Things That Make Me Smile

 

When I saw this, I felt it deep in my soul.

My Week

Happy Sunday!  Can we just a pick a time and stick with it?  I don't care which one it is. This is brutal to my system, and I will be confused and tired for a few days.  Am I the only one?

I saw this and think it is a good reminder for all of us.  We are the star in our own lives, and we need to always remember that.

I hope everyone enjoyed the first week of March.  We hit our first 80 degree day with a few in the 70's and now after off and on rain for a few days it's back to highs in the 60's.  The forsythia bush is popping out its pretty yellow leaves, the garlic that I planted in September is now showing 6-7 inches of growth and so many more signs of the new season and new growth.  

Dinners this week...

I only make fried chicken once or twice a year because it's not the healthiest. We had fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw and a roll and it was so good.  I kind of wished we would have waited a few months because a few slices of fresh tomatoes would have been perfect.

BIG salad

Stir fried chicken, rice and asparagus

LO steak sandwiches and salad

LO chili and jalapeno poppers

Pasta, salad and garlic bread

Yesterday we went out to lunch with my brother and his partner.  We met at TGI Friday's about an hour north of us. The food was just OK but the two hours with them were wonderful.  💗

Naan with prosciutto, red onions and mozzarella cheese with a salad was our light dinner.

I worked all week and while I am thankful for a job to continue with my financial goals, it is getting a bit depressing there and the morale is horrible.  I did all of the normal things I do at home each week except I didn't read anything or watch much of anything on TV.  

TBG is continuing to improve health/fitness wise, so I am very thankful for that.  Our health is really all we have when you think about it.

I hope everyone is safe and doing well.  Have a great week!!

In My Kitchen February 2026

Hello and happy March!  I know a lot of people in the US are happy that winter is fading away and spring is right around the corner.  It is a bit bittersweet for me because I do love winter.  But each season has a lot to offer so I'm excited for a few changes after hibernating for months.

I'm joining Sherry at sherrys pickings to share what went on in my kitchen this month. Be sure and visit her to see what is going on around the world in people's kitchens.

February was a bit of a slow month in my kitchen.  I took inventory of the freezer to see what needs to be used before summer when I start to restock.  I did very well last summer/fall in dehydrating and freezing our local produce.  I have quite a few blueberries and cherries to use up and a LOT of jalapeno peppers.  Everything else looks like I chose just the right amount for us except for green peppers which I used the last of this past week.  I'll need to make sure to put more of them away this year because we do use them a lot.

Valentine's Day was last month, and I had fun making chocolate raspberry jam filled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (with a lot of sprinkles of course) for my work group.  They enjoyed them and wanted me to make more.  I also made chocolate covered strawberries for TBG and I.  I found the cutest heart shaped container that was just perfect.  I'm not a big fan of chocolate covered strawberries, but these were pretty good.

We went out to dinner for Valentine's Day on the night before and really enjoyed our favorite local Mexican restaurant.  I tried a strawberry daiquiri and was not disappointed at all.

TBG and I played a lot of boardgames and card games and one night I made appetizers for us to enjoy while we played.  Wonton wrappers are amazing vessels for a number of things.  I made a few with cream cheese and pepper jelly and a few with some left over chili with cheese on top.  They really are so good.

New items in my February kitchen...a new candle that smells SO good.  Who doesn't love Mama's Pancakes with syrup?

And a friend of mine sent me one of her latest creations.  A kitchen witch.  I remember back in the 70's these were very popular for a while.  It's a tradition in many countries to hang one by your stove to make sure all of your cooking turns out delicious.  I'm not sure if I believe that but she is super cute, in a witchy kind of way, and all of our meals and bakes turned out pretty good, so she has a new home by my stove.

Well, that wraps up February.  I hope everyone is well and staying safe.  What has been happening in your kitchen.  I would love to hear about it.

My Weekly W's

 

What's top of my mind:  Meet Elijah. This cute baby goat was born this week at the farm we buy a lot of our food from and she asked for names.  I suggested Elijah and she agreed it was a perfect name for him.  She said he loves to be held especially during a bottle, and I am so excited to go meet him Friday when I get off of work.  I wanted to go yesterday but it was too cold for all of us. 

