read, watch, listen, cook

What I'm reading ~ Daring Greatly by Brene Brown & You Could Make This Place Beautiful. Both fantastic. Just finished reading Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World - which I highly recommend if you're a HSP.

What I'm watching ~ Season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (the acting! the costumes! the drama!) & Season 2 of Somebody Somewhere (Bridget Everett is brilliant and hilarious; the show hits you in all the feels.)

What I'm listening to ~ Love You Madly - Cake ...... Mazzy Star - Halah ...... Je te laisserai des mots - Patrick Watson

What I'm cooking ~ Half Baked Harvest Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Butter. I'm a big fan of Half Baked Harvest's recipes and this one was no exception. I don't care for ground chicken, so I used a mixture of ground turkey and ground pork. I also didn't use the chili flakes called for in this recipe, as I'm sensitive to hot spices. 

What have you been reading, watching, listening to, and cooking that you would recommend? Please share!

💙

for today ~ march edition

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window ~

It's cloudy, cold, and snowy. March is a fickle month around here. It can be anywhere from cold and snowy, to lots of rain, to some rare warmth and sunshine. It's one of my least-favorite months, to be honest.

I am thinking ~

of all the things I have to do today. Plus, wondering what to make for dinner.

I am thankful ~

for friendship. My elderly friend, Gladys whom I'd known since my early 20's, passed away February 23rd. I met "Gladiola" (my nickname for her ~ for indeed, she was as sweet and beautiful as a flower) when we were working at G.D. Searle around 1983. She would always come to me for help on the Wang Word Processor. Anyone remember this machine?! Gladys and I kept in touch via visits and cards and letters over the years. She was a wonderful writer and would always sign her letters with "Love and Cheer, Gladiola". Her smile lit up her face, her family was her life, her favorite color was pink, and she played the harmonica. 

(RIP my dear friend, Gladys)

(Source: John Updike Society)

One of my favorite things ~

This facial cream.

I am creating ~

I'm just starting to de-winter the buffet and create a spring vignette.

I am wearing ~

Three layers of clothing: black and gray striped tank, long-sleeved purple cotton top, gray fuzzy vest...as well as jeans and purple socks.

I am reading ~

Empty, Empty, Happy Happy by Bhante Sujatha/Tyler Lewke and a book a poetry called Winter Morning Walks by Ted Kooser.

I am listening to ~

Wildfire by Mandolin Orange. If you don't have Spotify, give them a listen here live on youtube:

Wildfire by Mandolin Orange

I am hoping ~

for sunshine.

I am learning ~

to practice short meditations every day. I went to a workshop last week given by Bhante Sujatha. At the end, he gave us some homework. This may sound overly-simple, but it's harder than you think. Every day for seven days, in the morning and at night, close your eyes for just two minutes. Repeat the words as you take conscious deep breaths, "I am well. I am happy. I am peaceful." He claims you will feel better after seven straight days of doing this. And no, you don't have to be Buddhist or even "believe" in Buddhism to do this.

In my kitchen ~

I whipped up a last-minute bechamel sauce the other night. It was so good, I've been putting it on everything, including eggs and toast. Kind of like eggs benedict, I suppose. I used mostly almond milk and a little half and half. I stirred in a bit of Dijon mustard and lots of herbs to give it flavor.

Post-Script ~
(Add a favorite link that you would like to pass along. It can be someone else's website, etsy shop, Instagram feed, Facebook link, OR it can be your own.)

An excellent article: No, Everything Doesn't Happen for a Reason

Shared Quote ~
(share a favorite quote)

"We can do no great things; just small things with great love."
(Mother Teresa)

A moment from my day ~
(share a picture with us of your daily-ness)

My sweet girl, Clementine caught mid-yawn as I was folding laundry in the bedroom this morning.

If you're interested in participating in doing a post for The Simple Woman's Daybook, see the guidelines here.

for today

For Today

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window ~
I see hazy morning light and snow on the ground. So does Monkey.
After getting 5" of snow yesterday, it's frigidly cold here again. It was -3F when I woke up this morning. We're due for more snow this afternoon into tonight.

I am thinking ~
About the day ahead of me. I have homemade chicken stock going in the Crockpot; I need to do my yoga practice, clean cat boxes, do laundry, and work on an ongoing project in the basement. This afternoon, I need to start dinner, which will be a vegetarian jambalya. 

I am thankful ~
That I don't need to run any errands today.

One of my favorite things ~
Fresh flowers in the house, even in winter. Especially in winter!

