tonight i have been re-inspired to cook.  and i'm soooo glad that i am, because (besides needing the food in a few days) it smells incredible in the house.  last night we cooked a pork tenderloin in breadcrumbs and rosemary that we didn't get around to eating, so we're eating it tonight.  baking in the oven right now is a whole chicken.  how good is baked chicken!  i'm tempted to eat it instead of the pork, but i know we won't get around to eating the pork if i don't do it now.  so, we're having that, potatoes au gratin, spinach salad, and probably an early round of cranberry sauce! :) mmm.  i believe i'll be freezing the chicken, well, all but the wings.  i think i'm gonna cut them off and make some stock out of it for quick and easy soup and/or gravy.  

busy days

its been very busy around here the past couple of weeks. last week wesley's work schedule was pretty insane, then it was combined with several practices for the 2 gigs we have this weekend, and preparations for the halloween gathering and the birthday party of our 2 year old. so, it's been nice to have the day off of work today. well, not technically, but i am working from home, so it's still nice. i made biscuits for breakfast and watched knox play excitedly on his new "4 wheeler" from his Papaw and Mamaw. i have to admit, its pretty much one of the cutest things that you ever did see when he rides it in his wranglers and john deere boots.
wesley and i have gotten into yet another tv series, since we finished Alias. The Shield. its really good, but i'll warn you if you don't know anything about it, it gets pretty graphic at times. we have to make sure knox is safely deep asleep before we watch it.
tonight for dinner i'm going to make loaded baked potato soup and cobb salads. i have to grocery shop today because our cabinets are looking a little scarce. but it should be a good break after knox's nap to get us out of the house. it's my week to cook for wednesday night supper at church, and some of the ladies have very graciously offered to help me cook (being that i'm about 9 months pregnant, though i feel normal) :) so, i'm also planning on making Jennifer's Squash Dressing and green bean casserole today in preparation for tomorrow night. :) yummy!

the longest day

Yesterday I spent the afternoon running errands. After work i went to pick up Knox, who was sleeping (this is normal). However, I decided to wake Knox up early from his morning nap to go ahead and go to the grocery store. Mistake number one. Knox did pretty well most of the trip, though dealing with whiney moments throughout (which I guess would be understandable, seeing as how I hadn't fed him lunch yet and it was about 12:30...mistake number two). Until the checkout line. I believe I witnessed one of the largest tantrums that anyone in the civilized world has ever seen. After trying to discretely discipline, and quickly trying to get out of there, we left to run a couple more errands. After trying hard neither to let Knox bite Sam's fingers nor Sam pull Knox's hair, we arrived for lunch. Sam ate relatively quickly and was off to bed. Knox ate much more quickly, but wanted to hang around and play for a little while, so I let him (mistake number three). By this time it was at least two or so (early for him not have fully napped in the morning), so he should have been ready to sleep, but like any two-year-old, Knox wanted to stay up and play. Robin & I ate a VERY YUMMY lunch of her homemade chicken penne alfredo while Knox played in bed. After lunch, since Knox was still not asleep and was getting quite unruly, I picked him up to take home, where we both crashed until around 6 or so. Then, wesley came home from working out and we headed off to his parents' house, stopping by Burger King (mistake number... i lose count). We order. We double check my sandwich to make sure that it is infact grilled chicken and plain. It is, so we continue on our way, about 20 miles out, to Wesley's parents' house. We arrive; we pull out our combos only to find Wesley's sandwich is no where to be found. No where. So, I call Burger King, get it sorted out (and we can go pick one up whenever we choose, though that didnt' help us any last night). Finally, Knox began to start his I'm-sleepy-defiance-of-rules bit that children do when they've been up too long, so we put him to bed. Well, that just doesn't work well when you are over exhausted and two and at your grandparents' house. So, after about and hour of dealing off & on with an unpleasant child from the bedroom, he finally went to sleep! (Hallelujah!!!!) I put my feet up, watched much too much tv for one night, and went to bed way too late to get up as early as i did this morning. But, I am at work early this morning, and perhaps i'll get a nap in this afternoon. Wesley & I got to peek in on Knox before we headed out to work early (Wesley's mom is watching him today) and he is so almost angelic looking when he sleeps. What a sweetie. And we have lovely plans of friends coming for dinner, so I am very excited about what this day holds. Oh, and we rented Run Fatboy Run, so I'm excited about getting to watch it, as well!

