Another vivid dream...

Last night I dreamed about the wind.  But it wasn’t just any wind.  It was that wind that comes at night after another long day of wind.  It’s the wind you hear on the Llano, or in places like Andrews or Post.  What makes it so bad is that you have already spent all day listening to it so when night comes, you hope for calm but it never comes.  In the dream, I was in a house on a bit of a rise in the earth.  Not a hill because those are rare in places where the wind blows like this.  And as the wind began to blow, the house started to creak.  It was creaking from age and fatigue, just as tired of listening to the wind blow as I was in the dream.  But the house creaked and moved and I remember thinking, in the dream, this could be real, maybe my house really is moving with the wind and I’m not dreaming. That’s the reason the dream is so real—we have lived hearing that wind.  Then, in the dream, the house began to move down the rise, to turn on its side and be blown over the plains like everything else.  Where once before the houses had been the only constant standing against the wind, in the dream they became like the tumbleweeds, blowing until the barb wire fence stopped them and a stronger wind came along and lifted them over the fence.  In the dream, I was disoriented and confused.  I was looking for light as I tumbled in the house.  But the light never seemed to be where I thought it should be.  I woke up disoriented and confused for a second…and sneezing, always sneezing. 

It's going to be cold this weekend....

It's going to be cold this weekend and I'm sure your busy getting ready for the holidays.  Therefore, I have chosen to share my Split Pea Soup recipe today.  It seems rich and creamy but is actually easy to make and fairly inexpensive.  In my family, we always have simple vegetable soups the couple of days before Christmas to remind us that even if times are hard, there can be great comfort from the simple things. Plus cooking with your crock pot frees up your time to spend with people you love the most.  So, to that end, I hope you enjoy this...

Crock Pot Split Pea Soup

16 oz dried split peas

1-2 cups diced cooked ham

1 cup diced carrots

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 stalks chopped celery

2 garlic cloved, crushed with salt to a paste

1-2 tsps dried thyme, I always soak mine in oil for a few minutes

½ tsps. Salt and pepper

Chicken Broth to fill the crockpot 3/4 full

1 brick of cream cheese, softened

Put everything but cream cheese in the crock post on high and cook covered 4-5 hours.

Stir every hour or so.  After 5 hours, taste to make sure that all of the peas are well done---a bit mushy. If it looks like the liquid is getting low while cooking, add more broth.

Cube cream cheese and drop in.  Stir and continue cooking for another hour, stirring often to break down all the veggies and make sure the cream cheese is all mixed in.  It should have a velvety texture.

I serve it with cornbread croutons. 

Mashed Potatoes! (Exclamation)

I was at the grocery store this afternoon waiting in line with my turkey and $275 more groceries and I had a chuckle.  Three generation of grocery shoppers were behind me--mother, son, grandson.  The grandson was a bit out of control and after several attempts by the dad (half-ass if you ask me, "stop it" "settle down" "don't make me come over there" ) the grandmother turned around and said "If you can't control him, you can just go back home and I will have a peaceful Thanksgiving all by myself!"
It got real o'clock fast!!
But it made me think of all the food, and so...with a very special grave-related day fast approaching, I decided to share my mashed potatoes with you.  They probably aren't mine and you might already know.  They are creamy beyond belief and yummy...but not lite, fat free, or overly healthy in any way.  But they are delicious. I hope that you enjoy this as much as we do.  And as always, feedback or suggestions are always appreciated.  Happy Thanksgiving!!

3-4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, chopped and boiled
1 small can whole milk--or half and half--or lets face it, cream
2 Tbsp Butter
8 Oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Cook potatoes how you normally would if you are making mashed potatoes. Drain, salt and pepper* to taste and mash with a potato masher.  While they cool a bit, heat the milk/cream until it is about to boil. Add to the potatoes and mix with the mixer.  Add block of softened cream cheese and mix very well. Serve and act exhausted so that someone else does the dishes.

