Jenny's Journey

Well, just like that Christmas has come and gone. And next year it will be just as fast, as Thanksgiving is late again next year. I did not have to work Christmas this year, though I did have to work my next least favorite day to work - the day after Christmas. Boo Hoo. Its over, done..I got through it just fine, now 5 days off. I do have to work New Years Day. Big deal, much to old to even want to stay up that late. We attempted to stay up and watch SNL this past Saturday and we did it, but both of us dozed off at different times throughout the show, we each saw completely different skits! Since I was home this year for Christmas morning, I was looking for something quick and easy to make in the morning to have after opening gifts. I wanted to attempt Monkey Bread. Lots of recipes out there for it all with slight little differences. With time constraints(the girls wanna get to opening their presents, duh!) I opted for a quick and easy version(that I prepped what I could the night befo...

Happy day after Turkey Day, everyone! I sit here waiting for an Amazon lightening deal (I am on the waitlist, so I am hopeful, but doubt I will get the deal) and trying to decide what the girls and I are going to do today. Yestereday, my M-I-L and I competed in the Watertown Run Turkey Run 5K. OMGosh! Was it freaking cold. I was hoping to have a Thanksgiving Day like last year. YOu may not remember, but I do. It was beautiful. Sunny and a ton warmer. James went hunitng in the morining, shot a buck, brought it back for the kids and neighbors to see and then had to rush off and get it processed because it was to warm to let sit around! Yeah, well not this year. My MIL's goal was to run/walk the 5k and finish in 45 minutes. She did that and then some. She did it in 40:40!!! I think she is hooked. My goal was to do it in under 30 minutes. Though at like 1230 on Monday at work that goal was looking unreachable. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am clutsy. Well, carrying 3 large bo...

So today is my day off for working next Saturday. Though unlike the last days I had off I did not leave the house (yet..its 1:37..I still could). I asked James to guess what I was gonna do today…he said “run Fowler (lake)” Nope. I am gonna do NOTHING! I guess the 5K I ran on Saturday really kicked my butt and I also am sick with a cold so that's not helping things either. Can’t say I haven’t done anything today but I haven’t left the house but to go to the mailbox and see Jenna to and from school. Even when I say I am not going to do anything…that’s not really true. I have a very very hard time doing nothing. I did a load of laundry, folded another load, put clean dishes away, put some laundry away, got dinner cooking in the slow cooker, fed Jenna lunch, cleaned some smudgy fingers prints off a few windows…oh and conditioned my hair with coconut oil. Yup, a lot of my time today has been spent on Pinterest and FB. Pinterest is where I found some pins accidently about conditioning yo...

Well, the first day of school has come and gone. Jadyn went off to 3rd grade with only a few worries ("do you think I am gonna do good this year?"). Jenna, my baby, is also in 1/2 day 4K. And from what I can tell, she is liking it. Though, 1/2 days of "school" are very tiring. She did ask me the other day when would there be a day of no school...not ti l the end of October baby, sorry. With the first day of school, working Labor Day weekend and my Mom being on her European vacation, I have had a lot of days off of work. Meaning, with Jenna is 1/2 day school, I have like 3 full hours of "me time!" I find it hard to not clean my house when I am alone, but I have made myself not take a whole 3 hours of cleaning...not yet at least. Most likely will happen when the weather gets cold. But not yet! Instead I have been doing stuff I like to do. (I like to clean though...so...) No really! I have been running, going to yoga, climbing the Lapham Peak Observation to...

One of my new favorite things is my recently acquired foam roller.  No, not foam rollers for my stick straight hair, but rather a foam roller for deep muscle massage.  I am not kidding you on how much it hurts soooo good.  Seriously, it can really hurt, but I can really feel it working.  You can massage almost any part of your body.  Calves, shins, quads, hammies, triceps, glutes....anywhere but over a joint.  Jimmy really likes the hurts so good feeling for his overly tight hamstrings.  I really like it for my IT band (which runs up the side of the leg from knee to hip and get tight in runners.)  I am not by any means a hard core runner but I do have some effects of running and I can seriously say I feel a ton better after using it.  I actually crave it when I am at work and my hips are sore and tight.  I want to roll right now actually.... I went on YouTube to view a few of many videos on how to use a foam roller.  I also got...