My version of the yumminess I ate at Red Tree Coffee

I call them biscuit muffins.

4 eggs
a pinch of cheese for each muffin
1/2 slice of ham, sliced quite thick (and cut into cubes)
1 can of whop-biscuits, flaky style
onion powder to taste
garlic salt to taste

Preheat oven to whatever degree your biscuit can says. Spray the muffin tin with Pam. Put 1 biscuit in each muffin tin, pinching the sides up the tin. Mix the eggs where the yolk and whites are inseperable and add onion powder and garlic salt to taste. Pour on top of each biscuit. Add a few ham cubes to each egg mixture. Add cheese on top. Bake for about 15 minutes or until biscuits and eggs are both done. Eat! Yummy!!!

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour ¼ t allspice
2 t baking powder ¼ t salt
2 t baking soda 2 c pumpkin puree’
2.5 t ground cinnamon 1 c packed dark brown sugar
½ t nutmeg 1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs ¼ cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat to 350. Coat 2-8.5x4.5” loaf pans w/butter. Whisk flour, baking powder, soda, cinna, nutmeg, allspice, & salt. Combine puree’ with both sugars, mix on medium (2-3 mins) add eggs & oil, mix until incorporated (2 mins). Add flour on low. Bake (rotating ½-way through) total 55-60 minutes.

Planning

Lee & Brad are in town, and I am enjoying spending the weekend with them. They are at a friend's wedding, and I wish they weren't, b/c I'm dog-sitting for them instead. But, Ellie's a sweet girl, and I don't mind. Oneday, maybe they'll babysit! :o) And this gives me an opportunity to watch some much-missed cable television (i.e. Law & Order).
Today Knox, Lee, Mom, and I went for a little walk around town in which Knox promptly spotted a "little horse," a "ly-won," and white flowers (the little horse being an anti-bellum horse & carriage pitch that is so common here in small southern towns, the ly-won being how Knox says 'lion,' though he mistook a yorkie for it, and white flowers being, well, white flowers). Wesley has been working on music all weekend, though mostly not his own, so far. He recorded a co-worker's music most of the day today, thus sending Knox & I to Dad's for a good part of the day. Then, after a quick dinner, he headed off to band practice. I am excited that he is getting back into playing with a band. I really enjoy his acoustic work, but there is an aspect to playing with a band that I think Wesley misses when he doesn't play with a group for a while. I don't know if its just that its something he really enjoys, or that its b/c he has basically always played music in bands since he was quite young (or both), but either way, it's good for him to get back into it.
This week, I have planned a menu and already bought the groceries, so I am excited to get started on the meals! :o) Here it goes!
Sunday a.m.: my best attempt to re-create the breakfast-biscuit-egg-muffin things that I had at a little coffee shop in Kingston Springs, which are incredible.
Sunday p.m.: Mammy's Cupboard's recipe of Vegetable Beef Soup w/my Granny's Jalepeno Cornbread Muffins
Monday: Slow-cooked Chicken with bacon & greenbeans, and "potato salad" (though if you know me at ALL, you know this must not have the "m"word in it. It doesn't. I'm going to do my best attempt to duplicate the potato salad from the restaurant Zoe's Kitchen).
Tuesday: Mammy's recipe (again) for Chicken Salad Sandwiches (but, again, without the M-word, and instead, fat free plain yogurt) with a side of vegetable soup and mixed fresh fruit
Wednesday: church night
Thursday: chili dogs with Kosher dogs & wheat buns & fat free turkey chili, and steamed broccoli
Friday: miniature whole-wheat pizzas
Saturday: breakfast with Dad, and a wedding to attend that night, so I'm sure we'll eat there

wheat pizza dough

yummy. this recipe is from the best of cooking light.
1 pkg dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 c. warm water (100-110')
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 all-purpose flour, divided
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
cooking spray

1. dissolve yeast & sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 mins. lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level w/a knife. add 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour whole-wheat flour, oil, & salt to yeast mixture, stirring until well blended. turn dough on a floured surface. knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 min's); add enough of the remaining flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).
2. place dough in a large bowl coated w/cooking spray, turning to coat top. cover & let rise in a warm place (85'), free from drafts, for 45 min's or until doubled in size. (press 2 fingers into the dough. if indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) punch down; cover and let rest 5 min's. divide dough in half; roll each half into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. top & bake at 450' for about 15 min's on a pan or stone. note, if you want a crisper crust, place directly in oven (off pan) w/about 8 or so min's left.

