I want a housewife

So my collegie roomie came to see me last weekend and it was JUST what the doctor ordered. She arrived from her travels late friday night and I had a bottle of wine and some apps waiting for her! She's Vegan, although she gives herself weekend passes for cheese (duh, who could live without cheese?). I had some hummus with crudites, sweet potato fries and cresent rolls baked with sour cream & chive cream cheese and chopped spinach stuffed inside. It tasted..... interesting. I might have enjoyed eating the raw cresent rolls and cream cheese most. Classy.

We caught up and it was good for my soul! Saturday evening I took the world's longest steamiest shower and it felt amazing after an crazy week! When I got out I ventured to the kitchen (1.5 feet away) and saw Nickie already doing all of the cooking! She practically had everything finished and it felt SO GOOD to be clean, completely at home and feel fussed over. That only happens with my mom (who is the best at it) but was heaven on earth for it to be happening in my very own kitchen. I consider myself pretty tidy and well fed, but having a housewife has got to be THE LIFE. I want one.
Before Nickie came she said she was going to bring one of her favorite new cookbooks. I knew it would be healthy and right up my alley, what I did not know... is that it was a cookbook I already had! John's sister and husband got me this beauty for Christmas and though I have thumbed through it and admired it, I had yet to cook anything (no pictures or nutritional stats require more adventurism than I have given over the past month) ... I hear NPR did a thing on it too. Sa weet.We made the Shepard's pie... except that whole foods was out of Seitan (pronounced Satan? I can't get over that) so we subbed veggie crumbles. I do wonder how it would've changed the flavor/texture though, since I've never had that particular meat substitute.

This stuff was gooo--ood. It used mashed potatoes on top and the filling had kale, corn, and carrots.

(dramatization of how we at it.... which was NOT straight out of the baking dish, what are we? animals)

We also made the book's Olive tapenade which was SALTY but delicous! We set out snacks since Kelly and Emily were coming over too!

After much wine and gossiping we ventured out into the FREEZING cold for some fun!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH wanna dance with somebody! I wanna feel the heat with somebody... yaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH I wanna dance with somebody!

mwahahahahah

Last night I had a date with my pappa! He has been in town for work and so I made him some yummy chili on a snowy day. I even picked up some sourdough breadbowls for it too, yum! (please disregard the random sideways-ness of the picture, it is being uncooperative)

I made the standard chili recipe, but a tad spicier than usual:

• 1/2 package veggie crumbles
• 1/2 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• can diced tomatoes
• can black beans
• 12 oz tomato juice
• 2 T chili powder
• 1/2 T cumin
• 1/2 T chipotle seasoning
• 1/2 T ground red pepper

Look how happy he looks!

Probably because the way to ANYone's heart is through Kansas City's Boulevard Beer and chili. We headed to Johns game afterwards and they WON BIG. What a fabulous night.

This weekend it's time for QT with my momma and I can't wait to see her... the snow is delaying me unfortunately but I'll make it work. TGIF :)