Where I've been:  I worked all week and that was brutal.  They just did the third downsize in the last six years and a number of people I've known for years lost their jobs and were walked out due to NO fault of their own.  Corporations are making people do two or three jobs now and expect you to feel lucky to just have a job.  It's only going to get worse as healthcare is expected to be one of the largest sectors that are going to lose jobs to AI.  Just imagine going to work like you have done for the last 20 years or more and walk in to be told you are done, you will get 18 weeks of severance and then be walked out.  It's just not right.

Where I'm going:  Thankfully I have no appointments or commitments this week outside of work.  I will go out to pick up a few things at the farm and meet Elijah on Friday and Saturday we're getting out of town for the day.  Other than that, we'll see what comes up.

What I'm watching:  I've taken some down time the last two weeks to watch a number of movies I've been wanting to see on Netflix, and I really enjoyed them all quite a bit.

Elenore The Great

About My Father

Flipped

Moxie

The Family Next Door

What we ate:

Big salad with chicken and a yeast roll

LO lamb and potato hand pies with a salad

Meat loaf, mac and cheese and green beans

Chicken fajita and rice bowls with a cheese roll up

Veggie pizza and salad

Applewood chicken sausage with pesto pasta and a salad

Who needs a good slap:  See where I've been for that answer.

Who deserves a fist pump:  We all need to continue to not buy things that are not aligned with what we want but someone like him stepping up and calling them out, helps too.

Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, has publicly criticized The Hershey Company for allegedly replacing traditional ingredients like milk chocolate and peanut butter with cheaper substitutes. In an open letter, he accused the company of damaging the brand's legacy by altering the recipe, which he believes has eroded consumer trust. He expressed his disappointment over the changes, stating that some products, like Reese's Mini Hearts, are no longer edible.

What is making me smile:  TBG is finally feeling a LOT better, and we both couldn't be happier.  He's had a few rough patches the last two years or so and it feels so nice to have him doing well.  It's so hard to watch someone you love go through things with their health.  

I hope everyone is doing well!!

26 New to me Recipes for 2026 #2 Lemon Garlic Salmon Tray Bake

We usually eat Salmon once or twice a month, so I am always looking for new ways to change it up with different flavor profiles.  I found this one from Nagi at Recipetin Eats.

Ingredients:

2 to 4 6 oz salmon fillets (I used Coho salmon)

Marinade:

Zest from 1 lemon

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves (grated)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Vegetables:

Asparagus (Woody ends removed)

7 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Topping:

Olive oil

Finely grated parmesan cheese

Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl.  Slather onto the top and sides of the salmon.  Mariate for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven/broiler to 525 F.  

Toss the asparagus and cherries with the oil and salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet.  Add the marinated salmon on the tray.  Nagi mixed everything on the tray.  I did the veggies and the salmon separate for no particular reason. 😉

Cook for around 11 minutes.  The internal temperature of the salmon should be around 122 F.

Remove from the oven and plate.  Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the veggies and ENJOY.

We both enjoyed this one and gave it a 7 out of 10.  I failed at getting a picture of the finished dish but did take this one before putting it in the oven.

Culinary Adventures with Lori: 26 New to me Recipes for 2026 No. 1 Texas Cowboy Chicken

Weekly Wrap Up

Happy Sunday!  Aside from work, which is a real shit show, it was a pretty good week.  Then yesterday afternoon TBG said he felt like he caught something.  It started with a runny nose and eyes and just feeling tired.  He slept from around 4-6 and then got up for dinner.  He took about 4 bites of soup and went back to bed sleeping until 7 this morning.  I made bacon and waffles for breakfast and again he took a few bites then went back to bed with the chills and a little coughing.  I hope whatever it is passes soon and that I miraculously do not catch it. 

Last night I made a batch of homemade cough drops.

1/4 cup of lemon juice

4 tablespoons of honey

6 slices of ginger

Warm all of this up for about 5 or 10 minutes.  Do not let it boil.  When it cools off a bit, remove the ginger and then spoon it into a silicone mold of small squares.  Let it cool in the mold for about 6 hours.  They work really well and last for a month or more in a glass jar.

So when did paint get outrageous?  I went and bought 1 gallon of paint to do the three doors in the garage.  I always buy Sherwyn Williams because it is really good paint that lasts a long time.  They were having a paint sale of 40% off so I figured I would get it now to have when Spring gets here so I can get it done.  Talk about sticker shock.  

