Superbowl!

Yes, my team the Patriots have once again made it to the Superbowl. The "Pats" could be the first team since 1972 to go into the Superbowl undefeated and win!

Of course along with being excited about the game, I am usually just as excited about the Superbowl food. However, at this time we have no Superbowl plans. I can't very well make a bunch of excellent munchables for just the two of us. What would Jillian say? I'm sure it won't fit within my caloric range for the day at all! Well, if we end up being home by ourselves I'll snack on some carrots, rice cakes and maybe a string cheese. For the rest of you, here are some of my favorite Superbowl recipes:

Stuffed Mushrooms

1 Lb. Jimmy Dean Sausage - Hot
8 oz. Cream Cheese - room temperature
2-3 small containers of Mushrooms (this depends on how many per pkg, and the size)

Brown the sausage, drain off excess fat. Using beaters, mix into the cream cheese. Clean mushrooms and remove the stems. Fill mushrooms with filling using a spoon. Place filled mushrooms in a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min. or until lightly browned on the top. *Warning: these are really good, and tend to go fast. If you plan on eating some, stay close to the pan or you might not get any!*

Homemade Ranch Cheeseball - (My variation on a family recipe. Makes 2)

1 pkg. Original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix (the packet of powder mix)
1/2 C. Milk
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
12 oz. Cream Cheese - room temperature
32 oz. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
Crushed or Finely Diced Nuts for the outside of the cheeseball (I use walnuts)

Mix the Ranch dressing, milk and mayo together. (This is different than the pkg directions) Using beaters, mix in cream cheese and sharp cheese. Place the mixture (still in bowl) into freezer for 1/2 hr or so. Take out bowl and put half of the mixture onto a piece of cling wrap. Using cling wrap, shape it into a ball. Then, spread out nuts onto another sheet of cling wrap. Take cheeseball out of cling wrap and roll in nuts to coat. Repeat process with 2nd cheeseball. Keep refrigerated until time to serve. We like them best with triscuits or wheat thins.

If you decide to try these, let me know how you like them. I'll be thinking of you while I crunch away on a celery stick.

Reality, Schmality.

I definitely have a weakness for reality TV. Not all reality shows, but the ones I do like I am addicted to. I have to record them each week, and when I do find a moment to watch them (usually in the middle of the night) I am always at least a week behind. I usually have heard what happened before I see it, but I have to watch anyway. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but here are my top reality indulgences in order of importance:

The Biggest Loser - Jillian rocks! I love this show!! Not only is it amazing to see the contestants lose huge amounts of weight, but I also think it's interesting to see how they "strategize" to get rid of the biggest competitors. Did I mention Jillian rocks? I just got her book and DVD's, and have never been this motivated to do anything before. That's another reason I watch, if the people on the show can do it, I can too! I can honestly say that I don't eat while watching this show!

Real Housewives of Orange County - I know, I know, it's sad but I love it. I can't help but be baffled by the fact that these women stress over botox, having parties on yachts, and which of their multi-million dollar houses they like better. I mean come on, when you are considering spending 400K on a new pool/patio area, I am riveted. Don't get me wrong, I am not envious of these women. I would not want to be them for a second. I would rather have my real life, my real friends, my real body parts (hmm, maybe not), and my real problems. But alas, the season ended last week so onto my next show.

American Idol - I promised that after the mess that was last season (Sanjaya...need I say more) that I wasn't going to watch it. But I do love watching the audition shows. We'll have to wait and see if the final contestants are worth watching, but for now it's fun to see the wierdos!

Project Runway - If you haven't watched this show, you need to at least do me the favor of seeing it one time. Between Heidi Klum (who I love) yelling everything she says, and the designers crying over their misunderstood "art", I actually think of it as a drama/sitcom.

Well, that's it, my reality must haves. One positive thing to liking these shows is that the writer's strike has had no impact on them! Some of my other favorites (that are off-season right now) are also Bravo shows: Work Out, Blow Out, and Welcome to the Parker) in case you are interested ;-) Thank goodness, because I don't have 4 hrs to watch TV every week as it is!

Valentines Ideas

Ok, I admit it, I like Valentines Day. There, I said it, and I don't feel guilty. I like getting a mushy card, or flowers, or just anything really. It doesn't have to be an extravagant gift, just something that shows someone is thinking about you.

