Wabbits

We put down a deposit on the cutest little bundle of fur yesterday.

His soft and sweet and oh so tiny.

Say hello to Butterscotch!

Sleeping In

Through some sort of grace and love, my sweet husband lets me sleep in every Saturday morning. I know, you're thinking how awesome that is. And I do, too. Except that by the time I get my lazy bones out of bed the rest of the world in our little abode has been up for hours. Yes, hours. You see, they are early risers or at least earlier than me.

I feel so behind all day that I'm just not sure it's worth it anymore. Maybe I should just start taking a nap instead. I really like my sleep. In fact, as a child my body was so in tune with my need for sleep that no matter where I was or what I was doing, at 9pm I would find myself a little place and go right to sleep.

I think with another rainy day today a nap is most definitely in order. Bliss.

Company Girl Coffee (Tea) 27march2009

Good morning, Sunshine! I hope you are having a fantastic day today. I woke up this morning to fog, fog, fog. But that also means we'll have more rain today and I don't have to hand-water my garden. WooHoo! Don't get me wrong...I love having a garden, or should I say I love harvesting a garden. I could take or leave the actual taking care of it. Not because I don't want to or don't like to, I just get distracted and forget to actually water it from time to time. It's a character fault I am continually working towards rooting out.

We've got school to finish up today as well as some errands. It's our CRED - Crazy Run Errands Day. In the rain and fog. Yippee. I still need to finish some laundry and get the house looking like a house instead of a bomb site.

The man and I also have a date tonight while the little girlie goes to her grandparents house for a sleepover with one of her girlie cousins and the boy stays home with a sitter all to himself. Tomorrow is a kids' birthday party for a friend from church and then tomorrow night I get a night out all to myself! I know...pure bliss. Still haven't decided what I will do with this coveted time, but I'm sure I'll think of something totally useless and random.

We are hopefully going to a rabbitry on Sunday afternoon. The princess has been wanting a rabbit for about a year now and I have a friend who raises rabbits not too far from us. We want to make sure neither of the kids are allergic to them and no asthma is set off. Then we actually have to find a place for the little critter to live. We think our screened porch is going to be it's little domain, but we don't even have a cage yet. First things first.

So, what are y'all doing this weekend? How's your week been?

Deep Thoughts

I've been pondering if I could actually post every day. Still not sure about that one, as I just don't know that I would have that much to say. Those of you who know me in real life (my mom and maybe 2 others!) can stop laughing and pick yourself up off the floor now. I'll wait.

Seriously...it would probably just end up being a lot of stuff. But, maybe that's just what I need. A place to put all that stuff that's continually running around my head. It will most likely bore you all to tears. If it does, just let me know and I'll start yet another journal. I've started so many and only kept up with them for a few weeks, at most. And then I get distracted or forget or get bored with myself and move on. Hmmm, that happens with more than just journaling with me. You know...see/hear about something new and shiny, want it, dream about it, get it, play with it for a few days, move on to the next thing. Geez. I sound like a three-year-old.

Welcome to my husband's world. That man must really LOVE me. Thank the good Lord above he does.

I think that's all for now. The kids needs some schooling and the house needs cleaning and we need some groceries around these parts. I'll probably be back later with yet more deep insights into the world according to Aimee.

Bread

I've been on a Friendship Bread kick lately. I love that yeasty smell and my kids like mushing the bags every day. I also like that the recipe is so basic and so versatile. You can make bread, muffins or mini-muffins, or all three if you have enough starters! We've made the traditional cinnamon (YUM!) and also the chocolate version (highly recommended!). But my favorite part is sharing with friends, old and new. Every 10 days I get an opportunity to bless someone else with something from my own kitchen. And that makes me smile.

I definitely like to show my love by cooking and doing. I am an Acts of Service kind of gal. I like to keep my hands busy. But I also like to just sit and visit. Friendship Bread lets me do both. So, I have plenty of starters if you live nearby.

I'll be baking again this weekend and I'll post some pictures of the whole process.

Happy Baking!

Weekly Menu

Well, it's been awhile since I've actually taken the time to sit down and figure out what we'll be eating for an entire month. So, instead, here's what I've got planned for at least the next week. I tend to plan my weeks on a Thursday-Wednesday basis since the grocery stores here change out their ads on Wednesdays and I usually run my errands on Thursdays or Fridays. I'll try to post recipes for things if I use a specific recipe. If there's something here you don't know how to cook or have questions about how we do it in our kitchen, just ask!

