Friday's Favorite Five Nov. 18

One of the things I enjoy most about participating in Susanne's Friday's Fave Five is that I think about it all week long.  Little things and big things that happen during the week make me pause and think.  That's a good thing.

Busy morning, it's finally Friday and I've boatloads to do as I've been excelling in my personal super-power lately--procrastinating.  Yesterday it really hit me that Holy! Cow! Thanksgiving's right around the corner and I had better. get. busy!!

Five things that made me especially happy this week:

1. My cast iron skillet.  I love it.  I absolutely adore my All-Clad and there truly is nothing like it.  There are several pans I'm planning on buying some day, but for many things you just can't beat a cast iron skillet.  Last night's pork chops browned up absolutely beautifully in it, I use my big one so often I never put it away, it resides on the top of my stove almost all the time.

1.      Bonus!!  After cooking your pork chops, transfer them to a plate and tent with foil.  Pour ½ cup of orange juice into the pan and stir up all the crunchy bits from the bottom to deglaze.  Stir in 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, ½-1tsp. crushed rosemary, and 1T brown sugar.  Simmer a couple of minutes until the sauce reduces and is syrupy.  Wonderful!                                       

2. My own personal pest-management company.  I may not have been experienced enough when my hubby asked me to marry him to look down the road at the trials and tribulations life would bring, but when they rear their little furry heads and wiggle their whiskers and drive me crazy with their ceaseless chewing, it's awesome to be able to say, "honey, there's a mouse in the house, would you please get rid of it?", and know that he will.  *shudder*  No baiting or disposing of things for me.
3. Fall.  We have had an absolutely beautiful fall.  Mild temps, sunshiny days filled with billowy clouds, cozy, rainy days, it's been awesome!
4. My children's eating habits.  Two nights ago they honest-to-goodness fought over finishing the green beans--as in they each wanted more than they thought they would get.  Last night it was cauliflower, they were clamoring to grab the "best" carmalized pieces.  As I was prepping dinner last night I was slicing up a pear to put in with the cauliflower (browned butter + cauliflower + pear + sage = really, really good) Jacob came up and started snatching pieces.  Jacob, my child who previously I could not have gotten to even taste a pear if I had paid him, was inhaling it.  Then, he asked for one in his lunch today.  Woohoo!  Also, Jacob prefers whole grain bread, the more seeds and stuff, the more fiber-y, the better.  My eating habits may not always be what they should, I promise you will never catch me lingering over dinner with my head in the vegetable bowl, but at least I've managed to raise little people that will never think of vegetables and healthy foods as punishment.
5. New carpet in the family room.  Super-thick, super-soft, super new.  :)  Now, and really we should have seen this coming, we Mark will be doing an impromptu, super-quick, paint job to completely freshen up the room.  I ordered a vinyl rubbings set about family that I had seen on Pinterest 
and, though I know it most likely will not be completely done before

Thanksgiving, I think the room's going to be wonderfully inviting when we are done.

 

**Oh my goodness!  Blogger's killing me today with wonky fonts.  Sorry.  I've tried to fix it, but it's just not feeling it.  Sorry.

 Have a wonderful weekend!