Things That Make Me Smile

 

     I looked across the room and saw this sweet little creature staring at me.  How can you not smile?

My Weekly W's

 

What's top of my mind:  We're heading into the last week of February, and it was a pretty decent month.  It was a lot colder, icier and snowy than our February's usually are but not unheard of and it looks like we're going into March with highs in the 40's and 50's so all of this snow should melt before we start the new month.  

Where I've been:  I did brave the super low temps and stopped by Kroger and Aldi to pick up a few items.  We had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings one afternoon with some friends.  We hadn't been there in quite a few years, and it was a pretty good lunch. The place still looks good and was really clean. Food was pretty good too. Eating out is a big gamble these days which is why we don't do it often.  After lunch the two of us went to Lowes to pick up a couple of things. 

Where I'm going:  No appointments or commitments which I love.  It leaves the week wide open.

What I'm watching:  Nothing noteworthy.

What I'm reading:  I spent some time looking through 3 of my cookbooks, Jaimie Olivers Food Revolution, Dinner and Indian Flavor Every Day.  We're going back to eating fish once or twice a week so I'm looking for new ideas.  We went back to a subscription to Sea To Table and we're loving it.  We ate a lot of seafood in Florida but moving here, our options were little to none.  I love knowing exactly where our fish is coming from.  It is so fresh and delicious. (No connection to the company, they just do have excellent seafood all from the US.)

What I'm listening to: My body.  I don't know if I was coming down with something or just tired, but I slept a LOT.  I feel great today, so it was obviously needed.

What I'm eating:

We had chicken and waffles this morning for brunch.  I love that you make the waffle batter the night before then just add two eggs and 1/2 tsp baking soda in the morning before cooking.  Here's the recipe.Culinary Adventures with Lori: Amazing Waffles 

Dinners this week were...

Chicken and white northern bean spicy chicken soup

BIG salad

Chicken sausage and veg stir fry, pesto parmesan pasta with salad

Beef taco, veggie and rice bowl with cheese rollups. (BEST dish of the week)

BBQ chicken, baked potato and asparagus

Lamb burgers with potato "fries"

Beer battered cod, rice and spicy cabbage slaw

Tonight, we're having Alaskan Coho salmon with a poblano puree rice dish and a small salad

Who needs a good slap:  I have a Macy's, Target, Amazon and our Florida credit union credit cards.  All with a zero balance.  When I go shopping and they ask me if I want to open one of their store credit cards, I decline like I did Friday when we went to Lowes.  The guy actually looked at me like there must be something wrong with my credit for me not to want to open one.  Why is looking down on paying cash the norm now?  Does it really make you look wealthier to use a credit card instead of cash?  I give 2 slaps for thinking credit is better than cash.

What is making me smile: I saw this for April Fool's Day treats and had to laugh.  I don't think I'd have the heart to do that to anyone, but it did make me smile.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoys this last bit of February!

My Weekly W's

What's on top of my mind:  I'm focusing on enjoying the last few days of February.  In March I will crawl out of hibernation and begin my spring cleaning.  It should be pretty easy since we've done a good job of keeping up with things around the house.  Then I will start to get my gardens ready. We do still have one more raised bed to put together that didn't get done in the Fall.

Where I've been:  No appointments or commitments outside of work so it was a good week.  I had to drive over to our sister hospital to drop off something and decided to pick up TBG on the way and have him go with me so we could stop at Yellin Helen for a chicken salad sandwich and milkshake.  Coldest day of the week but the milkshake hit the spot. I did venture into Walmart for the first time in a very long time. (Not a fan and probably won't go back anytime soon.) I just needed to stock up on a few household items. It's probably been a few years since I've had to buy batteries and got a bit of sticker shock.  This morning, I ran to Kroger for a few veggies and fruit and gassed up the Jeep.  We got a few inches of snow overnight, but the big snow is predicted for Tuesday into Wednesday with single digit temps so I'm glad it's done.  

Where I'm going:  I probably won't be going anywhere but work if the predicted weather hits like it is supposed to.  Next weekend is the yearly Home and Garden show that we enjoy going to.  I hope the weather is better by then.

What I'm watching:  I watched Our Little Secret on Netfix.  It was a cute movie. Then I watched 2 or 3 episodes of Apple Cider Vinegar.  It's a brutal reminder not to believe everything you see on the Internet.  I hope to finish the series today.  It's like watching a train wreck and you can't turn away.

