There are Reasons for 3 Day Weeks

I started the day off well-rested (YES!) with some cereal, milk, and coffee. For lunch, I packed some white chili (~1.5 C) and 2 C of red grapes. I didn't get hungry until 10:45 am, so I just had some water and a hard candy to tide me over until lunch.

I was ready for a run when I left work, but by the end of my commute, felt totally drained. I hate that! But when I got home, I discovered hubby still working away, so I snuck in a run and shower before he wrapped up his work. Then we feasted on more white chili, and I had half of a sweet potato and a big carrot. I think the chili out with a little more stock, so it would fill me up a bit more. Worked!

After dinner, I submitted my research paper, which feels awesome! Then, I felt the hankerin' for something sweet. I was feeling a little chilled, so I thought it was a perfect time to make some hot cocoa. Who could say no to Abuelita on a night like tonight?

So I threw a square into the sauce pan with 3/4 C non-fat milk and heated and stirred.

Then it started to look all chocolatey and creamy and yummy. And it smelled amazing...

So I poured it into a cup and enjoyed! It really hit the spot. I love the cinnamon flavors in there. And I get my milk with just 90 extra calories. Not a bad trade!

Time to RELAX and get ready for a day of FEASTING in a few days!!! Sweet dreams, everyone!

A Day Late

As promised, here's my photos from yesterday... No breakfast or lunch photos, but here's the curry I had for dinner. Potatoes, edamame, carrots, onion and chicken!


For a vitamin C boost and a yummy snack, half a big Ruby Red grapefruit. So lucky I live in TX where we get these beauties from the valley. They are sweet and HUGE. I usually peel the pith off and just eat the juicy fruit.

Apologies, apologies... Computer Fail!

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday. I got home, ate some dinner, hunted for a dust ruffle and curtains for our guestroom, proofread my paper, and then got a strange voicemail that I had to research to determine it was a total scam, chatted a bit about Bethany's wedding and Thanksgiving, and then decided it was time to back up my computer onto the hard drive! So, I let my laptop do its thing, and watched a movie with Kendall. I will post some photos tonight, but here's a run-down of what I ate...

-Breakfast: 1 C shredded wheat w/ 1.25 C fat-free milk and black coffee
-Snack: 1/4 C raisins
-Lunch: Turkey and Muenster on homemade whole-wheat w/ mayo and a huge apple
-Dinner: Leftover red curry, with only 2 bites chicken, but the rest being veggies and potatoes (probably 3/4 C of veggies)
-Snack: Popcorn with olive oil and popcorn salt and half a huge grapefruit + water

I was seriously tired all day, and after a few co-workers started to get sick, I opted for some vitamin C, water, and rest. I didn't run this morning in an effort to get a few extra ZZZs. Photos tonight, folks!

A Little Bookkeeping...

So it's been a while since I've posted some totals... so here goes

Last week we broke the bank by spending $58. Yikes! Totally my bad. I know we got 3 boxes of cereal and some coffee which drove up our bill. But still.

This week, we clocked in at about $35, most of that went toward our mole recipe which we didn't make this weekend. This week, we bought some milk, soda, cold cuts, Cornish hens and cereal. But we also bought dried chilies, Mexican chocolate, anise, sesame seeds, tomatillos, etc.

This week will bring lots of cheap eats... chili and leftover curry, which makes cooking dinner a breeze! It's a short week and I made a huge pot of beans from what we had in the pantry. And perhaps we'll get sent home with leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner! A gal can dream, yes?

Hopefully next week will be a low bill as well to help recoup from that $58 week! Plus, need more $$ for holiday fun!

1 Cornish Hen and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Sundays are quickly becoming my favorite day of the week! I slept in until 7 am, then got up, had some cereal and milk with coffee. We did a few things around the house and then headed to a memorial service. As sad as the occasion was, it was a really beautiful service and setting and there was a lot of love. And a lot of love is the most important thing... ever, yes?

We ran some errands and had a little lunch. Kendall whipped up some chipotle ranch pasta salad with squash and onions. So yummy! We need to figure out a not-boxed recipe. I sort of had a piece of cake too.

Once finished, I worked on my paper and just have to proof it and submit. I love that feeling of being over the hard part. After the paper, it was time to PLAY again so I went for a run around the neighborhood. I came home to my hubby on a ladder. He had been there most of the afternoon. I strung some lights in bushes because the weather is so nice and it's getting to be that time of year! I cut Kendall's hair and then showered myself.

Then I got to work in the kitchen! We had been brining a Cornish hen we bought on Saturday. I grabbed some herbs out of the backyard, made a little herb butter which was rubbed under the skin and inserted some herbs and garlic under the skin as well. Then I roasted those puppies for an hour. I also made a big batch of Kendall's favorite white chili. It's meatless and really cheap, since this week's featured just Northern beans that I prepared today and a bag of frozen corn. It tastes a little different than usual, but still good. So then, viola! Dinner was done.

