Staying Warm On A Cold Day...

 

What do I do when it's bitterly cold (-6º with the wind chill) outside? First, I go out and make sure the kitties are warm, safe and fed. Then, I warm up the kitchen by filling the entire farmhouse with the aroma a freshly baked bread. Homemade bread is a perfect cold weather activity. I'm especially chuffed when the top crust turns out like this.

I'm also working on my second sock. I'll complete it this week, and have a brand new pair of cuddly socks to wear. 

What do you do when it's so cold outside? I'd light a fire in the fireplace if we had one. (It's awkward and dangerous if you don't.) I used to cross country ski (eons ago), but not now. I don't bounce like I used to. It's better I stay mostly indoors. I did go out to make sure there was birdseed in the feeders, and to take warm milk out to the barn girls. I also check their accommodations, clean their litter box, and give them cuddles. Otherwise, I'm perfectly content to hang out in the kitchen where it's nice and warm.

We're supposed to be a little warmer today. That means we'll take care of a few errands, and we have a lunch date. We'll be back home by mid-afternoon so I'm planning to work on those socks again. Coffee first! See you tomorrow.

Tuesdays With Tag - Oh, How I Missed You...

Storytime Corgi, Tag

 Hi, Everybody!

I got a huge surprise last weekend. I mean, nobody tells me anythin'! She walked through the door, and my heart was all aflutter. (What? Yes. "Aflutter" is a word!) The girls and I were actually in our kennels when everyone arrived for Dad's Birthday party, so I barked my head off when I saw her. Someone finally had to calm me down, I was that excited!

I'm In Her Arms Again

It wasn't too long before Mom released me so I could visit with my girl. I jumped right up onto the sofa so I could cuddle with her. She was as happy as I was.

Our Visits Are Never Long Enough

I spent the whole afternoon cuddlin' our granddaughter. Can't you see how happy we are just lookin' at us? I was in hog heaven. It was the best day ever. What else is there to say? She came. We snuggled. She went away again. I sighed. It was over almost as quickly as it began. I know she'll visit again soon. I'll be ready for her! I miss her already.

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... 

"Been There, Chewed That!"

My Heart...

Our Family

 

We celebrated Handsome's Birthday yesterday with a family gathering. We haven't all been together for a family meal in far too long, so our celebration was extra special.

Handsome and I decided to do all the meal preparation on Saturday, so the turkey was roasted, the side dishes were made and we went to bed knowing that Sunday would be much easier. I was so happy because I was able to be with family once they arrived, instead of working in the kitchen.

Our menu consisted of turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, Loaded Cauliflower Casserole, Hash Brown Casserole, and Corn Casserole. We had lots of cookies and fudge for dessert.

You can click on the links above to find the recipes for the Cauliflower and Hash Brown Casseroles, but I'm sharing a photo of the Corn Casserole recipe. I saved and printed it ages ago, but I'm not sure where I found it. It just looked so good, I had to try it. 

Click on Image to Enlarge and Save/Print

Even though there's no Jiffy Mix (usually used in Corn Casserole recipes), the flour keeps it from being gluten free. Both our daughters-in-law avoid gluten, so they couldn't eat this, but it was otherwise well-received (and I loved it). Feel free to save and print out the recipe to try for yourself. The Loaded Cauliflower Casserole recipe is gluten free (as well as the turkey and mashed potatoes), and there was none of that one left at the end of the munching. Although I thought the gravy mix was GF, I realized I'd grabbed the wrong one at the store, so they ate their mashed potatoes with butter.

We removed the turkey from the bone on Saturday, and along with the sides, everything was placed in its own aluminum foil container (I purchased mine HERE), so all I had to do is remove the cardboard lids on Sunday, cover with foil and pop in the oven. I covered the turkey with its own baking juices when we put it into the baking pans to keep it from drying out during the reheat. It was so much easier than getting up at the crack of dawn to roast the bird on Sunday and then fret over timing. Our dinner came out of the oven as everyone was arriving for a noon Packer game.

Granddaughter's boyfriend is like a family member. We really like this young man, and we were glad he came with her for our gathering. I traded places with him in other photographs so he was in some of the images, too, but I'm extra grateful that he was willing to capture this photo of all our family together. I think you can see from all the smiling faces that we really did enjoy the day. Grandpa and I were especially happy to have our family around us for the afternoon, and we're looking forward to the next time.