:: the idea of the boy eating actual food ::
:: the book that may make it happen ::
:: boots like superman that can help you fly to the things you want ::
:: mangoes ::
:: the sun coming out to warm me ::
:: warm little bodies to snuggle with ::
:: going outside to play ::
The other day, I made dinner for a friend who had a baby recently. I made soup and tried to make bread sticks, but forgot to put the yeast in. Duh. So then at the last minute I made biscuits, but they had to much liquid in them and had the glossiness of billiard balls. Obviously they were unacceptable. So they I ran down to Harmon’s “The Grocer in your neighborhood!” and bought some of their artisan bread and some pears. I felt like such an idiot taking dinner over that I had not completely made myself. Why do I have such high expectations for myself? I don’t know.
I left them with the pears, bread and soup. I bought a couple of pears for my family as well and when I cut them open the next day they were completely brown inside. Now I was a complete ass hat. So I called and left a message, begging her to let me try making dinner again. I really could do a better job and wanted to redeem myself. She did not call me back. For apparent reasons she no longer wanted to be my friend. This is really the way that my mind works.
I saw her at church today and she said that her husband loved the soup, wants the recipe and that their pears were fine. I feel better, but I seriously stressed about this since Thursday when I took dinner over. And I still want to try again.
Here is the recipe for the soup. It is so good. We keep a lot of the ingredients hanging around so it is pretty easy for us to throw together.
White Bean Chili
will give you gas.
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 small cans green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Combine chicken, garlic, oil, and onion in skillet and heat until chicken is cooked. Add beans, chilies, spices and cihcken broth; bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Add sour cream and whipping cream and heat through.
It has been a good year. I am humbled by all that we have. We have worked hard this year and I feel like we have been blessed in so many ways. I am thankful to our families and friends and all that they do for us.
Here are last years resolutions.
Here is how thing went.
1. I did not run the Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run. I did run the Step Rock Run in Herriman City. I am very proud of it. Since then I have worked out about 5-6 times a week. I am very proud of that.
2. I have not yet figured out the budget, I am reading a book called The Automatic Millionaire
3. I am still working on being organized. I have gotten rid of tons of stuff. We even started selling stuff on Ebay just to see if we could make some money doing that and suprise, suprise, we can. I made about $50.00 last week selling stuff that we never use or don’t like. It is quite a bit of work for that little bit of money, but if I had just given it to DI I would not have that money. Now I am going through the house with a fine tooth comb seeing what I can sell and just get out of here. I have also come up with a cleaning schedule that I try pretty hard to stick to. It has helped a ton in getting things done and knowing what to do. I also add some other cleaning activity to everyday. Some small like clean out the silver wear tray, some large like clean all the windows. It just depends on the day and my mood.
4. Get good at the piano. This one fell to the wayside. I want to do this, but I need to find a place in the day the squeeze it in. We will see.
5. Be able to tell people to go to Hell! I didn’t learn how to do this. My councelor said that this is agressive behaviour and it is not the best way to be. So I am working on just being positive and honest, it is a better way to be.
I am proud of the progress that I made this year. There are a few other things that I want to work on with the business and really getting ourselves in a good financial state.
I am going to keep working on these, I am excited for the progress that we will make this year.
Also, there is the part of my life that I am dreading that is coming up rather to quickly. POTTY TRAINING! Egads. I am so frightened. But we are going to start trying it soon. I just need to finish and start the book that a friend recommended. I hope no one dies in the process. By the way the potty training is for the kid, not me, in case you were wondering.
For the first time in our lives we did Christmas at our own house, and the verdict you ask? I loved it. I don’t know why we did not do it sooner, wait, yes I do. It is because I have never dared cook a Christmas breakfast myself. I did it this year and it was beautiful and delicious. Blessed are the quiche makers. That is what Papasan says. I made this for jj’s family last Christmas and our family this year. We also had sticky buns that were drowned in butter and brown sugar (one of my favorite foods).
jj and I exchanged a few gifts, but going to Hawaii in November was our present for every event this past year. Gentry got a fishing pole, a panda bear, and another little bear. The bears must be with him at all times and we need to change their diapers occasionally and change their clothes also. I am thinking about making them some bear clothing, but mostly just thinking since I don’t know how to do that sort of thing. He also got a little bear chair that must travel with us everywhere. It is a car seat for his bears. He has turned into quite the little mother.
On Christmas Eve we went to my mothers, she had a lasagna dinner and we just played and ran around until it was nearly bed time. We then went home and opened our new pajamas and read the Christmas story from a binder book that jj’s mom helped us make.
Gentry got some great loot, so did jj and I from our family and friends. We are very thankful to you all. I am very excited about the pan with holes in it for french bread loaves. SO EXCITED!
The day after Christmas we went up to Logan where jj’s parents live, we spent two days there. While we were there my little boy started cuddling with me. He has never been a cuddly boy and I loved it. I did not dare move in case he remembered that cuddling is not his thing and he better get the heck out of there. I wanted to close my eyes and stay this way forever.
We had a great Christmas.
Also, you may be wondering about my mom’s “boyfriend,” or not. He got my mom some nice presents, that was never something my dad could do. He always depended on me to choose stuff for him to buy. I was impressed that he had paid enough attention to her to understand who she was and what she likes. Also, I would rather hang round Mark than my dad. Mark complements my cooking, that may be all that I ever get from him but it is more than I ever got from my dad. And it is enough just to be noticed.
We have all had apples dipped in caramel. Have you ever had a green apple dipped in caramel, dipped in white chocolate, rolled in cinnamon sugar? Oh my heavens, it is so good. I have a major sweet tooth for a little bit of tart and a whole lot of sweet. These delectable pieces of heaven are from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. The nearest one to me is Trolley Square or the Gateway.
One of jj’s co-workers got it for him for Christmas, bless her heart. Doesn’t eating sin make you feel a little better if there is a bit of healthy in center?
The caramels turned out wonderfully. They are very good and rich. So rich that you only want to eat a few of them and your sweet tooth is done. They actually required 3 hours of constant attention and then when they were finished cooking you could ignore them for a day to let them cool. I guess cooling takes that long. Anyway, they are done now and we have a huge amount of them. You can get the recipe here.
I was thinking that instead of book club this month we could do a Christmas Treat exchange. What do you think?
Last night for dinner we had Inari Sushi and Sweet Potato Tempura. It was so good. Inari are little soy pockets that you put rice in and we put shrimp, spicy mayonnaise and green onions on top. Tempura is similar to onion rings except you can use almost anything. I love the fried sweet potatoes.
I finally got my free popcorn. What incredible service! I waited for 2 days shy of a month. Also, I think that Annie’s popcorn is better and my sister-in-laws is also.
Sorry for promoting something that sucked.
Go to this website for delicious popcorn. I ordered mine and I cannot wait for it to come. You just have to pay for the shipping. You have to order before the end of October.
I made sushi tonight and it was…
GROSS.
What a waste. I guess it really is an art and I am going to have to keep paying the artist tons of money to partake.
Dang it.
However, I am going to try and easier recipe next week. Perhaps that will be better.