   From here, you can add other flavors.  For example, shredded colby/cojack cheese and roasted hatch green chili (even diced from the can) makes for an awesome side with steaks.  The green chili really hold up to the boldness of red meat.

  If you want to do a double stuffed baked potato, bake the potatoes instead of boiling.  Half and scoop out as you would a twice baked potato.  Instead of butter, add sour cream and cheddar cheese. Top with slices of precooked bacon--I cook the bacon to done but still limp or use that precooked bacon from the grocery store.  Put 2-3 slices of bacon side by side over the top and return to the oven for the second baking.

 If you feel like you need to channel your inner June Cleaver and make "iced" meatloaf, again, leave out the butter and cream and add shredded cheese and as the meatloaf is about done, ice as you would a cake.  Return to over and continue to cook.  Due to the fact that these potatoes are a bit stuff without the cream, they hold up very well and do not slide off the meatloaf.

*Whether you are making mashed potatoes or potato salad, after you have drained or before you mix add the salt and pepper directly to the potatoes.  Especially in the case of potato salad, you do not want a lump of unflavored potato.

Fancy Stuffed Mushrooms

I am always looking for new appetizers and one day I had a bit of a cocktail emergency.  I looked in the fridge and had mushrooms and cream cheese and some leftover Italian sausage in the freezer.  I wanted an appetizer that was very low in carbs and an idea was born.  I'm not a big fan of mushrooms but these I love, as does Phil.  Hopefully, you will as well.

Fancy Stuffed Mushrooms

½ Pound Ground Italian Turkey Sausage, browned and crumbled (If you can only find them in links, remove the casing)

8 oz Cream Cheese

½ c Shredded Parmesan Cheese

½ tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

30-40 Medium Mushrooms, brushed and stemmed

Brown and crumble Italian Turkey Sausage and let cool.  You only need half so you can freeze the other half for another time.  Mixed cooled sausage, cream cheese, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic until well mixed.  Generously fill the mushroom cap with the sausage mixture and dip in into the remaining parmesan cheese or sprinkle it on top.  Bake at 400° until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  

Recipe Debut--Mexican Chicken Soup

Some time back, I was craving a chicken soup but wanted to find a way to get what I wanted--fresh diced jalapenos--and for Phil to have what he wanted--no fresh diced jalapenos.  I had a bit of pico de gallo I had made and just added that.  But, I decided that it would be better if you could add the specific things you liked and not have the rest, plus of course it needed avocado.  That's how this recipe, and especially the presentation was born.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as we do.

Susan’s Mexican Chicken Soup

Cooked rice

Soup

1 white onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 large clove of garlic, well chopped or pressed

1 Tbsp Mexican oregano

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

1 chicken, cooked, deboned and shredded

4 cups of chicken broth

Deconstructed Pico de Gallo

1 bunch cilantro, minced

1 avocado, diced

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Optional

Shredded monterrey cheese

Tortilla chips

Cook rice according to the package directions.  Minute Rice isn’t as good but will work in a pinch and can be cooked in half broth/water for a bit more flavor.

You can boil the chicken and reserve the broth. Or, brushing the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasting it give the chicken a better flavor, even if you use canned broth.  I often use a rotisserie chicken as it is so even and has a good but of liquid that drains off.

In a small bowl, 2 Tbsp of olive oil and Mexican oregano and set aside.

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil and sauté onion, carrot and celery with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir often until the veggies begin to soften.  Add minced garlic and Mexican oregano mix.  Stir well and cook until you begin to smell the garlic.  Add the shredded chicken and stir until the chicken is warm.  Add chicken broth.  Stir well.  Cover and reduce heat to low once this comes to a boil.  Watch for any film that might gather around the rim of the pot and skim it off. 

While the soup simmers for 20-30 minutes, mince cilantro, dice avocado, seed and chop both the tomato and jalapeno but do not mix together.  This is a deconstructed pico.

Place a scoop of rice in a soup bowl and ladle the soup over this. Add cilantro, avocado, tomato and jalapeno as desired.   I also serve it with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

 

This freezes and reheats well in the crockpot.

