NO FLASHBACK just a great cold weather recipe

"beans beans...the musical fruit...the more you eat the more you..."
i look at all the amazing things that happen(ed) today...elvis week begins (in honor of the king's upcoming birthday on january 8), but i've already told you what big fans the bk and i are...it's national bird day, and we all know the importance of birds, but i just talked about the christmas bird count...marilyn manson turns 43 today but, somehow, i feel like i'm the only person that isn't scared by that...the sex pistols performed in the states for the first time, ditto what i said about marilyn manson...and, in 1956, snoopy walked on 2 legs for the first time (what?)...but, why would we want to celebrate ALL these things when we could celebrate one of the oldest forms of protein known to man. the bean. 
BONUS!!! it's such an easy, AND inexpensive, day to celebrate. how DO you celebrate national bean day, pray tell? you simply eat a bean dish! lima beans. baked beans. bean dips. fava beans. refried beans. kidney beans. green beans. garbanzo beans. navy beans. pinto beans. three bean salads. bean soups. green bean casserole. seriously? do i need to go on...and on...and on...and on? here are a couple recipes to get you started:

WHITE BEAN CHILI

ingredients:
2~15 oz cans great northern beans, drained 
4 c chicken broth
1 tbs olive oil
3 lb chicken breast (bone in)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion chopped
2~4oz cans roasted green chiles, drained
1 c water
1tbs ground cumin

warm oil in skillet...season chicken with salt and pepper...place chicken, skin side down, in skillet and brown (4 minutes on one side, 2 minutes on other)...transfer chicken to plate and remove skin...in remaining chicken fat, cook onions and garlic until softened. in slow~cooker, combine beans, broth, garlic/onion mixture, chiles, water, and cumin...add chicken. cook on low about 4 hours. remove chicken, shred and add shredded chicken back to slow~cooker. serve.

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA

ingredients:
1/4 c. sour cream
1~15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1~15 1/4 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 packet hidden valley fiesta ranch dip mix
2 c. fresh diced tomato (3 med)

prepare dip mix according to package directions. combine with sour cream, black beans, corn, and tomato. refrigerate 1 hour. serve with tortilla chips.

DOUBLE BONUS!! eating beans may reduce your risk of certain cancers...AND they are good for your heart...
and, if you have a certain little tune playing in your head and are concerned about that last line(?)...no worries...tomorrow is national pass gas day!
HAPPY EATING!!

                                            

^happy birthday elvis^

^happy birthday marilyn manson?^

^dance snoopy dance!^

FLASHBACK january 7, 1966

"on the twelfth day of christmas my true love gave to me...twelve drummers drumming..."
our christmas decorations start to come down (okay...okay...it might not have been january 7th! it could have been the 8th, 9th, or 10th!! but it definitely wasn't december 26!). why wait so long? because january 6 is the "epiphany"...the day the 3 wise men came to visit the baby jesus. 
FLASH FORWARD february 2010
the bk and i are driving thru town. oops! those people forgot to take down their icicle lights! well? maybe not? it's been pretty cold and snowy...maybe they're just waiting for the weather to break? but...ugh!!! THOSE people still have a christmas wreath on their door!!! okay! that's just tacky!! and no excuses! i know it's cold...and there's tons of snow on the ground...but you can open your door and take off the wreath!!
FLASH FORWARD today
i have started taking down some of our christmas...i've taken the candles out of the windows...i've cleared the bedrooms and bathrooms of any small decorations. my tree is still up...and the lights are still burning. my deck is still decorated with twinkling lights and garland. why? because it's still the christmas season.

when should we be taking down our decorations, you ask? well...i did a little research so that you don't have to...
first, you should know that the day after thanksgiving is not REALLY the christmas season (i know! i know! i'm guilty, too!). the season begins with advent, which is 4 sundays before christmas (so...this past christmas would've been dec 2). and, traditionally, people did not put up their decorations until noon on christmas eve day (that's just MADNESS!!). christmas day is the FIRST day of the twelve days of christmas...the twelfth day falls on the epiphany. fact is, if we stuck a little closer to tradition, we would not be in such a hurry to take it all down after the presents have been opened and all the family has gone home.
armed with this information...you know it's safe (and traditional) to leave them up thru january 6. take them down december 26th, you might be a bit of a scrooge. but, if you still have them up on valentine's day...and have not found some sort of way to incorporate them into the february holiday...you might be just a tad bit lazy...or a redneck...or a lazy redneck.
HAPPY UNDECORATING!!