• Fried shrimp and Fried fish, baked potatoes, broccoli, rolls
• Lasagna, Foccacia, Salad
  
• Chicken Puffs, glazed carrots
• Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas, biscuit

Happy Cookin'!
Aimee

More than food

Hey y'all! Just thought I'd pop in and let you know that I have been cooking these past few weeks. However, life is more than food. I know...shocking, isn't it. Anyway, just like your life, mine has been hectic lately with sick kiddos, sick hubby and now sick me. Not to mention we've had a bit of nice weather and we've been taking advantage of the sunshine and temps above 40 to get outside and tame the backyard into submission. We are expanding our vegetable garden this year as well as adding some fruit bushes and herbs. I'll take some photos of that and maybe even document our progress. Don't hold me to it, though.

So, I'm still cooking but just not writing down every detail of it. There's been a lot of leftovers, frozen pizza and reviving things from the freezer. I'll be back to posting more regularly soon. I hope.

In the meantime, whatcha been cooking? Got any good recipes to share? Got a question?

Happy Cooking!

4 Soups

I found this today over at Pleasant View Schoolhouse. Anna has some great recipes over there and I thought these four soups were great for those cold, grey winter days. Hope you enjoy them!

Still here...

Yep, I'm still here. It's been a little crazy around here and I haven't been able to sit down and actually put my thoughts together enough for them to make sense to me or anyone else! I'll hopefully be posting later today, or at least over the weekend, our menu options for the next few weeks.

In the meantime...what are y'all cooking these days?

January's Verse

Rachel Anne, over at Home Sanctuary, has posted our focus verse for January. She always makes such beautiful artwork to help us reflect on each month's verse and this month is no different. She has taken us back to one year ago when she first started those small, daily things we could do to make our homes a sanctuary for the ones who live there and those who visit. Psalm 90:17 helps me to remember that without God's help, all the work I put into my home, including cooking, will really amount to nothing. However, if I commit my work to Him, there will be beauty and rest in all that I do. Thanks for the reminder Rachel Anne!

Shrimp Scampi

We helped my husband's parents bag fresh shrimp last week. As payment, we get shrimp by the quart (about 1.5 lbs. each) whenever we want it. So, last week I brought home 3 quart-sized bags and put them in our freezer. Scampi is another quick and easy dish that we could easily have once a week I didn't mind us all reeking of garlic. I usually make homemade Foccacia bread and serve a salad if I have my act together enough to make one.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. fresh shelled shrimp
• butter (Under no circumstances are you to use margarine. If you don't have butter, wait until you get some before making this. Seriously.)
• fresh garlic, minced - as much as you like (You can use the already minced in olive oil, but you need it as fresh as possible...no dried.)
• white wine (I prefer to have the real stuff; better flavor and more depth.)
• 1 c. sliced fresh baby Bella mushrooms
• 1-2 tsp. flour
• 8 oz. angel hair pasta
  

Method
Saute mushrooms in plenty of butter. Reduce heat and add in garlic. Cook for approximately one minute being careful not to burn the garlic. Toss in some white wine and more butter. Add a little white wine (or water, if you prefer) to the flour to make a slurry and then add to mushrooms and garlic. You want the liquid to be the consistency of a thin gravy and you want plenty of it to coat the shrimp and be the sauce for your pasta. So, keep adding in butter and white wine until you get it how you like it. If it needs to be thicker, just make the flour/wine/water slurry to thicken it a bit. Just remember NOT to add in the flour on its on. It doesn't make friends with the other ingredients very easily and will stick together and get all lumpy. Not good.

While you're doing all this, cook your pasta according to directions; drain, toss with a little olive oil and keep warm.

Now that your sauce has come together and your pasta is ready, it's time for the shrimp. Toss it in and cook for about 3 minutes or until no longer pink. You want to keep it moving in the pan so that it all cooks together and gets a good coating of the sauce. Remove from heat and toss in pasta.

You can serve this a number of ways. Sometimes I add in little pieces of broccoli when I add in the garlic and let it cook in the pan. Other times I've blanched some asparagus and then served the scampi over it. Delicious! I've also tossed in some torn pieces of fresh spinach after I've removed the scampi from the heat and just let the spinach wilt a bit. Oh. my. So good.

I'll post the Foccacia recipe later. Time to get cooking for tonight!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This has become a favorite of ours. So much so that when I was preparing it the other night and my kids asked what we were having, their response was "Oh good! I love that!"

Ingredients
1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice
1-10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic condensed soup
1-10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken with herbs condensed soup
milk
2 chicken breasts
1 large head broccoli

Method
Preheat oven to 350F. Cook rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, boil chicken in large pot for approximately 10 minutes. Allow chicken to cool; dice. Cut broccoli into small pieces and steam for 2 minutes. Drain water and set aside.