Ok, this is another "stolen" recipe from This blog. We had them for dinner last night, and they were really really good. And healthy. (I always use fat free sour cream; you can use skim milk, and low fat cheese to make it really lean. Also, while wesley & i were eating it, we realized you could very easily add black beans and/or corn to the recipe for more nutrients without changing the recipe really.) Also, it makes a good bit, so you could probably entertain with it or freeze half of it. I would recommend saving the cheesy-goodness topping for after reheating if you do freeze it.

Fiesta Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, minced
3 fresh cloves garlic, minced
10 oz bag baby spinach leaves, chopped
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 10 oz can Mild Rotel diced tomatoes with Green Chilies

1 lb (Lg family size can) cream of chicken soup
1 Cup red enchilada sauce
8 oz sour cream
1/2 Cup milk
Pinch of salt

Corn Tortillas
2 Cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oil into a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and jalaepeno until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chopped spinach and cook until wilted down. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, garlic salt, cumin and diced tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer.

2. Place soup, enchilada sauce, sour cream, milk and salt into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until warmed though.

3. Ladle a small amount of sauce into the bottom of a large 9x13 inch baking dish (or bigger if you have one), just enough to cover the bottom. Place a spoonful of chicken mixture inside of corn tortillas, roll and place seam side down. Fill tortillas until chicken filling is used up. Top evenly with sauce and shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

10-12 servings

And now for a recipe!

This has become one of my husbands top two favorite meals of all time. I am excited, b/c I cannot cook the other (literally, b/c its sushi). And the bonus is that it is INCREDIBLY easy. And can be affordable, Much more so than ordering it or anything resembling it in a restaurant. So, don't be afraid!!!! :) I have put my side notes in itallics. They are just hints I learned along the way, not the actual recipe.

Filet Minon with a Port Reduction topped with Caramelized Onions:
1 4oz. and 1 6oz. filet, very lean
about 2 tablespoons (plus or minus according to your taste) of cracked black pepper
a pinch or two of salt
olive oil
1 vidalia onion
a couple tablespoons of butter (though i like to use smart balance light)
about a teaspoon or so of sugar
honey
port wine (a good one. Spend around $18 bucks or so, plus or minus)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Chop onions to very thin (and even sized) circles. Add the sugar and butter to a hot skillet, and stir occasionally. They will be caramalized in about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile:

Put a little (maybe a teaspoon or two) olive oil in a skillet, and crank it up to medium high to high. Take the filet (I have been getting a 6 oz. for wesley and a 4 oz. for me, and, especially with the sides, I cannot eat all of mine, and he is full off of his.) and rub them down good with the salt and pepper. Coat them pretty well, then place them in the skillet. Sear them on the hot skillet for about a minute on each side (depending on how well done you like your steak, you can leave it on longer. We like ours about medium, so adjust accordingly. By the way, the steak will be pink inside and incredibly tender, but not bloody the way I cook it, so let that be a reference.) Once steaks are seared, place the pan (with handle covered in tin foil) in the oven for 10 minutes. When you take the steaks out, let them sit for about 10 minutes before you cut them.

Take about 1 cup of port wine and boil in a shallow dish, stirring often, until syrupy. (This takes about 15 minutes) Once it has reduced (by about half is what you're looking for), stir in about a tablespoon of honey. Set aside.

It is super easy. And the reduction can be saved in the fridge for steak later or other things like chicken if you have any leftover.

this week wesley and i watched a couple of movies. we saw the other boleyn girl and bee movie. i really enjoyed both, although, i must admit we had to turn off bee movie last night before it finished because we were both so tired. i imagine we'll try to finish it tonight. so, honestly, i guess i can only comment on the former. while i enjoyed the movie, the plot was rather disturbing. i think what made the plot most disturbing was that it was mostly based on facts. i understand that it is a very romanticized version of whatever did happen, but the basic plot, the events, what a difference in mindset. oh, and we also watched definately, maybe, which i had great hopes for, but was disappointed with the ending. (if you don't want to continue in this discussion, please skip the next paragraph.)

