Dr. Thunder, Colby Jack, and a Healthy Bug

Some Favorite Foods and Beverages this week:

*Constant Comment Hot Tea
*Fresh Pineapple  (Only $2.98 at the store this week, and they are wonderful!)
*Colby Jack Cheese Cubes
*Dried Cranberries and nuts mixed together. (Almonds are best, but peanuts will do.)
*Diet Dr. Thunder.  Yes, that cheap brand (84 cents a 2 liter) at Walmart. It's better than Diet Dr. Pepper--which is darn good!
*Celery and Peanut Butter (Why don't I make this more often??)

It's a wonderful Wednesday: 

*My internet is finally on for longer that five minutes at a time. (Another call to the internet provider.)
*I am completing Day 2 of Week 2 on the Couch Potato to 5K. (How is it possible to lose this much ground in just a few months?)
*The Mr. is headed to the RV show, but at least I have a meeting to attend tonight.
*The little Lady Bug is finally feeling better.  She had an ear infection, but the antibiotics seem to be helping.  No fever.  Still coughing, but a much happier, chipper baby. Her parents seemed to have recovered, too.

I'm trying to concentrate on the good.  Research papers are driving me crazy, and spring play auditions are looming next week.  I have a lot to do, and a million interruptions a day. 

I'll let you know when I dig my way out!  
 

Pickles and Peanut Butter

I have loved peanut butter all of my life.  Peanut butter anything is my favorite!

My grandma made the best pickles.  Two of my favorite were her sweet pickles and her watermelon pickles.  (I think that is what she called them.) 

Dad taught me about making a peanut butter sandwich and adding sweet pickles to it.  Sounds weird.  Tasted great!  And it combined two things I loved. 

Grandma died about 23 years ago.  She was so loved, and I've missed so many things about her through the years.  But it wasn't until the last few days that I realize how much I've missed her pickles. 

Auntie C makes Grandma's sweet pickles.  (Like mother, like daughter.) She gave me a jar of them when I saw her on Thursday.  It is nothing short of a miracle when you can unscrew a lid and be transported back a quarter of a century.  I haven't had pickles like Grandma's in years. 

Last night I had a peanut butter and pickle sandwich for supper.  I felt like I was 10 again. 

I love my Auntie C for so many reasons, and now she has given me just a bit of my Grandma back. 

*sigh*  Heaven!

Nuts About Nutella

I'm slow, but I finally tried Nutella a month or so ago.  You find it with the Peanut Butter in the grocery store.  It is a blend of hazelnut (Mom got me started on the hazelnut flavor years ago) and chocolate. 

My first try was Nutella on bread.  Yuck.  I wasn't  crazy about it.  However, I have found several ways that I do love it:

*Nutella as icing on brownies  (To die for!)
*Nutella on graham crackers
*Nutella with pretzels  (got the sweet and salty thing going)
*Nutella (instead of butter) on pancakes--syrup on top (yum!)

Things I haven't tried yet, but will:

*Nutella and 'Nilla wafers
*Nutella s'mores  (skip the Hershey bar)
*Nutella on tortillas
*Nutella as a fruit dip
*Nutella on Ritz Crackers (another sweet and salty)

A former student in Italy posted a picture of herself beside Nutella jars as big as her head.  She said they cost about $20, and that she can't find a jar of peanut butter in the country.  (No peanut butter?? gasp!)

I always thought those Italians were on to something, and now I know it:  Tuscany wine country and now gallons of Nutella.  I need to get a passport!

A Few New Loves And...

The moving into my room is going.  Slowly.  I still haven't taken pictures, but maybe by the weekend.  (I really should have my lessons ready to go for Monday.)  I will share pictures as soon as I get the chance. 

The Mr.'s mom is going to a nursing home today.  A good friend's mother died, so there is a funeral to attend this weekend.  There is so much on my mind, that I decided to blog about something incredibly trivial.  It's Friday.  What do you expect??  Here goes:

I have never been a hummus lover.  In fact, I've had some really bad hummus and hesitated to ever try it again.  Then this past Thanksgiving the Mr.'s cousins served Sabra's roasted garlic hummus for an appetizer.  It was wonderful, but oh... the bad breath!!! 

