Light and Frolicsome

   Today, at least, I succeeded.  Too many times in life I find myself feeling like I'm going through the motions.  I try to force the joy and happiness that should just come so naturally.  It's understandable, especially when life gets in the way of living, but it's not acceptable.  I've been trying in all the wrong ways to find my joy again.  Today when I stopped trying, it found me.  It always seems to work out that way, doesn't it?  So why don't I ever think to try that first?

     This morning I hit the gym with my new workout buddy, and together we tackled the first day of a 12-week body building program and then some.  My arms now protest if I lift them over my head, but it just reminds me that I'm alive.  After taking care of some of my usual duties (schoolwork, the house, etc.) I began to get that feeling again, that I was just going through the motions, and that I needed to get out.  That, of course, required a little mood music.  So I went to Youtube and began blaring the 80s music as I got changed from my sweaty workout attire to something cute.  Just then J came home and laughed as he pointed out that my outfit seemed to match the background music.  He came along for the ride when I decided to pick Monkey up from daycare early.  They both were pleasantly surprised when I decided on a whim that instead of staying straight to head home, I would turn the car left and head to the beach.  We played in the sand for a while, chasing each other, writing our names in the sand, and going on a "Spider hunt" at Monkey's request.  The beach trip was followed up by a spontaneous trip to the mall for cookies and pretzels.  As we headed home we watched the sun set over the water.

     It may not sound like much, but it was good for the soul just to be happy and unexpected.  As the mommy, too often I feel like I have to do exactly as others wish.  It's like I have a role to fill, and if I don't fill it properly I'll let someone down.  Today I felt like an actor who threw out the script, and came up with something brilliant anyway.  Kinda like what Harrison Ford did the day he decided to whip out his gun and shoot that bad guy instead of going through that long, arduous fight scene the writers had planned for him.

     Keeping with the whimsical theme I seem to have going here, I'd like to share a recipe from the Harry Potter Cookbook:

 Molly Weasley's Meatballs with Onion Sauce
For the Meatballs:
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup fresh or dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 onion, finely chopped
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

For the Onion Sauce:
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS all-purpose flour
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

For the meatballs, combine the beef, bread crumbs, eggs, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Heat the oil in a skillet.  Form the meat mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls, and working in batches, fry the balls on each side until well browned, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer meatballs to a dinner plate.  For the Onion Sauce, add 2 TBS oil to the skillet and heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.  Add the flour, and stir to combine.  Pour in the chicken broth and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling.  Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or wide egg noodles.

Learning to Laugh

     As most of you know through Facebook, my husband came home from deployment a little over a week ago.  That, plus the start of another school semester are my excuses for being absent from the blogging universe lately.  I knew it wouldn't be long, what with having my darling J back in the house, before I had a blog-worthy story to tell.  He didn't disappoint.
 
     Last night was our first official date night since he's been back.  We created a "Date Jar" about a day or two after his return.  It's an idea I found on Pinterest, although I didn't actually pin it, so I can't credit the original source.  (Sorry if you're the original source.)  Any-whoo, a Date Jar is a prettily decorated jar that you and your significant other fill with slips of paper.  On each piece of paper there is a short description of a date you'd like to go on.  For example, one of the slips I added says "Take a cooking class" and one of J's additions says, "Go to a shooting range".  We'll take turns pulling from the jar, and the goal is to do at least one "just us" date a month, but we threw in a few family dates as well so we can include Monkey.  I pulled first, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I read "Dinner (you pick) and a movie (I pick)".  No pressure!  Dinner and a movie is a cinch, especially since I've been dying to see The Hobbit since it came out.  I picked my part quite quickly, but J himmed and hawed for a few days.  I asked him Wednesday if he knew where we were going to eat yet.  He got this cute, mysterious grin on his face, and said, "Yeah, but I'm not telling."  Intrigued, I just said "Okay."  His face got a little brighter as he asked me if I wanted a hint.  Of course I did!  I love surprises, and I'm an expert and figuring them out before I get them, which is the fun part for me.  His hint was, "It's your favorite restaurant, but you don't get to eat there very often because it's a bit more expensive."  OMG!  He's taking me to Koi Sushi! I squealed on the inside.  Out loud I merely shrugged and said, "Oh, well then I know where we're going."  He just grinned, and we changed the subject.

      Yesterday we got home after looking at cars at about 3 pm.  I immediately locked myself in the bathroom and began the long, arduous task of curling my hair into those adorable 50s ringlets.  At 5:00, I was finally fully dressed and ready to go in my cute dress, high heels, curls and makeup.  I came downstairs and got that "Wow" moment from my husband every girl aims for when getting dolled up.  We loaded Monkey into the car to bring her to my friend's house for the evening.  As J backed the car out the driveway I asked in a knowing voice, "So baby, where are we going to eat?"  Without missing a beat, he turned and grinned at me and said, "Five Guys!" in a very self-satisfied voice.

     Over the years, being married to J has taught me a lot of things, but I think the biggest lesson I've learned from dealing with him is how to laugh.  I'm not perfect at it, but I've come to know that when moments like that happen I can either be angry and hurt and disappointed, or I can laugh it off, put on some blue jeans and enjoy a sloppy hamburger with my husband, the man who may not have a clue half the time, but sincerely tries to make me happy.  He's not perfect, but neither am I.  Together we make a mess out of thin air, but it's our mess, and it's a beautiful one.  He may not be some Casanova or Romeo, but the fact that he remembered me saying a few days before that I was craving a sloppy burger shows that he does think of me, and he is trying.  I love my husband, and more than anything, I'm thankful that he's home with me again so that I can learn to laugh again.

