Weblog
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
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I steamed a whole artichoke for the first time yesterday! It was a bit intimidating. I have not a clue as to how to pick a good one and I had to do some internet research on what to do with it, but it turned out pretty good. I am officially breaking out of the box. We had it as a kind of side dish with dinner, dipped in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce. (I made a mustard sauce too because that's what everyone said to do but it was kind of gross. I don't recommend it.)
Tonight was halibut taco's because I needed something easy. But, I have been dreaming of bruschetta...
Italian Bread toasted in olive oil with tomatoes and basil and garlic... I know it's not meat and neither was the artichoke but at least I am trying new things. I'll get to the meat eventually. For now though...maybe we will do Italian on Friday.
On another note, I drove through some snow flurries on my way to the church this morning but alas it was nothing much and by the time I left again it was all gone. The snow angels will have to wait a bit longer.
Monday, 02 November 2009
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God...
People ignore God. They say He doesn't exist, They use His name as a cuss word... Then they turn around and blame Him for all the things they think are wrong in their life and the world. If anyone treated their friends like that they would find themselves alone rather quickly...
People claim the right to be who they are. They say, "I am an individual. This is who I am and no one can tell me otherwise." But, they say God must be whoever they want Him to be. Because He is God He can't have a definite sense of self?
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
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It's suddenly almost winter. I'm actually enjoying it more than normal. The girls are sleeping in till about 8:00ish because the sun isn't out as early. I am taking a bit longer to drink my coffee in the morning which is always nice. I have heard rumors of snow up the hill and I am looking forward to our first white morning. Charlotte has been talking about making snow angels for several weeks now. Things just seem slower and a bit homier when it is cold outside.
Baking is so much more fun too. I love to bake all the time but especially when the holiday season gets closer. We had our first get together with apple pie the other day. Yea. It was good. As I write this I am enjoying a fresh out of the oven chocolate chip banana muffin and a cup of tea and cream. Mmmmm. Cozy Food. I can't wait for Christmas baking!! The girls have gotten old enough to help me a little. It's so much fun. I want to do something more than just cookies and muffins this year, though. I am resolving to experiment with dinner recipes too. Sometimes I feel like I get stuck in a rut with the same meals on a 2 - 3 week rotation. I admit, I am a bit afraid of meat. I am afraid to under cook it or over cook it. I mostly stick to experimenting with desserts. I know chocolate a bit better. I am looking for some new things to try so be sure to pass along any suggestions. I want to attempt baking a whole bird for sure - turkey or chicken. I've never done it before.
Anyway, I went outside my comfort zone today and did something else I have never done before - Chicken pot pie. You would think I would just find a recipe and follow it since I had never made it before. No. I just can't do it. I guess I have issues. I read around and got the basic gist and then I did my own thing. It actually turned out really good. It's quite a bit easier than I thought it would be. Fraley went back for seconds which makes it a success for me.
Here is what I did, but you will have to forgive the lack of measurements as I didn't really use any...
Cook two chicken breasts, cube and set aside
Chop carrots (not too small) and onions or whatever else you like
Sautee veggies in olive oil over medium heat with a bit of diced garlic
When onions have browned slightly add a tbsp or so of butter and stir to melt
Add a little less than 1/4 cup flour and stir till combined
Salt, pepper, and any other seasonings
Add milk (1&1/2 - 2 cups) to the sauteed vegetable mixture and stir till milk thickens
Add about 1 cup each of peas and corn
Stir till evrything is heated, add cooked chicken, pour into casserole dish
Lay pie crust on top of your pie mix (I just used the pre-made frozen kind so I had to tear it into pieces to fit inside my dish.
Bake at 350 till the top is nice and brown
Enjoy!!
I'll be sure to tell you as soon as we have snow and I'll also post any other experiments I try.
Friday, 23 October 2009
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Quality
Here is a list of things that people seem to put absolutely no effort into making anymore. . .
1. Roads. Why is it that you can go to Israel and walk/drive on roads that were built during the height of the Roman empire (over 1000 years ago) and they are still good. But, we have to reconstruct our roads every summer??
2. Vacuums. My vacuum doesn't suck and therefore IT SUCKS! It worked for about 9 months before it decided not to work at all. I made sure I bought one with a "hard floor" setting because I have maple floors down stairs. I tried vacuuming up some cheerios on it once and realized that the "hard floor" setting was somebody's idea of a joke. The cheerios were sucked in, pulverized and shot back out with extreme force. Crumbs were sent flying into every corner of my house. Now I just use my supposed "vacuume" on my area rug. But I have to sweep after I "vacuum" because there is always mess of things the "vacuum" rejected all around the rug when I am done. I should just go to the Salvation army and buy one of those ancient150 pound ones. I may have to install a pully system to get it up and down the stairs but at least it would clean the floor!
3. Furniture. Do I really have to say anything more than Press Board? Your options are - buy a $150 press board bookshelf that you can never take down or it won't go back together again... or spend $2000 on an amish bookshelf that will extend your life and the life of your grandkids but who has that kind of money?
4. Food. What is a twinkie anyway? They look like grease sponges. Anybody see Julie and Julia? Those people put so much into what they made. It took some effort but it was GOOOOD and they actually knew what they were eating. This is one of the reasons I like to make my own bread. I have no idea what Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate is and I am really not so sure I want to eat it...
anyone else??
Friday, 09 October 2009
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Okay, it's 10:00 at night and I am sitting down with my cup of tea, having just dealt with the aftermath of hurricanes Charlotte and Taylor, and I am ready to confess...
I was mean today. Yes. Mean. And after I woke up with such resolve to be a good, patient and excited mommy too. I guess some days resolve means very little and we have to rest on grace instead. I don't even know how it all happened. I somehow ended up with a very few rather worn nerves and I got all stirred up by things that didn't really matter. I was short tempered and impatient. I was easily annoyed, somewhat frustrated, very sarcastic, distracted... I yelled at Charlotte and Taylor for acting like two and three year olds which, of course, they are. I was very absorbed by silly things. You might even say I was "hyper-focused". And, to top it off, I accused someone else (very passionately) of being hyper-focused themselves. Like I said - MEAN. I have had to say I am sorry and that is never fun. I am trying to be a better person but it is not always easy. Some days I think, to quote one of my favorite movies, "I am hopelessly flawed." Tomorrow is another day though, and hopefully a more mature one for me.
Very sorry you all have to witness me being a mess sometimes. Though I guess I was more sarcastic than anything online. I process my thoughts by writing and that is not always a very convenient thing. One of these days if I become the writer I hope to be, this is all going to come back to bite me isn't it?
Pamcake318
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- Name: Pamela
- Birthday: 3/18/1981
- Gender: Female
- Member Since: 2/21/2007
About Me
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Living with my husband and our three babies in Alaska. Trying to be a good wife, mommy, artist, writer....
What's Cooking
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Tortellini Gorgonzola with chicken and shrimp and...chocolate chip cookies. Mmmm good!
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I promise I'm not mean but the only friends I add are people I know outside xanga. Collecting 379 + friends seems insincere somehow.
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Key lime thumb print cookies. Trust me they are to die for. I needed them - notice the glazed over look starting to take me over.
