WEEKLY READER

Split Rock Lighthouse Watercolor Lesson

Note to self;

Binge on carrots.  For several years.  

Oh and one more thing: 

Don’t be cynical.

http://www.wyomingwestranchgallery.com/about-us.html




My composition needs work but consider:

Sub-zero temperatures. Movable, curious, hungry, large subjects.
Telephoto lens. Fleeting moments. Very bright day.

Hungry Horses Chow Down



Thankful for friendly friends. Thankful they have talent, enthusiasm, generosity, and horses - because horses are beautiful and so are friends.

A light bar for a wrecker truck.

The latest challenge to my Decorating Aspirations.



I didn't think the correct storage location
 was the kitchen table.  

Turns out that
the correct storage place 
is in a box on the kitchen table.  

Awesome Wonder

Who needs to decorate when you have a view like this?

Horn of Plenty

-for this meal-

also one half chicken breast and a partial bag of rice.

 Cooking Something Up

Afraid of making a mistake? Don't worry, nothing could be worse than practically setting the kitchen on fire ( to avoid this, do not melt butter and marshmallows on the stove in the kitchen while simultaneously helping with a piano lesson unless you are VERY SURE YOU WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED) except maybe my memorable natural cookbook offering of bean stuffed eggplant casserole some 35 years ago, a constant reminder that new recipes can be truly awful.

What kind of insurance policy, if any, do you have in place in case of failure?*

If we become sensitive to the judgment of others, just making dinner could become a problem! To minimize the appearance of difficulty, here is my thought process for tonight's selection.

1. A picture on Pinterest.com - chicken tortilla soup simmering in a crock pot - activated my saliva glands. There was cooked chicken in the fridge that Jerry and I made on Saturday, so that would be an easy choice, no crockpot necessary.  (I figured I had about a 30 minute window of time before dinner needed to be on the table, so there would be an essence of haste.)

2.I am very fussy about flavor and have an aversion to water-y soups or sauces.

3. Despite having all the ingredients for Chicken Tortilla Soup, I noticed the can of mixed vegetables in my pantry.  I would never buy that product – always use fresh vegetables or  a frozen concoction that I have collected from cooking, but a renter left them behind.  A can of saffron sauce almost landed on my foot when I opened the cupboard - an interesting discontinued sale item from the health food store.  

Chopped fresh yellow pepper would liven up the canned vegetables.  

4.  "The Recipe"

 (I think my husband likes it when I explain that I can't tell him the name of what I am serving because I created it.  Then I try to think of something that sounds delicious because he is waiting and it seems like the signature on my work): 

1 Tablespoon Coconut oil for good health, and 1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken-flavored,

1 cup water,

1/2 sliced (yellow) pepper 

½ can  Jyoti saffron cream sauce

1 can mixed vegetables, undrained

chopped chicken breasts, bite sized pieces

Bring to slow boil in saucepan.
I then turned heat to low for 15 to 20 minutes - because I decided that the broth was so clear and light that 

a small amount of rice left in the bottom of a cellophane bag would add a nice touch:

Cook separately:

I large garlic clove, minced, in 1 teaspoon coconut oil, watch closely.  It just takes a few seconds.

Add 1 teaspoon chicken-flavor Better than Boullion

Add one cup of water, rice and some lovely dried rosemary, about 1 teaspoon.

As it cooks down, add another cup of water so it doesn't stick to the pan.  When rice is tender, maybe 

15 minutes, mix in a dollop of fresh butter.  Serve with hot soup 

topped with a generous scoop of Rosemary Rice Pilaf and sliced fresh avocado.

Soup Du Jour:  Savory Saffron Chicken with Rosemary Rice Pilaf

Mother-in-law trick*

(if you don't like the main dish, eat this.)

Thankful for people who are different from me because I learn things
 like the purpose of pickles and olives and that mustard may be healthy but I may never choose to eat it and other important lessons about life that may or may not be useful.

Sunset Salute

Thankful for fabulous, breathtaking sunsets.

Her Scared Face ~ A New Decade

Cassie's Chocolate-Raspberry Birthday Cake

The beginning of a new decade calls for cake.

Thankful for people who want to share a piece of birthday cake after a huge meal, 

minimizing the regret!

from richesforrags.tumblr.com

my mantra:

Have patience, patience, and more patience.  

You can never have too much patience. 

Thankful for delicious leftovers and a husband who is comfortable in the kitchen...and Schwan's.