Just One of Those Days...

Just tired. I don't think I am sick... but I am not feeling very "me" right now. Simple day - making chicken and dumplings for Elvis tonight. I am thinking about toast for myself. The dishes can wait until the morning... ugh.

Wine and Dine

Today Elvis and I had a beautiful outing. We discovered a quaint winery with a fantastic restaurant. We took a tour of the place, complete with tastings of 6 of their offerings. I am not what you would consider a wine drinker, prefer the sweeter things - but I was pleasantly surprised.

We already talked about coming back for a picnic lunch on the grounds (which they encourage, they even open the bottles for you to enjoy on the property) as soon as the days get warmer and the trees return to their happy green.

Lunch was a carrot bisque and half a turkey sandwich with apple chutney and gouda cheese - a scoop of potato salad and two juicy slices of pineapple. It was beyond fantastic... but don't take my word on it, look for yourself!

Pizza Pie

Tonight's dinner came from a cross between craving pizza and not having enough mix to make a crust and having a deep-dish pie crust left over from yesterday's quiche.

It's simple, it's easy, it can be tweak to fit different tastes or use up what's hanging around in the fridge. I'll post what I used, feel free to change it around, and if you do, let me know what you did and how it was.

My EASY Pizza Pie

1 deep dish crust

1 pound ground chicken - browned

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 pepper - diced

1 onion - diced

1.5 cups shredded cheese

1 T olive oil

minced garlic

spices (I used sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper)

Saute pepper and onion with olive oil in a sauce pan. Add diced tomatoes and spices. Cook on low for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool enough to use a blender to make a sauce. Return to sauce pan, add cooked chicken and cheese. I added more garlic because, that's how we like it. *lol*

Bake 350 for 45 minutes - let cool before cutting

Real Men Bake Quiche!

I must admit, I feel a bit spoiled today. I also feel full!
Elvis brought Diva to school today and returned with ingredients to make breakfast. Not just any breakfast... Quiche!!! He whipped it up and I had to take a pic of it and share it with you all... and yes, that is an Ikea plate.

Super Easy Even Elvis Can Make It Egg, Cheese & Sausage Quiche

1.5 cups heavy cream (or milk)
4 eggs (beaten)
6 turkey sausage links (sliced)
1.5 cups shredded cheese
1 deep dish pie crust

Mix everything together and put in to crust.
bake 350 for 1 hour

Pretty Little Pleats...

I have been trying to find pants for Elvis. He needs a couple of pairs for the cruise we are going on. I thought the hardest decision would be choosing between khaki and dark khaki. Oh boy was I wrong!

Pleats, double pleats, stripes, pinstripes, hounds-tooth, gingham, plaid...

Whatever happened to just "dress pants"? You know, black, navy, gray and if you were "hip" khaki? Flat-front, no cuff, no design... PANTS?

The search continues...

Valentine's Day 2012

Am I Broken?

I look complete. I feel as if everything is where it should be ...
So, why am I not up in arms about the same things "the others" are?

Am I broken? Am I missing whatever it is I am suppose to have that allows me to give a flying fig?

I have passion. I have conviction.

Sitting back, listening to the current events -- I realized that these people have nothing better to do than seek out things to be irate about. The things that have them flailing arms has me raising eyebrows.

Valentine's Day - What has changed THAT much since the days my friends would exchange pretty pieces of paper with cute pictures and funny sayings like 'choo choo choose me' in the smoke above a smiling train? Occassionally, there may be a box of conversation hearts. Let's be honest. Who has plowed through an entire box in one sitting? I know I haven't. Even if every kid was to give a snack size piece of candy. Where does it say that the kids have to eat it all in one day? (Halloween better watch out, it's going to be next.)

Valentine's Day sweets banned from Newton school: MyFoxBOSTON.com

One of the mothers said in a radio interview "to give a child a piece of candy means you don't love them". WHAT???? Ever? My solution: If you don't want to give candy to the classmates, don't buy it. If you choose not to give candy to your child, let them go through the tradition of trading Valentine's, but have them hand over the candy when they get home.

