Finally rounding out the week...
Apparently all it takes is the implied threat of taking a sick day from work in order for me to feel better. I have had a headache and a queasy stomach since my episode at lunch on Tuesday, and I told myself this morning as I was dragging my tail out of bed that if I didn't feel any better tomorrow morning, I would take the day off to recover before my company comes for the weekend. Hmmm, and suddenly, my headache seems to be gone. There is still a faint lingering presence of it in the background, but I am nearly 100% functional again. As a bonus, the hubs seems to be off his rampage and back to being his usual semi-human self again (guess I'll put him back on my Christmas list).
Adding to my climbing mood, I am DONE with scrapbooking! (In a good way) I am completely, 100% current on Little Man's scrapbooks, up to and including his night at tumbling class on Monday. WHEW! What a load off my mind!
And, keeping up with the good mood, I have been wanting to make a necklace for my sister. She is so special to me, and I like doing things for her, and when we started talking jewelry recently, I had to do it. She has very specific tastes, so I made one set as a trial and sent it to her last week.
How pretty is my sis!!???
SO, in spite of a relatively crappy week, I'm getting in a better mood, and looking forward to a weekend with Gin. More later!
Adding to my climbing mood, I am DONE with scrapbooking! (In a good way) I am completely, 100% current on Little Man's scrapbooks, up to and including his night at tumbling class on Monday. WHEW! What a load off my mind!
And, keeping up with the good mood, I have been wanting to make a necklace for my sister. She is so special to me, and I like doing things for her, and when we started talking jewelry recently, I had to do it. She has very specific tastes, so I made one set as a trial and sent it to her last week.
How pretty is my sis!!???
SO, in spite of a relatively crappy week, I'm getting in a better mood, and looking forward to a weekend with Gin. More later!
Down with Mosquitos!
Taking a cue from NV, I am also shamelessly blogging to try and win something free! One Project Closer is giving away a Mosquito 86 Removal System!
As you all know, we live in the country, and with all the rain we've had this year, the mosquitoes have been running rampant! Not that that makes us different than anyone else in this area, but this does - my Little Man is allergic to mosquitoes. Yes, I know, lots of people are, to an extent, but Ty is severely allergic and we carry an epi-pen, just in case. Being free of mosquitoes would sure be a blessing for us!
SO, that's my plug! Go check it out for yourself!
As you all know, we live in the country, and with all the rain we've had this year, the mosquitoes have been running rampant! Not that that makes us different than anyone else in this area, but this does - my Little Man is allergic to mosquitoes. Yes, I know, lots of people are, to an extent, but Ty is severely allergic and we carry an epi-pen, just in case. Being free of mosquitoes would sure be a blessing for us!
SO, that's my plug! Go check it out for yourself!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Is it time to go home yet?
Almost. Its been a long day and I am done. D.O.N.E.
I had to teach a Microsoft class today, and I haven't taught training classes in years. I've been fighting with the husband, I have a headache and I'm hungry. Don't want to go home and cook, or scrapbook, or anything else. AND, for some insane reason, I volunteered to stop after work and help someone make curtains. Was I drunk? I don't think so, but man, what was I thinkin?
I had to teach a Microsoft class today, and I haven't taught training classes in years. I've been fighting with the husband, I have a headache and I'm hungry. Don't want to go home and cook, or scrapbook, or anything else. AND, for some insane reason, I volunteered to stop after work and help someone make curtains. Was I drunk? I don't think so, but man, what was I thinkin?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
RANT: My Love/Hate Relationship with Restaurants
I am a foodie. Yes. I love to cook, I love food, and I love eating out, especially if it involves a new restaurant. However, I have a bone to pick.
Menus serve a purpose, and menu item description, though sometimes vague, should, by their nature, be descriptive of the items to which they refer. Preferably accurately descriptive. So, why is it that restaurants feel the need to randomly deviate from an item’s description?
