Saturday's List: Things You Lose

From left to right:
keys, handbags, hair ties, rings, wallet, bobby pins,
wrist watch, mobile smart phone, CDs, DVDs.

I'm notorious when it comes to losing the items above.  It happens only at home though, so that's a relief.  As organized as I am, there are moments when my mind escapes to Arcadia and reality is diminished into the oblivion.  That's what happens when one has multiple neurosis accompanied with schizophrenia a lot on their mind.  But in all sincerity, who would commit to inscribe the locations of some of these things to long term memory?  For instance, the hair ties and the bobby pins?

In our house, there are three locations I usually set my handbag and my rings and things... but there are times when they're not there and I panic with jargon escaping out of my mouth.  Also, we don't have a land line so our smart phones can be anywhere.  Once again, they're not committed to one location - which is the problem.  But as frustrating as it is to lose these things inside our house,  I'm happy with the way things are - because somehow, I always find them.

Photo A Day May: Something New

#PhotoADayMay - Something New - Way To Go Head Support

I am now following Fat Mum Slim's blog and participate (as much as possible) in the Photo-A-Day list of daily photos to take via Android Instagram.  All my PhotoADay photos are in my tumblr account, but here it's much more detailed.

So, something new.  We received our order from amazon.com yesterday of the Boppy Head Support and some Multi Sensory Silicone Teether.  Decided to take a photo of the head support since it's easy and I'm just not in the mood to post something philosophically new.  We decided on the Bobby Head Support since Maksim's head is all over the place when in his stroller and car seat.  He wants out of both and ends up bopping his head all over the place.  We're also very uncomfortable seeing his head angled, not supported.  But it's funny that ever since our baby was born - most of the things purchased and being purchased are for him.  It's like all interest shifted to our little boy and our wants got put in the back burner... and we're perfectly satisfied with that.  Parenting, it truly changes a person.

Saturday's List: Medicine Cabinet

It's amazing how much stuff we can accumulate through the years.  Even I'm surprised that our medicine cabinet holds items of cumulative value greater than $400.  WOAH is right.  The list above doesn't even include all the other colognes and perfumes cached in there either.  It's embarrassing how much money we I inadvertently spent on products often used.  I'm scared to list the dollar worth of what is inside my purse - and then adding the value of that purse on top of that.  (Don't even get me started on my makeup collection) So much for being a disciple of the, "Less Is More" mantra.  It's pretty disturbing... and humbling. 

I'm sure we're not the only ones who have an extraordinary stash of items in our medicine cabinet.  But at least now there is no reason to complain about money.  Live and learn.  Live and learn.

? ? ?  Question  ? ? ?

Have you looked at your medicine cabinet and assessed the cash value?

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino

I got this recipe from YumSugar.com and it is SUPER easy!  I added my own ingredients to make it my own and BY GEORGE, it tasted fantastic!  It literally took me 15 minutes to make this.  While the pasta was boiling I minced the garlic, cut the sun dried tomatoes, and then measured out the crushed red peppers.  I added the ingredients to the cooked pasta and then drizzled the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste - mix and  VIOLA!  Simple, delicious, low-carb pasta dish for dinner.  I served this with grilled chicken breasts and steamed broccoli.

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino

By YumSugar

The measurements in this recipe can be shifted depending on your taste preferences.

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 box DreamFields Spaghetti (healthier pasta)

15 Half sized Sun Dried Tomatoes (sliced in strips)
10 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp of Red Pepper Flakes
2/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.
2. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.
3. Add sun dried tomatoes, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Saturday's List

Magazines, magazines, magazines - I adore them.  Above are the magazines we subscribe to.  Some of these are subscribed gifts from my sister-in-law.  She's great!

Anyhoo, I prefer tangible magazines over the intangible digital versions.  I like the thought of snipping pages, making collages, putting together a color palette, and sniffing the pages (weird but admit it, you've done it too).  One of my favorite things to do in the world is going to a bookstore, getting coffee, and reading stacks of magazine ranging from domestic, food, technology, entertainment, and fashion.  My ultimate ME time.

One bad experience with magazines - a little girl knocked on our door raising money for a school fundraiser, we subscribed to the Home and Garden magazine that never made it in our mailbox.  Never again will we be suckered by DTD (door-to-door) sales people... I don't care how cute they are.

German Semolina Pudding

Semolina Flour has many health benefits including having a low glycemic index (slow carb release); source of dietary nutrients: B vitamins, fiber, magnesium and iron; protect immune system from toxins, deceases, and ultraviolet damage; has a rich source of protein compared to other flours; and decreases the risk of diabetes 2, some cancers and heart disease. 

My husband grew up in Ukraine eating a similar semolina recipe as shown in the picture above.  It's a popular versatile hot cereal item in European countries.  When we traveled to Ukraine in 2010, Andrey's mother cooked us a similar recipe below.  It was delicious and versatile in a way that you can top it with anything.  Thus far, I've had it with numerous flavoures of jam, honey, pears, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and have sprinkled cinnamon and pumpkin spice to it.  It's so good.  

I actually presented this recipe at a, "Cooking Healthy: International Cooking Class" yesterday.  Small samples topped in cinnamon spice and strawberries were passed out to the audience while I was presenting.  I got mixed reviews since the sour strawberries overpowered the taste of the semolina pudding.  I should have gone with bananas for the topping.

German Semolina Pudding
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/3 cup semolina 

In a small saucepan, stir together the milk and sugar. Set over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Milk tends to boil over as soon as it boils, so stay with it! When it boils, immediately remove from the heat. Stir in the semolina, and return to the burner. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until thickened but still pourable. Pour into serving bowls, and top with your favorite hot cereal toppings.

Tips:

• Use skim milk to make it healthier.
• Stir in the semolina using a whisk otherwise it gets clumpy.
• Substitute white sugar with honey.  Add the honey to taste after cooking. 

Easy Chicken And Mushroom

Superb, if I don't say so myself.  I made this for dinner tonight and it's bursting with flavor.  Kalamata olives are just a wonderful addition to such the dish.  It's also easy to make.  I get many compliments whenever I cook this.

Just a few tips:

• Add 1/4 cup of the juice that comes with the kalamata olives
• Add more kalamata olives
• Double the amount of garlic recommended
• Saute the garlic first to get the flavor out and then add the rest
• You don't have to pound the chicken breast.  Cutting it flat in half serves the purpose.  You just have to cook it longer.
• Goes well with a side of rice and asparagus
• It's still delicious without parsley.