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas I found that same brand of hummus in a sun dried tomato style.  It is delicious, and my breath doesn't kill my family, friends, or students!  I seem to be the only one on Easy Street obsessed with Sabra's hummus.  L, K, and the Mr. say there is just something about the texture of hummus that they don't really appreciate. (Mashed up garbanzo beans?  Expecting cool whip??!)  I end up eating the whole container myself.  (Any wonder I am running in 7 degree temperatures?!!)

Actually, hummus is fairly healthy. You've got to try it!  I may be brave enough to make it myself one of these days.  It is great with veggies, chips, or crackers.  And speaking of crackers, I found the combination of Sabra's hummus and these crackers unbeatable!

I don't know how long these Wheat Thin Stix have been on the market, but they have been a hit this season around here.  There are several different flavors, and they were great with dips and cheese spreads. Oh and with that hummus...!  Yum!

On another note, this has been driving me crazy!

My dentist gave me a "free" sample of Crest Pro Health after my last appointment.  (I was pretty sure I had paid for that and the sample floss when I saw my bill!)  I love the toothpaste, but can't stand the packaging.  It is wasteful, hard to manage, and a complete pain.  The cap won't close tightly over the tube once you have used it.  You can't roll the tube; it just isn't pliable enough.  Silly me!  I thought that my first tube was defective and was stupid enough to buy it again.  No more.  I'll be searching for a different toothpaste as soon as this tube is done-- or sooner if I get really irritated!

So there's the latest product review on Easy Street.  Anything new you love?  Or love to hate?  Do share! Meantime, I'll be agonizing over where to hang posters, what to put on my bulletin board, and where to store all the trappings of teaching.  And if I finish before noon, I'll spend my afternoon taking some pictures!

Tailgates, Wedding Mints, Fun Runs, and Small Town Parades

They may call it Labor Day Weekend, but it was more like a Labor-less Day Weekend on Easy Street. 

We tailgated and watched the U team win on Saturday.  The tailgate menu:  pulled pork sandwiches, chips and salsa, veggie and fruit plates, and pretzel M&M's.  We didn't need the grill which made it even better. 

Since it was mid 80's, even the temperatures weren't too bad.  Some of us could have used a bit more sunscreen.  OK.  So I'm the only one who used enough sunscreen.  K and L now sport interesting tan lines, thanks to the face tattoos.  *sigh*

But they looked really cute, so I guess it was worth it.  Can you tell they love their Dad?!!

Which one is the 53 year old who is concerned about the sun and wrinkles?  Oh, that would be the one in the hat!  Cute isn't exactly a priority for her these days.

Both girls got up early on Sunday morning to make the mints for the wedding reception.  Four hours later, we had about 800+ mints.  You are supposed to make two mints per person, but K loves them so much she decided on four mints per person.  L and I were fairly wiped out, but they are done!

The mint recipe:  4 oz. cream cheese, 3 cups of powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. of flavoring, and a few drops of food color.  You hand mix those: as in knead them with your hands. Then you roll small balls, cover the balls in granulated sugar, and press them into molds. You pop them out onto wax paper, let them set up for awhile, and then freeze them.

We made pink (of course), cream, and green.  Some were flavored with peppermint extract, while the rest are almond flavored.  One more thing to check off the to-do list. 

On Monday, the Mr. and I got up early and left for his hometown Fun Run.  The wind was blowing about 60 mph.  (That is a bit of an exaggeration, but it was windy!)  The course is flat and just an out-and-back run.  The trouble is I had to run straight into that headwind for the first mile. 

Thankfully, that same wind pushed me back to the finish line.  My time was a bit better than the last time I ran this race, but it was still S-L-O-W!!  In spite of that, I took 2nd in my age group.  Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing you are.  There had to be only two of us in my age group!  Proudest moment:  I beat all the walkers and a few other runners!  Ta-da!!

We hurried back to Tiny Town and had missed the frog races.  Darn it!  We did have a chance to see a lot of former students and then watched the traditional parade.