My case: I am allergic to mushrooms. I realize that this is a fairly uncommon food allergy, but a valid one, nonetheless. I’ve been to the Mexican restaurant in town many times, and once before have had to chide them about putting mushrooms in something that clearly does not indicate mushrooms as an ingredient on the menu. I had had the same item on multiple occasions before with no trouble (when I find something I like that doesn’t have mushrooms, I tend to stick with it).
A few visits back, I found a new favorite. Pollo Sinaloa. A beautifully marinated chicken cutlet, pounded thin and grilled with summer vegetables, specifically, zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper. It has been the same every time I have ordered it. Today, admittedly, it looked a bit different, but mainly because the veggies were smaller than usual, I assumed due to the lateness of the season.
Halfway through, and I do usually eat it all because it is so good, I saw it. A big, slimy mushroom hidden between the pieces of squash. I promptly downed 2 of Ty’s Benadryl. I didn’t bother to complain, after the first time I had complained and found them quite uninterested in my plight. I wonder how cavalier they would be if I had to go to the hospital…. I hate complaining about food. I once had a manager…a MANAGER….at a Chinese restaurant accuse me of picking the mushrooms off someone else’s plate and putting them on mine to get out of paying for my meal, which I had barely touched.
Well, suffice it to say, the Benadryl was a case of “too little, too late” today. I am positively ill. I’ll be trying to give my lunch back for the rest of the day now.
Seriously, is it too much to expect a restaurant to stick to its menu???
Menus serve a purpose, and menu item description, though sometimes vague, should, by their nature, be descriptive of the items to which they refer. Preferably accurately descriptive. So, why is it that restaurants feel the need to randomly deviate from an item’s description?
My case: I am allergic to mushrooms. I realize that this is a fairly uncommon food allergy, but a valid one, nonetheless. I’ve been to the Mexican restaurant in town many times, and once before have had to chide them about putting mushrooms in something that clearly does not indicate mushrooms as an ingredient on the menu. I had had the same item on multiple occasions before with no trouble (when I find something I like that doesn’t have mushrooms, I tend to stick with it).
A few visits back, I found a new favorite. Pollo Sinaloa. A beautifully marinated chicken cutlet, pounded thin and grilled with summer vegetables, specifically, zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper. It has been the same every time I have ordered it. Today, admittedly, it looked a bit different, but mainly because the veggies were smaller than usual, I assumed due to the lateness of the season.
Halfway through, and I do usually eat it all because it is so good, I saw it. A big, slimy mushroom hidden between the pieces of squash. I promptly downed 2 of Ty’s Benadryl. I didn’t bother to complain, after the first time I had complained and found them quite uninterested in my plight. I wonder how cavalier they would be if I had to go to the hospital…. I hate complaining about food. I once had a manager…a MANAGER….at a Chinese restaurant accuse me of picking the mushrooms off someone else’s plate and putting them on mine to get out of paying for my meal, which I had barely touched.
Well, suffice it to say, the Benadryl was a case of “too little, too late” today. I am positively ill. I’ll be trying to give my lunch back for the rest of the day now.
Seriously, is it too much to expect a restaurant to stick to its menu???
Tumbling!
Ty got invited by one of his school friends (aka, the "girlfriend") to her “Bring a Friend” night at her tumbling class. Last night Ty learned how to do a somersault, walk like a crab, stretch his neck like a giraffe, and use the balance beam, among other things. For his first time, he really did quite well!
I tried to email these but they were too big and kept bouncing back to me, so I'm going to try to post them here for you all to see!
I tried to email these but they were too big and kept bouncing back to me, so I'm going to try to post them here for you all to see!Monday, September 22, 2008
"No-Sew" Weekend
Well, ok, so much for my motivation to get my quilt finished.
It was another one of those hodge-podge weekends where many small things got accomplished, but nothing noticeable enough to make me feel like I was useful.
