Outside Temp: 12 F (another beautiful day! It's getting a little chilly this evening.)
What I cooked today:
Greek Chicken and Pasta: Katie asked for pasta, and I had chicken defrosted. So, I just tossed the chicken with some cornstarch and Greek seasoning, and fried it up. Yummy and easy!
Update:
Ahhh, a nice relaxing day. I love Saturdays!
We had church this afternoon at 1pm, and we spent the rest of the day relaxing. We watch a movie and played games and even took a nap. All good things for a Saturday!
Showing posts with label Do-Nothing Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Do-Nothing Day. Show all posts
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
December 14, 2012
Outside Temp: 20 F (it was up to 57 today! The snow is melting, but I don't think it's going anywhere fast... )
What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Pie: Patrick wanted pie crust dough... not the actual crust, not the pie, but the dough. I asked if that meant that I needed to make pie, and he said he would make it. Then he proceeded to ask me how to make it. "Use the cookbook." I said. "Which one?" Ugh. I ended up watching him make this pie dough, giving suggestions and pointers. Once he got it made up, he asked if he needed to roll it out. I decided that I would make a pie, just to use up the dough. So, I mixed up some pumpkin pie batter, and rolled out the dough and baked a pie. On a Friday. For no reason. Awesome.
Taco Pie (sort of): Since we were in a 'pie' mood, we wanted a taco pie for dinner. But, in my new found cooking world, I no longer have Bisquick in my pantry. I don't use it for pancakes, so why would I have it. Oh yea, so I can make taco pie. Instead, I thought I would try a pie crust from scratch. Bad idea. I thought to pre-bake the crust, so it wouldn't get soggy. Nope, it slid right down the sides of the pie dish. I thought it might turn out okay, but it didn't. We ate the yummy stuff on the top (taco meat, refried beans, cheese) and tossed the under cooked mushy crust at the bottom. No complaints, we still got dinner out of the deal.
Update:
You know those days where you really have something important and profound to say. Yea, this isn't one of them.
It's Friday, which is nice because the kids get out of school an hour early, and then I don't care when they go to bed, so it's currently 11:40pm, and all 4 of my kids are still awake. Perhaps I am a bad parent, but I figure they don't have to be up until about noon, to get to church at 1pm. So what do I care if they stay up. They love that.
Katie finally watched the last 2 Pirates of the Caribbean disks from NetFlix, so I can finally return them (they've been here about 2 weeks). And I finally finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo, which is very long but very good. I have ordered the latest version on NetFlix, which I have seen before but can't really remember. I do remember that they ended it much different from the book and some of the important people aren't in it. But, I still remember it being good.
And I finished the evening addressing and signing my Christmas cards. I didn't finish my list, but I got it started. I'm hoping to finish it up tomorrow and get them out into the mail by Monday... We'll see.
What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Pie: Patrick wanted pie crust dough... not the actual crust, not the pie, but the dough. I asked if that meant that I needed to make pie, and he said he would make it. Then he proceeded to ask me how to make it. "Use the cookbook." I said. "Which one?" Ugh. I ended up watching him make this pie dough, giving suggestions and pointers. Once he got it made up, he asked if he needed to roll it out. I decided that I would make a pie, just to use up the dough. So, I mixed up some pumpkin pie batter, and rolled out the dough and baked a pie. On a Friday. For no reason. Awesome.
Taco Pie (sort of): Since we were in a 'pie' mood, we wanted a taco pie for dinner. But, in my new found cooking world, I no longer have Bisquick in my pantry. I don't use it for pancakes, so why would I have it. Oh yea, so I can make taco pie. Instead, I thought I would try a pie crust from scratch. Bad idea. I thought to pre-bake the crust, so it wouldn't get soggy. Nope, it slid right down the sides of the pie dish. I thought it might turn out okay, but it didn't. We ate the yummy stuff on the top (taco meat, refried beans, cheese) and tossed the under cooked mushy crust at the bottom. No complaints, we still got dinner out of the deal.
Update:
You know those days where you really have something important and profound to say. Yea, this isn't one of them.
It's Friday, which is nice because the kids get out of school an hour early, and then I don't care when they go to bed, so it's currently 11:40pm, and all 4 of my kids are still awake. Perhaps I am a bad parent, but I figure they don't have to be up until about noon, to get to church at 1pm. So what do I care if they stay up. They love that.
Katie finally watched the last 2 Pirates of the Caribbean disks from NetFlix, so I can finally return them (they've been here about 2 weeks). And I finally finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo, which is very long but very good. I have ordered the latest version on NetFlix, which I have seen before but can't really remember. I do remember that they ended it much different from the book and some of the important people aren't in it. But, I still remember it being good.
And I finished the evening addressing and signing my Christmas cards. I didn't finish my list, but I got it started. I'm hoping to finish it up tomorrow and get them out into the mail by Monday... We'll see.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
December 9, 2012
Outside Temp: 26 F (we had a low of -10, and a high of 47, although I think the 47 was because the sun was shinning on the thermometer...)
