Random Thoughts From My Thursday

Every year I say that I'm going to get my taxes done "early", but then I have to spend an exorbitant amount of time organizing before I can print out my nice spreadsheets for my lovely accountant. Once again, I find myself surrounded by bank statements and receipts at the end of March.

I just realized that my phone has not rung since Monday. I'm glad, because I really don't like talking on the phone.

When I was confirming the above statement, I saw that I had received a text from my seven-year-old. She's so cool.

My oldest two have been in central Oregon with my parents since Monday. I feel a bit guilty that today is the first day that I have really missed them.

My baby's tonsils are so big that it may be keeping her from regularly eating solid foods. That could explain her resistance to finish nursing. Surgery is likely in our future (for the tonsils, not the nursing).

I made up a recipe last night for Life Group that worked! Layer inch-cubes of potatoes, frozen Costco corn (the only non-fresh corn to eat), bite-sized hot dog slices, and a healthy heaping of Tillamook cheese (of course, the only cheese). Same layers again. Pour 2/3 cup of milk over. Cover with foil; bake for 90 minutes at 375. It would be great with sausage, ham, chicken, or hamburger, too, I'm sure. Yum!

I'm not going to make dinner tonight. I'm not in the mood and I don't think we have any dinner-worthy food in the house anyway. Fiona & I already ate the leftovers from the above recipe for lunch.

Easter candy should be more about quality chocolate and less about marshmallows and cheap jellybeans.

If you are my friend, you should be twittering. I'm kristicw in that land. For some reason, I find twitter oddly enjoyable and addicting.

Enough of a break - Back to the tax slog.

Cooking Day

Today was drizzly and grey. One of those days when I changed out of my pjs this morning right into sweats. I chose to ignore the piles of clean laundry that need to be put away and spent the day happily in my kitchen. Today was a cooking day. I think I hit a couple of balls out of the park.

From the larger-than-life zucchini that my friend Erika gave to us from her garden, I made several loaves of the best zucchini bread ever. Really. I found the recipe on my new favorite cooking blog, Smitten Kitchen.

Zucchini Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans or line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat three eggs with a whisk. Mix in 1 cup vegetable oil and 1 3/4 cups sugar, then 2 cups grated zucchini and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt, as well as 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional), and 1 cup chocolate chips and/or dried fruit (optional - I didn't use nuts, chocolate, raisins, or cranberries this time; I wanted to see how the recipe stood on its own). Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans. Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will bake far more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Have you noticed how comfort food isn't usually very healthy? Throwing caution and cholesterol to the wind, today I made some scrumptious fettucine alfredo with chicken & tomatoes. Mmmmm.

Fettucine Alfredo With Chicken & Tomatoes
from Kristi's kitchen

Boil 1 lb. fettucine until al dente. Heat large skillet to medium. Add one large chicken breast, diced. Season with Lowery's seasoning salt & a little Worcestershire sauce. Once chicken is cooked through, decrease temperature to low. Stir in 3/4 pint heavy cream, 1/2 cup butter, & 1/2 cup sour cream (I told you it was not healthy!). Keep stirring throughout. Melt in 1 cup fresh, shredded parmesan cheese (this will thicken it up). Season with pepper & garlic salt. Stir in fettucine noodles. Add a handful of bacon bits (those yummy ones in a bag from Costco) and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately. Accept the praise.

Mary Had a Little... Easter Dinner

Holidays tend to bring out the Martha in me. Come on - don't you ever feel the inner call to decoupage, ganache, or embellish?

I sometimes like to pretend I am a gourmet chef. I enjoy purusing cooking magazines and websites, searching for new and adventursome meals to make my own. This Easter I decided to forgo the typical ham and pursue the higher standard. Lamb. Yogurt, fresh lemon, lime, & garlic marinade. And what meat doesn't work having spent time on the outdoor grill? Let me just say, I think it was a success, despite my uncouth family who inflicted jokes about a sad, three-legged sheep and put in requests for grilled rabbit next year.

So now I am exploring all of the options for leftover lamb. Tonight was a Shepherd's Pie-inspired creation. Tomorrow? Who knows. Maybe some kind of stew or kabobs.

Baa!