Fastest Breakfast Ever! Egg In A Mug

Here is another really fast breakfast idea.

Egg In A Mug

2 Eggs

1 Tablespoon of Frozen Chopped Peppers and Onions

A Dash of Garlic and Herb Mrs. Dash (optional)

A Pinch of Salt and Pepper

1 Tablespoon of Cheese of Your Choice (optional)

In a two 12 to 16 oz mug, put two large eggs. Add Salt and Pepper and Mrs Dash. Stir till well mixed. Add Frozen Chopped Peppers and Onions. Stir together. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds. Take out of microwave and sprinkle with cheese. Eat hot or let cool for two minutes. 

Cooking times may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.
Precooked breakfast meats may be added to this recipe.

Enjoy your morning!

Coffee Chat: Winter Has Arrived!

I wanted to pause this morning, while sipping my coffee, to reflect on the storm that brought the area 8 to 14 inches of snow and then beat a path out of town. Tis the season for the Midwest, and much of the nation, to receive this cool blanket of beauty, fun, cold, and fear.

It is beautiful when all is said and done. The freshly falling snow against a beautiful blue skied morning is an awe inspiring scene. I love seeing the branches of the pine trees heavy with a pillow of sparkling whiteness. Ice cycles gleam in the sunlight.

Children, even a few adults, look with wonder at the snow imagining the creatures they could create in its depths. Sleds come out in full force to the slippery slopes as our rosy cheeked young ones shriek with laughter while gliding at high velocity towards the bottom of the hill. Snowmen and women are popping up all over the country side. Or perhaps the little ones dream lazily out the window of the impending holiday season.

Make no mistake, the snow is beautiful but also cold and treacherous. Be vigilant in watching for signs of hypothermia in our overenthusiastic youth and even some adults for they may not realize how cold they really are. Watch for slippery surfaces which can be dangerous for everyone. Be careful not to overdo it while shoveling what seems like an endless sidewalk or driveway. Stay away from waterways that may not be completely frozen over. Emergency room visits, while sometimes necessary, are no ones favorite activity. Make sure that before these big snow storms, you have emergency kits in your cars with blankets, water, flares, food, flashlights, and extra pairs of dry clothes. Perhaps throw in a shovel and salt/kitty litter. Always make sure that your phone is charged and that people know where you are traveling. Slow down and drive safely! Also, before the storm begins, make sure you are well stocked on food at home and any necessary medications. Remember to check on the elderly and be generous to the homeless for they are exceptionally vulnerable.

At the end of a cold snowy day, come into the warmth of your home and heat up your body with a cup of Homemade Cocoa and a warm blanket. Enjoy the season and be safe!

Freezer Meals: The advantage of cooking too much!

Ever cook way too much food for the number of people in your house and have tons of leftovers? I am guilty of this a lot. And yes, a lot of the time, the leftovers would sit in the fridge till I had to throw them away which is a huge waste of food. Recently, however, I have started making them into freezer meals.  

 Although I may not feel like eating chicken for two nights in a row, I may be craving it by next week. It is great to thaw out precooked chicken, not have to go through the hassle of cooking it. Just warm it up for dinner. Often that chicken will be used to make soup or a casserole.

 

Freezer meals are also handy for on-the-go for work provided you have a way to heat them there. It can save you a small fortune. Buying food at work or going out to eat at lunch time isn't cheap. 

This may just improve your health also. No more processed vending machine meals. You have a delicious home cooked lunch all ready to go. 

One of the biggest advantages is not having a bunch of containers from leftovers in the refrigerator. This means more room for things like milk, eggs, butter, and veggies. And the food actually gets eaten so no more waste.

It's a huge time saver later in the week too. Don't have time to cook a full meal, thaw and reheat something from the freezer. Give this meal solution a try, who knows how much you could save!

DIY Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Longing for Hot Cocoa but don't have any of that prepackaged cocoa mix. Give this a try!

DIY  Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Dry (Powdered) Milk
3 or 4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional)

In a resealable 6 ounce container add Sugar, Dry Milk, Cocoa Powder, and Cinnamon. Stir together till thoroughly mixed. Takes three teaspoons of Cocoa Mix per 8 ounces of hot water for one cup of Cocoa.

Give this a shot, it's a great way to warm up on a cool day! This is a great compliment to the Chocolate Brownie In A Cup too! Feel free to add marshmallows. Makes a great gift!!

On A Cool Fall Evening

There are few things better than a cool Fall evening spent with family or even alone with a good book, a favorite mug filled with cocoa, and a warm throw blanket. I am a book fiend. Love to snuggle with a good book and lose myself in its pages.

Even better is cuddling with the one you love under a warm blanket while watching a movie. It is an amazing mixture of comfort and relaxation. Better still is the warmth of a fire and the dancing light of the flames that fill the room.

My favorite thing to do is watch the sunset. Nothing beats nature at it's most beautiful. Even a fire in a pit in the back yard while snuggled in a warm blanket is an amazing Autumn activity while hanging out with friends and family, telling stories and remembering good times while sipping a hot beverage.

Take time to enjoy the smells and feelings of Fall before they pass all too quickly!  

Autumn Colors 2

Here are some more Autumn colors for your enjoyment. Stay warm!!

Love the contrast of the leaves, their colors, and the wood.

Amazing beauty when one color seems to melt into another.

Hope you enjoyed the beautiful colors of Autumn. They don't last nearly long enough.

Vertigo! Why I haven't been blogging this past week.

Do you remember, as a kid, when you used to spin around in a circle several times then stop suddenly? The world seemed to have kept spinning even though you had stopped. This is what vertigo is like, without you having to spin to get there.

I have had to take the last week off from blogging because of what my doctor calls Reoccurring Inner Ear Vertigo. I lay down, the spinning starts and takes about fifteen seconds to stop. I get up and have to spend another fifteen seconds sitting on the side of the bed. I made the mistake a couple of times of getting up before the fifteen seconds was up and almost face-planted into the door frame or the floor. Walking and turning quickly are dangerous activities and driving is out of the question. This is not a fun experience.

In 2008, when it was first diagnosed, I spent three days in the hospital because I was unable to stand, sit upright, or walk without falling over. What followed was an abundance of nausea which made it hard to eat. 

When I have this vertigo issue reading, writing, and even thinking seems to be impossible. It feels like my mind is out of control. The first time was due to a mild inner ear infection. I have no infection now but the vertigo reoccurs at inconvenient times but not frequently. Usually it lasts for about three days to a week.

Fortunately, I am feeling better now and will resume my blog posting. Thank you for sticking with me!