Pioneer Woman at Heart

First off today, it's the first day of school and this Mom didn't wake up until 9am.  I feel so awful.  I had a busy day yesterday, but Grad Daughter was up and took my traditional bus leaving the house photos.  Her bus picks up at 7:04am this year, and normally I am up. I woke up to an almost empty coffee pot and then realized I missed her getting on the bus.  I feel terrible.  Oye.  Oh so terrible.  At least Hubby already had coffee made, and I already had breakfast made.  That should have helped ease her morning. Yesterday, my day started with chopping up and coring 10-11 pounds of tomatoes.  Our tomato year is poor this year. they are much smaller and we have very little compared to last year.

I got up yesterday morning and fell in love with the giant snowflakes.  I was inspired to cook dinner for once.  I love cooking, so this is a huge step forward in recovery.  The girls cooked the last two nights. This is not your regular chili.  To get this pot of awesome delicious-ness going, I went into my "pretend root cellar" and got a few sweet potatoes (so thankful we still have some, and in edible condition).  The garage is too cold to store my potatoes.  I put a card table up in my utility room (which has a doorway directly across from the side door we go out of most often).  The heat is never on in that room, so it stays cool (unless we hit below zero and then I turn on the heat to prevent frozen pipes).  Sadly, it was not the best way to store my red potatoes.  When I got home from the hospital, I saw they all had long "eyes" on them.  Back in November, the temperature was not cold enough in that room.

Last Sunday, I decided to make us a healthier version of a frittata.  Hubby was complaining about "too many white potatoes" in his frittata, so I went in search of a recipe that used sweet potatoes - Sweet Potato Black Bean Frittata. I found several online, and this was amazing - sweet potatoes, a red bell pepper, onion, garlic, a jalapeno pepper, spices, fresh cilantro, and black beans.  You bake it right in the skillet you cook your vegetables in, and only need one bowl to whisk eggs.    Although packed with f lavor, I could n ot even get my 17 year-old vegetarian to even taste it.  Her loss.  I put a piece a way for me and two for Hubby's breakfast. Here's where I go t the recipe:  Sweet Potato Black Bean F rittata

Last night's dinner - chickpea stuffed shells, corn off the cob mixed with sauteed onion, butter and zucchini, and a pot of baked beans with sliced cooked brats in it. The beans/brat pot was Son's only request at dinner.   We had a fun dinner too, as Oldest Daughter called and said she had "three hungry teenagers" and stopped in with them.  Of course they are her age, but it was fun to have them here for dinner.  Then just as they arrived, Hubby pulled in with Youngest Daughter's friend.  It was a full house, but lots of laughs, and plenty to go around. I don't see that I have ever shared this recipe...

We used the last "can" of homemade mushroom soup in our freezer, so I'll be spending the day mixing up more and re-stocking the supply.   This time I will make a few cream of chicken soups as well. Yesterday, I spent the morning in the kitchen making breakfast.  I started by cooking a shallot, red pepper, and chopped kale. Later I added one small minced garlic.

Youngest asked for me (for her 13th birthday dinner) to make a few new recipes - Pumpkin and Sage Baked Macaroni , and Italian Oven Roasted Cauliflower.  (Cauliflower dish) (Pumpkin Macaroni Dish) Both were super easy to make,