Friday after work, I got to go to Scrapbook Night, and although I didn't get as far as I had planned, it was still a good dent. I continued along that theme yesterday afternoon and now I only have a few minor details to finish to get Ty's book current again. However, at the same time, I have NEW pictures from this weekend to crop, as well as activities over the next few weekends that will also provide new pages to complete, so I really need to get that done.
Saturday, Ty and I went to his first Soccer Camp. It was just an hour long introduction to soccer for young'uns who aren't old enough to play on the kids' leagues here in town. This could have gone either way, either with him loving it, or turning into his alter-ego "Spawn of Satan". What do you think?
Are you lovin' the pee-wee sized shin pads? I am.
In between all the tiny jobs I did this weekend, we attended the Fall Festival, which is basically a craft fair at the local Historical Society, but it also includes and antique tractor show and other such fun activities. This is where T dropped off Grandpa's tractor Friday. Also, Great-Grandpa's Allis-Chalmers was in the show and we have pictures of that as well, naturally.
Other than that, and cleaning the oven (what a chore!) it was a fairly uneventful weekend. I am hoping that I can finish the last tidbits of Ty's book tomorrow so that I can start organizing the new pictures as they come in. There is likely to be another post tomorrow, with pictures, as T is attending "Bring a Friend" night at his favorite little girl's tumbling class, at her request. My little stud muffin. Can't wait to see that!
It was another one of those hodge-podge weekends where many small things got accomplished, but nothing noticeable enough to make me feel like I was useful.
Friday after work, I got to go to Scrapbook Night, and although I didn't get as far as I had planned, it was still a good dent. I continued along that theme yesterday afternoon and now I only have a few minor details to finish to get Ty's book current again. However, at the same time, I have NEW pictures from this weekend to crop, as well as activities over the next few weekends that will also provide new pages to complete, so I really need to get that done.
Saturday, Ty and I went to his first Soccer Camp. It was just an hour long introduction to soccer for young'uns who aren't old enough to play on the kids' leagues here in town. This could have gone either way, either with him loving it, or turning into his alter-ego "Spawn of Satan". What do you think?
Are you lovin' the pee-wee sized shin pads? I am.
In between all the tiny jobs I did this weekend, we attended the Fall Festival, which is basically a craft fair at the local Historical Society, but it also includes and antique tractor show and other such fun activities. This is where T dropped off Grandpa's tractor Friday. Also, Great-Grandpa's Allis-Chalmers was in the show and we have pictures of that as well, naturally.
Other than that, and cleaning the oven (what a chore!) it was a fairly uneventful weekend. I am hoping that I can finish the last tidbits of Ty's book tomorrow so that I can start organizing the new pictures as they come in. There is likely to be another post tomorrow, with pictures, as T is attending "Bring a Friend" night at his favorite little girl's tumbling class, at her request. My little stud muffin. Can't wait to see that!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Big Man On Campus
Yep, that's my boy. B.M.O.C.
Today, Little Man got a special treat. Since Mommy is going to scrapbook night tonight, Grandma was scheduled to come get him from school. This is nothing unusual. However, a little while ago, I received this picture message on my phone from the MIL.
Again, this is nothing unusual. I assumed that they were at home, riding Grandpa's vintage Oliver (he restores old Oliver tractors). Nope, not this time. See, this weekend is the annual Fall Festival at the local Historical Society. One of the many activities there is the Antique tractor show. Basically, anyone with an antique or vintage tractor is welcome to bring their little treasure out and leave it on display for the weekend. Grandpa was on his way to drop off his pride and joy, and decided that Ty deserved a special ride home from school. They pulled up in front of school on the big green beast and toted the Little Man away, in front of all his on-looking friends, equally green with envy. Then the boy got to ride over to the grounds and park the tractor for Grandpa. I just hope his little girlfriend (who he was caught hugging on camera-phone yesterday) doesn't think his "tractor is sexy".
I am in sooooo much trouble.