What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: I've been meaning to make stew, and I decided today was the day. I defrosted my stew meat, then forgot about it for about 3 hours. Oh well, it still turned out great!
Update:
Another lazy day. I made the kids clean up the family room today, and do the dishes (which isn't exactly hard, now that we have a working dishwasher), and get their homework done, but other than that, we just hung around the house, enjoying this beautiful Sunday afternoon!
What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: I've been meaning to make stew, and I decided today was the day. I defrosted my stew meat, then forgot about it for about 3 hours. Oh well, it still turned out great!
Update:
Another lazy day. I made the kids clean up the family room today, and do the dishes (which isn't exactly hard, now that we have a working dishwasher), and get their homework done, but other than that, we just hung around the house, enjoying this beautiful Sunday afternoon!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
December 8, 2012
Outside Temp: 6 F (it was as low as 1 today... almost 0... and snow... )
What I cooked today:
Bread: With the loss of Hostess, I had a hard time finding my bread at the store this week. As a result, we have run out of bread. So, I decided to make up some bread to make up for it. Of course, I still have my yeast from last year, which means that it doesn't rise very much. We ended up with 2 very dense, very small loaves of bread. Not really enough to make sandwiches, but yummy just the same.
Tortillas: We also found out today that we have run out of tortillas. The kids love to make quesadillas when they get munchy hungry, so we go through a lot of them. I thought we had enough, but apparently, not. So, I found a recipe online and made up some tortillas. I've decided that if we want to do this again, I want one of those really cool tortilla presses. I hate getting one use tools, but it took forever to roll out the dough to tortilla thickness! They were all munched up, so again, no complaints.
Lentil Soup: Since it was cold, it was requested that we have soup tonight. I tossed in the basic ingredients (celery, carrots and onions) then used up some of my turkey stock. I added a pound of lentils and let it simmer for almost an hour. The family loved it! Warm and cozy!
Update:
Nice, relaxing day. We had church this afternoon, so there was some requirement to get dressed. Otherwise, we spent the day playing games and listening to music and reading. We did absolutely nothing of any consequence today!
What I cooked today:
Bread: With the loss of Hostess, I had a hard time finding my bread at the store this week. As a result, we have run out of bread. So, I decided to make up some bread to make up for it. Of course, I still have my yeast from last year, which means that it doesn't rise very much. We ended up with 2 very dense, very small loaves of bread. Not really enough to make sandwiches, but yummy just the same.
Tortillas: We also found out today that we have run out of tortillas. The kids love to make quesadillas when they get munchy hungry, so we go through a lot of them. I thought we had enough, but apparently, not. So, I found a recipe online and made up some tortillas. I've decided that if we want to do this again, I want one of those really cool tortilla presses. I hate getting one use tools, but it took forever to roll out the dough to tortilla thickness! They were all munched up, so again, no complaints.
Lentil Soup: Since it was cold, it was requested that we have soup tonight. I tossed in the basic ingredients (celery, carrots and onions) then used up some of my turkey stock. I added a pound of lentils and let it simmer for almost an hour. The family loved it! Warm and cozy!
Update:
Nice, relaxing day. We had church this afternoon, so there was some requirement to get dressed. Otherwise, we spent the day playing games and listening to music and reading. We did absolutely nothing of any consequence today!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
November 18, 2012
Outside Temp: 32 F (it warmed up to almost 60 again, but was very, very windy today!)
What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: I picked up some good stew meat the other day, and I decided to try it out today. It was great! The crock pot was licked clean!
Update:
For the last few weeks, I have woken up around 6:45 every day of the week, which has been very annoying on weekends, when it's not required. So, I figured I would have no problem getting up by 7:30 this morning for church.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes and it was 8:33! Which means that we missed church (which may add a layer of guilt, but since we don't miss often, I wasn't too worried). I got up, got breakfast, realized the rest of the family was still asleep, and crawled my tail back into bed. I slept until almost noon! I guess I was pretty tired.
The day was quite lazy, with the kids finishing up homework, reading or playing games most of the day. Patrick and I watched a movie tonight (the new 21 Jump Street, funny but also very crass... beware) and the kids were in the other room playing games together (no, we did NOT let them watch it... not kid friendly).
I'm looking forward to our upcoming 2 day school week and then Thanksgiving! How the time does fly!
What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: I picked up some good stew meat the other day, and I decided to try it out today. It was great! The crock pot was licked clean!
Update:
For the last few weeks, I have woken up around 6:45 every day of the week, which has been very annoying on weekends, when it's not required. So, I figured I would have no problem getting up by 7:30 this morning for church.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes and it was 8:33! Which means that we missed church (which may add a layer of guilt, but since we don't miss often, I wasn't too worried). I got up, got breakfast, realized the rest of the family was still asleep, and crawled my tail back into bed. I slept until almost noon! I guess I was pretty tired.
The day was quite lazy, with the kids finishing up homework, reading or playing games most of the day. Patrick and I watched a movie tonight (the new 21 Jump Street, funny but also very crass... beware) and the kids were in the other room playing games together (no, we did NOT let them watch it... not kid friendly).
