tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90106264728349004022024-03-13T16:37:20.382-06:00Ten Things Farmthe same, but differentLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.comBlogger765125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-34231122790464139942021-04-05T10:33:00.002-06:002021-04-05T10:33:19.618-06:00Dinner Menu, First Full Week of April!<p>This year is moving quickly! Me...not so much. I had my second vaccine dose late last week. I was a little tired over the weekend, but honestly, it was just a little more than my regular weekend tired. I'm really thankful that my side effects were so mild.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a543UaStcSA/YGs7JOLkIoI/AAAAAAAAEpA/dquLKzcNlDMjV1gH74H8ij_GiruB6IiygCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210404_162812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a543UaStcSA/YGs7JOLkIoI/AAAAAAAAEpA/dquLKzcNlDMjV1gH74H8ij_GiruB6IiygCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210404_162812.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easter dinner. Brussels sprouts went on sale, so we switched that up!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We had beautiful weather for Easter weekend. We hid some eggs outdoors, which doesn't always happen here (some years we have snow). We went for walks, called faraway family, and enjoyed a relaxing day. We had a nice meal, too!</p><p>This is the plan for dinners for the coming week:</p><p>T. baked potatoes, toppings of choice, oranges</p><p>W. meatball soup, sliced cheddar, homemade sourdough, apples</p><p>R. tacos (we are on a bit of a taco kick!), refried beans, pineapple</p><p>F. vegan 'chicken' nuggets, oven fries, roasted Brussels sprouts, apples</p><p>S. fancy ramen, fresh fruit</p><p>S. sausage-potato-onion-vegetable skillet, salad, fresh fruit</p><p>M. grilled chicken, steamed rice, pan-seared Brussels sprouts, fresh fruit</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gt8jO4X-lxE/YGs7VwJToKI/AAAAAAAAEpE/sBnlYSjSJJgcZoZWfWSuJxNA5Z9FGNQvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210404_082743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gt8jO4X-lxE/YGs7VwJToKI/AAAAAAAAEpE/sBnlYSjSJJgcZoZWfWSuJxNA5Z9FGNQvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20210404_082743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade sourdough. Still learning, but they are coming out well!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>That's the plan. What are you going to eat this week?</p><p><br /></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-3997578606077723492021-03-30T17:40:00.001-06:002021-03-30T17:40:27.178-06:00Dinner Menu, as March Turns to April!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi4s1qRj1as/YGO16tfRlYI/AAAAAAAAEoY/qFsraOAl3VoraVdUOJNGm-8WUlddcyyoACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210327_183117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi4s1qRj1as/YGO16tfRlYI/AAAAAAAAEoY/qFsraOAl3VoraVdUOJNGm-8WUlddcyyoACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210327_183117.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had baked potatoes (topped with various leftovers) and side salads <br />for supper one night last week. Yum! </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Oh, hello! I hope wherever you are, you are well. We're starting to see hints of spring - the crocus are starting to bloom, the robins are back, and I found some volunteer lettuce sprouting in the garden. It's still pretty cold, and we'll likely still get some snow. Our menu reflects that it's getting warmer, but we can still do some soups and stews. Here's the plan:</p><p>T. beef-vegetable curry, rice, oranges</p><p>W. tacos, apples</p><p>R. lentil stew, homemade sourdough bread (if it's edible, I'm still learning!), oranges</p><p>F. Mexican style bean croquettes, burrito rice with corn, lettuce and tomato, cheese, salsa, sour cream, fresh fruit</p><p>S. pizza, fresh vegetables, apples</p><p>S. Easter dinner - roast turkey breast, roast vegetables with herbs (potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, etc.), deviled eggs, green beans, fruit salad, viennetta ice cream dessert...and Easter candy through the day. </p><p>M. turkey panini, chips, pickles, carrot-apple salad</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D-WPlWyAn5c/YGO2V7O5xjI/AAAAAAAAEog/3tFdLjE5CJA5h24l1gAnRlejm_MfNwiIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210327_193054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D-WPlWyAn5c/YGO2V7O5xjI/AAAAAAAAEog/3tFdLjE5CJA5h24l1gAnRlejm_MfNwiIQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210327_193054.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our teen is beginning to show an interest in baking, and made this <br />cherry-filled coffeecake from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have a short work week. I'm taking leave Tuesday, and my employer is giving me Saturday off because it's the day after my second vaccine. (They are doing that for all staff who are being vaccinated, so that if we have impact from side-effects, we are able to recuperate some.) For the days I am at work, I'm thinking of making white bean dip to eat with carrots, celery, and crackers, along with some zucchini soup from my freezer. Simple, tasty, and warm if it's a cold day.</p><p>Have you planned your menu for the week? What are you making?</p><p><br /></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-72867835488073098932021-03-22T20:43:00.000-06:002021-03-22T20:43:24.679-06:00Our Dinner Menu, Last Full Week of March<p>March has been quite snowy here, which should be really nice for our trees and garden when spring finally...springs! We have been enjoying soups and other warm dishes, while at the same time I'm enjoying photos from far-flung friends of crocus, daffodils and trees in blossom. I suppose we'll have those pretty spring flowers soon enough, but for now, we have snow and sunshine.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMeFKXyHmyA/YFlVB14HQKI/AAAAAAAAEn0/-KBOrbD3ZWYLbIMgfDvsr5BCpheZgjFHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210321_183338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FMeFKXyHmyA/YFlVB14HQKI/AAAAAAAAEn0/-KBOrbD3ZWYLbIMgfDvsr5BCpheZgjFHQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210321_183338.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falafel Salad from last week - easy and tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />We have rather simple dinners planned for this week:</p><p>T. mac and cheese, marinated 3-bean salad (leftover from late last week), apples</p><p>W. chili (vegan) and brown rice, oranges</p><p>R. turkey burgers, fries, raw vegetables, apples</p><p>F. taco salad, oranges</p><p>S. baked potatoes, dressed up (leftover chili, cheese and vegetables, etc.), salad, apples</p><p>S. shoyu chicken (a marinated chicken similar to teriyaki), rice, vegetable stir fry, oranges</p><p>M. spaghetti w/red sauce, salad or frozen green beans, garlic toast, apples</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B90TNN4rVcM/YFlVYS9UH3I/AAAAAAAAEn8/zsYoASIRnVMNgNYAL92zLb6Ax-RCz2hQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210317_074601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B90TNN4rVcM/YFlVYS9UH3I/AAAAAAAAEn8/zsYoASIRnVMNgNYAL92zLb6Ax-RCz2hQgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210317_074601.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade breakfast sandwiches are quick and affordable! This one is turkey, egg, and cheese.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Easter is coming! Do you have a special meal for Easter? Anything you enjoy traditionally, or something new you plan to try this year?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-89301667230217329892021-03-15T08:49:00.002-06:002021-03-15T08:49:44.606-06:00This Week's Snowmageddon Menu<p>Sunday night...</p><p>Oh, hi! I hope your week has gone well! We had a nice one. Saturday, we got a bit of snow. Sunday, we got quite a bit more. With wind. The wind is expected to ease off by about 2am, so by Monday, we'll be able to start shoveling out.</p><p>I have a dinner plan for the week, but I'm not sure about the order. So...here's what we're having for dinner through the course of our week:</p><p>skillet supper (turkey sausage, red peppers, onions, potatoes, green beans) and apples</p><p>pumpkin soup (from the freezer), croutons, raw vegetables with dip, fresh fruit</p><p>tacos, chips and salsa, oranges</p><p>corned beef, steamed cabbage, potatoes, oranges</p><p>barbecue chicken, rice side dish, 3-bean salad, apples</p><p>falafel salad, za'atar seasoned flatbreads, oranges</p><p>cheesy bacon pasta, mixed vegetables, salad, oranges</p><p>We'll get them in order once we dig out our driveway, hee hee. What's on the menu at your place?</p><p><br /></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-21765748575043986942021-03-08T09:51:00.000-07:002021-03-08T09:51:46.280-07:00This Week's Dinner Menu, Plus an Easy Lunch Recipe!<p> Ah, springtime! Our weather is quick to change here year-round, but even moreso this time of year. We have a warmer start to this week, but it is expected to finish on a cooler note. While some plants are starting to peek through the snow, we might have a snow day this Thursday. Time will tell!</p><p>All that in mind, we have a menu that gets a little heartier as the week moves on.</p><p>T. tuna salad sandwiches, chips, pickles, raw vegetables, apples</p><p>W. taco salad, oranges</p><p>R. homemade chicken noodle soup, cheese, crackers, grapes</p><p>F. franks and beans over rice, apples</p><p>S. chicken stir fry with rice (or maybe mochi), oranges</p><p>S. homemade pizza, salad or raw vegetables (will depend on what we have on hand), apples</p><p>M. taco-seasoned bean croquettes, Mexican rice, lettuce and tomato, salsa and sour cream, tortilla chips, oranges</p><p>A lot of these meals either won't have leftovers, or the leftovers they will have are not ideal to take to work for my lunch. With that in mind, I wanted to share something I make that is quick, easy, versatile, healthy, and tasty! It all starts with a prepackaged rice or noodle blend. My husband gets these with Ibotta rebates and they end up costing us almost nothing...and often times they are free after sales/coupons/rebates. They tend to be strongly seasoned, so adding vegetables makes them taste better (to me), plus it boosts the nutrition and fiber. Here is the one I made for this week:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfxXi7g7p-w/YEZOIo7lKnI/AAAAAAAAEmU/rO7AbTNx_CwuP8y1z9TMh0mlvUCE6NcfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_181733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WfxXi7g7p-w/YEZOIo7lKnI/AAAAAAAAEmU/rO7AbTNx_CwuP8y1z9TMh0mlvUCE6NcfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_181733.