Kerri, I need a drink on the beach stat!!!

Yea, that's right. When I visited Kerri an age ago, she fixed me a nice vodka orange juice combo and took me to sit on the beach. Today, the weather was overcast and very moist and for a moment, I had a deja vu of that wonderous time. Then I remembered that I was in TX, and the twins were far away. ah the sadness...
I finally did my hair and it is pink--like my avatar on yahoo in case you were wondering. The other night at church one of my friends came up to me and said that she had seen me talking to the preacher. She asked if I thought that the preacher could take me serious with my pink hair. At first, I was, okay, your right, I was not offended cause I have often wondered if the preacher does take me seriously. But of course, I think taking myself too seriously would cause much trouble.
Today is only Wednesday and that makes me sad. I don't think that this week will ever end. Ok, that is my bitch for the day.
Now I am going to list a few things that make me happy and I hope that you have a lot of luck with them too.
1. that giant martini glass I always see at wal-mart
2. orange pens--I emailed the Pilot company asking for orange pens and can you believe that they sent me a reply telling me that they don't send out special requests and I woul have to buy the pens in a multipack like every other person. What nerve!
3. the fact that my dog has no feelings for Phil except comtempt--I can really get behind that
4. sonic ice, need I say more
5. cold weather--A person of my weight should really live in a cold climate.
6. green chilis
Well, I shall close here. I am sorry that I don't have a funny story for today but if you read back a few days and change "english/Language Arts" to "math" and "ELA teacher" to "math teacher," you will begin to see a pattern emerge. I am thinking about just sending out a mass email to all of James' teachers and saying I know he is a bit of a clown and yes his father and I are working on it. And yes, we will tell him to study more. I am going to call it my pre-emptive clown strike.
I hope that you all have a wonderful day.

Happy 4th of July!!  Hope you all have a great day.

It has been raining here for a solid week.  The house smells musty; the dogs smell musty; my soul feels musty.  I have been sewing a bit but hit a roadblock the other day.  I can't figure out how to finish my place mats.  The Boy will be here in a week and I can't wait to see him.

Good morning!

I had a dream about high school last night.  We were going out, but before we could the guys in our class wanted us to do their laundry.  Weird!! The Boy has been gone almost a week.  Though I am in Ft Worth, knowing that he isn't in Waco and I can see him when I go home makes me miss him more.  I think I have to start working on my cookbook.  I have lots of ideas and when I was talking with Julie she pointed out that I need to get them on paper.  Writing is on my list of things that I need to get back to do doing.  I don't really have an amusing anecdote this morning but we are going to eat at Don Pablo's later and I am very excited about that!!  Hope you all have a good day!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

2016 Already...

I really wonder if anyone but me even remembers this?

Love,
Susan

Trees and Mistresses (Mistrii?)

So I haven’t posted on here in sometime, but after a chat with a friend decided I need to get back to this. I do miss it and think about it often…I put up my Christmas Tree on Saturday/Sunday (yes, it took two days) and worked on it a bit more yesterday and I can now say my house is decorated. Putting up all the decorations has inspired me to share a list with you.


10 Things putting up my Christmas tree reminded me of:

1. Well, Christmas.

2. The reoccurring dream I have where I discover it is Christmas Eve and I don’t have any presents for The Boy.

3. Pie.

4. Waking up really early to the smell of Turkey.

5. Once referring to a doll as Santa’s mistress.

6. A Dirty Santa—the drink not the bum

7. Christmas parties…because I love going to Christmas parties.

8. Watching “Finding Nemo.”

9. Kwanza…because one year Mom accidently purchased and used Kwanza paper.

10. A Colbert Christmas…because we bought it for James a few years ago but only last year did he really understand it.

I hope that you will take a minute to think of a few fond memories of you own.

Love,

tw

Allergies...and these are just the foods....

