Creamy Italian Sausage & Gnocchi Soup

Okay it's not typical for me to blog recipes but several people ask me for recipes so I thought this would be a good place to start!

Creamy Italian Sausage & Gnocchi Soup in the Crockpot

1 package of Italian Sausage (out of casing, coarsely broken apart)
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of green onion diced
2 garlic cloves diced
4 tablespoons of flour
1 quart half and half
14 oz chicken broth
1 cup sliced or chopped carrots
1 cup fresh baby spinach coarsely chopped
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
1 package of Gnocchi
salt and pepper to taste


You can use 1 cup of shredded chicken in lieu of Italian sausage if you'd like.  I used turkey Italian sausage and fat free half and half to make it a little less fattening.  So while you are browning the Italian sausage in a skillet, melt your butter in another skillet and start to saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent.  Then add 1 tablespoon of the flour at a time and whisk in.  You want to make a roux of sorts.  After it thickens slowly add in half of the half and half, whisking it in and simmering until thicken again.  In the bottom of the crockpot put your chicken or Italian sausage.  Then top with carrots.  Pour your roux mixture on top of that.  Then add the rest of the half and half and mix.  Then add the chicken broth and mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.  Add the uncooked Gnocchi and cook an additional hour.  Allow crockpot to go to the warming setting and add the spinach, spices and Parmesan cheese.  Allow to warm for about 30 minutes to an hour.  I served mine with rosemary artisan bread!  Yum!

The downhill side of my annual 25th birthday

I've been a terrible blogger lately, I know.  Truth is that some times I feel I have nothing of importance, wittiness or otherwise words to write that others will even want to read or find interesting in the slightest bit.  It's been a long few weeks for me and with the holidays right around the corner, well I am not looking forward to those that much either.  
This week marks one year since we took that long dreadful trip to Fort Worth to sit for 10 days in the hospital with my brother, hoping, praying, crying, and just desperately wanting him to wake up and be okay.  Unfortunately that didn't happen and so on the 17th we will be at that year mark where he left us to be with God.  It has been an incredibly difficult year.  One filled with a lot of tears, memories and of course a little laughter too.  I don't know that any of us, myself included have handled it the right way, but we've handled it the best way we could in the moment and time as we have grieved.  My hope is that as the next year continues on that the grieving process gets a little easier and that the silver lining in things becomes a lot clearer.

So on that note my annual 25th birthday is rolling around.  What an awful time of year to have a birthday now.  To be quite honest I was never too keen on having my birthday when it is, simply because when I was growing up it was always so close to Thanksgiving that in some ways it was a bit of a hassle to have a party or anything like that.  It was always a lot of extra work for my mom when we were getting ready for Thanksgiving too.  Plus I always wanted a pool party for my birthday and that was never possible in November.  So I am considering a petition to change my birth date for myself.  Well at least when we celebrate and call it my birthday.  Jeff laughs at me......but I am serious!  I use to love having birthday week!  Now I don't even want to think about the day, much less the week.  Food for thought I guess.  So if you have any new birthday dates in mind.......let me know!

So that brings me to yet another dreadful outlook on things.  At my age I am starting to notice changes!  Seriously like changes I absolutely don't get.  For instance.........WHEN did I start getting wrinkly skin?!?!  WHEN?  And when exactly did my mornings start consisting of seeing if I was having good morning or a bad morning for back pain?!?!  WHEN?  Also when did I need to start shopping in the old ladies section, verses the younger, hipper clothing section?!?! WHEN?  I am outraged by these changes!  I just won't stand for it.  It's totally ruining my chances of playing off 25 again this year.  Yes.....yes 25!  Play along!  PLEASE play along!  :)

On a final note.........if my brother were here........I know him......he would buy me a "Happy 40th Birthday Sis" card.  Make no mistake I am NOT 40!!!!  But he would..........that's how he was! I would have hit him.....just for the record!

