(no subject)

Fall seems to start the time when I feel the urge to nest. I've been very domestic all weekend. Yesterday was the meatball making. Today, I made a large batch of mashed potatoes and I fried up some onions.

I'll be out around dinner at the pink party at my hair salon, so it'll be easy for Lance and myself to throw together a plate whenever we want to eat. Everything is already prepared. And we'll have leftovers for dinner later on in the week.

The mashed potatoes turned out awesome. I had some leftover sour cream to use up, so I added that to the potatoes after I cooked and drained them. I had some Velveeta to use up too, so I threw in a big hunk of that. Splashed in some milk. I added liberal amounts of onion powder and black pepper. I mashed until I couldn't mash anymore, and then I got out my immersion blender to whip.

I now have a huge container of very creamy and cheesy mashed potatoes in the fridge.

I was on a roll and could've baked some pumpkin bread, but I didn't want to get too carried away.

This is why I love fall. I love this feeling of serenity that comes with cleaning and organizing the house, doing lots of cooking to keep the fridge and freezer well stocked...and it is very autumnal today, weather-wise, but very pleasant. So I grabbed the leash and the dog and headed out for a walk.

In the interest of making dinner prep easy throughout the week, I'm collecting lots of very easy slow cooker recipes too. I'm making Chicken Paprikash in the slow cooker later on in the week: boneless, skinless chicken thighs, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 2 TBSP. paprika. That's it. I cook on low all day. Whisk in some sour cream just before serving. Serve over hot egg noodles. Easy.

I'm going to try and get in the habit of doing the majority of my food prep on the weekends to make the weeknights easier. It doesn't really feel like work to me at all. I find my time in the kitchen to mostly be soothing.

Think Pink

I just got back a short while ago from the pink party at the hair salon. It was apparently so big that the local news was there (King 5, if you Seattle area folks might have seen it...I wasn't on the news spot, however).

I had no idea there was going to be dinner there. I assumed a cake or something, but there was this massive buffet. There was both Korean and American food. It was all delicious. So much for having dinner here at home...I called Lance to let him know that he was welcome to eat whenever.

There was a bar there. I had a glass of wine.

So I got my hair cut...it was the cost of a donation, but I donated what I would normally pay for a cut. And oh my God...my hair looks awesome. Another one of the stylists actually had the haircut that I've been wanting, so I asked my stylist to do my hair like that. I love it.

A Mary Kay lady was there...and I HATE having those makeovers. I normally don't wear makeup and I don't like the sales pitches. Turns out, the Mary Kay lady was a military brat who lived in Germany for several years. She speaks fluent German. She asked me to be her face model when she goes out to parties and stuff, but I politely declined. And she was trying to talk me into getting together with a bunch of other wives from Lance's unit for a big makeover party. I'm just not interested. I did the makeover because I was pretty much coerced into it, and it's tasteful enough. I've come out of these makeovers before looking like some kind of hooker. This is really subtle. She kept insisting that she accidentally put a black smudge on my face though, which isn't a smudge at all, but a dark freckle. I've always had it and it doesn't bother me, but she kept trying to cover it up with makeup.

Anyway, aside from the Mary Kay, I actually liked the woman. I wouldn't mind talking to her again, as long as she isn't trying to sell me stuff.

They also had some nail salon folks there...they do those weird fish pedicures, and there is some controversy about those here in Washington state currently. I think the state is trying to make them illegal. Anyway, I didn't bother getting a manicure. My nails need trimmed and filed, but I am not interested in having them polished.

Overall, it was an interesting time. Everyone else there brought friends and family, and I was the only one who came alone. It was kind of awkward. But hey, free food...for a good cause. And I have a great haircut.

I have some cleaning up to do. Then shower. Then reading. Then bed.

Uh oh...Lance just found 179 macaroni and cheese recipes on the Tillamook website.

(no subject)

One more thing...

I'm no sushi connoisseur, but I like the occasional California roll.

On the buffet this evening - veggie rolls. Oh my God...yum!! I only had 2, but I could've easily ate half the platter.

I haven't worked up to the raw fish sushi yet. I consider myself a foodie, but even I have my boundaries.

Unfortunately, I missed the kimchi on the table, which is something I've wanted to try for awhile. And they brought out the Korean spare ribs only after I already cleaned my plate. And sticky rice.

I really should go to a Korean restaurant sometime. That food looked soooooo good. When they first opened up the buffet, they had mostly meat and cheese platters, veggie and fruit trays, potato salad, corn bread, coleslaw...etc. That's mostly what I ate. And it was good...but damn...the really good stuff had to come out after I already ate.

Speaking of food, Lance is off work tomorrow for Columbus Day. I, however, am not. But he's going to come meet me for lunch, so at least I have something to look forward to.

I think we'll go to Nick & Willy's.