A pot of soup for lunch?

I fibbed and led my family to believe we went away for Christmas. So, hubby and I are having a quiet, uninterrupted Christmas at home. I am thinking seriously of making a nice pot of soup for our lunch and our dinner this evening will be scrambled eggs, gluten free breakfast sausages and toast. I know it's a different holiday meal but what the heck... it works!

Mint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I found this recipe at Joybilee Farm's site. It's an absolute treasure trove of useful information. Baking's in the plans for tomorrow:

Ingredients:

1 lb. of butter
3 cups of organic sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
¾ cup of organic cocoa
4 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ cup slivered almonds
1 ½ cup peppermint-chocolate chips

Method:

Cream butter with sugar until it is light. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and cocoa. Keep beating until all the
lumps are out of the cocoa and the mixture is smooth.
Mix in flour and baking powder. Remove from stand mixer and gently fold in almonds and chocolate
chips. If mixture is too moist, fold in ½ cup more flour. Flour hands and roll balls of dough in your palms
so that they are walnut size. Put on greased baking sheet and bake in 350F oven for 12 minutes. Cool
on wire rack. Makes 3 doz. 4 inch cookies.

VARIATION:

To make these with regular chocolate chips
Replace the vanilla with peppermint extract

Trying a new soup...

Well, it's that time of year again! Soup season is here. I am giving a black bean and salsa soup a try - check it out!

Black Bean & Salsa Soup (4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chunky salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Directions:

1. In an electric food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth.
2. Heat the bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
3. Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream and 1/2 tablespoon green onion.

Thanksgiving is coming!

This will be another one of our non-traditional Thanksgiving dinners. The current plan, if it doesn't change, is to dine at the Roaring Fork and be sitting outside on their patio with my sweetie. That alone gives me oodles to be thankful for!

I love tea!

Fall is coming, I can feel it in the air & my body is aching more than it does in the summer. With the change... I am enjoying my quiet moments with a nice hot cup of tea so much more. It may well be time to put my heating pad back into action drawing the pain from my back as I sit and sip...

Never did get to the beach...

but that's ok. I may steal the car from hubby one day and go down to Birch Bay for the day or maybe just spend an afternoon in Harrison Hot Springs. I just want to do a little drive on my own and have some quiet time since I am not going to do a borscht run this year after all. Maybe I am just supposed to make my own. :-)

I need some beach time!

While we are on vacation, I need the opportunity to run my toes through the sand, listen to the crashing of the waves... ahhh heaven! My sensitivity to the sun means I won't be hanging there for long but hopefully just long enough to soothe the savage beast. Ha ha ha!

I am really looking forward to all the fun stuff we have planned for our vacation... a dinner at Red Lobster (with a discount coupon), the farmer's market in Olympia, a meal at Souplantation's all-you-can-eat salad bar, a trip out to the Oregon coast and a stop at the Tillamook factory, checking out the Apple headquarters flag ship store in Cupertino, exploring Fisherman's Wharf, a stroll along the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk, a picnic lunch at the Sunnyvale Baylands Park, checking out Palo Alto's Apple store, playing mini golf at Golfland USA, having cabbage rolls at Goldberg's Deli and doing a little grocery shopping on the way home. My idea of lots of variety!

I even have a massage scheduled for the week after I get home to work out any kinks I may have developed in my travels.

What a nice surprise!

My next door neighbor stopped by yesterday with her daughter to drop off a lily plant just to say thank you for being so kind to her always. Hubby said, that's what neighbors are supposed to be like. She's such a kind little old lady, it very easy to be considerate. I love lilies so I really appreciate the gift... it's an unusual color... a dark wine. Beautiful! It sure made my day!

I am not sure why but...

this really reminded me of the Kootenays! I am looking forward to my little borscht and pyrahi run towards the end of August. I always enjoy the solo drive. It's coming soon now.

It sure is beautiful weather!

I have been enjoying this stretch of sunny weather! I was catching the news on the flooding in Toronto yesterday. I don't remember ever seeing rain like that when I lived there. The climate change stuff is sure having it's wicked way with us this summer, isn't it?

I am feeling grateful today...

I have the best life and a wonderful sweetie... it's really all I ever dreamed of!

Long weekend is coming!

Well, this grey & dismal weather is starting to get me down. Let's pray the weatherman is right and we are heading into a sunny stretch for the long weekend. It's almost July and we are still making homemade soups for Pete's sakes!

Our long weekend, weather permitting will include a couple of barbecues, a trip into Costco to get Larry's new summer running shoes and socks (an annual tradition), the Star Trek movie in the theatre, more bagging up of stuff for Clothesline donation on Tuesday morning, a little wander around at the Haney Farmer's Market and Canada Day festivities uptown, the making a bacon & cottage cheese crustless quiche, an Italian Casserole done in the slow cooker on Sunday and a lunch of Sloppy Joes made with turkey.

Of course with the long weekend, we have a month-end, quarter end and the half-year financials to be done so I have oodles of accounting to do on Monday and Tuesday!

We've been making some new dishes...

Isn't it funny the things you have never got around to making. This week we made a batch of french toast for supper. I was feeling poorly and that's what happened to appeal to me. This coming week I plan to make our own version of Vegetable Fried Rice. Canada Day weekend we'll be making our first batch of borshch. I can hardly wait! Mmmmm!!!!

About Doukhobor Borshch ...

Borshch is a vegetable soup of Eastern European origin. It is traditionally cooked with beet and cabbage, as well as other minor vegetable ingredients, although certain cultures also include meat.

Doukhobor borshch is unique in the sense that it is strictly vegetarian, with an emphasis on cabbage and tomatoes. Unlike its beet
red cousins, it is pale orange in colour, acquiring its colouration from the use of dairy cream. It is a thick hardy soup and can be a meal in itself, when accompanied with home-baked bread and cheddar cheese. It must be eaten hot, and even then, can be seasoned with black or red pepper.

