The whirlwind

The last few weeks and months have been so busy with schedules, family things, traveling, teaching, working... It is finally sinking in that I can stop and catch my breath, even if it is just for a few days. There's more on the near horizon (a.k.a. this coming weekend), and the calendar is far from empty, but for right now I can sit a bit.

Teaching is over for the year. For the last day of class I "made" brownies (from a box mix) with cream cheese frosting (from a can). I was trying to make them slightly relevant, hence the red, white and blue pretzel m&ms. We had a "guest speaker" and I think the kids enjoyed it. It's been a good year. I do need to jump into planning lessons for next year before the time gets away from me, but I think first I should take a break. It's probably best for me and for future lessons if I step away for a little bit (especially since the thought of beginning again is pretty intimidating at the moment).







Grading- In the words of Uncle Ben (I think?) from Spider Man 1: "With great power comes great responsibility" (and of course there's James 3:1). I have certainly been conscious of this as I have been grading research papers and final exams. It's finally done. Final grades mailed last week. Whew.






Muffins- Sometimes you just need to do a little baking. My take-off on Leah's white chocolate almond muffins are pretty much my favorite muffin. I use regular whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup each brown and white sugar, and regular (not Greek) plain nonfat yogurt. I add chopped almonds, semisweet chocolate chips instead of white, and dried cranberries. Nuts, dark chocolate and dried cranberries might be my favorite combination. (Now that I think about it, I could use chopped fresh cranberries too...the tartness might be a good contrast. Plus, it could mean less sugar?)

I was very pleased with my canned stewed apples, and I think if I do any canning the year is will be more of that. The canned peaches didn't turn out as well as I wanted. They just don't have as much flavor as the ones I froze. This summer I'll only buy an amount I can fit in my freezer. I do like the peaches pureed into a smoothie/thick juice drink with watermelon. I have a feeling I'll be doing this a lot this summer. Another of my canned goods we haven't really gotten into much is the apple butter. It isn't something we use very often in general. We don't eat much toast/bread, and when we do I'm the only one who puts that kind of thing on it, and then only rarely. I didn't make much, but I think I'll use what I have to substitute for applesauce in baking. I need to make some baked oatmeal for the week. Maybe tonight when things have cooled off a little (wishful thinking, perhaps). Or I'll bake it in the crockpot.

I spied a visitor last week when I was sitting grading papers on the back deck:


And that's just a bit of recent life.

Mother's Day gift

I'm really ridiculously proud of myself about this. I haven't done anything "crafty" for a while.  I used to do projects all the time, but life is so busy.  Who has time for things like that?  Then of course there's that tendency to start a project and not finish it.  And sometimes perfectionism rears its ugly head and gets in the way. 

I found this tea wreath on Pinterest a while ago.  I pinned it right away to my "Projects" board (a.k.a. "really cool ideas that I would love to do but don't really have the time for").  I love tea and thought it was a great idea.  I knew it was going to be one of the first ones to try.  I even bought the clothes pins a few weeks back.

I decided the the wreath would make a great Mother's Day gift.  I found a huge pad of scrapbooking paper at T.J. Maxx for $3 and bought some new tea (you can never have too much tea).  I had been saving a cardboard box to make the wreath back.  The cat has been using it to hide and play in all week.  He was upset when I cut the seams on the box to start the wreath.  He was still trying to jump "in" the flattened box. 

The entire project took a little longer than I thought it would, with trying to make my hot glue gun behave and the paper cutting.  It still only took about one and a half hours, I think.  It wasn't too difficult (the hardest part was cutting the center of the circle and positioning the clothes pins at the right angles...and no, neither is perfect).  I was really pleased with how it turned out, and I love how it looks.  My mom likes it too.

Monday

Coming off a crazy weekend with practically no down time.  Mostly good, but still.  One of these days (maybe) life will (not) slow down. 

I just ate a salad of spinach, romaine, mango, almonds, hard boiled egg and cheddar with balsamic vinaigrette.  Weird yes, but it actually kind of worked. 

I stopped at the grocery store for just a couple things and came home only to realize all the things we didn't have. I really needed to do major shopping trip.  Oh well, not happening for a few days.

Cleaning- another thing that's not happening for a few days. 

My sister had a baby.  I'm bringing a meal over later.  I'm cheating and using Philadelphia Cooking Creme.  Sometimes it's OK to cheat.  I also made no-bakes (that was "Preacher cookies" to us growing up).

Top priority this week is finishing preparing a final exam and other class materials.  Just 2 more classes left of the school year!  I am so ready to be done and have a break, but I also can't believe it's almost done. 

Coffee this afternoon, to hopefully get over being short on sleep and meet a self-imposed deadline for today.  I may or may not put mint chocolate chip ice cream, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream on top.  Shh, don't tell on me. 

How's Monday in your neck of the woods? (Who am I kidding?  Is anyone actually reading?)

And to leave you with something actually worth reading, here are 15 Tips on Blogging from John Newton.
I bet you didn't know John Newton was a blogger! 

Little Mysteries

Just when my tears were falling deep enough to drown
Down in the valley of the shadow of a doubt
When I gave up that’s when He came to lift me out 
and set me high.

When I saw it as a gift of matchless worth
I started thinking it was something I deserved
He pulled the rug from underneath without a word
and left me dry.

Piece together these little mysteries
It isn’t hard to see the writing on the wall
Triumph and tragedy, only God can be
Both the builder and the wrecking ball. 

He gave them freedom and a fertile promise land
They took for granted their deliverance at hand
Thirty-nine years later they’re still walking through that sand
Wondering why.

And He builds it up, and He knocks it down
Just to build it up even stronger. 