What I'm reading:  Again, not much.  But that's what sunny days on the patio are for.   

What I'm eating:  For lunch yesterday I was craving a good grilled cheese.  I had bought a block of Murray's Quesadilla cheese for Super Bowl dishes and decided to try it on a grilled cheese along with a slice of Colby pepper jack.  OMG it was perfect!

Dinners this week:

Chicken sausage and veggie pasta sauce over penne pasta with a salad

Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans

LO pasta reheated in the Ninja with a topping of parm and motz. salad and garlic bread

LO roasted chicken turned into honey mustard hot sandwiches on brioche buns with a salad

Steak for me, shrimp for TBG with salad and baked potatoes

Not very well plated but delicious.

LO chili with jalapeno poppers  (Quesadilla cheese for the win again.) 

Tonight, we're having pacific cod over rice and side dish to be determined.

Who needs a good slap: I spent 10 minutes thinking about this and couldn't come up with anyone so either I blocked it out or didn't come across anyone this week.

What is making me smile: Every single day that I wake up I smile.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday.  For a majority of those in the US, stay warm, it's going to be a cold week.

Homemade Soy Sauce Update

 

A few weeks ago I shared this recipe for homemade soy sauce on one of my posts.  A number of you wanted to know how it turned out when I made it. 

Last week I made a batch and followed the recipe.  Obviously it is a very simple and straightforward recipe.  I did a blind taste test on TBG who has a pretty good pallet and he had a hard time picking which one was the 'real' soy sauce.  Then he did a blind taste test on me.  I could tell the difference but it was very faint and not bad at all.  In the future for me, I prefer a little bit less molasses. 

I used the soy sauce on our salmon that night and after cooking I couldn't tell the difference at all.

The ingredients of regular soy sauce are...Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English^[1]) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds

For us, the taste difference was so minimal I think once my supply of soy sauce is gone I'll make this as a replacement.  

My Weekly W's

What's top of my mind:  February was always my favorite month when we lived in Florida. It was always the best weather of the year with low humidity and tons of sunshine. The Thomas Edison Celebration was a month of fun events like the block party downtown, the amazing art/craft show and then the night parade was always such a great time. I think we need to take a two-week vacation next February to visit our old stomping grounds and see if it's still as great as it used to be.Edison Festival of Light

Where I've been:  I had my haircut this week and that always feels so relaxing to have done.  I've been going to my hairdresser for a number of years and just love him to death.  It's always good to catch up.  We went for a number of walks this week now that all of the snow and ice is gone, and it was nice to be able to walk outside without getting wet or slipping around.  

Where I'm going:  I have a three-day weekend coming up next week, so I've been narrowing down plans for a day or overnight get away for us.  A lot depends on the unpredictable weather.

What I'm watching:  We watched The Color Purple yesterday.  I actually had forgotten what a good movie it is that touches on every single human emotion. I also caught up on Southern Charm.  Craig is the only one of the guys on that show that has really grown up.

What I'm reading:  I had a lot of things going on and really didn't read much.  My to be read pile is growing and I need to get busy even if just 30 minutes a day.

What I'm eating:

Beef tips, mashed potatoes and spicy coleslaw

BIG salad with garlic, cheese biscuits

Chicken sausage with peppers and onions, coleslaw and cheesy potato cakes

LO Beef tips with peppers and onions, rice and cheese rollup

Lamb burgers and 'fries'

BIG salad

Lamb and potato pies with a salad.  -These are a favorite for us both. Just half a pound of ground meat with potatoes and spices and you get four pies.  Very economical and delicious.

Who needs a good slap: People lacking in common sense and critical thinking skills. Our local Sheriff is an amazing leader and works tirelessly on improving our community.  He spent months of his personal time forming a Citizen Action Plan in the event of a weather disaster or other events that might impact our community, specifically those in very rural, remote areas.  There were two or three people at the meeting that just could not grasp this concept.  There have been so many devastating events in the last few years how can anyone be against being prepared and ready in the event that it happens here?  I just can't wrap my head around the lack of common sense. I myself feel relief to be living in an area where our local elected officials are planning and preparing to help our community. 

