A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

This is a first! I've never fixed eggplant. I've learned enough about it that I could talk about it . . . like it can be bitter, and that it is better if you draw out the moisture from the veggie before you cook it. To my knowledge, I've only eaten it one time, and that was last Fall. But while grocery shopping the other day, my boy cherub said he wanted to try eggplant. So we bought one. Just one. Since I didn't really know what to do with it, or how many eggplants would be needed, we started small. You know -- better safe than sorry! After contemplating the eggplant, I decided to start "safe." I thought an eggplant dip would be our jumping off point. So the other day, I gathered the little eggplant and other ingredients and started cooking. Now!  Don't you know, that later that afternoon, while folding laundry and watching Ina Garte...

There's only one in our family that really "loves" Caesar salad. That's my girl cherub. Not that the others of us dislike it; it's just that we don't really think about it when we think "salad." Caesar salad is really kind of simple. The components aren't fancy, but they are flavorful! The other night, for dinner, I entertained the thought of making a Caesar salad. But I didn't want to buy a bottle of dressing. Not because I'm opposed to buying bottled dressing, but because I was at home and didn't want to make a trip "into town" for dressing! I searched for different recipes: Some using anchovies. Some not. Some using grated parmesan in the recipe. Some not. Some using oil. Some not. In the end,  here's my Caesar concoction. Now!  To warn you; it's a little more on the lemon side. I told my cherubs that the lemon made it "bri...

I've had a can of tuna in my pantry for a while now. I think about using it. I look at it and think, "I really need to use that." But today, I craved tuna! I think "craving" is your body's way of getting something it's missing. Seriously! Like iron, or vitamins, or minerals, or Riboflavin. I'm kidding about Riboflavin; I just like saying that, even though I don't know what it is! For lunch, I took my one little can of tuna and made tuna salad. Only my girl cherub was at home, so I offered to share. She's wasn't to excited about tuna salad; she said it smells gross. True. Why is that? What a turn-off; to rip off the lid of tuna at work . . . . and the room fills with the disgusting smell of tuna! But I'm at home today so I didn't worry about offending anybody; not even my girl cherub! After I made the salad, I offered my girl cherub a bite. G...

It's true . . . This stuff is ridiculous ! It's absolutely perfect and you want to keep eating it to see if the next bite tastes as good as the last bite. It's crazy thinking, I know. But we can't seem to stop ourselves with this stuff around! Matter of fact, I've put it in the pantry so that it's not sitting out in plain sight! Not that this has helped curb the desire to have "just one bite," but maybe it's helped us to not devour the entire snack mix in one day! This is from a friend of mine in Texas. She makes this year 'round, I believe. That would be dangerous too! She calls it "Maple Munch," but we've affectionately renamed it, "This Stuff is Ridiculous" Snack Mix 2 cups brown sugar 1 stick butter 1/2 cup Karo Syrup (white corn syrup) 1/2 tsp. vanilla* 1/2 tsp. baking soda  1 small bag pretzels (I used gluten free and I only used 1/2 of a bag) 1 bag corn chex 2 cups chopped ...

My sweet cherubs . . . they're spoiled! Not necessarily spoiled in the way you might think. They're spoiled in their thoughts about . . . breakfast! Yes! Breakfast! If they have to eat cereal more than 1 morning, they grumble. Or, if they have to eat the same thing twice in week, they mope. For example: Two days ago, my girl cherub made one of her favorite breakfast wraps. It had been a l.o.n.g.  time since she had one and she whipped it up for breakfast. The next morning, we were in a hurry to get out the door, so I made her another breakfast wrap. Here's how it went: "Mom, what's for breakfast?" "I made you a breakfast wrap, like you made yesterday." "Anoooother wrap." "I'm sorry; I thought  you liked them?" "Yeah, but not day after day." Really?   . . ."day after day?" I hardly consider that "day after day!" They're really good kids: compliant, ...

It's the holiday season . . . and it's time to bake! Who doesn't love the change of routine that the holiday season brings? True, it can be crammed pack with shopping, and decorating, and wrapping, and parties. But it can also be full of laughter, and family, and friends, and memories. This morning, while the cherubs were busy with school, I was busy about the house. Sometimes, when I'm cleaning, I try to think of other things to do. Today, while I was doing both of those things, I thought about making a little treat. A treat that would use the white chocolate bark I bought. 3 packages of that stuff! I had absolutely no idea what I was going to use it for, but I've been busy coming up with solutions! Today, I melted a package of it and scooped out these little crunchy treats! I think next time I will add a cup or two of mini marshmallows to the mix! If don't like something in the recipe, just leave it out and add a littl...

Now that the cherubs do their school from home, lunch time is a little more . . . involved. You know, for years, I'd send my cherubs off to school with the packed lunch. A sandwich, a bag of something crunchy, some resemblance of fruit, and a dessert. They never really complained. Matter of fact, I never remember hearing a grumble about their lunch. But now that they're home for lunch, it's like they've forgotten that a sandwich is sufficient! It's not long after I get the kitchen cleaned up from breakfast, they're asking what's for lunch! I'm seriously creating 3 meals a day! Sometimes I just don't have it in me . . . but today! Today, was a lunch success! Using left-over grilled chicken, and a few other ingredients, this lunch hit the lunch win! I started out just making this little lunch for my girl cherub. After I tasted it to see if it was seasoned right, I decided that we would all have it for lunch! I love t...