Tomorrow is my son's 4th birthday. FOURTH.
I can't stand it. Where did my baby boy go? Heck, where did my TODDLER go? HE is officially "all boy", and quite the grown up little kid. The only thing saving my sanity is that he still loves to snuggle me, and give me those sweet little-boy kisses that every mommy craves. It won't be long now until he belongs to his daddy. There will be fishing trips, hunting, dogs, and just general "daddy time". I'll be chopped liver. I used to think that would be a good thing, because I'd have more time for my hobbies and housecleaning. Now, I want a re-count. He's growing up too fast...I want my baby back.
And yet, I am so excited by everything he is learning! Every day it is something new, and he is growing smarter and smarter all the time. He is truly finding himself and developing his own personality. I am finally seeing more in him than just the cloned-genes of his daddy. (We're pretty sure the doctor just put me under and implanted a mini-Matt clone.) Every once in a while, I see a glimpse of me. The stubbornness, the determination, the sensitivity, and, oh yes, even the vengeance gene (as seen at preschool when he pulled the chair out from under an unsuspecting classmate in retaliation for a wrong done upon him earlier that day). He is my boy, too, and I'm not giving him up just yet.
This afternoon we're having a birthday party at school for him. As usual, I went a bit overboard with the activities, but after all, it IS his first "School birthday party".
Tomorrow we will have the immediate family (the local ones at least - we'll miss you this year Grandma and Grandpa G, Auntie Anne and Uncle Roger!) over to the house for baked tortellini and cake and ice cream. And, of course...the presents. He is really looking forward to the presents.
So, until next week, send birthday wishes his way - I'll post pictures soon!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Girl Time
I can’t believe it has taken me this long to post about my weekend!
This weekend, I had the pleasure of having my MEF come visit me! Syl and I have been friends since we were about 12, and even though we rarely get to see each other, we are still as close as ever.
We didn’t do much of anything exciting this weekend, in fact, we spent a good chunk of Saturday just hanging out in front of the TV, watching the entire Season One box set of Burn Notice. We did cook a little bit, making some lovely asparagus and red pepper scrambled eggs for breakfast Saturday, Creamy Fire Roasted Tomato Orzo for dinner Saturday night, and a Fluffy Pancake with pineapple sauce for breakfast Saturday. Did I get pictures of any of this? Nope.
What I did get pictures of was our lunch on Saturday. I took Syl down to Alton, Illinois for a quick shopping trip and lunch at Fast Eddie’s BonAir. Fast Eddie's is reputed to sell more beer than any other venue in the country, and, particularly since they added their new outdoor smoking area (which, frankly, felt more like a beach party in the sunny 70 degree weather we were blessed with this weekend), I wouldn’t doubt it.
The other thing Fast Eddie’s is known for is their food. It’s a small menu, only about eight items, but they are all fantastic, and very, very cheap. There is no carry out available, you’ve got to eat it there, which is kind of the point, so you’ll stay and drink more beer. They have 99 cent cheeseburgers, $1.29 pork kebabs, fries, brats, steak on a stick, hot chick on a stick (chicken drummies seasoned, skewered, and grilled), and, my personal favorite – SHRIMP. They have jumbo peel and eat shrimp for 29 cents each. You wait your turn in the eternally long line and when you get in front of the huge vat of ice and shrimp, you just shoot them a number.
“30, please!”
There you go. For less than ten dollars, you have a plate full of beautiful shrimp and cocktail sauce. For me and Syl, it started with 30, and then we had to get back in line and get 30 more. We probably would have been fine with 20 more, since we struggled to get the last few down, but it was so worth it. Wash it all down with a cold beer and it makes for one wonderful afternoon.
We did do a little bit of beading as well, finishing off a four strand necklace I’d been working on, and making a beaded lanyard for her work ID badge.
All in all, it was just a nice, refreshing “girl weekend”, getting caught up and playing. I intended to scan some of our old pictures that we spent Friday night laughing at so I could do an “US: Then and Now” post, but that never happened, so I guess you’ll just have to settle for “Now”.
Love ya, Syl!
This weekend, I had the pleasure of having my MEF come visit me! Syl and I have been friends since we were about 12, and even though we rarely get to see each other, we are still as close as ever.
We didn’t do much of anything exciting this weekend, in fact, we spent a good chunk of Saturday just hanging out in front of the TV, watching the entire Season One box set of Burn Notice. We did cook a little bit, making some lovely asparagus and red pepper scrambled eggs for breakfast Saturday, Creamy Fire Roasted Tomato Orzo for dinner Saturday night, and a Fluffy Pancake with pineapple sauce for breakfast Saturday. Did I get pictures of any of this? Nope.
What I did get pictures of was our lunch on Saturday. I took Syl down to Alton, Illinois for a quick shopping trip and lunch at Fast Eddie’s BonAir. Fast Eddie's is reputed to sell more beer than any other venue in the country, and, particularly since they added their new outdoor smoking area (which, frankly, felt more like a beach party in the sunny 70 degree weather we were blessed with this weekend), I wouldn’t doubt it.