Today, Little Man got a special treat. Since Mommy is going to scrapbook night tonight, Grandma was scheduled to come get him from school. This is nothing unusual. However, a little while ago, I received this picture message on my phone from the MIL.
Again, this is nothing unusual. I assumed that they were at home, riding Grandpa's vintage Oliver (he restores old Oliver tractors). Nope, not this time. See, this weekend is the annual Fall Festival at the local Historical Society. One of the many activities there is the Antique tractor show. Basically, anyone with an antique or vintage tractor is welcome to bring their little treasure out and leave it on display for the weekend. Grandpa was on his way to drop off his pride and joy, and decided that Ty deserved a special ride home from school. They pulled up in front of school on the big green beast and toted the Little Man away, in front of all his on-looking friends, equally green with envy. Then the boy got to ride over to the grounds and park the tractor for Grandpa. I just hope his little girlfriend (who he was caught hugging on camera-phone yesterday) doesn't think his "tractor is sexy".
I am in sooooo much trouble.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Back in the Saddle!
Ok, folks, I was "out of pocket" yesterday, as my husband would say. Meaning, out of commission, contact, and, probably sanity.
Monday night Little Man started showing signs of getting either allergies or a cold (at the beginning, its hard to tell with him). By morning it was clear he had a cold, all stuffed up as he was. Also, he was running a low-grade temperature, so I opted to keep him home from school and take him to the doctor. I know, it was only the first day of it, but my little guy is prone to ear infections and I have learned the hard way that being proactive is my best defense. See, Little Man is a clone of his father, in more ways than one. In this instance, I mean he has a very sensitive gag reflex. And when I say sensitive, I mean if he breathes the wrong way, he pukes. So, when he gets congested and lays down to go to sleep, it all drains lower, he coughs, and BAM! I'm up hosing vomit off of both of us and washing sheets in the middle of the night. So, yes, its early but we went to the doctor. (also, I knew that at least one other girl in his class had been down with a cold and ear infection) Sure enough, we caught it very early, but he had an ear infection. Got Zithromax for that. Also still giving him the Claritin/Singulair cocktail for the congestion. And, god bless her, she gave us Phenegran with Codeine to help me, I mean HIM, sleep last night so we wouldn't be up doing the puke routine. Love that woman.
All of this makes things sound worse then they were. Really, he didn't feel that bad, just had to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand and I ended up being home with him the rest of the week. So, in the meantime, I got some things done around the house, including some work on my quilt. I'm not there yet, but I have 36 of these little beauties done.
Monday night Little Man started showing signs of getting either allergies or a cold (at the beginning, its hard to tell with him). By morning it was clear he had a cold, all stuffed up as he was. Also, he was running a low-grade temperature, so I opted to keep him home from school and take him to the doctor. I know, it was only the first day of it, but my little guy is prone to ear infections and I have learned the hard way that being proactive is my best defense. See, Little Man is a clone of his father, in more ways than one. In this instance, I mean he has a very sensitive gag reflex. And when I say sensitive, I mean if he breathes the wrong way, he pukes. So, when he gets congested and lays down to go to sleep, it all drains lower, he coughs, and BAM! I'm up hosing vomit off of both of us and washing sheets in the middle of the night. So, yes, its early but we went to the doctor. (also, I knew that at least one other girl in his class had been down with a cold and ear infection) Sure enough, we caught it very early, but he had an ear infection. Got Zithromax for that. Also still giving him the Claritin/Singulair cocktail for the congestion. And, god bless her, she gave us Phenegran with Codeine to help me, I mean HIM, sleep last night so we wouldn't be up doing the puke routine. Love that woman.
All of this makes things sound worse then they were. Really, he didn't feel that bad, just had to nip it in the bud before it got out of hand and I ended up being home with him the rest of the week. So, in the meantime, I got some things done around the house, including some work on my quilt. I'm not there yet, but I have 36 of these little beauties done.