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One packaged rice blend, 3c. vegetables, 1 small chicken thigh. My husband cooked up a package of chicken thighs and we sliced and froze the other two for meals we have later this week.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The first thing I did was start the rice blend in a saucepan, according to the directions. It calls for water and some olive oil, which I forgot to include in the photo. Since there is some oil in the rice blend, I cooked the vegetables with just a spritz of oil and then added some water to steam-cook them. First, in a separate saute pan, I started the onions and peppers:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRRsjwRCEIk/YEZOzqpBvAI/AAAAAAAAEmc/D9I0aVk-VTgRHZd2LNIifhU3FcT5Ww6uwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_182225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRRsjwRCEIk/YEZOzqpBvAI/AAAAAAAAEmc/D9I0aVk-VTgRHZd2LNIifhU3FcT5Ww6uwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_182225.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Once they were soft and starting to brown just a bit, I added the corn and broccoli. You can choose whatever vegetables you like - I used what I used based on my likes, but also on what was in the vegetable drawer and needed a purpose. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGhTvvcKdZA/YEZPTd3VxQI/AAAAAAAAEmk/xnFW-hVbumYEu4CHUxCH7FB9qBhhXOqVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_183222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGhTvvcKdZA/YEZPTd3VxQI/AAAAAAAAEmk/xnFW-hVbumYEu4CHUxCH7FB9qBhhXOqVQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_183222.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added fresh broccoli and frozen corn...</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N60q_y5hlM8/YEZPTkqBvrI/AAAAAAAAEmo/CjxtoFHBqX4Ne1MplOQcTtFIedRRICwyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_183339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N60q_y5hlM8/YEZPTkqBvrI/AAAAAAAAEmo/CjxtoFHBqX4Ne1MplOQcTtFIedRRICwyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_183339.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and stirred it all together to blend and cook. I also added about 1/4 cup water at this time.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br />I really dislike it when broccoli is over-cooked, so I stopped cooking when the broccoli was bright, but still fairly firm. We'll still be adding some hot ingredients, plus I'll be re-heating this for my lunches, so I want to leave the broccoli on the firm side for now. Once this was all stirred together and beginning to sizzle just a bit, I turned off that flame and added the cubed chicken thigh.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SgYtZjTpduc/YEZQKQMcqPI/AAAAAAAAEmw/n7twJTyMK4guvN7h7bddkogXlw_pW6LOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_183426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SgYtZjTpduc/YEZQKQMcqPI/AAAAAAAAEmw/n7twJTyMK4guvN7h7bddkogXlw_pW6LOACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_183426.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have not been adding seasoning because the rice blend is well seasoned.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Oh, look! The rice is ready! It still has a tiny bit of water in the bottom, but that seems to work well for this - it helps the seasonings 'transfer' to the vegetables and chicken.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kSSI0Jk4-4k/YEZQpH5WHeI/AAAAAAAAEm4/YZJVU6a0cjk-yEDvYZyKbNdARJ8b9ywmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_183732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kSSI0Jk4-4k/YEZQpH5WHeI/AAAAAAAAEm4/YZJVU6a0cjk-yEDvYZyKbNdARJ8b9ywmQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_183732.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cilantro-lime - this smells amazing!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUkKxrGZoqA/YEZQpxhFiUI/AAAAAAAAEnA/FC_rxCquAEU7P13ZzwNlngR0XxlC77TWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_183929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUkKxrGZoqA/YEZQpxhFiUI/AAAAAAAAEnA/FC_rxCquAEU7P13ZzwNlngR0XxlC77TWwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_183929.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone in the pan!</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8RO3DhQrLK4/YEZQpxJSOoI/AAAAAAAAEm8/UYs1jDJ8MWY1mbEtAkaDI2cnInRpbrP7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210307_184032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8RO3DhQrLK4/YEZQpxJSOoI/AAAAAAAAEm8/UYs1jDJ8MWY1mbEtAkaDI2cnInRpbrP7wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210307_184032.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stir it all together, and you're done.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>That's it! It takes very little time and you don't have to be an experienced cook. This is 5 cups of food. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can use it a few different ways - I can eat it as-is, warmed up with a spoonful of salsa and a dollop of sour cream on top. I also like to warm it up some (but not too hot) and have it over a bed of green salad, with salsa as a 'dressing' and some broken tortilla chips for crunch. It can be used for lettuce wraps, made into a burrito with some cheese and hot sauce, or scooped up with tortilla chips. You can even heat up about 3/4 cup of chicken broth with a cup of this for a hot soup! Even though there is just one chicken thigh in the entire dish, there is added protein from the rice, corn, beans and quinoa. The flavor is great, and the fiber from all the vegetables keeps me going through the afternoon. Bonus - this blend freezes well, so I can prepare meals for later in the week, pop those in the freezer, and grab one each day on my way out the door.</div><div><p>I like flavor, I want to eat more vegetables, and I like easy. This sort of lunch fits all those goals and it's super affordable. If you need some tasty, easy lunches, you could give this a try!</p></div></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-60621223064312323122021-03-01T11:36:00.001-07:002021-03-01T11:36:39.224-07:00March Menu, Week One<p>March is here! Daylight Savings kicks on in a couple weeks! This year is moving right along.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_OgPavNY588/YD0znffLiuI/AAAAAAAAEl0/q-7mgYUssiEUnfuOD9oDzpOb0UYmnXCKACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210224_183127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_OgPavNY588/YD0znffLiuI/AAAAAAAAEl0/q-7mgYUssiEUnfuOD9oDzpOb0UYmnXCKACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210224_183127.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese curry with beef, brown rice (underneath), and extra spice!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Last week, we planned to have hamburger salad. We changed our minds because last week was too...um...beefy. We ended up putting cubed beef into the curry instead of using chicken, and the cheeseburger macaroni had some ground beef in it, and we were feeling a bit overloaded by so much beef. Instead, I made a pot of soup, and that worked out well. There is a serving I can take for my lunch on Tuesday, and enough in the freezer for another meal in a couple weeks. I made some lentil stew at the same time, so that will put another meal on the table this week, along with a frozen portion for a couple weeks from now.</p><p>Here's this week's plan. We have three meatless dinners planned:</p><p>T. hamburger salad, fresh pear</p><p>W. lentil stew, cornbread, apples</p><p>R. grilled chicken Cesar salad, rolls, oranges</p><p>F. bean and cheese tostadas, lettuce and tomato, salsa and sour cream, apples</p><p>S. vegan chicken nuggets, oven fries, raw vegetables with dip, oranges</p><p>S. vegan chili with rice (no rice for me, half a peanut butter sandwich instead), apples</p><p>M. chicken vegetable stir-fry with rice (or possibly mochi), oranges</p><p>What's on the menu at your place?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-57184961548501073142021-02-22T09:24:00.000-07:002021-02-22T09:24:28.688-07:00Dinners for the last week of February<p>Hello! Are you ready for the last week of February? Are you like me, wondering how we got here so very quickly?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5835yI0lt_U/YDPYtBhW45I/AAAAAAAAEk4/7DWbBPybKWYI3-j93-V1fV66qUm-AsfZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210131_140251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5835yI0lt_U/YDPYtBhW45I/AAAAAAAAEk4/7DWbBPybKWYI3-j93-V1fV66qUm-AsfZgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210131_140251.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamburger salad is incredibly tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There have been some good produce sales in our area - broccoli and cauliflower right around $1 per pound, and the same for several varieties of apples and oranges. Grapes too! Cucumbers were 2/$1, and my husband got a really big head of romaine for 1.29. He found some great Ibotta deals as well, so we have a chocolate bar to share (it's a bigger one), some chips, and some other treats and snacks. He does a fantastic job with our grocery budget and the combination of rebates, sales, coupons, and surveys.</p><p>Here is our dinner menu, beginning with Tuesday, since my work weekend is Sunday-Monday:</p><p>T - taco salad, oranges</p><p>W - chicken curry with vegetables over rice, apples</p><p>R - cheeseburger macaroni, mixed vegetables, grapes</p><p>F - Aztec chicken (grilled chicken, brushed with barbecue sauce, topped with cheddar, sour cream, a few bacon bits and green onion), broccoli-grape salad, baked potatoes</p><p>S - hamburger salad (this is a green salad topped with a chopped up grilled hamburger and condiments - so delicious!), oranges</p><p>S - tuna croquettes, tartar sauce, brown rice, steamed broccoli, apples</p><p>M - bean patties, burrito bowl rice, lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, sour cream, oranges</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNW3-k-xCfU/YDPZ6T7b0HI/AAAAAAAAElE/hpgvvNbmBPEQU5qEVHEa_i5ifam4iueZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210131_104325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNW3-k-xCfU/YDPZ6T7b0HI/AAAAAAAAElE/hpgvvNbmBPEQU5qEVHEa_i5ifam4iueZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210131_104325.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken burrito bowl - similar to our plan for Monday.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>What's on the menu for you and yours this week?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-45845334036840244462021-02-15T09:24:00.002-07:002021-02-17T08:38:48.384-07:00Mid-February Dinner Menu<p>It. is. so. cold, y'all. Right now, it's -14. Brrr!