Borshch Recipe

3 qt. water
5 medium sized potatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) grated carrots
1 small beet
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onions
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh chopped dill
1 cup (250 ml) diced potatoes
6 cups (1.5 L) shredded cabbage
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped carrots
4 cups (1L) canned tomatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) green pepper
3/4 cup (180 ml) green onions
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped celery

Preparing and combining the ingredients:

In fry pan pour 4 cups (1L) of canned tomatoes and mash. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of onions and simmer
until thick.

Place 1/4 cup (60 ml) of butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) chopped onions, 1/2 cup (125 ml) finely grated carrots and 1/4 cup (60 ml)
chopped green pepper into a frying pan and sautee until transparent - do not brown.
In a separate frying pan, place 2 cups (500 ml) of shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of butter and sautee until tender - do not
brown.

Boil 3 qts (3L) of water in a pot, add 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped carrots, 4 medium potatoes halved, 1 beet, 1/4 cup (60
ml) chopped celery, and add 1/2 of the simmered tomatoes from step 1, continue to boil ingredients in pot until potatoes are tender.
Remove potatoes and mash with 1 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green pepper, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green
onions, 1 tbsp dill, then set aside.

To the pot in step 4, add 1 cup (250 ml) of diced potatoes, 3 cups (750 ml) shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup ( 125 ml) cream and bring
to boil.

Pour the mashed potatoes back to pot in step 4, bring to boil.
Remove pot from heat and add remainder of simmered tomatoes from step 1, fried onions and carrots from step 2, the fried
cabbage from step 3, add 1/2 cup (125 ml) green onions, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green pepper, and 1 tbsp dill.

Discard the whole beet. Season to taste with black pepper.
Let sit for a few minutes before serving to allow flavours to mix. Serve hot.

I must be feeling nostalgic...

This picture made me think of my Grandma Poznikoff. What a hard working lady she was! This summer, I am feeling the loss of the ladies in my life to another deeper level than ever before. Great Grandmother, Grandma, Mom, Auntie Lucille ... all gone now. My Aunt Elsie and Aunt Mary are still alive but I am not close to either of them. This time of year has always been my reconnect time with my mother's side of the family. It feels so strange and I feel a little at a loss. My cousin's son and his wife are having a family reunion this summer in August back in Glade. I am so torn... go? skip? and if I skip it, is this the end of an era? It really is hard to let go... again!

It's time for chili!

Here we are just days from the official start of summer and I am still craving all things soups and stews. This weekend we are making a nice batch of slow cooker chili! Just for a change of pace, we are using a different recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans, drained
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 lbs. lean ground beef, browned and drained
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 small can (3 to 4 ounces) mushroom pieces, drained
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 med. size can baked pork and beans with molasses
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 12 hours or 4 1/2 to 6 hours on high.

Gluten Free Rice A Roni!

I love Rice-A-Roni but the ingredients aren't gluten free and I suffer after eating it. Today I found this and I am happy, happy, happy!!!



And here is the recipe:

Homemade Rice-a-Roni

1/2 c. raw spaghetti-broken into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces << mine will be rice spaghetti
1 c. long grain rice
2 T. Butter
2-3 T. chicken or beef bouillon granules << mine will be gluten free
3 1/2 c. hot water

Melt butter in a pan and stir in rice and noodles. Cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned. mix in water and bouillon. Stir and cover~simmer about 20 minutes or until all liquid has be absorbed.

This dirt road has me thinking...

of all the summer days I would walk down the road to meet the ferry and my cousins as they came home from work. There's nothing quite like the sight of a dirt road, or the feel of it on your bare feet to bring dreams of where you'd like to wander, things you would like to do and a world of possibilities to life! It's taken nigh on 60 years to get here but I like a dirt road. I like to dream. I don't actually have to do it all... the dream is enough!

Saturday brings...

a little cooking and a few errands. We're having homemade Macaroni and Cheese for lunch today! Mmmm! I have bank deposits to do and a few groceries to pick up and then we'll head home. My mouth is still sore from the dentist appointment on Thursday though so tonight we'll have steamed potato, red onion & broccoli with scrambled eggs and sauteed mushrooms. It's not exciting but I am sure it'll taste good!

May 20th but soup's still on!

I don't know what it's going to take to shift me from my soup mode to salad mode but it hasn't happened yet. Tonight we're going to have a nice warm Cheesy Potato Soup. Here's a link to the recipe if it appeals to you as much as it appeals to me today: http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/soups/cheesy-potato-soup

Can you believe it's the middle of May?

Here we are at May 16th and I am making a pot of soup for supper tonight! I can hardly wait until the weather starts to warm up! The soup I plan to make is a French Country Chicken Soup but as with everything I do, I plan to play with the ingredients a little. Here's the original recipe though: http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/soup/french-country-chicken-soup/



I have a green cabbage in the fridge so I think I wil chop up half of that and add it to the soup. I don't have any leeks in the house at the moment so I'll throw in a couple of red onions instead. I don't have chicken thighs but I do have 4 chicken breasts and will use those. I am sure it will be great!

I saw this on Facebook this morning and thought it was lovely...

Another week of tummy upset...

I have been having "issues" again this week. I can't tell you how much I hate waking up at 2:30 and then spending the rest of the time when I should be sleeping running back and forth to the washroom. :-( Not only and I exhausted, put I am also very frustrated.

I have my trip to Ontario scheduled for the end of this month but if my tummy is going to give me grief, I'll postpone the trip a little. It certainly sucks having a wonky system.

Ever notice how no one ever does what they promise when they promise it? Orkin was supposed to show up and spray the exterior of the house on the first dry day after the interior & the crawl space were treated. I waited Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and he never showed up. Friday I called the office and complained. He finally came Friday afternoon.

