Watching the Time Slowly Drift By

Hello everyone!

It hasn't been that long since I've last written, and I find myself rather bored, and felt that I could probably update you on a little of the world on this end. (Even though, there really might not be enough to write about).

So yesterday was my cleaning day. I ended up not really having the motivation to do much of anything but as soon as I started working on one thing, I ended up starting another, and another, until finally things were completely taken care of.

Mike had mentioned that our shower was clogged up, so I ended up pulling two rather large and quite foul globs of hair from the drain, adding some Drain-O and fixing the problem. I feel quite empowered, as silly as that is, but it's nice to not have to rely on a man to fix things that need to be fixed, if you know what I mean!

Once the house was cleaned and picked up, and laundry going, I started to make dinner. Even though we wouldn't be eating it for some time, I made it in advance so that it's less for me to do later in the evening, and we get to eat sooner, when that time came. Mike walked in after work to the smell of homemade lasagna baking in the oven...needless to say, I fear that it will all be gone by tomorrow...

Not much has been going on today. I randomly picked some shirts, pants and a jacket to take into the dry cleaners for Mike. He has a Critical Care Conference to attend on Friday and Saturday, and was in need of some clothes of the nice variety. Currently, all of his nice clothes were in a big pile on the floor of our closet. I grabbed a few of them, and took them in to be dry cleaned. I get to pick them up tomorrow.

This Saturday is also the day of the big football game that I got tickets for Mike to see. He's planning on being home as soon as his conference is over, then we make a trip up to Denver for the game and dinner, probably in the reverse order. It should be nice to spend some time together, doing something I would probably never have done before, mainly because I'm not a huge sports fanatic, but also because I just don't like crowds and things like that. I know that he really enjoys sports and has been very good the last few years, so this is my way of saying "Thank You".

I haven't been making anything out of the norm for us, meal wise. I will be posting the recipe for lasagna later on this week (I'm hoping), but other than that, I don't believe that there has been much else.

People in town have been rather rude lately. I sometimes wonder if there is something in the air or water. Sometimes, it's just not worth socializing with people that are rude and give off that "I'm better than you" attitude, or whatever it is. It's uncalled for, really. It makes you appreciate life a little more when you realize that you're not that bad of a person, when you meet people like that. Sometimes, I think that it's nice to run into those people just to prove that you're not an ugly (meaning personality) person, if that makes sense?

So, funny story...sort of. I went to mow the yard about a week ago, and couldn't get the cord to pull more than a couple centimeters.  I thought that maybe it was the cord stuck on something, and even my mom mentioned that as well, but I still couldn't get it to work. So Mike and I decide that we would just take it in somewhere and get it fixed, as well as get the blades sharpened. We took it to a local Sears, and the guy tells us that it would be two weeks before we'd see it again. That didn't really work for us, but we didn't have much choice. As the guy came to look at it, it turned out that there was so much build up that was causing the blades to not move. Once he removed most of it, and tried to pull the cord, he could. Problem solved. I had thought about that, but then I figured that, that couldn't be the cause, so I just never went forward with it. My mistake! So the next day, I start to mow, and the whole time I am mowing, our jerky neighbor is watching me! Talk about creepy! I've always disliked this guy, and I get uncomfortable with him every time he either talks or looks at me.  Red flags raise, the hair on the back of my neck stands at attention...like there is something seriously wrong with this guy! So I look up and see him watching me as I mow...(shudder). I told Mike that I will feel much more comfortable when we get a fence up...not just for me and Mike, but for our future kids, because if I am feeling this way about this creep, I don't want my kids playing outside where he can possibly grab them! I know that probably sounds paranoid or that I am over-reacting, but I trust my "sixth sense" and I've not been wrong about these things in the past!

So, there hasn't been much more, aside from the usual drama that is life, maybe there is a little more, but like I said, it's drama!

Until next time!

