...on these snow days! What is it with me? Maybe it's all those Little House on the Prairie books hubby read to us back in the day. I have such fond memories of the Ingall's family, hunkered down in their airy cabin in the dead of winter - buried under 6 feet of snow on a lonely prairie. That poor little Ingall's woman would prepare shoe laces if she had to - sometimes it was the most meager of resources she had to work with, and yet, she made it a feast! But the real foodie stories took place in the volume about Almonzo Wilder, Laura's husband-to-be, and his wealthy family. Now those were some remarkable and memorable food extravaganzas! A great series to read, whatever age you might be...

So we woke up to snow on Sunday morning (I HAD to share this heart-melting photo of my daughter and granddaughter playing in the snow - ahhh! love it!), and I hit the kitchen, making bacon and English muffins and eggs and fried hashbrowns and tomatoes and baked beans...then I headed out for my power walk in the snow. It was enchanting. Snow flakes fluttering, a quiet hush all about...

Around every bend was another Daddy making a snowman with his kids - so beautiful! I walked so far in one direction, trudging in my 17 year-old's boots, I didn't know if my legs could make it back home! When I finally arrived to my door, I had a sudden urge to prepare chocolate chip-oatmeal bars. So I did!

Then I had the energy to use the chicken I'd roasted the day before to make a chicken gravy-vegetable filling for pot pie. Only problem was I had no flour for the crust. So...I figured I'd just make a pile of mashed potatoes, a pan of stuffing and we'd pour the gravy mixture over that. 3 and 1/2 hours later - seriously - I was cleaning the kitchen, thinking, "tomorrow I don't cook!"

Then, today the snow began to come down again, and before I knew what had happened, I was cooking up homemade Spanish rice, beef and bean taco filling, a pile of browned tortillas and a huge container of pico-de-gallo with diced guacomole. (A family favorite!) I also made a huge green, tossed salad to have on hand. 3 1/2 hours later, I was cooked, along with dinner and midnight snacks!



We just woke up to piles and piles of snow this morning and I'm already planning breakfast! Hashbrowns, sausage, eggs, peppers, tomatoes...and dinner will be Italian something. Yep. I think I'll invite Frosty :)