***spoiler alert!!!*** i don't know, maybe its because i am sensitive to divorce lately, but i am not satisfied with the simple pat-on-the-back answer of hey,-let's-just-move-on-to-the-next-thing-and-see-if-it-works mentality about divorce. I don't think it is a justifiable answer to the reality of the situation. it seems more like a fairy tale ending on a story about reality (though a comedic interpretation). so, anyway, you can watch it and judge it for yourself. i'd love to know what you think about it.

ok, back to other topics. I made whole wheat pizza last night that was really good. I have noticed that the more i make it, the quicker i get at it. which, i guess, is like anything with anyone, now that i think about it. i should have taken pictures of it, but i did not. i did, however, take pictures of wednesday night's dinner (southwestern grilled chicken and avacado sandwiches with fresh salsa), but i will have to post those pictures later this afternoon, being that i forgot to take my camera with me currently.

Review

It really amazes me how much Knox is learning so quickly. It seems like every day there are new words that he says, things that I don't even know he has heard before. Yesterday we practiced saying "Happy birthday, Daddy" so that he could tell it to Wesley when he got home. It came out as, "Happy Daddy, Birthday." It was really cute. :o) That got me thinking. I am starting to realize what a challenge it must be for him to learn a whole vocabulary in English (and what Spanish I can remember). Sometimes he gets his words a little mixed up (as in "happy daddy birthday") but he always stops and thinks for a while and tries really hard to get out what he wants to say. Really, it reminds me as if someone picked me up and dropped me in China, or somewhere. The thought of just being alone where I have no idea how to speak the language is terrifying to me.

Last night Wesley and I went to get sushi from a local Thai place. It was good! :o) It had been a long time since I had eaten sushi, so I was ready for it! I couldn't even think about sushi my first trimester, so it has been a pleasant change. I got my usual: Shrimp tempura roll & the Philadelphia roll. I like alternating the creamy & the crunchy. Mmmm. Wesley got a Spider roll and a Planet Thailand Special roll. I don't remember what was in either (although I do know the Spider roll had Soft Shell Crab, mmmmm) but they were both Really good. Then we saw Dark Knight. It was so good, and so creepy! Truely the character of the Joker is such an evil villain!

Well, I guess that's all I can think of for now. I'll get back to eating my cajun turkey on whole wheat and baked ruffles.

24

Today Wesley is Twenty-Four. We are planning on going to dinner to one of our great little local restaurants and then going to see Black Knight. We have been looking forward to seeing it for a while, but whenever the opportunity presented itself, we weren't able to go for one reason or another. So tonight is the perfect chance to see the movie, I think. Wesley and I are going to High Cotton, a wonderful gourmet cooking class here in town Friday night for both of our birthdays. I am very excited about the class. We went to one about a year ago and it was so much fun. Each class has a different food theme, and last time it was grilled seafood. This time I'm not sure what it is, but I know I will love it. We learn and participate in making a 4 or so course meal and then everyone sits down and eats it afterwards!

Monday: Dinner with friends; started a movie, but the stupid tv messed up (again), so we opted to go to bed early, instead. I had grand plans of deep cleaning the entire house that got shifted instead to going to the grocery store and pricing most of the garage sale junk, er...stuff.
Tuesday: Hopes for French dip sandwiches for dinner with baked sweet potatoes and a spinach salad. Hopes for deep cleaning the house today, again. I have a good start, though b/c I got up early. I have already swept, started laundry, disinfected the counters, done the dishes (last night), picked up the trash, cleaned out some of the fridge, and gotten Knox ready and off. I still need to pick up some buckets for my plants so I can plant them into something larger. Oh, did I tell you what happened to Fred? Its sad. More later. And I need to go by Dirt Cheap again b/c Wesley liked the deoderant I found for a buck.
Wednesday: Dinner with friends? Usually, but not always. I should thaw chicken as a backup.
Thursday: Slow Cooker Chicken if we don't do it Wednesday, but if so, I'll use the leftover chicken to make the Chicken Enchilada Casserole.
Friday: MY SONAGRAM!!!! Yay!!!! I have no clue what's for dinner. Leftovers? Home made pizza? That's always a good backup b/c it doesn't take that long and I always have the ingredients hanging around.

Mammy's Cupboard Vegetable Soup

(The best Vegetable Soup you'll ever eat.)

