Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Toot toot. Hear that? That's my horn. I'm tooting it.

I make the best Brussels sprouts ever. With Thanksgiving just nine days away, you're going to want to add these to your menu plan.  These are good warm or cold.  They keep in the fridge for a couple of days. They're basically perfect for the holidays. You can make them in advance and warm them up if you want to or not. They're sweet. They're tangy. They're awesome.

I'll shut up now, so you can go and make them.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs. Brussels sprouts
3 Tb. brown sugar
5 Tb. red wine vinegar (I'm using a pomegranate-infused one right now, and it's delish)
2 Tb. olive oil
5 Tb. Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice the sprouts in half. Toss them with the sugar, oil, and half of the vinegar. Bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes depending on the size of your sprouts. When they're done cooking, toss them with the rest of the vinegar, cheese, and cranberries. Eat them by the bowlful. You will want to.

Mexican Corn Pancakes

So this post almost didn't happen. I had a little bit of a meltdown again (smaller than the last one!) this afternoon, and the desire to blog wasn't there. Whatever is going on in my head needs to stop because this is annoying and very unlike me. Anyways, I set my timer for 30 minutes, curled up with my cat, and took a nap. BAM! I feel like a new person. I could definitely get used to taking a nap every day.

Here is a recipe that was kind of an accident. I was at home one Saturday, and I needed some food. I definitely wasn't about to get dressed and go anywhere, so I looked through the pantry, threw a bunch of ingredients in a bowl, and it turned out awesome. Luckily for me, I wrote down the recipe, so that I can share it with you fabulous readers! (Seriously, you are awesome for reading my ramblings). These are super easy, and you most likely already have these ingredients in your pantry, too!

Mexican Corn Pancakes
makes 12ish smallish pancakes-how's that for an approximation?

1 can creamed corn
1 c. corn meal
2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 egg
splash milk
salt to taste--if your taco season isn't salted
       This is the base recipe. I added 2 Tb. bacon bits to mine because everything is better with bacon. Obviously. Here are some variables that you might want to try!

2 Tb. jalapenos (or chopped green chilies) and 1/3 c. cheddar cheese.
1/2 c. chopped onion/squash/zucchini/mushroom
2 Tb. chopped chipotles in adobo sauce

As the picture shows, I ate mine with sour cream and salsa.

There aren't really any directions. Just mix it up, spoon in onto a hot, greased griddle, and cook like you would normal pancakes. These don't get super firm, so don't worry about it if they're a little soft.

Kindness of a Stranger

I'm not going to lie. These past two weeks have been stressful. Here's the rundown: I have twenty-four days until I leave for Scotland. I will be going out of town twice before I leave. Full work weeks. Thanksgiving. This time of year is crazy. Pile issues of the heart onto that, and I've been made into perfect meltdown material.
Everything came crashing down yesterday. I got a call yesterday that William was sick, so that put extra stress on me. I seriously love that kid. Traffic was horrendous, so by 5:30, I was a mess--unnecessary crying, the whole enchilada. I told Mom that I would take her to get her haircut yesterday.  There's a TCBY next door. I went in expecting to get some white chocolate mousse to drown my sorrows (I'm an emotional eater. Don't judge).
The place was empty when I arrived. I was greeted by a young, friendly looking girl with bright red hair and bright blue eyes. This is how our conversation went:
"Hey hon, what can I get for you?"
"I just -sniff- need some white chocolate mousse."
As I'm fighting back the tears, she continues:
"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?
At this point, I'm really trying to not sob in front of a stranger. I wasn't being very successful.
"Yeah, I do."
After I pay, she comes out from behind the counter and gives me a hug. I am not a touchy-feely person, but I take it with much gratitude. We go and sit at a table. I was such a hot mess. Sniveling and eating, I tell her all my troubles. It was such a relief to unload on someone I don't know. Her opinions on everything were completely neutral because she didn't know any of the people I was talking about or anything about my past.
I was so touched by her kindness when I left. She told me that I wasn't the first person who she's done this for. I guess that makes sense. I feel a little bit better knowing that I'm not the only woman in Memphis who goes to TCBY to make life easier.
Today, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I had the morning off, so sleeping in until 9:30 really helped. I don't remember the last time I was able to sleep without an alarm going off. Even my Sunday naps come with an alarm. I've been stretching myself too thin under the idea that "I'm getting an entire month off in December, so I have to do two months work in one to make up for it." You know what, it's okay if I don't. GASP.
Teagan, if you happen to read this, thank you for listening last night. Your kindness touched me. Thank you for being there when I needed someone unrelated to my life to talk to. You are amazing for listening to me. I sincerely wish you the best getting your counseling degree. You were made for it.

Now

Listening to Otche Nash.
Cooking roasted Brussels sprouts.
Watching the rain fall.
Worrying about what I'm to pack to Scotland.
Drinking water--lots of it.
Starting to plan my life after Christmas.
Loving my job at the art studio.
Wearing Hunter Boots and tweed. My favourite.
Sitting by the fire. It is so delightful.
Hanging laundry.
Resting my put-out back.
Eating my Brussels Sprouts.
Wishing I was brave enough to tell people how I feel.
Thinking about my abundant blessings.