Finding my Sunday Positivity

Happy Sunday!! More than likely, today's post will be done in shifts throughout the day here as I will be off and on the computer today. I also plan on making a pot of loaded baked potato soup today as well, so I thought I would share that. If not on this post, then definitely within the next day or so. 

So, for now....Good Morning! How has your week been? I had a rather early start to my day today. 3:30 am (EST) to be exact. My daughter works as a dietary aide for a rehabilitation and nursing facility. Well this weekend was supposed to be her weekend off, but she saw that there was some open hours and she decided to take them. Not only did she decide to take some extra hours, but she decided to pull a double shift. She normally works a 4 hour evening shift, but for today, she decided to take on a morning shift. Well, I was afraid she might oversleep, so I set my alarm for 5:30 am. So I think I might have been worried about oversleeping, so my internal clock decided I needed to be awake at 3:30 am!! I tossed and turned until I heard my alarm go off at 5:30.

 I went to check on her and she was awake. Her boyfriend who stays over sometimes was also awake. He was driving her in to work today. So I went back to lay down and as I am starting to doze off, I hear soft clinking noises. Her boyfriend decided to empty the dishwasher. He is such a good kid and we adore him, but the dishes could have waited til later. But it was ok. I went back to lay down and they leave. I heard him come back and I thought, ok...she's at work safe. He's back safe. I can go back to sleep for a bit. It's now about 6:40 am. 

I settled in and then Houdini starts his morning shenanigans! Have I mentioned I have 6 cats? You can meet the pride here. Houdini is the mischievous one of the bunch and he likes to climb all over me in the morning. He tries to lay down, then climbs on me some more, lays down again and tries to get comfy. But basically, he isn't happy until I get up! Anyway, after being off and on the computer and doing other things today, it's been a long day. 

So, now the Super Bowl is on and I am in the process of making some loaded baked potato soup on this fine evening. I found this recipe about 2 months or so ago. I've made it a couple of times now and it's so good. The hardest part is peeling your potatoes, but once that's done and they're cooked, this soup comes together fairly quickly. So you can check out this loaded baked potato soup recipe here.

So first, you start out with some potatoes. These are russet. I used four large ones and four smaller ones. Get those all peeled and cubed. or chopped. Whatever you prefer. I like a little chunkier myself. I rinse the potatoes, boil them til soft. 

As my potatoes are cooking, I take a medium white onion and chop that up. The recipe calls for 1/2, but I just go ahead and use the whole thing. I also add in some garlic here because I LOVE garlic in everything and pretty much use it whenever I can!! I don't really measure it, but this is probably about 3-4 tablespoons. The recipe doesn't call for garlic, but I throw it in. After your potatoes are done and set aside, you're going to start making your roux. You take a 1/2 cup of butter and melt that in your pot. I have an enameled cast iron dutch oven that is my favorite pot in the kitchen. To that melted butter, you add in your chopped onion and let that saute for about 6 minutes. Just before the 6 minutes are up, I toss in the garlic for about 2 minutes. To that, I add a 1/2 cup of flour and whisk that together for about a minute. Then I gradually add my milk about 1 cup at a time, gradually whisking that in until its all blended into my pot. 

I bring that to a boil and then turn it down to medium and let it simmer. Give it about 8-10 minutes to thicken. This is another one of those dishes that is magical to me. Not quite as magical as my split pea soup recipe that I found over at Valerie's Kitchen, but still a little magical to me as to how it just all comes together. Once, 8-10 minutes is up and this white liquid is nice and thick, I add back my potatoes. I add in some salt and pepper to taste. Now this is where it all comes together, and rather quickly, I might add. Add back in your potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes. Then I add in my cheese. The recipe calls for 2 cups, I add in 3 cups. I use 2 cups of a sharp cheddar and 1 cup of mild cheddar. 2 cups works just fine, 3 cups will obviously make it a bit more cheesier, but it works!! Then I add in the sour cream....confession here.....I didn't realize the container I had bought was a 16 oz container, and it all went into the soup. Again, it tasted delicious, but it really only calls for 8 oz. I add in a little bit more salt and pepper, if you think it needs it, then by all means, do so. At this point, stir well and its ready to serve. 

For garnish, the recipe calls for bacon bits which I am not a fan. They taste fake to me and I just don't like them. So I made up some real bacon and chopped up some green onions which I love using because it does give the soup a really nice pop of color!!