Dreaming of Fall

Fall is just around the corner.......I can feel it!  I've been dreaming of fall, ready for it to be here.  So much to look forward too and it just isn't quite the same without the cooler temperatures.  Football has started and so far my college team and my pro team are off to a good start!  I love weekends simply to sit and watch some good football!
And school is back in.  When the school bus pulls through the neighborhood in the morning picking up kids I always think how nice it would be to have some cooler weather while they wait.  And Halloween is just around the corner.  All the stores have their Halloween stuff out!  I just love it!  And lets not forget all the good and different flavored coffees that come out in the fall.  This morning its in the 60's for starting and its nice and breezy.  So I am starting out my day with Pumpkin Pie Spice coffee.  Hmmmmmmmmmm!  

And so my other favorite part of fall is the time to make all my pumpkin desserts.  It has become a tradition for me to make a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with the first good cold snap we have.  So I am anxiously awaiting that cold snap.  
I have also been blessed this year with a company asking me for a bid to make cookies and package them for them.  I am really excited to start this endeavor.  I have always made the cookies for fun and for free.  Occasionally I would charge if it was a tall order and it meant a lot of extra time and work on my part.  And I have dreamed of some day launching a small company of some sort.  So who knows.........if this works out maybe this will be my small company.

So until fall actually arrives............I will continue to dream! 

The Problem with Goals

We are taught that having goals is a priority and that achieving those goals is what taking the steps in life is all about. Goals, no matter how big or small or important. I think even a person that says they have no goals, still has goals of some sort! Those goals might just be just to get through the day, or to get through the work week. Others might have goals such as career driven or about expanding their family. Or maybe a vacation, or maybe a combination and balance of several things. Personally my goals are a combination of things. Most of the time I feel that its important to work on one goal at a time. That's a personal choice for myself. I know people that multi-task multiple goals and focus one each with as much effort as the others.

SO, here is the problem with goals. We find that when we set these goals and focus hard on them, that it can be an utter let down, disappointment or other wise frustration when we don't achieve these goals! Maybe I am speaking strictly for myself, but I would like to think that is the general feelings of most. So we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and put one foot in front of the other and keep trying to achieve that goal.

Does that make your new goal to achieve your old goal?

Help.....I'm trapped and I can't get out!

I have said it before, I am a young, skinny girl trapped inside of an old, fat woman's body! Seriously! lol Just kidding. I am now at the age that I actually have to think about how old I am if someone ask me. I haven't quite concluded if this is because I have spent to many years telling people I am 25 or because I am actual old enough now that my memory is starting to fail me at times. I do the math in my head a lot of times, but rest assured that if you ask me and I answer you promptly......it may or may not be the truth. Its not an intentional lie, unless of course I tell you I am 25. ;-)

So as some of you know I have been having a ton of back issues lately. Adding to my feeling old statement. I don't want to be old, nor do I want to have back issues. I have spent plenty of time at both the chiropractor and a general practitioner trying to resolve the issues. What I have found out about back issues is that nothing really fixes it and all they can do is offer you temporary relief. I personally have never been one to take pills. I hate even taking a Tylenol or ibuprofen unless I just really need it. You'll see me taking vitamins and maybe a necessary pill here and there but outside of that, I hate the thought of taking a pain reliever or narcotic. So after a lot of manipulation by the chiropractor I have finally got to the point that between that, exercise and diet I can make it through most days with little to no pain. The even better benefit of it all is that I am kicking the fat girls ass and trying to get back down to a comfortable weight that I can maintain. I've decided to reward myself along the way with new clothing. I figure the occasional outfit will help keep me motivated when I am dying on the treadmill and not wanting to do it. I still have a really long ways to go but I am proud of the progress I have made so far. My hope is in another week or two I will have reached my first goal and there for do a little retail therapy. Is it sad that the first thing I want to reward myself with is actually pajamas? I thought so..........I can't help it!

So Hot You Can Fry & Egg on your Dashboard!

Though I have never tried this, I think its hot enough to fry an egg on your dashboard, sidewalk......basically anywhere outside without the use of a fire!