++++STRONGEST
Soybeans
Oranges
Hazelnuts

+++STRONG
Wheat
Cayenne Pepper
Mustard
Coconuts

++MODERATE
Bananas
Pineapple
Garlic
Pistachios
Peanuts
Pinto Beans

+MILD
Peaches
Lobster
Cow's Milk
Eggs
Melons
Corn

This is what I am dealing with, you see. I have been free of these food since April 1 and I feel better. So now, I can't justify eating any of this stuff! There will be more to come.

Sunday morning...the day before school starts...

Good morning! It is 9:30 am here and I am watching This Week with Christiane Amanpour and having my coffee. No one is here to make my breakfast so I guess I will just have more coffee. Phil and the boy went to the club to play golf. Well, tomorrow the boy goes back to school--sophomore, you know. So much has happened over the summer...I have a new love--It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and grilled peanut butter & chocolate syrup sandwiches (which I believe is called "a charlie" on IASP.) Very very good so I try not to make them very often. They sort of taste like a peanut butter cookie with a tiny bit of chocolate. I bet they would be even better with nutella. But then, what isn't? (Oh good, George Will is back from vacation. Even though I don't agree with him--I like for him to be in his seat every Sunday morning.) Well, that is all for right now. I am trying to write on this a bit every day to stay in the habit of writing. Thanks for your time.

List for the day.

1. On monday, James starts school; he will be a sophomore. I cried when he started kindergarten but there will be no tears on monday. This is the last year I will have to drive him--I hope.
2. I am feeling a bit light-headed. Why do you think that is?
3. Last night, my friend Pam made a red snapper stuffed with a chorizo and shrimp stuffing that was so freaking good. She made a sour cream, green chili sauce to put on top. Goood!
4. I love twins--all the twins in my life.
5. I need to write on this more.
6. Last night, I won at scrabble. I think that was the first time it ever happened.
7. I love Rob Zombie
8. I have started using a curling iron on my hair again. I burned myself yesterday and for some reason it reminded me of the 80s.
9. A friend texted me last night and it made me happy.
10. Phil is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An "aha" moment!

I finally found out what my job is--"mothers are supposed to make their sons feel better." I am so glad I now know that. I am sure this will make my life much easier and supposedly it is easier than actually telling the truth.

Later, that same day...a list of what I want.

1. Dr. Pepper
2. To not get weird vibes from friends.
3. A really good recipe for something Italian with tuna in it. I am currently working on this one.
4. A copy of Tender Mercies and The Alamo--the one with Billy Bob Thornton as David Crockett and Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston...got 'em both!
5. Really Really Cold weather.
6. Stronger will power.
7. My puppy to be 100% house trained.
8. Spicy shrimp and garlic bread.
9. Lonnie Broadaxe on Hulu.
10. An explanation of why Serius plays Cars music.

I would like to thank you, the fans, God and my mom! Peas out!

It IS hot and dangerous out there!

Yesterday, I went on a field trip with James' freshman class. They ordered 600 sack lunches and we had 13 buses of students. I don't know the exact number of people that went but it was a lot! We went to the fair and heard a woman talk about how important farmers are, and then she proceeded to tell us that gum has something in it that comes from a pig. I am not going to lie--that did freak me out a bit but then I remembered that I like ham, bacon, sausage, pork chops etc so I unfreaked. Then we took a tour of McLennen Community College -MCC- and Baylor. Hot, humid, loud and lots and lots of mosquitoes! It would have been a perfectly lovely day if there had not been kids. But then again, doesn't that really describe most days. Just kidding, your kids are perfectly lovely and no, they really don't have a compilation of their parents worst traits. And of course, they are the smartest people I have ever met. I mean, after all, your kids know most of the 50 states, just like you said, they are great singers. And yes, I do agree that it was all political that they are on the second string of the chess club. And you are right, it is a crying shame that every year you have to conference with teachers because, even though you have had your children tested, the teachers don't seem to understand that the children are oral learners so expecting them to read to learn is truly a hardship. And don't even tell me the story about how, before kindergarten, they couldn't make the "b"sound, so they said "sass time" and "sye sye." Those stories are just too cute and I really can't handle hearing them again for the hundredth time. It really is too much. And yes, for the last time, it would be great if your kids could come over to play with my kids the next time you have errands to run; however, my dogs are really allergic to laundry detergent and I believe the type you use really makes them cough. And, although, it is very kind to offer to buy doggie medicine if you kids come over and it makes the dogs sick, I just can't ask you to do that. Oh, yes, the next time you take the kids to swim, we will definitely come along. Oh really, your children are Olympic quality swimmers and yes, they really could teach my children how to be better swimmers. Just let me know, and if we are free, we will be there. Tomorrow, oh sorry, we are all having root canals tomorrow. The next day, no busy too. How about if I call you when I get home and can look at my date book? Oh, your taking your kids to your husband's office--I agree, everyone does love the boss's kids. Yes, I have your cell number and I will give you a call. Sure, you call me later. Hopefully my cell phone won't die. I would HATE to miss your call! Okay, bye. --as I mumble to myself, ya, sure, I'll be taking that call.

