Sheet Pan Supper

Cooking has NOT been a big thing for me during this time.

John doesn't have much of an appetite -- he would be content with a hamburger every night of the week.

I'm always trying to WATCH MY WEIGHT....so, many nights -- I just nuke a Healthy Choices meal. Hey -- it's quick, easy and there are no dishes to wash...

But -- the other day -- inspired by Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman) -- I made a Sheet Pan Supper. Which was DELICIOUS...

I had a leftover baked potato in the frig -- and about half a ring of kielbasa. So, I cut up an onion, the potato, and the sausage....then, I added a bag of carrots....and stuck it in the oven for about 45 minutes.

Rhonda is a big fan of roasted carrots -- and I never think to do this for myself. 

I also had a pan of cooked cabbage -- I didn't want to add it to the sheet pan because I wanted everything to be CRISP...and all the water from the cabbage would make it soggy...

But -- IT WAS A DELICIOUS SUPPER.

The Pioneer Woman is right about sheet pan suppers...it was easy and DELICIOUS.

I might have to reconsider this cooking thing...

Impromptu Dinner Party

Lilly and I had a GREAT fancy lunch with my friends.  On our way home, we had to pick up Warren at my sister's house.

When we got there, Dean gave me a nice mess of fresh catfish -- and a bushel of basil.

Then, too -- we had about 3 pounds of  delicious Italian leftovers in the car.  AND a lemon icebox pie we were dying to cut into...

So, I invited Ronda and Dean over for supper...which meant -- the minute we got home --

WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO, PEOPLE...

Lilly and I made short work of picking the basil leaves.

Then, I triple-washed the leaves...

The other ingredients in fresh pesto are:  garlic, walnuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese...

While we were busy cooking -- Warren decided it was CHRISTMAS EVE...

He wrapped a dozen presents -- wrote our names on the packages -- with notes like "do not open until Christmas"

Really...he made us wait until the next morning to open our gifts.  I got my old cellphone, and a package of sugar free jello...

Our Fancy Ladies-who-Lunch

The MDF (My Drinking Friends)get together every week for lunch. Last year, we lost Carol (pancreatic cancer) -- so now it's just the four of us.

Me, Sue, Sandy and Evie. A coupla weeks ago -- we had lunch at Sandy's house...(she is our ringleader).

On that day, Evie announced she wasn't going to cook any more (no news to anybody). But she wanted to take us all out for lunch. To a fancy place. We accepted her invitation -- and we picked Rastrelli's in Clinton, Iowa. At the time, I didn't know I'd have Lilly and Warren all week...

Evie said, BRING THEM ALONG...so, rather than tap-out, I decided to take Lilly -- and leave Warren with my sister Ronda.

When it comes to clothes, Lilly is a conundrum. As much as she LOVES buying clothes at the Goodwill store -- she really doesn't care much about what she's wearing. She often centers on just one thing....and wears it over and over again.

This summer -- that one thing was an oversized "NASA" t-shirt.

If she had her own way, she'd wear it, then sleep in it, then wear it again...day after day...

So, imagine how delighted I was when she actually got EXCITED ABOUT DRESSING UP for our special, fancy MDF luncheon.

The night before, she washed her hair and put it in dozens of tiny braids (so it would be kinky). Then, in the morning, she went down to the basement and started trying different combinations. I wish I had taken pictures. She pranced around for well over an hour...first, there was a long black skirt (which she pulled up to make it a dress)...then, a summer dress with a high low hemline...various combinations of jackets and blouses...

The gem she dug out has been in my basement for at least 15 years. It's a vintage sequin skirt -- with a city scape. It might have been made before the invention of zippers...because it had a very interesting double waistband. The back half the skirt came around and closed with hooks and eyes...then, the front of the skirt wrapped around and tied in the back. INGENIUS..!!

She also picked out MY outfit. (I haven't worn this dress for years -- but it did match my pedicure!)

We looked GREAT...

Lilly even did a twirl to show off her spectacular outfit.

THEN, she was the camp photographer -- taking a picture of our little group.

It was so nice to get dressed up and GO OUT with the girls.

We had such a nice time. The food was DELICIOUS. Rastrelli's is an old-fashioned, family owned Italian restaurant in Clinton, Iowa. And if you're ever in the neighborhood -- YOU MUST EAT THERE. They bake their own bread every day, and then make a bread pudding out of the leftovers. I think one of the best things there is the salad bar. Which, I was delighted to see, was open once again. Everything is unique and wonderful...there's a chicken salad (with grapes), their coleslaw is one of my favorites, and their macaroni salad has a muffaletta flavor to it.

Lilly seemed to enjoy this old-lady lunch...and, altho she mostly listened -- when she decided to contribute to the conversation, my friends all encouraged her, and kept telling her how grown-up she was, and they couldn't believe she was only 11 years old...and wasn't she AMAZING??  And sooo beautiful...

It was definitely a highlight of the week.  I hope Lilly has many other occasions when she can wear that skirt..

Really.  I'm gonna take some close-up pictures.  We should name it...

Grandma Camp Activities

I am learning how to download pictures from my new smartphone...and, although I am SURE I WILL LOVE IT...I'm at that difficult point where I'm thinking there can actually be TOO MUCH progress...and maybe I should have left well enough alone...ugh...