Peanut Butter Balls

Growing up, one of the things that my mom would make as a quick treat, was Peanut Butter Balls. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of peanut butter. In fact, I sometimes refuse to eat it...period. Once in a while, I enjoy the peanut butter M&Ms, or Reese's, but I just don't like it anymore. I was thinking that it would be a nice gesture, since Mike likes PB, to make him these little snacks that he could either take to work or have quickly here at the house, and so, I made them last night and I double the recipe!

Here's the recipe: Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cup smooth peanut butter

Place everything into a mixing bowl, mix by hand thoroughly. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet or in a baking dish. Refrigerate. Eat chilled.

Enjoy!

Tuna Casserole

The first time that I made my family's version of Tuna Casserole, Mike very politely ate it, but mentioned that it was rather bland. So when I asked him what he wanted to have for the week of meals, he stated that Tuna Casserole sounded good, but only if we doctored up the version that I had. So, I sent a text to a friend to ask him for his recipe of the meal, because I remember loving it when I was eating it. He promptly sent me the recipe, and the verdict was that it was much better than the one that I had made before...I sense that the old recipe has been replaced!

Here's the recipe: Tuna Casserole

16 oz egg noodles
2 cans tuna fish in water
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz shredded cheese (I used a Colby mix, but I hear the mozzarella/cheddar blend is best)
milk to fill one of soup cans
paprika
garlic powder

Do not preheat the oven! (I had to ask about this, because I'm used to preheating the oven! Once the meal is ready to go, put in the oven and turn it on, the cook time is counting this process.)
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. Add soup, (save one of the cans for the milk), tuna, undrained, and 1/2-3/4 soup can worth of milk. Season generously with paprika. Add garlic powder to taste. Mix thoroughly. Add cheese and mix. Bake at 375* for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Easy Oreo Truffles

I saw this recipe in my Oreo cookbook and thought, I could do that, and it'd be yummy...they left out on important step, and I will include it so that you don't have to face the frustrations that Mike and I did!

Here's the recipe: Easy Oreo Truffles

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 pound 2 oz Oreo cookies, (Not double stuff) finely chopped
2 packages (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
Note: This is where the recipe left out an important tip! If you try to handle the mix while it's softened, you'll have issues as I did. Instead, try chilling it, to make it easier on yourself! Chill until it's easy to roll into balls and dip into melted chocolate!
Shape into 1 inch balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on wax paper. Sprinkle with remaining cookies, if you have any left, as we did not!
Refrigerate one hour, or until firm!


Note: Use any leftover chocolate with fresh cut fruit!

Enjoy!

Seven Layer Rigatoni

In a desperate attempt to find new things to make for dinner, I borrow some old recipe books from my brother, and I'm pretty sure, that he's not missing them! One of the meals that I selected was this. It's pretty easy to make, and I cut corners too, and it didn't seem to make much of a difference! We had leftovers for Mike to take to work, and things were good in the house!

Here's the recipe: Seven Layer Rigatoni

3 cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (9oz)
1 pound Italian sausage
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2.5 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375*. Spray rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
While pasta is cooking, cook sausage in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until fully cooked. Drain. Mix tomatoes, garlic and basil, add red pepper to mix.
Layer half each of the pasta, sausage, mushrooms, Parmesan, tomato mixture, and mozzarella. Repeat layers. (I cut this corner. I added everything, no layers.)
Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until hot and cheese is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Good One Dish Dinner

My great-grandmother had given my mother a few recipes when I was growing up, and some we have used multiple times, and well, the others are just forgotten! When my mom first made this meal, the whole family thought the smell was a turn off, but it was a great meal to have! Don't let the smell of the meal cooking put you off, for it truly is a very delicious meal and filling!

Here's the recipe: Good One Dish Dinner

1 pound beef stew strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
1 can tomatoes, whole or diced
2 large green peppers, sliced or diced
rice, cooked

Place everything except the tomatoes, peppers and rice into the slow cooker/crock-pot and turn on low, cooking for 5-6 hours. Add the tomatoes, and peppers. Cook one hour longer. If it's too watery, thicken with a little cornstarch. Serve over cooked rice.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Green Peppers or Spanish Rice

I have had friends order Stuffed Peppers in restaurants because they said that they don't know how to make it at home. My reply has always been, "If you know how to make Spanish Rice, you know how to make stuffed peppers". That's the truth, because that's all that it is. With this recipe, you can either stuff peppers with it, or eat it without the peppers...either way, it's great and gives you leftovers!

