Make A Decision

Unless it's something really big (like what graduate school should I go to), I usually don't have any trouble making decisions. Maybe it's the right-brained person in me, but I can pick a paint color or even a dishwasher without thinking about it twice.  A couple of my children, however, not so much.  They agonize and overthink every little thing.  So, being the nice mama I am, and borrowing heavily from old psychology textbooks, I have come up with a little step-by-step guide to decision making which should appeal to those of you who are left-brained and analytical.

1.  What are your choices?  You have to identify the potential choices before you can go any further.
2.  Research.  This includes both researching the actual product/color/shoe/graduate school...whatever, and yourself.  What are you hoping to get?  A comfortable shoe that goes with your favorite jeans?   A dishwasher that will last for 15 years?  A career that you won't hate?
3.  Consult and brainstorm.  Talk to others and get their opinions and brainstorm possibilities but only for a limited time.  Don't get stalled out at this point. This is the part where you can take a picture of the shoes with your phone and send it your friend.  :)
4.  Pros and Cons.  Make a list of pros and cons, but again don't let it take too long.  Give yourself a deadline if you need to.
5.  Decide and act.  This is the hard part.  Make a decision and act on it.  If you don't decide, that's a decision too.   If you're like me, you'll be deciding on the first thing that caught your eye anyway.

So there you have it my little over thinking darlings.  Happy decision making!

It's Slow Cooker Season

And here you thought it was Fall! This is the time of year when my slow cooker goes into full time service. It's a busy mom's best friend!

I can get supper put together in the morning, or even the night before and then it's one less thing to worry about.  If I put it together the night before I can either put a slow cooker  liner bag into a bowl and layer the ingredients in it, or put them into the removable part of my crock pot and put it in the fridge.  If you use the crock, be sure and let it sit out on the counter for a bit so it's not super cold when you turn on your slow cooker.  You don't want to crack anything.

Tonight we had Green Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole. My crock pot runs a little hot, so I cooked it about 5 hours instead of the full 6, and it turned out great.

Here are some slow cooker recipes I've posted here in the past:
Crock Pot Chicken with Mushroom Gravy
Curried Split Pea Soup
Tex-Mex Dinner
Crock Pot Lasagna
Au Gratin Ham and Potatoes in the Crock Pot
Baked Potatoes in the Crock Pot

Yay for Autumn!

The arrival of Fall puts me in the mood for crisp apples, baking bread, simmering soup, raking leaves, nature walks and sprucing up the house.  I can't wait to pull out the flannel sheets, boots and cardigans!

Come on in and pull up a chair at the kitchen table and tell me your favorite things about Fall.

The Last of Summer

I'm enjoying the last remnants of summer around my yard.  We've had a cool front and now the mornings are brisk, but not yet cold, and the afternoon sun gently warms my shoulders.  Perfect outdoor weather!

This is my backyard helper who likes to follow at my heels. :)

I just left this spider to go about her business in her web on the porch.  Maybe I've read Charlotte's Web one too many times.

The last warm, ripe tomatoes.

Morning glory on the back fencce.

The last blooms are beginning to fade.

"There comes a time when autumn asks,
'What have you been doing all summer?'" - unknown

50s Music

I love all sorts of music, but I've been listening to a lot from the 50s lately. This is one of my favorites and it just makes me tap my toes and sing along. It was featured in the Disney movie Cars a few years ago (and is on the soundtrack) so a whole new generation is getting to enjoy it.


Say what you will about the 1950s, there sure was a lot of good music going on.:)

Have a happy weekend!

Lunch Ideas

Cafeteria Lunch Tray

On days that I work, I have to take my lunch. I can't leave the school to go out to eat even if I wanted to so it's either take something or don't eat. I've been known to make do with a Slim Fast bar and while that's easy to throw in my purse on the way out the door, it's not really my favorite lunch. Mike usually gets dibs on any leftovers (he has a microwave at work) so I have to be a little more creative with my lunch.

Here are some of my favorite quick and easy lunch ideas:
Wraps - I wrap up sandwich fixings or leftovers such as roast chicken in a whole grain tortilla.
Pita sandwiches
Thermos full of soup
raw vegetables and hummus
cold pasta salad
breakfast for lunch (muffins, yogurt, oatmeal)
homemade "lunchable" - crackers, cheese and meat

When you pack a lunch for yourself, what are your favorite things to pack?

Chicken Curry

I love curry, especially the hot Thai variety!  My family, however, doesn't like it too hot, plus I don't always have the time (or the long list of ingredients) for such recipes.  So I make a quick, easy and mild chicken curry that can be adapted to whatever I have on hand.  It's a really quick one dish week night supper for when we want a change of pace from the same old thing.  I can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Here are the ingredients I used this time. Remember you can change them up. I actually like mine best without any meat, but the troops would revolt if I served it that way.

About 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken
5 or 6 diced red potatoes. Use more or less depending on how many other ingredients you have.
baby carrots (about half a bag)
sliced fresh mushrooms (I just used a couple for my own bowl - I love mushrooms)
1/2 onion, chopped
a couple of teaspoons of chopped fresh garlic
You could also add celery or chopped bell pepper...lots of possibilities.
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (yes, you can use regular yogurt)
olive oil (a tablespoon or 2)
salt and pepper to taste
curry powder 1 to 2 tablespoons
cilantro leaves and/or diced tomatoes for garnish

Saute the vegetables with the garlic in olive oil for about 10 minutes until crisp tender, except the mushrooms.  You'll want to wait until a little later to add them as they don't need as much time to cook.  Add the broth and the chicken and simmer for a few minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a small bowl, stir together the curry powder and the yogurt.  Turn heat to low and gently fold in yogurt mixture.  Don't let it boil or the yogurt will curdle instead of being smooth and creamy.  Serve over rice.  If you're really in a hurry, Minute Rice is fine or if you want to be more authentic, serve over basmati or jasmine rice.  Top with cilantro and diced tomatoes.  To add a little heat you can stir in some cayenne pepper with the curry powder.