I called the plumber and left a message which for some reason he never received. I was waiting, none to patiently, for him to call and book a date on his return visit. He called back on Wednesday, I gave him the dates when Larry is home on holidays but I haven't heard anything further. I am so not a patient person! Have you noticed?

The landscapers emailed me the other day and said they'd be here today to do a job for me. Here we are at 1:00 pm and there's no sign of them. I am not going to chase them...they bought the supplies, either they do the job and get paid or they can be out of pocket. I am fed up with chasing people!

I did get pro-active today and called Scotiabank to find out how we confirm that the lien against the car is released since our final payment will come out this month. I haven't had a car loan in 40 years so I wasn't sure what the process was. I set up a bring forward on the calendar to take care of it mid-June.

Doesn't that bench scream, "Sit here"?

I can tell that we are almost to the end of April. Every year at this time, with the income tax behind us and the June 30th statements not yet here...I feel the need to some quiet and relaxing time. I am really looking forward to our vacation in May!

We'll have a weekend together in Bellevue, then I'll fly to California for a week of fun in the sun while Larry returns home to work and then Larry will pick me up at Sea-Tac the following weekend and we'll spend a weekend in Bellevue together again before heading home. I need that week in California. I want to be away from everything! This will be my alone time this year. As Lucille is no longer with us, I am not going to do the drive to Grand Forks and Castlegar this year. I may do it next summer but...just not this year.

I heard some dripping in my sleep the other night and checked all over the place and couldn't find a water problem. When Larry went down in the crawl space this morning to get the summer tires, he found a joint that had a leak. Oh yeah! I guess it's time to get a plumber in...if Larry can't fix it himself. This is the most horribly expensive month! First I broke my tooth and need a gold crown ($500), I need a new mouth guard ($500), car servicing ($450), exterminators ($500) and now a plumber on a weekend (probably another $500!). Yikes $2,500 worth of unexpected bills! :-(

No wonder I need a vacation! Thank goodness I had the car repair money set aside. The rest is going to have to come from our emergency funds account. That's sure going to make a big dent in it!

I sure am tired this week!

Breaking my tooth hasn't been good for my sleep. The mouth guard keeps slipping in the middle of the night and waking me up every couple of hours. So not what a person with sleep difficulties needs to add to the pile huh?

Wednesday, I was out seeing the dentist and learned that they plan to crown the tooth with gold since it's stronger than porcelain. Thursday, I was in Vancouver for the day & I got my prescriptions renewed. The doctor actually lowered my blood pressure medication because I have been having some dizzy spells again. I walked up to the Sheraton Wall Centre and back and hung out in a day use room and had room service while I waited to come home on the train. Unfortunately I pulled something in my left calf... still ouchie as hell! Yesterday, having to walk from Larry's mother's place to the hospital, then the restaurant and back to Mollie's place sure wasn't what I needed because I was up having to walk off some terrible calf cramps in both legs at about midnight. Today is going to be all about s-l-o-w!

I have some chicken drumsticks to cook this afternoon...I think I'll make them with a teriyaki sauce. Today is going to be all about chicken. I have 4 cooked breasts in the fridge so I think we'll have cream of chicken and vegetable soup for lunch today. Sounds yummy to me!

The grey is back! Booooo!

It was so nice to have sunshine yesterday...and it's so depressing to have the grey skies back again this morning. I am so beyond ready for sunny days and warm weather!

Certainly was a weird weather day!

We had clouds, sunny breaks, nasty wind and now we've got rain. Tomorrow they are calling for snow showers and hail! Welcome spring! Let's hope this is your last kick at the can before we move on to some nice weather!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Larry's gone to Bellingham with Rene today and I have asked him to pick up some corned beef briskets for me. I feel like I am battling the start of a bladder infection so I am staying home, drinking cranberry juice and working on checking our income tax returns. I did want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy St. Patrick's Day though.

Here I sit...

having my morning tea. I am certainly not having it with a fancy service like this...but I wonder why I don't? Maybe the answer is that I don't have a fancy set like this. Sure I have a teapot but it doesn't match my cups and what not. But no...I have a beer mug of tea first thing in the morning and generally that's the only tea I have all day. Funny the habits we develop.

The weather is sure ugly...rain, rain and more rain this week! Yucko!

I postponed all my appointments so that I can stay home where it's nice and warm and dry. Today I have a bunch of filing to do and then I am thinking maybe it's a good day to make some honey garlic meatballs. Before I start, I need to make some more GF bread crumbs. I am having Creamy Irish Potato Soup for supper tonight and the meatball subs with ooey gooey melted mozzarella on them sound yummy! I have a couple of my GF hot dogs buns left, so this will use one of them and leave me one more to use up before our trip to Bellevue at Easter.

Doesn't this just cry out...

come have tea and Gluten Free muffins and sit a spell? What a view! I guess I am still on the fact that water is so very soothing for the soul.

Larry says he currently has almost 8 1/2 Lieu days that he needs to take this year. I need to send us somewhere by the water. I have no idea where, I'll keep you posted if I have a moment of inspiration.

I found an interesting GF muffin that I think I may try, Here's a picture and the link to the recipe:



and here's the recipe...

http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/cinnamon-apricot-muffins

Feel the ocean calling...

The last few weeks, it's all I can do not to have my mind wandering off to the ocean. I really feel the need for some quiet time at the shore right now. I don't know why I get in these moods but at least once a year I just want time to myself listening to the roar of the waves. Most years I don't do anything about that desire...I wonder if I can find an economical day or two for myself this year? I may have to look into it. If nothing else, a little armchair travel is fun!

Trying a new recipe...

