Did you miss me?

Yes, yes. I know. It has been forever since my last post. Honestly, I have not been cooking a lot of original things lately. Between work, more work, dog school, house work, and trying not to neglect my husband, coming up with new recipes and posts unfortunately went by the wayside. 

Thank goodness for all the yummy stuff we picked up at Trader Joe's. 

However, there are only a few more weeks left in this semester (thank goodness, I've had about all I can take of apathetic, lazy, and immature students) and I hope to cook up a storm come break!

My plan is to add more vegan recipes as I am interested in cutting out more animal products from my diet. Don't fret. I don't eat things unless they are super tasty and vegan recipes will be no different. 

So let's see. What else is new? Oh yes, I have decided there is really not enough torture in my life, so I signed up to run the Little Rock half marathon again in March. Yep, let the crying and cursing...I mean training begin. I did my first half marathon two years ago and due to a hip/knee thing, couldn't finish the race running and had to walk some. The perfectionist goober in me cannot let this go and is forcing me to try it again. 

Darn you, perfectionist goober. 

Stay tuned... 

The One Good Thing about Cold Weather (Audience Participation Post!)

I wore socks today for the first time in about 5 months.

I had a moment of silence for my sandals.

 I hate, HATE cold weather. In fact, this summer when we were experiencing our 289th day of one hundred plus temperatures, I was very careful to not let myself complain. When tempted, I would say to myself,  

Self, Remember last winter?! Now keep your mouth shut and you be thankful for that sweat pouring down your back and the scalding leather sticking to your skin! 

Today, September 16th, it is not even 60 degrees outside. I am really hoping this is some sort of fluke and that we still have some lovely, mild late summer/early fall weather coming. It is only fair to make up for the ridiculous winter of last year and the oppressive heat of the summer. I don't know if my sanity will hold if we dive right into miserable, dreary, soul-sucking winter.                                                             Source  

There is, however, at least one good thing about this upcoming season - the food. I love so many cold weather comfort foods, but when you are miserable and cold, nothing is better than a nice, hot bowl of soup. I plan on posting lots of soups this fall and winter. I have a few staples that I make, but I would love to experiment with some new recipes. 

So what I want to know from all you out there is: what are some of your favorite soups? And if you feel so inclined, leave a recipe! Many thanks. 

P.S. Here are a couple of my favorites previously posted: 

Aunt Judi's White Bean and Kale Soup
Tortilla Soup 
Minestrone

4 Things

I truly dislike going this long without posting. It has been 10 days since my last post. (Sounds like I'm confessing to a priest, doesn't it?) 

In my defense, another semester of teaching 23 hours of class a week has begun, plus my TOEFL shifts, plus obedience school (for the dog, not me), and helping out at the church this month. Once October gets here, my schedule should be slightly less crammed and I'll have more time to devote to thinking up some original recipes. However, I will try to get some posted throughout September as well.  

But in the meantime, some interesting (or not) items: 

1. We finally sold the car!! (We have been trying to sell one of our cars for MONTHS now).

2. I added a category to the blog for "healthy" dishes. Sorry, fried green tomatoes cannot be found under this category. Sigh. 

3.I started the Brazil Butt Lift workouts. According to Leandro, my rear should hit the ceiling any day now. Be afraid Gisele, be very afraid.

4. I got on Netflix and watched a movie last night. Did you know that Joaquin Phoenix was in the movie Parenthood? But at that time he went by Leaf Phoenix. 

 

Perhaps he should have gone by Leaf during this phase...

  Happy Monday!!

Home Sweet Inferno

I'm going on a mini vacation of sorts. After this TOEFL shift, I am off to the familiar, beautiful sauna that is Arkansas. My dad told me yesterday that it hit 117 degrees one day recently. 117! Said it was the hottest day on record ever. The funny thing is the official record was a mere 114 since apparently they take the temperature in the shade, which doesn't seem to make much sense to me. His poor garden is wilted and suffocating under the blazing sun. Not that is hasn't been pretty hot here too, but geez. However, after last winter, I don't think I should complain ever again about heat...it's probably bad karma or something.

