This is No Ordinary Butternut Squash Soup

Not long ago I discovered a really great chicken recipe that I highly recommend you try.  The chicken is coated in a sauce made of mustard and maple syrup and then baked.  Even if you don't like mustard, you should try this because the cooking process transforms the sharp, yellow mustard sauce into something mellow and tangy and just a little bit sweet.

So, why am I talking about chicken?  What's that got to do with butternut squash soup?  You'll see.

PORK (get in my) BELLY!

For months I have been wanting to try pork belly.  Seems like it's all the talk on the Food Network, but every store I went to had the same claim, "Oh, yeah.  Pork belly.  We get that sometimes, but we don't have any now."  I almost gave up.

But then COSTCO!

Seeds of Change Organic Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic

Boy, do I love Costco!  One of my favorite things to buy there is the Seeds of Change organic quinoa and brown rice that comes in a microwavable pouch.  Healthy, delicious and ready in 90 seconds!

Lately I've given up processed foods, especially prepared side dishes that come in a box or a pouch.  (I explain why in this post.)  But this is a rare exception.

Check the label -- every ingredient is actual, recognizable food, except for a bit of soy emulsifier.  And though I try to avoid soy, I'm not going to flip out about the small amount in a product I enjoy in moderation.  Especially when it comes with quinoa and brown rice and garlic and onion and parsley.... yum!

(I am not in any way affiliated with this brand.  Nor was I compensated for this review.  I just think this stuff is good!)

I Buy My Green Beans at Target

These are the best-tasting green beans I have ever tried.  I get them at my local Target, and every time I go in there, I clean out their entire supply.

They make a quick, healthy side dish -- just 5 minutes in the microwave, right in their own bag.

I also use them to make a really tasty cold salad that is the perfect dish for a party or a potluck.  People always ask me for the recipe.  You can get it if you click here.

Recently I tried the same brand's roasted sweet potatoes, and they were great, too!

(I am not in any way affiliated with this brand.  Nor was I compensated for this review.  I just love these green beans!)

a.k.a Too-many-tomatoes Salad

Thanks to my weekly CSA delivery service, I have enough tomatoes to feed an army.  But only if the army is really, really hungry.

Desperation Chicken

I know I'm not the only person who sometimes finds herself staring at the clock at 5 pm and wondering where a whole day went... and what in the world am I going to make for dinner?! Recently, on just such an occasion, I found myself with under an hour to cook something using the only two fresh ingredients I had available at the time: a package of boneless chicken thighs and a pint of organic cherry tomatoes from my weekly CSA produce delivery.  Naturally, I turned to my bff Pinterest....

One Day Linen Closet Overhaul

About 5 years ago we did a major remodel of our master bathroom.  In the process, we upgraded from a stingy little corner shower to the roomy, luxurious, big-enough-for-two shower that we still enjoy today.  (Hey, GrandDad and I may be old, but who said romance has an expiration date?  And that sound you now hear is our kids heading straight to therapy...)

To get some additional space we needed for the new bathroom, we stole over a foot of depth from what had been an extra clothes closet in the hallway.  Our house has no shortage of closet space in the bedrooms, so I was perfectly content to convert this shallow nook into a space for storing linens, etc.  And so we lived happily ever after.  The End.  Well.... not quite.