Since it's crazy busy around here with our tax returns, I have a nice new slow cooker soup in mind for our dinner. We eat relatively late these days, after Larry gets home so if we get the slow cooker rocking before we sit down to lunch...the timing will be perfecy with dinner 4-5 hours later. Here is what we are having tonight:



Slow Cooker Sausage, White Bean and Pasta Soup

This is a great soup for any day. Comfort food at its best. Serve it with a sandwich or cornbread and your family and guests will be coming back for more.

1 pound breakfast pork sausage (You can use mild or hot. I used the mild)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup << I am substituting Campbell's Gluten Free Cream soup & chopped celery
1/2 package Kroger baby carrots or 3 to 4 carrots cut in pieces
1 cup dried great northern beans
1/2 cup elbow macaroni or pasta shells << I am using quinoa macaroni
1 tablespoon black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded (Optional)


Brown sausage and onion with basil and garlic in a skillet. Drain and pour into crockpot. Add all other ingredients except the pasta. Cook on low for seven to eight hours or high for 4 or 5 hours. About an hour before soup finishes cooking, add pasta. This could be made on top of the stove as well. Just cook in large pot until beans are tender. Then add pasta or shells about the last 20 minutes.

Monday winds... wow!

Well the weather is nasty so today is the perfect day to throw on a couple of loads of laundry, catch up all the posting from while we were away, sip away on some tea and work on getting Larry's tax file organized as he's only waiting for one more receipt. I am not working hard on meals today... ha ha ha. Lunch is soup & supper will be a green salad with baked potatoes and chili. I have an interesting recipe for tomorrow though. It's called Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes and I plan to serve it with some ham. Check it out:

http://www.realhousemoms.com/cheesy-cauliflower-pancakes/

Been up since 2:30 again :-(

I sure do not enjoy getting up in the middle of the night! I was tossing and turning and aching so I gave up and got up. It's 5:30 am and I have my posting done, all my computer back-ups done and I am doing my blog entries...next I'll do some filing and then all I have left on the "Must Do" list for today is:

1. Shopping at Save On Foods
2. Mail an envelope back to Susan
3. A load of laundry
4. Pack for 2 nights away

We are having a nice lunch today... green salad with scrambled eggs and Larry will probably want some toast. Dinner will be soup tonight I think as Larry can pick one of the many assorted canned soups we have. I am going to have some fruit salad instead (Larry won't eat it). I think perhaps we'll pair the soup/fruit with cheese and crackers. I'll finish off the Tomato Cabbage soup leftovers for lunch tomorrow before we take off, and Larry will have a couple of sandwiches at the office so we can push right thru to Bellevue and have our dinner at Goldberg's Deli.

Have a nice weekend!

Makes me want to curl up with a good book!

Today, I may very well do just this after I get back from going to Larry's doctor's appointment with him. I need to throw on our laundry to get things tidied up before we head to Bellevue this weekend. We'll finish off our Tomato Cabbage Soup at lunch today and we're having waffles with breakfast sausages for supper. Not much to do except get comfy with my tea and a book. I downloaded a free Kindle book for 16 different bean soups...maybe I'll browse thru that. :-) Do love my soups!!

Slow start to my Saturday...

It's all about savoring my cup of tea this morning.

The fibromyalgia has been giving me grief the last few days. I tossed and turned like crazy last night what with the pain. I finally was just too sore to lie there any more at 3:00 am so I got up.

I found a really nice soup that we may just have to try... a Hearty Cauliflower Chowder. I think I'll throw in some brown rice to bulk it up a little. Here's a link for the recipe:

http://www.yumuniverse.com/2011/11/16/hearty-cauliflower-chowder/

Happy Valentines Day!

If you are looking for something red, the color of love, that's light, healthy and warming to satisy the need for a Valentine's Day supper - check out this Quick Herb Tomato soup:

http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/recipes/2013-02-quick-herb-tomato-soup.html

It sounds like a perfectly yummy Valentine's supper to me but we have other plans for supper this year...courtesy of a discount coupon and a gift card. I will keep this one tucked in my memory bank though. :-)

Sunday...

It's supposed to be a day of rest, but today the plan is to carry on tidying up the kitchen and making ourselves a nice big pot of soup for tonight's supper. I am really looking forward to the soup!

I seem to be getting totally hooked on chicken rice soup when I am feeling slightly off... so that's what I had for supper last night. We had a lovely lunch and visit with Mollie and Carol yesterday. We ended up at Cheers so I had bacon, eggs and hash browns with a cup of hot chocolate. I felt fine until we got home, but I think perhaps the hot chocolate was just a little too rich for my system. We don't have a lot of sweets, so I wasn't really surprised to have a bit of an issue. I know the rest of the brunch should have been fine so it had to have been the hot chocolate that upset my apple cart.

After two days in a row being out & running around (Friday to Abbotsford and yesterday to North Vancouver), I am really happy to be staying at home today. I literally love staying home! I find making a nice meal either in the slow cooker, the oven or a big pot of soup is just so homey and comforting. I enjoy it! It really doesn't take much to keep me happy... LOL!

Patting myself on the back...

All my posting is caught up!

I have the corporate financials done!!

This morning I will complete the filing!!

This afternoon I will get the package for Susan ready for delivery... and then it's full steam ahead into the personal income tax returns!

Life is good!

Now, maybe we can finally finish getting the kitchen counters cleaned off. :-)

Ever use one of these?

I have been thinking a lot about my mother, my Grandmother and Lucille this week. I think Larry's mother having a heart attack last weekend has made me very reflective. Most of the most influential women in my life have come and gone at this point. It's sad really. Perhaps we need to make a little more effort to spend time with Mollie before she is gone too.

This water pump reminded me of the days when I was a child and had nothing more to worry about than what would I pick in the garden for my lunch. There was a stump near the pump that I sat on after I washed off my veggies. Sometimes it's the simple things that are the most important.