~Jill Phillips, "Wrecking Ball"

Cooking this week (part of it, that is)

I had quite a break from cooking for various reasons over the past week.  I'm now sort of ready to jump back into menu planning again.  I have been browsing Pinterest for recipes as well (whether that's actually a constructive use of time of not, I'm not so sure).

Sunday-
Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches (or wraps, in our case) with fresh spinach.
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Squares - for breakfasts, and because I had 2 rather nasty looking bananas that I hated to throw away.
(Two Pinterest recipes tried in one day.)

Monday-
Black Bean Soup
(Using chicken broth left from cooking the chicken for the chicken Caesar sandwiches and some kale "broth" I have in the freezer... It's not that I'm a tightwad, honest.  It's just that I hate to throw away good nutrients.)

Tuesday-
Chicken and rice?...maybe with Italian tomatoes and seasonings?

Wednesday-
Leftover black bean soup

Thursday-
Warm Lentil Salad


[I am not a fan of the "new" blogger...I've already switched back to the old once, and I don't think I can do it again.  Oh well, I'll get used to it.]

I've been tagged....

...by Leah for one of these things... And hey, why not?

The Rules:
1. The first rule is to post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 things about yourself/your life .
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them that you’ve tagged them.

So here goes:
Post a photo of yourself and 11 things about yourself/your life.

1. I thought Mollie's question 11 about which way the toilet paper roll should be installed was funny. I know this is one of those things people feel strongly about, but I don't even pay attention to which way I'm putting the roll in. I may regularly insert it one way or the other, but I have no idea. What does this say about me? Do I want to know?
2. I like to cook (and bake).
3. I am an introvert.
4. I grew up raising sheep (that's the "I can't think of anything else interesting about me" fact that I used growing up for things like this).
5. I like to write, especially research papers.
6. I can't stand the movie Sleepless in Seattle (and no offense, but I don't understand why it's such a favorite:)
7. One of my favorite hymns is How Firm a Foundation.
8. Just because I'm not saying much in a group conversation doesn't mean I'm not enjoying myself. I like observing and listening.
9. I enjoy hosting people and hospitality (though that doesn't mean I don't stress about it beforehand!).
10. I do not really like bananas. I will eat them if they're handy and that's all the fruit I have, but I don't enjoy them at all. I don't like banana flavoring and I don't like bananas in baked goods (though again, I will eat it if necessary). Have you noticed that everyone seems to like bananas? Banana smoothies, banana bread, adding bananas to random baked goods, banana "ice cream" (sorry, but it's NOT the same thing)... "Healthy" baking recipes almost always include bananas. Ok, rant over. I guess I'm missing out on a lot.
11. I love history (and economics).

Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
Leah's questions:
1. What is your favorite pair of shoes? My sneakers, for sure.
2. What kind of car do you drive? A 1995 Volvo- old cars are great!
3. How would you describe your style? Casual? I'm not really sure.
4. What is your favorite color combination? Brown and teal, or khaki and teal.
5. What would you have for dinner tonight if you could have anything? A Chipotle steak burrito bowl hit the spot tonight.
6. Walk or run for exercise? Walk (or elliptical trainer for a more serious work-out)
7. Most treasured possession? My engagement ring
8. Favorite vacation memory? So many...maybe hiking and the views at Arcadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME.
9. If you were having a daughter right now, what would you name her? I don't know. Pass?
10. Favorite way to spend an evening? Reading or taking a walk.
11. Favorite song? I always have trouble picking a favorite anything. I have groups of favorites. I don't even have a favorite singer or genre. It depends on the mood I'm in. Dancing in the Minefields by Andrew Peterson, Aslan by Kendall Payne, Lady Antebellum, Sara Bareilles, Michael Buble and the list goes on...

Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
1. Favorite vegetable?
2. White, milk or dark chocolate?
3. Do you have a favorite author (or book)?
4. What would be your ideal vacation?
5. What was the last movie you saw in theaters?
6. What is your favorite way to spend a Sunday afternoon?
7. Name one thing you miss about childhood.
8. Name one character in a favorite movie or book with whom you particularly identify.
9. Do you use lists (to-do, menu planning, etc.)?
10. Creamy or chunky peanut butter?
11. How many spaces do you put after a period when typing?

You're tagged: Amy, Mandy, and Gretchen, but I completely understand if you choose not to do this and/or don't have time!

Kale

A 2 pound bag of chopped, pre-washed kale jumped into my hands during a quick stop at the grocery store. It just looked so good! And it was only $3.29. It's use-by date was April 10, so my challenge was to use it up by then without getting tired of it. But who could get tired of dark, leafy greens?

I did pretty well. It is now April 13, and I used the last of it for supper (it was fine despite being past the date).

Here's what I did with it:

1. For Warm Lentil Salad with kale, I multiplied the dressing recipe by 1.5. It didn't have quite the kick that the original I made a couple weeks ago did, but I also ran out of red wine vinegar and had to sub with white vinegar, so that could easily account for it. I added the kale (several large handfuls) in with the lentils and dressing, and cooked it until wilted. Very yummy.

2. Scrambled eggs with kale- several times

3. Kale sauteed with garlic in a little olive oil as a side for pasta with chicken, feta, olives and tomatoes.

4. Mediterranean Kale- lemony but good.

5. Pasta with Philadelphia Cooking Creme (I had a coupon) pesto flavored, a big bunch of chopped asparagus, diced leftover ham, salt/pepper and thinned out with a little pasta water- very good. It reminds me of the few times I've eaten at Noodles and Co. (I wish there was one local, but it's probably just as well there isn't). I probably won't be buying the cooking creme much, if at all, in future, but it was really good.

I'm not going to rush out and buy another bag now, but I will certainly be buying it again at some point. It's fun experimenting with new recipes and newish ingredients.