That being said, its entirely to hot, in my opinion for even Diesel (the dog) to be outside in the heat of the day. He LOVES being outside but even he sits under the fan on the porch and pants while he sleeps on the hottest part of the day. So in order to accommodate our fur-son we bought a big (x-large for room) wire kennel and put it just inside the door by the living room and kitchenette so when he's in it he can still see both in the kitchen and the dining room. At first I thought he was gonna hate the idea that he was in a kennel while inside. But the truth is we have hardwood floors and he's 70 pounds and still chewing on a lot of things he shouldn't, so leaving him loose in the house at this point is not an option. At least not if he wants to keep having inside privileges. So first time we bring him in the house he surprisingly goes straight into the kennel and he just sits there fully enjoying the view and the a/c! I was so proud of him. And he loves that kennel already. He's had a few days of coming inside and sitting in the kennel and he loves it so much that when I open the kennel to bring him back out he wants to stay. Its a nice size for him because he has plenty of room, can stand up and turn around and he still has space for his water bowl, toys, pillow...........all those things he loves. And he's just smitten to be there.
He still loves his yard though and looks forward to running and playing in it. So he gets out a few times during the day for a short period of time to play and then he gets back out when the sun goes down some and it cools off so he can play for hours before bed and in the early morning when it's still cool enough he enjoys it!

This hot weather is just miserable and it makes me dream of cooler days in Scotland! I am ready for fall and the crispy cool air, orange leaves falling off the trees and all the fun that comes with it like football games, Halloween and fall festivals!

Life Lessons

Why is it that the life lessons seem to be the hardest and more hurtful lessons to learn? To bad they aren't like a lesson in math or science.........you learn it, you study it, memorize it and then get tested on it..............and then move on! Maybe that's the way we should look at life lessons?!?

So this weeks life lesson.............just because you consider someone your friend doesn't mean they consider you a friend. This is important because when it comes to the things you cherish and the things you trust your friends with, they need to feel the same way, be respectful and above all, be a good friend. Friends have differences and its okay that you don't always agree. And this isn't about a disagreement. Its about trust and trusting your friends with the things you hold most dear to you. After all would you trust one of your most cherished things, like a child with someone that didn't consider you a friend?

So food for thought........if the saying is true, "Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer"..........are you the friend or the enemy?

Be aware of the difference between a friend, an acquaintance and your enemy!

Hardest Jobs

I have confirmed over the past several weeks that one of the hardest jobs in the world has to be a parents job! Kudos to all you parents out there! I have been blessed with wonderful nieces and nephews in my life. Over the past few weeks I have had the nieces for a week at my house and then spent a long weekend on vacation with them and their momma in Galveston. I have learned that maybe what people say about girls being harder to raise than boys might be true! I have also realized that in a very short time my "pre-teen" niece will no longer be as interested in spending time with her relatives unless they are cousins of her own age. I have also realized that as little girls become young women they go through mood changes, get attitudes about some things without even realizing is and can be emotional at times beyond their reasonable control! And yet some how I have forgot that I was once their age and can relate.

So though I will never be a parent, I can honestly say that I love having nieces and nephews around me that I can spend time with. And to add, its nice to send them home too when I don't know how to handle them. :)

To Walk A Mile in Anothers Shoes!

I have always admired that saying............."never judge a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes". I try and remember that often, try not to pass judgement and mostly I try to just look at things from others point of view. We never know what a person has been through, what kind of decisions they might face, nor how difficult it is to make those decisions. Its easy for us to pass judgment on others. I am not perfect and some times I forget that we should not pass judgment and some times I forget that what works for one person doesn't always work for another. But for the most part that is how I try and look at things and I hope others do the same. Its when people don't do that and pass judgment upon me (especially those that don't know me) that I can get very frustrated with those people. Having said that, it is what has happen to me as of late. I try to just let things slip off my back most days. I think the only reason this particular persons judgment of me is bothering me is simply because its made me step back and wonder if others view me the same way this person does. I surely hope others don't, however if they do, I really hope I can learn from this and become a better person from it. A wise woman once told me that we don't make mistakes in life, we make decisions, its when we don't learn from those decisions that it becomes a mistake.