We are coming to the end of Larry's full time medical leave, assuming he gets the "go ahead" to return on a limited basis when he sees the doctor on Monday. I have so many mixed feelings about this...I hope he's ready, I am praying he has some additional skills from his counseling to help him cope effectively with the stress, I am crossing my fingers that his sleep patterns will stay reasonable and I will miss him being home with me.

I feel like a mother lion letting her cub out of the den...knowing it's the best thing for him in the long run but terrified that the big, bad world will hurt him again. I know, I know...Larry is a grown man but that doesn't keep me feeling overly protective of him. At the same time, although the changes over the last 2 months have affected me, I just had to sit back and watch events unfold. There was nothing much I could do except try to be supportive, encouraging and make sure he had good meals.

Pray for Larry that perhaps this next phase will be the turning to a new, better and brighter page in his book.

Sending Larry off to shop today...

I had a rather bad night after eating hot dogs last night. I did fine with the Schneider's weiners the other day but these Costco version are not for me. Live and learn. :-)

While I was up anyway, I did the grocery list for Larry. I guess he'll run to Superstore and Save On Foods and I will finish the posting and filing. I did a bunch this morning but it's tea time now before I carry on. I am getting there!! If I can get all my statements finished today, I'll photocopy the materials for Susan tomorrow & then we can arrange to deliver them. Once that's off my plate, I'll get organized with the personal tax returns. Plug, plug, plug!

I was just thinking...

With corn products bothering me as well as the wheat, I wouldn't be able to have nachos. Then guess what I saw? This... Mexican Potato Nachos!

Here is the link for the recipe in case you are interested:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mexican-Potato-Nachos/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=104339541&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2013-01-30&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1

I guess later today I will have to call Pamela's as they have a recall on their Pancake & Baking Mix. Hopefully they can ship the replacement direct to us. Otherwise I guess we'll try Whole Foods in February when we are in Bellevue. Isn't it always something these days with food???

I saw this and thought...

too funny!

When I was still working at the office, we used to joke about the bodies I could hide with a little John Deere digger...as a result this tickled my funny bone. On my current hit list are a couple of guys at the RCMP. Now there's a thought that makes me smile. Maybe I should take up gardening. LOL

I saw this on my Facebook feed yesterday from the Westin Los Cabos. Doesn't this just make you want to pack a suitcase??

Yesterday was quieter than planned...

By the time we got into Vancouver in the rain, visited with Mollie and got back to Maple Ridge...I was exhausted! I really hate driving in the rain!! We had planned to grocery shop at Safeway but I needed to eat so we went to Red Robin and I had a Bonzai Burger done as a lettuce wrap...made with Teriyaki Sauce and sliced pineapple on top. It sure is messy but it sure was good.

After eating, I just ran out of steam so we went home. So much for the sale on hamburger, yesterday was the last day. Needless to say, I have completely rearranged the menu for this week. Maybe that's just as well. Now the plan is to make both our Peasant Cabbage and Tomato Soup and a pot of 16 Bean Soup and fill in the blanks with the Cottage Pancakes, lots of green salads, a couple of meals with sandwiches and a Spinach salad with mushrooms, red onion and hard boiled eggs. It works. :-)

Isn't that a beautiful picture? I could sit there all day gazing out the window and dreaming...

Normally on a Sunday...

We usually make a big dish so that we have leftovers for the week but we'll be in Vancouver today. Tomorrow, I think we'll try a new recipe that I picked up for the Save On Foods website. Here's what we are making tomorrow:

Since Safeway has hamburger on sale this week at $1.99 per pound, I plan to stock up. I am also thinking this would be a good week to try making a Weight Watchers Hamburger Soup recipe that I found. Here is the link for the recipe in case you are interested:

http://www.food.com/recipe/weight-watchers-slow-cooker-cheeseburger-soup-285011

Since corn is bothering me...I will skip the tortilla chips but Larry can put them into his bowl, if he likes. He'll probably just have crackers or buttered buns or a toasted bagel though. I have some Gluten free bread that I can have with mine.

I think we'll also make the cottage Cheese pancakes again this week. We can have it with some hot apple compote for lunch one day and then I can use some of the leftovers to make a non-corn version of nachos for me while Larry has the regular version. Mine will be like more like a nachos soft taco, but it works! :-)

Not an awful lot today...

I was sitting here in the middle of the night feeling really lousy after having some popcorn last night and I saw this and wondered if it would help? I have never tried Chamomile, I don't think, so it might be worth a shot to see if this tea is helpful.

Chamomile Ginger Lemon Tea

6 cups water
1/4 cup honey
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
8 lemon peel strips (about 2-1/2 x 1 inch each)
6 chamomile tea bags

Combine water, honey, ginger, and lemon peel strips in a large saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove ginger and lemon strips with a slotted spoon and discard them.

Place tea bags in a teapot; immediately add simmering water mixture. Cover; let steep 10 minutes, remove tea bags; discard. Serve immediately

My love of green is showing...

Isn't this a beautiful kitchen? Sigh.

With Valentines Day approaching...I saw this and thought, "Tuck this away in my memory bank".

For those of you with a Kindle or the Kindle App, here's a link for 15 Slow Cooker Dinners available free at the moment on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B51YAA4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00B51YAA4&linkCode=as2&tag=paspr-20

And if it just isn't Valentine's without chocolate...check out this no bake bar:

You can get the recipe here:

http://www.southernplate.com/2011/04/no-bake-cafeteria-peanut-butter-bars.html

Lots of leftovers this week!

This week we have 2 dinners of leftover Sausage Marinara and Vegetable Pasta, we have 2 more meals of Corn Chowder and 1 meal with Dry Garlic Meatballs over rice with vegetables. One night we'll use up our eggs and have scrambled eggs for supper and then next Saturday night...we'll make a pot of Roughneck Chili.

Our lunches are mostly sandwiches and salads this week.

I am not going to work too hard on cooking around here this week am I??

