Sprouts in Disguise

I hate brussels sprouts. 

Blech.

I have, however, found a way to turn them into a wholly different, delicious thing!!

 

Seriously. Look at this deliciousness. LOOK. AT. IT.

And ignore the slightly burned pork chop and crappy photography.

Even if you don't like brussels sprouts (which I don't), you'll love this. It's very easy to make, too. Believe me, if I can do it, ANYONE can. I'm really not much of a chef (or even a cook), so I won't share recipes here often. But this is awesome, and I really feel it needs to be shared. I crave this dish. It is the only way I'll eat brussels sprouts (that I've found- I'm always willing to try new ways, though). 

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussels sprouts

Olive oil

BAM. Only 2 ingredients (unless you feel like adding salt).

Use your food processor or grater to shred the brussels sprouts. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add brussels sprouts and saute until soft and just starting to brown. Add more oil if you have to, but don't over load it. It usually takes about 10 minutes for us to start browning. Add salt if you want (I never do). And enjoy while warm!

It's not particularly good cold, just fyi. Not bad, just better deliciously warm.

Also, a pound may seem like a lot, but it shrinks a bit while cooking. We always make a pound, and never have leftovers. Smasher loves this recipe, too.

 

I love this recipe because I am all about finding new ways to cook veggies. I'm just a bit of a picky eater when it comes to vegetables, so I love it when I find a recipe that makes a gross thing delicious.

 

Off Like a Herd of Turtles!

I went running tonight again... Finally.

I have been running pretty regularly for several months now, with the longest break being a week when I was in Houston on vacation. As I was making progress, I really started to love it. About a month ago, though, I started having some foot pain and my knees started to hurt. At the time, I was about 2-3 weeks into a training program that was supposed to increase my distance from 3 miles to about 5.5 miles in 6 weeks. I had just started running 4 miles when I started having this pain, so I decided to take a bit of a break until my foot was feeling better.

This break was supposed to last for 1 or 2 days... But after my foot stopped hurting, I got sick, then I had some issues with my ID so I couldn't get on base to run (our roads are horrible, so I run on a track on base). Every day that I skipped just made it harder to start again.

My one or two day break turned into... 2 weeks.

As mentioned here, I had built up my running in my head to this horrible, involved ordeal and I just didn't want to do it any more. Maybe it was because of how steep my running plan was, or how strict the plan was, or just how much I had started hurting. But in my head, running just plain sucked.

Logically, though, I knew it didn't. For months, I have run multiple times a week and LOVED my runs! I loved the progress I made, I loved how I actually started to feel like a "Runner", everything! I looked forward to getting up and racing myself, and to having that time where I'm doing something just. for. myself.

So I know there are good things about running. And I knew, during this whole break, that if I just went out and did it, it wouldn't be so bad. I would get it out of the way, get over my roadblock, and get back in the groove. I would finish my run, red-faced and grinning, and smack myself on the forehead for waiting so long.

Well, I FINALLY got my a$$ out and ran today.

Aaaaaaaaaand....

Meh.
I started hurting within the first minute. Once one ache stopped, another would start. My knee, my side, my other knee, my shoulder... On and on until they finally stopped, or I just got better at ignoring them. I reached my 3 miles, but it wasn't any fun. I was bored the whole time as well. Maybe it's because I'm still missing my superfantastic running partner. Then, by the time I got home, both of my knees were swollen and my foot had started hurting again... After ONE run! (I think it's due to inflammation, and I'm researching how to fix it). The run wasn't horrible, but it wasn't easy, and it wasn't good, either.

I just don't know about running any more. I think the bloom is off that rose. I need to either find the love again, or find something else to love. Because, after only two weeks of laziness, The Grump has already mentioned that I've started looking chubby. 

And no, I won't let that go. -_-

The plan now is no running until I finish the Mud Run on Saturday. Then, I think I'm just going to run 2-3 times a week. I also think I'm going to switch it up. Instead of distance, I think I may work on shorter sprint sessions. My favorite part of my run has always been that last minute, or 200 meters where I give it everything I have. Maybe sprinting sessions wont allow me the time to get bored. PLUS, I'm a pretty slow runner; I know I need to work on my speed. 

Seems like a win-win there.

BONUS: This is how Smasher looked when I went to wake him up yesterday. These bunny suits are killing me.

I think this is a pretty good representation of my laziness level the past two weeks.

This Foot is Made for Walkin'

I finally started to quilt my quilt today. I didn't get very far because my family got home and I didn't want to be all antisocial, hiding in the back room stitching away.

My rig.

<--- I tried out my walking foot. It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I had to tweak tension a bit, but that could have been because of the ridiculous amount of fabric under the needle. 


Wrestling with the copious amount of fabric on all sides of the needle wasn't too bad either. I may revise this opinion when I'm smack dab in the middle of the quilt, however. I'm definitely glad this quilt is on the smaller side.

I did have to break out my handy-dandy seam ripper. Both because of user error and also because I started to quilt "in the ditch" (sewing right on the seam between the connected fabrics) and I really didn't like the way it turned out. I don't trust myself to sew a straight enough line to make "in the ditch" look really good. 

To be fair, I wouldn't trust myself to sew a straight stitch to save my life. 

Please ignore the wonky lines and toddler foot.

In light of this, I've decided to do a sort of baseball stitching (I'm not sure what this is called in quilting). It's just stitching slightly to each side of every seam. I'm really liking it so far. It really makes the stripes pop without disrupting them. I don't trust myself to quilt any sort of designs yet, and I think any more lines would be distracting.

