no more excuses

the other AM I was watching the TODAY show (again) and it featured the woman from Smitten Kitchen...someone who has become quite famous from her food blog and most recently her cookbook!

she was interviewed and then they took a tour of her kitchen at home...all 42 sq. feet of it...where she does ALL of her fabulous cooking! and may I say, I was shocked. the kitchen was tee-TINY! I was blown away at her ability to create these incredibly fancy meals of all kinds in such a limited space! needless to say, she is amazing and such an inspiration to me. (especially in my current situation)

mostly because I tend to use my personal tee-TINY kitchen as an excuse to
why I am unable to cook a gourmet meal or cook at all some days. It made me feel very silly and worst of all...ungrateful for my own little kitchen.

it made me realize that your space, situation and resources are definitely only what you make of them!

so please do yourself a favor and check out this amazing woman/blog!
you are in for a treat (literally!)...:)

http://smittenkitchen.com/

so, enough excuses about I can and can't do in my own bitty kitchen. this is just the beginning! and although I know I will never rise to the greatness of the Smitten Kitchen...I can at least cook a decent meal for my hubby and I :)

happy cooking, friends!

cold, cold, go away

I don't know about you, but the hubs and I have been fighting the awful cold for the past week or so. The first cold or sickness of the season for both of us...about a week before that I was just remarking about how amazing it was that neither of us had gotten sick yet...especially with everything going around. and then...what do you know? BAM.

I was watching the Today Show the other day and it was talking about which cold remedies really worked and which were myths. pretty interesting.

vitamins/herbs such as echinacea and Vit. C aren't as helpful as we all thought. according to the doctor on the Today Show the studies proved no actual decrease in the length or symptoms of the cold when taking these supplements before, during, or after. kinda disappointing considering I have been cramming as much of these into my system as I could get at the first signs of a cold for quite a while now.

they did highly recommend the netty pot (which I have found to be particularly helpful). my dad has been using these for years and loves them :)

honey was also found to be actually helpful for sore throats and colds.

and the one most of us love to believe...and don't worry...the chicken noodle soup remedy for a cold was actually proven decrease lengths of the common cold. The soup ingredients help decrease inflammation in the nasal/sinus cavities while also providing delicious warm comfort :)

just wanted to share the knowledge!

so kick those colds, folks!!

the day of love

I'll be honest. I debated even doing a post centered around this particular holiday...I was afraid I might lose some followers! mainly because many people greatly dislike this day dedicated to corniness....now, Valentine's day for some is a wonderful day that they soak up every second of. but for some, it is just a reminder that they are alone...without a significant other and most definitely without a valentine.

so instead of looking at valentine's day as a day dedicated to corniness and love between a couple with the exchanging of cliche's...I choose to look at it as a day celebrating LOVE in general. and what's not to celebrate about that?!

...and we must remember where LOVE came from in the first place. 'Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.' 1 John 4:18

it is amazing enough that God created such a wonderfully, powerful emotion for each of us to experience...whether it be love towards a husband, wife, mother, father, sister, brother, friend, stranger, child, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, cousin...the list goes on. the point is...valentine's day is a day celebrating LOVE to whomever you wish and it should be celebrated every day of the year!

so I will leave you with another bit of scripture read during our wedding ceremony:...'We love because He first loved us.' 1 John 4:19

....so have a wonderful day my little valentine's! :)

snail mail

most of you know by now how old fashioned I am...almost to a fault.


but there is just simply nothing better to me than getting a handwritten note or card in the good old fashioned mail. I just get so excited.  ...I practically run to the mailbox each day....(.and imagine my delight when a whole package arrives!!)  and although email is great, I would almost always rather send or recieve a handwritten note than have a number in my inbox. I suppose it is my small way of boycotting the email form of technology.

another something I just can't get used to are the "nooks" or "kindles"..whatever they're called. I simply cannot bring myself to give up a actual book and the satisfaction of turning the pages and seeing my progress through the book. and not to mention the hours spent browsing through all kinds of bookstores (yes...I am that girl that still has the dream of opening a precious bookstore much like "the shop around the corner" from You Got Mail...but am too afraid to leave my stable RN job for a dream that more than likely would be crushed by a "big, bad" bookstore. )

the "electronic books" would also ruin my favorite moment when I go to re-read a certain favorite book and some of the pages are water-stained/warped, or I find sand nuzzled between the pages from the past summer at the beach. :)... and trust me, I have had plenty of people try and convince me otherwise..."just try a kindle...you will LOVE it."....I think part of me is scared that I will love it, get hooked, and never pick up a book again. so I remain stubborn. and I stick with my good 'ole books and good 'ole pen and paper.

hope I have some fellow snail mail/book lovers out there :)

until next time,
L

soup du jour

just checking in to share this yummy, hearty soup with you guys!

perfect for a cold winter day or night:)....mac n cheese soup!



things you will need:

2 pkg, (32 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 box Dreamfields rotini pasta
2 bags (16 ozs each) frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend
4 tbsp unbleached wheat flour
3 cups low-fat milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

seasoning suggestions: salt & pepper, Mrs. Dash Original

the prep:

1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. add pasta. return to a boil. reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered for about 5 minutes. add vegetables. cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more.

2. combine milk and flour in a seal-able container; shake well to combine. stir into pasta mixture. cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. gradually add the cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

then add a little bacon on top...:) and serve with pretzel rolls!

eat up!!

all mine

how many times have we heard a toddler say "MINE!" or "all mine!" in reference to a toy?

all I think of when I hear them say that is "good thing he/she is so cute" because they sure are bratty... but the truth is, they don't know any better at that point in their little life.

...God feels the same way in reference to us. (in a much less selfish way of course) in fact it is totally self-less. He wants us to be all His.

 In the Jesus Calling book, the devotional from Jan 21st said:

 "I want you to be all Mine. I am weaning you from other dependencies. Your security rests in Me alone - not in other people, not in circumstances."

In some ways, we still act like toddlers at times (in more subtle ways)... by wanting to possess all the material things of this world. When in reality, if we give all of ourselves to God, we won't have a desire for worldly things.

It is very difficult for us to completely let go and put all of our trust in Him...it seems terrifying. but that is exactly what God wants...He wants us to let ourselves be all His, to put all of our hope, trust, faith, dreams, desires...in His hands. and once we are able to do that...a huge burden will be lifted. we will experience His peace and love knowing we are all His.

have a lovely day...and weekend!