A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

I'm a self-proclaimed ranch dressing snob. I like ranch dressing, but I'm particular about it. So please do not offer the bottled ranch dressing to me. It's not my preference. Which is a nice way of saying I don't like it. It's nothing against bottled ranch dressing . . . it's that I just don't really like most bottled dressings. Confession time is over;  back to the ranch dressing. I like good ranch dressing. Ranch dressing with flavor. Ranch dressing with zip. Ranch dressing with depth. Ranch dressing that has "character" to it. That's why I like this ranch dressing. I think I ought to call it "green ranch dressing," because I mix it together in a blender, which does change the color of the dressing. But if you want to mix it by hand, then I think you'll not call your dressing "green ranch dressing." So, why do I mix it together in the blender, you ask? Because I like it really, real

Smoking meat is one of those things I really want to learn to do. Correction:  smoking meat is really one of those things I really want the MR. to learn to do! He has smoked meat a several times. But truthfully, there is an art to doing it well. Some people call that "a knack!" The problem is that the Mr. doesn't want to learn how to do this "art," as much as I want him to learn! Oh, the problems we have! But!  My smoking meat dilemma was cured a few weeks ago when a friend of ours offered to smoke some meat for us. He's really good at what he does! He's even won a "smoking competition." Now!  Before you go making wise cracks about that statement . . .I already know what you might say. Honestly, though . . . there's a lot to being able to smoke meat well. And well he did! After the meat was smoked, the Mr. and I put it into the freezer so that we'd have it when we wanted it. This week, with the crazy schedule

I can't even remember what I was fixing but I needed a side dish to serve with it. Oh wait!  Just typing that sentence made me remember what I was making! Ham! Which reminded me . . . I'm going to post my ham recipe! But not right now. Right now, it is about the potatoes. Since I was making a ham, I wanted to have a complete meal. You know, not the one-dish-call-it-good meal. But a meal that resembled thought, and preparation, and time, and love, and all those things! I had some potatoes in the refrigerator. I keep my potatoes there because I don't use them fast enough to keep them in a cute potato basket. Because if I kept them in a cute potato basket, my potatoes would be gross. And unusable. So I keep them cold so they won't get gross so fast. Now, before you start thinking about all the bad things that happen to cold potatoes. I know. The starch changes to sugar. They don't taste the same as if you store them &quo