Today on the radio they said that though it’s 30 degrees, it feels like it’s 24. When you’re someone who thinks anything below 68 degrees is chilly, this is flippin’ freeeezing!
Yesterday Ryan and I headed to the grocery store to stock up for the week and picked up a big ol’ pack of starter logs to make a blazin’ fire in the fire place.
While I cooked dinner, Ryan got to work building the fire.
In no time at all, the fire was cracklin’ and burning bright.
Fire!
I don’t think I’ve been around a fire in the fire place since I lived in Illinois! It made the whole apartment feel toasty and oh-so-cozy.
Feelin' the Heat
Even Sadie’s eyes were on fire! 😉
We enjoyed our dinner in front of the fire. I ended up straying from the original shepherd’s pie recipe I intended to follow because the only buttermilk that was available that was required for the recipe was nearly $6 at the grocery store! No thanks.
Instead I made a “deconstructed” shepherd’s pie.
After tossing a large chopped potato in olive oil, garlic salt and pepper, I roasted the wedges until they were slightly browned.
Roasted Potatoes
Ryan said the potatoes “stole the show.”
As the based of the deconstructed shepherd’s pie, I combined carrots, onion, celery, sweet corn and ground chicken in a skillet with a sprinkling of garlic salt.
Deconstructed Shepherd's Pie
I topped the chicken and veggies with the roasted potatoes and dug in!
My Bowl
It was a good meal for a cold night!
Today
I bought this cold-weather vest before a trip to Chicago to visit my friends from high school a couple years ago.
Cold Weather Clothing
I never thought I’d actually get to wear it in Florida without looking like a total fool! Well, today’s weather warranted a ridiculous-looking poofy vest! Anything to keep warm…
My morning walk with Sadie was cut short because she was shaking so badly. I felt awful for her! She kept looking up at me like “Mama, are you insane!? Take me home. Even my pee is freezing.”
When we got back to the apartment Sadie made a bee-line for our bed and went right under the covers.
Lump o' Sadie
Yes, she really is under there. Sadie loves sleeping under the covers. She will literally stand there and look at you until you lift up the sheets so she can crawl under and curl up before bed.
Inevitably, about 45 minutes later, she gets too hot and starts thrashing about until she gets out from underneath the blankets and sleeps on top. It happens every single night… well every night she’s actually allowed to sleep in the bed (which has been quite frequently lately because Ryan and I are softies and feel bad for her sleeping in the living room in the cold).
Breakfast
My breakfast today was highlighted by the peanut butter filled pretzels I bought yesterday.
Yummy Treats
I combined the pretzels and a handful of Emerald cocoa roast almonds and used the sweet and salty combo as a mix-in for my Greek yogurt.
Monday's Breakfast
Is there any better combination in the world than chocolate and peanut butter?
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Just so you know, in the future you can make your own buttermilk. I’ve done it a lot and it works, even for baking…take either 1 cup low fat yogurt OR 1 cup minus 1 tbsp. milk plus 1 tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar.
love this tip!!! thank you.
LOVE chocolate and pb. There is nothing better!
Chocolate + PB = dangerous for me 😉
Your vest is really cute!
It’s so crazy that it’s that cold in FL! Boston is having similar weather and it just doesn’t seem right. At least you have a cute vest for the weather!!
I love fires in the fireplace! They’re so cozy :0) Did you make your tshirt quilt? I think I’m going to attempt that after graduation .. I have an insane number of recruitment/philanthropy/social tees I don’t even wear now. I’ve always thought a tshirt quilt was such a cute idea!
i didn’t make the quilt, but a girl in my sorority’s mom did. i LOVE it! it was such a great way to use a ton of the t-shirts i knew i would never wear again. plus, each shirt is like a mini-memory so i love having them all together.
Don’t knock the puffy vest–they are useful when you live in the cold (which, for me, North Carolina qualifies!)
I love loveeeeee pics of Sadie. Particularly when she jumps and hugs you guys–she always looks like she is clinging on for dear life. Too cute!
lol – she totally does look like that! too funny.
what a simple & delicious breakfast 🙂 i lovee the pic of you in the white vest- you look so cutee!! and that fire place is amazing- i LOVE fire places.
xoxo
shelley
http://findinghappinessandhealth.wordpress.com
Haha, at first I didn’t believe Sadie was really under there. Too cute! I try not to let Miles sleep on the bed so he rearranges my couch pillows and gets comfy.
Love your deconstructed Shepherd’s Pie. I’ve only had Shep’s pie with ground beer. Chicken would be fun to try!
I love those peanut butter filled preztels! They are awesome. For Christmas this year my mom got me some that were coated in dark chocolate…it was the best stocking stuffer I got and they didnt’ last long! 🙂
I feel you on this cold weather. It has been in the 20’s in Texas and we just are not used to this. I personally hate it and have been complaining nonstop!
oooh those sound phenomenal.
Awww….you look super cute in your winter gear!!
SO TIRED of this freezing weather!!!
Poor lil’ Sadie! She needs a winter vest like yours! 🙂
WOW!! Look the eyes of the Dog! funny!!! haha
I was going to say the same tip as Morgan. Ever since I found out you can make your own buttermilk I never buy it anymore. I usually go the lemon juice route.