Category Archives: Food/Drink

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 26, 2011

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY September 26, 2011

Outside my window… dark. I blanked on doing this until 11:45 p.m.

I am thinking… that I hate Lion Brand Homespun. Just sayin’.

I am thankful… that Daniel decided not to scream until 11 tonight.

From the learning rooms… Daniel is working on walking, fine motor skills, and some signing.

In the kitchen… kitchen? What kitchen? Oh yes, I got my copy of the book of breakfast food from Peggy and there are some recipes I’m dying to make from it.

I am wearing… charcoal shirt and boxers.

I am creating… this entry and some emergency crocheting.

I am going… to shut down the TV once Pauley Perette is done on Leno.

I am wondering… if there was a baby yarn that would have worked better for what I’m doing than Lion Brand Homespun.

I am reading… the Lumby books. What can I say? I’m not feeling A.J. Jacobs at the moment.

I am hoping… my joints hold up until my crocheting project(s) are done.

I am looking forward to… the zoo trip that got rescheduled to Friday.

I am hearing… Leno and the cats being nocturnal.

Around the house… next question.

One of my favorite things… mango-pineapple smoothies from McDonalds. (Hello breakfast for tomorrow!)

A few plans for the rest of the week… the insane Tuesday gamut of speech and physical therapy, occupational therapy on Thursday, and assorted errands.

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 19, 2011

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY September 19, 2011

Outside my window… sunny and in the 90’s. I’m seriously jonesing for four distinct seasons here — 97 F in September is unacceptable.

I am thinking… that I hope “the Buffet plan” passes and the millionaires and billionaires start paying their fair share.

I am thankful… for our “Winnie the Pooh” DVD. It kept Daniel quiet last week and it’s allowing me to get some web work done.

In the kitchen… nothing exceptional. Lunch for me was a baked Yukon gold potato. (I prefer them because they’re smaller and they have a better flavor than the russet ones.)

I am wearing… black Arabic shirt and black shorts (my “around the house” clothes).

I am creating… details for my NaNo piece.

I am going… to Walgreens today if my doctor’s office calls in my prescriptions.

I am wondering… where my regular cookbooks are and when I’m actually going to feel like cooking from scratch again.

I am reading… Stealing Lumby by Gail Fraser. The A.J. Jacobs book isn’t keeping my attention and I have the Lumby books until October so I’m re-reading them now that I’ve read the first one.

I am hoping… that I’m over Daniel’s bug though I haven’t had the issues that he has — in my case, it’s just a fever.

I am looking forward to… the fall season priemieres on CBS this week.

I am hearing… the refrigerator humming and “Winnie the Pooh” on the DVD player.

Around the house… echoing Dawn on this: don’t ask.

I am pondering… how people can call themselves Christians and yet support Tea Party politics. I’m not trying to start a fight here — the Tea Party rhetoric goes against EVERYTHING in the Bible about taking care of each other in both the Old and New Testaments. They truthfully disgust me.

One of my favorite things… the quiet time I get after Daniel goes to bed.

A few plans for the rest of the week… Daniel’s various therapies on Tuesday and Thursday and the Sacramento Zoo on Friday with my parents.

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7 Quick Takes — Things to Do Instead of Watching Endless Hours of TV on 9/11

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7 Quick Takes

Sunday is the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and that fact hasn’t escaped me. I’m sure there will be televised memorials and lots of footage of the towers falling. Thing is… we know it happened. I have memories of that day and of the prayer meeting that happened when the entire seminary crowded into Schenk Chapel at noon as well as the prayer meetings in the coming days. I also memories of sheer terror when it came to board a plane to fly home at Christmas and having to take some Xanax to even make it through security. I’m not going to deny that all of us were changed by it in some way; but I have a problem with those in the media and elsewhere who want us to stay mad about it instead moving on with our collective lives.

My Quick Takes this week are all about things to do instead of dwelling on what happened ten years ago.

–1–

Go to church. The Gospel lesson that day according to the Revised Common Lectionary is Matthew 18:21-35 which is about forgiveness. The alternate Old Testament lesson? Joseph forgiving his brothers. I think that the message here is that we’re preaching forgiveness and moving on this Sunday.

–2–

Do a service project. This is actually what President Obama has called for us to do. Why not re-author the meaning of the day by making it a day of service to others? Collect food for a food pantry. (They’re getting more clients and getting desperate.) Clear some nature trails. Hold a blood drive. Plant a tree. Put together care packages for soldiers. Do SOMETHING to help someone else.

–3–

Go to the movies. I’m the last person in the world to know what’s playing this weekend but there’s probably something good? I went on Yahoo Movies and it looks like The Help is kicking butt and taking names. (I couldn’t get into the book but I’ve heard good things about the movie.) On the coming soon page, it says that Contagion and Warrior are coming out. If you’re into thrillers and mixed martial arts, go see those.