What's making me smile:  I had a few apples that needed to be used so made a pie.  Apple pie and ice cream is a favorite of TBG's so seeing him enjoying it brought a smile.  That is a small saucer so not as big of a piece as it looks. 😀

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday.  I'm looking forward to the super bowl food later today.  I don't really watch the game much, but TBG would be thrilled if the Eagles won so...  Go Eagles!!

My Weekly W's

 

What's on top of my mind: We're already into the second month of the year and looking over January, it was a pretty good month.  The first three weeks I managed to have a good balance between getting a lot accomplished and doing things for fun and relaxation.  This last week not so much.  Work was exhausting and left me with little to no energy at the end of the day.  I hardly ever take naps but yesterday I ended up taking a 2-hour nap and slept the same 8-9 hours I usually do at night.  Hopefully I can get back to a more balanced day this week.

Where I've been:  TBG had his cardiology appointment on Monday. They had the results of his ultrasound and improvement in his heart function has gone up but not as much as the doctor expected.  The doctor wants him to have an MRI to rule out amyloidosis even though he doesn't have the top three indicators like carpal tunnel, tingling sensation in his limbs or a large tongue. (Yes, that is a symptom) He's been feeling great for a few months with plenty of energy, normal blood pressure, etc. but we'll go ahead with the tests to see what's going on.  The rest of the week I didn't go anywhere but work and Kroger once.

Where I'm going: I have a much-needed hair cut scheduled for Friday and I can't wait.  My hair grows so quickly, and I haven't had it trimmed since October I think. If the weather stays decent, I need to run the Jeep through the car wash again and I'll need to pick up a bit of fresh produce.  We'll see where else the week takes me.

What I'm watching:  I did catch up on the latest Southern Charm episodes but other than that I really didn't watch TV.  

What I'm reading:  Sadly, I didn't make time to read much this week.  

What I'm eating:

Since I cleaned out all of the leftovers in the freezer except for two servings of stuffed shells and two servings of Brunswick stew I made a pot of beef and bean chili.  We had that two times this week and now there are two servings of it in the freezer.  It all will get eaten in the next week or two so that is good.

Individual lamb and potato pie with a salad-favorite meal of the week

BIG salad x 2 

Fried chicken sandwich and coleslaw

Tonight, I'm roasting a chicken.  I want coleslaw with it and possibly mashed potatoes. I'm not sure what I will turn the left-over chicken and broth into yet.  Put there are a lot of possibilities, and I like that

Who needs a good slap: Even though it wasn't a great week, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head. 

What is making me smile:  I love a good candle and always have one burning this time of year. I picked up this one that smells so amazing.  It doesn't have a wooden wick which is what I usually buy but so far, it's burning well. 

I hope everyone is doing well and has a wonderful Sunday doing whatever makes you happy!

Happy February!

 

Things That Make Me Smile-Popovers

I love making popovers for Sunday breakfast, especially during the winter. It amazes me how four simple ingredients can make such a delicious treat.  I love them with cream cheese and jalapeno pepper jelly and bacon is always a good side as well.

Here is a link to the recipe that I always use.  I shared it a number of years ago but they are so good I thought I'd share again.

https://culinaryadventureswithlori.blogspot.com/search?q=popovers  

These bake for 35 minutes so in the winter you will get the bonus of a warm kitchen that smells so good.

 

My Weekly W's

 

What's top of my mind:  As I enjoy this slow cozy month I've been making my home project list for this year.  There are only three, various painting jobs, air ducts professionally cleaned and have an electrician change out all of the light switches and outlets.  Last year we had probably 10 items on the list, but they were all smaller projects.  

Where I've been:  Other than work, I stopped at Kroger for produce and dairy.  We also went out to breakfast yesterday at TBG's request. 

Where I'm going:  TBG has a follow up with his cardiologist tomorrow that I will go with him to.  Other than that, we have no appointments or commitments, and I love weeks like that.

What I'm watching:  I watched a few episodes of Instant Dream House on Netflix and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikey.  The movie was good the home reno show was just OK.  

What I'm listening to:  Even in winter I try to get out in the backyard for at least 15-20 minutes every day and I love how quiet it is.  It's a great way to relax and clear your mind from a long day.

What I'm reading:  I just started Afternoon Coffee (available on Amazon) by my blog buddy Billie Jo Stoltz. (Afternoon Coffee And Evening Tea )  She has such a beautiful way of looking at life, family and the simple pleasures of life.  She recently lost her beloved Mother, and my heart goes out to her and her family.