Even with the heat and humidity, I cannot wait to get there. We just finished the madness of summer session last week and I need a BREAK. Not only do I need a break, I need to be home. I miss Arkansas, I miss my family, and I miss my friends. I've met some lovely people here in Springfield that are making living here a bit more tolerable and it's great to have my grandma here, but it is still so...different. That's as far as I'll go with that. I wouldn't want anyone talking bad about my hometown so I won't do that to anyone else. Amazing that a relatively short four hour drive away could make such a difference - that you can go from being in the south to feeling like your smack in the middle of the mid-west.  I'm just not so sure I'm a mid-west kinda girl.

So, I'll look forward to, in a couple short hours, loading up Frazier and heading off to see the greatest people in the world, my family, and soaking up the 249 degree heat by the pool at Grandma's house. I'm taking my camera and hopefully for once in my life I'll remember to take pictures. Perhaps I'll also get a little recipe inspiration. With Brian gone, I've been trying to eat up random things and avoid going to the store so there hasn't been much cooking going on. It's a good thing I'm leaving today or my dinner might consist of pickles and a hot dog bun...

The Bright Side

I will most likely post a recipe later today (or tomorrow depending on the lighting). But I was just sitting here thinking about some things that I am really happy about/thankful for and I think it's a good practice for me to learn to express those things from time to time. I tend to focus on the negative a bit too much. I need to practice "looking on the bright side". So here are a few things that I am really happy about today. 

A month long break from work!

That my friend's newborn baby, Jude, is home and doing great after being born early. He is such a little angel.  
 

 This snorty, wheezy, droopy-jawed cuteness that gets me up at 6:30 in the morning - on my vacation. I'm a wee bit exhausted.  We settled on the name Frazier. The reason is really two-fold: after the boxer Joe Frazier and the TV show Frasier, which we love. We considered Holyfield, with the ears it just seemed a little perfect, but it just felt a little long to me.   

This little brat finally, willingly, came down off his hiding spot on top of the kitchen cabinets. So far though, this picture pretty much sums up his reaction to the dog. Milo is not happy either, but oddly, he has been much braver. Nacho is all talk and no action. 

Most importantly, I'm extremely thankful that no one in my family or myself were affected by the dangerous and deadly weather we've had in the last week. I've said several prayers for protection this week for myself and others. I've also said prayers for those that were not spared. I can't imagine what they must be experiencing right now.

I hope whatever is going on in your life these days, you also have plenty of things to be happy about. But if you need a little pick-me-up, just watch this video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bmhjf0rKe8

   

A Fuzzy Pick-me-up

Yesterday wasn't the greatest day. Today isn't so fabulous either. When I feel blue, there is nothing like a prissy, fuzzy, stubborn little tabby and his fat, cuddly side-kick to make me feel better. 
This is Milo. I felt bad leaving him out of the first post. He was here first after all.  

He's fat. He's loud. He's needy. And man does he love treats. He can hear a yogurt container open from 3 miles away. He is also the best lap kitty ever. 

This is what he does when he's not munching.

This is Nacho as a little kitten. This is before he went psycho. Best thing Brian ever brought home without asking me. Who could turn that down? 

He looks kind of like an alien in this one. Perhaps that should of been a clue. 

Milo was less than thrilled when we brought this brat into his life. 

I'll get you fat kitty! You'll never know what hit you!

But they eventually made friends. 

At some point along the way, Nacho went crazy. Are we bad parents?

No, seriously - he's kinda nuts. Proof: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150467067030357&comments&set=t.1482161918&type=1

It's OK though. He loves me. 

 And look, he can even smile.

Ah. I feel better already.

Ok, Ok. I promise not to make whole posts of my cats too often.

Maybe. 

But here's one for the road.

29th Birthday: Part 2

My 29th birthday was full of productivity. My poor parents got used and abused. 

Yesterday was the day we put in the garden! 

This is the sad state it was in before. The collards and the weeds. So many weeds. 

After a trip to Lowe's and Wal-Mart, the work began. 

Dad shoveled and tilled, mom trimmed hedges - lots and lots of unruly hedges. And I, well I... supervised?

Actually, I pulled so many weeds my hands are raw and I did help with some of those bushes. 

We transplanted my collard greens to the other side and tried to put them closer together. They look sad now...I think they liked the other side. Poor little guys. 

