A Little Bit of Everything

This has been a very SLOW week. Meaning, I have been sick on the couch for much of the week, so things have pretty much been at a stand-still. Except the amount of dirt I'm behind on: that has grown exponentially. I should NOT be complaining though--many others have it much worse. The first two days I was sick all day, but otherwise I've been mostly sick in the evenings. I worked harder at eating more substantial meals closer together today, and I'm doing better. I'm already blowing up like a balloon, and Nick keeps eyeing my tummy warily--wondering about multiples, I know. I have my first Dr. appt tomorrow, so hopefully he'll decide it is medically neccessary to check for twins early. We'll see.

We have no Christmas decorations up yet, although there were briefly lights in our window. The strand half burnt out and we couldn't find a replacement bulb so....We've had two failed attempts to get a tree (well, one really, but we planned another attempt and the plan failed) but I want the tree up so it will happen tomorrow. Even if it is a silly little Charlie Brown tree. The boys think Christmas lights are about the coolest thing ever, which is not really a good thing. Plugs. Argh!

A couple people have asked for this recipe, so I decided to just post it here. Saves time....

Also, I have two great turkey-leftover recipes if anyone would care for them. I can post them later, when there are more handy to the computer. BTW, Dell sent me an email saying our laptop shipped. Wahoo! No more sighing about the dinosaur. Perhaps I'll even get the Grandkid's Christmas Book done by like, February. We can dream.


This is a copy-cat for an Olive Garden soup. You might have the recipe already even--many do. It's a fave around here. I got the original here, but I made some minor changes, so my version is below:


Zuppa Toscana
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground Italian sausage (um, I often just use Jimmy Dean or whatever I have on hand. You can also use reduced fat sausage...you can't tell. It's all yummy in this)
1½ tsp/to taste crushed red peppers
1 large diced onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces (I usually use the bacon bits from Costco. I keep a bag in my freezer & they last forever, and you can use them straight from the freezer. That's a tip from my mom, btw)
2 tsp garlic (2-4 cloves), minced
10 cups either chicken base reconstituted w/ water or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
1 bunch of kale (use the kale! It makes the soup. Trust me.)


NOTE: This makes a meatier, more kale-ful soup than Olive Garden's. I usually make it nice and chunky, even adding more potatoes as needed
1. Sautee Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sautee bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoughouly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage.
7. Add kale just before serving. Delicious!



Here are a couple pictures/videos of the stinky boys being cute. Does anyone have good discipline strategies for SUPER stubborn 2-year-olds? They turn everything into a game. Time outs aren't so far super helpful, even though I've changed the time out spot to an uncomfortable, lonely place. Sigh.

Reid and Gage playing with the now broken lights. Does one thing relate to the other?

My moody after-nap almost teenager? He loves the iPod

Dancing lessons