I know something has said frequently this week since the chilly weather moved in and the fact that October is a mere two days away. (Seriously, when did that happen?? Soccer season is almost done already??) But....
I love fall.
Among many other reasons, I love fall for the warm, homey recipes it brings. Like pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin dip and chicken pot pie and apple crisp.
Fall is not good for my seriously-toned abs. (And by "seriously-toned," I mean "I wish I could still use the 'I just had a baby' excuse.")
But my favorite fall food is soup. With my love for crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and soup, I welcome turning 70 with arms wide open.
But back to soup. If I were just cooking for myself, I possibly would have a bowl of soup and a huge hunk of bread every night for dinner in fall and winter.
I was going to rank my favorite fall soups but found each one competing for the number one slot. So without further ado, here are my favorite recipes in no particular order:
Janna's chicken tortilla soup
Middle West Meals' white chicken chili
All Recipes' french onion soup
The Repressed Pastry Chef's potato corn chowder
Alton Brown's butternut squash soup
I so wish that was my meal plan for the week.
If my life were at all similar to The Devil Wears Prada, I think the amount of heavy cream and butter in each of those recipes would cause Stanley Tucci to "tsk, tsk" at me. Let's not tell him that not only do I eat these soups, chowders and chili, but I like to eat them with a huge hunk of bread. (And I like onion bagels too.)
Since I've been married, I've been trying to find a really really good potato soup recipe. It took four long winters and one very patient husband who was willing to try failed after failed recipe, but I finally found it. Please, do me a favor and go make The Repressed Pastry Chef's recipe for the Colts game on Sunday. It's so good and will truly enhance your football viewing experience when we beat down Seattle.
Next on the docket, I need a really good broccoli and cheese soup recipe. Any suggestions?
September 29, 2009
September 26, 2009
"You were always on my mind"
This was a headline of my Google homepage:
Um. Anyone else see "IKEA" when they read that? Or maybe I'm just obsessed...
Um. Anyone else see "IKEA" when they read that? Or maybe I'm just obsessed...
September 23, 2009
In which I'm thankful she doesn't have my crinkle toes.
Joe says the best way to get me to like something is to convince me to declare I will never like it. He says it's a guarantee that I will like it eventually.
I say, pssshhhwah.
But yesterday, I kinda proved his point.
Before yesterday, I always wondered what kind of mom would do put a toxic substance like nail polish on her young child's super thin nails for the sake of "looking good" even though, in my humble and always consistent opinion, it never looks good to make a little girl appear older than she is.
Um... apparently me.
When Madeline saw me painting my toes yesterday, she wanted in on the action. And I couldn't say no despite the fact that the color was "Pat on the Black."
This was my view while we snuggled and read books together on her bed before her nap.
I'd pick this over the corner office view every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I say, pssshhhwah.
But yesterday, I kinda proved his point.
Before yesterday, I always wondered what kind of mom would do put a toxic substance like nail polish on her young child's super thin nails for the sake of "looking good" even though, in my humble and always consistent opinion, it never looks good to make a little girl appear older than she is.
Um... apparently me.
When Madeline saw me painting my toes yesterday, she wanted in on the action. And I couldn't say no despite the fact that the color was "Pat on the Black."
This was my view while we snuggled and read books together on her bed before her nap.
I'd pick this over the corner office view every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
September 22, 2009
Swedish meatballs and attempting to not panic
Some of you were puzzled by Jen's last comment about Swedish meatballs.
Loosely translated, Swedish meatballs means I recently experienced IKEA.
{cue Hallelujah chorus in the background}
Of course, I knew about IKEA before. I knew I like it and requested to receive the catalog years ago. With every issue, I call out to Joe, "Ooooh, look at this! I like this!" about 20 times while I peruse the contents.
But I hadn't experienced IKEA. Big difference. Because if you've gone to the store, you understand me when I say it's an Experience, not just a shopping trip.
It was an Experience I chose to punctuate by ordering a big plate of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce.
{wiping drool away at the memory of that beautiful lunch}
The purpose of the Experience was to buy Madeline a new bedding set for her new big girl bed. And a few items to redecorate her room.
I carefully analyzed the IKEA Web site for what I needed to get and priced everything out. In the end, I figured could do an entire new room for her for just $40.
So I withdrew $40 in cash before I left, not wanting to be tempted to buy anything else. $40 for Madeline's room and that. was. it.
Truth be told, I just wasn't prepared for how much I would love IKEA. I mean, I knew I liked it but I didn't know I would love it. Like, head-over-heels in love.
Because, sweet mercy, I am.
At one point during the Experience, I called Joe to let him know I would be coming home with...um...slightly more than a bedding set and lamp for Madeline.
Like, maybe, a new bedding set for us because I found a king-size duvet cover for FORTY DOLLARS! And new drinking glasses which were only 60 CENTS! And alarm clocks that were 90 CENTS!
By the time I finished my first full loop of the store, I realized something. If I were to spend more than $40 at IKEA, I was actually saving money in the long run.
Yes, it's true. Don't laugh.
We needed new drinking glasses because I've recently earned the nickname "Shaky-Hands Katie" after breaking six glasses in one year.
And we needed those alarm clocks because they were just too cute to pass up. (And have I already mentioned THEY WERE 90 CENTS?!)
And since I picked up several Christmas presents for Madeline, I definitely only bought stuff we needed.