Here's the recipe: Stuffed Peppers or Spanish Rice

1 pound ground hamburger
basil to taste
onion, chopped
cheese slices
1 can tomatoes, crushed
oregano to taste
garlic powder to taste
pepper and salt to taste
rice, cooked
1 can tomato sauce
green peppers (I get 4 for two people, unless you are doing Spanish rice, just get one.)

Brown hamburger, onion and green pepper (if you are strictly making Spanish rice). Drain grease. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well. Grease pan and stuff peppers with the Spanish rice, and place into the greased pan. Bake 350* for 30-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Grilled Pesto Pizza

Mike and I love pesto! Mike makes the best homemade pesto and we have it with a lot of different things, but we enjoy it most on pizza! We have had many friends and co-workers ask us how you grill pizza...and well, here it is.

Here's the recipe: Grilled Pesto Pizza

Bobali pizza crust
Pesto (homemade or store bought)
Mozzarella cheese
Your favorite pizza toppings!

The instructions are simple: Make your pizza however you want it, using pesto (or pizza sauce if you don't like pesto), and place it on the warm grill until the cheese has melted thoroughly in the center. Don't grill on high heat, for you will burn the crust!

Enjoy!

Busy Nothings

Hello all!

It's been another long spell since I've last updated the blog. I guess I don't have the discipline to write daily online, but at least I am able to write in it more than once a month! That's a plus!

So, there really hasn't been anything major going on in the world for us. The most recent things have been that Mike has been doing his PT weekly, but has been doing his exercises at home almost daily, and he can feel a difference, which means it's working, and it's a good thing!

I'm working on my last few folders of pictures to redo the web page, and after those are complete and the site is updated, then I will meet with a photographer here in town to discuss the essential tricks and skills I need to perfect. I'm hoping to get this off the ground soon, and I am sure that Mike would agree full heartily! Even though I have done a few weddings and portraits, it's not near what I am truly aiming for.  Little bit at a time, I suppose.

I surprised Mike last night by finding some rather cheap tickets online for a football game in Denver. The Broncos are playing the Seahawks, and I know how much football season means to him, and he has been such a trooper the last few years about selecting which games are important to him to watch, and I've gotten his time when there isn't an "important" game playing, and this is one reason that I thought about doing this for him. The other reasons, aside from being in love with him and wanting him to be happy, is because he does so much for me, and I wanted to do something special to show him that I appreciate everything that he has done, and continues to do for me, not to mention the things that he sacrifices for me, and for us. Going to a football game and actually seeing it live, might give me more appreciation for the sport. I love hockey, but there is nothing better than seeing it live, and I am hoping the same is for football.

There are a few recipes that I will also add to the blog once this is finished, and there are some that I can see making again, but changing the rules slightly to better help make the process a lot easier. One in particular is the Oreo Truffles that I made a week ago. The recipe never said to cool the batter before dunking into the melted chocolate, so needless to say, Mike and I had our hands full trying to make it work. So I will add in my notes to make sure that you cool the batter first! But the bonus of that dessert, is that we had a lot of melted chocolate leftover, so we bought some strawberries and had them with the rest of the melted chocolate! It was yummy!

Tomorrow, I've got to try and figure out why our lawn mower isn't working, and then I can actually tame the furry lawn that is our yard. It's mostly weeds, but at least it's green! From a distance, it looks like grass! That's a plus, right?

Not much going on...we are going to a games night on Friday night after Mike gets a haircut, since his hair is getting really long! Aside from a few gray hairs, he looks younger with longer hair, but he looks better with shorter hair! Either way, I'm happy, but I know he prefers shorter! My mom's birthday is on Friday, and Mike and I will be stopping by to visit with her and eat lunch with her. It will be a good day on Friday, just rather busy and social.

Well, I think that about covers everything!

Until next time!