out with the old....in with the new

Well, less than an hour until 2009. What a year it has been. Many ups and downs for us, but we are ending on an up note and I can only hope and pray for a happy and very healthy year ahead not only for my family but for everyone.

And for the resolutions? Last few years I haven't really made any - why bother since I always blow it pretty much immediately...... But this year I'm getting my butt into shape - really I am! How can I not now that I've put it out there for everyone to see?! ha.

And how about a resolution to post a comment if you stop by? I have to do that, too, with the blogs I read!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Major delish!!!

So we are staying in this New Year's Eve and I wanted to make something scrumptious for supper. Jackpot!!!!! I searched allrecipes.com and found this: Creamy Pesto Shrimp

This was sooooooooooooo good. Of course the battery in my camera is dead so I couldn't post a picture of the final product but seriously, try this soon!!!

It is not low cal/ low fat but is totally worth it.

CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP

Ingredients:

* 1 pound linguine pasta
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/3 cup pesto
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened.
4. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine.

I did use mostly half and half instead of heavy cream. Next time I'll add some fresh mushrooms and tomatoes. Delicious!


SUBMITTED BY: Loretta Buffa -- have to give credit where credit is due. Thanks for this recipe, Loretta.

We also had BACON WRAPPED SCALLOPS. Yum again. I went ahead and bought a few big scallops, precooked the bacon just a teeny bit, and broiled them - just drizzled a little olive oil on them and seasoned with salt and pepper. I didn't get them done early enough to have as an appetizer so we each had a couple with our pesto shrimp.

In the crockpot I have some chicken wings cooking and they smell great. I'll post that recipe later. Guess the buffalo chicken dip will have to wait until tomorrow!

Where does the time go?

How did it happen that there is only one more day of 2008?!?!?!?!?! Wow - does time fly, even when you aren't having fun.

Don't you love it when...

...you find the perfect gift by accident?!

I did today - found a gift for my hubby. I think he is going to like it. It is something I had kind of thought about but in a different way, if that makes sense. It wasn't something I was planning on getting, but when I saw it was like, "that's it!" I sure hope he likes it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So it not only looks like Christmas, it feels like we are actually at the North Pole!

holy cow!!!!! It's cold out!!! -10 when we went to church, -7 on the way home. I have things to do but no way am I going out again today. Going to do some cut-out cookies (pre-made dough, sorry) and when Katwoman goes down for a nap I'm going to start a big pot of spaghetti sauce with meatballs for dinner. Mmmmmmm.

And just for fun, there is a potential of 9-18 more inches Tuesday through Wednesday...the fun never ends :-)

If you have kids.....

...do your kids like to watch the same thing over and over and over and over and over?! I mean, I love Mary Poppins and all, but PUH-LEEZE ~ we've watched it 4x (in a row .......here and there when she gets her little bit of TV) and she wants to watch it AGAIN. ugh.

It's beginning to look A LOT like Christmas!

Ah, yes. I know this post means nothing without pictures but I didn't get them off the camera yet. We got 13 inches - yes, count em - 13 inches of snow! So I got my snow day. YAY. And, I'm feeling better (of course it is 10:30 at night) so it's all good. We are supposed to get another 2-5 inches Saturday night into Sunday and then of course windchills will be -20 to -40 (of course I still have some shopping to do - ugh) and then we are looking at another storm Tuesday night into Christmas Eve. Yes, this is weather watch on the blog but when you live in WI winter, one talks about the weather. A LOT :-)

So ya, nothing else too exciting. I'm still behind in my goodie making but oh well. I just don't really care anymore. Merry Merry!!!

Seriously!

This woman just amazes me......how dumb can you be? Ah, elected officials continue to give Milwaukee a bad name. And like MPS isn't screwed up enough?!

Charlene Hardin should be removed but she won't because this is Milwaukee we are talking about


So on to other important thoughts.....the biggie for the day: being sick SUCKS. Poor Katwoman got the flu. It wasn't pretty and I was home for a day from work. Today I have it, but not as bad. Came home an hour early to sleep and hope I can only hope it is gone tomorrow. I have way too much to do; don't have time for this!!!I guess the only good I can say about it is that it is out of the way before Christmas.

And now, a request: please do your best snow day dance for me! Please?!

I know, I know, as a teacher I should never want a snow day but: seeing as we are supposed to get up to a foot, and seeing as it is the last day before our 2 week Christmas break so it is going to be wild anyway, and seeing as I'm not feeling very well I think it would be best if I just stayed home - don't you?!

Go to the movies!

See Slumdog Millionaire. AWESOME flick. Seriously. You will love it. We had free tix to a screening tonight (thanks honey) and I have to say...loved it!

Is she really only 4?!

My kid is playing. She is having a party. She told me I was invited. She just came over to ask me my name. She had her list. I gave her my name. She checked her list. She told me, "NO MOM'S ALLOWED!!!" She finally did cave and tell me I could stay in the parent party room. :-)

I thought 4 year olds still wanted their mommies! I feel so abandoned!

Happy Birthday to me!

One more year til 40 *gulp*

I used to think 39 was old.......

