It was another busy week of work and pets and stuff needed doing. My boss was on vacation, so I had plenty of time to catch up on things and focus on little problems that needed more time than they were worth to resolve, and I cleared out my to-do list.
I spent all day Saturday in the kitchen, rearranging cabinets because I was tired of having to take something out to get to what I wanted. How does it happen that the thing I want is never the thing on top of the stack??? This time, instead of organizing dishes by set, I have one cabinet with just plates, one with just bowls and one with the things we never use like cups/saucers and butter dishes...because when we collect something, we don't go half way. That left me with a cabinet that looks like an antique store.
Next up is the garage. And, after that, my sewing room closet, which I had to work hard not to get distracted by this weekend.
I got some nice pictures in the garden this week. All the rain we've been getting has really made a difference. There's still a lot of stuff burning up in the heat, but it's the stuff that's supposed to this time of year.
Plumbago season is just starting. I'll get these pretty blooms during the hottest part of the summer.
The roses had a good week last week as well.
This is a ginger that I had to move the other day. After we had tress cut, it was getting too much sun so had to move it closer to the house. The blooms have petals that are white, pink and a green tint. It was an expensive, but good purchase.
And, my Texas red star hibiscus that's in too much sun. But, I saw another seedling and I think this bloom might have made seeds, so I'm hoping to find just the right place where this is happy.
How about a recipe? I make an egg casserole every Sunday. I get a little of it and Rob takes the rest to work where he and a co-worker eat it for breakfast. I started out making frittatas but potatoes don't heat up well in the microwave, so I've cut the potatoes out of it. I have several versions of this and don't usually measure, it's hard to mess it up.
Ham and swiss Egg casserole
3/4# diced ham
3/4 C chopped onion
1/3 C chopped bell pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 C sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 C shredded Swiss cheese
sliced green onions
6 eggs
2/3 C bisquick
2/3 C small curd low fat cottage cheese
3/4 C milk
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the ham with the onion and bell pepper til the vegetables soften. Add the garlic and mushrooms and let them soften. Layer this mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Add the cheese and the green onion.
Stir the eggs and bisquick until well combined. Then add the cottage cheese and milk. S&P to taste, but remember the ham is salty. Pour the egg mixture over the meat, vegetables and cheese.
Bake 350* until brown and firm on top, about 40 minutes.
I used an 8x10 casserole and the small casserole that I'll keep for myself. If you want to make this as a 13x9, increase everything by half. Or, just increase the egg mixture ingredients.
Subject change:
I heard once that you can't make a prize winning quilt on a Singer sewing machine. What a snob. A sewing machine is a tool. Sure, a different tool may make the job easier, but it's still just a tool. A few years ago, I bought a Singer because I needed a machine that would make a good blanket stitch. It's the only thing my Bernina 930 won't do and this little machine does it very well. I've pulled it out to blanket stitch the wedding ring quilt to the border. I got started yesterday and got the stitch set right and was moving along, but decided I'd chosen the wrong thread and picked it all out again. It's okay. Anything worth doing is worth doing again and again and again until I get it right.
The orange man that said he'd bring the price of groceries down, even though he didn't know what the word groceries meant should have been in the store yesterday when I paid $20 for a canister of Folgers coffee. I'd a given him an earful! But, they warned us and that's why there's 10# of coffee in my garage. And, a few pounds of chocolate, too. And, two small roasts in the freezer with some steaks. I can hardly wait to remind one of his loyal followers that this is what they wanted. This is what they voted for. Turn the world upside down so they can feel free to be bigoted and racist. They'll whine louder than anyone when they have to give up their cigarettes and lose their healthcare. When there's no one left that will pick their lettuce. And, when all the home health nurses have been deported.
On that bleak note, it's time for me to go. Everybody have a great week! May your cup run over with peace and may you find joy in at least some of what you do. We deserve it!
Lane