I'm looking forward to our upcoming 2 day school week and then Thanksgiving! How the time does fly!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
November 3, 2012
Outside Temp: 52 F (beautiful day!!)
What I cooked today:
Pasta: I really, really didn't want to make dinner today. I pretty much said, "make yourself a hot dog or a sandwich... I'm not making dinner." So, the kids (totally awesome kids that they are) said they would make pasta. Of course, they got distracted, so I ended up making it. But they tried, and that's all that matters!
Update:
Totally lazy day.
Okay, so my day consisted of spending about 4 hours folding laundry and socks (about 3 hours of it was socks... I hate socks).
This morning, I headed into town to get some groceries, then made it back in time for church. After church, I just watched movies, while folding laundry. Patrick went up to the Grandparent's place to help with the greenhouse (it's coming along!) this afternoon with Ryan, so the house was quiet (with the other 3 kids playing games or reading).
I love that we had no games today. Does that make me a bad mother?
What I cooked today:
Pasta: I really, really didn't want to make dinner today. I pretty much said, "make yourself a hot dog or a sandwich... I'm not making dinner." So, the kids (totally awesome kids that they are) said they would make pasta. Of course, they got distracted, so I ended up making it. But they tried, and that's all that matters!
Update:
Totally lazy day.
Okay, so my day consisted of spending about 4 hours folding laundry and socks (about 3 hours of it was socks... I hate socks).
This morning, I headed into town to get some groceries, then made it back in time for church. After church, I just watched movies, while folding laundry. Patrick went up to the Grandparent's place to help with the greenhouse (it's coming along!) this afternoon with Ryan, so the house was quiet (with the other 3 kids playing games or reading).
I love that we had no games today. Does that make me a bad mother?
Monday, September 3, 2012
September 3, 2012
Outside Temp: 50 F (the low was 33 last night... which caused me to wake up around 4am and put extra blankets on everyone's beds... and close the windows... hmmm)
What I cooked today:
Chicken and Fried Rice: Yea, no burgers! Even I was getting sick of burgers. Of course, I messed up the chicken by rushing and not shaking the chicken in cornstarch. This caused the fluid to essentially boil the chicken, where as the cornstarch would have soaked up the fluid and made a kind of crust around the chicken, sealing in the moisture. Oh well, I just have to remember that this one little step makes a difference!
Update:
Allen went up to help the Grandparents move rocks today. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but apparently, he moved a lot of rocks. It seems that everyone told him that moving rocks was good for your muscles, but by the end of the day, he was ready to smack the next person who said it. I guess I can understand that!
The rest of us just sat around and played games and watched TV. It was a little unfair (considering the amount of work that Allen was doing), but we didn't really care. I did a ton of laundry, and we cleaned up the house a little, but otherwise, it was a very nice, lazy Labor Day!
What I cooked today:
Chicken and Fried Rice: Yea, no burgers! Even I was getting sick of burgers. Of course, I messed up the chicken by rushing and not shaking the chicken in cornstarch. This caused the fluid to essentially boil the chicken, where as the cornstarch would have soaked up the fluid and made a kind of crust around the chicken, sealing in the moisture. Oh well, I just have to remember that this one little step makes a difference!
Update:
Allen went up to help the Grandparents move rocks today. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but apparently, he moved a lot of rocks. It seems that everyone told him that moving rocks was good for your muscles, but by the end of the day, he was ready to smack the next person who said it. I guess I can understand that!
The rest of us just sat around and played games and watched TV. It was a little unfair (considering the amount of work that Allen was doing), but we didn't really care. I did a ton of laundry, and we cleaned up the house a little, but otherwise, it was a very nice, lazy Labor Day!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
August 4, 2012
Outside Temp: 55 F (it was a little warmer today, into the mid 80's... Not too bad, especially since it cooled off as soon as the sun went down!)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: Quick, easy stand-by dinner. Didn't involve much thought or prep, and it was gobbled up.
Zucchini Bread: I was given a very large zucchini by one of our awesome neighbors, so I was required to make zucchini bread tonight. Yumm!
Update:
Very relaxing day! I can't think of anything special that happened today. We played on the computers, I read a little, we chatted about nothing in particular. We went to church, then I got to chat with some (really cool) neighbors for an hour or so.
My big deal for the day was making my zucchini bread with the zucchini that came out of my neighbor's garden... this evening! He just walked over, and picked it out of his garden! So good!
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: Quick, easy stand-by dinner. Didn't involve much thought or prep, and it was gobbled up.
Zucchini Bread: I was given a very large zucchini by one of our awesome neighbors, so I was required to make zucchini bread tonight. Yumm!
Update:
Very relaxing day! I can't think of anything special that happened today. We played on the computers, I read a little, we chatted about nothing in particular. We went to church, then I got to chat with some (really cool) neighbors for an hour or so.