Well, I shouldn't say done, they still have 4 more pieces to put on each one before they are done, and then I can put them all together in the right pattern before adding the borders and taking it to the quilter for finishing. There is one thing that bugs me about them, which is my own fault for not paying closer attention, but I am betting I'll be the only one that notices. Except maybe my mom. I had hoped to enter it in the County Fair next year, but if I leave it the way it is, I might as well not bother.We'll see if I decide I can't stand it before I go any further with them.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Waterlogged weekend
Well folks, its a minor modern miracle that I made it out of the house today. Yesterday we were flooded in. And, to be perfectly honest, I didn't think we'd make it out today, but the waters have receded dramatically in the last 18 hours, so here I am!
What a weekend! Saturday I had the great pleasure of doing two things that I love:
1. shopping for beads at a HUGE bead show
2. meeting new friends for the first time!
That's right, some friends and I from work drove down to the bead show and then I managed to persuade MonkeyGirl and NV to meet me there so we could meet in person. How great is that? We just hit it off so well from the beginning that I couldn't wait to meet them, and I'm so glad we finally did. We definitely have to spend more time next time - I might even cook for you guys! Monkey Mamma - wish you could have been there, too. That just leaves me something to look forward to!
Since we were flooded in yesterday, I did manage to get some work done on my quilt, bringing me ever so slowly closer to the finished product. Hopefully soon I'll have pictures to show.
Sorry this is such a quickie, I've got tons of catching up to do today!
What a weekend! Saturday I had the great pleasure of doing two things that I love:
1. shopping for beads at a HUGE bead show
2. meeting new friends for the first time!
That's right, some friends and I from work drove down to the bead show and then I managed to persuade MonkeyGirl and NV to meet me there so we could meet in person. How great is that? We just hit it off so well from the beginning that I couldn't wait to meet them, and I'm so glad we finally did. We definitely have to spend more time next time - I might even cook for you guys! Monkey Mamma - wish you could have been there, too. That just leaves me something to look forward to!
Since we were flooded in yesterday, I did manage to get some work done on my quilt, bringing me ever so slowly closer to the finished product. Hopefully soon I'll have pictures to show.
Sorry this is such a quickie, I've got tons of catching up to do today!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Kashi GoLean Crunch Krispy Bars
Thanks to Ann for the recipe for these tasty treats! Ann sent out a note last week that she had just made Kashi GoLean Krispy Bars, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, so yesterday I asked her for the recipe, which she graciously passed along. I had to make a few changes, due to my pantry limitations, but they turned out quite yummy. A nice, healthier alternative to Rice Krispy Treats that still taste good!
Four Moments of Silence
In a ceremony at Ground Zero today, there will be four moments of silence. One for the moment each plane struck one of the towers, and also for the moments that each of the towers fell.
May we all do the same.
May we all do the same.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
"Before" and....
Ok, so I think I'm getting my hair hacked off today. I have an appointment at noon for a cut and although I've been trying to grow my hair out, it has just become unruly. If I go with my current plan, it won't be an overly dramatic change, like when I donated 12 inches to Locks of Love, but still, I thought it merited some pictures. Plus, Gin told me I had to. Plus, maybe it will help NV, MG and MonkeyMama recognize me if we get to see each other at the bead show this weekend!
Can you tell I'm excited about the bead show?
So anyway, here's my "before" picture, taken moments ago in the fabulously well lit environment that is my office. "After" picture to be posted this afternoon.
Can you tell I'm excited about the bead show?
So anyway, here's my "before" picture, taken moments ago in the fabulously well lit environment that is my office. "After" picture to be posted this afternoon.
