Quick Takes: The 'I Survived This Week Without Blowing Up The World' Edition

Seven snippets of life right now, in no particular order.  Evidently, food is on my pregnant brain.  So if you don't like cooking, reading about food, or food in general, I apologize in advance.  :)

1. We survived the very worst meal I have ever prepared.
   It was Wednesday night, with an enchilada recipe from the back of the enchilada sauce can.  Since I had made tasty delicious enchiladas last week, these were in stark contrast and no one (not even the Wee Ski, who eats anything and everything) would finish it.  IT WAS BAD.  That was the first, only, and perhaps last time I'll ever use that enchilada sauce. 
2. I recovered last night by repeating Monday night's meal: an egg/sausage bake.
   Super easy, and tasty delicious.  Used chicken sausage that was on crazy sale (99 cents each, down from $4.99 each).  This will be an awesome meal for brunch, especially because you can totally make it ahead of time and let it soak all night in the egg mixture.  
3. Made an awesome, easy dish today for lunch. 
   Pasta with a creamy sweet potato & rosemary sauce.  Non fat.  Steamed up a few sweet potatoes, added nonfat condensed milk and threw it in the Vita Mix for 4 minutes.  Took the steaming sauce out, added a pinch of kosher salt + half a teaspoon (more or less) of cracked rosemary, and tossed it with ditatini pasta + baked chicken.  So tasty.  When the milk and sweet potatoes process in the blender for that long, they change consistency and turn into a tasty, tasty cream-like sauce.  No fat, and no fillers.  It looks so much like mac & cheese though, that I had to keep telling myself that the yellow cheese-looking sauce was actually healthy and did NOT taste like cheese.  Thomas loved it. 
4. Thomas is on a smoothie kick.
   We've been having them every morning for breakfast and one of my very favorite things in the world is to hear him say the word "smoothie".  It's never the same twice, but it usually comes out like "moo-by".  Or "smoo-by".  And today at lunch, he handed me back his milk and asked for a "moo-by". Little does he know that his mooby HAS milk in it!  On the night of the awful, awful dinner, I made peach/vanilla smoothies as well (thank God).  Jonathan didn't have his, but saved it in the fridge.  That's what I fed to the kid today.  Two day old chilled mooby, and he drank every drop.  I love that he eats everything!
5. Speaking of Thomas, he is my little dirt magnet.
   I had a stack of his clothes that had stains that simply weren't coming out.  Before I threw them in the 'toss' pile, I made up "The Soak" (referenced here) with simply hot water + oxiclean.  And I let everything soak.  For one whole day.  When I went to wash everything, I just dumped the bucket into the machine, added a little more soap, some additional clothes, and I kid you not...everything came out looking brand new.  Even his white onesies, all the stains were GONE.  Even with tomato stains!  It was a good day on the farm.
6. Thomas + the baby calves = happy, happy boy.
   Yesterday, I was invited to speak in Yelm about social media/Facebook and how to grow your business using it.  Thomas was able to hang with his favorite Un-coo Jeh-wy...and they went down to feed all the cattle and see the baby calves.  He was in such heaven that by the time they had to leave to head back up the hill from the barn, Thomas started crying and didn't want to go.  He loves all the baby animals on the farm and especially loves pointing out every horse he sees ANYWHERE.  'orsie?  'orsie?
7. Clearly, I'm getting ready for Lent early.
   Was craving comfort food this afternoon, so I'm trying my hand at homemade clam chowder tonight. FISH FRIDAYS!  I so miss being near to Steamers during Lent, when Friday nights are crawling with Catholics.   I've never made clam chowder before.  The fresh bread is already baking (I can smell it all the way in my office).  Can't wait to see how it turns out!  So hard to believe that Lent begins on Wednesday.  Excited for the week ahead...getting to see the Archbishop again on Sunday when he comes to St. Columban for Confirmation!  (And guess who is photographing it...) Thomas did pretty well today in the first Friday devotions...though the Skis may have moved outside the chapel to the big church, because he preferred climbing under the seats and running into everyone's kneeling feet over staying in one spot.  But once we were in the quiet of the big church, I could sit there for adoration and he stacked every big, heavy red book he could get his hands on.  It was the first time I had had peace + quiet in a long, long time.  No complaints from me!!  :)