For the most part, I am a fairly private person when it comes to things that are very personal to me. If you follow my facebook, or even reading this blog, you know a lot of things I do talk about. Those things are mostly things I feel are light hearted, or not so serious moments in life. Those are the things that make life enjoyable to me. I have had moments that I have spoke of my brother, his passing and a few others things that were very personal and private to me, but that's only because some times its easy to put those things down on paper for all to read so that you don't have to keep playing the story over and over again and reliving the tragedy in front of others. After all we all know what it feels like to have a tragedy and replay it over and over again in your head, much less in front of others who are just concerned and want to lend an ear.

I have a lot of great friends and those friends are very dear to me. There are friends that have been near by while I have went through some of the hardest things in life I never thought would be thrown my way. Other friends have just been in my life for a short time but have been a source of great friendship. The point is, friendships and relationships come and go. Some are around a lifetime, some around for a short period of time. And some of those are not even friendships, they are simple acquaintances. Some times in life you meet some one and while you try and build a friendship you soon realize that you can be nothing more than mere acquaintances. Its better than having an unhealthy friendship in my opinion!

So I leave you all with this............try and remember that we never know someone truly until we have walked a mile in their shoes. And that is a rare chance to have. Remember that some friendships are real and some are just acquaintances that were not meant to be there forever. And remember than when you do pass judgment on someone you should be mindful of how you would feel if they did it to you. Lastly, if a friendship or acquaintance has dissolved and its left you wondering why.......know that there is a time and place for all things and that it has served its purpose. If that still leaves you wondering......go to the source instead of making it an issue or bad mouthing that person.

When I miss Scotland weather....

Its June here in sunny Louisiana and its HOT! This time of year I love but its also the time of year when I am out in it, sweating and feeling just miserable that I say I miss the rainy, chilly days in Scotland! Don't get me wrong, I am glad to be back, but it would be nice to have some cooler temperatures than between hot as hell and hotter than hell! lol

I miss several things about Scotland, several things about Texas but I also am enjoying living in Louisiana. I never thought I would be it feels like home right now. And thankfully we've been blessed with an opportunity to keep it a home for a little while.
For those that aren't in my immediate circle, my husband has changes companies after eight long years. It was a decision that weighed on him for a couple of months and for the last several weeks of making the decision I watched him go through turmoil and the ups and downs of going or staying. It was a very tough decision for him, not made lightly. But now that the switch has been made I see a much more relaxed, less stressed person. He's not traveling as much and he's actually back to enjoying the job and looking forward to it. I know it was hard for him to make that change but I think he's quite pleased with his decision.

A Vacation from our vacation?

Am I the only one that always comes home from vacation feeling like I need another vacation to relax after my vacation?

It was fab though! We had a great time and honestly I think it was truly just the right amount of time. By the last day before coming home I was ready to come home and see the fur kids and just get back to normal. Now I didn't realize that it would be a crazy busy week of normal, but hey, it's all good! We are blessed to have been able to go on a nice vacation, relax and have fun.

So we seen a lot, ate a lot, drank a lot and well......tried to relax a lot! Atlantis if fabulous! Hands down the highlight of vacation was swimming with the dolphins at Atlantis! The whole place is amazing and if you ask me..........well worth the opportunity to go see it and spend some time there!

I also learned that before Jeff and I kayak together again in the same kayak, we MUST learn to synchronize better! I had no idea it could be so difficult for the two of us to be in sync. That said my first clue should have been when we had to take dance lessons for our wedding dance and we still didn't do to well after six lessons. Lets just say that white boy has NO rhythm!