</p><p>With that in mind, we just want hot food. It warms the house when we cook it, and it warms us up when we eat it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ZH_sOLcB-Q/YCqe3DDu85I/AAAAAAAAEkM/y_j5s0wGCP8wJXkWi2Hx7q8UNC4EuWEswCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210212_141055.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ZH_sOLcB-Q/YCqe3DDu85I/AAAAAAAAEkM/y_j5s0wGCP8wJXkWi2Hx7q8UNC4EuWEswCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210212_141055.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instant ramen (lunch at work) with spice, egg and vegetable add-ins.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Here's the plan for this week, starting Tuesday, which is the first day of my work week. It's pretty obvious from this plan that I cooked a chicken late in the previous week, and we're using up the extra chicken in several ways. Here goes:</p><p>T. chicken-onion-pepper quesadillas, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sweet corn, leftover apple crisp</p><p>W. chicken soup (not sure exactly which one yet, but I have two library cookbooks with lots of inspiration - update, we're having chicken and dumplings), <strike>crackers</strike>, pears</p><p>R. vegan chili with rice (no rice for me, but I'll add half a peanut butter sandwich - it's a thing from my childhood), oranges</p><p>F. ramen with (possibly chicken, otherwise egg) and vegetables, fruit</p><p>S. chicken pasta bowls, salad, fruit</p><p>S. char siu lo mein with vegetables, fruit</p><p>M. pizza, raw vegetables, apples</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bz3OwUpb_rw/YCqfYnmxkvI/AAAAAAAAEkU/f8n5sbEd2CoTiqUq-xnndwxcjpM1ra3SgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210212_183506.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bz3OwUpb_rw/YCqfYnmxkvI/AAAAAAAAEkU/f8n5sbEd2CoTiqUq-xnndwxcjpM1ra3SgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210212_183506.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted pumpkin soup. I'm happy to report that it freezes well!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />What about you? What's the plan at your place?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-63845716200448125132021-02-14T17:23:00.005-07:002021-02-14T17:38:58.897-07:00PIZZA! Make it at home.<div style="text-align: left;">Hello! Midway through this post, the font/font size changes. I've tried to remedy that, to no avail. Apologies for the tiny type!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Back in March of 2020, when the pandemic was first ramping up in the US, my workplace and our child's school shut down for a time. That meant that everyone was home, all day, every day. We were advised to stay home, only go out as needed, wear a mask when we went out - all the things so many of us have heard throughout the past year. It's been a rough time in some ways, but we have kept our health throughout, and mostly, kept our sense of humor.</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--dWCJANuCqc/YCm63g66toI/AAAAAAAAEjs/lC-h0v42HEU4TECDu0KMecw9Zud0n66MACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--dWCJANuCqc/YCm63g66toI/AAAAAAAAEjs/lC-h0v42HEU4TECDu0KMecw9Zud0n66MACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">We always cooked quite a few things at home, but one food we have gotten much better at through the course of the past year is pizza. Here is the recipe we use for dough, along with some tips for getting tasty pizza with a light, crispy crust!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_oRHNK9Km8/YCNG3dGWYFI/AAAAAAAAEhI/iqUMCOPcOpIvFgN-R0NK26h-1PHSHZwHACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210207_120659.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_oRHNK9Km8/YCNG3dGWYFI/AAAAAAAAEhI/iqUMCOPcOpIvFgN-R0NK26h-1PHSHZwHACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20210207_120659.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This stuff, and some warm water. That's all you need for the dough!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Our Pizza Dough Recipe</div><div>Shared by my friend, Ellen Paugh</div><div><br /></div><div>3 1/2 c. bread flour (if you use all purpose, the crust will not have the 'chew' of a pizza crust)</div><div>1 tsp. kosher salt</div><div>2 1/4 tsp. (or one packet) yeast</div><div>1 tsp. sugar</div><div>1 1/4 cups very warm water, about 110 degrees</div><div>2 tbsp. olive oil</div><div><br /></div><div>In a large mixing bowl, combine water with yeast and sugar, let stand 5 minutes, until foamy. Add olive oil, flour, and salt. Stir until mixture forms a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knewad until smooth - about 5 minutes - adding more flour if dough is too sticky. (Note: Ellen's original recipe called for 3 cups of flour, and I had to add a little over half a cup more. I adjusted and add far less extra flour now. If you can keep your dough slightly on the sticky side, you'll have a better result.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Oil the mixing bowl (it's okay if there's a little dough here and there from the mixing), put the dough back into the bowl, flip it to oil the top. Cover with a cloth or a plate, and let rise about one hour.</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat oven for 450 degrees. Dump the dough out of the bowl and cut it in half. Do not knead the dough at this time. Simply take half and shape it into a round and put it into a lightly oiled perforated pan, or onto parchment paper if you're using pizza stones. Once the first round is shaped, shape the other round.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add sauce and toppings. Bake pizzas about 8 minutes, switch pizzas between upper and lower shelves, and bake another 8-10 minutes. </div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_l77w2EN62k/YCm7KyaoiMI/AAAAAAAAEj0/xc4O5wyUROUBBr5wYpnbWnyysCBB0rLTACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_l77w2EN62k/YCm7KyaoiMI/AAAAAAAAEj0/xc4O5wyUROUBBr5wYpnbWnyysCBB0rLTACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Tips!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The surface pizza is baked on seems to make the most difference in the end result. We have a pizza stone, a perforated pan, and a thicker, solid surface steel pan. The pizza stone works best. I don't have a peel, so I make the pizza on parchment, and slide it off the solid surface steel pan and onto the stone (with the paper). The perforated pan we have is thinner metal, with holes in the bottom. It does a really good job too, and gives us more of a 'pan' type pizza, because it has deep sides where we can build up the crust. The solid surface steel pan results in pale, soggy pizza crust every. single. time. If there were a way to pre-heat this pan and put a pizza on it when it was already hot, that might work, but I fear this pan would warp, and I already have two that work well for me, so I'm sticking with the stone and the perforated pan.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MwUx0qLY7PU/YCm7XLSXtjI/AAAAAAAAEj4/-Ud4m8G-QJg6aOALEkPffUyWpkKhBJmhQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="480" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MwUx0qLY7PU/YCm7XLSXtjI/AAAAAAAAEj4/-Ud4m8G-QJg6aOALEkPffUyWpkKhBJmhQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f-H2j2ekuRA/YCm7rCzIzeI/AAAAAAAAEkA/00Wn171qEakTGrK-1xhknJn9sgcyLrOJACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f-H2j2ekuRA/YCm7rCzIzeI/AAAAAAAAEkA/00Wn171qEakTGrK-1xhknJn9sgcyLrOJACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/image.png" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Place one oven rack high, and the other low. This gets the best browning on both the top and the bottom of your pizzas. Switching the pizzas midway through baking has also resulted in a much better overall result. We start with the stone on the bottom and the steel on top, but I haven't tried reversing that, so I don't know if it would make a difference. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You may be surprised by how little sauce it takes, and how little of each topping you need to cover a pizza. We use just under 8 oz. of mozzarella to cover two large pizzas. One thick slice of onion, cut into bite size bits, can cover both. A handful of this or that...it doesn't take as much as you might think, and too many toppings will make it difficult for the crust to cook properly. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-peXU9uAOBNc/YCNHyVP8bfI/AAAAAAAAEjE/RkQymzTemYo9U4jDzEQAjwuZFuwi7AsXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210207_142127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-peXU9uAOBNc/YCNHyVP8bfI/AAAAAAAAEjE/RkQymzTemYo9U4jDzEQAjwuZFuwi7AsXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210207_142127.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's what we've learned through trial and error in the past year. If we aren't finding some sort of sale, we generally get the 5lb. of mozzarella from Sam's, along with the large Member's Mark pepperoni, and repackage them both in amounts to make two pizzas. We use spaghetti sauce or make a garlicky white sauce for the sauce, and we have tried all sorts of toppings. Experiment! One of our favorites is leftover grilled chicken, green onion, bacon, mushroom, and cubed potatoes with a white sauce. Yum!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy cooking! What are your favorite pizza toppings?</div><p></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-84427378369271382342021-02-07T20:09:00.001-07:002021-02-07T20:09:47.316-07:00Our Dinner Menu for February, Week 2<p>Hello, Dearies!</p><p>I hope all is well for you in your world! I've got a menu plan to share, along with a couple of updates. For one, this week we have planned for 8 days, to take us through next Monday. I'm working Saturdays for the time being, so Sunday-Monday is the new weekend for us. It seems to be easier to plan through the weekend, so we tacked on an extra day.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhcjBveEapM/YCCpgKKT5RI/AAAAAAAAEeA/fuSg2HUZIi0aD7mTA7MUwQj6dZT83VC4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210206_183416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rhcjBveEapM/YCCpgKKT5RI/AAAAAAAAEeA/fuSg2HUZIi0aD7mTA7MUwQj6dZT83VC4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210206_183416.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taco salad from the past week, a perennial favorite at our house.