Comfort Food Weekend

Greetings!  I know it is Tuesday, but technically I am finally having my equivalent of a weekend... Most of my school assignments are due on Mondays so I work long hours over the normal weekend (Sat-Sun) and then have an easier day on Tuesday.  Anyway, all that to say that now that I have a free minute, I am finally catching up with my blog posts! 

This weekend we had a substantial snow storm and so my hubby and I hibernated inside most of the day on Saturday.  I don't know about you but when we get in hibernation mode I just want warm comfort food and a good book!  Well, since I was working on a deadline I had to settle for the comfort food and some hours in front of a computer...

So what was on the comfort food menu?  Meatballs and home-made rolls with marinara sauce!  My husband thinks all meatballs belong on a sandwich so I make scratch meatballs and then made my own rolls for them.  I also made the sauce with a semi-homemade trick that takes virtually no time but adds some flare to the sandies.  

The bread dough I made came from a pizza dough recipe from Bobby Flay found at foodnetwork.com (you can find it here).  It turned out great so I thought I would share some pictures:

 The above is the original dough after mixing it together and the initial kneading.

 This is the raised dough.  It raised in less than an hour but I waited to roll it out because I was busy working on another project.

 Instead of making pizza crusts (as recommended by the recipe) I made individual-sized buns.  I scored them on the top to give it a nicer finished product but my husband thought that was ridiculous.  

 This is the buns after raising the second time.  I baked them for approximately 17 minutes at 350*.  You can see my dog, Brutus, snuck into the corner of the picture.  He thinks he should always be the center of attention!

This is the final product!  I buttered the top of the rolls when they came out of the over to make them look nice and glossy.  This step is not necessary but it does make a good looking final product.

Here is a picture of the final sandwich right before being devoured!  They are a bit messy but oh-so-good on a cold winter afternoon.  

Oh and I mentioned that I also made the sauce.  It is a super-simple, semi-homemade recipe.  

Semi-Homemade Marinara Sauce

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I prefer a chunky garden-style version such as Giant Eagle brand)

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with garlic and onions)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBS dried Italian seasoning 

I saute the onion and garlic in about a tsp of vegetable oil over medium heat until the onions start to soften.  Then add the Italian seasoning.  Cook one minute more.  Then add the spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes (leave the liquid with the tomatoes).  Turn up the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thickened.  

I make the meatballs and the sauce at the same time that I stir up the bread dough.  Then I let the pot of marinara sauce simmer until the bread is done.  It is very little work but it get that slow-cooked, chunky, home-made feel of restaurant quality sauces.  Also, I bake my meatballs so that I can drain off all the juices.  After they come out of the oven I add the meatballs to the sauce while it is simmering.  This allows the sauce flavors to mix with the meatballs.  It truly is a comfort food dinner!

Leave me a comment if you try it, I want to know how it turned out for you!

The Doctoral Journey

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.

Clay P. Bedford

The quote above was used in a discussion a few months back and after reading it again I find it is just as true today as it was then. I am currently in my second week of an Organization Development course.  Honestly, before starting this course I was weary, and in many ways I still am.  I am constantly reminding myself to 'do the next thing'.  Every journey is a series of smaller steps.  No one finishes a marathon with three quick sprinted strides.

The doctoral journey is a long, arduous process.  As I entered the journey I was proud, eager to show I was worthy enough, smart enough, intelligent enough, and studious enough to become a "doctor". But the insecurities surface.  The information is, at times, confusing, complicated, baffling, and obscure. The doubts creep in: I am not smart enough, intelligent enough...  So the insecurities and doubts are hidden away and suffered in private. 

PERFECTION is the aim, one that is typically unattainable and unachievable.  But perfection should not be the objective.  CURIOSITY and CONTINUED LEARNING should be the targets.  Learning is a PROCESS, one that takes determination, perseverance, patience, diligence, and strength.  Lucky for me, the strength does not always have to come from myself.  

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 

Book Review - Rising Tides by Nora Roberts

Rising Tides by Nora Roberts

Rising Tides is the second book in the Chesapeake Bay Saga by Nora Roberts.  In typical Nora Roberts fashion there is a lot of drama and very interesting dialogue.  Roberts is truly an artist with words.  The vivid descriptions of people, locations, and ideas makes it possible for me to smell the sea breeze that is blowing and feel the fear of a 10 year old boy.  

Rising Tides, and the entire Chesapeake Bay Saga series, are not as suspenseful as some of the stand-alone work by Roberts.  However, it is an inspirational tale of rising from the rubble and learning to thrive and flourish while navigating the trials of today.  The relationships are the key component of this book (fathers and sons, brothers, and lovers).  As always, Roberts offers a compelling story about love, loss, heart break, and having the courage to try again.

Rating: *** out of five stars

Welcome to My Life

Welcome to my life!  I wanted to get the first post out of the way so that we can move on to the good stuff!   I read a quote the other day on Pinterest that I think sums up my household:

IN OUR HOME

We do second chances

We do thank yous

We do real

We do I'm sorrys

We do LOVE

We do laughter

We do mistakes

We do respect

We do happiness

We do dreams

We do faith

We do family

That's pretty much it!  As you will see in my bio, I am currently a doctoral student, which I love (most of the time).  It is time consuming and, at times, all-consuming.  However, the most interesting aspects of my life occur between homework assignments.  To keep my sanity I am perpetually working on a project.  I sew, knit, paint, read, decorate, etc.  If my degree program is my brain then these projects are my soul.  That soul is what I want to share with you.  


Welcome, greetings, and salutations.  I am so thrilled you are here!