Here is an update to one of my newest things I told you about a while back.   I have started getting my biweekly CSA (community sponsored agriculture) shares!   It actually gets me a little excited because I never know what I am going to get.   And WOW!   Do I get a lot!   The more the weather helps out the more I benefit as well. Over the last 3 shares I have gotten the following: Broccoli Garlic scape and garlic heads Fennel Kohlrabi Kale Lettuce - many different kinds (mixed greens, bib, red leaf….) Spinach Onions Peppermint Lemon balm Celery Rainier cherries Raspberries Mulberries Napa cabbage Micro greens – pea shoots, micro kale, sunflower shoots Cilantro Beets (an d I am probably missing somethings!)   It has been fun but also challenging to make sure to use all the stuff.   I have made enchiladas with cilantro, green smoothies, lettuce wraps, salads, salads and more salads (whic...

I have wanted to tell all of you about these new things I have!      Are they not just the cutest clothespins you have ever seen?!?!?! They make me even happier when I am hanging out my laundry! (I love hanging laundry on the line - I don't know many people that still do it)   I had told someone (who goes by Guy in this house) that I LOVED these while we were at this cutesy book store in Oconomowoc...and next thing you know they appeared at my house!  Thanks Guy!  Don't they just make you want to smile  (especially since these birds will not poop all over your nice clean clothes!!)   Folding the laundry though does not make me smile.

Yup, I am gonna brag.  Whether its bragging worthy, I don't really care cause to me it is!  As all of my followers already know(because I texted you) I did my first 5K on Sunday, Mothers Day.  It is a yearly race that happens every year on Mothers Day(in numerous locations throughout the USA) and it is called Run Like A Mother 5K.  It was pretty neat because the run occurred over at Hoyt Park/Menomonee River Parkway/Oak Leaf Trail - where I hung out a ton as a kid, so it was really nice to be back. I picked up running last summer/fall and I really am enjoying it.  It is 40 min of "me time."  And funny thing is none of my kids ask to tag along or help or anything (even though I can see Jadyn doing track and cross country in her future).  Well, running a 5K was on my bucket list and Emmy at work told me about this very run.  It brings in all types of runners and ages and abilities. Perfect.  Plus the route is pretty easy (no hills!)...

I made this tonight for dinner from the generic ALDI brand lite cream cheese box and I thought it was mighty tasty!  No one else liked it though.  I kids are picky(too bad I say) and James thought it was bland.  I thought it was pretty darn good.  I made some big changes (basically in the amount of sphag sauce and cream cheese- I added a lot more then the original recipe called for- more cream cheese is always better...right?!?!?) Three Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake 1 container pasta, uncooked (I used Farfalle) 1 9oz pkg fresh spinach leaves ½ chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces 1 tsp basil leaves 1 24oz jar of spaghetti sauce 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes 8 oz pkg lite cream 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 2 tbsp grated parma cheese Heat oven to 350.   Cook pasta as directed on package, adding spinach to the boiling water for the last 1 min.   Cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skill...

OK, I am not THAT excited but I had wanted to try something last year and I waited too long, all the available spots were taken - but not this year!  I am sending my $$ in tomorrow! What is it you say? A CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) of course!  Duh! Yes, the hippie freak in me wanted to do this last year, but they fill up fast and the one that worked best for me was full. What is a CSA you ask?   Visit this site for finding out info on CSAs, farmers markets and much more.  http://www.localharvest.org   or read below (from localharvest.org) For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription...

This turned out to be a super easy way to have delicious baby back ribs during the week.  Normally, I would never attempt anything like this during the week because it would usually be a meal that would require that I  drag out the grill to do.  In this cold - getting really old, Wisconsin winter, I do not want to deal with the grill.  That's James' deal, not mine and if we waited till he got home we wouldn't be eating til 9pm!  (that's bedtime, silly!) Carol's Baby Back Ribs  1 rack of baby back ribs, cut into 3-4 rib sections. Salt/Pepper/Paprika BBQ Sauce In your slow cooker (oh, yes...I did forget to mention it uses the trusty SC) spray the sides down with cooking spray.  Place the ribs in the SC and cook on Low 8-10 hours  (high for 5-6).  After the allowed time to cook, take out ribs and place in pan.  Slather with your favorite BBQ sauce and cook in 350 oven for 30 minutes.   Yup! Its that easy...