My big deal for the day was making my zucchini bread with the zucchini that came out of my neighbor's garden... this evening! He just walked over, and picked it out of his garden! So good!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
April 29, 2012
Outside Temp: 46 F (It was warmer today, with no rain or snow. A little breezy, but that's always good. )
What I cooked today:
Chili: I needed a quick meal tonight for the kids, since Patrick and I had a church meeting to attend. So, I got the chili ready, and told the kids to eat about 30 minutes after we left. But, they were busy playing video games and when we got home 2 1/2 hours later, they still hadn't eaten. Fortunately, they turned off the heat when the buzzer went off (telling them to eat), so it wasn't burned. I just heated it back up and we ate late. Oh well, it was still good!
Update:
The kids had Confirmation practice at church this morning, so we went to church this morning with 3 of the 4 kids. I really like that our church here in Raynesford has services on Saturday afternoon (or evening), instead of the morning. I miss sleeping in.
After church, I spoiled the kids with donuts and then we raced back home so the kids could play their game.
Then, I took a nap... for like 4 hours! I was amazed. I never get the chance to sleep that long in the middle of the day, but with everyone playing games, it was quiet and no one was fighting or complaining.
This evening, we got to attend a parish meeting at our church to smooth over some issues. Then it was back home again, to get the kids ready for bed.
The only problem with sleeping through the day is that the day is over, and I can't remember what I did today! I know I folded some clothes. I went to church. Hmmm, I'm sure there was more than that!
The good news is that the 'beta' for the game the family has been playing ALL WEEKEND is over at midnight. I get my husband back tomorrow. Yea!
What I cooked today:
Chili: I needed a quick meal tonight for the kids, since Patrick and I had a church meeting to attend. So, I got the chili ready, and told the kids to eat about 30 minutes after we left. But, they were busy playing video games and when we got home 2 1/2 hours later, they still hadn't eaten. Fortunately, they turned off the heat when the buzzer went off (telling them to eat), so it wasn't burned. I just heated it back up and we ate late. Oh well, it was still good!
Update:
The kids had Confirmation practice at church this morning, so we went to church this morning with 3 of the 4 kids. I really like that our church here in Raynesford has services on Saturday afternoon (or evening), instead of the morning. I miss sleeping in.
After church, I spoiled the kids with donuts and then we raced back home so the kids could play their game.
Then, I took a nap... for like 4 hours! I was amazed. I never get the chance to sleep that long in the middle of the day, but with everyone playing games, it was quiet and no one was fighting or complaining.
This evening, we got to attend a parish meeting at our church to smooth over some issues. Then it was back home again, to get the kids ready for bed.
The only problem with sleeping through the day is that the day is over, and I can't remember what I did today! I know I folded some clothes. I went to church. Hmmm, I'm sure there was more than that!
The good news is that the 'beta' for the game the family has been playing ALL WEEKEND is over at midnight. I get my husband back tomorrow. Yea!
Monday, April 9, 2012
April 9, 2012
Outside Temp: 38 F (a little breezy, but beautiful today!)
What I cooked today:
nothing... now, I'm just being lazy!
Update:
Today was the recovery day from Holy Week and Easter. We all slept in (the kids had today off school) and spent most of the day just wandering around from room to room, trying not to notice that laundry and dishes really needed to be done.
Spring has sprung, which means that my backyard that used to be filled with snow (okay, it was only filled with snow a few times), is now filled with grass... grass that needs to be mowed. Our old house in CA didn't have a yard (very intentional), and any landscaping was maintained by the HOA (for which we paid about $200 a month, soooo not worth it). So, we don't have a lawn mower. And that grass isn't getting any shorter.
We have been discussing getting a mower, which involves all the usual questions; gas vs electric, riding vs. push, etc. Of course, our intention is to make our oldest do all the work (why else did we have him?), but I'm expecting a few weekends where whining will occur and we'll relent and do it ourselves (which means Patrick does it, right?). I guess this is what I asked for when we moved out here... manual labor.
I discussed with Allen the option of offering his services to the community for mowing grass. He was intrigued, especially when I suggested that people might actually pay him to mow their lawns. Money? Woo Hoo! Sure, sign me up! I figure we have to get a lawn mower first, and then see if anyone actually needs the services, but it would be something good for him to do, teaching responsibility and work ethics and silly stuff like that. We'll see how he does the first few times he mows our lawn. He might stink at it!
We headed up to the Grandparent's house today, to help move some stone. It was pretty fast and easy when you utilize the hauling power of all four kids, and we were done in no time. There was one of the parent's contractors working, and she had brought her dog. Oh my goodness, you'd think the kids had died and gone to heaven. This dog is so extremely cute and lovable. He's small but doesn't bark or anything. The kids ended up laying down on the ground and the dog was hopping over them. Then he would settle in the spaces between the kids, like he was hunkering down in a trench. If I could guarantee a dog that great, I might convince my husband to get one... someday.
What I cooked today:
nothing... now, I'm just being lazy!
Update:
Today was the recovery day from Holy Week and Easter. We all slept in (the kids had today off school) and spent most of the day just wandering around from room to room, trying not to notice that laundry and dishes really needed to be done.
