1st Snow Day of 2009

Well, it wasn't much, but we did get some snow. It's hard to tell in the pics but it was so pretty coming down...lots of big snowflakes! I can't explain it, but there is nothing quite like the smell of snow. I don't know what it is, but I love it!

Some of the snow has melted but it's pretty much still covering the secondary roads in my neighborhood. The schools were closed for 2 days but everything is back to normal now! Here are some pics from my front door looking down my street.

Ice, Ice, Baby!

Check this out...we are smack dab in the middle of the state. It's so slippery outside! But I vow not to fall on the ice this year. I have fallen 2 years in a row and in 2007 really screwed up my back! School is closed and businesses are closing for the day. Tomorrow is supposed to be even worse! Please pray that we have no power outages!

Brrrrr,
Jenni

Random-ness

Me, circa 1970's

How's this for entertainment?

5 random and/or weird facts about ME!

1) I do not eat the bottom of bananas. For some strange reason, it reminds me of a belly button. I used to give them to our family dog, Buster. Now I just cut them off with a knife or chunk them off with my finger. As far as I know, I have never eaten one.

2) I have an abnormal obsession with miniature things. If I see something that is unusually small, I call it Barbie-sized, because I really imagine it fitting into her life and her dreamhouse. Tiny versions of things fascinate me.

3) I once drank oil out of an vintage oil can. You know, like the one Dorothy used to juice up the Tinman? I was at my grandma's house in Bixby and I was maybe 8 or 9 years old. She had a neat little cabinet filled with odds and ends (one of many I might add)...and a few vintage oil cans. For some strange reason I put my mouth around one of the spouts and must have pressed the bottom of the can because a foul tasting liquid went down my throat. Grandma was on the phone and I didn't want to get into trouble, so I just got myself some water and hoped I wouldn't die.

4) When I was a little girl, people used to tell me I looked just like my daddy. I didn't understand and always answered with "But I don't have a mustache!"

5) In 3rd grade I found a bottle of Sun-In in my parent's bathroom. I sprayed a bunch on my hair...it was orange for an entire year.

One Nation, Under God...

I am so glad I watched history in the making today...our 44th president took the oath to protect our great nation. I thought Obama's speech was outstanding. It made me feel hopeful and united with my fellow Americans. I may have voted differently at the polls, but I welcome the change and breath of fresh air in the Oval office.

"America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace..."

Yummy Taco Soup

I don't really have a good pic of this soup...I pulled some out of the freezer this morning to have for lunch today and IT IS SO GOOD! The last batch I made was undoubtedly the best ever. I used my new crockpot that mom and dad got me for Christmas!! Very little prep time and easy to freeze. The perfect winter recipe...

Jenni's Taco Soup
4 servings

cooking spray
1 lb Jennie-O lean ground turkey (sometimes I use soy meat)
1 1/2 c chopped onions (use the frozen kind--so easy)
splash of red wine
1/2 t minced garlic
1 can rotel
1/2 c drained & rinsed black beans
1/2 c drained & rinsed pinto beans (could use kidney too)
1 small can of sweet corn
1 can of reduced fat vegetable broth
1 t ranch seasoning
1 T homemade taco seasoning (recipe in earlier post)

Coat a skillet with cooking spray over med-high heat. I brown the onions and turkey and add a splash of wine for liquid (helps caramelize the onions). Drain the fat--then I usually take 1/2 the turkey mixture and save it for another meal. Add the taco seasoning to the remaining mixture. Once it's all browned and seasoned, I put it in the crock pot then add all of the other ingredients. Mix it together and make sure you have enough liquid to cover everything. I cooked it on high for about 1 1/2 hours then on low for another hour. It really makes the flavors meld together and the meat gets very tender. You could add cheese or sour cream, but honestly it tastes so good I don't add anything!

Just for kicks...

I love this!! :)

Scorpio 2009 Yearly Outlook:

Get out there and communicate your passionate awareness to the world this year, Scorpio! As you articulate your beliefs, you will move your life -- and the planet -- toward a more spiritual and thoughtful reality. Positively express yourself and your vision, and you will be a source of great inspiration.

Scorpio loves challenges, especially when it involves transformational energy. As you purify your instincts and overcome any fears of letting your creative passion flow, a newfound enthusiasm and strength will arise within you, and affect everyone around you.