Combine soups, rice, chicken, broccoli and one soup can of milk. Pour into 3 qt. baking dish and bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

*Quick and Dirty Method*
Use a rotisserie chicken and pull off enough meat to equal 2 cups. Microwave 2 packages of the Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, Long Grain and Wild Rice. Combine all ingredients and bake as above.

I sometimes saute a few mushrooms if I have them in the fridge and toss those in as well. You can easily substitute another veggie for the broccoli or omit it completely and serve a different side. I like combining it all because I'm lazy like that.

Shrimp & Grits

A southern favorite! Here's my spin on it and what we're eating tonight!

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh shrimp, shells on
1 c. grits (I prefer stone-ground but the quick-cooking kind work fine, too.)
2 c. water
1/2-3/4 c. milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3-4 shakes Tabasco sauce
butter
salt
pepper
*edited to add* 2-3 T. chopped bacon (I use the Oscar Meyer bacon pieces in the salad section of the grocery store. Less mess and tastes good, too!)
1 t. minced garlic (I use the garlic already minced in olive oil. Quick and easy and no sticky garlic fingers!)

Method
Fill a large stock pot 3/4 full with water and salt heavily. Bring to a boil and add shrimp. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until pink. Remove from heat, drain and rinse with cold water. Peel and set aside.

In a Dutch oven bring 2 c. water to a boil. Reduce heat and slowly add in grits, stirring with a whisk. Add 1/2 c. milk and continue stirring. Once milk is heated through, stir in cream cheese until completely incorporated. If too thick, add milk, depending on consistency needed. Add Tabasco, salt, pepper and generous amounts of butter. Continue stirring with whisk to insure the grits don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Stir in bacon pieces and garlic.

When grits are fully cooked and are creamy and smooth, fold in shrimp until heated throughout. Remove from heat and serve with hot buttered biscuits.

Easy Potato-Sausage Soup

This recipe is one of our favorites. It is quick, easy, delicious and what I'm cooking tonight!

HT to Anne Garner for passing this one along!

Ingredients
1 lb. pork sausage
4 c. (16 oz.) frozen hash browns
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
2 c. water
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of celery soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup (sometimes I sub. cream of mushroom)
2 c. milk
shredded cheddar cheese

Method
Brown sausage in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and return to Dutch oven. Add potatoes and next 3 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in soups and milk; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated. Do not boil. Garnish, if desired, with shredded cheddar cheese.

Serve with pimiento cheese sandwiches or pimiento cheese toast.

Monthly Menu Plan

Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary posted today's "Simple Thing". And guess what it was...a monthly menu plan! Hooray! I sat down this morning and made one and then found out that Rachel Anne would give me 100 points for doing it!

So, here's my plan for the month. I don't have exact days planned, because although our life and routine are fairly normal, my moods aren't and I may decide I want to cook Chicken Pot Pie on a day I have "scheduled" to make soup. And I like to have options and plenty of flexibility. I have 20 meals listed. Yes, I know it seems like that won't get me through the month, but it will. We have 2 adults and 2 children in our house and I usually cook enough each meal for 4-6 adults. There are almost always leftovers for hubby's lunch and for eating later in the week. We try to have a date once a week and the kids get "kid fare" that night. And we usually have one night that is either leftovers or breakfast-for-supper.

Oh, one more thing...I pair sides according to my mood as well. We usually have some kind of starch and at least one vegetable, and some kind of bread. One goal for this year is to incorporate more salads, but we'll see if I can really do it or not.

I'll hopefully post recipes as I make the dish, but if you see something you want more info. on and don't want to wait, just let me know. I may post pics, too. We'll see how much time I have!

Pastas

• Shrimp Scampi
• Spaghetti with meatballs
• Lasagne (yes, I know it's spelled Lasagna, but I like the French way better!)
• Ravioli

Soups

• Vegetable Beef
• Baked Potato
• Butternut Squash
• Maple Pumpkin Bisque
• *edited to add Easy Potato-Sausage Soup
  

Poultry

• Chicken Pot Pie
• Blackberry Balsamic Chicken
• Jambalaya
• Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Pork

• Tenderloin
• Chops

Beef

• Meatloaf
• Shepherd's Pie
• Steak
• Stir-fry

Seafood

• Athenian Shrimp
• Shrimp and Grits
• you could put the Scampi here too, but since it's so heavy on the pasta, I stuck it there.

Happy Cooking!