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>We are also going back to the dinner menu being for the last meal of the day. After trying lunch as the main meal, we've found the benefits are outweighed by the challenges. It's an interruption of the day to stop and prepare a meal (rather than warming up leftovers or making something quick and simple), and we've lost that meal where all three of us sit down together. I have slept better with lighter suppers, so I hope I can remember that when the food is delicious and I want to have a little more - better to wait! :)<br /><br />Here is our plan for the week:</p><p>M. sausage and eggs, toast, hash browns or skillet potatoes, spinach, oranges</p><p>T. crispy tacos, sweet corn, fruit salad</p><p>W. chicken curry with vegetables over rice, apples</p><p>R. vegan chicken nuggets, homemade oven fries, raw vegetables and dip, oranges</p><p>F. roast pumpkin soup, rustic whole grain croutons, apples</p><p>S. spaghetti w/turkey meatballs and red sauce, green beans, fresh fruit</p><p>S. roast whole chicken with herbs, stuffing, baked sweet potato, green bean casserole, apple crisp</p><p>M. franks and beans over rice, fresh fruit</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bYRAw7RBYTs/YCCqPc1xl2I/AAAAAAAAEeM/8L2QHILrCfsa7LPBjFFU1dpBNeQ8O4g-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210207_182551%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bYRAw7RBYTs/YCCqPc1xl2I/AAAAAAAAEeM/8L2QHILrCfsa7LPBjFFU1dpBNeQ8O4g-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210207_182551%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a little too much of the roast pumpkin soup to fit the <br />freezer containers, so I did a taste test...it's quite good!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Today I washed and prepared fresh vegetables - enough for today's pizza meal and more to get us through the week at meals and snacks. I also made the roast pumpkin soup, and my husband made the croutons. We were going to have biscuits with supper tomorrow, but the biscuits I made were a dismal failure. I have a recipe for lower fat biscuits that we really like. It has a little bit of butter, and then plain yogurt to make up the difference. I've always made it with dairy yogurt, and it's always been great. My husband got some (free!) yogurt made from coconut milk via an Ibotta deal, and I used that instead...the result was oddly dark-brown biscuits that are very, very bitter. Hooray for toast! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--kHJJ7ZjjgM/YCCqqPe8wHI/AAAAAAAAEeU/ShVZYKygWeUaxSeLqDnOhOmKy_EU6gWzACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210207_110519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--kHJJ7ZjjgM/YCCqqPe8wHI/AAAAAAAAEeU/ShVZYKygWeUaxSeLqDnOhOmKy_EU6gWzACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20210207_110519.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Depending on my energy level tomorrow, I may make some peanut butter muffins and some (imitation) crab salad that can be used for lunches and snacks. I promise, I won't be putting coconut based yogurt in either of those, hee hee.</p><p>What's on the menu at your place? Are you planning anything fancy for Valentine's day? I guess we are not - franks and beans does not sound like a fancy meal, though it is good comfort food.</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-83901060817089095782021-02-05T08:00:00.003-07:002021-02-05T08:00:00.961-07:00Books & Buds - January<p>Oh, hi! I wanted to do a quick book and audio roundup for January - what I've been reading and listening to. I love to read, and to learn, and I also love to share what I've been enjoying. Hopefully, you'll share what you've been reading too. It's awesome to get book recommendations from others! </p><p><u>Books!</u></p><p>I read a few this month that I really liked. I discovered Sarah Pinsker a couple months ago, and this book of short stories was really enjoyable. She has a writing style that draws me in. I admit, I was pleasantly surprised, because I'm not really a sci-fi reader, but her work is mostly sci-fi. She writes from different perspectives, and I like the way she blends futuristic ideas with that part of human nature that resists change. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pg51ICqcokg/YBcmlv-C3VI/AAAAAAAAEcw/szJwlv2rE94MWCatiF0cKGMOeyo35q4xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210118_104927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pg51ICqcokg/YBcmlv-C3VI/AAAAAAAAEcw/szJwlv2rE94MWCatiF0cKGMOeyo35q4xQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20210118_104927.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Saving Ruby King had some plot twists I did NOT expect, and a historical perspective that gave me a lot to think about in relation to family, family ties, the history we know...and the history we don't. It takes place in parts of the US that were near to places I've lived, which also held my attention. This is Catherine Adel West's first novel, and I look forward to more from this promising author.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZH6J9UAPEE/YBcndRz_JMI/AAAAAAAAEc4/-o1KmO3Go1Yd9w2E4GDCO3SCyFVlwIvVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210125_184133.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZH6J9UAPEE/YBcndRz_JMI/AAAAAAAAEc4/-o1KmO3Go1Yd9w2E4GDCO3SCyFVlwIvVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210125_184133.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KXy7BAOpjMg/YBcnnJZFY4I/AAAAAAAAEc8/vsgIbC1tpj8cqt3mSPrQc-qAJ5BgevWFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210131_142012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KXy7BAOpjMg/YBcnnJZFY4I/AAAAAAAAEc8/vsgIbC1tpj8cqt3mSPrQc-qAJ5BgevWFQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210131_142012.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>A Tale of Two Kitties</b> is my first ever cozy mystery, and it was super fun. I love cats (that's an understatement), and the cats in this series have magical powers. I have not read many mysteries, and really enjoyed the sprinkling of clues throughout the story. I hope to read more by Sofie Kelly. <b>Daughter of Molokai</b> is sequel to one of my all-time favorite novels - <b>Molokai</b>. Alan Brennert does a great service to his readers, weaving history into his stories in a way that is not only captivating, but provides a great deal of depth. My husband is from Hawaii, and I lived there a few years, and these stories (along with his book, <b>Honolulu</b>) are like a visit back. I re-read Molokai about once a year, and even though I know the story, I'm still moved by it as it is told. Moving forward, I'll likely read both Molokai and Daughter of Molokai again and again. </div><p><u>Buds - as in, what's been in my earbuds!</u></p><p>One of my January goals was to try out a new podcast. I tried a couple, and may have found a keeper! I like <b>TED Daily</b>, but the podcasts are really short - many are just 5 to 10 minutes. That means I'm fiddling with my phone a lot, trying to get to the next episode or find something else to listen to. While I like the content, it's not as practical as a longer podcast, especially when I'm walking. The new one I'm really enjoying is <b>Code Switch</b>, produced by NPR. They take a deep dive into a topic, but the podcasts are still about 30-45 minutes - perfect for walking! The subject matter is helpful for me right now, too, because I'm learning about perspectives and life experiences that are not necessarily my own. I've added Code Switch to my podcast subscriptions, which also include Brene' Brown's <b>Unlocking Us</b>, Shankar Vedantam's <b>Hidden Brain</b>, and Laurie Santos' <b>The Happiness Lab</b>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cX8fRztN124/YBc_fFZzCsI/AAAAAAAAEdM/_DjbOatiJYo44IZfXIy_dUqeR4ga3HCzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1400/codeswitch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1400" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cX8fRztN124/YBc_fFZzCsI/AAAAAAAAEdM/_DjbOatiJYo44IZfXIy_dUqeR4ga3HCzgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/codeswitch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The other thing in my ears during January was the audio book <b>Burnout: the Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle</b>, by Emily and Amelia Nagoski. This is my second listen to this book, and I gleaned even more from it this time around. This book resonates so deeply with some of the places I struggle, and has data-driven solutions to reduce the impact of stress and live life in community. I cannot recommend this book enough!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dKyajh6CsQ/YBdAM0qEo6I/AAAAAAAAEdU/7pK6jhQ_SnQHUAoxaUaLCr77gf1E7ghoQCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/burnout.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dKyajh6CsQ/YBdAM0qEo6I/AAAAAAAAEdU/7pK6jhQ_SnQHUAoxaUaLCr77gf1E7ghoQCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/burnout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Finally, my ears have been soaking up some music! Mostly, I've had <b>Dessa</b>'s album <b>Badly Broken Code </b>on repeat. I discovered her music through the NPR show Live From Here, and I've been listening to her for a few years now. She does some hip-hop and rap...and collaborates with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. The range of her work amazes me, and her lyrics are incredible. If you've never given Dessa a listen, I encourage you to check her out!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wus3VXYejGI/YBdAZjEF9WI/AAAAAAAAEdY/HjCa6m18vZQGqSq1leGZHvd_BoARwArJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/badly%2Bbroken%2Bcode.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wus3VXYejGI/YBdAZjEF9WI/AAAAAAAAEdY/HjCa6m18vZQGqSq1leGZHvd_BoARwArJwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/badly%2Bbroken%2Bcode.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>That's what's been in my eyes and ears for January. What have you read or listened to that you want to share with the world?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-8757094766172352372021-02-01T08:00:00.001-07:002021-02-01T08:00:07.576-07:00Garden Planning, 2021...Part 2<p>Last week I shared some factors that we use to determine how much we will be gardening this year. Once we got that sorted, we had to decide what we would be growing. That's what I'm sharing this week!</p><p>We have four fenced, covered spaces to grow food - the Pumpkin Patch (What do you grow in there, Laura? It's a head-scratcher!), the Turkey Run, the Chicken Run, and the Big Garden (which is only Big compared to the others). We do not have turkeys or chickens anymore, but that's some nice soil to grow in, plus the fencing was already there...so we use what we have! Here's our plan for this year:</p><p><b>Pumpkin Patch: </b> Kabocha pumpkins. We tried these last year, and they did well here. More important, we love the flavor, color and texture. As I'm writing this, they have been off the vine 4 1/2 months and are not shriveling or anything, so they seem to keep well. If I just grow one type, I have the option to save seed, too!