Monday is the beginning of the new week. I am making an effort to start each week new and fresh. Sunday, the day of rest, is about reflecting and erasing the past week, learning from it and taking that into the new week. That is my plan for today. Have a fantastic day!
This one is going to be hard for me, but I know that I can do this. Starting this week, I am going to begin weaning myself off of my juul. For those of you who don't know that is, it is basically a nicotine vape. I started using one in March of 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic. My doctor and I discussed my quitting smoking cigarettes and this was talked about as a good alternative. And it has been.
One of the nice things about this as opposed to smoking is the smell. I never realized how much cigarettes smelled because I was in it all of the time. Now I'm much more sensitive to it, not in that it bothers me but I notice it right away. There are also less preservatives in the juul, which is also good. But now, the time has come to let it go. I want to be able to breathe deeply again and have more energy. While this has been a good alternative to cigarettes, especially on my bank account, it' still addictive and I am ready to be addicted to more positive healthier things.
I have no doubt in my mind that I can do this. It will be frustrating at first I am sure, but I am a lot stronger than I give myself credit. Wish me luck. I'll keep you updated!
That is all
Now that Easter is a week away, it's time for me to go out to the garage and find my Easter decorations. I don't have a lot of Easter decor, but I have enough to make the house feel decorated. My favorite ones that I have though are the Easter eggs that Grandmother made.
Some time in the mid 80's she started painting these eggs. Several times a week you could find her in the ceramics room at the Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center. Now, I know I've shown you many of the beautiful ceramic pieces she painted for Christmas, but the eggs are beautiful too. And one of the things I love about them is that they are all free hand. The designs on them she created herself. Some are quite good. Painting is a talent I didn't get, so I truly appreciate her abilities.
She loved giving these eggs as gifts. Not only to her family but to her many friends. Chances are, if you knew Grandmother, you may have an egg of hers somewhere in her collection. And she almost always signed them, which is wonderful.
I have several egg cartons of these eggs and I absolutely cherish them. I hope that one day I can pass these along to some of my family who will love them as much as I do.
Melissa, our Resident Relations director and my boss, texted me this recipe yesterday. It was perfect timing because I was looking for something new to cook for dinner last night and this was it! It's super easy and delicious. It can be made ahead and frozen very easily.
Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole
3 cups chicken *
1 can cream of chicken soup **
1 16 oz carton of sour cream
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 cup bacon **
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 2lb bag of frozen tater tots
Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine chicken, soup, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, bacon and cheese. Stir until all is well mixed. Fold in the tater tots. Pour into a greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes until bubbly.
* you can shred your chicken or cube it
** this dish is on the salty side, so if you want to cut back a little, use a low sodium cream of chicken soup and half a cup of bacon
Enjoy!
Let me start out by saying that I love crab meat. I also enjoy imitation crab meat and often buy that as well. I got this recipe off of the back of a package of imitation crab meat from Food Lion. I've made it a few times and we have enjoyed it. I have no doubt that you can use real crab meat as well and it will be just as good!
Hot Crab Dip
14 oz crab meat, chopped or minced (I've made it both ways)
2 tsp lemon juice
8 oz cream cheese *
2 slices of onion, minced
3 Tbsp horseradish
3 Tbsp half & half or heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Combine all ingredients except for the parmesan. Mix thoroughly until nice and smooth. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and top with cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. Serve hot with crackers.
*If you mince the crab meat, you may want to add a few more ounces of cream cheese to get a good texture!
Enjoy!
I wanted to start April off with something relating to Easter. And while this hymn isn't exactly an Easter hymn, to me it is a reminder of spring and the renewal of life. And it's handbells which I love. Another piece that I've not gotten to perform, this one's on my bucket list LOL Enjoy!