After moving the greens (sorry greenies) the planting continued. And now, it looks like this!

Hmm. 

That's not very compelling. Maybe you had to be there...

Alas, don't despair! The close-ups are riveting! 

Squash!

 Tomatoes! Loads of tomatoes!

Something else!... Red pepper? 

Heavenly smelling herbs. Basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and cilantro!

Not pictured are zucchini, a cherry tomato, cucumbers, banana peppers (or maybe that was pictured?), and a lone hot banana pepper.

Now I say a little prayer, cross my fingers, do a rain dance, and sacrifice a student to the plant gods. (The plant gods are funny like that. They like students. Particularly the lazy ones. Who am I to question them?)

Oh, by the way, while dad and I were planting, mom was mowing my yard. Yep. The day before, dad sharpened my kitchen knives. I'm so lucky, spoiled, blessed. 

OK, OK - perhaps a teensy bit spoiled.   


Thank you, wonderful family, for making my birthday so fulfilling and special.

29th Birthday: Part 1

There must have been a theme to this birthday. It was a "let's all help Jen achieve the goals she talks about but hasn't done yet" theme.

May I present Exhibit A: 

These are the gifts Brian gave me the night before leaving to Chicago. Two books (always a good gift for me) and... a really nice set to teach yourself guitar. You see, I had the notion to learn guitar, oh, about 40 years ago now. My ever-supportive parents bought me a lovely guitar and it has sat, mostly untouched and neglected, ever since. Shame on me. 

I'm told I have another gift (gifts?) coming from Brian when he gets back. Apparently it's more of an event than an item.

Oh dear, I hope I've never said I was dying to learn to square dance. 

Or yodel.

Yikes. 

Exhibit B: 

A little while ago, I had an idea about canning some recipes and possibly trying to sell them on the side. I haven't done anything with it yet - partly because there was some equipment I needed and partly because...because...I got nothing. Anyway, what should I happen to open from my parents and my grandmother but this: 

And this: 

Seriously. Most Supportive Family Ever. 


Oh, and this is cool. It's a Mason jar that was my great-great(?)-grandmother's that my grandmother kept all this time and now she has given it to me. I think it's just awesome. 

But what they've all gone and done did is take away my excuses. 

Crap. 


I'm screwed. 


(And yes ELI teachers, I know that was incorrect grammar up there. Please don't fire me.)  

There was more that happened today. I'll save that for tomorrow though. Now I must go and tune that guitar. Or maybe shine my square dancing shoes. Either way. 

A Bedtime Story

For my first post, one might think that I would choose share a fabulous recipe, maybe some great pics, or a witty perspective on life. No dear friends, not this time. Nope, the topic of the day - hairballs. 


Yes, hairballs. 


You see, hairballs are a daily occurrence in my life (I'm only slightly exaggerating) and have been for many years. Imagine this for a moment - you are peacefully asleep, snuggled deep in your covers. All of the sudden, you're rudely awakened by a horrid retching sound. In your sleepy haze you think to yourself, Is this it? God help us! The last days are upon us! 


Suddenly, you are wide awake with panic. You see, a cat will not be content to simply barf on the floor - a nice wood or tile floor that could easily be wiped away. No, he absolutely must, by order of the Cat Code, find something of value that you have absentmindedly left on the floor. Or the couch. Or the desk. You get the picture. So the inner struggle begins. Do I get out of this warm bed and assess the damage? Or do I wait til morning? I mean, what's done is done whether I get up or not. So you stay, tucked away safely in your bed , blissfully ignorant. 

Now it's morning, you stumble (if you're me) out of bed and make your way to the bathroom. Then, in one horrifying, life-altering second, your foot meets a slimy, cold substance (or if you're really lucky - WARM). It oozes through the gaps between your toes. You scream out, Why God? Why?! 

And if you think this could not be worse, imagine this happening to a guest at your house. Unless you don't want this guest to return - ever.  


Aren't you glad I shared? Hopefully, you will not read this over your morning bowl of oatmeal. (Incidentally, perhaps this is why I refuse to eat oatmeal.)  

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, meet Nacho. 

P.S If you ever actually do meet Nacho, do not expect him to act like this. You've been warned.