</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qZFp4IKeyI/YA8HHFdgg4I/AAAAAAAAEbE/hfURu5UCn5YU7d6BRsSPfhT08Z4pPxNOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200806_195235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qZFp4IKeyI/YA8HHFdgg4I/AAAAAAAAEbE/hfURu5UCn5YU7d6BRsSPfhT08Z4pPxNOQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20200806_195235.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is a sugar pumpkin. We're only growing Kabochas this year.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><b>Chicken Run: </b>This space has a bit of shade in the afternoon and the hen house (it's the garden shed now) provides protection from the prevailing winds. It's a...cooler garden, so it's a great place for a longer season of spring crops. We're planning to grow lettuces, spinach, chard, radishes, beets and carrots in that space. I also have the strawberry plants there, because they get some protection from harsher weather. I may move them to a sunnier space within that run, but I think it's a good spot overall for them.</p><p><b>Turkey Run:</b> This is a fairly small area (we never had lots of turkeys at once), but it's perfect for melons. We're planning to plant the shorter season, mini cantaloupes and watermelons. We had them planted last year, and while we got a few, we would have had a really strong yield if we hadn't had an early September killing frost. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fInk_iLCk8c/YA8HfKT7hjI/AAAAAAAAEbM/AZoZnJ3RBEceJg1IsLg-KhMZjFi9k_fngCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200822_090255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fInk_iLCk8c/YA8HfKT7hjI/AAAAAAAAEbM/AZoZnJ3RBEceJg1IsLg-KhMZjFi9k_fngCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20200822_090255.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miniature cantaloupes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVVtTdlHNUs/YA8Hnfj0rSI/AAAAAAAAEbU/-THVmEGYLogv87qguCZtZh_r6SOkO7FTwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200822_090317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kVVtTdlHNUs/YA8Hnfj0rSI/AAAAAAAAEbU/-THVmEGYLogv87qguCZtZh_r6SOkO7FTwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20200822_090317.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sugar Baby watermelons.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w1KOwk-H2C8/YA8HmkXwyqI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/s72hRuNyJpAILwzKGfWLsvL8BHM7TowngCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200909_173037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w1KOwk-H2C8/YA8HmkXwyqI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/s72hRuNyJpAILwzKGfWLsvL8BHM7TowngCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20200909_173037.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny, but very tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Big Garden: </b> This is the place for plants that like full sun and a fair amount of heat. We're planning to use it for zucchini (2 hills - I love zucchini soup!), Armenian cucumbers, which grow really well here if they are in a hot, sunny spot, green beans, chickpeas, green peas and - if there is space - more beets. Last year was the first time I grew chickpeas, and it was fantastic! (I tried lentils too, and that was...not so fantastic, unless you were an aphid.) Green chickpeas can be blanched and frozen, and taste a lot like a cross between edamame and field peas. The yield was really good, especially considering we'd never grown them before. They were a little hard to shell, but that's because we picked them green. If we'd left them to harden off and dry on the plant in the field, like soybeans, I think we could have whacked them on the inside of a bucket and the shells would have fallen right off. I'll let you know about that *this* year!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWAY4p7Kptg/YA8INgFZBxI/AAAAAAAAEbk/jvc6Nan-jUAp9JQScSrpeydeK52WEHFQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200718_073756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWAY4p7Kptg/YA8INgFZBxI/AAAAAAAAEbk/jvc6Nan-jUAp9JQScSrpeydeK52WEHFQgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20200718_073756.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think my two favorite vegetables that we grow are zucchini and green beans.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jEGTkdEC3qU/YA8IO5d0UYI/AAAAAAAAEbs/hkDZ_2dm19A3a9WH3UOBqU9_-fetX8tCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200806_192504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jEGTkdEC3qU/YA8IO5d0UYI/AAAAAAAAEbs/hkDZ_2dm19A3a9WH3UOBqU9_-fetX8tCgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20200806_192504.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The compound leaf and the pods are chickpeas. (The fernlike stuff is dill.)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpedVhOAhGQ/YA8IOEDbMxI/AAAAAAAAEbo/lUL7cnPvr5wrq7RCE_5QfKLvRMfo5d4DgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200822_111108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpedVhOAhGQ/YA8IOEDbMxI/AAAAAAAAEbo/lUL7cnPvr5wrq7RCE_5QfKLvRMfo5d4DgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20200822_111108.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh picked green beans, being rinsed before blanching and freezing.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Herbs: </b> I've moved all the herbs that the deer like over by the back door walkout to our basement. I've got parsley, a spot for basil, mint, thyme, and green onions. The things the deer won't eat are in a border around the big garden. That area has some repeats - green onions and thyme - along with chives, walking onions, sage, lovage, dill, and oregano.</p><p>You may be wondering - what about potatoes? What about TOMATOES? The thing is, there is a not-so-cute little grub here that eats holes in potatoes. Potatoes with holes in them don't keep well. Combine that with the regularly occurring sales on potatoes here (even in this very weird year, we could get 5 pounds for .89 a couple of times, and for some reason, over the course of the summer, Safeway kept adding an offer to our Safeway card for a free 10 pound bag of potatoes. I think I got 40 pounds.), it's hard to justify the space and the water it takes to grow them. </p><p>Tomatoes here make really nice plants, and really nice green tomatoes, but they are a semi-tropical, and our nights are quite cool all summer long. By the time they are ready to ripen, the temperatures don't really suit them. Eventually, they do turn red, but the skins are pretty tough and leathery. I have to cover them/uncover them a lot toward the end of the season, and all for tomatoes that are not so great fresh (I end up making tomato soup with them). Meanwhile, tomatoes are pretty consistently 88-98 cents a pound here (Romas), and while they're not the same as a garden tomato, our garden tomatoes aren't the same as a good garden tomato either. </p><p>All the things I said about tomatoes are true about growing peppers here too...except we don't even get to the 'hey, there's a pepper!' stage most years. Corn is nice, but takes a lot of space and a lot of water, and it seems like the deer would be tempted to evolve opposable thumbs, break into the toolbox and dismantle some fencing. </p><p>So that's the plan, It'll be a simple garden, with things that actually like it here, and don't need a lot of coddling. What are YOU growing this coming year?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-68758750746511730582021-01-31T14:33:00.002-07:002021-01-31T14:33:45.793-07:00Meals, the First Week of February<p>Hello - it's February TOMORROW! Time does fly...</p><p>We have been having lunch as our main meal, and that's been going fairly well. This month, we're going to 'sort of' plan some things we can have for supper - not to have a big meal, but to have something lighter without so much reaching for processed stuff. Little by little, we're figuring out what works best for us.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNL3xxm2Hk0/YBcg4I7zG8I/AAAAAAAAEck/QxaJ5fc0JKEbvM7hHZplz-YjCcqZcENxACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210131_140251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNL3xxm2Hk0/YBcg4I7zG8I/AAAAAAAAEck/QxaJ5fc0JKEbvM7hHZplz-YjCcqZcENxACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210131_140251.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled burger, lettuce, tomato, cheese, condiments - hamburger salads are tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This is the plan for the bigger, lunchtime meals:</p><p><span> </span>M. Mexican bean croquettes, Mexican rice, lettuce, tomato, salsa, cheese, sour cream, grapes</p><p><span> </span>T. steak, baked potatoes, steamed green beans, oranges</p><p><span> </span>W. ham and bean soup with vegetables, corn bread, grapes</p><p><span> </span>R. cheese and onion enchiladas, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, oranges</p><p><span> </span>F. chicken stir fry with vegetables, rice, grapes</p><p><span> </span>S. taco salad, oranges</p><p><span> </span>S. homemade pizza, fresh raw vegetables with dip, grapes, and later, for the game, jalapeno bagel bites</p><p>As for the supper hour, we're looking at things that are either made ahead or quick to make if you're hungry:</p><p><span> </span>seasoned black beans, rice and corn (make ahead) I would probably warm this up, add some salsa and chopped lettuce and tomato - yum!</p><p><span> </span>popcorn with furikake, fresh fruit</p><p><span> </span>whole grain bread (I'm trying a new recipe as I type this), peanut butter or cheese, fresh fruit</p><p><span> </span>baked chips with salsa</p><p><span> </span>leftovers from a previous meal</p><p><span> </span>trail mix and fresh fruit</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XZgOkuc03bQ/YBcf7aOGE2I/AAAAAAAAEcc/TgYPHvmA_z4hr3UWApm6d_HDXAbqKRiKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210131_105847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XZgOkuc03bQ/YBcf7aOGE2I/AAAAAAAAEcc/TgYPHvmA_z4hr3UWApm6d_HDXAbqKRiKgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20210131_105847.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband makes wonderful trail mix...and I sprinkle some chocolate chips into mine sometimes. :)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Nothing fancy, but with a little planning and prep, I think we can pull it off and still have more evening time together. What's on the menu at your house?</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-534173248824065002021-01-25T08:00:00.001-07:002021-01-25T08:00:02.141-07:00Garden Planning, 2021...Part 1<p>We've been gardening on this piece of land for about 25 years now. Some years, we've grown a really high percentage of what we eat. We grow less now, for a few reasons.