2.5 lbs. stew meat
64 oz. V8
64 oz. picante V8
2 packs frozen gumbo vegetables (or soup veggies work well, too)
4 peeled and cubed baking potatoes
Tony's seasoning (1 T. or to taste)

Put meat in a pot and just cover with water on high for 30 minutes. Next, add both V8 juices. Once hot, add gumbo vegetables and cook another 30 minutes. Add seasoning and baking potatoes and simmer up to 30 minutes (or until tender). At this point it is ready to eat!!! :o)***Note: If you are going to cook it in a crockpot, do all of it in the crock pot, but at this point, you want to put it on low for a few hours. I did mine about 5 hours, but could be more or less depending on the heat the crockpot puts out.***

This is so good with any cornbread, but Jalepeno Cornbread with a little Cheddar cheese mixed in is AMAZING.

Today I watered my plants, as usual, and I am excited about how much they are growing. Not just barely hanging on, but actually growing and producing fruit! Fred has 3 more little tomatoes growing and Madam Bleu has several ripe blueberries everyday! I picked 2 more tomatoes the other day. They are so cute and tiny! The 6 squash plants have blooms all over them, so I am hoping they will successfully turn into squash plants, although I have heard you can eat the squash blossoms themselves. Actually, Sookie on Gilmore Girls has recipe for stuffing and frying the squash blossoms, and the thought of that sounds AMAZING.

Earlier this morning I believe my sugar was low. I began shaking a little (not like tremors or anything, but just a bit shaky) and feeling weak, so I opted for a pack of peanut butter crackers and a sprite. It has helped a good bit. My sister does the same thing occasionally, and her husband (a nurse) laughs at her when she says its because her sugar is low. My husband (not a nurse) does the same to me when I have these moments. What do you think it is? A few crackers or something moderately sugary usually fixes it relatively quickly. I'm not saying I think I'm diabetic or anything; just that I haven't eaten something substantial in a while.

Last night I made Mammy's Cupboard's recipe of Vegetable Soup (except I did mine in the crockpot) and made corn bread to go with it. It was sooooo good. I haven't had vegetable soup in a long time, so I was really looking forward to it. Wesley always likes a good bowl or 2 of it. I'll post the recipe. I just did Jiffy Cornbread. We had brownies for dessert. Yum.

The First Snow Cone of the Season

It was bliss. I opted for something a little out of the ordinary in the form of a "topless" (b/c I don't want it spilling in my car) sour apple and lemonade mixture. I figured you can't go wrong with anything fruity mixed with lemonade. O how true. Yum.

Also, I have been picking blueberries from my blueberry bush the past few days and freezing them with dreams of a blueberry pie. I also picked my first cute little cherry tomato from the plant that I named Frank. I later saved him from a tragic ending by rescuing him just before Knox popped it in his mouth. I wouldn't have minded, except judging from past experiences with tomatoes, Knox would have just spit it right back out. And all my hard work...haha...of trying to remember to water Frank would have been wasted on the little tomato. But, Frank is producing several more tomatoes that look like they will be ripe and ready to be picked within a few days. (As long as I remember to water him...)

Memorial Day Weekend

Yesterday Wesley and I stayed in. My mom had stayed the night, so she took Knox to church with her, and we had the morning to ourselves. It was nice, honestly. We went on a pseudo-morning-date. We went to McDonalds (b/c Main Street Marketplace was closed) for breakfast, and then tried to rent a movie, but it was closed. So, we went to the park to swing instead. We watched all the different woodland animals run around, collecting their food, preparing already, I'm sure, for winter. There were woodpeckers, bluejays, cardinals, squirrels, and chipmonks. Then we took a nap, and went back to the movie store to rent No Reservations. We originally had plans to have a major junk night including local pizza, candy, brownies, cream soda for me and Strawberry Abita for Wesley, but after going to a "church fellowship" and filling up on junk there, we were too full to eat the original planned junk. But, the movie was still good.
Next, this morning we had breakfast (again) at McDonalds! haha, well, we never eat there, really, but the Marketplace was closed (again) for Memorial Day, so we went again with my dad and grandparents. Knox loved it.
I made my strawberry jam last night. It tastes very good, but apperently I cooked it too long, b/c it's more like the consistency of taffy than jam, but it's still very good. I think if you heat it a little it'll loosen up. For sure it will preserve this time. In just a little while we will be heading to the lake with a group of friends to ride on the boat , tube (though, sadly I cannot participate), and boil crawfish! Yum.

