Just Trollin'

So BearFace has taken to calling me the mountain troll, due to the fact that on certain days (mostly during blizzards), I do not leave the mountain.  And since I am not working, I really don't have a definite reason to leave.  Although the rest of the world is only a 3 minute drive away, it seems like another world down there.  At first I was against this new moniker, but I will admit, I am starting to see the resemblance:

1. I recently stopped washing my hair and it is starting to hang in tangled, greasy locks.
2. On a whim, I chiseled my fingernails, toenails, and teeth into dagger points.
3. Due to lack of sunlight, my skin has begun to turn a pasty white/grey color.
4. I have taken to standing in the middle of the mountain road yelling "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" at our neighbors as they drive by (So far, no one has laughed).
5. When that gets boring, I hold up a sign saying "YOU HAVE TO PAY THE TROLL TOLL" (Also not super amusing to our neighbors, but I've made $27 so far).       

Ok, just kidding.  Numbers 3-5 are a joke.  I do actually leave on an (almost) daily basis to look for jobs!

Trolling aside, Murphy and I started our morning off with a bang today!  I got up around 8 am (kind of love that part about being unemployed), headed outside for Murphy's morning pee, and out of the corner of my eye, spotted something fluffy.  What looked to be a St. Bernard puppy was standing on the side of the road a little ways down from our driveway.  Always the animal lover, I called the puppy in hopes he would come galavanting over to me, and Murphy and I would have acquired a free dog (useful as Drew's Valentine's present).  By the time I got out to the road, however, the puppy had decided to turn around and run the other way.  Murphy and I went back into our yard, and I spotted the fluffball sitting in the woods on the side hill.  I quickly ran back into the house to grab boots and a leash with which to wrangle the beast, but again, by the time I got back out the pup had disappeared.  We walked part way down the mountain, but despite our best tracking efforts, could not find our furry friend.  I hope the puppy (let's call him Rupert) found his way back home.  And don't worry, I really would have returned him to his rightful owner.  Too much hair for my house!

Cat nap.  Further proof: he is a cat in dog's clothing.

Morning adventure complete, Murphy spared no time hurrying to the living room for his daily sun nap while I made some breakfast:

Almond Banana Breakfast Oats

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Eat it.

Like the blog's author, I have made these every morning since I found the recipe!  They are that tasty.  I did, however, substitute vanilla soy milk for almond milk because my grocery store does not carry almond milk (Most likely I was looking in the wrong place).  I did find almond butter in the store, but it was a whopping $7.00 for a tiny jar!!!  Via the same blog, I decided to try making my own:

Simply Delicious Dry-Roasted Almond Butter

I was skeptical at first, but I actually love it.  Although it was a time-consuming and kind of messy process, it seems worth it for how long I expect the almond butter to last.  I actually started halving the breakfast oats recipe.  1/2 cup of oats was just too much for me...I'm more of a light breakfast person (It keeps me full until almost 1:00!) 

While we're on the topic of recipe-sharing, I threw this together for dinner last night:

Rustic Tomato Rice Kale Soup

Disclaimer: We are NOT going vegan!

I did adapt this recipe a little bit to add some meat protein, since we are a meat-eating household.

• I sauteed 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in bite-sized pieces, and seasoned with garlic salt and pepper.  Add this in at the end.
• I substituted chicken broth for the vegetable broth, and probably added closer to 3 cups than just 1 cup.
• I was not able to find fire-roasted tomatoes in the store, so I went with a can of crushed tomatoes instead.
• And finally, rather than using frozen veggies, I added 1/2 a bag of fresh broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower (similar to the stir-fry veggies I used for the Orange Chicken).

Top with your favorite cheese (I used brie, and in hindsight probably could have gone with just one slice), and dip in some crusty dipping bread!  This was probably the best tomato soup I've had, although I think I would leave out the rice next time.  The combination of spices were superb!

[Side note: I hope you have noticed our recent upgrade in dishes!  That's right, the country-style plates and bowls along with the horribly dark, 70's kitchen were left back in Salem County.  I love cooking in our new kitchen...it's bright and inviting, and I was finally able to unearth my own dishes and cookware that have been living in my parent's basement for the past 2 years.  I'm trying to upgrade my food photos as well by using an actual camera instead of my iphone, but it's been a slow transition.  It's just so much easier to snap a quick one with my phone, which always seems to be nearby.] 

On that note, I'm off to be a good girlfriend and do some Valentine's baking, cooking, and crafting. Pictures to come.  Maybe.  Someone has been making a little TOO MUCH fun of my "kitchen command center".  Why didn't I put the pencil can on top of the fridge instead of magnetize it, BearFace?  BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO, that's why!  And also it would get in the way of the over-fridge cabinets.  So there.