What the Kale???

If you are expecting me to say I've just been to busy to blog, you'd be wrong.  I've been way too lazy to blog.  I had literally 2 months off for foot surgery and didn't blog one single word.  Go ahead and judge me.

But as always, when I find a good recipe to share I go straight here.  Giving credit where credit is due, I found this on Pinterest and followed it here.

Since Kale is the latest hipster vegetable, and will be available by the truckload at midwestern farmers' markets, you need something delicious to make from it.  This is a big hit at my place.  For this and other Pinterest recipes I've tried go here.

KALE AND ARTICHOKE DIP

4 

ounces cream cheese, softened.  Lowfat would be just fine.

15oz can of artichokes, drained

6 

ounces greek plain yogurt or light sour cream

1/2 

cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 

cup shredded Mozzarella or Swiss cheese, and a bit more for topping at the end.

1 

teaspoon garlic salt

6 

ounces kale, chopped (about 8-10 cups)

Mix it all together with a mixer - or by hand if you're stronger than me.  Then put it all in a pie dish or something similar.  The kale will cook down,

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.  Add more cheese on top during the last 5 minutes.

Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, raw veggies, compact discs, pencils, up to you.

You get what you need

You can't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need.

WANT a lot more money and economic security
GET a nice roof over my head, food in the house, and a healthy family

WANT someone to take care of me, make me toast, and mother me
GET a hubby who keeps the walls up, shovels the snow, lifts the heavy objects

WANT a youthful face with perfect makeup and no chin hairs
GET to be alive

WANT world travel
GET a great extended family and friends to visit, just a few hours away

WANT a well appointed home with fabulous art, expensive rugs, and all the little extras
GET a home with central heat, comfy chairs, and a cuddly cat

WANT great kids
GET great kids!

WANT a comfy new car with in dash GPS, heated seats, moon roof, and tinted windows
GET a pretty darned nice car with high miles that's paid for and cute to boot!

WANT hot coffee with half and half
GET hot coffee with half and half

SICK is my middle name

How in the world did I get sick so soon after my Holiday O'Influenza??!!
I'm down again, but this time I get aches so bad it hurts to use the potty.  And a fever of 102.  You could cook an egg on me, but please don't because every inch of my skin hurts.  I had read that Hot Toddies are good for this, so I mixed up a bit of tea, honey, lemon, hot water, and whiskey.  It tasted like compost juice, but I drank it down.  Just felt sicker and a bit stupid.

I've been laying on the sofa slipping in and out of conciousness.  Property Brothers and Mike & Molly have entered my sick dreams, where coworkers insist that I choose the granite for the new office space even though I'm clearly in my pajamas being arrested for smelling so vile.

I need a magic immune system bullet.

Pasta e fagioli chases away winter

This soup kicks winter's ass!

The photo was found here.

But this is completely my own recipe.

Good olive oil - 1 - 2 T
One onion, chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, chopped fine - add more if you like, it's a free country!
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
Italian seasoning - 1 or 2 T
Crushed red pepper - a pinch
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock or Better then Bouillon mixed with water.
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
Canned white northern beans - rinsed
A small box of SMALL pasta - mine was 7 ozs
Parmesan cheese for grating.

Put a large dutch oven on, and heat the olive oil on med high heat.  Add the onions and cook a bit - maybe 3-4 minutes.  Then add the garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Then add the seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper.  Add the stock and the crushed tomatoes.  Bring this all to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the veg are soft - mine took about 30 minutes.

Then add the beans - you can add more stock if it seems low.  Then add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is done.  Serve right away with FRESH grated Parmesan.  Any left sitting will get soaked up by the pasta and it will become more like stew.  But still delicious!!!