I am creating ~

{whether you are a knitter, mixed-media artist, enjoy scrap-booking, etc., share}
A cozy corner in the spare room. This is a naked IKEA chair. The slipcover was dirty and dusty from this chair being stored in the basement, so I washed it yesterday and now it's hanging to dry. The slipcover is the original that came with the chair - it's black - so next time I go to IKEA, I'm picking up a white slipcover.

I am wearing ~
Yoga pants, a long-sleeved cotton shirt with a tank top underneath, thick socks.

I am reading (read) /watching (watched) / listening to ~

{share favorite titles, give a book review or pass along a current movie, podcast, music video, or television series you are enjoying}
Just started The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg last night. 

The only TV show I watch is This is Us. Did you see last night's episode after the Super Bowl?!

Music...I've been listening to "coffee table jazz" on Spotify, playing it through the Bose speaker in the living room. The music is very relaxing.

I am hoping ~
that the groundhog was wrong and that there won't be six more weeks of winter.

I am learning ~
that chopping vegetables can be very cathartic.

In my kitchen ~

{share your kitchen adventures, weekly menu, as well as recipes}
Chicken carcass and vegetable scraps for broth...

Paleo blueberry muffins (made with almond flour and pure maple syrup)...

Chopping vegetables for homemade soup yesterday...

Getting ready to make the veggie jambalya...

The jambalaya recipe is from this cookbook...

Post Script ~

{add a favorite link that you would like to pass along. It can be someone else's website, etsy shop, instagram feed, facebook link OR it can be your own}

I love this house! It's a cottage in Little Rock, Arkansas designed by Kathryn J. LeMaster. The colors, design and collections are so charming.

Shared Quote ~
{share a favorite quote}
"I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude." ~ Henry David Thoreau

A moment from my day ~

{share a picture with us of your daily-ness}
Monkey on top of the clean laundry I'm supposed to be folding.

If you're interested in participating in doing a post for The Simple Woman's Daybook, see the guidelines here. 

from dawn to dusk ~ snippets of my day

I've never been a morning person. I'm in a fog for a good 30-45 minutes when I wake up. The first thing I do is make coffee. This morning was absolutely gorgeous...dappled sunshine, blue skies and a cool breeze. I took my coffee outside on the front porch and plopped myself in a chair, relishing the peacefulness of the morning. No lawn mowers going yet and no playful, shrieking neighborhood kids. Just chirping birds and the occasional car going by.

I do not take casual mornings for granted. It's been over 3-1/2 years since I left my paying job and there hasn't been a day since then that I haven't been grateful for where I am now. I know not everyone has the luxury of choosing to staying home, so that's another blessing I count.

I also realize that not everyone wants to stay home either, and that's cool, too. We're all different. I think as long as we're happy where we're at, it's all good. In my case, I've always loved being a homekeeper. And I can tell you this much: most days I work harder at home than I ever did in an office. Though office work was mentally exhausting due to the never-ending piles of paperwork, staring at a computer all day, and being on someone else's timetable.

 Once my morning fog wears off, I am raring to go. I naturally have a ton of energy. Sometimes I get so busy that I have to remind myself to take a break. I tell myself that even in an office, you get a morning and afternoon break, plus an entire hour for lunch! Today, I didn't even sit down to eat lunch until 3:00.

After I got showered and dressed and made my bed (I make my bed every morning - how about you?), I threw in a load of laundry, scooped cat boxes, fed the cats, brushed Zippo, took out the kitchen garbage, and made a pan of roasted potatoes.

Makings of tuna salad came after the potatoes.

I got the dishwasher going, then took off to run errands. I did a big grocery shopping and returned items to Kohls and TJ Maxx. Got home and unloaded the bags from the car, put away all the groceries, transferred the clothes from the washer to the dryer, unloaded the dishwasher, watered the inside plants, cleaned both bathrooms, then finally sat down for some lunch. Got the cat food order from Chewy and got that put away. As you can see, Monkey loves boxes. I'm going to keep this one to make another cat cave...

I saw this simple idea online to stretch a t-shirt over a box, as cats love hiding places. Monkey and Clementine love this smaller box, though Zippo wasn't interested at all. 

He'd rather just crash on a chair.

Back to work...laundry needs folding and putting away.

Cat litter and extras like toilet paper, paper towels and vinegar need to be hauled downstairs to the basement and put on the storage shelves. I go up and down the basement stairs at least 20 times a day. 

 Early evening today was just as beautiful as the morning. I walked around the yard, watering plants and pulling weeds.