Please direct all hate-mail to the following address:

Hateful Bitch
665 Angry Avenue
Bitterton, East Odiousas, 66666

Oh the humiliation...

So tomorrow, the boy's class--all of the 9th grade--is going on a field trip and I am going to chaperon. Oh, the horror, the humiliation, the, the, the...please don't go, please. I am not covered in cholera. Oh well. On other fronts, the oven is working wonderfully. I made a little pizza on some garlic naan with pesto and mozzarella for an appetizer. It was very very good. In fact, I only made one and got howled at for not having more. Oh these people.
Today, it rained here almost all day. I love rainy days but only if I can stay home and cuddle on the couch with husband, blanket and puppy. No chance of that today. Phil had to work, to warm for blanket and the puppy is not real into cuddling. But Koko is, so she cuddled when I had my afternoon coffee. She is way more loyal than anyone else I live with, except Phil, Rosie, Biskit, most of the furniture and the cars. Notice who I left out? Not really, the boy is great and likes me very much from a distance.
I am once again working, slowly, on my thesis. I actually have a good, I hope, topic and am almost finished with the prospectus. Then I just have to get it approved. And then, revise etc. Hopefully I will be writing in full swing by November. We shall see.
I hope that you all have a good evening. More later...

Dora, Backpacks, and Coop-ens!!

I don't know if anyone out there is still subscribing to this but am going to try and write again--not every day but often. I haven't written since before we moved to Waco and that was a very long time ago, so I will give up an update of what has happened in list form:
1. House, job and the Boy's school are all good.
2. Still writing on the thesis--I know, I am slow and kind of pathetic.
3. New puppy named Biskit.
4. The Boy is playing the bass guitar--very very well.
5. My life theme-song is "Basketcase" by Green Day. Appropo, no?
6. We are slowly teaching the Boy to drive.
7. I still hate hot weather.
8. My oven caught on fire on the first day of school as I was making cookies for the Boy.
9. The Boy is in high school.
10. I went to a motorcycle rally over the weekend and saw Dr.Hook and Bad Company.

I had so much fun with my friends at the bike rally. We say motorcycles, hell raisers (saw them/were them, whatever,) dare devils, drank some good beer, and watched a great concert( see above.) Sherry R.G. and I met up in Snyder and then met up with some old friends and just had a crazy time. I still love her so much and think that she is one of the most fun people I know. The best part of all, however, was that I got to hang out with one of the dearest friends I have ever had. We reconnected again after nearly, nearly 20 years and I am so glad to have that friendship back in my life.
Let me just say also, nothing makes a girl feel good about herself like a bike rally. First of all, I don't look to rough so that was better than some. Second, those bikers totally dug us. After all, we were way cute--2 1/2 lids worth someone once said. That means alot, I think.
I shall close here for today thanking all of you for your continued interest in my ranting! YOU ROCK!!!