Spring has sprung, which means that my backyard that used to be filled with snow (okay, it was only filled with snow a few times), is now filled with grass... grass that needs to be mowed. Our old house in CA didn't have a yard (very intentional), and any landscaping was maintained by the HOA (for which we paid about $200 a month, soooo not worth it). So, we don't have a lawn mower. And that grass isn't getting any shorter.
We have been discussing getting a mower, which involves all the usual questions; gas vs electric, riding vs. push, etc. Of course, our intention is to make our oldest do all the work (why else did we have him?), but I'm expecting a few weekends where whining will occur and we'll relent and do it ourselves (which means Patrick does it, right?). I guess this is what I asked for when we moved out here... manual labor.
I discussed with Allen the option of offering his services to the community for mowing grass. He was intrigued, especially when I suggested that people might actually pay him to mow their lawns. Money? Woo Hoo! Sure, sign me up! I figure we have to get a lawn mower first, and then see if anyone actually needs the services, but it would be something good for him to do, teaching responsibility and work ethics and silly stuff like that. We'll see how he does the first few times he mows our lawn. He might stink at it!
We headed up to the Grandparent's house today, to help move some stone. It was pretty fast and easy when you utilize the hauling power of all four kids, and we were done in no time. There was one of the parent's contractors working, and she had brought her dog. Oh my goodness, you'd think the kids had died and gone to heaven. This dog is so extremely cute and lovable. He's small but doesn't bark or anything. The kids ended up laying down on the ground and the dog was hopping over them. Then he would settle in the spaces between the kids, like he was hunkering down in a trench. If I could guarantee a dog that great, I might convince my husband to get one... someday.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
March 24, 2012
Outside Temp: 29 F (foggy all day... stayed in the 30's most of the day)
What I cooked today:
Blueberry Muffins: I had a boxed mix for muffins, so I made them up today. Yummm!
Soup: Not sure exactly what to call this one. Ground beef (yes, I drained off the fat), onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, green beans and pearl barley. Then we added some beef broth, rosemary and oregano. We let it simmer for about a hour and half. We had to keep adding more water, since the barley absorbed a lot of it. It turned out great, very, very hearty. Katie asked if I just tossed everything in the fridge... maybe...
Update:
Today was a pretty lazy day.
We had church at 1pm, which means that somewhere around noon, we had to kick everyone off computers, wake up Patrick and start getting Ryan ready.
After church, Patrick and Allen went up to help the grandparents, and Katie went with them. So, Connor and Ryan were home alone.
And, since I couldn't justify spending the entire day reading trashy romance novels or playing computer games, I decided to clean up the front entry to the house. I've decided that the most awesome thing in the world is a mud room. But, since we don't have one, and we haven't bought the house so I can't go making structural changes (yet), I had to do with what we had.
I used some old wood 2x4 blocks and an extra shelf (that I haven't put up on any walls yet), to create a shelf area for boots and shoes. Then I used those cool 3M hooks to put more hooks on the walls. Then I stole a cloth bin out of Katie's room for gloves and scarves and hats. I used another box for snow pants (the ones with bib overalls got hung up).
Now, I actually have some room to walk in the front door, without tripping over crap. I'm hoping that it will stay somewhat picked up for at least 10 hours.
What I cooked today:
Blueberry Muffins: I had a boxed mix for muffins, so I made them up today. Yummm!
Soup: Not sure exactly what to call this one. Ground beef (yes, I drained off the fat), onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, green beans and pearl barley. Then we added some beef broth, rosemary and oregano. We let it simmer for about a hour and half. We had to keep adding more water, since the barley absorbed a lot of it. It turned out great, very, very hearty. Katie asked if I just tossed everything in the fridge... maybe...
Update:
Today was a pretty lazy day.
We had church at 1pm, which means that somewhere around noon, we had to kick everyone off computers, wake up Patrick and start getting Ryan ready.
After church, Patrick and Allen went up to help the grandparents, and Katie went with them. So, Connor and Ryan were home alone.
And, since I couldn't justify spending the entire day reading trashy romance novels or playing computer games, I decided to clean up the front entry to the house. I've decided that the most awesome thing in the world is a mud room. But, since we don't have one, and we haven't bought the house so I can't go making structural changes (yet), I had to do with what we had.
I used some old wood 2x4 blocks and an extra shelf (that I haven't put up on any walls yet), to create a shelf area for boots and shoes. Then I used those cool 3M hooks to put more hooks on the walls. Then I stole a cloth bin out of Katie's room for gloves and scarves and hats. I used another box for snow pants (the ones with bib overalls got hung up).