Anyway -- THESE photos kind of tagged along with Saturday's post -- it's just a collage of some of the things we did last week... 

For better or worse -- the kids LOVE going to the Goodwill store. Ugh.

I know that's all my fault...and sometimes, I'm not sure of the lesson involved here. Am I introducing them to a money-saving life skill? Or am I exposing them to a toxic addiction that will create a hoarder situation down the road?

Lilly LOVES shopping for clothes...and she picked out a few summer dresses...

AND -- on this day -- we came across two METAL PEACOCKS...what are the chances, eh??

Then, on another day -- we discovered our new FAVORITE PIZZA JOINT...It's in Clinton, Iowa, and it's called Back Shop Pizza.

The decor is SO MUCH FUN -- I had to take pictures!

Yes -- that's a table shaped like a teacup!!

There's an arcade in the back!!

With LOTS of fun games

Lilly and Warren LOVED this place -- even though I didn't give them any money.  They had a GREAT TIME...

Every day, we had to go to their house to play with the dogs, feed every living thing...

And check for RAINBOWS...(really -- this is on day FIVE...)...

Grandma Camp SQUARED.

So -- the day after his birthday, Elliott surprised Emily with a road-trip to Idaho to visit her sister.

Of course I offered to keep the kids...

And, remember, they also have three dogs and 30 chickens...so, there will also be a few chores each day at their place. (which, fortunately, is only 10 minutes from my house.)

On the first full day, we saw a rainbow as we were leaving their house...that's gotta be a good sign, eh?

I had scheduled a 90 minute session in the outdoor YMCA pool (which is about a one hour drive)

Warren had swimmer's ear...so I had to get creative with an ear plug, a large band-aid, then a pantyhose/pirate/headband...

We were all ready to jump in the pool -- I mean, I'd sprayed both kids with the $15 Banana Boat sunscreen...and...THEN THE LIFEGUARD announced he heard a clap of thunder...so the pool couldn't open for 30 minutes...

Rather than sit around, (the weather did NOT look good) -- I decided we were already in our suits -- if we got back in the car -- we could be in the Bettendorf indoor pool in 30 minutes...
  

So, that's what we did. And we had the whole place to ourselves.

I've been going to the pool a couple of times every week since it reopened...and it has been very, very quiet.

After the pool, we went to a new place -- the Tangled Wood restaurant.  I ordered the tuna tacos...and Lilly LOVED the crab Rangoon pizza. And, of course, there was Bananagrams...

Lemon-o-Ganza

I'm not going to dwell on this == but John has been having more memory problems. The dementia is back -- and two doctors have refused to give him a prescription for antibiotics -- because there is no sign of an infection. ugh.

Hey -- life goes on. He is in no pain...and I'm grateful for that.

But the scope of his life is getting smaller and quieter....he watches a lot of television.  Mostly the Lone Ranger and Dr. Pol.

He drives himself to the Corner Market most mornings for breakfast with his friends. On Saturday a few weeks ago, I asked him to bring home two lemons. (Lilly was going to make her first Lemon Icebox Pie.)

Instead -- he brought home two BAGS of lemons. (30 lemons in total).

Wow.

My Saturdays usually start out by cooking a pound of bacon...

I use a half-sheet pan -- and then, BAKE the bacon in the oven. 400 degrees for about 20 minutes...Lilly likes her bacon extra crispy...so sometimes, it takes an extra ten minutes.

Weather permitting, breakfast is almost always on the porch...and that's what the kids and I were doing when John walked into the house with 30 lemons...

As soon as I realized what was happening, I said to the kids, "Wow. Today we get to live out an actual cliche...."

Lilly didn't even hesitate..."when life hands you lemons -- make lemonade..."

Yep.

I set the kids up with two of my vintage Foley juicers...and they got busy juicing lemons...

And juicing lemons...

We DID make our first lemon icebox pie...(we've made three of them so far this summer)

We also made actual lemonade, microwave lemon curd (delicious, Deena!), lemon cookies (using a cake mix), the icebox lemon pie, and tabbouleh salad...we used A LOT OF LEMONS...

Here's LP's recipe for lemon ice-box pie...by far the EASIEST thing made that day:

Cream together an 8 ounce brick of cream cheese...and one small can of sweetened condensed milk. Add 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice. Pour into a 9" graham cracker crust. Refrigerate overnight.

HEAVEN...

Elliott's Birthday!!

This month has been CRAZY BUSY. Last week was Elliott's birthday...and...well,

HE DID BUY ME A CAR...!!

So his birthday dinner should be something special...

Lilly worked on a special artsy card...

She was SUCH GOOD HELP. She set the table...the good china and Aunt Rozella's silver...

She put up streamers...

Special table decor, even!!

OF COURSE, I WAS BUSY COOKING...

The menu was: snow crab legs, popovers, shrimp, deviled eggs, spaghetti and the FIRST PESTO of the year.

The kids were very pleased with the party.

The shrimp were gigantic!

Elliott said NO CHOCOLATE CAKE...ugh...but, I could not NOT have a dessert...so Lilly made an old-fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie (THANKS, LINDA P....IT WAS AMAZING)...