Ima Foodie

Some days I wonder if I am in the right profession.  I LOVE teaching but I also LOVE food.  I am finding as I watch shows like Master Chef and Chopped I want to go buy the ingredients from their mystery boxes and see what I can make out of them.  I spend half the time watching the show debating about what I could make or how I could change something they are doing and make it better.


I have to this point been a recipe girl.  I make a lot of recipes all of the time, the right way first, and after that I make the necessary tweaks to make it just a bit better.  I have recently decided that I am going to be a brave cook and make up my very own creations.  I mean, I have all the essentials, I can cook an egg...right... several ways, I can even cook chicken.  Yes, people don't cook these seemingly easy things properly...who knew? I know what flavors absolutely don't go together and some that don't seem like they would work but do.  I feel as though I should be braver and bolder!  So I shall!


Speaking of food...my menu has been working out brilliantly.  I had to switch a few things around but so far delicious is the word that describes everything I have made!  I have a few brief notes however:


1.  Tequila Glazed Chicken...perfect.
2. Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops...might try marinating those bad boys and then glazing while they cook.
3. Asian Glazed (apparently I am into glazing right now)Chicken Thighs....flavor AMAZING but I would grill rather than bake on a broiling rack.
4. Basil Chicken Breasts...tasty but WAY too buttery (I know, I know, Julia would disagree, but I am counting calories!)


Tonight we have Slow Cooked Beef Tips and Pearl Onions served over Old Fashioned Smashed Taters.  This is similar to a bourginon (and yes, I should know how to spell this but alas...I don't.) but not quite the same.  I started it at 8:15 this morning....my house smells like slow cooked amazingness right now!!!

I intended to blog about all the school madness that is going on in my world...but food was much happier and more inspiring today! 

B

Monday Mania

So I got a text from my principal last night that read, "Stop planning.  I need to meet with you tomorrow at 10:30."  Naturally, being the worry wart that I am I INSTANTLY freak out. My goes to all the places it shouldn't...first being that I got let go (since MCS has decided they may not actually want people to teach English or History) or second, that...dum dum dum...I was going to have to teach 10th grade...neither of which was the case but I did successfully and completely worry myself into a mess all night.  Come to find out all is well, I still get my Juniors and Seniors and bonus...I get to coach an intramural sport...softball I believe...that should be a story in and of itself since I haven't the foggiest about it.

I got to school this morning and was greeted by one of my summer senior's smiling silly face and I was so happy because suddenly I was not freaking out anymore.  He mauled me with a bear hug and talked forty miles a minute telling me all the news I missed all summer as he escorted me down the hall.  I had been wondering all summer what going back to school would be like, as this was my first "teacher summer," and it was just wonderful.  I missed the smell of the halls and all my friends smiling and eager to talk with each other.  I missed my wild and crazy bunch of students who all hugged me like they hadn't seen me in a year...it was, well, like coming home. 

All of these happenings today got me thinking about just how thankful I am that I am at my school (most people think I am nuts but I love my school...alternative and all!), and how lucky I am to have a been, thus far, shielded from the mass lay offs.  I have felt all along like I have a purpose for being at my school, God has led me a lot of places I didn't like but needed to be and this time I feel like I want and need to be where I am.  I hope He has the same idea in mind!

With that in mind I have decided on a few verses I am going to STRIVE to live by, prayerfully and I think they will help me be daily more the kind of person my students need in their lives.

"Do all things without grumbling or questioning..."  Philippians 2:14

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."  Proverbs 31:26

Really all of Proverbs 31 is relevant but I think I am going to take it one verse at a time.  Lastly, is of course on of my favorites:

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:13

B

A Little Dinner Delight

As you may or may not know...I love to plan.  Everything.  All summer I have been working on various projects....one of which I should be doing right now instead of typing but it is just going to have to wait...anyway...I have accomplished a lot!   Most of it is painting and touch-ups around the house and you saw the curtains already but my big planning this week is:

Skip Christmas Trip to Cancun Money Saving Extravaganza!!!!

Whatever you are reading into that title is true, guaranteed!  As many of you know, the Husband HATES to spend money...I should video tape it sometime he looks like someone died or like he might die at any moment.  It's funny business.  However, it causes me all kinds of trouble...like having to save every penny I can think of so he feels like he is justified....crazy man!  So, because of ALL of that I have planned a glorious menu of dinners for the next week and a half.  I cook most nights anyway but having an actual menu calms the inner scrooge in my husband.  I am pretty excited about it:

Saturday:  Bourbon Grilled Pork Chops with an Onion Tart and Salad
Sunday:  Leftover day (I made lasagna this week and he will eat it ALL)
Monday:  Los (we always go out on Monday)
Tuesday:  Tequila Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs w/ Grilled Corn and Salad
Wednesday" Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs w/ Rice and Edamame
Thursday:  Leftover night (we must not waste!)
Friday:  Steak Night with Baked Sweet Potatoes and (you guessed it) Salad
Saturday: Basil Grilled Chicken Breast with Homemade Potato Chips
Sunday:  Something in the slow cooker, haven't decided yet...probably a roast
Monday:  Los
Tuesday:  Broiled Shrimp with Green Beans and Broccoli
Wednesday: Blackened Tilapia with Boiled Okra, Black Eyed Peas, and Salad

Whew!   That's a lot of cooking!  I will let you know how it all comes out and how well we stick to it!!  All of these recipes are "healthified" as well so if any are interesting let me know and I will post you some links!!

So now for the Cancun of it all...the fabulous First Lady and her hubs decided they wanted to go on vacation and "skip Christmas"  so naturally they invited the Tryko and her hubs...they were sharing all about it and asked if we wanted to join....So...we will be having Christmas on the sandy shores of a beach resort...which all came as perfect timing.

I am very excited because I have something HUGE as a goal so I stay on top of things!  Plus I get to plan like a fool...which always makes me happy!

I still have more I want to share but I will try and save it for later!  

B

P.S.  Harry Potter is out and boy am I excited....Harry Potter has been around since I graduated high school...so he's a pretty big deal!

Give a hoot!

Wow, I didn't realize that I have not blogged since June, my apologies!  I had a wonderful weekend last week, I gotr to have my 9 year old niece for a few days and we had a blast.  I have told several of you all about it so I am just going to post our fun in some pics:

And this is Nellie's opinion of all that fun:

Well that's all for this little update!  I have one to follow right after this but I can't make them fit together so you get a Friday bonus blog!  I know you are thrilled!

B