Oh, one more thing - completely unrelated. I think my Little Man may have his first "girlfriend". His favorite friend at preschool (who happens to be 1 1/2 years older than him) has invited him to be her guest at "Bring a Friend" night at her tumbling class. He is going to be so excited....God help me.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
A Quick Note
Ok, I don't really have much to say this morning, but I promised to post pictures, so I thought I'd add a quick update from yesterday. I had one of those "cheap-gasmic" shopping experiences at Walmart yesterday. I arrived just as they had made ENORMOUS markdowns on a bunch of stuff in their home department, mainly comforters and lamps. So, I got a new HUGE wall mirror (29x36) in a wood frame for $9 (originally $39.95), new curtains for the boy's room for $4 each (originally $17.26) which look lovely on his windows, by the way (no, Mom, he didn't need new curtains, but I thought it would be nice to have something heavier on his windows for the winter), and two end tables (the kind that is a square shaker style table with a tamp sticking out of it) to use as nightstands in our bedroom (originally $54.76) for $13 each. NICE!!!!
SO, I didn't do much last night, other than cook Onion Chicken for supper, but this morning I did the next step on my quilt, which was pressing out the first set of strips and cutting them down into 2 1/2 pieces again, preparing for the next stage.
So! Here are pictures from the Carnival!
SO, I didn't do much last night, other than cook Onion Chicken for supper, but this morning I did the next step on my quilt, which was pressing out the first set of strips and cutting them down into 2 1/2 pieces again, preparing for the next stage.
So! Here are pictures from the Carnival!
Monday, September 8, 2008
I took the weekend off!
Well, ok, sort of. We didn't have much going on this weekend, and I think my motivation took a holiday on me. Friday night, I decided to forego cooking dinner and Ty and I went to the Lions Carnival, as promised, since he had a good day at school (after the disaster of a day he had Thursday). We rode rides, ate nachos, and peed in the parking lot of a bar (Ty did, not me).
Saturday, we hung our with my SIL and her kids, having lunch and buying new shoes. I also stopped in at the local jeweler with my niece. She asked for a new ring for Christmas, but didn't know what size, so I took her to be sized. While there, and chatting with the owner, she commented on my mothers' bracelet that I had on. It went something like this:
Jeweler: "That's very nicely done"
Me: "Thank you!"
J: "Do you advertise?"
M: "Umm, no, I just do it for myself and for gifts"
J: "Hmm. Do you have a business card?"
M: "Well, sure.....let me get one"
J: "I've had several ladies come in asking for those recently, and I'd love to be able to give them your name."
Wow. I just officially got referred by a jeweler to her clients. THAT SO ROCKS!!!
SO, moving on. :) Saturday night was date night again. I know, we've been having these a lot lately, and rightly so. See, for those of you that don't know my husband, he pretty much comes and goes as he pleases, and me? I get stuck at home no "Mommy duty". Every so often we get into it over the issue, which is what happened not long ago. SO, now we have a deal. Every couple of weeks, we get a sitter and go out. Even if its just to the boring bars in town, we go out.
Well, we almost didn't make it this time. The sitter was there, we were ready, and Ty, being in the "I'm going to keeping mouthing off to you no matter how many times you spank me" phase of his 3 year old career, had a meltdown. We finally made it out, but I didn't end up going to the birthday party I promised to attend. Still, a pleasant evening of barbecue and beer with friends I haven't seen in awhile.
Sunday, I didn't do JACK. I played with Ty, laid on the couch, fiddled with my beads, and moved some things around in my sewing room so I could think about working on my quilt this week.
This morning, my car is in the shop for alignment after my close encounter with the ditch last week.
I'll post pictures of the carnival after my camera battery charges up enough to download them!
Oh, and as I side note, my babysitter for the bead show on saturday bailed on me!!! I am looking for a replacement, but I think I'm just going to end up being very pissed off and not getting to go. GRRR! MG and NV - I'll keep you in the loop!
Saturday, we hung our with my SIL and her kids, having lunch and buying new shoes. I also stopped in at the local jeweler with my niece. She asked for a new ring for Christmas, but didn't know what size, so I took her to be sized. While there, and chatting with the owner, she commented on my mothers' bracelet that I had on. It went something like this:
Jeweler: "That's very nicely done"
Me: "Thank you!"