And Key West is a fab little town! I would love to go back one day, spend a little more time and drink a whole lot less! We did a pub crawl while we were there. It was really quite fun.....only my head didn't seem to agree later that day. Thankfully naps are helpful on vacation! ;)

We snorkeled too and that was great. Some of the people snorkeling with us seen a stingray and a turtle. I was really quite sad about not seeing them for myself. But we did get to see an eel and it kind of freaked me out......but I kept my cool. Lots of cool fish and thankfully no sharks!



Did I mention swimming with the dolphins? It really was fab! I'll try and post some pictures soon. It's been quit a busy week and I've not even got to fully download all the pictures.

Easter has arrived!

Easter is finally here! It has been a relatively quiet day. Jeff got called out early this morning and aside from attending church I stayed in today and watched some stuff on the DVR that I had recorded from the past two or three weeks while I was away working. I must admit that this was the first year we observed a full Lent and I did quite good at not having any meat on Friday's and I didn't give in and have the one thing I gave up for Lent. I did indulge in that one thing today though and as did Jeff, first thing this morning! Jeff gave up chocolate and so he had a chocolate covered peep before breakfast. Me, I gave up Diet Dr Pepper, my all time fav and finally caved and had one when I got home from church with a Reese's peanut butter egg. Yum! And yes, Diet Dr Pepper was just as lovely as I remembered it. :-)

So to add, today was a day of another "first". To clarify, our first Easter without my brother. We've had a few "first" since he's been gone but we have many more to come. I suppose the next couple of months will be some of the hardest. Mother's Day is around the corner and I can't even begin to imagine how my mom is feeling. I know her heart is still very full of sorrow. No words can describe how I even feel, so I can only imagine. Then we have his birthday. Again............no words can describe it. And then to follow in June we have Father's Day for those precious babies of his and then the anniversary to his long time love. May and June will be some of the toughest months. Please say a prayer for my family as we endure some of the hardest months ahead. I still find it hard to believe at times. I wouldn't say I am in denial but I would say that there are days it just doesn't seem real. I think of him every day and though I still can't talk about him much to other people without crying, it doesn't mean I have forgotten.

I dub April, "the dragging month"!

Is it just me or is April dragging by? Could it be because I am ready for vacation and so the days and weeks will drag until we leave?!? Trust me when I say.....this has been a very long month so far and we aren't even to the middle of it yet!

April showers bring May flowers! I remember that saying from when I was a kid. But I was thinking this morning that is seems that it no longer applies like that. Flowers are coming out in February and March as it warms up and showers are just sporadic this time of year in Texas and Louisiana. And while I got my fill of rainy days when I was living in Scotland, I could sure use some rain for the yard right now! I hate dragging out the hose and having to turn the sprinkler on to get some much needed rain. We are forecast for showers today, but if we don't get them I will be dragging the hose out this afternoon for some much needed water for the yard.

As per my previous post.......I feel May is gonna be the month to bring so much needed change in mine and Jeff's life. I hope all changes will be for the better but I am certain those changes are going to come whether we are ready for them or not. And at the same time May will be a month of heart ache and remembrance as we approach my mom and sister in laws first mothers days without my brother and we will also have to endure his first birthday without him here to celebrate. Will be a hard month on us all. We miss him dearly!

Time for a change

Not time change........time for a change! Well really both!

We are gearing up for vacation and I am super excited. Ready for a break away from things, soak up some rays and just relax with Jeff with NO phones! It took me a few weeks to find the right vacation for us but I think we will have a grand time. And I have spent the last week or so getting ready by getting odds and ends we need and getting the fur-kids a sitter and all that fun stuff. There is a lot of prep for us to go on vacation!

And I am thinking about some personal changes. Last week I decided its time to change out the quilt for our bedroom and bring in something new, different. I've found a quilt a really like for the bed but Jeff is kind of a "plain and solid color" kind of guy and I like things that are a little more lively, colorful and have a pattern to them. So we are working our way into a new quilt. ;)

I am also pondering a hairstyle change. Not sure exactly what yet. Maybe it will just be color or maybe it will be a cut or maybe both! I know last week standing in the bathroom drying all this hair when it's hot and humid outside sure makes me want to chop it off! But as sure as I do that I will have wished I kept it longer. So for now........its up in a ponytail most days.