What we ate this week...

Lamb meatballs, rice, salad and naan.  

BIG salad.  I turned the TV on last night and it went right to Seinfeld, and it was the Big Salad episode.  It always cracks me up.

Basil pesto pasta, chicken sausage sauteed with peppers and onions and a salad

Fried chicken sandwich with sweet potato 'fries'

Lamb chops, baked potato and asparagus

I am making another big pot of chicken soup later this morning because it seems like we are going to need it. I'm going to double up on the ginger and garlic to chase this stuff away hopefully.

I have chicken legs that I wanted to cook tonight for dinner, but we'll see how things go.

Well, that's all I have for now.  Enjoy the week ahead and stay well!!

Food For Thought

 "What I love about cooking is that after a hard day, there is something comforting about the fact that if you melt butter and add flour and then hot stock, it will get thick!  It's a sure thing.  It's a sure thing in a world where nothing is sure: it has a mathematical certainty in a world where those of us who long for some kind of certainty are forced to settle for crossword puzzles."

Nora Ephron

In My Kitchen January 2026

I love reading Sherry's IMK posts and everyone that links to it.  It's been quite a while since I've done one and I decided this year I will make more of an effort.  It's a fun way to see what is going on in kitchens all over the world and share what's happening in my kitchen.

I also decided this year I would make 26 new to me recipes in 2026 and the first one did not disappoint.  You can read about it here. Culinary Adventures with Lori: 26 New to me Recipes for 2026 No. 1 Texas Cowboy Chicken  I've actually made it twice this month, it is that good.

January wasn't exactly an exciting month in my kitchen, but I did cook and we did eat.  It's been an unusually cold and snowy month for us here, so we've been eating a lot of comfort food, soups, stews and chili.  Stuffed shells is one of my favorite comfort meals and this one did not disappoint.  Paired with a salad it makes an amazing meal on a cold night.

Another favorite is chicken and white bean soup.  This soup just warms your soul.  Even though I do love winter and the long nights, I will be happy to see a bit more light later in the day so my photos don't come out so dark. 😀

New in my kitchen was this popcorn.  I usually make popcorn but decided to give this a try since the ingredient list is pretty clean.  It's a great snack.

A friend of mine gifted me a couple of bottles of her honey.  I so wish I had time to start a beehive and collect my own honey because it's always been something I've wanted to do.  That isn't going to happen until after I retire so I'm thankful for a number of friends that do have hives.  

I also stocked up on chocolate for some candy making I want to do in February.  Hopefully it all turns out wonderful, and I'll share with you next time. Ghirardelli really is a delicious chocolate.  I've been using their 100% Dutch process cocoa powder in baking for years, so I've been wanting to try these.

Another book fell in my cart even though I keep saying I won't get anymore.  I am week though.  It is on top of the to read pile as soon as I finish what I'm reading now. It sounds like a great read, and I want to dig in before Winter is over.

Thank you, Sherry, for hosting every month.  I hope February is a good month for everyone!

                                             sherrys pickings: In My Kitchen - February 2026                                               

Things That Make Me Smile

 

                             Snowflakes on our garage door going out to the back yard.

The weather outside is frightful!

 

                            

                                                       View from our bedroom

    

                                                      View from the living room

    

                                                     View from our dining room

I'm sure everyone has heard there is a large winter storm moving across the US and so far, it has dumped 14 inches of snow here.  (And still snowing) The worst part is the temperatures are FREEZING cold and will be for the next week.  So, this won't be melting away anytime soon. In the 20 years we've lived here, this is the most snow we've gotten.  I'm not complaining and was actually thinking how good this is for the garden soil.  My garlic and wildflowers that were planted this fall should really thrive this year.  I hope anyway.

I didn't have to make a trip to the store and I'm thankful for that.  From everything I've seen and heard people wiped out all of the stores each day between Thursday and Saturday afternoon.  One of the farms we buy from even said she totally sold out of beef, eggs, milk and bread.  

Last Monday (before all of the storm hype) I really wanted to plan a three-day weekend but had a training session on Friday so I put in to take tomorrow off instead.  I think that was a god wink because I don't know if I could make it in tomorrow if I had to.