You see yourself in a completely different light this year as you discover new ways of bringing harmony into your life and communicating on a deeper level. Accept who you are at the core, and you will experience a wholeness you never thought possible. Trusting yourself is the key to spiritual growth.

My little ones...

Yes, it's another cat post!

It's been really cold here...I'm pretty sure the high yesterday didn't get much further than 25 degrees. It was bitter! My kitties are always looking for a good spot to snuggle and get warm (my Uggs keep me warm no matter where I am--they rock). When I walked into the bedroom to get ready for bed, both my little ones were already there, warm and snuggled! They both sleep on the bed in the winter--Cleo at the foot of the bed, Charli pretty much right next to me. Aren't they too adorable? They certainly make my life better in every way!

We also had a little bit of fun with some catnip last night...I ordered 3 new catnip toys and the stuff must have been potent. Cleo was literally sniffing and nuzzling the package before I even opened it! They both took off with the toys, wide-eyed and stoned. It was a riot!

I ♥ my baby girls!!

Under Construction

No hard hats are involved, but I am playing around with my blog format. It's both fun and frustrating...so please excuse any site problems!

Toodles,
Jenni

I've been in the mood...

...for Italian food lately. Here is another quick recipe I tried and it is scrum-deli-umptious!!

Chicken Parmigiana

4 servings

1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray

4 – 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly pounded

2 large egg white(s), lightly beaten

1/2 cup(s) dried bread crumbs or Panko

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste

1 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 cup(s) canned tomato sauce

½ - 1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Place egg whites in a shallow bowl. Combine breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning and salt; pour into another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg whites; turn to coat. Dip chicken in bread crumb mixture; turn to thoroughly coat.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and add oil; heat over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in center, about 4 minutes per side.

Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into the prepared baking dish; place chicken in dish and pour remaining sauce evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until chicken is cooked through and cheese is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Peek-A-Boo!

I walked into my bedroom last night and what did I see???
Little Miss Cleo peeking out at me! She had managed to get herself under the comforter and she was nice and warm...it was hilarious.I am certain she kept wondering why Mommy was taking so many pictures and disturbing her sleep!

Recipe Numero Dos

This recipe has much potential...it would probably be better and more flavorful with ground beef or turkey (the creator used ground beef). I had neither so I added corn. I also didn't have any canned tomatoes or even Rotel (how could I have forgotten Rotel at the grocery store???) I also made my own taco seasoning...I'm trying to cut down on salt. The result was pretty good...I topped mine with a little salsa too. So here is the original recipe with meat...for the tomato sauce I actually used some Prego Traditional I had in the fridge. Sorry for the blurry photo!

Celeste's Mexican Stuffed Peppers

4 green bell peppers
2% cheese of choice (I used a Mexican blend)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion
instant brown rice (I used 4 servings but it was actually too much)
1/2-3/4 cup water
1 small can of tomato sauce

Taco Seasoning:
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt (I used 1/2)
1 tsp black pepper

I cut the tops off of the bell peppers and actually boiled them for about 10 minutes (next time I probably won't boil them that long). I cooked the onions, caramelizing them a bit with a splash of white wine and then added the rice, taco seasoning, water, corn, and tomato sauce. Simmered this for a while then filled each pepper with the mixture, topped with cheese. I baked them at 350 for about 30 minutes.

New Year, New Recipes

Yesterday was very productive...I did all the laundry including bedding and blankets, organized and put away all the Christmas decorations, cleaned the kitchen and totally stocked up at the grocery store. I was prepared the start the week (and new year) off with a healthy bang! I was in a vegetarian mood and decided on some new meatless recipes for my lunches/dinners this week. Here is the first one I made--it was delicious and perfect for the cold night. It was my first experience making a white sauce with flour and milk...I have always been afraid of burning the milk but it worked out really well. I halved the recipe since it's just me and voila! Please pardon my photo as my kitchen doesn't have the best light in the evening.

Baked Penne with Butternut Squash and Ricotta
(Weight Watchers recipe)

2 spray(s) cooking spray
20 oz butternut squash, fresh, peeled and cubed
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne
1 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 tbsp white all-purpose flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. After squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mashed squash, ricotta and 1/2 teaspoons of thyme. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat.

Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Yields about 1 cup per serving.