Now, I actually have some room to walk in the front door, without tripping over crap. I'm hoping that it will stay somewhat picked up for at least 10 hours.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
January 19, 2012
Outside Temp: -6 (I actually went outside today! High of +1, Low of -15... I think the coldest part of this storm is over... for now)
What I cooked today:
Soup: So, I was going to make split pea soup, since I got a ham hock from the butcher shop in town a few weeks ago. I defrosted the last of my chicken stock (from October) and threw it in a pot, with the ham bone. Then I added the requisite onions, carrots and celery. Then Patrick asked me to add lentils and garbanzo beans, since he doesn't like the mushy-ness of split pea. But I wanted some creamy-ness, so I added about 1/2 cup of split peas to his 2 cups of garbanzo and lentils. I had some fresh thyme, so I added that, along with some salt and pepper. About 6 hours later, I served up the soup. Patrick didn't like the bits of ham that fell off the bone, but other than that, it was great. Warm and hearty.
Dinner Rolls: I used Patrick's mom's recipe for sweet bread and made up about 60 dinner rolls. The recipe makes quite a lot of bread, but I figured I could save the leftover rolls to munch on for the next few days. There are probably less than 20 left. Connor probably had an even dozen. He really, really likes these rolls!
Update:
We were going to go into town today, but Patrick was working this morning, and by the time he finished, it was already noon. The kids had an early out (they got out of school at 1pm), so I didn't want them to come home to an empty house. So, we put off the trip to town until tomorrow.
So, today, I spent most of the day fooling around on the computer. I played a little bit of a computer game (it's the boys, but it's fun just the same), and played with Ryan and read a little. A totally lazy day. My big accomplishment was making the dinner rolls. I feel a little guilty, since there is plenty to be doing around the house. I could have done more laundry, or vacuumed the family room, or swept the kitchen. But I didn't. I just played and relaxed. Okay, that's the end of my guilt!
What I cooked today:
Soup: So, I was going to make split pea soup, since I got a ham hock from the butcher shop in town a few weeks ago. I defrosted the last of my chicken stock (from October) and threw it in a pot, with the ham bone. Then I added the requisite onions, carrots and celery. Then Patrick asked me to add lentils and garbanzo beans, since he doesn't like the mushy-ness of split pea. But I wanted some creamy-ness, so I added about 1/2 cup of split peas to his 2 cups of garbanzo and lentils. I had some fresh thyme, so I added that, along with some salt and pepper. About 6 hours later, I served up the soup. Patrick didn't like the bits of ham that fell off the bone, but other than that, it was great. Warm and hearty.
Dinner Rolls: I used Patrick's mom's recipe for sweet bread and made up about 60 dinner rolls. The recipe makes quite a lot of bread, but I figured I could save the leftover rolls to munch on for the next few days. There are probably less than 20 left. Connor probably had an even dozen. He really, really likes these rolls!
Update:
We were going to go into town today, but Patrick was working this morning, and by the time he finished, it was already noon. The kids had an early out (they got out of school at 1pm), so I didn't want them to come home to an empty house. So, we put off the trip to town until tomorrow.
So, today, I spent most of the day fooling around on the computer. I played a little bit of a computer game (it's the boys, but it's fun just the same), and played with Ryan and read a little. A totally lazy day. My big accomplishment was making the dinner rolls. I feel a little guilty, since there is plenty to be doing around the house. I could have done more laundry, or vacuumed the family room, or swept the kitchen. But I didn't. I just played and relaxed. Okay, that's the end of my guilt!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
January 15, 2012
Outside Temp: 4 F (kind of chilly... we had snow for about 5 seconds today...)
What I cooked today:
French Toast: Always a crowd pleaser, and I even spoiled everyone with bacon.
Enchiladas: One of these days, I have to come up with a recipe for enchiladas that doesn't use the Schillings or McCormick seasoning packet. Until then, I guess they are stuck. I need to make about 1 1/2 times the sauce as what the seasoning packet makes, since I always end up with tortillas, cheese and space in my second 9x13 pan for more cheese enchiladas, but no sauce. If I had the seasonings, I could just make more sauce. Added to the list of things to do.
Update:
Totally lazy day for me.
Allen and Grandpa went skiing.
Patrick and Connor went into town to get Connor a new game he's been wanting (he finally used up his Christmas money).
And Katie and Ryan and I just sat around, watching TV, playing games and reading in my nice warm bed, with it's awesome electric mattress pad.
The weather was chilly most of the day (in the teens, then the single digits), so I finally broke down when the temp inside hit 55 and turned on the heat (we had the pellet stove running, but its not magical). When Patrick got home, he cleaned out the pellet stove and it started heating the house more. It's now in the low 60's inside which is fine with socks and a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie and a blanket across my legs. After finishing my blog, I'm probably going to crawl back into bed with my awesome electric mattress pad, and read for an hour or so. Did I mention how awesome my electric mattress pad is?
What I cooked today:
French Toast: Always a crowd pleaser, and I even spoiled everyone with bacon.
Enchiladas: One of these days, I have to come up with a recipe for enchiladas that doesn't use the Schillings or McCormick seasoning packet. Until then, I guess they are stuck. I need to make about 1 1/2 times the sauce as what the seasoning packet makes, since I always end up with tortillas, cheese and space in my second 9x13 pan for more cheese enchiladas, but no sauce. If I had the seasonings, I could just make more sauce. Added to the list of things to do.
Update:
Totally lazy day for me.
Allen and Grandpa went skiing.