This week's Menu

Yesterday and today I didn't have to go into work until one, so I was able to get dressed leisurely and cook breakfast, which was a joy.

Monday: Dinner: Pasta Quattro Formaggio with Roasted Chicken
Tuesday: Lunch: Mammie's Chicken Salad Sandwich (without M-Word) on Home Baked
White Bread
Dinner: Bacon Turkey Burgers on Onion Kaiser Rolls with Baked Macaroni &
Cheese and Green Bean Bundles
or
Breakfast Casserole
Wednesday: Dinner: Church or @ the Townsends'
Thursday: Dinner: whichever I didn't cook on Tuesday
Friday: Date Night/homemade Pizza
Saturday: Fundraiser for Mr. Mike Byrne @ Mainstreet Market Place Cafe'

Oh man.

Tonight my Mother-in-law grilled steak and sausage, and cooked lobster, baked beans, and sweet potatoes. YUM. Tomorrow night we are eating chicken verde enchiladas. We strayed a tiny bit from the food schedule.

Tonight at my in-law's house we started talking at dinner about fuel costs among other things. I believe I may ask some of my dear friends and neighbors (who just Happen to be one in the same...minus an absent Merisha only for a short while) if they want to carpool to the grocery store. I may even try to round up a group to go once a month(ish) to Sam's. I figure we can split the fuel costs and save some moolah. I am excited that a produce store is about to move just yards from my house very soon. I shall be able to walk there this spring (Lord willing). I do want to grow my own garden, though, too. I am going to try to help plant my in-law's garden to get some experience so that I will have an Incling of an idea as to what I would be doing. I almost just spelled doing "dooing." Wow. Long day.

Food Planning

Today is the Mississippi Primaries. If you happen to be a registered voter in MS, please go vote today! (and vote for Ron Paul!) :)Yesterday I was extremely pleased with how much I was able to accomplish around the house! It was very suprizing to me how far a little planning went. I was able to:sweep and mop all the floors, vaccum the carpet, straiten Knox's room, make our bed, put away all the clothes, continue the laundry (though I'm not completely finished...more on that later...funny story), finish the dishes, cook dinner, and wash the car! All from about 3pm to 630pm! So, about the laundry. I decided to save a little money and be more friendly to the economy to dry my laundry on a clothes line yesterday. Why not? The day was beautiful. By the time I got everything up, it was overcast. I waited about an hour or so, went back, and checked the clothes, still damp. A while later I felt a sprinkle, so I went and got the clothes that had dried and brought them inside. The other clothes were already wet, so I left them out anyway. Hopefully by the time I come in from work today I will have dry laundry! Its another pretty day today, so maybe I'll try again. I did, however, enjoy the rain. I love to cosey up in bed with a good book under my antique quilts while the rain hits our antique tin roof.
This weekend Knox stayed with KK while we went to a friend's wedding out of town. He had a wonderful time judging by the temper-tantrum he through when he saw us to bring him home.
Wesley is actively working on bookings again; I am so glad!
Here is what I'm cooking this week. (I actually planned ahead!)
Last night: Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Chicken Medallions over Pasta with a Creamy Lemony-White Wine & Balsamic Vinager Reduction over Penne Pasta and Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries and Feta. Chocolate Ice Cream for Dessert. (You can get the chicken recipe from www.foodnetwork.com, though I did my own variation of the sauce.)
Tonight: Pulled Pork Sanwiches Slow Cooked on homemade Baguette
Wednesday: probably at the Townsends
Thursday: either French Dip Sammies (with same pork from Tuesday night) or BBQ Sammies (with same pork from Tuesday night)
Friday: Probably homemade pizza. I have found this amazing wheat pizza dough recipe (from The Best of Cooking Light) and it has been such a hit! I swap the amounts of white and wheat flour to give it more wheat, but you could keep it with more white.
Saturday: Gumbo. I'll add chicken, sausage (venison), and seafood (probably shrimp unless we decide to go get some crawfish...though crawfish would be gooooood) over brown rice.
Sunday: Probably with the Townsends again. pleased with how much I was able to accomplish around the house!