     Another thing I love having him around for is the food I get to cook!  Monkey is a great taste-tester, but she's got a tiny tummy, so I don't cook as much when it's just the two of us, but now I have no reason not to try out all the new recipes in my two new cookbooks.  The first one I tried was the Beef Casserole from the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook, and it was excellent.

Beef Casserole
Makes 4 servings

3 TBS vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
3 TBS all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 TBS tomato paste
10 oz mushrooms, sliced
Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven 350*F.  Heat 1 TBS of oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over the stovetop.  Add half the meat in a single layer and cook over high heat until crusty brown, about 5 minutes.  Turn the meat over an brown the other side.  Transfer the meat to large plate.  Wipe out skillet and add the other TBS of oil.  Repeat with the remaining meat.  Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining TBS of oil.  Heat the oil and add the onion and celery.  Cook over medium heat until the onion turns light brown, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, 10-15 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the onion and celery and stir until it is dissolved.  Add the broth while stirring.  Add the tomato paste, mushrooms, salt, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and bring casserole to a boil.  Turn off the heat.  Mix in reserved ground beef and any accumulated juices.  Cover the skillet and transfer it to the oven.  Bake the Casserole for 2 hours.  Stir the casserole every 30 minutes to make sure the bottom doesn't burn, and add water as necessary.  Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

     It was really good, but definitely not a weekday meal if you're a working mom.  It kinda reminded me of Beef Stroganoff without the sour cream.  J loved it, because as he put it, "It's manly food".  Goofball!

Pizza and Beer, Butterbeer that is....

    As I'm sure most of you read, I drowned my precious computer late last week while attempting to wash dishes and surf Pinterest simultaneously.  It obviously doesn't pay to multi-task.  The consequence for my folly is that I'm now typing on my husband's PC (yes I realize I'm running the risk of starting a PC vs MAC debate).  Don't get me wrong, I really don't care about the difference between a PC and a MAC, but since they are so different, I can see why people pick one side and stick to it.  I prefer my Mac simply because I find it easier.  That's just my opinion on the matter.  I don't need to hear yours :-P  That's why I'm the blogger, and you're the follower :-D

    Now that y'all have just discovered the true reason behind my blog, I think it's time I share what I've been up to since I put my poor Mac out of commission.  Of course, I have a few recipes I can't wait to share
:-)

    I was in a pizza mood this past week, so I made two versions of it.  Both came from Paula Deen's September/October 2011 issue, and both were very scrumptious.  The first was a Philly Cheesesteak Pizza.

You'll need:

1 (16 oz) pkg refrigerated pizza crust dough (or do what I do and buy a pkg of prebaked pizza crusts, they come two to a pack, so you can make both of these pizzas)
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 TBSP spicy brown mustard
8 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning

If you're using the refrigerated dough for the crust:
Let pizza dough rest according to package directions.  Preheat oven to 450.  Press dough into a 16" pizza pan or a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for five minutes.

If you bought a prepared pizza crust your directions start here:
In a large skillet combine beef, bell peppers, and onion.  Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until beef is browned and crumbly and veggies are tender.  Drain well.
Spread mustard over pizza crust.  Top with provolone cheese, beef mixture, and mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle with steak seasoning.  Bake for 8 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts.  Cut into wedges, and enjoy!

The Philly Cheesesteak Pizza was J's favorite.  Mine however was this next one.  It's a Chicken Club Pizza, and it's phenomenal!

What you'll need:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1 prebaked pizza crust
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftovers from last night's bbq, or whatever)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 cup tomato
2/3 shredded lettuce

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and ranch dressing until well combined.  Place pizza crust on a baking sheet, and spread with cream cheese mixture (I would recommend using only 1/2-3/4 of the ranch mixture; I used all of it, and I was scraping cream cheese off as I ate.)  Sprinkle chicken and bacon over pizza.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado slices.  Enjoy!

   I really think this was Monkey's favorite as well.  She liked both better than normal pizza, but she's her mama's child when it comes to her love of avocado!

  Soooooo, a friend of mine is slightly obsessed with Harry Potter, and by slightly, I mean she-who-must-not-be-named quotes it all the time.  Fortunately, I'm a pretty big Harry Potter fan myself, so I totally understand.  Sometimes I'm the only one who catches her quotes, but that's cool, because that means I can text her about awesome HP-related things I find.  The other night, I invited her over for dinner, and she was overjoyed when I pulled out the butterbeer recipe I have been dying to try.  I'm too lazy to type out another recipe so you can click here.  We both enjoyed it, although I did find it to be a bit too much.  I don't think it was too sweet, I think it was too buttery.  I may try it again with less butter, but for your viewing pleasure, here are a couple shots of the yummy concoction:

   And since I don't know how long it will be before my husband lets me take over his computer again (especially after he sees that I ragged it in this post), I'll give y'all one more for the road. It's a butterbeer latte, and theis was hands-down yummy!  I wouldn't change a thing about it, and if I could make myself wake up on time for a change I'd make it every morning.

I found the recipe on Pinterest, but I can't find the original post, so here's the photo:

   Now that you're probably sick of me again, I'm signing off  :-)  Here's hoping my amazing brother-in-law can save my poor computer before I get used to this stupid PC and have to relearn my Macbook all over again.  Nighty night all!