Patrick and Connor went into town to get Connor a new game he's been wanting (he finally used up his Christmas money).
And Katie and Ryan and I just sat around, watching TV, playing games and reading in my nice warm bed, with it's awesome electric mattress pad.
The weather was chilly most of the day (in the teens, then the single digits), so I finally broke down when the temp inside hit 55 and turned on the heat (we had the pellet stove running, but its not magical). When Patrick got home, he cleaned out the pellet stove and it started heating the house more. It's now in the low 60's inside which is fine with socks and a long sleeve shirt and a hoodie and a blanket across my legs. After finishing my blog, I'm probably going to crawl back into bed with my awesome electric mattress pad, and read for an hour or so. Did I mention how awesome my electric mattress pad is?
Monday, January 2, 2012
January 2, 2012
Outside Temp: 48 F (it's back to being warm. I've decided that it's going to stay warm until everyone is back home from their travels for the holidays. Then it can get cold and snowy again, without putting anyone in danger. Isn't my way of thinking nice?)
What I cooked today:
French Toast: Katie finally got her french toast this morning. She's been asking for at least the last 3 days for french toast for breakfast and I've been putting her off. Of course, making french toast made me realize that I only had one loaf of bread left in the freezer. I should be heading into town sometime this week to get Ryan's boots resolved, so hopefully, I'll remember to get more. Until then, I guess it's pancakes.
Split Pea Soup: I had a ham bone left from Christmas, so I figured this was as good a time as any to make split pea soup. I got a couple of 5 pound bags of lentils a few months ago, so I have plenty of peas. I even have both green and yellow, although I decided just to make green today. The soup turned out fine, but there was still a bunch of fat left on the bone. The fat probably made the soup taste better, but it also meant that you had to be careful or else you ended up with a big bite of fat... ewww. I think I'll just try bacon ends next time...
Update:
It's the last day of Christmas vacation. We all have to wake up tomorrow morning before 7am and the kids need to actually go to school. I think that going back after this break is harder than even going back after summer. We've only been out for 10 days, but those days have been so filled with going places and doing things that the kids haven't really had time to just sit and veg. Of course, we've been skiing 3 times, and they've all spent plenty of time playing their new games and we've had more 'family game' time than we've ever had in the past. But none of that makes up for how awful tomorrow morning is going to be.
To be perfectly honest, I can't complain. I just have to get them up and onto the bus and then I could, in theory, go back to bed. But I've also been taking some time off from all my responsibilities, and the laundry is piling up and the floors need to be vacuumed and swept. So, I've spent most of today lying in bed reading, not wanting to start back in the real world tomorrow. I know, pretty lazy, but relaxing just the same.
What I cooked today:
French Toast: Katie finally got her french toast this morning. She's been asking for at least the last 3 days for french toast for breakfast and I've been putting her off. Of course, making french toast made me realize that I only had one loaf of bread left in the freezer. I should be heading into town sometime this week to get Ryan's boots resolved, so hopefully, I'll remember to get more. Until then, I guess it's pancakes.
Split Pea Soup: I had a ham bone left from Christmas, so I figured this was as good a time as any to make split pea soup. I got a couple of 5 pound bags of lentils a few months ago, so I have plenty of peas. I even have both green and yellow, although I decided just to make green today. The soup turned out fine, but there was still a bunch of fat left on the bone. The fat probably made the soup taste better, but it also meant that you had to be careful or else you ended up with a big bite of fat... ewww. I think I'll just try bacon ends next time...
Update:
It's the last day of Christmas vacation. We all have to wake up tomorrow morning before 7am and the kids need to actually go to school. I think that going back after this break is harder than even going back after summer. We've only been out for 10 days, but those days have been so filled with going places and doing things that the kids haven't really had time to just sit and veg. Of course, we've been skiing 3 times, and they've all spent plenty of time playing their new games and we've had more 'family game' time than we've ever had in the past. But none of that makes up for how awful tomorrow morning is going to be.
To be perfectly honest, I can't complain. I just have to get them up and onto the bus and then I could, in theory, go back to bed. But I've also been taking some time off from all my responsibilities, and the laundry is piling up and the floors need to be vacuumed and swept. So, I've spent most of today lying in bed reading, not wanting to start back in the real world tomorrow. I know, pretty lazy, but relaxing just the same.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
November 20, 2011
Outside Temp: 19 F (it's been in the 30's all day)
What I cooked today:
Take home pizza: Patrick was in town with the parents, and he brought home a premade pizza. It was nice to not have to actually make anything, just toss in the oven and voila, dinner is served.
Update:
Today was our lazy day. The boys played computer games most of the day. And Katie and I had a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon. I own all the movies (from when we were rich), so we got through most of Season 2 today. Of course, we had to stop for 2 hours when Patrick got home, because he wanted to watch the pilot of Miami Vice (which we also own). Ahh, the hairstyles alone make it worth watching!
I had every intention of cleaning the house today, but I just couldn't work up the energy. Oh well, I can always clean tomorrow.
