Candy Memories

Anyone who attended TN District Junior Camp in the late 80s/early 90s will appreciate the fact that I am sitting at my desk happily chewing a Tropical Punch-flavored Now & Later. It even came from a little package of four just like they sold at the concession stand. Someone brought in a huge basket of leftover halloween candy, and I'm probably the only one who can fully appreciate the Now & Laters.

Thanksgiving Food

There are plenty of pictures and Thanksgiving tales forthcoming, but I thought I'd post the recipes for the food I made this past weekend.

For the Johnsons' feast I made creamy macaroni & cheese. They request it every time we have a big dinner of any sort.

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 cups half & half
2 cups milk (I used skim, but I guess whole might make it a little creamier)
2 (10-ounce) blocks sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
1 (10-ounce) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (16-ounce) package elbow macaroni, cooked

Note: I use Kraft Cracker Barrel brand cheese (only brand that comes in 10-ounce size) and Barilla Plus brand pasta. Their macaroni has these great ridges in it that really make the sauce cling to the pasta. Also, DON'T rinse the pasta. It washes off those wonderful starches that make the sauce stick to the pasta.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. (Roux will be light peanut-butter colored.) Stir in salt and next 3 ingredients. Gradually whisk in half-and-half and milk; cook, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in half of sharp Cheddar cheese. Stir in extra-sharp Cheddar cheese until smooth. Remove from heat. Combine pasta and cheese mixture, and pour into a lightly greased 13-by-9 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining sharp Cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. (Bake for additional 15 minutes for a crusty top.)

Additional note: It is essential to have all your cheese grated and ready to go before you start. Once you start stirring this sauce you can't stop until you take it off the heat.


For the Dugan Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday I made a new recipe: pumpkin spice cake. Even though I made it I thought it was delicious!

Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 pkg. spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 cup Miracle Whip
3 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13-by-9 baking pan; set aside. Beat cake mix, pumpkin, dressing, and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 32 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until well blended. Spread over cooled cake. Cut into pieces to serve, store any leftovers in refrigerator.

Quote from AbiLyn

Liz: "Are your ready to go to school?"
AbiLyn: "No, I want to stay here in my nervoushood."

She was meaning "neighborhood."

Normandy Lake picture

When you hear me talk about going to the lake, here is where I'm talking about. This picture was on the Nashville Weather Blog this weekend. Pretty fall colors!

This just in!

Lex's wonderful caregiver, Ms. Cassie, just sent me some gorgeous pictures she took of him yesterday!

Here's one.

My niece and nephew

This picture is a couple of weeks old, but here is a sweet picture of AbiLyn and Lex. These babies are just so beautiful!

They do exist

That's right...footed pajamas for adults. What do you think? Would they be too hot?

I'm laughing as I post this

I've long felt sorry for the unfortunate non-students who live in the vicinity of MTSU in our town. Most of them are elderly people who have lived in their homes for many years. They may be surrounded on three sides, however, by houses that have been made into apartments for college students, but they don't want to move because why should they be run out of their home by a bunch of partying whippersnappers! I really don't know whose side to be on in this story. I can see the neighbors' point about the sofas looking trashy, but I can also see the residents' point about having the freedom to put whatever you want on your front porch. Hmmm.

Fit of culinary motivation

I tried a new recipe last night...Chicken Curry in a Hurry. It really was quick, and it was delicious! Here's the recipe:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (I used some onion powder instead)
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt (1 small container)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (optional, I didn't use this)
1 rotisserie chicken (from the deli section of your grocery store)
2 cups cooked white rice (optional, we used this)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (I didn't use this)

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the yogurt and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and tomatoes (if using). Remove from heat.
Slice or shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Divide the rice and chicken among individual bowls, spoon the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the cilantro.
I did do a couple of things differently at the end. I had tried to keep the rotisserie chicken warm, but it cooled quite a bit while I was tearing it off the bones and slicing it up. So, I left the sauce on the stove and put the chicken in the pan with the sauce to warm it up. We then put rice in our bowls and just served the chicken and sauce together out of the pan. This recipe was so good, and any combination of chicken and rice is good with me. Great bowl of warm comfort food!