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-puMOKFg2rc4/YA2Y_gLzTxI/AAAAAAAAEac/OKQUuOeBoDI4YvUrKr67fFFfue5xhYlVwCPcBGAsYHg/s2304/IMG_3802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-puMOKFg2rc4/YA2Y_gLzTxI/AAAAAAAAEac/OKQUuOeBoDI4YvUrKr67fFFfue5xhYlVwCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h480/IMG_3802.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Vermin.</b> Mostly, deer. When we first moved here, we never saw them. Now, they are a constant, and really destructive. There is very little here that grows naturally that they want. This is the prairie, and it's mostly grasses. Deer are browsers, preferring non-grassy plants like trees and shrubs, so they spend their time ravaging gardens and landscaping. If you can't tell, I'm not a big fan. We also have things like birds and gophers and bugs that do their own damage, but nothing like the deer. We have to garden in fenced, covered spaces now - partly due to weather, mostly due to deer. We also have some space around the edge of our basement walkout where we have herbs planted. It's not covered, but so far, the deer have not walked down the stairs to eat my parsley. So far. </p><p><b>Weather.</b> The last few years, we have had chilly springtimes, and a random late frost or two. We get a lot more hail than we used to get, and we've been having random frosts early, toward the end of our season. Last season we had a killing frost in early September, and then warm, gorgeous weather until early November, but it didn't matter - everything was already dead. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6l71SSLyXk4/YA2XdP5YWLI/AAAAAAAAEaQ/gz_NfYz-kkU6f_jhr9KmkMe6Loo1lu9TgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20200909_105526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6l71SSLyXk4/YA2XdP5YWLI/AAAAAAAAEaQ/gz_NfYz-kkU6f_jhr9KmkMe6Loo1lu9TgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20200909_105526.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><b>Cost.</b> We have some options here to get produce at low prices year round. Some of that is the supermarkets, and we have a store that is marketed as a "farmer's market" but it's more of a small supermarket that is half produce. It's called Sprouts, and I love it. They have great sale prices and the quality has been good overall. This is also a dry climate, and it is more dry now than it was when we moved here. It's not so much that water costs us a lot - we have a well, and our cost to operate it is low. Still, the amount of water we would have to use in ratio to our results...with the possibility of damage from weather or vermin, it gets to be more of a risk. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpqCEHWcnsc/YA2Z8imJUwI/AAAAAAAAEas/ub7P4zhtlDcw_jTRbMeBT87agkKtyXaNQCPcBGAsYHg/s2304/IMG_3826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpqCEHWcnsc/YA2Z8imJUwI/AAAAAAAAEas/ub7P4zhtlDcw_jTRbMeBT87agkKtyXaNQCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h480/IMG_3826.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b style="text-align: left;">Time.</b><span style="text-align: left;"> I work outside the home full time now. I enjoy gardening, but like anything, too much of a good thing can be overwhelming. I also enjoy canning and freezing produce for winter, but have to remember my time for all that is limited. So, with all these factors, less is more. </span></div><p>These are the over-arching factors that determine how much we will garden this season. Next time, I'll share our plans for what we are growing this year. </p><p>Will you be growing things this year? What factors do you consider when you're planning your garden?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-90530230915363201532021-01-24T09:54:00.000-07:002021-01-24T09:54:51.309-07:00Meals for the week of 1/25<p>It's a cold and frosty day, perfect for planning next week's menu! We have continued to have lunch as our heavier meal, and while that has some benefits, we are finding we're all getting a little...snacky...in the evenings. I think I need to either do a better job of keeping some fruits, vegetables and salad items prepped, or we may go back to supper as our main meal. If that's the case, I will need to be more mindful about portions. I have been sleeping much better with lighter meals at night, so we may just need to plan lighter meals? We'll figure it out, I'm sure. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQIx5HLUT5I/YA2kuRdRkLI/AAAAAAAAEa4/YSY1eO5zvgcKQeLfVjACQGjTdl61LuKCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210119_075632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uQIx5HLUT5I/YA2kuRdRkLI/AAAAAAAAEa4/YSY1eO5zvgcKQeLfVjACQGjTdl61LuKCQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210119_075632.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made a little sushi last weekend, and had some for breakfast one morning.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>My work schedule has changed, and Sunday/Monday is my weekend now. We have a couple of meatless meals this week, and a couple that are low-meat. Here's this week's plan:</p><p>M. chicken Marsala, mashed potatoes, green beans, oranges</p><p>T. vegan chicken nuggets, oven fries, raw vegetable tray, grapes</p><p>W. chili and rice, oranges</p><p>R. ham fried rice with vegetables, grapes</p><p>F. chicken-pepperoni pasta bowls with peppers, onions and olives, garden salad, oranges</p><p>S. tostadas, lettuce and tomato, 'burrito rice' side dish, fresh fruit</p><p>S. grilled hamburger salads, oranges</p><p>We have a lot of my fresh favorites on hand right now - cauliflower, cucumbers, oranges, grapes, and celery. We have other produce too - those are just the ones I most enjoy for snacking. My sweetie made some baked tortilla chips, so chips and salsa are another option. We're looking forward to a tasty week. What's on the menu for you this week? </p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-30289809628450557842021-01-18T08:00:00.002-07:002021-01-18T08:00:05.795-07:00Meal Plan, Week of 1/18<p>Hello, Lovelies!</p><p>January is moving right along. I've got a couple photos here from last weeks' meals, and the plan we developed for this week! We're sticking with lunch as the main meal and basing supper on individual appetite. I continue to sleep better with this adjustment, and so far, the rest of the family thinks it's OK.</p><p>There's some zucchini soup thawing in the fridge, and I'll have some each morning for breakfast. It's a puree soup, so I can put it in a mug and have it with an egg or toast, some cheese and crackers, whatever feels like a good fit on a given morning. I have breakfast after my morning walk, and this is supposed to be a cold week, so the thought of a mug of hot soup is enticing! My family is not so enamored with the zucchini soup, so they will likely have something else for breakfast. We have plenty of options on hand.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EbRu-8GOeKQ/YAS2wsyNyDI/AAAAAAAAEZY/lUrWrhnF4osnnL9VkEY_p1CRNyxunZy_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210116_131044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EbRu-8GOeKQ/YAS2wsyNyDI/AAAAAAAAEZY/lUrWrhnF4osnnL9VkEY_p1CRNyxunZy_wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210116_131044.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fajitas - tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the lunch/main meal plan for the week:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">M. <span> </span>tacos, oranges</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">T. <span> <span> </span></span>turkey burgers, oven fries, raw veg. tray, fresh fruit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">W. <span> </span>chicken curry with vegetables over rice, apples</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">R.<span> Italian beef sandwiches (w/peppers and onions), cole slaw, oranges</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>F.<span> </span><span> smoked turkey sausage/pepper/onion/potato skillet, green beans, apples</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>S. <span> </span><span> homemade bean w/bacon soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, raw veg. tray, fresh fruit</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>S.<span> homemade pizza, garden salad, oranges</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>We don't have any vegetarian meals planned this week, but a few of them (the tacos, curry, bean soup, pizza) are low-meat. Some of the vegetables are from our garden, so that's nice. :) There are still some fudge babies for snacking, along with plenty of fruits, vegetables, granola bars, and more.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EoZhcihIWJA/YAS2wwk9NzI/AAAAAAAAEZc/-0vAnRPAW7UzJOSSBDWpCV7xUJRvLEXcwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210117_131633.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EoZhcihIWJA/YAS2wwk9NzI/AAAAAAAAEZc/-0vAnRPAW7UzJOSSBDWpCV7xUJRvLEXcwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210117_131633.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kabocha pumpkin w/bacon and onions, green beans with <br />orange zest and walnuts, and butter beans with garlic-dijon sauce...yum!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Whatever you prepare and eat this week, I hope it nourishes you, body and soul. If you want to share your plan, leave a comment!</p><p>Best,</p><p>-Laura</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-56157928664146645312021-01-16T11:32:00.001-07:002021-01-16T11:32:44.777-07:00Walks<p>Part of improving my self-care this past year or so has included finding joyful movement. I have friends who run, who dance, who cycle - all sorts of physical activities. Me? I'm a walker. It doesn't require any special gear. I walk in street clothes, and general athletic shoes, and have not experienced any issues.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vmcOyMxZzo/X_oDpqGQ-vI/AAAAAAAAEYM/oPeq1XyzVj0CSdPF-rWpo-7ptf7Jkn_JQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201212_144236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vmcOyMxZzo/X_oDpqGQ-vI/AAAAAAAAEYM/oPeq1XyzVj0CSdPF-rWpo-7ptf7Jkn_JQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201212_144236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I18UTgFeiiU/X_oDztXll5I/AAAAAAAAEYQ/ONkvmtGVIdYYM2Cc11ApCRXgwcbOb9gvACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="463" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I18UTgFeiiU/X_oDztXll5I/AAAAAAAAEYQ/ONkvmtGVIdYYM2Cc11ApCRXgwcbOb9gvACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div></div><p>More than just exercise, walks have become a major stress reliever for me. The physical act of walking helps burn off adrenaline and gives my body the physical activity to match with the anxiety I sometimes experience. We do some family walks, and have some very interesting (and some very goofy) conversations. When I go alone, walks are time to think, or to listen to a podcast and learn something new. Sometimes I to listen to music I love, and blow off a little steam, and to figuratively and literally get away from it all. Whether I spend my walk in silence or listening to Dessa (my current musical obsession) , I always come back in a better place physically, mentally and emotionally. