A Day Of Sloth

We have done absolutely nothing today and it's been wonderful! There aren't many days when you can say that.
I'm gearing up for the Grammys. My boys are up for 4 awards.

I just wish I didn't have to sit through so many horrible acts just to see The Kings of Leon! There is supposed to be a tribute to Les Paul too. That will be pretty cool. Hope that you're having a wonderful Sunday! Maybe yours will be much more productive than mine!

Yay Chocolate!

I never win anything, so what a nice surprise to get these chocolates in the mail today. I participated in a quiz at Home Haven Ministry. Thanks again Deanna. Now I just have to hide them from the boys!

Because Every Blog Needs A Cheesy Post

1. Grab the nearest book to you, turn to page 18 and find line 4. What does it say? Miguel's English was passable, but not nearly as good as Juan's had been.

2. Before you started this survey what were you doing? Watching John Mayer on Storytellers.

3. With the exception of the computer what can you hear? The Foo Fighters

4. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? I went out this evening to take pictures.

5. Do you usually remember your dreams? In vivid detail!

6. When did you last laugh? While I was making dinner. Hunter was doing an impression of the Nard Dog! We're always laughing in this house.

7. What is on the walls of the room you are in? A print of Rome and The Dancing Butler print by Jack Vettriano

8. What is the last film you saw? The Boys Are Back. I loved it. I am such a sucker for boys, they kill me.

9. If you moved to another state where would you go? Seattle, oddly enough, for the rain. Love it.

10. Tell me something about you that most people don't know. I collect take out menus, read the description and recreate the dish at home. Yeah, I'm a nerd. It's challenging at times but fun when you get it right!

11. Do you like to dance? I like it although I'm not good.

12. Would you ever consider living abroad? I would like a long visit to Italy.

13. What is the last thing you downloaded on your computer? A chess app for Hunt's Ipod.

14. Type of music you like most? singer/songwriter

15. Type of music you dislike most? country

16. Are you listening to music right now? yes, Foo Fighters, Skin and Bones

17. If you could change something about your home what would it be? I really want to screen in the back porch.

18. What was the last thing you bought? fresh basil

19. Have you ever driven a motorcycle? driven, crashed, got a concussion

20. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? No, I have no interest whatsoever

21. Do you have a garden? we had one in the summer. I really want to start an herb garden.

22. Do you really know all the words to the National Anthem? yes I do

23. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? I immediately think of the time and check it

24. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be? Caleb Followill

25. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Wolf Camera or Williams Sonoma

26. What time is bedtime? never before 1 am

27. How many tattoos do you have? zero

28. If you don't have any, have you ever thought of getting one? no, tattoos aren't for me

29. Who was the last person you ate dinner with? I ate alone tonight for the first time in a long time.

30. Is the glass half empty or half full? half full

31. Are you a good cook? I think so

32. Do you know how to pump your own gas? of course, although I wish there was an attendant to do it for me.

33. Do you touch type? yes

34. What time do you get up? 6:15 ugh

35. What is your favorite time of the day? twilight

36. Where did you grow up? Jonesboro, Ga

37. How far do you live from there now? 30 minutes

38. What are some of the different types of jobs you've had in your life? pharmacy tech, phlebotomist, mom

39. What is most important in life? Family

Waffle House Waffles

These are the best waffles. The trick is to make sure you chill the batter overnight! Who needs the Waffle House when you can make them this good at home?


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1 tbls of sugar
2 tbls of butter, softened
2 tbls vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of half and half
1/ c milk
1/4 cup of buttermilk
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract

1. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda and stir.

2. Beat the egg in another bowl, add sugar, butter, and shortening. Mix well with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half and half, milk, buttermilk and vanilla.

3. Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Only mix briefly, it's ok if the batter is lumpy. Chill overnight, break out the waffle iron in the morning and enjoy!

Short and Sweet

Enjoying the fire with a nice glass of Sangria. Who says you can't drink a summer wine in the dead of winter? Makes me want to Salsa!