I am just planning our weekly menu for next week...Roughneck chili, Peasant Cabbage & Tomato Soup (can't wait!), sauteed scallops plus salads of all kinds to add some zing to the meals. Larry will be glad to see Caesar salads on the list!

I have been very grateful the last few days that I have not had to drive to Abbotsford in the thick as pea soup fog we have going! I love being at home and Larry is sure having a lot better meals while he is off. I need to get him to eat well when he heads back to work again. I think a good meal helps you face whatever comes.

He picked up his new 4T external drive yesterday and is working madly on getting all kinds of dvds from the library and tv shows onto it. We'll have lots to watch both home and away when the programming sucks. It's keeping him busy and not just watching tv and that's a good thing. :-)

It's all about yummy!

From: http://happyhealthymama.com/2012/11/apple-peanut-butter-snack-bars.html

Apple peanut butter snack bars

Makes 9-16 bars, depending on what size you cut them

These gluten-free snack bars are made with wholesome ingredients and are great for after-school snacking or can be a healthy lunch box treat. To make them nut-free, simply use sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter.

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded apple (one medium apple)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and use the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula to press it down evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the edges are just barely browned. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

This sounds like a great breakfast bar! I think I'll make these and wrap the squares individually and throw them in the freezer for when we need a "To Go Meal". :-)

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I saw a deep fried version of these at Applebee's in Burlington, WA and pouted because I couldn't have them and then I saw this...

FROM: http://www.persnicketyplates.com/2013/01/baked-green-bean-fries.html

Of course I will need to use a different crumb, perhaps some crushed Rice Crispies, but the baked version is very doable on my healthy eating lifestyle.

Source: Macaroni & Cheesecake
Makes: The recipe is for 1/2 pound - you can adjust as needed

Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh green beans

Flour Mixture
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder (I think I used garlic salt)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder

Egg Mixture
1 egg
1 cup milk (I used 2%)

Breading Mixture
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
(I had a seasoned panko on hand, if you have plain, season it with some salt & pepper)

Directions
Preheat over to 425 degrees.

Cover a large baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with non-stick spray (I used an EVOO one) and set aside.

In a medium pot, add 2-3" of water and some salt and bring to a boil.

While you're waiting for the water to boil (put a lid on the pot to speed it up), trim the ends off the green beans.

Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and boil for approximately 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, add ice and water to a large bowl to make an ice bath.

After 3 minutes, drain the green beans and add them to the ice bath. Let them cool down, then drain and pat the green beans dry.

For the Flour Mixture
In a small bowl, add the flour, garlic powder/salt, paprika, and onion powder. Whisk it together and set aside.

For the Egg Mixture
In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Add about 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk it to combine. Set aside.

For the Breading
In a third bowl, pour in your panko bread crumbs. If you're not using the seasoned kind, sprinkle in some salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.

To Assemble
Set up an assembly line in the following order - green beans, flour mix, egg mix, bread crumbs, pan.

Dredge each green bean into the flour, then dip it in the egg mix, then dip it in the bread crumbs. Make sure you fully coat the green beans with each step. Line them in a single layer on your baking sheet.

Bake the green beans for around 15 minutes, until the breading is golden brown and crispy. You can sprinkle with salt when they come out but I skipped this step since I had used garlic salt and salted the boiling water.

I mixed up a dipping sauce of ranch with a little bit of Frank's hot sauce. Simple & so good.

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Then with Chinese New Year coming (Feb 10th), I thought this would be a perfect meal served with a little rice!

FROM: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/red-cooked-chicken-with-assorted-vegetables-recipe/index.html

Doesn't this sound good??? I love my slow cooker!


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The one that really intrigued me though was this one...would you have guessed that was cauliflower??? I LOVE raw cauliflower! Mmmmm!!

FROM: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2013/01/grated-cauliflower-salad-recipe-with-peppers-carrots-capers/

What I really like is the nutritional info. It makes a great go to for a snack when you are between meals!!

Here is the nutritional information for the recipe: Calories 134 / Total Fat 10.9g / Saturated Fat 1.4g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 501.9mg / Total Carbohydrates 9.1g / Fiber 3.3g / Sugars 2.0g / Protein 2.4g / WW (Old Points) 3 / WW (Points+) 4


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And while we are on the subject of grated vegetables...I saw this! It would make the perfect hamburger bun and I could use whatever veggies were in season and cheap. So cool!

FROM: http://playeatlivepaleo.com/2013/01/20/grated-veg-burger-buns/


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And with having purchased a lot of Gluten Free pasta in the US, I am thinking perhaps this would be nice for this week. If we double the recipe, we can easily throw this on and have some leftovers for later in the week - perhaps the day I am in Vancouver. :-)

FROM: http://auntmimiscreations.blogspot.ca/2013/01/sausage-marinara-sauce.html

Sausage Marinara Sauce

4 Sweet Italian Sausage Links (Giant Eagle, no peppers added)
1 28 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes with Basil (365, Whole Foods, Organic)
1 Medium Sweet Onion, chopped
4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Trader Joe's 100% Italian Organic)
Dried Bay Leaf
Dried Basil
Dried Oregano
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper

Remove sausage from casings, pull sausage apart into small pieces and saute until brown, set aside.

In separate saute pan add olive oil, once heated add chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add minced garlic, saute just until nutty smell, do not brown. Add crushed tomatoes and bay leaf heat through, add dried basil, oregano, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Add brown sausage and simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes allowing flavors to incorporate.

Serve over your choice of pasta.

Serves 5, 1/2 cup servings, 236 calories (when served with pasta calories will be higher, i.e. 365, Whole Foods Linguine 200 calories a serving, total with marinara 436 calories)

A few things for you...

I spotted this example of French linen embroidery...isn't it gorgeous? I love hand work!!

I am looking forward to our little get-away. Now that I know I need to eat gluten free, it makes traveling a lot more fun. We even figured out places where I can easily eat but I don't know where we'll end up.

