I Hate to Say I Gave you that Idea (But, I Did)

I'm always surprised at human nature. Nope, that's not right. It doesn't surprise me with certain folks. You know how there is that certain personality that has to discover things for themselves and could never consider something new if it's presented to them? Well, I know several people like that.


I come from a long line of people that have to be right. I'll admit it. I'm one of them. D has learned just to agree, listen to me vent, wait for the storm to pass and I'll guiltily apologize and move on. Mom always said it's the Scottish side of me, but she's not Scottish, that was Dad. And she's got the Right Gene too.


I mention the Right Gene because this little blurb has nothing to do with me possessing that characteristic. In fact, I don't even know why I mentioned it, except that it's something I haven't before. This Right Gene is battled daily and I think I'm winning. (!)


I'm a longtime fan of www.etsy.com. I purchased something from an artist listed there when it was just an itty bitty website that no one had ever heard of. I use etsy for gifts and to find things for my home or myself that are one of a kind. I use it for inspiration. I tell everyone I know to visit that site.


I know someone that handcrafts things beautifully and so, of course, I mentioned etsy to her. She was struggling with sales having lost space in a local gift store when they went out of business. Why wouldn't you want to join up? It's a great community and it puts your work out there to an international audience and it's just plain cool. Well, she hemmed and hawed and her answer was, "I've already tried the online thing. It didn't work."


Now to find out from another friend that she's listing there. Ugh. No, I didn't gossip with the other friend, I just said, "that's great!" (And I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart.) The next time I see my artsy friend I will congratulate her and I will wholeheartedly wish her success.


I'm writing this to get rid of the "I hate to say I gave you the idea, but I did" feeling. It's worth nothing for me to say it (kind of like "I told you so" is). And I really do feel better having hit the keyboard. It really does have to do with the Right Gene. I know. I know.

Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, I love a man, with a hammer by his side...

I can't help it. A man that does home remodeling and repairs--well, it's a turn on. He's blurry because he's working so fast and hard and so very manly. Too bad I didn't get a shot with his tool belt on. "That's a big hammer you have there."

We've been remodeling our kitchen. For about 9 years. Next project, a mud room, for all our extra mud and storage of mud type things. And then, stay tuned for the soon to be replacement of the world's ugliest kitchen floors. No really. Mine are the ugliest.

Almost an after picture: You'll have to imagine the sound of harps playing or big game show win type music in the background. Sorry I don't have a before. The ceiling was one giant plastic fluorescent fixture. Super ugly, super horrible lighting. So ugly that it couldn't be photographed.

Happy Valentine's Day! We He's working on projects this weekend again. Now that's romance. Really.

There are no Words

Peace and Prayers to all involved in the commuter plane crash.

Flex Your Mussels

Seafood on a budget? Sure you can. I found mussels in my grocer's freezer for under $3 a box. They're very Weight Watchers friendly and would make a great Valentine's Day dinner.

Foo Foo La La Mussels

This delicious recipe looks like you fussed and tastes like it shouldn't be healthy. Serves 6 at 3 WW Points per serving. Serve in a big bowl with crusty bread to dip in the delicious broth. A big green salad and steamed veggies are great sides. I would bet some cooked high fiber pasta stirred in to this would be delightful.

50 fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons real butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Place mussels in a large bowl with cold water to cover. Let them soak for about 20 minutes to remove any dirt or sand.

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, and saute for one minute, but do not brown. Add the chopped green onion and tomatoes, and cook until almost tender. Pour in the white wine, and stir in the parsley and butter. Bring to a boil, and allow to boil until the liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the mussels to the pot, cover and allow to cook until the shells are opened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mussels and sauce to a large serving bowl, discarding any unopened shells.

Ginger, Marianne, or Gilligan?

Out for coffee with friends the other day, I ran smack dab into a generation gap. We went to an upscale Scandinavian bakery in our area. It's a great place to get a pitcher size mug of your favorite Joe and to practice resisting temptation. The bakery is amazing.

I was the first to arrive, so a snagged a table and got in line. I struck up a conversation with the women in line with me, I knew one of them from Young One's preschool. We were discussing the tempting line of heart shaped cookies in the case, each flavored lemon, strawberry, or ginger. My acquaintance mentioned how much she loved ginger. As we approached the front of the line, I quipped that I always wanted to be Ginger, but I was usually Gilligan most days. We all laughed.

The young girl working the espresso machine with the odd piercing on her upper cheek (ouch) wanted in on the fun. We told her we felt her cookies should be named after the Island's occupants. "You mean Lost," she asked. "No, Gilligan's," I informed her. Blank stare. Blink. "Is that near Fiji?"