The other thing Fast Eddie’s is known for is their food. It’s a small menu, only about eight items, but they are all fantastic, and very, very cheap. There is no carry out available, you’ve got to eat it there, which is kind of the point, so you’ll stay and drink more beer. They have 99 cent cheeseburgers, $1.29 pork kebabs, fries, brats, steak on a stick, hot chick on a stick (chicken drummies seasoned, skewered, and grilled), and, my personal favorite – SHRIMP. They have jumbo peel and eat shrimp for 29 cents each. You wait your turn in the eternally long line and when you get in front of the huge vat of ice and shrimp, you just shoot them a number.
“30, please!”
There you go. For less than ten dollars, you have a plate full of beautiful shrimp and cocktail sauce. For me and Syl, it started with 30, and then we had to get back in line and get 30 more. We probably would have been fine with 20 more, since we struggled to get the last few down, but it was so worth it. Wash it all down with a cold beer and it makes for one wonderful afternoon.
We did do a little bit of beading as well, finishing off a four strand necklace I’d been working on, and making a beaded lanyard for her work ID badge.All in all, it was just a nice, refreshing “girl weekend”, getting caught up and playing. I intended to scan some of our old pictures that we spent Friday night laughing at so I could do an “US: Then and Now” post, but that never happened, so I guess you’ll just have to settle for “Now”.
Love ya, Syl!
Easiest. Dinner. Ever.
I am sure that most of you already have a recipe for Italian Beef in your recipe boxes, but then again, I could be wrong. I had never had Italian beef until I moved to Illinois, so I have always wondered if it was a regional thing, like Toasted Ravioli, or the Horseshoe.
So, here we go.
Cook the sucker on Low all day while you're at work. When you get home, pull any excess fat off the meat, shred it or chunk it up, and serve it on nice big rolls with a slice of pepperjack cheese.
**some people I know like to throw a jar of pepperoncinis in the mix, too.
This is a meal I like when I either find beautiful roasts on sale for a good price, or I just need a really easy dinner idea.
So, here we go.
- Get a nice Sirloin roast, with as little fat as possible
- Throw it in a crock pot
- Sprinkle with one package of Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix, and 1 TB of Italian seasoning
- Pour one or bottle of beer in the pot (I like a nice dark beer, maybe Schlafly's Octoberfest, or even an Oatmeal Stout, but there is never a shortage of Bud Light with my husband around, so that's what usually gets used.)
Cook the sucker on Low all day while you're at work. When you get home, pull any excess fat off the meat, shred it or chunk it up, and serve it on nice big rolls with a slice of pepperjack cheese. **some people I know like to throw a jar of pepperoncinis in the mix, too.This is a meal I like when I either find beautiful roasts on sale for a good price, or I just need a really easy dinner idea.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tool Review (aka: NV is gonna love this)
I realize that most of my blog posts focus around food, crafting, or my little boy. I do, however, have a fair knowledge of tools. After all, I was raised by a seamstress/crafter and a carpenter/plumber/electrician/jackofalltrades. I picked up a few things along the way. (PS, thanks Mom and Dad!) So, it should come as no surprise that I have held a number of different jobs, ranging from seamstress to bus driver to bartender, and a number of others in between. I have done two separate tours as a picture framer. I have to warn you, it is not an easy craft to give up, but one that is very difficult to maintain due to both the price of the implements and their relative size. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have room in my house for an upright glass cutter, a mat cutting system, a framing vice and a dry mount machine, not to mention an open, lint free, work space. I will still periodically do framing projects for myself, or as a favor to someone else, using what tools I have available to me, and it isn’t always fun.
Recently, I had occasion to put a project together for a co-worker that was meant for his wife’s Christmas present. He ordered all the materials, and I brought in my framing kit, and I nearly impaled myself trying to force the glazier’s points into the frame to finish it. I HATE glazier’s points. Always have. They are the folly of the devil, they are. For years I have been wanting to buy a handheld point driver, but could never justify the expense, as I do these projects so infrequently. But this time, I had had enough. As it turned out, the company that cut the mat for him, cut it wrong. We put the project together anyway, so he could give it to his wife, but then he talked to the company and they promised to re-cut it and send him a new one. In the interim, I did my homework. I picked a point driver (not my ideal choice, but come on, do I have an excuse to buy a $130 point driver? No.) and compared prices. Lo and behold! Not only did Hobby Lobby carry the model I wanted, but that week it was on sale for 30% off. I drive my happy ass up to Springfield and bought one. Now, this is definitely not the model I was spoiled enough to be able to use at the frame shops where I worked, but it’s a darn good option for the home framer. I finally got to try it out today when he brought in the replacement mat. I gleefully plucked out the glazier’s points (that were barely holding in place anyway) and assumed the position. (You know, the position where you are poised over an object, gun in hand, ready to pounce?) Carefully, I adjusted the position of the gun against the inside of the frame, and squeezed. Ahhhhhhh the soft “pop!” of a rigid point easily penetrating solid wood. Wonderful, just wonderful.