Yesterday I spent a lot of time in the kitchen baking and cooking and enjoyed every minute of it.  TBG requested another batch of bagels.  They do freeze well and toast up beautifully.

All month I've been working on cleaning out cabinets, drawers and closets.  I find if I do it two or three times a year it doesn't get out of control.  While I've been working on this I watch/listen to TV.  I watched I am Mary Jo Buttafuoco on Netflix. It told the story from her perspective instead of Joe or Amy's and my heart just broke for all she had to endure.  She narrated the movie and said at the end that through it all she came out with an appreciation for life and her children and she is happy now.  

Other things I watched...

The Valley - Persian Style (part of the old cast from Shah's of Sunset)  

Southern Charm

Suddenly Amish 

I started reading Into The Magic Shop by James R. Doty, MD after the recommendation from Judee at Gluten Free A-Z  I just started reading it.  Funny thing is in my training session Friday one of the topics was the connection between the heart and brain so I'm even more excited to read this book. Thank you Judee!!

What we ate this week...

Chicken, pesto pasta and a salad

Lamb burger and 'fries'

BIG salad x two

LO chili with cornbread

Tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich

Tonight, I'm roasting a whole chicken.  We'll have it with a loaded baked potato and green beans and a small salad.  The rest will go into a big pot of spicy chicken soup tomorrow.  

This was the special at Yellen Helen's this week, but it was just a bit too cold for me to go get it.  Doesn't it sound amazing though? I hope they run this special again because I really want to try it.

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.  What is cooking at your house? Inquiring minds want to know.

Just a quick catch up

 

Good morning.  I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that we are already halfway through January. I started a post last Sunday, but my head wasn't in the right place, so I didn't post anything. The first week of the new year started with TBG spending two nights in the hospital. This was the first time in the 40 years we've been together and it was pretty stressful but between perseverance and a lot of prayer we made it through. 

I'm thankful for having a full pantry and living very close to the hospital because I was able to make him meals from home, so he didn't have to eat the shit 'food' from the hospital. 

Binx missed him SO much.  He kept looking at the door wondering where he was and both nights he slept on his side of the bed the entire night.  When TBG got home that Wednesday afternoon Binx was so happy and he started running and playing again right away.  

Thankfully he is doing much better but still has a little way to go before he is back to his baseline.   

He spent the rest of that week at home so last Saturday I knew he needed to get out for a bit. I suggested driving out to Yellen Hellens for ice cream after two quick errands I needed to run. Even though it was cold, the ice cream and the drive through the country did him a lot of good.  We shared one of their top desserts and it hit the spot.  He kept saying it felt so good to be out so I'm really glad we went.

This past week was a back to normal and TBG was able to go back to his Tae Kwon Do school which helped him feel a bit more like himself.  Seeing someone you love in pain and feeling down is hard, so this made me feel better too.

I have a long list of books to read so I started reading Food for Thought by Alton Brown and I'm really enjoying it.  I've always been a fan of his and the essays tell a lot about him and his thoughts.

We missed our December trip to Firefly Grill, so we decided to do that yesterday and we both had a great time. The atmosphere and the food is always top notch there and again just getting back to normal activities made us both feel so good.  Again, the ride was so good for both of us and just as we got about 30 minutes from home it started snowing.  The huge snowflakes were so pretty coming down.

Meals this week were...

Chicken and rice veg bowls with cheese roll up

LO beef short ribs, potato and cheese pancakes with salad

LO chili

Chicken, loaded baked potato and salad

Lamb burgers with 'fries'

We both had a big lunch so I used the half of pound of lamb left from the night before and made lamb and potato hand pies with a salad.

Tonight, we're having coho salmon with sides to be determined.  I'm leaning towards a spicy slaw and rice.

I hope everyone is doing well and had a better beginning of the new year than we did.  Tell me how things are with you?

Eat Real Food

Our old Food Pyramid was never correct in my opinion.  Now hospitals, schools, etc. will have to start basing the meals they serve on this. 

The US has a health problem, and I think this is excellent news.

 Eat Real Food

RFK Jr. updated the food pyramid. See what's different for your plate.

Culinary Adventures with Lori: My personal thoughts on food...