 I constantly have to remind myself to slow down when I start to move fast. It's just too easy for me to slip up a hand and shoot off  in the wrong direction. I'm just not comfortable enough with quilting specifically and sewing in general to move as fast as my impatience insists on moving.

Smasher smashing.

Smasher loves this thing. Every time I lay it out to look at it on the whole - or baste it, or fold it, or any number of things - he runs over to stand on it or sit on it. He cracks me up. I hope he still likes it as much when it is finished.


Sorry about all the crappy pictures. For some reason that room is always dark. I wish you could see better detail in the pictures. Oh wait... Then you might be able to spot my more subtle disasters... Never mind! Enjoy the dim (or overexposed), small pictures.

Total progress today.

The Gate

Every now and then, when I have a project I need (or want) to do. I start to get anxiety about it. 

Going on to the next step just becomes difficult. I have built it up in my mind to mountainous proportions and I just get scared to start. I just don't want to take that first step. 

I need to get started on something, and I just can't get out of The Gate. 

Right now, I'm dealing with a few of those. 

I have my first quilt all together and basted, ready to quilt. But I'm really hesitant to start. I'm terrified of my walking foot. I'm really worried about how hard it's going to be to handle that much fabric while sewing. I'm just nervous. Logically, I know it won't be too difficult. I may have to utilize my handy-dandy seam ripper, but I really don't think it'll be too bad.

I just can't bring myself to make that first stitch.

I have a short paper due for school (less than a page). I have already written one paper for this class, and it wasn't bad at all. I'm really hesitant to do anything more than plan for this paper, though. I keep opening the word document, then closing it without doing anything.

I just can't bring myself to type that first word.

The worst right now is probably my running. About 2 weeks ago, my schedule got all messed up, then I didn't have an ID to get on base, then I got sick. I'm all better now, have been for a few days. But I still haven't gone out running in the morning yet. I haven't done any strength training at home, either, like I had planned. I think part of it is because I have fallen off the wagon of my training plan. But I need to jump back in. I know it's not hard, I have been running multiple times a week for months now.

I just can't bring myself to get up and take that first step.


I know once I actually force myself to start, it won't be so bad. It never is. I've done this with numerous projects before. It is just built up in my head to epic proportions. Once I get started, I'll be fine and blast right through it.

I just need to get out of The Gate.

I am the Gate Keeper. Are you the Key Master?

My Pattern Rut

So I have come to realize something about myself recently... When I like something, I really like it. And I - unintentionally - wind up buying it over and over again.

Available here.

 For example:

<---- I have three shirts that all look exactly like this. Except different colors. When shopping earlier, I thought, "ohhh that shirt is really cute" without even registering that I have three EXACTLY like it. All bought at different times, from different stores. 

I also go through color ruts. However unconsciously, for a time, every thing I buy winds up being the same color. I had a Coral Phase, followed by a Navy Phase, followed by a Mint Phase, followed by a Grey Phase.... Every workout thing I own is grey or mint, because I was in those ruts while stocking up on workout gear.... I'm still in the Grey Phase, come to think of it....

And now, I've just discovered that I'm in a pattern rut.

I've decided I'm going to make a quilt for mine and The Grump's bed. I just wanted to pick a pattern and color scheme (I'm thinking grey... big surprise) before buying fabric. And I've found myself drawn to the same types of patterns. 

Oooooh lovely lattices...

Like this one.

And this one. This one is grey, too!

And this one.
  

So I think I'm actually going to make one like THIS magnificence. In grey, of course. Perhaps with some yellow and teal.

The funniest thing about all this is that recently I had to throw out a crocheted afghan which I had been working on for several years. I had intended to make this for my bed in my first home. I don't have any pictures of the afghan (I lost the instruction book for it years ago, as well), but I just realized a few days ago that it was a - drum roll please - LATTICE DESIGN! It even had little squares inside of big squares, like the quilt I JUST decided to make a few days before!!

I guess I like what I like... but DAMN. 

Apparently, I'm stuck in an EIGHT YEAR  pattern rut. Maybe I'll get over it once I actually get around to making this thing...

Does anyone else do this? Or am I just a weirdo?

OH NO! It's the BLOOOOOG!

We'll, I've done it. I have entered the blog-o-sphere.

The word "blog" freaks me out just a bit. It sounds like a comic book monster to me. 

.... Run for your lives!!! It's the BLOOOOOOG!

.... This is my pet Blog. He may just destroy my house. Or eat up all my time. 

... Tremendous upkeep, those blogs are. 

... Having a blog is a big responsibility, Johnny.

ALRIGHTY THEN! That's enough of that.


I'm not totally sure what type of blog this is going to be yet. Probably mostly a craft blog. With a few recipes here and there if they are particularly noteworthy. And any ideas, musings, rants, or inspirations that strike my fancy. Stay tuned to find out!!!

Rant number one: I really really hate it when I start something new (a journal or program or planner or whatnot) and it is bare. Anyone else hate that? Whenever I start a new planner or calendar, I spend about an hour filling it in with as many things as I can possibly think of just so it's not... so... empty.
So there will probably be lots of frantic postings and rearrangings and such until I get in the groove of things and get everything situated juuuust right. Gotta fill in lots of those blanks so there is something to actually look at here. 

Thank you for reading my very first post!! There will be more soon, I'm sure!