Spring is in the air and I feel summer coming on quick! Not looking forward to those hot and humid Louisiana summer days!

Its Been A While

I know it's been a while since I blogged. I am trying to find my motivation again and find something inspirational to blog about. So far nothing has come to me that I honestly thought would be something people would want to read.

I've been trying to keep busy. I took on a job a few months ago and it turned out not to be the most ideal job I could have taken. I was looking for something simple yet challenging and something stress free and hopefully some what on the fun side. I didn't succeed and I will just leave it at that. So I am no longer working there. Hopefully something on the horizon will work out the way I had hoped. I have a few ideas floating around in my head too of some things I would like to try and accomplish over the next year or two.

I am trying to find my inspiration again. So don't give up on me. Check back periodically and hopefully I will start blogging more soon!

Taking a break

It's been a while since I've blogged. So much has happened, so much has been going on that I just hadn't felt like blogging. And even now, as I sit here I am sure you won't hear from me again for a while. I hope to find the inspiration to blog more soon but for now I feel if I blog to much it wouldn't be a whole lot of anything anyone would want to read.

As most of you know, we lost my brother a couple of weeks ago. We sat at the hospital for a week and half before that hoping for a miracle, praying for a miracle!
So to not go into to many details I am sad, mad and angry. Most of the time I am angry and I am trying to keep it at bay and not let it effect the rest of my life. I miss him terribly and yet I can't seem to find a way to cope or to handle it. Most of the days I think I am still in denial and I will see him again the next time I go to visit him at his house. Other days I am totally aware, accepting it and trying to hold it all together for my adorable nieces. Everyone around me is celebrating Christmas and celebrated Thanksgiving and I just can't seem to get excited enough to do either. And while I expect no one to understand........I hope the respect to let me be when I need it will be granted to me.

No words can explain it for me! So maybe soon I can cope a little better and find my inspiration again. I hope when I do I still have some of you around to blog too.

XOXO

Christmas stuff already?

Magically over night all the things for Halloween went away or on clearance and all the Christmas stuff came out! Seriously? It's November 1st and I went to Target today get pick up a few things and all the Halloween stuff was on clearance (what was left) and all the Christmas stuff was hung and aisles were being filled with Christmas stuff. One little lonely end cap near the cards had Thanksgiving stuff on it. Just blows my mind!

So Halloween was great! We had several trick or treaters. Not as many as I thought we might have but still quite a few. We had everything from bumble bees and super heroes to fairies, princesses and quite a few Woody's from Toy Story. We even had some that weren't dressed up at all. And we had some teens that honestly didn't need to be out trick or treating. I had one lady walk up with her kid in a wagon (probably about 2 or 3) and beside her was a teen that was probably 16 or 17 and the teen seriously walked up to me and opened up his backpack and said "trick or treat". I gave him candy because I figured if I didn't my house would get egged or the pumpkins would get smashed in my front yard. lol
And the kids that weren't dressed up kind of upset me. Then Jeff made me feel bad because he told me that they might not be able to afford costumes. So I felt bad. But then I thought about it some more and really...........can they not "make" a costume?!?! It doesn't have to be fancy. Just be creative!
And then finally the creepiest costume of all was a kid that was probably about 8 years old and he was wearing a gown that's similar to the ones that surgeons wear and his face was kind of zombie like and on his back was a growth that resembled a little monster! :|

And I put cobwebs all around the front door and even made the kids have to stick their hand through a hole of cobwebs to get to the doorbell. I heard one of the younger teens scream when she first got to the door and she ended up knocking. Serves her right.........she was to old to be trick or treating. But of course at least she did manage to dress up!

Okay so Halloween is behind us and now to push forward and start working on the holidays. Should be busy but fun!



Here is a picture of my pumpkin cake I made for the Trunk or Treat at church last weekend. We had a cake walk and I made this to take for it.