Sunday, January 28, 2007

a cold day in January





Call your Daddy! It's his birthday!

Saturday, January 27, 2007

you probably won't like it

Here, let me have that. You prolly won't like it.
:)


Well, I was off to a good start on a diet last week. Lost 4 pounds in 4 days. Then Mr. Dad got home from the India trip. The stop-over in Zurich was a perfect shopping opportunity, it seems.
I did not eat all the empty spots! HONEST!
It's a busy Saturday morning. I finished removing the "cottage cheese" from the breakfast room ceiling, and Mr. Dad has finished the repainting. Maybe we will tackle the wallpaper soon. NO PROMISES!
The clothes dryer is "dead". I guess I will spend the afternoon at the laundromat. Good thing I have a book in progress and some knitting to take along. Book-wise, I am trying to finish up one I save just for traveling. It has short chapters (easy to pick up and put down), and has kept me quite entertained. The Man Who Ate Everything. Now we know who ate the chocolate! :)

Sunday, January 21, 2007

in the kitchen


My efforts in the kitchen this week have been decidedly UN-culinary. Cooking has been replaced by "redecorating". Patching and painting.

Almost done with the kitchen, then I will move on to the breakfast room.

Excuse the quality of this photo. It was taken with my Palm - as the REAL camera has taken a trip to India! It will be back tomorrow :)

Sunday, January 14, 2007

"jammie" cookies

The "kitchen event" of the weekend was sort of a non-event. I got off work Friday afternoon and went to the grocery store for the first time since New Year's Day. The "thawed freezer" episode sort of helped me postpone the usual weekly trip.

So I got home from the grocery store, and turned on the weather channel just to quickly check - is it going to be warm or cool this weekend? GOOD GRIEF - A SNOW STORM IS BLANKETING TULSA - AND IT'S ALREADY 36 DEGREES IN FORT SMITH. I BETTER GO BACK TO THE STORE FOR MORE FOOD!!!

So, back from the second grocery store, with enough food to last AT LEAST another month - and feeling that happy feeling when the cupboard is stocked, I settle down to wait for the snow that was not to be. Like a kid anticipating a day out of school. But, no snow. Just rain, rain, rain all weekend.

My cooking exercise for this weekend consisted of swiss steak (always a favorite) and a cookie recipe that has been in my recipe box since high school that I have never made. I spent a summer with Aunt Lottie when I was about 12 and we made these cookies (more like I watched). But I saved the recipe and then last week I got inspired by a cooking blog I read, and thought of the "jammie" cookie recipe in my archives. The blog made a similar cookie, but they suggested using Nutella - sooooo - walla! I made half with red plum jam and half with Nutella. I clearly need a new name for the recipe.




Here is the link for the food blog which provided the inspiration:

http://creampuffsinvenice.typepad.com/cream_puffs_in_venice/2006/12/best_wishes_for.html

Saturday, January 06, 2007

those pesky new year's resolutions

One of my "goals" for the new year is to cook more. I have already tried several new recipes since Christmas, and got up this morning ready to try a couple more. I made some oatmeal cookies this morning, and then some "tofu salad" (just think egg salad or pasta salad - but - - - you know...)

Well, both of those turned out pretty good, and i was feeling very - hmm - satisfied. So far - so good.

Shortly after noon i started thinking about supper plans, and went to the freezer to pull out some pork chops or something. Uh-oh!! The freezer accidentally got unplugged and there was a puddle of water. All the frozen foods sitting there thawing - but fortunately still very cold. I started grabbing towels and pans, and PLANNING DINNER!! Woo-hoo! Let's have a party tonight!!

So, call the grandparents, call the kids, tonight we're having:

Vegetable Soup
Roast Pork Loin
Turnip Greens
Lima Beans
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Black-eye Peas
Sister's Rolls
Apple Pie
Strawberries (and ice cream that was in the house freezer)

I do much better with impromptu parties, anyway. No time to get in a flutter!
Wish you were here!
:)

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Little T-Bone and Baldy

I got to see a bald eagle and feed a calf yesterday. Good start for 2007. A day of pure joy.

No fireworks display or parade has ever filled me with such pleasure and excitement!
(click on the picture to enlarge for a better view).

I used the telephoto and got as close as i could before he flew away.