 I swept the porch and patio and then sat here and painted my toenails. ;-)

My greens are already wilting with the warmer weather, so I picked the last of them this evening, gently rinsed them, and laid them on a dishcloth to dry.

Did a short yoga practice, washed berries and made a fruit salad, and now...

 I'm writing this blog post while the second load of dishes finishes in the dishwasher. I'll be unloading that and putting the dishes away at 9:30 p.m. And then, finally, my day will be done. Except for giving the cats their last feeding of the day at 10:30. I'll read for a bit, then go to bed. Tired, but fulfilled and grateful.

Sharing with At Home With Jemma ~ Thoughts of Home on Thursday

and Art and Sand ~ Share Your Cup.

soup and salads

A couple of my passions are healthy living and cooking, so I thought I'd share a few recipes that I've made lately. Last night for dinner, I made Italian Wedding Soup. This is more of a simplified recipe than the original. Traditionally, the meatballs are made with a mixture of beef, pork and veal. I don't eat veal and I don't have access to any organic pork right now (I try to only eat organic meat), so I made the meatballs with just beef. This is an easy-to-make soup that is comforting, hearty and healthy. Perfect for a chilly afternoon or evening meal.

 ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

1 lb organic, grass-fed ground beef

2 organic eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 c breadcrumbs (I keep homemade breadcrumbs in the freezer)

1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

Dried basil, thyme, oregano, parsley & onion powder, to taste

8 c broth ~ you can use beef, chicken, vegetable ~ or a combination

(I use organic, low-sodium broth when I don't have any homemade on-hand)

3 medium-sized carrots, finely diced

1/2 c orzo

4 c thinly sliced organic escarole, baby spinach, or baby kale
(or a mixture of any of these greens is fine ~ use whatever you have!)

In a medium bowl, combine the beef - spices. Shape into 3/4" balls. In large soup pot, heat broth to boiling. Place meatballs and carrots into the broth. Simmer on med-low for 7 min. Add the orzo and simmer another 7 min or until pasta is al dente and the meatballs are cooked through. Stir frequently to prevent ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add greens and simmer another couple of minutes. Taste the soup...at this point, adjust your seasonings. You may want to add salt, pepper, and/or garlic, to taste. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

(*Note: you don't have to cook the meatballs in the broth. I realize this adds the beef fat to the broth. You can always bake the meatballs in the oven and then add them to the broth.)

*********************************

When I went to a barbeque this past weekend, I took along an Israeli couscous tabbouleh salad. This was a huge hit and quickly eaten up. It's so light, fresh and full of wonderful flavors with the fresh herbs. I can't take credit for this recipe ~ it can be found here.

 ***********************************

And I can't take full credit for this recipe. This dish was brought to the barbeque by my cousin's friend and everyone demolished this salad, too. I asked how it was made and only made a variation on the veggies. This is an awesome vegan main dish (makes a great lunch) or you can use it as a side dish.

 

 1 pkg refrigerated ready-to-eat lentils
(I found these in the produce section of Trader Joes; you can always

make lentils ahead of time using the dried ones)

1 lb mixture of any kind of crunchy veggies, chopped
(I found a pkg of Healthy & Chopped Veggie Mix in the produce section of

Trader Joes ~ it's a mixture of broccoli, carrots, red & green cabbage, jicama,

green peppers, radishes & celery)

1 jar olive tapenade

1/2 lemon, juiced

Chopped fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Nom nom!

cookin' up fun and food in my kitchen

When me, my mom, and my aunt planned on a scrapbooking day at my house, I wondered just where we were going to do this. I have a small house. No dining room to temporarily convert to a craft space. I decided on the kitchen, but we have a small table that certainly wouldn't do for three women and all their crafting supplies. I moved the kitchen table into the living room, Brian brought up the 6' long table from the basement, I dug out my scrapbooking supplies from my office and voila! We were in business. That's my cute little mommy on the right and her sister - my aunt - on the left. We scrapped for several hours on Saturday and then went out to lunch. Such a fun girl's day. 

While I'm talking about my kitchen, I thought I'd share a couple of my latest recipes. I love being creative in the kitchen! I think these are dishes that anyone can make and the ingredients are adaptable. You don't have kale? Use spinach. No white beans on-hand? Use pinto or kidney beans. Out of veggie broth? Use chicken broth. Experiment with your favorite seasonings, too. If you have kids, have them help you chop the vegetables. (Of course, only if they're old enough to be handling a knife, and with your supervision.) First up is Tuscan Soup...

