Busy to the nth Degree

Well, in case you can't tell, I've been mad busy lately. Between Christmas stuff and my TWO (2) jobs and having a new house, somehow my blog is getting left in the dust. I'm still here though and I'm anxious to blog another day. I'd like to write about some of the projects we've done around the house, but I know better. Those have pictures attached to them and I *really* don't have the time to do the pictures thing.

So…. TV sounds good. DId any of you see WifeSwap this week? I watched it last night off TIvo and I felt SOOO sorry for that ultra-rigid family and especially their daughter. I mean, the rockers may not have been the greatest parents in the world, but at least they never openly favored their son or told their daughters that they hated her?!?!

And how sad is it for these people to think that th is family is all “devil worshipers” just because they wear black and have tattoos and piercings?! I'm still not sure exactly what one has to do with the other. I was really glad to see the baptist wife loosen up a bit and see that she'd been narrow minded, but her husband was a different story. Huuuuge jerk, without an ounce of flex to him and beyond that, I don't think I ever saw him do anything loving towards anyone in his family. Just sad.

Marshmallow Snowflakes

from:

Ingredients
4 cups fat-free milk
2 cups diced peeled baking potato
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for seafood (such as Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 (14 3/4-ounce) cans no-salt-added cream-style corn
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions
Combine the first five ingredients in a Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer the milk mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the corn, and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, and cook for 2 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Nutritional Info (2 cups(
CALORIES 394 (6% from fat); FAT 2.8g (sat 0.7g, mono 0.6g, poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 30.5g; CARB 64.5g; FIBER 2.8g; CHOL 134mg; IRON 3.2mg; SODIUM 525mg; CALC 359mg;

from: MarthaStweart.com

Ingredients
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (each 1 scant tablespoon)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions
1. Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Spray parchment; set aside. Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin; let mixture soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Place sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid; cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup reaches 238° (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.

3. With mixer on low speed, whisk gelatin mixture, and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering). Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is thick, white, and has almost tripled in volume, about 12 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat 30 seconds to combine.

4. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet; smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

5. Coat a 1- or 2-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible; coat cutter with more spray as needed. Use marshmallows immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Cajun Shrimp and Corn Bisque

from:

Ingredients
4 cups fat-free milk
2 cups diced peeled baking potato
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for seafood (such as Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 (14 3/4-ounce) cans no-salt-added cream-style corn
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions
Combine the first five ingredients in a Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer the milk mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the corn, and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, and cook for 2 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Nutritional Info (2 cups(
CALORIES 394 (6% from fat); FAT 2.8g (sat 0.7g, mono 0.6g, poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 30.5g; CARB 64.5g; FIBER 2.8g; CHOL 134mg; IRON 3.2mg; SODIUM 525mg; CALC 359mg;

Chocolate Chip Meringues

from: MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients
6 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
2 cups (1 twelve-ounce bag) semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions
Preheat oven to 175°. Line several baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they form soft peaks. Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of superfine sugar over the beaten egg whites, and whisk in on low speed to combine.

Increase speed of mixer, and continue adding superfine sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking constantly, until all has been incorporated and mixture is firm enough to hold stiff and glossy peaks. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pipe or spoon small mounds of meringue mixture onto baking sheets, spacing mounds about 1 inch apart. Bake meringues until completely dry to the touch, about 3 hours.

Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Before serving, dust meringues with confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder.

Orzo with Chicken and Asiago

from: CookingLight.com

Ingredients
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, basil, or oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Combine water and broth in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add chicken and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in peas, 1/4 cup cheese, salt, herbs, and pepper. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Nutritional Info (1 1/4 Cups(
CALORIES 384 (14% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 2.9g, mono 1.5g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 34.3g; CARB 45.7g; FIBER 2.9g; CHOL 64mg; IRON 3.3mg; SODIUM 656mg; CALC 179mg;

Trials and Tribulations and Christmas Shopping

I'm taking a small break after finishing a big job. I've been trying for two days now to add some more pictures of our house, but my camera and my computer are fighting it out and it appears that my computer is slowly defeating my camera's spirit. Bad computer. So no pics yet, though I'm dying to get them up.

The last two days have been very busy. I've been working and then doing social sort of things after work. That's been enjoyable, but I really just want to go home and have a “normal” evening. That's the plan for tonight and with a little luck, it'll work out!! I can't wait to just veg in front of my computer and Tivo and get a little more work done for Artamation and it's CafePress Shop.

Last night I got a very important piece of Christmas shopping done. I ordered a couple of gifts online, but I'm not saying from where cuz at least one person receiving one of these gifts reads this … Continue reading “Trials and Tribulations and Christmas Shopping”