Some of our favorite parade watchers were the kids of former students.  When the candy started flying, one of these twins was yelling "Trick or Treat."  Absolutely adorable.

The candy and the cute kids were in abundance! 

Sometimes we need weekends like these:  fun, family, and hometowns.  Throw in the nice weather, and it doesn't get much better!

Friday Food Faves

I know I spent last summer telling you how much I love BLT's.  I still do.  I've even had a BLT for breakfast this summer.  Unfortunately, between the heat and a tomato loving fox in the neighborhood, we've had very few tomatoes on Easy Street.  Thankfully, friends have given us their surplus, so there hasn't been a shortage of BLT's for me!

Another favorite food this summer is garden fresh, too.  I love cucumbers, onions, and vinegar with a bit of sugar and salt and pepper.  I could easily eat a cucumber a night!  This dish has become a staple of our evening meals.

So that's it for the fresh vegetables!  I've also discovered this:

This cereal is delicious.  I'm counting on the fiber to make it at least a little healthy.  It is so good, I love to eat it dry for a snack.  I figure since a serving is 1 cup, if I eat 1/2 cup I can get away with a cereal that tastes so good!  
 
I know Dairy Queen Blizzards have been around for a long time.  I have always thought their small Blizzards were too much.  I usually felt a little sick after that much ice cream.  At last, they have come out with a Mini Blizzard!

They've been advertising it as a "child's size."  Actually, it is probably about as much as most of us should be eating for a dessert.  Finally, they are making a healthier portion choice available.  Let's hope this isn't just a short-time promotion.  Oh, and I can speak highly for the Banana Cream Pie Blizzard!  It's almost as good as my seasonal favorite:  the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard!

Sonic used to have a Junior Banana Split.  It was so tiny and the perfect price and size.  They did away with it.  Darn it.  (I'm feeling a writing campaign needs to begin!!)  Wendy's has a Junior Frosty.  Again, it is advertised for kids, but is really a perfect size for adults.  K and L love McDonald's little reduced fat ice cream cones.  I hate cones, so they don't appeal to me.  So there are some healthier options out there if you are looking for an ice cream treat this summer!

There you have it, some of this Friday's summer favorites!  Just writing about all this food makes me feel the need to go for a run!

Scout, Tortilla S'mores, and Karen Kuehn Photography

Small things irking me this week-

1. Itchy skin.  I have a few mosquito bites, but I itch all over.  I'm not sure what the story is. (Thankfully, it isn't poison ivy!)

2. The pool hose.  The vacuum hose for the pool curls up like those old telephone cords used to.  It curls up so much it kinks- and then the vacuum doesn't work.  Uncurling the phone cords was easy.  The pool hose?  Not so much.  I spent about 90 minutes vacuuming the pool yesterday, finally got the hose unkinked and uncurled, and am hoping that this is a one-time only problem.

3. Flip flops (brand new). This lovely new purchase turns the bottoms of my feet black.  The dye wears off on my heels and toes.  Lovely. *sigh*

That's the bad news.  The good news:

1. L spent the night.  She made me tortilla s'mores.  She spread peanut butter on a taco size tortilla, adds mini marshmallows, and then adds either a few chocolate chips or a little bit of hershey bar.  She nukes the whole thing in the microwave for 15 seconds.  Finally, she folds them taco style.  Yum.  I think this is her own creation for "L's Tortilla and Stuff" restaurant.  Of course, L is also planning to run a daycare, so we'll keep you updated. 

2.  K's photo shoot ended up being a lot of fun.  All of her worries were for nothing.  Here is a link to  photographer Karen Kuehn's website.  I wish I could have gone to watch.  K said she was amazing to work with, and she's pretty certain that the students who came in for the shoot will never, ever forget this experience. I can't wait to see the finished product.

3. Last night, we went to the fields to watch the little ones play T-ball.  What fun!  We got a good laugh out of watching them all chasing the same ball, writing in the dirt, or sliding in to every base.  There were even a couple who cried every time before they went out to bat.  Sooo cute.  That was the best hour of the day!