^candy canes and inflatables should be gone before the grass starts turning green^

^be sure you've gotten all the ornaments...poor lonely little red ball^

                                                        

FLASHBACK january 2007

^2009 and 2012^

"it's a new dawn...it's a new day...it's new life..."
we have our annual new year's eve oyster roast. my ex~brother in~law is taking pics of everybody. two weeks later he gives me pics of my family. who is this fat chick drinking a yeungling and wearing my shades? OMG!!! that's me!!! i am embarrassed. i feel disgusting. and i vow to do something about it. i join weight watchers on line the very next day. i track every single piece of food i put in my mouth. the points values become second nature. i know what to order at fast food restaurants. i save my bonus points for the weekend so that i can go out and have a beer or two and not feel guilty.
FLASH FORWARD january 2008
i am down 30 pounds. i feel better and i am excited. i am not an "exercise class" kind of gal. i like to do things at my own pace, and having to go at a scheduled time would drive me nuts. i buy wii fit. now i start exercising every day. my way. on my time. plus, it keeps track of my weight for me. and i love that the little wii character i create loses or gains weight as i do.
FLASH FORWARD january 2009
i have lost another 30 pounds. i stop paying for weight watchers because i know what i can eat. and i continue working out with the wii fit.
FLASH FORWARD september 2009
i've moved in with the bk. i leave the wii fit behind...the wii belonged to the boys. but i start walking with my sister in~law. we walk 8 miles, 3 days a week.
FLASH FORWARD november 2009
the weather turns colder. my sister in~law gets a job. and the holidays start. it seems like the bk and i are at a party every night. slowly, my weight begins to creep back up.
FLASH FORWARD today
i haven't gained ALL the weight back. i have started and stopped weight watchers a few times and that has helped keep it from getting too out of control. but i KNOW i need to do something before it does. so, like millions of other americans, i have made a new year's resolution. to lose weight? nope. to be healthier. so, in our nest, gone are the processed foods. gone are cans of vegetables, replaced by FRESH, seasonal veggies. gone are white rice and white pastas, replaced by brown rice and whole wheat pastas. and out comes the wii and wii fit the bk bought me. and the walks resume, weather permitting. my goal? be healthier. be fitter. without worrying what the scale says. without worrying about the number on the tag of my jeans.
but how will you keep this resolution, you ask? and what if your resolution didn't have anything to do with weight? studies show that 88% of new year's resolutions fail. so we all could use a little help keeping them. and fortunately...there's an app for that...

• lose it by fit now : i, personally, use and love lose it...simply enter your weight and desired weight, and the rate you want to lose (lose it will not ALLOW you to lose more than 2 pounds per week, which is considered a healthy rate). lose it will then tell you how many calories a day you can consume. you eat what you want...enter it in lose it...and the app keeps track of your calories! *don't forget to track your exercise, as well. you need to consume the calories lose it set for you...any you burn during exercise need to be replenished or you risk losing weight too fast.* lose it is free although there is an upgrade available.
• my last cigarette by mastersoft mobile solutions: so you want to quit smoking? this app is designed to help you do just that. enter your smoking habits and the app will inform you of how you're bettering your life through quitting. it will tell you how your lung function has improved since you quit...how many deaths, from smoking, since you quit...your increase in life expectancy. it will, also, provide you a daily motivational quote or medical fact. this app is not free...it costs a mere 99 cents.
• best budget by maxwell software: face it...we all need to get ahold of our finances from time to time. this app lets you create budgets, view reports to see how you're doing, even set up budget reminders. i just downloaded this app...it's free and received 4 out of 4 stars. 

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

                                 

^lose it^

                             

^my last cigarette^

                         

^best budget^

NO FLASHBACK...IT'S TIME FOR A NEW YEAR!!

