Completely Random

So there are days when I think to myself ... "Girl, you be drop dead gorgeous!" every time I look in the mirror. ;) lol Today is not one of them... :-\

So what IT IS outside is gorgeous! Today's high temp was 74 degrees. How wicked awesome is that? I thought to myself... meant for a day out in the back yard gardening... I have big plans for a garden... I've got the materials and plans to start a great compost pile... I have the materials and plans for a raised garden bed... I've even saved the site on my favorites for a portable greenhouse ... why portable? Cause it is cheap! ;) lol All I need are the seeds and energy to put all this together! I know it's too late for the seeds... but I plan to work on setting all of this up! I just have lots of questions and cannot find a site that will answer my specific questions... but I am no quitter! I'm gonna keep researching the whole thing. :) But not today...

Instead of spending time in the great outdoors... I spent the day in the kitchen. First, I made some Spanish rice and then some home fries. These are cooled down and put away in single-serve plastic containers in the fridge. I started a pot of pinto beans but this time, I am using the slow cooker. Last time I made them I used the stove  top method and let me tell you something... when it was time to clean up I thought I was gonna have to get myself a power washer! :-\ Lesson learned. :) Once done with all that... I got the urge to bake.

First ... let me explain something... I am a single gal. Yes, Jay lives with me but he is a picky eater and prepares his own meals so the cooking I do... it is cooking for one. Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever read!?! I think it is but it is also the plan God has before me and I am working on getting to where I can live with that plan. I don't think it is fair... but it is what it is. :-\ With that thought in mind, I tend to keep very little food in the house. One of the reasons I made Spanish rice and home fries and have beans cooking today is because when I do plan to eat... since it is only for one... I need to have it set up in serving containers for one. :-\ Since Jay will be supporting mom while she goes to nursing school... :) ... I decided I should cook in more often so that would keep the household budget on the lean side. When I shop now... I shop on the outside of the store rather than in the aisles. Except for staples... you can only find these in the center of the store but thankfully these are all lumped together in a couple of aisles and keeps me away from expensive, processed foods that aren't good for me anyway. :)

So back to my baking story... I wanted to make some cookies or cake from scratch. This took a bit of investigating... and creativity. When all was said and done... I planned to make pineapple-strawberry cake. :)  When I was opening cans and setting up the ingredients to dump into the mixing bowl I had a tid bit of a mishap. I am a little bit anal. Bet you didn't know that about me huh? Yes, I am a little bit anal ... is there such a thing as too much anal? ;) lol Sorry! I read the recipe and I measure the ingredients and pour these in bowls and set aside. I have several small bowls that I think this is what the purpose was for and I bought them... years ago... this way when I get ready to start mixing it all up together it is ready to go. :) As I was opening up the cans, I had a can of pineapple... that I guess I bought several months ago for whatever reason and forgot about it. I checked out the expiration date and it is still good... barely... and a can of Big Red ... recipe called for red food dye ... but I was just declared in remission ... I am using a tid bit of Big Red for the food coloring. :) I thought I was pretty gosh darn clever. ;) As I was absent-mindedly reviewing the recipe I picked up the can of pineapple tidbits and shook it in preparation for opening it ... I'm not sure why ... I've always done that ... it's a habit I developed early in life and I can't make myself stop... until today. I put the can down and ... thankfully... decided to put on my apron because it is NOT meant to be a decorative item on the kitchen hook but instead meant to be lovingly worn. I went back to the counter and picked up the can of pineapple and gave it a couple of more shakes. Have you noticed how cans now have pop tops? I wish the food distributors hadn't done that... I popped the top and Big Red spewed everywhere! :'( Yes... I picked up the wrong can and now I have a huge mess in the kitchen. :-( I may be off of FB and Blogger for the remainder of 2012. Other than this precious moment I took out to tell you all about it.

So the cake is baking... I am still wearing my apron... now to go back and clean up the mess. :-\