Ugh. I think that officially means I've crossed that invisible line between the generations. Not only am I unable to understand the intricacies of video games and iPods when Young One waxes on about them, but I'm now unable to communicate with the 20 somethings.

This recipe is from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. I adore her. Never trust a skinny cook, I've always said. Ina makes absolutely delicious food with a focus on simplicity and fine ingredients. Her recipes aren't all Weight Watchers friendly, but this one is. You must have at least two of her cookbooks, really worth the investment. Or if you're strapped, hit the library.


Honey, I Love Ya, Chicken
aka I Always Wanted to be Ginger Chicken
or I'm more like Gilligan Chicken
You can make this with boneless skinless pieces or a whole cut up chicken. Points will vary depending on what pieces you use. I like to use skinless chicken thighs. They're cheap and they come in at about 3.5 WW Points per thigh. Serve with Jasmine rice, mixed salad tossed with sesame ginger dressing, and steamed Asian veggies.

8 pieces of chicken
1/2 cup honey
2 TB minced garlic
2 heaping TB minced fresh ginger--I used minced ginger in a jar found in the Asian foods section (don't use Marianne or Gilligan)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup green onions, chopped (optional)
sesame seeds (optional--will increase Point value)

Mix honey, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Pour over skinless chicken pieces. Allow to marinate in refrigerator at least eight hours. Turn several times while marinating. Bake at 350, covered for 30 minutes, uncovered for 30 minutes. Watch closely, basting several times while cooking. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds (you can add the green onions to the marinade if you wish).

I Heart You

We aren't big Valentine's Day celebrators. I've always seen it as a great marketing opportunity for companies. Flower companies, greeting card companies, and just about everyone else make you feel guilty if you're not spending a ton this time of year.

We all know, the greatest things in life are free, so to me, spending a lot on the greatest thing of life--LOVE--seems silly to me.

We'll hold each other close on Saturday. There might be a card, homemade or not. There may be flowers. There may be heart shaped pancakes in the morning, but most likely they'll look like misshapen blobs. I'll make a special dinner and maybe we'll crack open a bottle of bubbly that some friends of ours made and shared with us.

It certainly won't be a material holiday. In fact, I wouldn't go near a restaurant or anything deemed "romantic". We'll celebrate with our son. Maybe hit the movies. We'll just be together, that's all I could wish for.

My mom and her cousins hit White Castle every year. I think it's hysterical. It's become so popular that reservations are now required. They put white tablecloths on the tables and I believe there is candlelight and the workers dress up. What started as a joke celebration has turned out to be something bigger and more and more people go every year. Sliders all around and maybe a little heartburn later in keeping with the holiday's theme.

The most important thing to remember is that you can't put a price on love. With a little thought, you can make the day special without spending much if anything.

This is a dessert that my mom made throughout my childhood. There's very little fat and so is a very Weight Watchers friendly dessert. Put it in the oven right before you're ready to have dinner and it will be ready at dessert time. I think it would be the perfect ending to a homemade romantic or love filled family dinner.

Moms Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Rich chocolate pudding on the bottom, decadent fudge cake on the top. You can make this in the crock pot too. Serves 12 at 3 Weight Watchers Points per serving.

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In ungreased 9 inch square pan, stir together flour, white sugar, cocoa, the baking powder, and salt. Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla with a fork until smooth.
Spread batter evenly in pan (batter will be thick). Sprinkle with brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa. Pour boiling water over batter.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes, then spoon into dessert dishes or cut into squares. Invert each square onto dessert plate and spoon sauce over each serving. Top with ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.

Want to control your portions and really make a wowie zowie kapowie impression on your loves? Well, bake these cakes in ramekins or coffee mugs. Each cup will get two tablespoons of batter, 1 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa mixture and two tablespoons of boiling water. Bake the cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are cracked. Cool slightly, top with mini marshmallows and broil until marshmallows are browned like you toasted over them the most perfect campfire (without turning them into horse crap, like we always did as kids, allowing them to burn to a crisp). Marshmallows are not included in the Point count.

The Wisdom of Seuss

My favorite Dr. Seuss book, The Lorax, had it's own area at Universal Studios, Florida. I love this story and we read it and watched the video over and over when Young One was little. He's much too old for this now, thank you very much (insert exasperated pre-teen sigh here.)

I, however, am not. And someday, he'll like it again.

Great story, great message.

To Celebrate Seuss, serve your kids Green Eggs and Ham, just do it once, Sam I Am.