The same can be said with the current birth control argument - if you don't believe in birth control, don't take it. Please don't stop those from who want to take it, for whatever personal reason they have, from being able to have it covered by their health insurance.

There are more examples of my 'brokenness' but I could be here all day...

Liquid Life

Coffee - kape, qahwa, café, caffè, kaffee, コーヒー , кофеий, cafea, kawa, กาแฟ  - Call it what you will... but all who have sipped the glorious bean agree ...


it's awesome!

Love Long Ago

Today's post is just a memory of my elementary school years and the precious pieces of paper.

E-g-g-p-l-a-n-t Spells Love

You may be looking at the title shaking your head. Let me assure you, I know what the dictionary says it spells, but with all the work that goes in to making a low-fat, non-fried eggplant parm... that's LOVE!

Elvis is working on Valentine's Day. I already told him that if he walks through the door on Tuesday with a bunch of roses, I'll whack him on the head with them. I am not against Valentine's Day. I happen to like it, a lot. I am not a fan of tossing money away because the calendar tells you to. He heard a commercial for a real rose dipped in 24K gold. I looked at him and shook my head. He confessed, he thought about it. There are so many other ways to show love and if he was dead-set on giving me a gold rose, instead of spending $75, plus tax, plus shipping for one... I would rather have a nice rose pin... something I can look at, use, show off, remember the day he gave it to me.

Seriously, I don't hate Valentine's Day!!!!

We are doing our "date" today. He went to the store to buy the ingredients and I am cooking the eggplant parm, home-made gravy (tomato sauce to you) and pasta for dinner. We rented a few movies from Redbox. Nothing says Valentine's like Scorpion King 3 and 50/50. *lol*

I am very much a "chick flick" admirer, but I love him enough to force him to watch them with me.

If It Looks Like Strawberry Jelly & It Tastes Like Strawberry Jelly ...

If you find strawberry jelly in my house, someone must have brought it over! Diva is allergic to strawberries - a tough thing for a kid, EVERYTHING kid related comes in strawberry!

We had stopped at the store on Tuesday and she asked me what it tasted like. I didn't know how to answer that. I can tell her what it was like, for me, but it won't answer her real question. What does it taste like, to her.

That night, I sat here and thought about it. There has to be a way to give her the strawberry experience without the fear of a mad dash to the ER.

Yesterday it hit me! Mock-Strawberry Jelly. Yes, you read that correctly, MOCK.

I made half a batch. It does have the texture of the real deal. The coloring is a little off. The taste is perfect! Well, close enough to be perfect, especially if you never had one before.

Tadah, it's sooooo yummy and easy. EASY easy!

The recipe can be found ->here<-

I Think I'm an Addict

Before anyone starts looking in to the Betty Ford Clinic for me... I'm not THAT kind of addict! I think I am addicted to ... paying off bills!

It started with paying off my car 18 months early, then it was paying off Elvis' car 42 months early, then it was any little debt we had. Eventually we became debt-free. The craving to pay, pay, pay was still there.

With no debt left to pay off, the instant gratification I felt after seeing the zero balance was a gateway. I tried to get that same high by paying off both car insurances.

The electric is pre-paid until at LEAST January 2013, the cable is ahead. I am resisting getting too far ahead on the health insurance.

The budget is written out for all of 2012. The banking accounts are set up to split the paycheck before it ever comes in. 

I worked out a plan to have my car insurance paid in full... for NEXT YEAR.

So... yes, I think I have an addiction... paying off the bills before they are due.

Leave me alone... go away... I don't want help... just let me sit here with the check registry...

My precious...

Don't Get Sucked Down

Today is sort of a cheat... I have been reading up on different cruise tips. I have been on one before, but Elvis, and my friend have not. There is no harm in brushing up and getting a few ideas. I came across a cruise tip list.

Now, I feel compelled to share...

Whatever you do, do NOT flush while sitting down!

(the suction can and has caused bodily injury)

Monday Mourning

Needless to say, it's a sad, sad day in our house. The Patriots once again brought us to the brink of victory and let it slip out of their fingers, this time, quite literally.

