Seven Quick Takes

Normally I'm the worst at taking photos, but I actually used my camera this week! And not just outside! Next step: learning to take good photos... Linking up as usual on this beautiful Friday with Jen & Co over at Conversion Diary.

I

Winter is here.

We've had snow on the ground since Tuesday. Little Bear loves it. I don't really mind, since it's enough to make him happy but not enough to make me shovel, and it's been pretty fun going for walks with him down the snowy road and practicing stomping and making tracks.

II

I haven't been grocery shopping in a week, so meals have been creative "what do I have in the cupboard?" affairs this week. Diced carrots, frozen peas, vegetable broth and a lonely lamb steak left over from Matt and his friend's adventurous cooking on Sunday came together in a pie for Wednesday's supper; I wasn't following any kind of a recipe, so it was a very pleasant surprise to hear how well Matt and Little Bear liked it! 

Thursday's attempt at creativity with a pork-bean-tomato slow cooker soup turned out pretty bland, in my opinion, but Little Bear ate his entire bowl and asked for more. Tonight I think I'm just making refried bean and cheese burritos with cheese and tomato; hopefully I'll make it to the store tomorrow.

III

Little Bear tried to help me with the soup:

I suppose if I'd taken his suggestions, it certainly wouldn't have been bland!

IV

The plan was for me to go to the store today, but now I'm stuck sitting at home all day waiting for the phone to ring. Because yesterday, this happened:

That's the spring/tension rod on the garage ceiling that hauls the door up and down. Somehow a nut worked its way off, and now the thing is hanging from only three points of contact. The tension needs to be reset, which means having a professional out, which means waiting for them to call and tell me they're on their way. I was number 5 on today's list when I checked in with them this morning, but they couldn't give me any kind of estimate on when they'd actually get here. Little Bear and I were planning to go to noon Mass and the Catholic homeschoolers/preschoolers potluck afterward... Maybe we can make it next time.

V

When I walked into the kitchen to dish up supper for Little Bear and myself and saw his ducks in the wok, I had to send Matt a photo; it was just too perfect, because Matt was in Asian cooking class last night.

VI

I'm realizing that most of this week's takes have been awfully food-related... But I guess that makes sense, since most of my everyday is spent cooking or cleaning, and cleaning isn't really photo-worthy. Hopefully not, at least! In other words, yes, the last two photos are food-related, too:

My mom's recipe for puletta di mandorla for the feast of St Francis of Assisi tomorrow. If I miraculously get the rest of my to-do list crossed off, I'm hoping to make some; they're just slightly sweet, the same shape as biscotti but a softer texture... I like the slightly granular texture the ground almonds give the dough, so I'll be using ground instead of chopped.

VII

Yesterday, for the feast of the guardian angels, I was planning to make angel food cupcakes. Then I looked at the recipe— 7 to 12 egg whites! —and remembered that I don't like angel food cake. Little Bear and I made sour cream poundcake cupcakes instead, with homemade yogurt instead of sour cream. Much easier, at least as delicious, and still nearly just as white as angel food cake. 

They cooled on the counter during Little Bear's nap. After nap I brought him into the kitchen while I prepared lunch; I turned around from reheating leftover lamb pie to see him up on the step stool, going down the row of cupcakes taking a bite out of the top of each!