JP's Lunch Today

Hi there everyone....just a short post for today. I think I made the best lunch for JP today. French toast with bananas, maple syrup, topped with whipped cream. His eyes bugged out when I put the dish on the table!!! I am not sure I have made this for him, at least not like this.

He said it was almost as good as Perkins, if not better!!! I guess that is a compliment. I was watching "Long Lost Family" last night and the girl looking for her birth mother said her adopted grandmother always made French toast EVERY day.....I thought, jeez I don't even make French toast hardly ever. So, today I made French toast.

I made enough so that I could have a bite or two....sure was yummy good. I wish I had JP's metabolism....he can eat all he wants and not gain much weight....me, I just have to look at this picture and the pounds soak through my eyes on to my body!!!

So here is JP's plate after a few minutes.....I am sure glad I got to have some. Told him I will make it again. I think Kylie enjoyed some of this too.

Tonight's dinner is going to be pork loin roast with potatoes, carrots, apple and celery in the pressure cooker. It took more time to put it together then it did to cook. But, the end result was delicious. I had to taste test it before feeding it to JP....right?

I think I am enjoying cooking with the pressure canner. This summer I shall try canning some tomatoes in my pressure canner. Depends on what I get a lot of this summer.

The Chicago Blackhawks are playing right now. The score is 4-4 with only 14 minutes to play. The Hawks lost a big game Saturday, 7-0.....I was really upset....but then I think they were even more sicker. Maybe they need some French toast!!!! Still a 4-4 game with 4 minutes to play. Looks like we are going into Overtime......5 minutes of play and then the shoot-outs. I like the shoot-outs, each team picks a player to shoot against the goalie, whoever gets 3 goals wins!!! So I sure do hope the Hawks get this one. NOPE Hawks lost 5-4....(sigh)

After the game I will go downstairs and ride my bike for a couple of miles, then work on some cards. I still have till April 7th to get my collection of cards together for Hospice. At least this time I shall not be under pressure.

Wednesday, Betty and I are going to Sam's Club for a hot dog. Sam's has the BEST hot dogs!! Betty has had knee surgery on both her knees, so she is looking forward to the outing. I offered to bring her a hot dog....but she asked to be picked up to go there....okay, it's a date!!!

This post sure did turn into a long post....was supposed to be a short one. That just goes to show how wordy I can get....oh well. So, have a great evening and keep looking up ~~~ better days are coming and maybe the Hawks might win their next game on Wednesday with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Cheers ~ Louise

Some Stampin'up cards

Hi there everyone. I guess I have been MIA again. Just basically living life to the best of my ability. Let's see, my last post was March 15th....I think I made cauliflower soup....which is long gone, JP really liked it and thought it was great!!! Although he has said he likes two kinds of foods......hot and cold, I guess that covers everything. But, since the cauliflower soup, I have made Green Pea Soup made in the pressure cooker....omg....was that delicious! I will most certainly do that again. Did not take pictures....but next time I will.

So Sunday the 19th I went to the Stampin'up camp. It was a nice day and a change of pace and I learned a few new ideas. There is always refreshments, a door prize and a chance to use new Stampin'up supplies that I don't have at home. (most definitely the supplies are on my wish list). Like this stamp set below...the girl with the umbrella and a girl dancing, I forget the name of this set, but it is on my list to buy next time.

This next card is a very pretty sympathy card, the gold flower is a die cut, I think the papers used, help in making these cards very pretty. I like the softness in the colors.

Now this next card is very pretty, I was able to duplicate this one, as I have the dragonfly die cut (see the above blog header lots of dragonflies and bee's). I have made a bunch of these cards already...probably most of them will go to Hospice.

Another Sympathy card. One thing about Stampin'up....they make pretty papers. I bought a set of papers a couple of months ago and have yet to use it.....what's up with that!!!!

In this picture is the door prize I won....YAY!!!  Well, there were 3 of us ladies and 4 door prizes....so we all won something!!!

Not much went on this past week. Pretty soon it will be time to start working outside.....I hope this spring I have a little bit more motivation to work then I did last year. Lots of weeds grew in my gardens....hopefully I can keep ahead of those pests.

Well, time to close, JP will be home in about 45 minutes. So I better get my bike riding in for the day. Didn't get to take Kylie for her walk....raining tonight, we did not want to get wet.

Have a great day and keep looking up....better days are here again.
Cheers ~ Louise

Roasted Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Hi there everyone....hope you had a good day.....Wednesday's are always wonderful.....because it is "Hump Day" and there is only 2 days to go till the week-end. You know how we ALL LOVE THE WEEKENDS!!!