This morning before I left I put a roast in the crock pot for tonight, and I'm thinking about making an apple crisp for dessert. I don't know what's come over me! I've also got a bag of Amish friendship bread starter going, AND my kitchen is even clean! Go me!

Friday Wrap-Up

I haven't blogged much this week, not because I had a boring week, but because I felt like I never really hit my stride. Every day something weird and quirky seemed to happen that threw me off track.

Monday: Everything was set up to be a relatively normal week. I was going to leave work and make my usual Monday evening Kroger run then go home and make a cheese ball for book club on Tuesday night and get settled in for a quiet tv-night at home. Well, I walked out the door from work to go to my car, and I could feel in the air that something was wrong. I looked back behind our building to the NW, and there was a bank of dark, threatening clouds. So, my whole drive home I was seeing lightning bolts in my rearview mirror and listening to the weather as I tried to beat the cold/storm front to M'boro. I didn't stop at Kroger, so I made it home before the weather. Phone rings: David is having radiator trouble, and is working on his car in between tornado warnings at his friend's house. He doesn't know when he'll be home, so i go ahead and make tacos and eat, and leave the stuff where he can just heat it up when he gets home. He arrives home: wet, tired, and cold at about 8:15. We go to bed early.
Tuesday: Take David to the radiator shop because his car is not driveable. They order a new radiator. I get to work about 11:00. I leave at 2:00 to take him back to the radiator shop to pick up new radiator. Tuesday night was book club at my house, but I was strangely idle all afternoon. My house was clean and ready for company. All I had to do was make the famous cheese ball for a snack. After that was done I watched Smallville until everyone arrived. It felt weird to not be bustling around at the last minute. I had even finished the book we were going to discuss.
Wednesday: Always weird because it's church night. I couldn't wait to be home for some reason. I got home from work and did lots of ironing. I also took some clothes to Phase II (consignment shop). *Expect a separate post some day soon about my weird clothing situation that I feel terrible for complaining about.
Thursday: Finally a somewhat normal day. We ate Chinese food for supper and watched a movie.
Friday: I don't know what this day will entail. Work is a flurry because we are approaching a deadline for the Spring 2008 quarter, so there are lots of last-minute corrections going on there. David is out of soap and shampoo, so if I want a nice-smelling husband I need to stop by Target on my way home. I also have to sort out the kids' shirts for the Christmas musical workshop which starts tomorrow (that will merit a whole other post, I'm sure).

I'm sure about one thing: I'm about to cave and buy some Crocs. I want these shoes in cotton candy of course.

I hope this post hasn't been too rambly. I mostly did it for myself. It's helped me to write it down and look back at how weird this week has actually been.

Dig out your coats

Even though I was inside all day yesterday I did open the windows in my bedroom to air out the sickness, and I could tell it was a beautiful day. However, like any good weather junkie I checked the trusty Nashville weather blog, and it looks like the pleasant streak is coming to a close. Wow, it's about to get chilly!

Groans as she crawls out from under a rock...

Well, after a full 24 hours spent hibernating in my bedroom with occasional trips downstairs for food, I'm back among the land of the living today. Yesterday I didn't go anywhere, stayed in my pajamas, and dozed off and on in bed ALL DAY, and still didn't have a bit of trouble going to sleep last night. I think I'm over the worst of the allergy funk or whatever it was. I also watched almost all of the sixth season of Smallville (Thanks, Liz!) I hope everyone had a good weekend and has an even better week!

Yay!

I just got off the phone with my wonderful husband, and he got me a new cell phone! It's pink, and we got it for free...bonus! My other one was literally in two pieces, so I had to upgrade. They were even able to transfer my phone book. I will have to download all my screen savers again, unfortunately.