J: "Do you advertise?"
M: "Umm, no, I just do it for myself and for gifts"
J: "Hmm. Do you have a business card?"
M: "Well, sure.....let me get one"
J: "I've had several ladies come in asking for those recently, and I'd love to be able to give them your name."
Wow. I just officially got referred by a jeweler to her clients. THAT SO ROCKS!!!
SO, moving on. :) Saturday night was date night again. I know, we've been having these a lot lately, and rightly so. See, for those of you that don't know my husband, he pretty much comes and goes as he pleases, and me? I get stuck at home no "Mommy duty". Every so often we get into it over the issue, which is what happened not long ago. SO, now we have a deal. Every couple of weeks, we get a sitter and go out. Even if its just to the boring bars in town, we go out.
Well, we almost didn't make it this time. The sitter was there, we were ready, and Ty, being in the "I'm going to keeping mouthing off to you no matter how many times you spank me" phase of his 3 year old career, had a meltdown. We finally made it out, but I didn't end up going to the birthday party I promised to attend. Still, a pleasant evening of barbecue and beer with friends I haven't seen in awhile.
Sunday, I didn't do JACK. I played with Ty, laid on the couch, fiddled with my beads, and moved some things around in my sewing room so I could think about working on my quilt this week.
This morning, my car is in the shop for alignment after my close encounter with the ditch last week.
I'll post pictures of the carnival after my camera battery charges up enough to download them!
Oh, and as I side note, my babysitter for the bead show on saturday bailed on me!!! I am looking for a replacement, but I think I'm just going to end up being very pissed off and not getting to go. GRRR! MG and NV - I'll keep you in the loop!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Shameless plug.
I have a new favorite kitchen gadget. Well, ok, its not "new", but I haven't had it very long either. Last time Gin (VERY good friend from Iowa, first time appearing in my blog) came out to visit, we made our traditional trip to The Hill, St. Louis' "Little Italy". One of my finds on this particular trip was a new automatic pepper grinder, the Trudeau Gravity Battery Operated Grinder. I LOVE this grinder. The grinder itself is ceramic, and the grind is adjustable. I worried about it taking 6 AAA batteries, but they have held up well, and believe me, I use my grinder. I cannot recommend it enough. As a matter of fact, some of you shouldn't be surprised to receive one of these bad-boys for Christmas this year. :)
Quite the motley weekend.
Well, I certainly didn't get as much accomplished this weekend as I had intended, but when its a holiday and you are obliged to be at various functions, I suppose that's understandable. So, I'll just give a little recap to start the week out with!
Friday night: SOOO exhausted. It had been a week from hell, and fortunately the day went well enough that I didn't have to work late. Also, grandma decided to pick Little Man up from school, even though I could have picked him up on time, so I stopped at the tavern for a couple of drinks with people I haven't seen in awhile.
Saturday: Various miscellaneous things got done. T and I took my nephew to breakfast in town and took care of grocery shopping. Saturday night was a bust because the hubs stayed up too late with friends the night before and literally slept from before we got home (around 3:30pm) until the next morning. Yes, the NEXT MORNING. However, we did also go to the newphew's football game. Apparently, around here, it is customary for little brothers/cousins of the players to wear their "away" jerseys to the home games. So,doesn't my Little Man look adorable?
So, Sunday, I felt like a bum. Didn't do much, but ran to town to fill the gas tank before our trip to Belleville on Monday, and on the way back, stopped to visit Daddy who was helping our friend tear old dead bushes out of his yard. Which, naturally, requires heavy machinery. Which, naturally, meant that T wanted to go for a ride. "Unka" Jake is really great with T, and always lets him ride, even letting him run the controls.
Sunday evening, we had a Labor Day/House Warming party at a friends house and T went to grandma's. The party was nice, but the hubs mainly annoyed the piss out of me all night.