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9HU0b4nLwsA/X_oEH5cmWzI/AAAAAAAAEYc/QLyb8KSePu4hzil9kFjuSlDGWrNISnqJwCPcBGAsYHg/s4608/IMG_3772%2B%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4608" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9HU0b4nLwsA/X_oEH5cmWzI/AAAAAAAAEYc/QLyb8KSePu4hzil9kFjuSlDGWrNISnqJwCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h360/IMG_3772%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Two of my friends and I have come together with the goal to walk 1000 miles in 2021. It feels attainable, if I stay consistent. I guess time will tell. In the past few months I've turned to walking when I feel anxious or have a lot on my mind...and the current state of affairs may have me at that goal by the end of June. (heh)</p><p>What do you do to alleviate stress? What is your favorite form of joyful movement?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-65646619381094668042021-01-10T15:13:00.000-07:002021-01-10T15:13:14.979-07:00Our Menu for the Coming Week<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wbXsZ4mC2Kg/UP9gChpTYPI/AAAAAAAAAMs/rhxhp2lb7bocbrp4wBWemgTTSBSe4JcnQCPcBGAYYCw/s3296/2013_01210038.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2472" data-original-width="3296" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wbXsZ4mC2Kg/UP9gChpTYPI/AAAAAAAAAMs/rhxhp2lb7bocbrp4wBWemgTTSBSe4JcnQCPcBGAYYCw/w640-h480/2013_01210038.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Hello, Lovelies! After a week of lunch as our main meal, it seems to be going well, and we're going to continue for now to see if it's our preferred pattern. I like that I can grab something snacky when I get home from work, and then have more time for projects, goals, and relaxing. The hearty breakfast and lunch keep me fueled for the day and the lighter fare at night just seem like a good fit at this time. I sleep better, and it's helping with my weight loss goals.<p></p><p>I'm hard-cooking some eggs to have on hand for breakfast this week. One of my favorite breakfasts is a warmed up, split hard-cooked egg (with salt and pepper), some toast, and sliced cucumbers with furikake (a Japanese seaweed condiment). Other mornings, I'm looking forward to high-fiber cereal, fruit, and milk, or peanut butter toast with applesauce. We have Mandarin oranges and nuts for snacks, and I made some <a href="https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/make-these-now/" target="_blank">fudge babies</a> as a treat. Yum...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7DGvuvELWKA/X_tHtpYoctI/AAAAAAAAEYo/ibbT0NFAsak7x2N_FPKN1HBX8H5QPthWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210110_112458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7DGvuvELWKA/X_tHtpYoctI/AAAAAAAAEYo/ibbT0NFAsak7x2N_FPKN1HBX8H5QPthWQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20210110_112458.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Monday and Wednesday, our meals are actually vegan, made with a meat substitute that we got with a combination of a sale, coupon, and rebate, for very low cost. We try to have 1-2 meat-free meals each week, and others (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday) are very low meat, with other protein sources. Here's our main-meal menu:</p><p>M. spaghetti and meatballs with red sauce, focaccia with garlic and kalamata olives, green beans from our garden, cara-cara oranges (vegan meal)</p><p>T. taco salads, fresh mango (low-meat meal)</p><p>W. chili with rice, fresh pear (vegan meal)</p><p>R. ramen with added meat, vegetable, egg and seasonings, cara-cara oranges (low-meat meal)</p><p>F. tuna salad sandwiches, chips, raw vegetables (carrots, celery, cucumber) with ranch, apples</p><p>S. garlic-dijon butter beans (this is a Jaques Pepin recipe that we love!), kabocha squash from our garden with onion and minced bacon, green beans from our garden, apples (low-meat meal)</p><p>S. beef fajitas with pepper and onion, refried beans, curtido (spicy pickled cabbage and carrots), oranges (low-meat meal)</p><p>The unstructured, light supper is great for satisfying cravings. Last week I had things like apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon, half a bagel and some cream cheese, a Mandarin orange and a few walnuts, and one night, a mug of cocoa. All good! What's your plan for the coming week, and if you don't plan formally, what are you craving, and know you want to have?</p><p><br /></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-89174245260970304682021-01-04T09:00:00.001-07:002021-01-04T09:00:06.180-07:00Meal Planning, First Week of January<p>Oh, hey! I'm kind of excited about some changes we're making to our menu plan...specifically, timing! Let me explain...</p><p>When our area went into (Covid-related) shut-down back in March of 2019, all three of us were home all the time. We shifted to a routine where our main meal of the day was lunch, and supper was lighter and more free-form. I liked that pattern - a lot. I think I slept better, and there was more time to work on a project, watch a show, etc. My suppers were things like some apple slices with peanut butter, or some crackers and cheese, or a bowl of cereal. It was nice! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9JXno8hW49c/X-9sXYssoVI/AAAAAAAAEWI/nbx9ydcUgx4nfbvnCjJGyNGCp0bDleGWACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201229_123835.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9JXno8hW49c/X-9sXYssoVI/AAAAAAAAEWI/nbx9ydcUgx4nfbvnCjJGyNGCp0bDleGWACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20201229_123835.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zucchini soup from a lunch last week. <br />I make and freeze this soup each summer with zucchini from our garden.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />I'm working outside the home now 3 1/2 days each week (I work from home 1/1/2 days a week), but the rest of the family is still home all the time. We are going to revisit this "big lunch" pattern and see if it still works. They'll have lunch as their main meal and then pack up a portion for me for the next day's lunch, on the days I'm not here to eat with them. I have a 1 hour lunch break at work, so this will work fine - I'll still have time to walk (I walk a 1 mile loop during my lunch break to get some fresh air and de-stress.) I am home during lunch time on Mondays and Tuesdays (unless something comes up at work). Here is this week's plan!</p><p>M- black bean patties, Mexican rice, curtido, fruit salad</p><p>T - turkey burgers, oven fries, raw vegetables/ranch, fruit salad</p><p>W - tacos, curtido, oranges (I might do a burrito or taco salad with the ingredients, since tacos don't pack/travel quite as well)</p><p>R - chicken/vegetable stir fry with rice, kimchi, apples</p><p>F - southern beans, cornbread, raw vegetables/ranch, oranges</p><p>S - pizza, raw vegetables/ranch, frozen corn, pear</p><p>S - chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, green beans, oranges or mango (depending on whether or not the mango is ready)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E1dBV5GGyKI/X_JSl5RsbNI/AAAAAAAAEXs/3HBuwtbswc4pSFPGHtK9b51QBUaEIhNeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201103_081407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E1dBV5GGyKI/X_JSl5RsbNI/AAAAAAAAEXs/3HBuwtbswc4pSFPGHtK9b51QBUaEIhNeQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20201103_081407.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>There is some frozen fruit that I'd like to get used up, and I have fresh fruit, granola, and nuts on hand, so there might be some smoothie bowls at breakfast or in the evening There are fresh vegetables washed and prepped for snacking and meals, and I packed up some walnuts and dried figs for my afternoon snacks at work (and at home!). This should be a fairly easy, tasty, affordable week. What are you having?</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-72217135769762489482021-01-01T10:36:00.007-07:002021-01-05T10:10:05.425-07:00January Goals<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w5tGQFNYhs/X-9ZpXIzt5I/AAAAAAAAEU4/mckfbIdyffI5JWN9smHJddiracPsmRBfACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210101_094756.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w5tGQFNYhs/X-9ZpXIzt5I/AAAAAAAAEU4/mckfbIdyffI5JWN9smHJddiracPsmRBfACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h478/20210101_094756.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In January I plan to do a flat-lay photo for the blog...minus the cat hair and pencils with teeth marks on them.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I started listing monthly personal goals several months ago. What a difference! I have a paper planner, and I write those monthly goals on a single sheet, add a TON of stickers (which I got free from a lady on the local 'It's Free!' Facebook page), then review them weekly/roll bits of them into the weekly plan. I have always been very motivated to cross items off a to-do list, and I think that's what makes this work well for me. </p><p>I know it's January, and a lot of folks make resolutions, and plan to make themselves a "better person". That's not what this is about. I won't be a better person if I do all the things on my list, and the same goes for you. I might feel better physically, or have a sense of capability that I can plan and follow through, but none of this is meant to imply worth, or lack of worth as a human being. </p><p>My goals are mostly about time management and drinking less soda (because, left to my own devices, I'd spend all my free time playing on Facebook and drinking soda.) You might have financial goals, something you want to learn, or a project to complete. Whatever you want to accomplish, if you're like me, writing it down, <i>breaking</i> it down, and reviewing the list can be really helpful. Some people like to post them for the whole family to see. I do NOT like to do that, because I don't want to be "reminded" when I am busy drinking soda and playing on Facebook, but you should definitely do what works for you!</p><p>Here's my January list:</p><p><span><span> 65 miles of dedicated walking (going-for-a-walk rather than counting the day's steps with a fitbit, which I do not even own) <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span></p><p> *resistance train 2 days/week (I have been very resistant to this goal - pun intended.)