Let's hear it for Butternut Squash!

Butternut squash. I LOVE butternut squash! It comes from the Cucurbitaceae family and is choke full of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Beta-carotene. This fantastic fruit (yes I said fruit) is known in the science world as Cucurbita Moschata, but to me it is known as just plan yummy! For dinner tonight I made oven baked chicken nuggets and a butternut squash puree. Even though this winter squash has a delightful taste on its own, I still like to experiment. Here is the recipe for what I came up with:

Morgan's Italian Squash Puree

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

1/3 cup Italian blend shredded cheese

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme

A dash of garlic salt

1) Place cubed squash in a microwave safe bowl with a little bit of water. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small side open for venting. Microwave until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

2) Add ricotta cheese, thyme and garlic salt to the cooked squash and blend with a hand mixer until creamy.

3) Add shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese to mixture and mix by hand.

Serves 4-5

2= Weight Watcher points per serving

A Running Treasure Hunt

I normally have to work on Saturdays so I use that as a day off from running. When I do get a weekend off (during the spring and summer) I use Saturdays to do a running treasure hunt. The night before I go onto Craig's List and find four to five garage sales in my area. I Map Quest the addresses and put together a running route so I hit them all. I make a list of directions, if necessary, and then set off for my run the next morning. It's a great way to hit garage sales and exercise all at the same time. I take a little money with me in my shoe pouch in case I find something I want to buy. Sometimes you find other sales along your path that weren't advertised. When that happens, it's just a little bonus. That's what happened today. I hit an extra three sales today for a total of six. I didn't buy anything, but I did discover a whole new area to run. That's always a plus! Running with a purpose in mind always makes things a little more interesting. Lots of time I run to Target or Trader Joes, do some shopping, and then run home with my purchases. I might look odd running with a bag of groceries under my arm, but it saves time, gas, and money in the end!

Kinky Boots

I just finished watching a movie that I really enjoyed and thought I would share. It is called Kinky Boots. I added it to my Netflix list a long, long time ago. It was so long ago I don't even remember why I picked it. When it finally came in the mail, I almost sent it back without watching it. I'm sure glad I didn't! It's based on a true story and although predictable, it was still entertaining. It's about a man named Charlie who inherits his father's shoe factory in North Hampton, England. Charlie is sure what to do at first. He isn't really into shoes, and when he discovers the factory is in trouble, he knows he must find a new niche to keep it alive. With the help of a Cabaret transvestite, the niche is found and the factory begins manufacturing "2 1/2 feet of tubular sex!" It's like "The Birdcage" meets "Sex in the City." I highly recommend giving it a try!

Where the Heart Is

Well I finally finished my first book, "Where the Heart Is." Overall it was an enjoyable read. Although there are many sad events, it is written in an upbeat way. It's been years since I watched the movie, but from what I remember, it followed the book fairly close. The book is about a young pregnant teenager who is left at Wal-Mart by her boyfriend in Oklahoma. She spends the next two months living in Wal-Mart. During that time, she meets many people who end up becoming great influences in her life. If you are looking for a quick feel good read that doesn't require much thought, this would be a good choice.

For my next book, the category I picked was: A Book Chosen Solely By Its Cover

My selection will be: The Witch of Cologne by Tobsha Learner

I have no idea what this book's about, but judging from the cover, it ought to be interesting! I'll let you know.

A Trip to the Library

This morning, towards the end of my run, I stopped at the library. My intention was to get only one book. I walked out with four. I forgot how much fun it is to just roam around a library with no particular book in mind. I made a list for the Reading Challenge, but like everything else in my life, I'm not really sticking to it. My moods change and with that, my preference of reading material. I've been doing a lot of reflection on this whole reading thing. Part of me wants to use the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and explore genres I might otherwise pass by. The other part wants to stick with what I know I like; I don't want this to turn into some kind of torture. I want to enjoy what I read. I was reading another participant's reading list and I loved the way he broke it down. He chose a title to read from a variety of categories, ex: a classic novel, a historical novel, an Oprah's book club choice, etc. It was a great way to make a list in my opinion. With that being said, I have decided to set a few guidelines for myself:

1) I will not require myself to finish a book I really don't like.

2) I will commit to reading at least 100 pages before making the decision to stop reading.

3) I am allowed it read only 50 pages if I really, really don't like it.

4) I will choose my books and form my list one book at a time. After I finish a book, I will pick a category and then a book that fits into it.

5) I will knit at lunch and read at night, except Wednesday nights because Lost is on.

6) I will not always read in the same place in my house. I will pick a new place every so often to kind of mix things up.

In the end I don't know why I am putting so much thought into this whole thing. It's not like I can never read again once this challenge is up. This whole thing reminds me of all the summers I spent reading as a kid and then logging my finished books at the library. Every time you reached a certain amount, you got to choose a reward. Two prizes I remember getting were a ticket to the A's baseball game and a copy of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (which I still have and read every so often).

Spring Reading Challenge: Day 1

For my first book, I have choosen : Where the Heart is by Billie Letts

So far I have read 120 pages and I am really enjoying it. I chose this book because I really liked the movie and the main character is into photography. I bought the book at Snowline Hospice about a year ago but I hadn't read it yet. It's an easy read and I figured it would be a great way to start this thing off. Even Oprah added it to her book club. Once I finish it, I'll give my final thought.

A Sock is Born

For my birthday, my sister gave me this great sock yarn and a template to create a pair of socks. At first the task seemed daunting, but as I read through the pattern step-by-step I realized it was doable. It took me awhile to knit it up (due to the fine yarn and small needles) but I finally finished my first "real" sock. It fits great, the only thing is that it is very pointy. I just think of it as my Elf sock. I'm moving up in the knitting world! Once I finish the mate, I'm going to try a cardigan. We'll see how that one goes. So without further ado, I introduce....my sock:

Please realize that my ankle is NOT this fat, it is the angle at which I took the picture. It's not easy to photograph your own foot from the side. Nor do I have cankles in real life, once again it was the angle.

Spring Reading Challenge

Here is my list of books (so far) for the Spring Reading Challenge:

(No specific order)

1. False Memory
2. The Glass Castle
3. Chi Running
4. The Shack
5. And Then There Were None
6. Where the Heart Is
7. The Last Juror
8. Superstitious
9. Summer Sisters
10. Cradle and All

This could change after I go to the Library on Saturday, but this is for starters.