Monday, Labor Day parade and picnic in Belleville with the Boilermakers. The day could have gone one of two ways. Horribly hot, sweaty, and grouchy on the part of our toddler, OR a fun day for all, with all the games and such they provide for kids. Well, the food was good, there WERE lots of activities for the kids. However, my son turned into the spawn of the devil and made me look like Mom-of-the-Year (sarcasm) as I was alternately dragging him around the park or swatting him in the rear for being the monster-from-hell. Then, again on the way home, hubs annoyed the piss out of me. For those of you that don't know him, he is the world's worst back seat driver, and I seriously almost bitch-slapped him by the time we got to Brighton.
Naturally, he had better things to do the rest of the day, so T took a nap, and I had a glass of wine. Then, at the tail end of the weekend, I decided it was time to do something. I slid the newly made cover on the ironing board topper, and then set up my cutting tools and cut the strips needed for the main part of my quilt. Here they are:
Does it look like enough fabric for a King Sized quilt? No, I don't think so either. There is still more, this pile doesn't include the borders, but I'll wait to cut those until all the blocks are made.
So, that was my weekend. I didn't do much other than play with beads a little. Speaking of which, Syl, you'll have a yellow envelope coming your way for Princess this week! I'm back to work today and I'm hungry, so I need to go find some food!
Friday night: SOOO exhausted. It had been a week from hell, and fortunately the day went well enough that I didn't have to work late. Also, grandma decided to pick Little Man up from school, even though I could have picked him up on time, so I stopped at the tavern for a couple of drinks with people I haven't seen in awhile.
Saturday: Various miscellaneous things got done. T and I took my nephew to breakfast in town and took care of grocery shopping. Saturday night was a bust because the hubs stayed up too late with friends the night before and literally slept from before we got home (around 3:30pm) until the next morning. Yes, the NEXT MORNING. However, we did also go to the newphew's football game. Apparently, around here, it is customary for little brothers/cousins of the players to wear their "away" jerseys to the home games. So,doesn't my Little Man look adorable?
So, Sunday, I felt like a bum. Didn't do much, but ran to town to fill the gas tank before our trip to Belleville on Monday, and on the way back, stopped to visit Daddy who was helping our friend tear old dead bushes out of his yard. Which, naturally, requires heavy machinery. Which, naturally, meant that T wanted to go for a ride. "Unka" Jake is really great with T, and always lets him ride, even letting him run the controls.
Sunday evening, we had a Labor Day/House Warming party at a friends house and T went to grandma's. The party was nice, but the hubs mainly annoyed the piss out of me all night.
Monday, Labor Day parade and picnic in Belleville with the Boilermakers. The day could have gone one of two ways. Horribly hot, sweaty, and grouchy on the part of our toddler, OR a fun day for all, with all the games and such they provide for kids. Well, the food was good, there WERE lots of activities for the kids. However, my son turned into the spawn of the devil and made me look like Mom-of-the-Year (sarcasm) as I was alternately dragging him around the park or swatting him in the rear for being the monster-from-hell. Then, again on the way home, hubs annoyed the piss out of me. For those of you that don't know him, he is the world's worst back seat driver, and I seriously almost bitch-slapped him by the time we got to Brighton.
Naturally, he had better things to do the rest of the day, so T took a nap, and I had a glass of wine. Then, at the tail end of the weekend, I decided it was time to do something. I slid the newly made cover on the ironing board topper, and then set up my cutting tools and cut the strips needed for the main part of my quilt. Here they are:
Does it look like enough fabric for a King Sized quilt? No, I don't think so either. There is still more, this pile doesn't include the borders, but I'll wait to cut those until all the blocks are made.
So, that was my weekend. I didn't do much other than play with beads a little. Speaking of which, Syl, you'll have a yellow envelope coming your way for Princess this week! I'm back to work today and I'm hungry, so I need to go find some food!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)