Most of the commercials were ho-hum, the half-time show was decent, but other than M.I.A.. flipping the bird, I don't think it would be anything people would be talking about. What ever happened to marching bands coming out to play intermission? Why does it have to be a concert in the middle of the game? Year after year people only talk about the scandal of the half-time show. To me, it's a big waste of time. Bring back the local University marching band!!! *giggle*

I do have to say, there was one really touching moment last night. So touching that I feel the need to buy a Dodge truck, a Chrysler car and vote Eastwood for President... yes, I know he's not running, that doesn't matter!

SuperYumBowl 2012

Grab your pom-poms!

I have been so excited about watching the Super Bowl with my family tonight. The Patriots vs. The Giants... again. I am getting a not-so-small selection of gaming goodies.

FRESH FROM THE OVEN

Baked Honey-Mustard Wings
Baked Buffalo Wings

Ham & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Salami & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Buffalo Chicken Croissant Pinwheels

Pizza Rolls

Loaded Potato Skins

NIBBLES

Onion Rings

Buggles

Doritos

Football Brownies

Pats Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

The Woman in Black - Review

I admit, I haven't read the book (yet) or seen the play (yet) but they are both on my to-do list now!

Daniel Radcliffe did an excellent job as Athur Kipps, an attorney from London. You forget all about his earlier acting rolls. Honestly, had he been a new-comer to the big screen, I would still be giving him kudos for a job well done.

The Woman in Black (2012) gave me hope that the art of horror movies is not lost. Suspense, hanging on your seat - well, when you aren't jumping out of it - and being totally drawn in to the story.

A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Being "Grown"

Tax refunds.

What comes to mind when you hear those words?  Do you think of it as free money? Do you have a list of things you want to buy?

Don't think of refunds as "free money", it's YOUR money. You earned that money. You allowed the government to hold on to that money, interest free. You overpaid, so you get it back. Simple as that. It's no different than taking a little out of every paycheck and shoving it in a savings account and pulling it all out, on one day. Well, I take that back. Banks give you interest (that you have to pay taxes on too - ugh).

As close as we try to get our taxes to be, there is always a little something coming back to us. I'm not complaining... we're glad we get the over-payments back!

What to do with it... He wants a new tv - a large screen, flat panel, HD monster. We HAVE a large screen tv. Granted it's a behemoth at about 2 feet deep, but it's in color, the screen is a decent size and it turns on when we want it. We'll get one... eventually. I want a new house and we will get that too... eventually.

Being Grown can be "not fun" sometimes. We did the responsible thing with the refund. *sigh*

• Since we are on a budget pay for the electric company, we know what the bill will be every month - 11 payments sent in. Paid off until January 2013. (I'll still be checking the balance monthly though, things DO increase.)
• My car insurance renewed in December 2011. It is now paid in full and I won't have to bother with it again until December 2012.
• His car insurance renews in June but he still had some remaining payments. They are now gone too. 
• The remainder is going in to savings

Is it exciting? Not really... Knowing that if something was to happen, the lights can't be turned off - awesome.

The money that would have been sent in to pay the electric bill will be deposited in to the savings account. The money that would have gone towards the insurances will still be put aside for insurances and make a decent dent when it comes time to renew.

 

SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER

oh joy...

Sorry, I'm Closed

There's nothing to see here today...

Seriously, look away...

Fine, if you insist on looking... there is an overwhelming feeling of "not being ready".

The Season of Reason of a Lifetime...

I woke up this morning... thinking.
Thinking about life, the people in it, the people who are long gone, and those I need to reconnect with. I don't have many people I call friends, but the ones I have are true to the core.

Over coffee, I was talking to my friend who is going through a transformation. No, there is no surgery involved, not that kind of transformation. *giggle*

Ahem... back to the serious sounding thinking voice...

For a while I have watched her get treated like a doormat by people who call themselves her friend. Friends don't set out to make you feel like something you step in just to make themselves feel better about their failing life. Friends don't try to belittle your achievements. Friends will not only stand beside you while you are reaching for the stars, they will toss you on their shoulders so you can be that much closer.

There comes a time to break free from the "ticks" in your life, those who do nothing but slowly and steadily suck away at your life, energy, sanity.

Sometimes the reason is to make you stronger.