I've had a recipe for Overnight Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats with Banana for a while...actually, for years. CH is trying to eat things that don't have a chance to upset his stomach and I thought this might work. I don't have a picture because who can take a picture of oatmeal so it looks appetizing? Definitely not me. Anyway, the recipe calls for freshly grated nutmeg. I'm not sure if that would have made a difference. I was a bit disappointed with this recipe; I just didn't think there was a lot of taste to it. I added brown sugar to my bowl before I ate it; it helped but not much. I didn't think it had a lot of banana taste to it even though I added an extra banana to the slow cooker the night before. So, this recipe is going in the trash.
From My Kitchen: January 2022
The King Cake Saga Continues
Last year I wrote about my disappointment with a local bakery's King Cake. I still can't get over it, even a year later. I'm not sure if the bakery is still open; they do have amazing cookies. But, I wasn't going to be taken again this year. I went online for our favorite place to buy King Cake, and...SOLD OUT! Whaaaat? It's only January!! They shouldn't be sold out already! But sold out they were. I did some Google Searches and found a bakery in Picayune, Mississippi that claims to be the "Home of the Original Cream Cheese King Cake". So I took a chance.
Joy in the Hodgepodge
2. What's something you didn't realize was going to take so much of your time as an adult?
3. Your favorite yellow something?
6. Insert your own random thought here.
My breakfast view the day after the snow. It's rare when snow sticks around for more than 1 day.
A Timely Hodgepodge
1. What do you wish you'd done more of last year? Less of?
3. Do you have a word for the year? Elaborate if you'd like to elaborate.
I do: Strength. The word came to me several times in 1 day so I knew that was it. I pray for God to give me strength through this year. I also need the strength to let people around me know when I need to draw strength from them.
4. January 11 is National Milk Day...are you a milk drinker? What kind? Your favorite recipe that calls for milk (cereal doesn't count)?
I used to be a huge milk drinker. We drink whole milk in this house, which is why I don't drink much anymore. Favorite recipe? I'm drawing a blank for any recipe that calls for milk except for Danish Pancakes. More on that in early February! 😉
5. What excites you most about the future? What do you miss about the past?
In all honesty, the future is a little scary. I'm just taking things day by day and not thinking too far ahead. If I had to say 1 thing, I'd say retirement. I miss being able to call my mom on the phone and talk to her.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I'm getting back in the swing of things after being off for the holidays and then having 3 days off last week due to the weather. I can't believe it's only Wednesday...it feels like it should be next week already! But summer will be here before I know it.
Show Us Your Books-January 2022
The Perfect No-Stress Holiday
As I read back over last year's first post, I had to laugh. I wrote about last Christmas being stress-free, but this year definitely wins...hands down! Last Christmas came as close to being perfect as it could ever be, so I decided not to compete with it. OS is living across the country (again), YS moved out, and MS is now living with us. Still no grandkids (I've now lost hope on that ever happening) and the boys have each said they don't like Christmas. On the upside...no gifts to worry about! 😀 Seriously. I didn't step foot in a store except for a grocery store the whole break. What could be less stressful than that?
Truth be told, I still can't "get into" Christmas like I used to. It's been 7 Christmases since my mom passed, and I'm still grieving during that holiday. And on top of all that, can I just say that 2021 just sucked for my family? As in, the worst year ever.
I did very little baking (mostly only as gifts for my neighbor and church personnel) and even less decorating. I couldn't face putting up my big tree; besides that, some of the lights are broken, others aren't working, and it just looks sad. I ended up buying a prelit $20 3 feet tree and a smaller prelit tabletop tree, putting up my childhood creche, and calling it quits.
For the Birds Hodgepodge
3. Every January 1st (since 1976) Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse or just general uselessness (go here to read more about how the words are chosen). Here are the words/phrases they'd like to see banished in 2022-
wait, what?-no worries-at the end of the day-that being said-asking for a friend-circle back-deep dive-a new normal-you're on mute-supply chain
- Which of these words/phrases do you use regularly? I don't say any of these regularly, but when I write I notice that I say "that being said" sometimes.
- Which of these words would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? None of them bother me. Maybe "asking for a friend". Put your big girl panties on and own up to it!
- Is there a word/phrase not on the list you'd like to add? Nope.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
From My Kitchen: December 2021
I have a huge problem with cut-out sugar cookies. I can never roll the dough out evenly and I can't tell how thick it's supposed to be. I found a recipe a few years ago that I used to make cookies for the goody bags for my in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary, but they aren't "bakery cookies". They are really good, but not what I was looking for.
A search for "bakery sugar cookies recipe" gave me exactly what I wanted. The Best Sugar Cookies really are! I used the trick that I outlined in the post about my in-laws' cookies, but I'll share it again:
2 craft sticks that are 1/4 inch are perfect. Just lay 2 down and put the dough in between, cover with parchment paper, and put the rolling pin on the sticks.Then roll away and you have dough that is the perfect thickness. And it's even! Well, as long as the rolling pin doesn't slip or you have too much dough for the length of the sticks. I halved the dough and then rolled, so it worked well.
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