The Kitchen Has been Located

I wanted to share with you my kitchen adventures!    To the surprise of my family, I have actually made dinner several nights and the results have been good.    Now "dinner" is actually stretching it a bit because in the summer time my family really isn't into big and heavy meals.   These are very quick and tasty sandwich/salad recipes!

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches w/ Swiss cheese, tomato and avocado:   I had read this somewhere and didn't copy down the recipe so mainly from memory!   Marinate chicken tenders in Italian Dressing.    While grilling chicken, "toast" or grill your bread of choice.   I just used some "hard" sandwich rolls, little margarine and "browned" in fry pan.    When Chicken is done, dress the sandwiches with Swiss cheese, tomato and fresh avocado.     I served with a side salad but you could do chips or whatever.  (Side Note:  Wonderful Man loved this but was still hungry so I need to make more.   Boy 2 and I argued because he thinks grilling dries chicken out and he suggested baking the chicken.    Some may wonder why Boy 2 has an opinion.  Probably because he's had to cook for himself all these years!!)

Turkey Caesar Focaccia Wedges:   12 oz garlic or cheese focaccia bread (round); 3 cups torn romaine lettuce; 9 oz (about 2 cups) cooked turkey (cubed); 1/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; ground pepper.   Cut bread in half horizontally.  In large bowl mix all remaining ingredients.  Spoon mixture onto bottom half of bread; cover with top.  Cut into 6 wedges.   I served with fresh strawberries.  I think you could easily make a wrap of this mixture too!  Very Tasty!

Turkey Cranberry Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad:   1 box Suddenly Salad mix - ranch and bacon flavor; 1/2 cup mayo (reduced); 1 1/2 cups cubed turkey; 1 cup sliced celery; 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries; 4 oz provolone cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes; 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted.   Cook the pasta from the Salad mix.  Rinse with cold water - drain well.   In large bowl, combine the Seasoning packet and mayo.  Add in turkey, celery, cranberries and cheese until well mixed.  Stir in cooked pasta.  Top with almonds. (Confession:  I did not toast my almonds and no one noticed!!!!)    This was very good - but we all thought it could use a little more zip.  Next time I make it I am going to add a package of Hidden Valley Ranch powder mix.

(Note:  I cooked the turkey for both of these at the same time.  Had sandwiches first and then salad the next day.   Shocking that I even thought of that on my own!!)

So there you go.   I have made some progress into the kitchen.   Granted this isn't gourmet by any one's definition - but at least now I know this is a room with a purpose other than storing my purse on the counter top!

Go WITH the Flow!!

I just need to breathe.   I am trying to knock out one of my first "want to" items:   Run a 5k.    This is big for me.   I am not a runner; walking at a brisk pace a few times a week was my exercise.   And when you are carrying extra pounds, its even harder.   So thanks to a good friend, I am jogging more than walking, but still can't do a mile straight without stopping.   And its not my muscles or legs giving out - it is my breath!!   I seriously sound like a person who needs immediate medical help while I am running; people stare as I go by.   How how do I get my breathing under control?

I've pasted a link to a running article below and while its helpful, its alot to think about!   Seriously...

• Breathe through mouth and nose; exhale through mouth
• "Belly" breaths not shallow breaths
• Pace should allow you to talk but not be so slow that you could sing (well then they'd really stare!)
• Inhale for three steps; exhale for two
• Slow down or walk if breathing is difficult (Well, then I would never RUN!!!)

The last piece of advice is classic!!    "Don't Overthink it"  WHAT??????

Breathing doesn't only apply in running, however.  Stressful situations require a calm, controlled "just breathe" kind of attitude.   And, we all know I've had lots or stressful situations.   This is an excerpt from The Dynamic Flow of Life (link below) and it just really spoke to me about how we (okay, I mean "I") react in life.

