My husband and I usually like to celebrate UN-Valentines day aka Just Because Days. We feel like we should give each other reminders of our love and affection throughout the year instead of just one single day. So, once in a while we give each other a card or flowers or even a special dinner. Why? Just because.
It's a tradition I grew up with. My parents always had just because days. Dad would leave little notes for Mom on heart shaped doilies. Mom would request a song to be played on the radio for Dad. Sweet gestures to let the other know- hey, I love you more today than I did yesterday.
I call Jon my sweetheart, and he calls me his babe.
My parents (who may read this and be slightly embarrassed, but I am gonna tell you anyway!) called each other "my sweet baboo" I still don't know why. Perhaps my father could enlighten me???
I was very pleasantly surprised to find this on my kitchen table today when I got up-
A happy little sock monkey (he has a cute tail, you just can't see it in the picture), a card, and flowers. He knows I am not a rose girl, so he bought me this beautiful mix of spring flowers. It was just what I would have picked.
Ok, disclaimer-the card in this picture is actually the one I made for him. I got to use my fun new stamp that says "Olive Juice!" for the inside note. I was so excited :)
He bought me a very cute card that reads, "To my beautiful wife on Valentine's Day. Honey, I hope you know that all of your hard work has NOT gone unnoticed." Then you open the card and it says, "I've been watching you from the couch during commercials. LOVE YOU!" Then he hand wrote some squishy, sweet nothings to me.
*Sigh* Yep, he still knows how to make me swoon after all these years.
Before I headed to work I threw some chili in the crock pot for my sweetheart. It was a new recipe from the CLP.
Mixed reviews on this puppy. I thought it was pretty good. He said it was too much like gumbo for him. That's fair. It's definitely not what comes to mind when I say chili, but, it was still delicious. :)
Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!
Slow Cooker Chili (Gumbo)
Serves 4 (easily could feed 5-6)
412 calories per
Chili ingredients:
1 1/4 cups bottled salsa
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 TBS chili powder
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 12 oz package chicken or turkey sausage cut into 1/2 inch pieces*
Remaining ingredients:
2 cups hot cooked rice
1/4 cup baked tortilla chips
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro**
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
In a slow cooker combine all the chili ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours.
To serve- in each serving bowl place 1/2 cup rice, top with 1 1/4 cups chili, 1 TBS chips, 1 TBS cilantro, 1 TBS onion, and 1 TBS sour cream.
* I used a smoked turkey kielbasa.
** I used parsley due to a cilantro intolerance.
*Tsk*
ReplyDeleteWatch some of the old Peanuts animated specials. "My sweet baboo" is what Charlie Brown's sister Sally called Linus.