I had a busy, but productive week. The first week of the semester went smoothly and I'm glad to have a weekend without grading or making tests... yet.
I also made stuffed zucchini boats. This recipe is from Tania at Outback. I used regular parmesan cheese. I didn't have feta cheese, but it still came out very delicious. Thank you Tania!
I fertilized green bean plants. There were several small beans on the vines, so I picked them and added to a vegetable soup. I also picked a radish. I'm thinking of making Do Chua:Vietnamese radish and carrot pickle.
1) Take the car for regular maintenance.
3) Fertilize green beans.
4) Organize user manual folders.
5) Cut more quilt blocks.
7) Sleep 7 hrs.
I was in a mood to try new recipes. I want January to be as frugal as possible, so I picked recipes without expensive ingredients.
The first recipe I tried was New England clam chowder. I had all ingredients at home except cream, so I bought a small carton of cream. The weekend was cold, so it was so nice to have a bowl of hot chowder.
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| New England clam chowder. |
I also made stuffed zucchini boats. This recipe is from Tania at Outback. I used regular parmesan cheese. I didn't have feta cheese, but it still came out very delicious. Thank you Tania!
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| Stuffed Zucchini boats. |
I fertilized green bean plants. There were several small beans on the vines, so I picked them and added to a vegetable soup. I also picked a radish. I'm thinking of making Do Chua:Vietnamese radish and carrot pickle.
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| Radish & green beans from the garden. |
I sowed okra and basil seeds. But I didn't do much else in the garden.
Friday I took the car for an oil change and tire rotation. It cost almost $90. I also bought Forever stamps because the price is going up on January 27th. I still have a half a sheet of stamps that I bought when it was 47cents/stamp. The current price is 50 cents and will be 55 cents soon. I don't use stamps often because most of my bills are paid automatically. But once in a while when I have to mail a letter it's nice to have stamps at home.
I received renewal notices for both home and car insurances which are due next month. Both premiums have gone up. I contacted two insurances agents to see if I can get better rates with the same coverage. February is going to be an expensive month.
Friday I took the car for an oil change and tire rotation. It cost almost $90. I also bought Forever stamps because the price is going up on January 27th. I still have a half a sheet of stamps that I bought when it was 47cents/stamp. The current price is 50 cents and will be 55 cents soon. I don't use stamps often because most of my bills are paid automatically. But once in a while when I have to mail a letter it's nice to have stamps at home.
How was your week? Did you try any new recipes?
Results of this week's to-do list:
2) Prepare a raised bed.
6) Do yoga.
Next week's to-do list:
1) Vacuum the car.
2) Prepare a raised bed.
3) Cut more quilt blocks.
4) Do yoga.
5) Sleep 7 hrs.
XX
Nil
2) Prepare a raised bed.
3) Cut more quilt blocks.
4) Do yoga.
5) Sleep 7 hrs.
XX
Nil
Nice colors on your photos! January is a great month to try fresh, new recipes! Andrea
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea. :)
DeleteHi Nil, Your meals look beautiful. I made soup yesterday, too. I used ham hocks and did a batch of split pea. It was easy, tasty, and inexpensive. I am planning to pay the second half of my property taxes next month. My home insurance will be due soon, too. I wonder if the premium will go up because of the fires?
ReplyDeleteI've never used ham hocks Stephenie. One of these I should try it. :)
DeleteI pay property taxes annually. It's cheaper to pay that way. Also, because I still have a mortgage the bank pays it annually and my monthly mortgage payment includes taxes and insurance.
So glad to read that your first week of the semester went well and you didn't have anything to mark or grade this weekend. I'm sure the students appreciated that, too! :)
ReplyDeleteYour soup and your stuffed zucchini look very delicious! Now is the season for warming soups, isn't it?
I hadn't realized that the price of stamps was going up! I like to pay bills by mail, so I do use stamps every month! I had better go and buy some, this week!
Don't you hate it when insurance premiums go up? I hope you are able to find a good rate.
Hope your week ahead goes well and you are able to accomplish everything you wish to do.
Hahaa yes, students do like not having tests. But I give them pop quizzes. :)
DeleteNil, stamps cost a small fortune now here in Australia. Luckily seniors get discounted ones. You make lovely meals. I haven't tried anything new lately but always intend to. LOL!
ReplyDeleteYou have good intentions, Chel. LOL
DeleteI do that all the time.
Your zucchini boats look perfect Nil, so happy to hear you liked them :)
ReplyDeleteThank you again for the recipe, Tania. :)
DeleteThe chowder looks so comforting.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the radish and carrot pickle, I'me eating more pickled and fermented foods at the moment, not intentionally, they just seem to keep appearing on my plate!