TUSCAN SOUP

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. olive oil

2 links fresh Italian sausage

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

Dried basil, oregano, thyme & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Couple handfuls fresh kale

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion, carrots,

celery and garlic. Saute until veggies are soft and aromatic, about 7 minutes.

While the veggies are sauteeing, in a separate frying pan, cook the sausage

links on all sides until browned and no longer pink inside. (Spray the pan with an 

olive oil spray - you may find you need to add a little bit of oil to the pan, too.) When

 the sausages are done, remove to a cutting board and cut into 1/2" slices. Add

to the veggie mixture in the soup pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and the white 

beans. Add seasonings. (I don't add any salt, but you can do so, to taste.) Bring

to a slow boil, then reduce heat to low, put lid on pot, and let simmer for at least

30 minutes. Add fresh kale and let simmer another 5-10 minutes. Serve with

freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

*********************************

Next is a wonderful vegetarian dish that will please even meat lovers. It's a hearty, "meaty" dish because of the eggplant and garbanzo beans. Tammy of T's Daily Treasures was my inspiration behind this dish. Tammy said in this post that she took "eggplant, tomato and onion sauteed in olive oil and slowly simmered with tomato paste, a little water, salt, pepper and allspice." So I took it from there and made a Mediterranean Ratatouille...

Sauteeing the beautiful vegetables...

Finished product (before I added the garbanzo beans) - yum!

MEDITERRANEAN RATATOUILLE

2 T. olive oil

2 small eggplant, cubed

 2 small zucchini, cubed

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 c. kalamata olives or 1/8 c. olive tapenade

1 small can tomato paste

(Water)

Cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (or allspice)

Sriracha sauce, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and then add the eggplant, zucchini

and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the veggies are starting to soften

up, then add the tomatoes and olives (or tapenade). Cook for 1 minute longer.

Add 1/2 can tomato paste and enough water to make a medium-thick sauce.

Cook on low for a few minutes, then add sriracha sauce, salt, pepper, and

cinnamon and nutmeg or allspice - all to your taste. Stir in garbanzo beans.

Let your kitchen be filled with tantalizing Mediterranean aromas and your mind

drift to faraway lands...

You can serve with warm pita bread or over quinoa. Makes 4 servings.

I hope that I've inspired you to try these dishes. Happy cooking!

Sharing this post at Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday.

Thank you for all your support and kind words on my last post. When you're in the thick

of yucky things in life, you go into a doom-and-gloom-panicky mode, right? I know we've

all been there for different kinds of reasons. The good news is: our water and well issues

seem okay now. The bad news is: the owner of the well company never called us back, 

even after leaving numerous messages. Great customer service! We will keep trying. We

 still have a few questions. And my dentist appointment where I got the first part of my crown

went...well, I don't want to say fine, because it certainly wasn't pleasant while I was there

and in the middle of it. But at least I like this dentist and he is understanding about 

my nervousness. He gives me little breaks and told me to raise my hand if I was feeling

uncomfortable. This is my fourth crown. I've earned queen status by now, don't ya think?

 I go back in three weeks to put the permanent crown in and to get more Novocaine on the

 other side to attempt to remove a cavity underneath another crown. 

On to more pleasant things...I was the winner in Connie from Crafty Home Cottage's

giveaway! Connie is not only a sweet, friendly woman ~ she is also artistic and does all

kind of crafts and needlework. Connie sent me a red and white dish towel with the 

cutest stitched house and heart. The bottom is trimmed in red and white rick rack.The colors 

go perfectly in my kitchen and the little house reminds me of Comfy House.

 There was also a matching quilted and stitched pot holder which I have hanging on

the side of my fridge. (Hello, old family photos.)

 Connie also sent me this beautiful red and white banner. Each little pennant

has a stitched heart. Adorable! I wanted to hang this in my kitchen, but the only

possible place would be my china hutch and it's too narrow.

 So I ended up hanging it on the wall above Tim's bed/the guest bed.

The sun is shining brightly here today but it is bitter cold. It was -5F when I woke up

this morning. I think this cold weather calls for some baking and cooking, so I'm off

now to make a dairy-free apple cake for Saturday. My mom and aunt are coming to

my house on Saturday - we're going to have a card-making day - and they're both

lactose intolerant. I thought it'd be nice to have a little treat with our coffee. And 

tonight's dinner will be stuffed manicotti, so that will take some prep work, too.

Happy Thursday, everyone.