I Should Be Leaving This Climate

No snow here yet. I really hope that it passes us by. It's really pretty coming down, but I hate the mess it makes. I love cold weather and sitting by the fire but I'm already dreaming of a tropical island and boat drinks. As Jimmy would say, "I gotta go where it's warm."

I normally don't make New Year resolutions, too cliche, this year is different. I resolve to pick up my camera more. I'm guilty of waiting for the perfect shot to present itself. Which is exactly how to not get that great shot. Today I captured some of my son's drawings.




He does such a great job, he's still interested in the boobies though. Cracks me up. Oh well, at least they are in proportion.


Hope everyone stays warm and is careful out there!

C'est Magnifique!

Thanks to the Pioneer Woman we now have a new favorite dish in our house. I tried Coq au Vin and it was a success. You can't really go wrong with a recipe that has wine as it's main ingredient. The recipe calls for Burgundy but I decided to use Cavernet Sauvignon. Pinot Noir would be good as well.


The only thing in this recipe that didn't go over so well with my kids were the mushrooms. They just can't get used to the texture of them.
I had to pull out the cute dishes for this!

Whatever you do, don't use a non stick skillet. I used a big stainless steel one, it allows all of those good browned bits to stick to the pan. When you deglaze with wine, stir 'em all up. Yum!!

• 1 whole Fryer Chicken
  
• 4 slices Bacon, Cut Into Small Pieces
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Diced
• ½ cups Carrots, Washed, Peeled, And Roughly Chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced
• 2 cups Burgundy Wine
• 1 pound Pasta (egg Noodles Or Fettucini)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• Parsley, Fresh, Minced
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Saute bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium low heat until fat is rendered. Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside. Increase heat to medium.

Salt fat side of chicken pieces, then place chicken, fat side down, in skillet and cook in bacon grease until both sides are nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside in a 2-quart baking dish, skin side up.

Saute onions, carrots and garlic in bacon grease until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from grease with slotted spoon and set aside.

In a separate skillet, saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Layer half of the bacon pieces, carrot/onion mixture, and mushrooms in pan with chicken.

Drain grease from the large skillet, then place over medium heat. Pour in 2 cups Burgundy wine, using a wire whisk to scrape loose all the burned/brown bits. Lightly salt liquid and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons butter.

Serve chicken in a pasta bowl with noodles, sprinkling minced parsley over the top. Spoon juice from baking dish over the top of everything.

Wendy's Chili

As if you needed another chili recipe right? This one is so good though. It tastes so much like Wendy's! I've had it simmering all day. It such a great day for it too, it's so cold here. Hope you enjoy!


2 pounds of ground beef
1 can (29oz) tomato sauce (I prefer Dei Fratelli)
1 can (29 oz) kidney beans with liquid
1 can (29 oz) pinto beans with liquid
1 medium onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 celery rib diced
3 medium tomatoes chopped
2 teaspoons of Cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Brown the beef, drain, add remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 2-3 hours.

Blah Blah Blah

I had a few left over Christmas pictures that I wanted to post, and also a really good cookie recipe. Although I don't have a picture of the finished product.

If this post makes no sense it's because my son has his headphones on my ears while he is controlling his Ipod. I'm supposed to give him the thumbs up or down for each song he plays. So far he has gone through the entire Beatles catalog. Did I mention how sick of the Beatles I am? Ugh, I liked so many of their songs until his dad bought him Beatles Rockband, kind of ruined it for me. Now if they made a Kings of Leon Rockband that would be an entirely different story! Ok, he has moved on to the Foo Fighters, finally!

We watched 500 Days of Summer tonight. Loved that movie, even if I'm only a hipster wanna be. I'm a big Zooey Deschanel fan! The soundtrack is really good too.

I'm going to try my hand at Co au Vin tomorrow. That is if I have some burgundy on hand. My luck, with tomorrow being Sunday, I'll be out.

Ha! Now he's playing "Stairway to Heaven" but he said I had to promise not to sing it. How do you listen to that song and not sing along? Impossible, and you know I sound good with these headphones on and the house as quiet as it is. Ha! Enough babbling!





Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands
1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At
low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula. With floured hands, take out about 1
tablespoon of dough and shape into a ball. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies.
Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in
additional confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.