... favorite things ...

Life has changed so much since the girls are grown and gone. I can't believe it's been 8 years since the first two left home. Lora was home summers till she married -- then the empty nest really hit me.

But there are some very special things I like about this new life. Larry is so good to cook for, I can fix almost anything. I like to cook. Baking, on the other hand, is becoming a lost art in this household. If we tried to consume a whole recipe -- well, you wouldn't recognize us. Instead, we have a piece, maybe two, then carry the rest to the guys (4 single guys in their 20's) next door. But usually, I just don't bake.

For supper this week I've made pasta a couple nights, then made a cream sauce and added parmesan cheese. Some nights are salmon, some chicken (Larry will even eat thighs now!) with rice or pasta, and then some steamed or stir fried veggies. Last night we had chunked zuchinni, tomato, mushroom and onion. I added a dab of sugar and butter to the mixture to give it the stewed flavor. Lucious! Larry has always praised my cooking, so serving him is fun.

After dealing with first graders all day I'm just pooped. On those nights we have "Larry's soup". He makes a mean doctored Progresso chicken vegetable soup. He adds onion, zuchini, mushroom, and more seasoning, and you'd never know it came from a can.

Another new favorite is a chicken chili. Sometimes I just add canned (black, kidney, or garbanzo) beans and seasoning to a canned chicken tortilla soup, plus tabasco and pepper flakes. Other times I soak different kinds of beans ahead of time (don't forget to add the soda -- else you'll remember even longer! :) To the chunked chicken and beans, I add tomato sauce, tabasco, hot pepper flakes, black pepper, frozen (or canned) corn -- till it tastes spicy and flavorful. Warm cornbread with butter and a glass of cold milk tops it off. Leftovers are good as first time around.

You may have special toppings, like sour cream, shredded cheddar, or crumbled crackers. You may have other special scratch dishes. Share your "special" dishes, with your household, your friends -- with me!

This week I've spent a lot of time studying our finances. I CAN'T BELIEVE how much we are spending eating out. Surely food has gone up in price, but it's always cheaper to eat at home. The secret (as Sandra Lee says:) is keeping it simple. Of course, "simple" is has many definitions!

But thank goodness for the privilege of having lots of good healthy food so accessible. This is a part of our blessing in being Americans. It's always fun to share. A plate of cookies, a bowl of soup, an appetizer. Hey, the guys next door even took our left-over donuts. (Larry went out for favorites when Joy, Ian and Luke were here last month.)

And Larry's cooking! He is a week-day oatmeal buff, adding raisins, cinnamon, br sugar, and recently -- walnuts! After having it melt-in-your-mouth creamy at a coastal diner, we're working on the simplest way to copy. Currently he's stirring it on the stove top -- and serving me every morning. I'm blessed!

Think of your favorite dish, serve it often with colorful sides to compliment it. Make it a special night with feet up and a movie or favorite series. Eye-appeal and color are often indicators of healthy food.

Enjoy!