Catching Up...

B and I went to a couple of Christmas Craft Shows.  I am always so impressed with how talented people are and am a bit envious that I do not share their talents.  We picked up some gifts for the kids as well as some fun ornaments for our tree.

Thanksgiving was quiet as usual this year.  It was just B and I and football on tv.  My youngest son and dil go to her parents for Thanksgiving and then spend the Christmas holiday with us.  My oldest son and dil live across the country and trying to fly home for Thanksgiving is too expensive and crazy.

We got the Christmas decorations out over Thanksgiving and started to decorate the house.  I used to go hog wild with decorations but for the last few years, I have pared down quite a bit.  So I decided this year to purge some of the decorations I have.  The kids have taken the decorations they wanted and I will be donating the rest to St. Vincent de Paul and another thrift store in town.  No point in having them sit in boxes when they can be enjoyed again by someone else.

The kids gave me their Christmas lists.  I usually pick one or two things from their lists.  Children's "toys" get more expensive as they get older.  However, my kids are pretty good at choosing things that are not too expensive for retired mom and dad.

This week is grocery shopping for the holidays.  It shouldn't be too bad as I already have most of my baking ingredients as well as turkeys and hams in our freezer.  I still have to figure out some more vegetarian dishes.  My dil is a vegetarian so those are recipes I do not have a lot of.  I  would love some suggestions if anyone has some.

Saturday, B and I will be going with my son and dil to the local Christmas tree farm to pick out our trees.  A lot of people have suggested we get artificial but B says as long as we can, we will get real.  We have a great time with the kids at the farm.  There is hot chocolate, a firepit with chairs around it, music piped in throughout the farm and homemade treats and crafts as well.  There is even a sleigh and a decorated truck for picture taking.


       

Vegetarian Recipes Hunter

My new dil is a vegetarian.  There is nothing wrong with that but for a family of meat eaters, it has been an adjustment.  My recipes include meat 99% of the time.  So finding meal ideas that don't include meat has been an ongoing task.  For B and myself, the choices are difficult since we do not particularly like a lot of seafood but B does like some types of fish and I do love shrimp.  But the same every meal can be very boring.  So I am always on the lookout these days for recipes without meat, which are easy and delicious sounding.  B is my taste tester..a job he sometimes like but most often is wary of.  Although I am the cook in the family, I don't like anything that takes forever to prepare.  I like to get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as I can so any recipe that uses a slo cooker or is quick and easy works for me.  The following dishes are just that.  If anyone is interested in the recipes, let me know in comments and I will post them.  

15 minute garlic butter mushroom spaghetti
chinese vegetables w/shrimp
delicious carrots
vegetable frittata
Italian style fish and vegetables-this is in the slow cooker