So, ladies and gents, should you ever have the need for a point driver, I can recommend this one. The Logan Dual-Drive Point Driver.
Recently, I had occasion to put a project together for a co-worker that was meant for his wife’s Christmas present. He ordered all the materials, and I brought in my framing kit, and I nearly impaled myself trying to force the glazier’s points into the frame to finish it. I HATE glazier’s points. Always have. They are the folly of the devil, they are. For years I have been wanting to buy a handheld point driver, but could never justify the expense, as I do these projects so infrequently. But this time, I had had enough. As it turned out, the company that cut the mat for him, cut it wrong. We put the project together anyway, so he could give it to his wife, but then he talked to the company and they promised to re-cut it and send him a new one. In the interim, I did my homework. I picked a point driver (not my ideal choice, but come on, do I have an excuse to buy a $130 point driver? No.) and compared prices. Lo and behold! Not only did Hobby Lobby carry the model I wanted, but that week it was on sale for 30% off. I drive my happy ass up to Springfield and bought one. Now, this is definitely not the model I was spoiled enough to be able to use at the frame shops where I worked, but it’s a darn good option for the home framer. I finally got to try it out today when he brought in the replacement mat. I gleefully plucked out the glazier’s points (that were barely holding in place anyway) and assumed the position. (You know, the position where you are poised over an object, gun in hand, ready to pounce?) Carefully, I adjusted the position of the gun against the inside of the frame, and squeezed. Ahhhhhhh the soft “pop!” of a rigid point easily penetrating solid wood. Wonderful, just wonderful.
So, ladies and gents, should you ever have the need for a point driver, I can recommend this one. The Logan Dual-Drive Point Driver.
Pasta e Fagioli
This soup is a long time favorite, made popular by the Olive Garden chain. Traditional Pasta e Fagioli is not so much a soup, as a hearty bean and pasta dish you could generally eat as a fork. This recipe is a close match to the more americanized soup served in restaurants (minus the chickpeas, since I really don't like chickpeas). I made this soup for a friend's birthday today and had a little "girl luncheon" here at work. I was sure to snap a couple of pictures before gulping it down. I usually prefer the "petit diced" tomatoes, as I don't care for large chunks of tomato in a soup, but I found FIRE ROASTED diced tomatoes at my local grocery yesterday, and, that being a small miracle, I couldn't resist using them today, which naturally, gave the flavor of the soup a slightly different cast.
Pasta e Fagioli
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 large carrot, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 12 ounce can V8 (or Bloody Mary mix if you have that handy, which I did last night)
1 can kidney beans (I usually don't drain the beans, but last night I did and the soup was much thinner. Not a bad thing, just different)
1 can cannellini or great northern beans with liquid
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme (or just use an italian seasoning blend for all 3)
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ pound pasta (tubettini, ditalini, small shells or any other small pasta will do)
10 –12 cups beef stock
Cook beef in a LARGE stock pot until just cooked. Drain well and add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, sauce, V8, both cans of beans, herbs, and 2 cups of the beef stock. Allow to simmer one hour, covered. After 50 minutes, cook the pasta separately (1/2 pound equal ½ box), drain well and add to the stock pot. One cup at a time, add the remaining beef stock until soup reaches desired consistency. Taste for flavor and add any additional herbs needed. Simmer 10 more minutes.
Makes approximately 9 quarts. NOTE: You are going to need a BIG pot for this recipe!
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 large carrot, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 12 ounce can V8 (or Bloody Mary mix if you have that handy, which I did last night)
1 can kidney beans (I usually don't drain the beans, but last night I did and the soup was much thinner. Not a bad thing, just different)
1 can cannellini or great northern beans with liquid
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme (or just use an italian seasoning blend for all 3)
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ pound pasta (tubettini, ditalini, small shells or any other small pasta will do)
10 –12 cups beef stock
Cook beef in a LARGE stock pot until just cooked. Drain well and add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, sauce, V8, both cans of beans, herbs, and 2 cups of the beef stock. Allow to simmer one hour, covered. After 50 minutes, cook the pasta separately (1/2 pound equal ½ box), drain well and add to the stock pot. One cup at a time, add the remaining beef stock until soup reaches desired consistency. Taste for flavor and add any additional herbs needed. Simmer 10 more minutes.
Makes approximately 9 quarts. NOTE: You are going to need a BIG pot for this recipe!
TIP: If you are going to do what I did and cook it the night before, then reheat it for a function the next day, cook the pasta until it is almost done, then rinse it in cold water, toss it with a little olive oil (to keep it from sticking together) and put it in a ziploc bag in the fridge. Add it into the soup before serving. This will keep the pasta from overcooking in the soup and getting mushy.
REALLY? Cuz I kinda LIKE the mold....
Seriously, do any of these points indicate the "slightest" sign of spoilage? Really?
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