After I ladle out a serving of soup, I sprinkle a little extra cheese on top, a little dollop of sour cream, some crumbled bacon and some green onions, and we are ready to eat! The great thing about this recipe is I do NOT have to double it. It makes more than enough for my family and we have it for about 2-3 days which is really nice. 

So there you have it......Loaded baked potato soup!! It is definitely a rich and comforting soup. Again, you can find the recipe here. Let me know if you try it and how you like it. I think the nice thing about this soup also is, if you're looking for something comforting, but more healthier, I believe this could definitely have some substitutions made. Skim milk and a light sour cream would help trim the fat and calories. You could use the bacon bits, or even turkey bacon. Like my Dad says, a recipe is a guide line to follow. You can always tweak things and change things to make it the way you want to. 

So all in all, despite my early start to my Sunday, I found myself just counting my blessings for the day. I woke up and had another day. I have 2 amazing children who I love to the moon and back. I am blessed to have a roof over my head and a house full of love. As I always say to my client...."It's all good." So I hope you have a good week, and I hope life is treating you well, and as always, remember to take the time to find some good moments in your day to be thankful for, cherish them and embrace the positivity. 

Sunday Simplicity

Good Sunday morning! It's a quiet one here in WNY! I'm sitting here enjoying a cup of coffee from my French press. I received that little gem of a gift from my cousin in Florida. It has become my new favorite thing. I love my French press! I am also thinking about our friends further south of me as they battle storm Jonas this weekend. I hope every one is staying safe, and are warm inside and out of the storm. 

There are just a few little things in my life that I have come to really appreciate. Sunrises and sunsets, a good cup of coffee (anytime) and Sunday mornings. Of course when you can combine any of these things, you get an amazing medley for a perfect, relaxing Sunday.

So what is it about Sundays for me? Well first, on Sunday, you can find me in my living room, curled up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee, watching out the window. I love coffee, as I said, anytime. But I love when that aroma fills the house on a Sunday morning. It's become an art to me to make it in my French press, and making it fresh that way has helped me to become more present and appreciative of my Sundays. It's about playing Pandora and enjoying Van Morrison's station. I love Van Morrison, but I have also come to enjoy some other old classics like Sinatra, Martin and Etta James, just to name a few. It's that day of rest before having to start the work week on Monday. It's about finding peace and quiet and just reveling in it for a little while. It's about taking the time to breathe and find some much needed focus in my life. 

On Sundays, I enjoy my softly played music, my quiet and coffee while waiting for the rest of the family to awaken. Some Sundays, my daughter and her boyfriend  will take a drive to Tim Horton's for some fresh bagels. I'll make more coffee while they're gone. Then we all sit in the living room together while we talk, and enjoy one each others company. 

Although, there are other times when I will just make us breakfast. Something I also truly enjoy, because who doesn't LOVE Sunday breakfast, right?! Again, it's about the smells that just fill the house whether I'm making pancakes or sautéing peppers, onions and garlic for some amazing scrambled eggs!! Today, we did some wonderful breakfast tacos as I was just in the mood for something different. 

They turned out so good!! Usually when I make breakfast, once we have eaten, the kids help me clean up and then, I'll make coffee and we will just sit and have our time together then. Either way, it works. 

When I was a little girl, Sundays was about family and being together. Stores and businesses were closed. Sunday was a day of rest and about just being with family. It bothers me that over the years, so many have lost those values. I don't think it was an intentional doing as it was what society as a whole has become. The value of time spent with family has fallen to the wayside of making the almighty dollar. I try hard to save Sundays. Even though my kids sometimes have to work them, I try to make sure that I am here and present for them before they go to work or when then come home from work. It all depends what shifts they're working as they vary. Sometimes, on a financial level, I have no choice but to work on the occasional Sunday myself. But I do try making it a point not to (if I can help it) for the sake of my family.  Money comes and goes. We can't take it with us when our lives end and life is too short to be working 8 days a week. 

As my day is winding down here (Yes, I have been working on this entry off and on all day), Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way" is playing on Pandora, it's time to get ready for the work week ahead. But there are still a few hours of my Sunday left, so I plan on enjoying them. So try a little Sunday simplicity for yourself. Find what makes YOU happy on a Sunday and do it. Sleep in, make coffee, make breakfast for the family and reconnect after a busy week. Take some time to just slow down. Remember to cherish those little moments and as always, embrace the positivity!