Another request for prayers....

I just found out a friend from high school was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She has young children at home and has a lot on her plate with everything else going on at this time of year. It sounds like it may be as good as it can be when you say Cancer so that is encouraging.

But anyway, please keep Sue in your prayers.
thanks!

Please Pray

For over a year now I've been following a blog written by Shawndra Turner, a young mother fighting a very rare form of colon cancer. She is strong and inspirational - and needs our help. She landed back in the hospital and according to the blog the surgeon told her there is nothing else that can be done and suggested calling hospice.

Please pray for Shawndra, her husband, her little girl, and their entire family - that they have the strength and comfort at this difficult time.

You can read Shawndra's story here shawndraturner.blogspot.com

Thank you!

Bedtime Delay Tactic #123

Me: "Kitty, you need to hurry up, we have to get to bed!"

Her: "Momma, don't rush me, I just want to spend time with you!!!"

Me: "We just spent all night together"

Her: "Momma, I don't want to hear about it, be nice!"

Ahhhhh. 4 year olds are fun! Seriously. Love spending time with my sweetie even when we've been together shopping, getting our hair cut, eating dinner, watching Charlie Brown's Christmas, and getting ready for bed.

Tis the Season!

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. Hard to find time with so much going on - hosting Thanksgiving, working, being Momma (and wife), getting ready for Christmas.....Yes, Christmas!!! How can that be?! Wasn't in just summer yesterday?!

Well, even if it was it is now Winter in Wisconsin and we have the snow to prove it! December 1st - just like last year - was our first significant snowfall and we've had more since. And on Tuesday into Wednesday they are predicting 6-12 inches. Could anyone who comes to read this blog please do a snow dance for me and pray that we get a good 6 or more inches starting around 2-3 AM?! Can you say SNOW DAY?! Ok, it likely won't happen BUT one can wish!!

And really, I don't mind the snow. I mind the people who drive like idiots even though we live in WI and get snow every year. HELLO! Slow down, put your lights on, and don't follow so close to me! Yes, snow is much better than cold, and we've had that lately. Brrr.

So cold was it that I had the opportunity to go to the Packer game at Lambeau today but didn't go. But I will put out there that I wanted to go, even though I knew it would be cold. But my husband is just too darn practical and said, "Let's not go since it is going to be so cold, Packers are only mediocre, and we have just too much to do." Ok, so we didn't go. And really that was good. I did have a lot to do and did get a lot done!

One thing I did - make a few batches of fudge. Easiest ever. And fast.
Here is the recipe (and I may have posted this before but oh well)

EASY FUDGE
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 cups chips (whatever flavor you like - or use a combination)
1 tsp vanilla (or other extract like mint)

**can also add nuts and marshmallows, too!

Melt over low heat and pour into a foil lined, buttered 8x8 pan. refrigerate (or freeze) until firm. Cut into small squares and keep refrigerated (or frozen) in an airtight container. This fudge makes a great Christmas gift - and a little goes a long way.

Now, if you really want to get fancy, use a cake pan and put a foil covered (or saran wrap) can in the middle. Pour the fudge in to make a pretty fudge wreath!!! You can add some candied red/green cherries for decoration but you have to do it right away! I got this idea from Rachel Ray's magazine a couple of years ago. They are really cute!

Other goodies I like to make for Christmas

Pretzel Turtles
Snap pretzels
Rolo candies
Pecans (Toast ahead of time in oven)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put a rolo on each pretzel and cook for about 3 minutes at 300. Remove from oven and 'squish' a pecan on top of the melted caramel. Cool. (works well to chill in fridge or garage if you are in a cold state like me). Can drizzle chocolate over pecan for decoration.

These are pretty easy - the "putzy" part is unwrapping the rolos!!!

You can also dip pretzel rods in chocolate or make "Snowballs" or "Oreo balls"

Oreo balls or "Snowballs"
1 pkg oreo cookies
1 pkg cream cheese

Combine both in food processor. Form into small balls and chill. When firm dip in melted white chocolate and chill again. These are SOOOO good and are addictive, so you might want to double the recipe right away :-) The are good dipped in milk or dark chocolate also. Make sure to use parchment paper and have a good double boiler for melting your chocolate. (make sure to add a little butter or shortening to your chocolate when you are dipping!)

Finally, if you like Girl Scout cookies (think Thin Mints) here is an easy fix that really tastes like a mint cookie! Melt chocolate and add MINT extract - you can also use some of the mint flavored chips that are out there. Dip RITZ crackers into the mint chocolate and cool on parchment paper. I was doubtful about these when I heard about them but they are really yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously! Try them!

More you say? You can always do the chow mein noodle crunchy chocolate clusters (whatever you call them) and you could do chocolate covered peanut or cashew clusters as well. Yum!

This year I'm also going to try making some candied nuts and I also took a recipe posted on Twopeas for a type of chex mix - toffee flavor. Sounded yummy so I'll give it a go and report back.

If you have any favorite (and easy) candy recipes let me know. Always good to try new things!

PS-They are now saying only 3-6 inches of snow on Tuesday. How depressing. I'm ready for the big storm! :-)