Hilltop has a nice corned beef, cabbage and carrots (mmm!), Olive Garden has my all you can eat salad, seasonal butternut squash and great Virgin Caesar drinks, Applebee's has a Spinach and Shrimp salad that I adore, Bob's has great bacon and eggs and I am sure they'd give me either fruit or tomatoes instead of the toast, Carl's Jr makes a terrific lettuce wrap burger as does Red Robin, Outback steakhouse has both steaks and seafood that I could have with sweet potato and steamed broccoli, Red Robin also has great nachos, IHOP has an awesome spinach and mushroom omelette and I would get hash browns or fruit in place of the pancake/toast option, Goldberg's has my beet soup and I could order their BLT sandwich just asking them to hold the bread and give me extra lettuce so I can make it into a lettuce wrap, if I want a sweet of some kind...Shari's has a nice banana split (ho ho ho!) and if I feel like fish I can get a healthy non-breaded fish at Red Lobster with steamed veggies and baked potato but I am sure I could arrange something with Ivars in Mulkiteo too...this is so much better now that I know what to avoid!!

I am avoiding any soups while we are away...I just have no idea what's in them so why take a chance? Talk to you when I get back!

Drinking my cuppa tea...

I saw this and promptly changed what we are having for supper! We have everything except the garlic (which I would skip anyway) and the parsley BUT I do have a package of beans sprouts so we'll substitute the beans sprouts. It sounds good to me!

We finished off the Sausage Hash Brown Casserole for brunch so a nice soup for supper will be good. I think we'll have Black Forest Ham and Cheese on a bun with the soup. Mmmm! Here's the recipe for the soup:

Bean and Bacon Soup

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped including the leaves

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb. bacon

2 teaspoons chopped, fresh rosemary

2 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red potato cut into chunks

4 cups chicken broth

freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and celery for 6 minutes. As the onion and celery are softening and cooking, fry up the bacon in a skillet until cooked well, but not too crispy. Add the bacon to the soup pot along with the garlic and rosemary. Cook one minute. Stir in beans, potato and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Place a cover on the soup pot so it’s a little askew, to let out some of the steam as the soup cooks. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the soup is heated through and the potato is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley.

From: http://www.chindeep.com/2012/03/09/bean-bacon-soup/

I just can't bear to...

change these photos. I absolutely adore that kitchen! I also love that Good Morning picture! What can I say, I may just leave them there for a while. So, if the picture doesn't change for a bit...have patience with me. I am enjoying them. :-)

I feel like having something tasty for breakfast today. This isn't terribly diet friendly but I am going have a small portion and decrease my calories. Sometimes, you just have to live a little! Here's what I am making:

Baked Apple and Raisin Compote

Ingredients

1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts << I am using pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar << I am using Splenda Brown Sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spices
6 Gala Apples, cored and chopped (about 3 pounds)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients.Stir well to combine.

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until the apples are soft and tender.

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Larry and I watched a taped episode of Michael Smith's new show yesterday and I fell in love with his recipe for one of his dishes. When we get back from the US, I will definitely throw this into the meal planning:

Michael Smith's French Onion Chicken Stew
Yield : 4 servings

A great twist on French onion soup!

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
10-12 small onions, sliced
4 cups real chicken broth
1/2 cup sherry
1 bay leaf
1 16-oz bag baby spinach

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, splash in a pool of vegetable oil then add the butter to the center of the oil. This will help add the flavour of butter without burning the butter. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, dust off any excess, carefully position in to the skillet and brown on all sides, doing so in batches if necessary. Reserve the chicken pieces on a plate.

2. Turning your attention to the onions, toss them with the bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Add half the onion mixture to your slow cooker. Pile in all the browned chicken. Layer on the remaining onions. Pour on the chicken broth and sherry. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Before serving, pull the bones from the chicken, stir in the spinach. Stir to wilt the spinach, serve and share.

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And before I close off for today, I have some pictures to share. The first one I call, "Those Were The Days".

Here's a little something to brighten up the dark and gloomy winter days:

And a thought to close on:

Today is all about my new recipes...

I found this little gem in a Paleo feed on Facebook. I am finding that to piece together a nice menu with variety that doesn't lean too heavily on pre-made Gluten Free products. I had some chicken cooked up so this caught my eye. Here is the link for the Egg Drop Soup with Chicken:

http://fastpaleo.com/egg-drop-soup-with-chicken/

"Ingredients

6 cups chicken bone broth/stock
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
coconut aminos and sriracha on the side

Cooking Steps

1. In a pot, stir ginger into bone broth. Place over medium high heat and bring to a rolling boil.

2. Add chicken and heat until mixture returns to a soft boil/simmer.

3. Turn burner off, add scallions and stir the mixture in a clock-wise direction. Keep the mixture moving and slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs. Let eggs set for about one minute (they will start to set upon contact with the broth).

4. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve with coconut aminos and sriracha on the side. Makes 3-4 servings

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Then, I saw these egg sheet wraps and thought...cool! Wouldn't these be just awesome something like a a crab salad or a shrimp salad for the stuffing. For that matter, steamed veggies with hot sauce would be a good filler too!

How to make Egg Sheet Wraps

You will need:

2-3 eggs(depending of the size of your frying pan but you want enough eggs to make sure you have enough to cover the pan at least 3 mm in egg)

1/2 tablespoon of cornflour mixed with 1/4 tablespoon of water (this is optional however will ensure the egg sheet is strong enough to be used as a wrap)

Spray oil/a little oil

Method:

Heat a non stick frying pan to a medium heat.

Whisk eggs and cornflower mixture together.

Spray the frying pan with cooking oil or give it a very light even coating of oil.

Pour the mix into the frying pan and gently swish it around to make sure you it evenly covers the whole pan, it is very important to make sure it’s even so you have no weak spots that may tear when wrapping.