"maybe it's much too early in the game...ah, but i thought i'd ask you just the same...what are you doing new year's...new year's eve?"
it's officially new year's eve. the bk and i have opted to ring in the new year quietly...mainly because the 3rd snowfall of the season is coming tonight, which makes me very happy...we will do a little cooking...have a little fire...put a little money out on the porch...sip a little champagne...and watch the ball drop. wait. what? we'll put a little money out on the porch!!?? why would we do that?! because we want to bring money in the house on new year's day! legend says, whatever you do on new year's day you will do EVERY day that year...i want to be bringing money in every day, don't you?
so, today will be spent tidying up the nest, doing laundry, cooking a new year's day meal ahead, as much as possible anyway (don't want to be doing any of these things on new year's day!!)...and taking a nap so i don't fall asleep before the ball drops. what will we be dining on this new year's eve and day?

the new year's eve feast:

BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES
i have shared this recipe before and you can find it by clicking here

gouda, brie, horseradish, and chipotle cheeses with crackers
sushi
                           

new year's eve toast:

COTTON CANDY CHAMPAGNE

ingredients:
store bought cotton candy
your favorite champagne

fill champagne flute with cotton candy...pour champagne over the cotton candy...watch the cotton candy crystalize!! cool cocktail AND amazing science experiment!!



new year's day feast:

COUNTRY~STYLE RIBS AND SAUERKRAUT (for luck)

ingredients:
country~style pork ribs
worcestshire sauce
garlic salt
cracked pepper
paprika
olive oil
your favorite bbq sauce
sauerkraut

coat all sides of ribs with worcestshire sauce. season with garlic salt, paprika, and cracked pepper to taste. heat 3 tbs olive oil in iron skillet. brown ribs on all sides, reduce heat and fry an additional 15~20 minutes. brush on bbq sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes. heat sauerkraut in sauce pan. serve ribs over sauerkraut. 

COLLARD GREENS (for wealth)

1 tbs olive oil
3 slices bacon
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken broth
pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collards cut into 2 inch pieces

heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat...add bacon, and cook until crisp...remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan...add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes...add garlic, and cook until just fragrant...add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt...pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes...reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender

BLACK~EYED PEAS (for more luck)

4 c. fresh or frozen black~eyed peas
3 slices bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stal, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp; set aside to drain on paper towels...saute onion, celery, and garlic in drippings...add broth, peas, salt and pepper and bring to a boil...reduce heat...crumble bacon and add to peas...add more seasonings to taste...simmer for 30 minutes to an hour (depending totally on how tender you prefer)...

hope the new year brings you luck, health, wealth, and happiness!!

FLASHBACK december 31, 2011

"should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind...should old acquaintance be forgot, and days of auld lang syne"
every january, the bk and i take a much needed trip to fort myers, florida. much needed because we've been cold for 3 months. and...more importantly...because we haven't seen moniebird and jimmy for 4 months. this year we go a little early. we arrive in time to celebrate moniebird's birthday, with a trip to her favorite restaurant (red lobster...she loves the garlic cheese bread), and to ring in the new year with the old timers. they throw quite a party. there are cheeses and cakes and meatballs and cookies and stuffed olives and dips and chips. there is beer and wine and cocktails and champagne. there are board games and cards. there is conversation and jokes and laughter. there is cheering and kisses after dick clark and ryan seacrest countdown to the new year.
FLASH FORWARD december 31, 2013
as we have every year before, the bk and i will wait until the last minute to decide what we will do. we may go out to our favorite bar. we may have friends come over for games and food and laughter. or we may simply stay in and quietly ring in 2013. whatever we do, we will reflect on what we saw and did in 2012. and what was that you ask? well...
we watched my sis in~law's sister make a miraculous recovery from a traumatic brain injury she suffered in a plane crash on december 28, 2011 (click here to read her version of events, as well as my sis in~law's and track her progress)...we started a new valentine's day tradition (the valentine's breakfast)...i got a new job and quit a mere 3 months later as the bk took a new job, within his company, that brought us back home...the bk gained a daughter in~law and my lil bro and family gained a puppy...the country survived an election that nearly divided the nation...we lost neil armstrong, whitney houston, etta james, dick clark, and a beastie boy...we saw "zombie" attacks and the manhunt and capture of "canadian psycho" luka magnotta...there were horrific mass shootings: the aurora, colorado movie theater; the sikh temple in oak creek, wisconsin; and, most recently, at sandy hook elementary school in connecticut...we watched america shine at the olympics...and the bk and i rejoiced as the osu buckeyes went undefeated, even though they were banned from playing in ANY bowl games...my niece turned 16 and got her license...the bk's daughter turned 18, meaning our collective kids are all adults...i started this blog AND got another job and my daddy decided to retire...and the entire world waited for an apocalypse that never came (stupid myans!)...
wherever you are...whatever you do...look back and remember 2012...what made you laugh? what made you cry? what made it a year to remember?