So Monday I bought a big head of Cauliflower for $1.48. I was thinking of slicing it to make "Roasted Cauliflower Steaks," then I thought of a soup of some kind....tossed it back and forth in my mind for a few days. Finally, while walking Kylie I thought, just to roast the cauliflower along with some onions and carrots in a 375 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes. Poured olive oil, salt and pepper on the vegies and mixed together to cover thoroughly.

The recipe I am using is "Cheesy Broccoli Soup," and will just change it up a bit....I tend to do that with a lot of my recipes before even trying the original recipe. We'll see how this goes....so far, so good. It's smelling pretty good and that's just roasting vegetables in the oven. JP always acts as my taste tester.....well, he has not died yet.

Here the vegies are all roasted and they totally tasted delicious. I had a little bowl with some "Yum Yum Sauce" on it.....maybe I should have made 2 roasted cauliflowers?????? In the next picture is the vegies in the hot water and cooking up some more. I added 3/4 cup of instant potatoes to make it thicker.  

I took an immersable blender and blended the soup, as you see in this last picture. Here is where I added the chicken bouillon, cheese and chopped bacon.

Here is the recipe:

8 cups water

1-2 Tablespoon chicken bouillon

1 roasted onion

1 roasted cauliflower

Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

1/2 bag of sliced roasted baby carrots

3/4 - 1 cup instant potatoes

1/2 package shredded Colby cheese

3 - 4 strips of cooked bacon, chopped

I shall have to give this "Cheesy Cauliflower Soup" 5 stars, I really liked it. The true test will be when JP has a bowl. I will let you know.

So there you have it, dinner for tonight, soup along with some fruit and maybe pulled pork on toast. Friday I will be making corned beef and cabbage....looking forward to that dinner. No....I am not Irish, but I do enjoy the corned beef and sandwiches on rye bread.

Time to go downstairs and work on some cards. I am still making those cards that I showed you the other day. It is fun and I will show you a few samples in the next few days. Sunday I am going to a Stampin'up camp and there will be more cards to show you.

Well, time to close here......keep looking up.....better days are here and the weekend is coming!!!! Cheers ~ Louise

A Perfect Pearls and Distress Ink Technique

Hi there everyone. Tonight I was watching different techniques of card making on YouTube and ran across this idea and thought it was really neat. To save it and remember it, I thought the best way would be on my blog. It's 17 minutes long but very thorough. Think I will make lots of these cards. The author of these cards is www.jennifermcguireink.com check her out.....I do think I will be adding her to my favorite blogs to visit.

Well, this is one of those short posts. You have a great day and keep looking up....better days are here again. Cheers ~ Louise

Hey.....7 Days into March Already!!!

Hi there everyone!!! Wow....7 days into March already, "time do fly by fast when we're having a good time???" I'm not so sure about that saying and if I believe it.  As I sit here typing and looking at my calendar, which is right be side my computer. The days are filled and I guess I have been busy.

Today we took our income tax stuff to the accountant. I have been going through papers, bills, receipts, etc. since February and working right up until this past Saturday (with a lot of procrastination in between) I finally finished.....YAY!!! We celebrated with a piece of chocolate cake last night. No, it didn't look like this....but was just as good.

Today we celebrated again by stopping at "The Taste of Windy City" and got fries, Gyro and Windy City Special with hamburger and gyro meat.....whew....the special was all I ate for today, filled me up good!!!

A tray of food at the Taste of Windy City in Appleton.

Windy City's Gyro and the fries below.

I think when we go to pick up our tax stuff.....and if....we are getting a refund, there will be another stop at "The Windy City"....yes there will!

Been working on cards....a new batch for the Hospice meeting this next month, April 7th. Our past meeting was on the 3rd. of March. I took a lot of cards that were already made up and used those...now I have to get some new ideas for the next batch. I will be working on Easter and Mother Day cards this time around.

The Chicago Blackhawks played Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and won all 3 games. So I was glued to the TV watching the games, although I could only get the 3rd period for the Friday and Saturday games. It's almost as good as being there, but not quite. #72 is my favorite player...Artemi Panarin.

Went shopping Thursday, on the north side of Appleton to Shopko and Festival and Friday, on the west side Walmart, Sam's Club and Hobby Lobby. I have to keep my shopping down to a minimum, only a couple of days a week.

Tomorrow, I will just do some house work....I finally took down the Valentine decorations and now have St. Patrick decorations up. Maybe tomorrow will be a "surprise day" and just do whatever comes up....seems like I have a lot of those days.

Time to close, JP will be home in 10 minutes, so I better get something going for his dinner. You have a great evening and keep looking up~~~Better days are here again. Cheers ~ Louise