Another Extension and Brussels Sprouts

Just wanted to let everyone know that while we don't have any long term news, Tracy's contract was extended again until mid-March.  So that, at least, keeps us going another month.

On the cooking front, last week I made roasted brussels sprouts.  We received them in our Bountiful Basket and one time on one of my research trips I'd had roasted ones that were really good so I roasted them in the oven.  They were pretty good.  Not something I'd go out of my way to buy, but nice that I was able to make a vegetable that's often spoken about with dread in an edible fashion.

Multiple Personalities

So I've always joked that I kind of have multiple personalities. To be clear I'm not claiming or mocking actual dissociative identity disorder, but I do think that I have a tendency to have personality shifts as I do different things in life.

Well, now I have some additional proof of that theory.  Apparently I can also write like multiple personalities.  There's this site called "I Write Like" (iwl.me) where you paste in a sample of your writing and it tells you what semi-famous author you write like.  Well I used a chunk of my first novel and it told me I wrote like Margaret Mitchell (as in Gone With the Wind)  and when I used a chunk from my second novel and from my blog it told me I wrote like edgy YA novelist Cory Doctorow. 

I did hope that the two novels were very different in tone, so not only is this funny, it's actually a good thing.

Chicken Pot Pie Meets Biscuits and Gravy

I'm trying to gently and frugally expand my recipe set and cooking skills, so yesterday when looking at a magazine I saw a post-Thanksgiving sandwich idea that suggested making a sandwich with turkey and veggies in gravy put on a biscuit to taste like chicken pot pie. 

Riffing on that idea and knowing we had a pretty good stash of canned chicken and biscuit mix I took the idea and made it into biscuits and gravy.  I sauteed onions and carrots in butter with some rosemary and sage.  Then I made some turkey gravy (started homemade but I threw in a packet to stretch it) and put the veggies and a can of chicken in it.  It tasted a little heavy so I sprinkled in some lemon juice and at the very end added some frozen peas.  Then we spooned the stuff over the biscuits.  Now I doubt it would win any cooking competitions, but it is yummy and fast and cheap.  Hurray!

Ray of Hope

I thought everybody would be happy to know that Verizon extended Tracy's contract until February 4th and apparently they are still trying to hire him full-time.  If nothing else it gives him a little more time to find a job. 

Nice to have some good news to share!

Merrily, Merrily Christmas World!

So I've been a bad blogger lately, but our lives have been insane.  I've been determined in spite of my health and house dramas to have a dissertation chapter turned in by the end of the year, and as the previous entry mentioned Tracy and I handmade 90% of our Christmas gifts.  It's been a wild, wild ride. 

Still, I just turned the chapter in.  My pumpkin pie for one of our family dinners just came out of the oven.  I still have a warm house, an awesome husband, and lots of family holiday goodness to look forward to this weekend.  There's bright sunshine out my window, no snow in the forecast (sorry skiers) and I'm feeling the Christmas glow.    I truly hope that everyone has an amazing Christmas, and that the spirit of a baby born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago feels you with love and joy. 

Merry Christmas!

FYI - Phone Issues

So for the first time ever Tracy and I have managed to hit the limit on our cell phone minutes except after 9:00 at night and on weekends.  Tracy's pre-paid phone has a little time on it so I can use that in a pinch when he's home.  Anyway,  I won't be able to do any long chats (except this weekend) until the 20th.  Just thought I'd post it here since most of the people who would call me also read my blog.

Handcrafted Christmas

What I love about making most of the Christmas gifts:
- You save on the budget, while still giving something nice
- It's easy to customize things to people's personalities
-The sense of accomplishment when something turns out cute

What I don't love about making most of the Christmas gifts:
-The sense of gloom that sets in when something gets screwed up
-Constantly wishing I had actual productive skills of some sort, like sewing or baking, or anything useful. 

Yeah, I'm annoyed today, but hopefully things will all work out.  Too bad I can't give people historical research gift certificates, huh?