Today, I am off to the pool again. Yesterday, a darling two year old girl named Scout came for a swim.  You know I loved that!  A little cutie named after one of my favorite literary characters!  Maybe she'll be back today with Atticus or Boo Radley in tow.

Football Saturdays

This was a beautiful Saturday in U town stadium. The fans cheered the U team to a victory. There were lots of people on hand to enjoy the sunny weather and root for the home team.

Of course, K & L were two of my favorite fans. (And both of them were sporting pink noses by the end of the game.)

As if the huge crowd wasn't enough, it was Band Day. This was the half-time show. All those high school bands crowded onto the field to play some patriotic numbers. Their traditional closing number is a rendition of the "1812 Overture," complete with cannon fire.

Along with being Band Day, it was Military Appreciation Day. Besides a couple of tanks, there was a lot of camouflage in the stands, and they supplied the half-time cannon fire. Of course, my favorite part of the day-- the tailgating before the game.

CT grilled kabobs with elk meat and bacon wrapped dove and jalapenos. (L brought her own hot dogs. She isn't much for nontraditional meat!) I'll let CT do the cooking at the tailgate any time! He is a good cook, and I've tried a couple of delicious things I've never eaten before.

There is always a lot to eat, but the best part of tailgating is the atmosphere. There are washer toss games, wanna be quarterbacks practicing their spirals, and radios blaring the pregame show. Today, a little girl at the next tailgate over was celebrating her 8th birthday. She and a friend stopped by to snitch a few candy corn and tell us about her love of horses. The tailgate fans are always friendly.

Give me an awning for shade, a comfy lawn chair, and time with the family. There is only one down side to tailgate Saturdays:

Port-a-pottys!! (Give me a regular restroom any day!) Thankfully, early in the day they are still in good shape. And I'm always grateful for the hand sanitizer dispensers! And that is a Football Saturday in my books. (The Mr. will notice that there are no pictures of the team or the game. Oh yeah, there was a game?? I guess I'll get pictures of his favorite part of the day next time!)

A Tribute to Press 'N Seal

I fought Cling Wrap for 30 years. I usually had it stuck to itself while I was getting it out of the box.

Cling Wrap stuck to itself really well, but nothing else. I resorted to scotch tape sometimes, trying to tape it to some bowl that needed covered.

It never worked. About half the time, my Cling Wrap would blow across the parking lot on the way into some potluck.

Usually, just getting out the box would irritate me.

And then I discovered Press 'N Seal! I may never buy any other wrap again.

I can pull it out of the box, tear it, and only rarely will a corner end up stuck to itself.

As long as the container I want to cover is dry, this stuff sticks! It even forms a pretty tight seal. And I've never had to chase this wrap across a parking lot!

You can't see through it, but the fact is that if I know what is in the container, I don't need to see the contents.

I'm a convert.

And that is your commercial announcement for today, folks!

ON BELTS AND BALTS AND FIREBOLTS

I've already discussed my love of BLT's. The tomatoes from the garden are coming in daily right now, so I am in heaven.

The daughters tell me that there are some awesome variations on my beloved BLT. (You probably already know these. I had never heard of them before.) One variation is called the BELT: Bacon, Eggs, Lettuce, and Tomato. I've tried it. Yum. There are several ways you can make the BELT. A fried egg is a natural choice, but next time I am thinking of hard boiling an egg and slicing it like the tomato. I'm guessing that egg salad, bacon, lettuce, and tomato would be great, too.

The BALT is bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomato. Sounds delicious. I must make time in my BLT summer to try it.

There isn't actually a Firebolt. (That is actually the name of Harry Potter's Quidditch broom. I've got Harry Potter on the brain this week.) I'm making this up as I go along, so work with me here! BOLT: Bacon, Onion or Olive, Lettuce, and Tomato. The fire could come from jalapeno peppers or hot salsa. What do you think? Pretty impressive culinary skills, eh?!

I'm thinking the Food Network is going to be calling soon. (Though I'm not sure they want a cook with a one food repertoire. Wait! Make that two! I do peanut butter and jelly variations, too!)