Life challenges can cause us to inhale at the wrong moments. We receive a frightening diagnosis, lose a job, hit a speed bump in our business and we hold our breath. Giving into the process seems counterintuitive. The last thing we want in times of challenge or crisis is to go toward what causes us pain. We groan at the discomfort unwilling to believe that we can embrace the discomfort and push past it to release.

The article goes on to say that by breathing out we go "with" the flow, not against it.  YES!!  I am working on going with the flow, not getting so caught up in the things I have no control over.   I'm working my plan which now includes a step to Just Breathe!




http://running.about.com/od/howtorun/f/breathing.htm

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• The Dynamic Flow of Life (wordsforhirellc.com)

What does the future hold?

Image by radiant guy via Flickr

 I need to issue a correction to yesterday's blog.   For all of my "gotta stay positive" mantra, I violated the positive rule.     So, correction:  The summer is only half started!!!!!   There is way more fun on the way!!!!

Wow!    Its been almost four weeks since I started this crazy adventure - I just can't believe how time flies!   Like I have to pinch myself and say "did I really send that email?"  (LOL!!)    The real key to all of this is how I am feeling about my life six month from now.  Further, will the Wonderful Man still be the Wonderful Man, patient and understanding or will he morph into a normal human?

Yesterday I worked on making contact with some vendors I used to deal with in my former life.  I would  like to do some short-term consulting with one of these companies. Its just convincing them that they need me....and have always needed me....they just didn't know it!!! (Might take a little bit!) If I can work on some projects like these, that will buy me some time to really keep searching for what it is I am supposed to be doing.

Side note:  I keep hoping there will be a big, bill-board telling me my new path.  I continue praying that God will not be too subtle in his direction for me.   I don't need a whisper this time; I need the booming kind of voice that Moses heard!!!    

So many people have offered suggestions and prayers, it really is amazing the kind of support I've had; sometimes its not from a source you expect either - and then its just the nicest surprise!    Others look at me like I am insane and you know, there's probably some truth to that as well!!   I don't really think sane people devote all their time and energy to a job, or schedule surgery around what works best for the company.   I now kind of understand my doctor's reaction to my insistence that surgery could only happen on one day in November!!!

So, I'm working away at my plan, trying to incorporate some of my  "Love" list (post on June 28th) into my life.   I have a goal of completing a 5k by the end of August.   A friend suggested some volunteer activity with the church I have been attending.   I found where I can take re-fresher tennis lessons.   By weaving these things into my life, I hope to change my focus from working to living.

Half-Way Point

The holiday weekend is behind us which marks the halfway point of summer.   Baseball and softball finish and people go on vacation this month.    We would be included in those people!!  For us vacation is  a trip to a resort 3 hours away where we can spend the entire week on our boat.   Packing is simple:  swimsuits, few shorts and shirts, and flip-flopz.  Note my spelling on flip-flopz:  There's a new venture  and I can't wait to get my black flip-flopz!!! 

These young ladies have developed a product and name, created a Facebook page and a website all in a couple of weeks.    Surely at my advanced age I can figure something out!!!   This really is inspiring to me - I just need to figure out what to sell!!!  And, as I've explained to many - I think when you are selling you have to LOVE what you sell!!   Its why I was so good at real estate because I loved houses!  I was always fascinated by what people did and the possibilities!!   We actually owned three houses in a five year period that were in a square mile block!

Side Note:  It is raining AGAIN here - pouring actually.  Dog 2 will not come in!!!  (I haven't mentioned this previously but Dog 2 is on the 10 Dumbest Dogs list!!!)  Seriously by the time I get him in he is drenched and all he wants to do is play with the towel!    So now I am drenched.   It actually helped once we realized he is brain-cell challenged because now we don't get mad, we just say he can't help it!!!

So my mission this week is to work on what it is I can sell (No, Wonderful Man - not Dog 2) , be it product or service.   As well, I need to keep sticking with my plan.  Thanks to all for your constant encouragement and prayers!!