Once there is no more runny egg left gently lift the the edge of the egg sheet and carefully flip it over to cook the other side for about a minute.

Fillings:

You could use any number of fillings, it’s just a matter of getting creative, the ones pictured contain homemade apple sauce, sesame seeds, finely chopped spring onion, lettuce, baby spinach, carrot and lean pork strips, they were sooo tasty!

Then fill it and fold it up like you would a normal wrap.

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We'll be trying out this soup this week & I am really excited:

You'll find the recipe here:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Italian-Sausage-Kale-Soup

AND

I also found this nifty page with 20 Offbeat Chili recipes. See:http://www.bhg.com/recipes/soup/chili/offbeat-chili-recipes/#page=1

I think we'll try out a new chili each week until summer! I plan to start with The Roughneck Chili but I'll use red/orange/yellow pepper since green peppers are not friends with my tummy. I think I'll serve it over baked potatoes with a green salad. Doesn't that sound good??

here's the recipe...

http://www.recipe.com/roughneck-chili/?sssdmh=dm17.641758&esrc=nwdr010613

It certainly has been anything but quiet!

What a week! I have been up to my arm pits in posting both on the computer and in the corporate general ledger. Year end is simply nuts, nuts, nuts!

While I was sitting at the computer, I got loose on the phone and set up my massage appointments for the year (all 3 of them), my mammogram for March while I am in Vancouver anyway seeing Dr Schwab for my annual physical and prescription renewals, I got Larry set up for his next appointment with Grace and we already have a follow-up appointment with his doctor scheduled. Plus, I got an appointment for the 9th to see my doctor regarding getting a referral to an allergist to find out for sure what I am "allergic" or "sensitive" to. Is it wheat only (hard enough) or all gluten (totally nasty to eliminate). Is there anything else I have a problem with? Once I know exactly what I am dealing with, I will get Shirley to send me back to a dietician at St. Paul's to devise a new diet for Larry and I. I also called my opthamologist to set up my appointment in the summer...he only books six months out.

We will be running around like crazy this week...banks, safety deposits, post office, the recycle depot and we have tried several new recipes. Here's one of the ones we tried...awesome! It just got added to the regular rotation with us. We had it with potato salad but a nice mashed or some rice would be good too!

Sausage and Cabbage Casserole <- We doubled and it made 6 generous "main dish" portions

1/2 head cabbage, shredded or cut in pieces
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, Optional
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes- not drained (could use tomatoes and green chilis)
1/4 cup water
1/2 pound pork sausage, cooked
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped << we used a red pepper because green gives me grief
1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning << skipped this entirely
1 clove of garlic, chopped << skipped this too
1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded (I used a combination of Mexican and parmesan but you can use cheddar or any cheese you like)<< we used Western Family Mexican Blend

Steam the cabbage with 1/2 cup water in the microwave for 5 minutes and drain.

Spread cabbage in the bottom of a sprayed casserole dish and sprinkle with black pepper and salt.

Pour the tomatoes over the cabbage along with 1/4 cup water.

Cook sausage, onion, green pepper, oregano and garlic on top of the stove until sausage is cooked. Spread over cabbage.

Add cheese on top and bake covered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes, removing cover the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Makes about 6 to 8 "side dish" serving sized portions. Enjoy!

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The leftovers at our house have been extremely yummy this week!! Who says Gluten Free has to be nasty? I am really looking forward to our day trip to the US on the 16th. I can hardly wait to check out the GF products down there!

Did I tell you my sister-in-law called and told me about a Gluten Free Expo in Vancouver on Jan 13th from 10-5? That should be fun and informative too!

I found a recipe for an overnight slow cooker cranberry apple butter that I think I will try so I can have it served over a slice of rice toast with peanut butter (instead of margarine) or perhaps a baked egg done in a muffin tin in a paper thin piece of ham. I do love my fruit!

My daily calorie allotment is 1,200 but if I have a good breakfast...a salad at lunch with a little fish or a yoghurt is enough to hold me until dinner. All those years that I skipped breakfast sure didn't help my weight - I just ate like an oinker later in the day. :-(

Have a good week folks!

Ok...so it hasn't been a week!

I saw this story about a Grandmother talking to her Granddaughter and had to share it...

Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee; "Which are you?" she asked her granddaughter. [a little long but a good read]

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it.

After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked. "What's the point, grandmother?"

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her granddaughter.

"When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff?

Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

. . .For when I am weak, then am I strong.
see - 2 Corinthians 12:10

Not much today...

We are out and about for a bit today. Larry has an appointment with his counsellor so I will run around and do the banking while he's there. I think later on we'll hit the recycle depot and get rid of some of our empty bottles not to mention get a little cash for them. I also want to mail an envelope at Shoppers and then drop something into the safety deposit box - but those will have to be another day. I posted my brains out yesterday so I just didn't get everything done.

I have another absolute ton of posting and setting up of 2013 files to do today...but that's to be expected with it being month-end and year end. On that note, I am going to give myself a break. I recognize I can not "do it all" so my blog entries will no longer be daily. I am going to go to a weekly post at least for a while. I need to channel more of my time and energy to getting ready for our tax season and getting things organized around the house.

I have a couple of recipes for you...this one we are having tonight for supper. I think we'll have some green salad with it. Gotta have some sort of veggies! Here is the recipe link:

http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/10/sausage-hashbrown-breakfast-casserole.html

I am planning to make this for lunch tomorrow (to use up some cottage cheese in the fridge) and by using some rice flour in place of the all purpose, it will still be Gluten Free.

I think these will be very nice with some applesauce but Larry may prefer maple syrup. No big deal, we have both. If you are interested in the recipe, here is the link:

http://fountainavenuekitchen.com/kathleens-cottage-pancakes/

Catch up with you next week!