Sunday, February 24, 2008

Yet another late night!

I just finished my portion of my team's paper for class Monday night. It's 2:54 a.m. What is it with this late-night thing I've got going on? Anyway, tomorrow I can REST. :) Our lovely kids are at a friend's house for the night. I don't have to pick them up until 11:00 (but probably will sooner), so I can sleep in. Which is fortunate, because, did I mention...it's 2:56 a.m.! Like I'm some college student or something, keeping hours like that.

Grandpa is still with us, though he is declining quickly. I so hope for his sake that it's over soon. He is ready. He's not doing chemo, so he still has his hair, which is still dark. It's hard to see him so emaciated. The left side of his face droops, so he's probably had a stroke (or more than 1). He doesn't want to go to hospice, he wants to stay at his house. My sis-in-law is an RN, so she's a big help to that situation.

I think that I'll go to bed now (oddly enough!). Have a good evening/morning/afternoon, everyone!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

All better!

Happily, the migraine is gone! I was able to stay a whole, entire day at work and go to choir practice as well. It was good.

I'm watching Ghost Hunters now, which is totally easy to get addicted to. It's also thunderstorming outside, which makes it more fun.

I got caught up at work today, and so I don't dread going so much.

My dog is completely upset that it's storming. She keeps going to the door and whining, like I should be able to make the storm stop. Oops. Can't. Poor thing...I made her a bed out of one of my favorite comforters in our bedroom, but she's too worked up to rest.

I think I'm going to concentrate on GH now. 'Cause I'm dopey like that.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Migraine

I hate migraines. I have one today. This past weekend, we had a lovely birthday party for our daughter. I'd post pictures, but my head would explode.

The migraines I get start in my neck, then radiate down to my left shoulder and up to my left eye and across my forehead. It's not a heart thing...they've checked. My doctor actually said it sounds like I need a massage, and he was serious. I've never had one before. This Saturday, I'm having one.

But now, I'm off to (or back to, really) bed.

Monday, February 18, 2008

I ripped this off from Tori's Blog. It is a meme where you try to name something that no one else would have. Welcome to my messed-up, crazy world. Bwahahahahahahaaaaaa!!

CD I Own
Da Yoopers-Yoopy Do Wah

Book I Own
Ice Castles-the book that went with the late 1970's movie about an ice skater who becomes blind.

DVD/VHS/whatever I Own
Somewhere in Time VHS-with the fabulous, gorgeous, sadly late Christopher Reeve.

Place visited
Alden, Michigan. I visited there for my 20 year high school reunion, but since I did grow up there (well, I never really "grew up." I was raised there...yeeeeeaaaaahh...that's the ticket!"), I will also list Leon, Iowa, a very small town near Lamoni, IA, where I went to college for one year.

Piece of technology or any sort of tool I own.
Uhhh...ummm...well...

I do have a Tupperware citrus peeler (two actually; one orange and one yellow).

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Just FYI

I am SICK TO DEATH of economics.
I am tired.
It's 1:20 a.m.
If I don't understand it by now, I never will.
My homework is 99% done (Ugh! another number!)
I am off duty.
I am headed to laa laa land, aka sleep.
Because I'm tired.
My head is spinning.
I went into Business Management to get AWAY from numbers.
Economics is about numbers.
And I've learned far more than I ever thought I would by this point.
So...
I'm DONE with it.
So there!
Pfffffffffffffffffft!

:)

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Yummy

Superbowl is tomorrow, and if you live where I do, you can't miss that fact-it's being held here. Well, here-ish. In Glendale, not far from Phoenix. Nonetheless, it's coming up fast, and if you don't want to go to a superbowl party, but instead want to watch the new commercials and knit and relax, here are two wonderful recipes that can last all day and make everyone happy.

Penny's Peerless Pizza
1 cup warm water
1 pkg yeast
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 can diced tomatoes (preferably the ones with italian seasoning)
1/2 bag fresh spinach (the washed kind in the bagged salad section)
5 cloves garlic (or more or less to taste, or you may omit if you're boring)
Additional toppings, if desired
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese, if desired

Dissolve the yeast in the water, let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil, sugar, salt & flour, mix until just combined (this is where a Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook comes in handy). Let stand, covered, in a warm place for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel garlic cloves by laying them on a cutting board, covering each with the flat blade of a chef's knife (the blade should be pointing toward a wall, not the ceiling or floor), and smacking the knife blade with your hand (now you see why the blade is sideways!). Pick up the clove, remove the skin that has come off in one piece now, and repeat until all are peeled. Roughly chop the garlic (I love garlic and use a lot).

Remove the dough from the bowl and spread onto two baking sheets. Add 1/2 the can of diced tomatoes to each crust, spread evenly. Spread 1/2 the spinach (or as much as desired) onto each crust. Divide garlic in half, and sprinkle on each pizza. If you're adding other toppings, hey, this would be a good time to put them on. Top each pizza with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese (or, if you live in my house, until it looks like it'll turn out really gooey). Sprinkle parmesan on top of the mozzarella.

Bake each pizza at 375 for 20 minutes or so, depending on how thick your pizzas are. Cheese will be happy and bubbly, maybe a little golden or brown at the edges, when the pizza is done.

Cut pizzas, serve, and nap. :)


Penny's Weird Midwestern Chili and Scrumptions Southwestern Cornbread

2 Tbs Olive oil
1 small (or 1/2 regular) yellow onion, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt (optional)
Pepper
1 can great northern beans (the white ones)
1 can black beans (a twist I learned after I moved to Phoenix)
1 can kidney beans
1 can whole kernel sweet corn (frozen corn is excellent, too)
1 can Campbell's Cream of Potato Soup (told ya it was weird)
3 Tbs Cumin
1 large can tomato juice (the big one that we used to get Hi-C in, that you open with the pointy church-key thingy)
2 Beef bullion cubes, if you're in the mood for beefy goodness
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Chopped Onions

Add the oil to a skillet, and cook onion in it until a little brown. Add the ground turkey, seasoning it with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to taste. Add just a little salt, if using. Brown the mixture.

Put the ground turkey mixture into a crock pot. I always rinse off bean goop, so I put the beans and corn into a colander and rinse the whole works. Drain, add to crock pot. Add the potato soup, undiluted. Add the cumin, the can (or as much as will fit) of tomato juice, and the bullion cubes, if using. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or until you feel like eating. You can't really hurt chili. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onion, and Scrumtious Southwest Corn Bread (see recipe below).

Scrumptious Southwest Cornbread

Cooking spray
1 Batch cornbread batter
1 cup plus a handful shredded low-fat cheese (your favorite)
1 can cream-style corn
1 small (pretty tiny) can of chopped green chiles
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Make a batch of cornbread batter however you like to-use a mix, buy the cornmeal and follow the directions-whatever you like to do.

Add to the batter the shredded cheese, can of cream-style corn, the can of chiles, and the cayenne pepper.

Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with cooking spray. Scrape the batter into the sprayed baking dish. Sprinkle the handful of shredded cheese on top. Bake at 375 until sides pull away and the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares, serve with chili.

Hopefully these yummy dishes will add some fun, and some spice, to your life. Enjoy!