Sending Hugs and Kisses

They are forecasting a chill for later this week so I thought I would share a yummy soup recipe to warm you all up! Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup (my Olive Garden Knock-Off) 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tbsp of red pepper flakes 1 package Johnsonville Italian Sausage (any variety) 3 thin skinned potatoes (Yukon gold or red ... you can use baking potatoes just peel them first), cut into thin slices or medium dice 1 large sweet onion, halved and then sliced thin 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 head of Kale, washed 1 carton of Chicken Broth 1 1/2 cups of Heavy Cream or Half and Half (optional, just use more chicken broth) Salt and Pepper to Taste Croutons (I make my own, but there are some great ones on the shelf too) Parmesan Cheese Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a large soup pot and heat, over medium heat, until shimmering. Take the sausages out of the casing and break up into the bottom of the pot, cook until browned and caramelized! Add in the onions and let them saute for two t...

Sorry, I am a day late posting this fabulous recipe from Alton Brown tweaked a little by me. Fajita Marinade 2tsp Lime Zest 1/4 cup Lime Juice 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil 1/3 cup Dark Soy Sauce 4 Scallions, washed and cut into quarters 2 cloves of minced garlic 1/2 tsp of Red Pepper flakes 1/2 tsp ground Cumin 3 tbls brown sugar 2 lbs of flank steak (you can use skirt as well just don't let it marinate for more than an hour or it will begin to cook from the line juice) Throw all of the ingredients except for the steak into the blender and puree until combined. Cut the steak into two or three equal portions (for more even cooking) and place in a gallon size zip bag, pour the marinade over the steak and refridgerate for two to three hours turning several times. Heat your grill to scorching (or 650 degrees) place the steaks on the grill and let cook on each side for two to four minutes depending on thickness, this will be fast beacuse we want to sear all the juices in. Remove steak from th...

You know they say that the truth will set you free. It does. Last night I was lying awake, praying, and you can't hide anything from God, He knows. I was telling Him how I feel and three words came to mind. I realized those were the true feelings that I had felt towards my parents for a long time. I love my parents, but they both have a lot of problems that they don't seem to be able to overcome, demons that rear their ugly heads. I used to think that it wasn't my parents fault is was all just too tempting, the alcohol and drugs. I know that isn't true, yet as a child I was eager to think that. When you are a child you want to believe that your parents are perfect. That brings me to where I am this morning. I don't want C to think that I am perfect. I am not. I make mistakes. I get angry. I can't make coffee. I want him to know that the truth is that I am willing to admit when I make a mistake. I say I am sorry. I take responsibility for my actio...

I have been having so much fun playing with chipboard lately! Happy Monday, Houston

I thought this picture might make you all smile! Have a great weekend, Houston

Spring is here! WooHoo! I just thought I would share some pictures of our lovely crab apple tree with you all! Happy Friday, Houston

The old saying is so darn true in today's world of mass production. Things are made by machine and there is no care or concern for quality. Case in point, yesterday I was a Le Target on a mission to buy fans for our bedrooms, they had a large selection with a strange price margin... some were 19.99 and others were 49.99 and there was really no in between.  I went with the less expensive (read CHEAP models). I came home from work, fed Coleman, had C take a "tub", and then was about to read him a story when he asked if we could put the fans together so he could use one tonight. I obliged, not willingly, really with a piss poor attitude, but I began the laborious process of DIY assembly. Well wouldn't you know it, one fan had parts that had been manufactured incorrectly and the other didn't I had to rob from Peter to build Paul! Alas, it was hopeless, neither fan had a working part to correctly control the range of oscillation. I was livid with those ridiculous fans....