</p><p><span><span> 100% of fluid intake goal as water by end of the month</span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> meditation 2 days/week</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> try one new podcast (listen to at least 2 episodes)</span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span> *watch 2 Craftsy videos</span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span> sell or donate 10 or more items</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> *do a Japanese language lesson on my work break 4x/week</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> paint one watercolor painting</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> make paper birds (a project idea that I have)</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> *develop a blogging routine</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> *create 1 flat-lay photo for blog</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <i> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>*indicates goals that are new additions this month</i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ_ZdCu6Tps/X-9a11pEfyI/AAAAAAAAEVI/dZpTOqoz0mMamP7X_GkY6rv1xqGHpuqOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201205_162736.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ_ZdCu6Tps/X-9a11pEfyI/AAAAAAAAEVI/dZpTOqoz0mMamP7X_GkY6rv1xqGHpuqOACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20201205_162736.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pine cone treats for the birdies</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Looking back at December, I did most of the things I intended to do. I had a goal to walk 60 miles - and I walked just over 73! I got better about getting to bed on time (10pm) and getting up at 6am, so I have time for morning chores, a walk, etc. before work. I developed a telework routine for the days I'm home, and we did all our holiday related activities: making treats for the birds, making some holiday ornaments, driving around to look at holiday lights, and making some treats for us! I did finish a watercolor painting - I did not finish a crochet project I started (um...in December of 2019), didn't make the paper birds, and I didn't start the resistance training (again, I'm resistant to that). Still, I got more done than I would have without a list.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qqYgtb2Rs8/X-9bfknUnII/AAAAAAAAEVw/jh11l2Wa2R4-Df5dIVKmYPoEW3WSXzWLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201212_153745.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qqYgtb2Rs8/X-9bfknUnII/AAAAAAAAEVw/jh11l2Wa2R4-Df5dIVKmYPoEW3WSXzWLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20201212_153745.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cinnamon-orange rolls for us...yum!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPzFxqupcIo/X-9bfbLu__I/AAAAAAAAEVs/3ifK8PHzqCgno90FJcH_1p4BA0_mVWeTgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201224_191229.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPzFxqupcIo/X-9bfbLu__I/AAAAAAAAEVs/3ifK8PHzqCgno90FJcH_1p4BA0_mVWeTgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20201224_191229.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I painted this turtle using a free online tutorial. I still have a LOT to learn.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bGRqW7669MY/X-9bfxhh7TI/AAAAAAAAEV0/PKZKC6GISj0DkmYLq0Qq3D1Zp8zVt15MwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201224_203738.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bGRqW7669MY/X-9bfxhh7TI/AAAAAAAAEV0/PKZKC6GISj0DkmYLq0Qq3D1Zp8zVt15MwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20201224_203738.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beards used to be a long strip - a 'tail' when our teen was a preschooler. Aw!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Do you set personal goals? What is your process, and what are you working on currently?</p><p>Hope to year from you,</p><p>-Laura</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-70298073463603687592020-12-27T19:03:00.001-07:002020-12-28T14:44:35.491-07:00Dinner Menu - Last Week of 2020<p>One of our money-and-stress saving strategies is planning the dinner menu. Planning helps us utilize what we have on hand, and to make sure the week is balanced overall. I highly recommend giving it a try if you don't typically plan dinner. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysHY2JvrNAg/X-jPbSU93EI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/3cYRDpWLL5Y3FBpVoXD7XUfbyVONGD9JACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201222_175921.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysHY2JvrNAg/X-jPbSU93EI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/3cYRDpWLL5Y3FBpVoXD7XUfbyVONGD9JACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201222_175921.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last week's bean croquettes, Mexican rice, and salad. Tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I found an open package of farro in the cabinet. Farro is a type of wheat that was pretty heavily promoted in foodie circles a while back. We got this when it was on clearance. Fairly plain on its own, it takes seasoning quite well, and that makes it a nice base for quite a few dishes. Farro is a whole grain, so it provides fiber and heartiness.</p><p>Sunday morning is my food prep morning. I listen to NPR, look at the coming week and prepare a few things to simplify our lives. While we don't formally plan breakfasts and lunches, I often make a few things that are quick to combine for a meal or snack. This week I baked tostada shells and tortilla chips, cooked the farro with some olive oil, salt, and herbs, made the marinated 3-bean salad, and prepared carrots and celery for snacking. I pulled a container of zucchini soup out of the freezer for some of my lunches this week, and made a small batch of cottage cheese pancakes, to use up the last of some cottage cheese that's been hanging out in our fridge for a while. </p><p>Here is our dinner plan:</p><p>M - ham steak, farro pilaf, green chickpeas, dilly beans, apple</p><p>T - taco salad, oranges</p><p>W - barbecue chicken, 3 bean salad, baked sweet potatoes, rolls, apple</p><p>Th - bean tostadas, oranges</p><p>F - chicken lo mien with vegetables, kimchi, pineapple</p><p>S - tuna croquettes, rice, slaw, kimchi, oranges</p><p>S - chicken curry with vegetables, rice, apples</p><p>If you typically plan, what's on your menu this week? If planning is new for you, what's something you have on hand that could be use this week in one of your meals?</p><p><br /></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-69808230563054891012020-12-27T08:41:00.001-07:002020-12-27T08:42:39.422-07:00Wee Update and Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><p>Oh, hello!</p><p>It's been a little over six years since I updated this blog, and a few things about my life are different. Before, I was home more-or-less full time...now, I am working full time. Before, there were chickens, rabbits, sometimes turkeys and ducks, along with a dog and a cat. We still have pets, but we have re-homed our farm animals. I really enjoy gardening, and I am still learning new strategies and techniques. Thanks to the deer, I have to fence and cover all the garden plots!</p><p>We remain a frugal family, and one of my primary reasons for resurrecting this blog is to share the things we do to stretch our dollars, and the things we enjoy that are little to no cost. The pandemic has impacted many people's health and finances, and in some families, it has impacted both. If I can help someone stretch the resources they have, and if that makes life a little easier, I will call that success!</p><p>What challenges are you facing? Do you wish you could spend less on groceries? Are you feeling like there is nothing fun to do without spending lots of money? Are your utilities messing with your budget? Do you <i>have</i> a budget? If you're willing to share what will help you most, I'll do my best to share what I know! </p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-86389263118412172822020-12-20T18:28:00.000-07:002020-12-20T18:44:40.861-07:00Dinner Menu for Christmas Week<p>Everything for this week's menu is already on hand and fairly simple to make. Christmas dinner is Hawaii style!</p><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></p><p>M - ramen with vegetables and egg, oranges</p><p>T - seasoned bean crouquettes, Mexican rice, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sour cream, guacamole</p><p>W - canned soup, sandwiches, apples</p><p>R - pizza from scratch, raw vegetable tray, oranges</p><p>F - teriyaki beef, chicken katsu, rice, macaroni salad, kimchee, green beans with sesame, spinach, fruit salad, cream puffs</p><p>S - vegan chicken nuggets, oven potato fries, leftover veggies from yesterday, fruit salad</p><p>S - spam fried rice with vegetables, oranges</p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-32986467003198663382020-12-20T14:20:00.000-07:002020-12-20T14:20:40.377-07:00Back to the Farm?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzutVdm3kP8/X9-_nIDu9_I/AAAAAAAAES8/t_fGkN7a-8gYo7_wYrNUC9feWZ9BUNw3gCPcBGAsYHg/s4608/IMG_3772%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4608" height="375" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzutVdm3kP8/X9-_nIDu9_I/AAAAAAAAES8/t_fGkN7a-8gYo7_wYrNUC9feWZ9BUNw3gCPcBGAsYHg/w667-h375/IMG_3772%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="667" /></a></div>Well, we never left the farm, but I did leave the blog...for a long time. I miss it these days, and I'm thinking of coming back to it. It won't be the same, because I'm not the same...but I bet you aren't either. <p></p><p>So...what do you think? Would you be interested? Would it benefit you to learn what we're up to these days? Is anyone even still subscribed?</p><p>I look forward to some feedback,</p><p>-Laura<br /></p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9010626472834900402.post-78342080013544839012014-08-21T20:47:00.000-06:002014-08-21T20:47:51.734-06:00New BeginningsHi, All,<br />
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I'm not going to blog here anymore, but I recently started back with a new address. If you're interested, I'd love for you to join me at....<br />
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<a href="http://www.quietcountrylife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Quiet Country Life</a><br />
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It's not terribly different from 'here'. I just needed a new beginning. Thanks for your grace and understanding. :)Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02480853709492521200noreply@blogger.com0