The boys are playing Belt tomorrow night, which is the only game they've lost this season. It makes to be an interesting night!
What I cooked today:
Take home pizza: Patrick was in town with the parents, and he brought home a premade pizza. It was nice to not have to actually make anything, just toss in the oven and voila, dinner is served.
Update:
Today was our lazy day. The boys played computer games most of the day. And Katie and I had a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon. I own all the movies (from when we were rich), so we got through most of Season 2 today. Of course, we had to stop for 2 hours when Patrick got home, because he wanted to watch the pilot of Miami Vice (which we also own). Ahh, the hairstyles alone make it worth watching!
I had every intention of cleaning the house today, but I just couldn't work up the energy. Oh well, I can always clean tomorrow.
The boys are playing Belt tomorrow night, which is the only game they've lost this season. It makes to be an interesting night!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
November 16, 2011
Outside Temp: 30 F (it's like summer!)
What I cooked today:
Chili: It was pretty cold most of the day, so chili is just awesome.
Cornbread Muffins: I used the recipe on the back of the corn meal package. I still hate it when the cornbread just falls apart and you can't even put butter on it, because it shreds as you try to spread the butter. Anyone have any ideas on how to make cornbread that stays together?
Update:
Today was a pretty lazy day. The kids went to school, then came home. The boys went to practice, then came home. I made dinner and we ate. Now, everyone is in bed, and I can't seem to remember anything I did today that was worthy of writing about.
Oh wait, Patrick got about 13 lbs of ground beef at Sam's Club today, so I packaged it up in my FoodSaver packs and tossed it in the freezer.
And one of the boy's teammates has a brother who shot an elk today, so he (the teammate) skipped practice to go help dress it.
Maybe something exciting will happen tomorrow. :)
What I cooked today:
Chili: It was pretty cold most of the day, so chili is just awesome.
Cornbread Muffins: I used the recipe on the back of the corn meal package. I still hate it when the cornbread just falls apart and you can't even put butter on it, because it shreds as you try to spread the butter. Anyone have any ideas on how to make cornbread that stays together?
Update:
Today was a pretty lazy day. The kids went to school, then came home. The boys went to practice, then came home. I made dinner and we ate. Now, everyone is in bed, and I can't seem to remember anything I did today that was worthy of writing about.
Oh wait, Patrick got about 13 lbs of ground beef at Sam's Club today, so I packaged it up in my FoodSaver packs and tossed it in the freezer.
And one of the boy's teammates has a brother who shot an elk today, so he (the teammate) skipped practice to go help dress it.
Maybe something exciting will happen tomorrow. :)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
November 13, 2011
Outside Temp: 34 F (and no more snow today)
What I cooked today:
Barbeque Oven Baked Pork Ribs w/ Rice: I got these boneless pork ribs on sale a few weeks ago and I immediatly tossed them into the freezer. I've been wondering what I would end up doing with them, so I defrosted them today and poured bbq sauce over them and threw them in the oven for a half hour. Presto! Dinner, without really thinking about it! :)
Pumpkin Bread: I got a few more loaf pans yesterday, so I was able to make 3 loafs (instead of my usual bundt and loaf pans). Now I have 2 loafs of bread wrapped up tight, so I can munch on them for the week, without having to make more!
Update:
Today was a do-nothing day.. well, sort of. Patrick had to help his dad with counter tops and garbage and fun stuff like that, so he was gone most of the day. But the rest of us had the day off.
I made the kids help me pick up the house today, and Connor was so excited that we were able to vacuum the house and pick up in less than an hour. "I'm so glad we have a small house!" he kept telling me.
The kids really loved the day of playing computer games and watching TV shows all day, with no homework and no where we had to go. I almost wanted to make them do something educational, just because it seemed wrong to have nothing to do. But, since we have a game in Denton tomorrow, and school and probably a 1000 other things, I figured, a day off isn't so bad.
What I cooked today:
Barbeque Oven Baked Pork Ribs w/ Rice: I got these boneless pork ribs on sale a few weeks ago and I immediatly tossed them into the freezer. I've been wondering what I would end up doing with them, so I defrosted them today and poured bbq sauce over them and threw them in the oven for a half hour. Presto! Dinner, without really thinking about it! :)
Pumpkin Bread: I got a few more loaf pans yesterday, so I was able to make 3 loafs (instead of my usual bundt and loaf pans). Now I have 2 loafs of bread wrapped up tight, so I can munch on them for the week, without having to make more!
Update:
Today was a do-nothing day.. well, sort of. Patrick had to help his dad with counter tops and garbage and fun stuff like that, so he was gone most of the day. But the rest of us had the day off.
I made the kids help me pick up the house today, and Connor was so excited that we were able to vacuum the house and pick up in less than an hour. "I'm so glad we have a small house!" he kept telling me.
The kids really loved the day of playing computer games and watching TV shows all day, with no homework and no where we had to go. I almost wanted to make them do something educational, just because it seemed wrong to have nothing to do. But, since we have a game in Denton tomorrow, and school and probably a 1000 other things, I figured, a day off isn't so bad.
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