I had half the hen and a bowl of chili. I loved the hen recipe.

We folded some laundry and then... put up our Christmas decor! A bit early, sure. But we have plans next weekend and then there's wedding festivities and then... it'll be Christmas! So we took advantage of the quiet evening. I love this time of year!

Thwarted

Yesterday was productive in so many ways... except one! I started off with a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, peanut butter and honey. Yummy! Then I started to work on my paper and got a lot done! Yippee!

The handy man came out to look at a mysterious drip on our A/C closet that we thought they'd fixed. Then we did a bit of cleaning around the house and had some lunch. I had a black bean burger patty, sauteed veggies, the last half of a calzone, and some mac and cheese. Sort of a mish-mash of sorts, but really filling.

Right after lunch, Kendall, resident baker, pulled two fresh loaves out of the oven. Perfect! Nutty! Delicious!

Then it was time to PLAY! We went Christmas tree shopping and found the one we want, but we haven't bought it yet. Then we went to the grocery store and bought all the ingredients for our mole. We looked at the clock and realized that wasn't going to happen today (it takes 3 hours!). We went back out to Lowe's, ordered our carpet consultation, and then went back home to concoct something for dinner.

Kendall pulled some coconut milk out of the pantry, along with some red curry paste, veggies and spices. We sipped beer, chopped, diced and tasted. And behold! A red curry casserole was born!

I had mine over a bit of rice. Serious comfort food!

TGIF!

So glad it is Friday! This weekend I will be writing a research paper and cooking. For breakfast, the standard cereal with milk. I didn't get hungry until lunch. I had a black bean burger with a slice of Swiss in two corn tortillas and some tomato. On the side I had a big apple and 1/2 C of blackberries.

Driving home I found out that Kendall had a bad day. So I swung by the store and picked up some dark beer. Mad Hat's HOWL Black as Midnight dark ale, to be exact.

Then it was time for some calzones! I chopped some veggies...

Made some dough...

And baked!

So lusciously hot and cheesy on the inside!

Now it's chilling with some red wine and TV. Good night!

Thursday Night Dash

Thursday started with shredded wheat and milk. For a snack, I had a piece of fruit. For lunch, PB & J with an apple.

I came home and whipped up some salmon and veggies steamed in a foil packet. On the side, couscous that was thinned out with more broth. I had the salmon first, then scooped the veggies into the broth for a little soup action. So good! Definitely had some red wine with it.

Then my dad came over, so I didn't get around to blogging. My bad!

Oh Test Days

I started off the day with a bowl of cereal and milk and coffee. The cool front blew in and I pulled out the sweaters and scarves and wore my tall boots. Love it!

For a snack, I had some more coffee and a cup of grapes... and a donut. : (

For lunch, I packed a turkey and Swiss on whole-wheat, with a mix of fresh veggies on the side (1.5 C) and a banana... and a chocolate cupcake.

People kept bringing treats! But I drank my water and had a decaf hot tea in the afternoon.

Then I went to take my test... I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I'm pulling for full points on the extra credit.

At home, it was time for some din-din!

We had black bean and cheddar quesadillas on corn with some guac and sauteed squash. So yummy!

I mashed the black beans on a plate, then spread them on a tortilla, sprinkled with cheese and threw in the pan to get melty!

Then I sort of had some leftover spice cake with decaf. So bad but then, so good. I need to be on my best behavior tomorrow!

Ordinary Miracles

I woke this morning and ran... in the garage. It's not as strange as it sounds. We moved the treadmill into the garage for the bridal shower and decided that was a better home than the kitchen. A cool front had blown through, so the garage was a nice cool temp and no wind! I rocked out to some Melissa Ethridge and read a little Better Homes & Gardens. Yes!

After a shower, using my new Vanilla Sugarcane bodywash that reminds me of all the baking smells I'll be creating this holiday season, I had a quick breakfast of shredded wheat and milk. I grabbed some coffee, threw on one of my favorite old (baggy) sweaters and headed to work with Christmas carols serenading me!

I didn't get that hungry. I was training a brave soul from our team to help out with distributing our workload to the team... and time flew! For lunch, I had a bowl of while chili (1 C), some wheat crackers (7), fresh cut veggies (probably 1.5 C when all was said and done), some cranberry sauce, and a pear. It really hit the spot. And it was a huge lunch!

The workday ended nicely with some fun e-mails back and forth with a pretty awesome gal pal. ; )

For dinner, we had the last of the chili with some bread with olive oil. Delicious! I thinned it out with a little extra broth. It really hit the spot with this great weather!

I studied and then Kendall's sister dropped by with a belated birthday cake. She also brought these supercool candles that have COLORED FLAMES! So neat. We had some red wine, chatted and had a good time.

I'm rather tired, but had a really nice day overall. Josh Groban is definitely putting me in a relaxed mood. Sometimes in life, it's the little things.