The only possible maybe-we-really-don't-need-this items were some new candle holders. I know I have about thirteenish million candle holders already but I didn't have these certain ones. And since they were only EIGHTY CENTS!, they hardly contributed to the total.
Although, when I arrived home and was proudly showing Joe my glorious plunder, he had the audacity to laugh at my frequent use of "need."
Joe: "It's fine that you spent more and got some other stuff. But I wouldn't really say we needed it."
OK, maybe, just maybe, that point goes to Joe.
But in case you think IKEA turned me into a crazed, shopping monster, I'll give you an example of restraint.
While in the Dishes area, I found myself chanting out loud, "Don't panic, don't panic." Desperately wanting to buy everything in sight, I reminded myself that plain white but beautiful dishes would probably always be available at IKEA and I didn't have to buy that six-setting set even though it was only NINETEEN DOLLARS!!!
Needless to say, in the end,I had to whip out the debit card since my little "Ooooh, I'll only bring cash" plan was an epic fail.
But those alarm clocks, glasses and more were definitely worth it.
I'm already trying to plan when I can go back and get those white dishes. And some more Swedish meatballs.
Loosely translated, Swedish meatballs means I recently experienced IKEA.
{cue Hallelujah chorus in the background}
Of course, I knew about IKEA before. I knew I like it and requested to receive the catalog years ago. With every issue, I call out to Joe, "Ooooh, look at this! I like this!" about 20 times while I peruse the contents.
But I hadn't experienced IKEA. Big difference. Because if you've gone to the store, you understand me when I say it's an Experience, not just a shopping trip.
It was an Experience I chose to punctuate by ordering a big plate of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce.
{wiping drool away at the memory of that beautiful lunch}
The purpose of the Experience was to buy Madeline a new bedding set for her new big girl bed. And a few items to redecorate her room.
I carefully analyzed the IKEA Web site for what I needed to get and priced everything out. In the end, I figured could do an entire new room for her for just $40.
So I withdrew $40 in cash before I left, not wanting to be tempted to buy anything else. $40 for Madeline's room and that. was. it.
Truth be told, I just wasn't prepared for how much I would love IKEA. I mean, I knew I liked it but I didn't know I would love it. Like, head-over-heels in love.
Because, sweet mercy, I am.
At one point during the Experience, I called Joe to let him know I would be coming home with...um...slightly more than a bedding set and lamp for Madeline.
Like, maybe, a new bedding set for us because I found a king-size duvet cover for FORTY DOLLARS! And new drinking glasses which were only 60 CENTS! And alarm clocks that were 90 CENTS!
By the time I finished my first full loop of the store, I realized something. If I were to spend more than $40 at IKEA, I was actually saving money in the long run.
Yes, it's true. Don't laugh.
We needed new drinking glasses because I've recently earned the nickname "Shaky-Hands Katie" after breaking six glasses in one year.
And we needed those alarm clocks because they were just too cute to pass up. (And have I already mentioned THEY WERE 90 CENTS?!)
And since I picked up several Christmas presents for Madeline, I definitely only bought stuff we needed.
The only possible maybe-we-really-don't-need-this items were some new candle holders. I know I have about thirteenish million candle holders already but I didn't have these certain ones. And since they were only EIGHTY CENTS!, they hardly contributed to the total.
Although, when I arrived home and was proudly showing Joe my glorious plunder, he had the audacity to laugh at my frequent use of "need."
Joe: "It's fine that you spent more and got some other stuff. But I wouldn't really say we needed it."
OK, maybe, just maybe, that point goes to Joe.
But in case you think IKEA turned me into a crazed, shopping monster, I'll give you an example of restraint.
While in the Dishes area, I found myself chanting out loud, "Don't panic, don't panic." Desperately wanting to buy everything in sight, I reminded myself that plain white but beautiful dishes would probably always be available at IKEA and I didn't have to buy that six-setting set even though it was only NINETEEN DOLLARS!!!
Needless to say, in the end,I had to whip out the debit card since my little "Ooooh, I'll only bring cash" plan was an epic fail.
But those alarm clocks, glasses and more were definitely worth it.
I'm already trying to plan when I can go back and get those white dishes. And some more Swedish meatballs.
September 17, 2009
Hi world. It's Katie. Again.
So I fell off the blog wagon. Again.
There was no real reason for it. No crisis, no major life busyness. Unless you count making batches and batches of these muffins. Mmmmmmmm.
"My name is Katie and I'm addicted to oat bran muffins."
Rather than try to catch you up on all the happenings of our lives in the last couple of weeks, I'll just share one interesting fact.
Apparently, if you invite Joe and I to an evening, adults-only party where we can lay Madeline down in the spare bedroom once we arrive, we will bring her dressed like this:
In case you are missing any of it, her ensemble will include:
And somehow she was still the hit of the party.
That is all. See you soon. Hopefully.
There was no real reason for it. No crisis, no major life busyness. Unless you count making batches and batches of these muffins. Mmmmmmmm.
"My name is Katie and I'm addicted to oat bran muffins."
Rather than try to catch you up on all the happenings of our lives in the last couple of weeks, I'll just share one interesting fact.
Apparently, if you invite Joe and I to an evening, adults-only party where we can lay Madeline down in the spare bedroom once we arrive, we will bring her dressed like this:
In case you are missing any of it, her ensemble will include:- messy hair
- a Carebear nightgown
- an exposed Curious George tattoo
- rain boots
And somehow she was still the hit of the party.That is all. See you soon. Hopefully.
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