I started this recipe on Saturday, but decided not to eat it for dinner that night.  Should have known better -there was a potential date night in the works - why was I making dinner?!!?  And since when did I make dinner on the weekends?  I must have been feeling sick or something.  Anyways...I cooked it all in the slow cooker up until the biscuit dumplings were added.  Tonight, it was a perfect dinner to have with all the falling(sickening) snow that we have.  Plus after shoveling, the last thing I really was interested in doing was making dinner!   I reheated the soup in a pot to high and added the biscuits.  30 min later, dinner was done and it was good and hot! Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings 1 lb  frozen chicken - boneless, skinless.   I used thighs. 2 cans of Condensed Cream of Chicken soup  - I used Healthy Request 3 cups of chicken broth 1 med onion, diced 3 stalks of celery, diced 3 carrots, chopped 1...

I made these little individual pies Sunday afternoon, and had they not burned...because I did not use parchment paper they would have been completely irresistible!  The filling was once I ripped off all the burnt edges!  The original recipe expects you to make the pie crust.  Pie crust is one of few things I have noooo desire to even try to make in my kitchen.  Don't get me wrong, my Mom makes one awesome homemade cherry pie (with homemade crust).  But crust making is just not for me. Jenny's Lots of Love Cherry Pies adapted from Taste of Home- Lots of Love Cherry Pies 2 boxes (2 pie crusts each) of pre-made pie crusts 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3 cups fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed, halved 1/8 teaspoon almond extract 1 egg, lightly beaten Coarse sugar Directions •In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cornstarch and lemon juice until smooth. Add cherries. Bring to ...

The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand.  ~Frederick L. Knowles Recently my Mom told me about a happening at Pike Lake, so I put it on my calendar because it sounded like a cool thing to check out.  I LOVE to hike, though I never get to do it as often as I like these days.  Those kids with those short little legs can't seem to keep up with me or they want to be carried or they whine alot! Hiking at Devils Lake to Holy Hill or even up north at my in laws hunting land, I love to get out there with nature.  Hiking in snow...sounded like something I would like...maybe...if it wasn't too cold and windy. Wow, am I glad I did!  The weather could not have been more perfect.  No wind, freshly fallen snow from days before and it wasn't too cold. Luminaries lit the way for 2 -  3/4 mile hikes through the Pike Lake woods.   Perfect.  The stars were bright in the winter sky. ...

I got this recipe from a work email regarding women's heart health.  It called for a bunch of low sodium foods, which I only found 1 of.  But I made it anyways, and boy was it tasty, easy and it made tons!(my slow cooker was full to the brim) The leftovers were excellent, and I don't usually like leftovers all that much.   Chicken Taco Soup 1 med onion, chopped 2 15oz cans of chili beans in sauce 2 15oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed. 16 oz bag of frozen corn 16 oz tomato sauce 2 10oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies 12oz low sodium chicken broth 2-3 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning (or use the store bought pkgs) 3 boneless chicken breasts Optional ingredients:  Shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream, Jalapenos, lime juice, baked tortilla chips In a slow cooker add the first 8 ingredients,.  Place chicken breasts on top and cover with lid and cook on low for at least 7 hours (I cooked mine for...

A while back I bought some Chia Seeds(found at health food stores).  I had heard great things about them.  Good to put in smoothies, something I have been really into lately...green ones!  And another new favorite of mine, overnight oats!  Anyways, here is a little info on Chia seeds(the food of the Aztecs!): • have more Omega 3 fatty acids than flax seed (important for heart health) • are the richest non-marine whole food source of Omega-3 (better than salmon) • absorb 10 times their weight in water and transform into a gel-like substance--great for athletes for maintaining hydration and helps with weight loss by making you feel full longer • are as high in protein as quinoa • are loaded with calcium, potassium, Vitamin B, and anti-oxidants • help balance blood sugar via the gelling action of the seed and it’s unique combination of soluble and insoluble fiber that slow down your body’s conversion of starches into sugars • have a neutral taste so they w...

We seriously just finished up having these for dinner tonight, and everyone raved about them.  This is not a new recipe in our household, just I haven't made these in like forever!  Seriously I cannot remember the last time we had these! They are originally from a family friend, Marge, but I have given this recipe out to so many people I have named it my own.  Most don't know Marge anyways! So here it is.  The only reason I don't like to make it often, even though it is a dumb reason is because of all the chopping of veggies.  I don't even chop them, I use my food processor!!  So why do I complain about it....I don't know.  Jenny’s Sloppy Joes  1 lb ground beef ½ c onion ¼ c green pepper ¼ c celery 1 8oz tomato sauce ¼ c ketchup 1 T vinegar 1 T sugar 1 ¼ t Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper Brown beef, then add finely diced veggies and cook till tender. Drain fat. Add rest of the ingredients and simmer cove...