–4–

Have a picnic. Even if you live in a concrete jungle, there has to be someplace you can go and picnic. Trader Joe’s has some good recipes. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, check out Whole Foods. If you don’t have either one, go to your local grocery store deli and get sandwiches or something.

–5–

Go to IKEA. This sounds cheesy but it’s kind of a fun experience. They have great food and if nothing else, you can walk through a bunch of showrooms and explore.

–6–

Read a book. I’m almost all the way through the Lumby books. I also recommend anything by Jan Karon, Charlene Ann Baumbich, Phillip Gulley, or Joan Medlicott. All of them write about small town USA and the ideals that a lot of people have about what the heart of America is.

–7–

Go to the zoo. If you have a zoo nearby, go on Sunday. If you happen to go to the Bronx Zoo, M.I.A. the Bronx Zoo’s escaping cobra is claiming that you can get in half price if you bring a glass cutter.

Again, I’m not advocating the idea of forgetting what happened. I just feel that it’s more productive to do things other than giving into our sensationalized media.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 25, 2011

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 25, 2011

Outside my window… sunny and warm. According to Weatherbug, it’s in the 80’s.

I am thinking… about cookie baking for Metanoia’s booth at the Farmer’s Market in a few weeks.

I am thankful… for Daniel’s various therapists.

From the learning rooms… the sign for “more”, body parts, and walking while only holding on to one finger.

In the kitchen… pasta salad made from a Trader Joe’s recipe.

I am wearing… olive-colored t-shirt and sweats.

I am creating… entries for Michelle and a podcast episode.

I am going… to be with my parents this weekend.

I am wondering… how Daniel’s child development person and especially his physical therapist have so much energy. His physical therapist is amazing in that regard.

I am reading… the Dearest Dorothy books by Charlene Ann Baumbich and wishing that she would write more in that series! A.J. Jacobs will have my attention again soon.

I am hoping… Daniel goes down for a good nap after therapy today.

I am looking forward to… the weekend with my parents.

I am hearing… Daniel’s child development person working with him. (Thank God for Easter Seals and that they make home visits.)

Around the house… testing out the Mint floor cleaner that my mother-in-law gave us.

I am pondering… a number of things.

One of my favorite things… Daniel lying on my tummy with his head on his arms staring at me and smiling.

A few plans for the rest of the week… Speech and PT for Daniel tomorrow, nutritionist appointment on Wednesday, and road trip to San Jose (all 2 hours of it) on Friday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Daniel asleep on the hardwood floor after his physical therapist tired him out last week. Being the wonderful mother I am, I took a picture before I took his sandals off and stuck him on a blanket.

Daniel asleep on the hardwood floor

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7 Quick Takes: Random Thoughts on Thursday Night

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7 Quick Takes

It’s 11:30 and I’m online. Not a good thing for sleep, I guess. Here are my seven random thoughts.

01.) Rachel on Big Brother needs to go… BADLY. The girl is the spawn of Satan and has the horns to prove it.

02.) I so don’t approve of the weather. It was 96 in Sacramento today. I don’t do heat. Enough said.

03.) I wish Blogathon was happening this year. As much as it would make all my health issues worse, I wish I was blogathonning this next weekend.

04.) I can’t believe Daniel went down without a fight. Daniel has started refusing to go down for naps or to bed at night. My policy has been to let him sleep wherever he falls. This means that I’ve found him on top of the coffee table, on the carpet, and on the hardwood floor.

05.) I need to actually do a better job of meal planning for myself. I’m having stomach issues and the last two weeks have been about figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Now that I’m getting a better idea, I should start prepping food ahead of time.

06.) I need to get posts ready for Michelle. I have a lot of ideas but I need to commit them to paper. This would probably work better if I wasn’t so tired all the time.

07.) My massage tomorrow can’t come soon enough. I had a double pain day where I not only had fibro pain but also fatigue pain. I’m counting down to 3:30 tomorrow…

(For more quick takes, go see Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.)

Pesto

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Here’s the awesome pesto recipe that my family makes every year.

8 cups basil leaves packed into food processor
1 head garlic or more Peeled and separated.
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 cup walnuts or pine nuts.
—————————

Pack the basil leaves into the food processor. Pulse 8 ?? 10 times so that the level starts to drop. Place the garlic cloves in the food processor and press into the basil leaves. Add some of the olive oil and pulse several more times. Repeat adding oil and garlic until oil is completely added and the mixture is a paste. Add the walnuts/pine nuts and pulse several times, just enough to chop and mix. Add the shredded parmesan and pulse several times, just enough to mix. Press into a container and refrigerate for several hours.

Divide into the portion sizes you expect to need, and package in Press’n Seal or Saran Wrap. Put the individual packages into a ziplock bag and freeze.