Buried

1.  Week before last, we got a huge snow.  Twenty inches.  We weren't thinking ahead.  We should've moved our cars to the bottom of the driveway.  We didn't.  Of course, at the bottom of the driveway is the old truck...which doesn't even run.  Go figure.

2.  I was thankful we never lost electricity.  Particularly since Cort was having some asthma issues, and needed his nebulizer. 

3.  We had plenty of food and chocolate.  Important things when you're snowed in for a few days.

4.  Paul finally dug his car out after Saturday arrived, and I had work paperwork due in town at 10:00 am.  His car had been stuck in the driveway for a day - even though it has four wheel drive.

5.  Snow can be fun, but I'd be just fine if we didn't get any more this winter.  It is, after all, going to be March tomorrow.

Linked with Random Friday at A Rural Journal. 

Do You Like It In Your Face?

Pierce?  Have you been eating the snow?

Yes, we did make snow ice cream that day. 

Baked Spaghetti Recipe

I love baked spaghetti.  It's such a comfort food.  I've created a version that I love, and will share it here.  It's not so much a recipe - I just go by feel, so you can tinker with it at will.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
4 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
Mild Italian Sausage
1 box spaghetti
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375*.  Heat olive oil in skillet.  Add onions and garlic, sauté until tender.  Add sausage (casings removed, if you buy that type).  Meanwhile, start boiling spaghetti and cook according to instructions on box.  Once sausage is partially browned, add green peppers and carrots.  Continue to sauté until softened.  Add mushrooms.  

Drain spaghetti and return to pot, toss with jar of spaghetti sauce. Layer half in 9 x 13 pan.  Put half the veggie/sausage mixture on top.  Sprinkle cheeses (about 1/2 cup of each).  Layer again - spaghetti, veggies, cheeses.  Cover with aluminum foil (try to tent it, so that it doesn't touch the cheese on top) and bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Snow Shoveling

I told Pierce he should go down the slide.  He didn't think it was such a great idea.  But you know who wasn't scared?

 Woohoo!

 Not scared at all.

 Now for a little snow shoveling.

 That's better.

 And a cushy landing too.

Done any snow shoveling lately?

If You Need Me, I'll Be In Our Igloo

We got twenty inches of snow.  Twenty.  Inches.  Unbelievable.  Paul spent the day building an igloo.  I shoveled out the edge of the driveway and around the mailbox.

Igloos are pretty cool.  I've never had an igloo before.  I bet igloos aren't nearly as much work to clean as a house.

So, if you need me, I'll be in our igloo.

Big Feet

1.  I have a couple of pictures of this scowling child from the photos my grandmother gave me.  She didn't know who he (she?) is.  But I dare say he wasn't very excited about this picture.

2.  One annoying thing that happened with my pregnancies is that my feet grew half a size with each one.  I used to wear a size 7.  Now I wear a size 8.  This is particularly annoying because a few of my expensive technical shoes (my tall riding boots, my rollerblades) no longer fit. 

3.  Cort has the most delicious laugh I've ever heard in a child.  He has quite the sense of humor, so we get to hear it often.  And I can never get enough of his delightful chuckling. 

4.  You would not believe the hoops you have to jump through to get an appointment with a dermatologist here.  Long story short, it took me 3 years, but I finally have an appointment....in August.  I have a lot of moles and just want to have them checked over.  You wouldn't think it would be so difficult! 

5.  I don't really like grocery shopping.

Linked with Random Friday at A Rural Journal.

Breaded Dijon Pork Chops Recipe

I've been making this recipe for fifteen years, so it's a true keeper.  It comes together quickly, has amazing flavor, and is kid-friendly.  Recently I made it with a side of roasted spaghetti squash and some tossed salad.  Delicious. 

 

 

Ingredients:

5 pork chops

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs or Panko

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. melted butter

 

Combine the bread crumbs, garlic salt, onion powder in a small bowl.  Combine mustard and butter in a separate bowl.  Brush mustard and butter over pork chops, then coat with crumb mixture.  Bake at 425* for 15 minutes in a shallow baking pan.  If you buy large pork chops, you will need to bake them for a longer period of time.  I tend to cut in the middle to make sure there is no pink. 

 

If you're looking for something easy but unique for the dinner table, give this a shot.  It's always a hit at our house.