Christmas

     It's Christmas break and I am in Missouri, I will update on all of my gifts when I finally get back to them and my computer.

Dog Cookies

   

    This time of year I tend to go through a lot of butter, like Julia Child amounts of butter but the other day I baked a dish that was in fact butter-less. It is a hard biscuit made of wheat flour, pumpkin and peanut butter, healthy. Plus I made up a frosting for it using ricotta cheese (because I didn't have cream cheese) and peanut butter with a bit of honey. The ending result some something like a dog treat!

Recipe for cookie:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees
2. Using a wooden spoon, mix together all ingredients in a bowl. The dough will be dry and using your hands is unavoidable. Add a bit of water if you need.  Roll into a 1/2 inch thick sheet and cut out shapes. Place on a baking stone or cookie sheet. 
3. Bake until hard, about 35 minutes. 

Recipe for doggy frosting:

1/2 cup cream cheese or ricotta
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey

   Mix all ingredients together and frost. It will crack if it dries, I like it, you may not.

Something for everyone

   But maybe nuns and monks...

New Weight Lose Plan

      This is a proposal for anyone wishing to lose a couple pounds, not because you are fat or anything just because you are just looking to be a little more healthy. Okay so here it goes;
     
       - Cook the fatty foods that you love and crave, so that you get that smell and possibly some of the flavor from cooking your other foods in it. ie: BACON
       - Next feed it to the dog, sneaking just a couple bites for yourself.
       - Finally, take the dog and yourself for a walk/jog at least two miles because you both are gonna need it.


GOOD LUCK!

A Weeny Memorial.

      Oscar, I will always remember the day Mom and I picked you up to take you home. It was something like what you might expect from a heart warming movie trailer. I didn't want you because I thought a Dachshund was a wire-haired breed that looked something like Toto, so naturally I figured you would be an ass.

     But when I saw that you were just a tiny little weenier dog I instantly fell in love. You were barely taller than the grass that you were hoping around in and I could fit you both of my hands. I have to admit that I didn't catch on right away why your name was Oscar, because we didn't name you, I just figured it was because of Oscar the Grouch, which made perfect sense.

     Because you loved trash and were really grouchy if we tried to wake up or get you out from under the covers. That you burrowed was one of my most favorite things about you, I had never had a dog want to sleep in my bed with me until you came along and you have changed the way I feel about dogs forever.

     I lots of great memories of you and I will never forget you. I am so sorry that you suffered before you went but hope that now you may rest in peace without anyone bothering you with their feet.

Super Breakfast

   




      This is why I tend to complain whenever I go out to eat. Because at least 90% of the time I can make it better at home. I'm not saying that I am better than everyone at their job just most every chain restaurant.
      This morning I am having a super food, super breakfast. Inside my EGG omelette is SPINACH, TOMATOES, cheese and BACON ( not technically a super food but I count it because they left it out on accident.) I'm paring it with Greek YOGURT, RASPBERRIES and clementimes and a slice of WHOLE GRAIN toast that has HONEY BUTTER ( again butter is not on the list but was forgotten.)
     So just to recap I prefer to eat at home over a franchise. But hole in the wall ma and pa restaurants out do me every time, their craft is their own and I will always treat it with respect.

German style

Red cabbage, sauteed golden apples and brats with mash potatoes and mustard reduction.

Cook books

Went to the thrift store for cook books and this is all I find.

I almost bought this just the other day, I would still rather the unbroken one.

If you ask me what I'm doing tonight...

     I'll reply that I am staying home! Finally I don't have to plan outfits for a weekend at my parents or wonder where I will be sleeping. This is such a relief because I havent slept well since thanksgiving. Also I don't think my stomach can take anymore fast food.
     How wonderful it will be to live out normal every day tasks again. I can go to the store whenever I feel like, not limited by lack of car or need to fill a kitchen. Just think, me cooking again! It's only been nine months since I last used my kitchen.
      I am so excited that I am literally losing sleep over which store I plan on going to first, thoughts of washing the dog and what coupons to print. You know you have over done the traveling when you get excited about seeing your vacuum cleaner again, not that it isn't a great vacuum.
      Oh, what a house wife I have become.

Older

    Lately I have been so occupied and worried about Christmas gifts for my family in Idaho that I completely forgot that I am turning 22 in just twenty days! Yes, that is right, the day after Christmas. It is the worst birthday of the year anyone could have.
    Why is it the worst? Well for one, even I forget it, which as you might have guessed, many others do too. As a kid I would get amazing Christmas mornings and my mom would say things like, "now this one is for Christmas and your birthday." I would think, "then why am I opening this now?" Is it really that hard to save me a present for my birthday and wrap it in birthday paper, not candy canes?
     I know it is pretty hard on everyone to give more than gift for a person around this time, it seems like for the last three months of the year everyone is tapped out from all of the holidays. You would think that who ever made the calendar would have thought it through a little better, or I guess we could all just celebrate the true holiday and not the commercialized ones.

But where is the fun in that Charlie Brown?

      Many people with a similar problem to mine have half birthdays, so that means that you would celebrate in June rather than December. I could see that being pretty fun but its just not the same, plus I would feel like an even bigger asshole asking for a birthday on another day that isn't mine. Thats like telling the Cheesecake Factory its your birthday when its not so you can get a free slice of cake, which doesn't work... I have tried.
      So I am just going to keep my birthday but I wont like it! In the future, when it is my time to have babies I am not getting pregnant after March, NO WAY! Unless of course it was an accident like every other pregnancy...  Can some one please explain to me how it can be called an accident when a person consents to sex without any form of protection other than the ole pull out method or a condom which everyone knows breaks? If you can't afford birth control, you can't afford a baby.
     

Castle Rock

    Yesterday Ryan change the mini's oil and I helped, kind of. It had gone 18,000 miles without one and the computer finally told him it was time, crazy. I have never changed oil on my own before so Ryan quizzed me what I might do if I had to change my own oil. Apparently taking it to a dealer or looking up what to do on youtube are not acceptable answers when you are in a zombie apocalypses.

    Ryan dropped his multi tool in the pan of oil. I told him to move it. After dinner we went for a trip to Castle Rock but about 20 or more miles in realized that the roads would more than likely have ice on them and the mini is in desperate need some snow tires. It was a really nice though, we turned a corner and there were the snow covered mountains, hiding.

Fooled you, its a water bottle. 

Future of Hills

   After re-watching the first three series of, "King of the Hill" I have come to realize my future is leading in a very similar direction of life that Hank and Peggy live and I am not that upset about it. Sure its a comedy cartoon show about hicks who drink beer in the alley but it is deals with real family lessons.
    I see myself in Peggy, I see myself in Peggy a lot, except I can cook, thats the main difference.