What I've been eating:

This week I wanted to eat up a number of meals we had in the freezer to free up my containers and to make room for a different chili, soup and/or stew before Winter is over.  

Red Maine fish, rice and salad

LO soul southing chicken and white bean soup with my homemade artisan bread

When I make stuffed shells, I usually make two separate pans.  One to cook that night and one to add to the freezer.  I had one in there from Christmas Eve so I heated that up and added a small salad and bread.

LO Brunswick stew and bread

Lamb burger/cheese and red onions on a Brioche roll with 'fries'

Chicken sausage with peppers and onions and a baked potato

Who needs a good slap:  The neighborhood deer.  Our back yard has a six-foot-high fence around it so we don't have to worry about it.  For the 13 years we didn't have to worry much about our front yard either until this year.  This fall they ate the mum flowers as fast as they opened, and they were on the porch.  Now they have destroyed my holly bush.  This photo was sent to us two weeks ago from a friend that saw the deer outside our house.  She text it to us saying we had a visitor.

See the large, full holly bush?  

This is what it looks like now.  Mangled and almost stripped of all leaves.  I hope we can just cut it way down and save it.  I would never slap an animal but will give 4 virtual slaps.

What's making me smile:  It's Sunday so it's my weekly at home, mani, pedi, facial.  I always look forward to that hour of pampering that gets me ready for another week.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Sunday!!  

My Weekly W's

 

What's top of my mind:  I'm just enjoying the slower pace of winter.  When it's cold, dark and dreary it's like nature is giving me full permission to just slow down and enjoy being home and relaxing a bit more.  The warm weather and sunshine will be here soon enough to motivate me to get busy.

Where I've been:  It was my first full week at work since before my holiday break.  It was a LONG week too.  Friday, we had a bit of a break from the cold, so I ran to Kroger for a few things, got gas and then took the Jeep through the carwash.  It was a mess from all of the ice and snow.  The undercarriage scrubbing also gave me a bit of relief from the cat incident.

Where I'm going:  We are getting an Artic blast this week again, so I will probably only be at work or at home.  I'm perfectly happy with that.

What I'm watching:  We watched Back in Action on Netflix and it was a pretty good movie.  Enough action for TBG and I do enjoy Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx.  I also watched/listened to DDD and a Modern Family marathon while doing a few things in the kitchen.

What I'm reading:  Yesterday I started Love, Loss and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi.  I'm not very far into it but I think I will enjoy it.

What I'm eating:

Chicken sausage with peppers and onions, baked potato and salad

BIG salad with a cheese roll up

Last Sunday, I roasted a bone in turkey breast, so I made another pot of Brunswick Stew.  We had that with garlic and cheddar biscuits.

Sloppy Joe's with sweet potato fries

Roasted chicken, Brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes

LO sloppy joes with salad

I had one sheet of puff pastry in the freezer so for lunch on Saturday I made us ham and cheese with a honey mustard dipping sauce.  It was so tasty.

Who needs a good slap:  TBG was watching Inside Edition one afternoon and I caught a story about an Indiana pizza delivery guy.  He delivered a 40.00 pizza order to someone and had to walk 1/2 a mile to deliver because their road was impassable due to snow.  On his walk back he ran into a police officer that was monitoring the roads, and he was shocked to see someone had delivered a pizza.  He asked if he at least got a really good tip, and the guy told him they gave him 2.00. That is a really shitty tip on a good day but add in almost a foot of snow, walking a MILE to and from his car and that is just ridiculous.  The cop started a go fund me for the driver and so far, people have donated 11,000.00.  First of all, I would never order a pizza during a snowstorm. and I question why they were even open putting their employees in danger, but to give such a low tip deserves 5 slaps in my opinion.

What's making me smile:  I have a lot to smile about and so many small daily blessings.  I never take that for granted.

I hope everyone stays warm and has a wonderful Sunday!!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I didn't grow up eating macaroni and cheese and honestly don't remember when it was that I first tried it.  TBG will eat it but he isn't much of a fan so we don't have it often but when we do, it needs to be really good.

I've tried a number of recipes over the years and most were tasty but this one is close to perfection for me.

This is another recipe from Nagi that is in her Dinner cookbook.  