I've heard that fermented food is good for the body. :)
DeleteI love a hot soup on a chilly day. Your clam chowder looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us about the stamp prices. I had forgotten that they are going up soon. Time to stock up!
It's not the healthiest chowder (butter, bacon, cream etc), but it did taste wonderful . :)
DeleteCan I come for dinner please? Your food looks delicious. I am not cooking at all at the moment, my husband and daughter have taken over. I rather enjoy that :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get a better deal for insurances. Our car insurance was due and the dog's health cover is due shortly, too. Expensive times ahead. Have a happy and productive week x
You are welcome anytime Christina. :)
DeleteHow nice to have your husband and daughter cooking meals. More time for your quilts! :)
I be that soup was delicious! Perfect winter meal.
ReplyDeleteWe always us Forever Stamps. Back when I was into snail-mail, I used to get pretty ones. But those days are gone. People don't really want to correspond by snail mail anymore. They want to send and get letters. But they are not 'newsy'. Just 'the weather' or some silly topic. -sigh- So I stopped.
Car maintenance is costly, but pays off in the long run.
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Yes wisps of words, snail mail is too slow for the fast moving world. :)
DeleteYou soup looks so good. I miss having a potato now and then. Since you mentioned planting okra, my mouth is watering. It is one of the vegetables that thrives in my backyard, but is still a couple of months from planting time here.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten about stamp prices also. I need to go buy more so thanks for the heads up. Have a great week and a wonderful new semester.
Thanks Anne.
DeleteOkra is one of my favorites. Last time I was not successful growing them, so I hope they will grow well this year.
I can almost smell that chowder. Thanks for the reminder about the increase in the price of stamps.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Anita. :) I hope you will stock up. :)
DeleteStamps here are $1 each, Nil.
ReplyDeleteWe reuse envelopes and parcel boxes too which saves $ here and there. Your soup looks delicious, lovely for cold weather. It is salad weather here. A few of our bills have gone up too but my husband has managed to cut cost per month for mobile phone calls/data so we will save there. Meg:)
Oh wow! that's expensive Meg. We can't really complain about prices here then. :)
DeleteIt's good that you were able to reduce the phone bill. Normally bills never go down. :)
I made a broccoli �� and cheese�� soup from the back of a gravy package. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious it was. I’m curious if you have a birthday in February brings your car registration is due? I’m a February( Pisces) baby so I was curious. I love your fresh veggies photo! Gorg!
ReplyDeleteBroccoli and cheese soup sounds delicious.
DeleteNo Raquel, I'm not a February baby :). It's my car insurance, not the registration.
Nil, we live in new England now and as much as I enjoy the clam chowder and making soup, this is one I've never made. There is a local soup place that makes it so darned good that it's not one I've tried on my own, but after reading your post, it may be on a future home menu. I enjoy making pea and lentil soup as well as chicken and turkey (when we have a carcass available). This coming week, I may be trying cauliflower soup as well. I agree that car insurance and maintenance costs can be expensive and hope that you will be able to reduce the insurance. When our current auto insurer gave us a higher rate, I called and after answering a few questions, they lowered the rate to what it was before the increase. it might work for you as well.
ReplyDeleteMmm I love cauliflower. Soups are so nice and comforting in winter.
DeleteI was checking with other insurance companies and didn't bother to ask the current one if they can lower the price! Silly me. .. Thanks Beatrice, I will call them and check.
Your soup looks delicious, Nil, and so do the stuffed zucchini. I've been thinking about planting some swiss chard in the garden. Next month I would love to plant some broccoli, but I'm not sure yet.
ReplyDeleteOnce I grew broccoli from store bought seedlings, Belinda. It was not hard at all. And I like low maintenance veggies. :) I hope you grow both. :)
DeleteI always enjoy reading about your days Nil.....cooking gardening, and how you're going with your plans and goals. It's too hot here to be adventurous with cooking, I stick to salads and my daily bowl of dahl and rice.
ReplyDeleteDahl is one of my favorites, Nanette. It's the most famous Sri Lankan curry. :)
DeleteI have not tried any new recipes but it's for sure a nice thought for this week. Nice to see a garden product when we are covered with snow and temps very cold lately. It's -14.4 Celsius (6 degrees F.) We love clam chowder in our house!
ReplyDeleteOoh 6 degrees F is way too cold for me. I like seeing snow, as long as I'm inside and all bundled up. :)
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