First, I slept in this morning and I feel sooooooooooooo much better! I don't sleep in that often but after the week I had, I needed the extra z's. I missed my sunrise but I really enjoyed sleeping in!

Second, to answer some questions that appeared on my blog comments yesterday. Normally, I do cook up enough on the weekends to last through the week. I know my schedule is crazy at times, especially with my teaching 4 nights a week. That schedule demands lots of pre-planning and implementation to keep relatively sane. Part of that planning is making enough food to cover those nights when I can't cook. But this week, we ran short for some reason...

D will usually pitch in and cook up something "safe" as he calls it. Unfortunately it was one of those weeks where he was busy at the lab. This week, by the time he's gotten home, I'm deep into teaching forcing us to send hand signals and body gestures to each other as a means of communication. 


D: Lifts his brows sends a quizzical look: 
Translation: Who needs to be fed?
Me: Pointing here, there, and somewhere in the vicinity of the kitchen.
Translation: I fed these bottomless pits, the back porch kitties, and Buddy on the front porch. 
 Me: Lifts the brow, sends quizzical look and chin points in the direction of the front door.
Translation: How did it go today at the lab? 
D: Frowns and shakes his head and gestures vaguely.
Translation: Don't ask...The machine is still giving us problems. I'll tell you later. 

Last night, I could tell I was starting to feel better when I made us stop watching "The Accidental Husband" to make oatmeal-blueberry cookies for my husband. Ok--I confess--they were for me too. Something about feeling better inspires me to bake cookies. I don't know why but when I feel good, I want to bake cookies. Or cook up a storm. And I feel like cooking today--black bean chile for dinner either tonight or tomorrow. I think I'll also go ahead and cook up some chicken as well. I'm running low on chicken broth. Then I can make chicken soup or chicken and dumplings or chicken casserole later.

Which reminds me...We are running out of green chile! I have only three small containers left! How can that be?!?!? We ate it of course. Chile season isn't until July-August so I'm really feeling desperate here. *sighs* I guess this summer, I'll have to roast about 60 lbs of chile so it lasts us through the next season. I already know we aren't going to lower our consumption of green chile--that's like asking us to cut off our right arms. It's not gonna happen--ya' hear? 

I'm rambling. Which means I'm needing another cup of coffee and some exercise. There's another winter storm brewing on the horizon. I see the storm clouds are already rolling in overhead. That's another reason I want to cook. In case the power goes out and we have to drag out the camping stove to heat things up. I want simple meals that can heat up easily. 


What do you do to prepare for another visit of Old Man Winter?


PS: Don't forget! Every time you comment, you get entered into my first blog giveaway. The drawing will be held in the morning! Thank you!