Macaroni:

8 ounces elbow pasta

1 tbsp unsalted butter

Topping:

2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp unsalted butter-melted

1/4 tsp salt

Sauce:

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup flour

3 cups milk

2 cups freshly shredded cheese-I used gruyere, she also recommends Colby or cheddar

1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 tsp salt

Seasonings:

1 tsp garlic powder-I used granules

1/2 tsp onion powder-I used granules

1/2 tsp mustard powder

*She has the seasoning listed as optional.  I say use them.

Cook pasta in boiling water for 1 minute under the recommended time on the box

Drain, return pasta to the pot, add butter and toss until melted.  Set aside to cool while making the sauce.

Mix together the topping and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan or in an ovenproof skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly for one minute.

Add about 1 cup of the milk and mix to dissolve the paste into the milk.  Add remaining milk and mix until lump free. A whisk works best.

Mix in salt and seasonings.

Cook, stirring regularly for 5-8 minutes until thickened to a cream consistency.

Remove from the stove, add cheese and stir.

Combine the pasta and the sauce in oven safe pan.  Sprinkle breadcrumb topping all over the top. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.

Serve immediately.

I halved the recipe since it was the two of us which totaled about 4 nice size servings.

I really liked the flavor of this dish.  The creaminess was perfect for me.  Not dry and not too saucy.  

I don't care for reheated mac and cheese so I used the last two servings and made mac and cheese bites in the air fryer and they turned out delicious.  I used a small cookie scoop to get rounded balls and dipped in flour, egg and panko.  I cooked them for 10 minutes on 400 degrees.

This dish was easy to put together, great flavor with a delicious consistency making it my new go to when I want to make mac and cheese.

My Weekly W's

 

What's top of my mind:  My first full week after vacation was cut shorter because Winter hit our area of Southern Illinois all week.  We started out with sleet Sunday night that turned into snow.  The totals of ice were .75 inch, and snow was 3 inches, so I stayed home Monday.  FREEZING temps followed all week keeping everything frozen solid.  Then Friday it snowed all day totaling 7 more inches, and I came home around 9am.  It truly looks like a winter wonderland outside.  The downside of these cold temperatures hit me on Thursday.  I left work and heard loud thumping under the Jeep.  I pulled over to check my tires and make sure no ice or snow was blocking the wheels, but it all looked good. I decided to keep going since I live less than a mile from work.  I heard two more thumps then nothing more.  TBG checked under the hood and said everything looked fine and we drove it around the neighborhood to see if it was still making noise.  It wasn't and we pulled into the garage, and I again looked under the Jeep.  This time I was horrified to see a cat's tail hanging down.  To make a long story short, while I was at work a cat had climbed up under the Jeep and that thumping noise was him.  It was removed yesterday with no damage to the vehicle.  But I've been sad about that poor cat for three days now.  I park in the garage at home and hadn't been anywhere but work all week so never thought to look before I left. 

Where I've been:  No where but work and home.

Where I'm going:  Hopefully I will make it to work all week and I'm sure I'll make a small grocery run but no other plans so far.

What I'm watching:  I watched the latest episode of Southern Charm and a few DDD episodes while making dinner but really didn't watch much else.

What I'm reading:  I need to finish Wintering because I have two books from Christmas that I can't wait to read.

What I'm listening to:  I love when everything is covered with snow because it is so quiet out.  I went out Friday and Saturday to just enjoy the stillness and silence for a bit.  It was wonderful.

What I'm eating:

Soul soothing chicken and white bean soup with garlic cheddar biscuits.

I had a couple of Belgian waffles in the freezer left over from breakfast last weekend, so we had chicken and waffles. I made a siracha and maple syrup sauce for them and it was delicious.

LO beef and bean chili with cornbread

Chicken sausage with green peppers and onions, baked potato and salad

BIG salad

Chicken, mac and cheese and salad with Texas Toast.  This was a new recipe for a baked mac and cheese that I will share this week.

Tonight, I am roasting a bone in turkey breast, sides undecided yet other than I want to use the cranberries in the freezer to make a cranberry, orange relish.

What I'm planning:  I've been looking over my planner for 2025 and scheduled a few trips, day dates and celebrations.  I want to stay ahead of the planning for holidays and events.

What is making me smile: This meme really hit home for me.  Making the most out of every day is my number one intention.

My heart goes out to everyone in the California area experiencing this historic loss.  It seems like the list of people having their lives totally devastated by these events continues to grow.  Prayers out to them all.