That being said, I have a really hard time coming up with gifts for men on Valentines Day. My whole life, whether it has been a boyfriend (in the past) or my husband, I never know what to buy. Since I believe it's the thought that counts, why do I have such a hard time with this? The guys probably don't even care. In fact, I bet men wish we would just stop celebrating it all together. I would venture to guess that in any relationship only one of the two people involved cares about Valentines Day gifts. Based on this guess, I propose the following:

1.) If both parties in a relationship want to celebrate Valentines Day, and do it, that's just great. Go for it!
2.) If both parties wish to forgo the holiday that's fine as well. You're made for each other!
3.) If both parties are going to participate, but only one person takes the time and effort to find a way to express that they care, the one who did all of the work gets a GOOF or GOOFO card. These stand for "Get Out Of a Fight" or "Get Out Of a Family Obligation". This card would be good for 1 use within the rolling calendar year. Allow me to explain the fundamentals of these cards:

GOOF card: In redeeming this card the bearer would put an immediate end to a fight (misunderstanding) of their choice. This fight would be null and void, and could not be brought up weeks later as part of another misunderstanding.

GOOFO card: In redeeming this card the bearer would be exhonorated from attending the extended family or friend function of their choice. (The family reunion, the in-laws BBQ, friend's birthday party, etc...think about it, this could be huge!) The bearer would not be held accountable for their absence at the function, and in fact, would have a completely believable and perhaps somewhat heroic excuse made in their honor.

These cards are not in any way meant as a punishment for the person who did not buy a gift, but rather an option that will get them "off the hook". It's a gift that says "Hey, I know you like to celebrate these holidays.. me, not so much. So I'm going to let you "off the hook" for something later in the year. I love you!"

Now, there are pros and cons on both sides of these options. Post a comment and let me know what you think, or if you have any other ideas. Also, please take a moment to complete the poll at the bottom of this page and let me know what you think a good V-Day gift for a man is. I need help!

My Taste in Music

For anyone who knows me very well it should come as no suprise that my taste in music is...well, lets just say, it's varied. A fact that I believe drives my husband and probably many of my friends crazy. Especially if they are going to spend any amount of time in the car with me. Thank goodness for mp3 players, which have made going places with me much easier. Back in the good old days I would spend lots of time putting cd's in and out of the player, becoming bored with a cd after the songs I wanted to hear ended. (A trait which I proudly share with my brother from another mother, Ashley).

These days it is easy for me to jump from listening to a Bee Gee's tune to a George Strait song at the click of a button. Not to say that it makes traveling with me any "easier on the ears" for the rest of you, but at least you don't have to watch me bring 100's of cd's along and worry that I might drive off the road while juggling several discs on my lap.

The reason this topic is on my mind tonight is that I just added a playlist to this blog. As you can see, there is no rhyme or reason to what songs will be found here. I hope you will like some, wonder where on earth I found some, and maybe find out a little bit of what makes me tick. For example, the fact that I can love both Nascar and Barry Manilow has puzzled many of my co-workers, but after realizing I also like Richard Marx one friend exclaimed "I get it now, you are subconsciously drawn toward mullets!". Whether or not that is true (I hope not), I offer up my playlist such as it is for your amusement. Don't get to attached too the songs though, they are bound to change at a moment's notice.

Staying Connected

Where oh where have all the Koford's friends gone? Oh where oh where can they be? With everyone moving away I wanted to find a place that we can update everyone easily. The Day's are in Massachusetts, the Petty's are in Texas, the Finley's are in Michigan, and we may soon be in China. Talk about change!

We got Beth and the girls on the road headed for Texas on Saturday. They left just in time because we got hit hard with a snow storm during the night last night. We probably had 6 inches at least on the ground this morning before I left for work! Boy we are going to miss them! I am already missing Ash plowing my sidewalks and driveway. And how are we supposed to have a Superbowl without Ash's Superbowl dip? I mean, I know how to make it, but it won't be the same. I probably won't make it as spicy, which means I will be able to eat more of it...not good!!

Not that we are just going to miss them for their manual labor and food. They are more than our best friends, they're family. It's not everyday you have friends like that...who you see or talk to at least once a day, who know you and your family as well if not better than relatives, who would be there for you no matter what. Who will watch you cry at a Barry Manilow concert and love you anyway ;-) Those are true friends!

Last night on the way home from my parent's house, I took the long way home just so I wouldn't have to drive past their dark, empty house. It's just habit to pass their house on the frontage road and glance over to see if lights are on. I know I will probably drive to their house on auto-pilot one day just to chat, and then have to pretend that I meant to do it. My pathet-i-sad behavior continued last night when I took some chicken out of the freezer. It was a ziplock on which Beth had written "4 Breasts, 10-22-07" (thank goodness she was supportive when I showed up at her house with ziplocks and a 40lb bag of chicken breasts I had bought on sale at Albertsons). I was sad just seeing her handwriting. No, I didn't wash out the ziplock and scrapbook it...I'm not that crazy! But when you've been that close to a family for almost 12 years, well, it's going to take some getting used to. I sure am looking forward to Beth and the girls coming back in March and then our visit to Texas in May.

Even though Ash has been gone for almost 3 weeks, it definitely didn't hit us until now that the Petty's aren't just going to be down the street. We love you guys and can't wait to see you soon!