Something out of nothing

Today I am a bloggin'.
Yesterday was a day at home...all day....with my 3 year old and 7 month old. Did I mention all day, never left?

Oh wait, I did break down and do a stroller ride after I heard that there was a snowstorm coming and that it could be a lot of snow and that I would really be stuck in the house most of the time and it was thirty something degrees and I did just get a hand me down double baby jogger stroller that I wanted to try out and well, I digress....

What I did end up doing part of the day was taking what was in the freezer and cupboards and making 'something out of nothing'. I had a turkey carcass sitting in the freezer waiting to be boiled up and made into some soup. It was a pretty yummy turkey that my in-laws had made when we went out there for dinner one Sunday, and I thought, well, what better day than today to add about 8 cups of water, salt, and pepper and a lovely spice blend from Penzey's called Mural of Flavor. I started up the heat and let it bubble away for hours.

I know, cardinal sin in making a decent stock, no carrots, celery, onion, or what have you--I was going purist. Plain turkey. I was willing to suffer (or have my family suffer) the lack of flavor consequences that could ensue.

My next rummage around creation was to hit that container of oats hard and make some granola. Again, I went for super simple as I knew it would be used with a 'flavored' yogurt and fruit. I decided to work with a half cup measure and my palm.
Four cups of regular oats, one cup of stone ground, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup maple syrup, salt, 2 jars of pear baby food (I said I was using what I had and applesauce was not available) cinnamon, cloves, and a low and slow visit to the oven produced a soft granola fit to add to anything. My 3 year old approved.

Back to that stock at dinner time, sauteed up some veggies with Rosemary, Thyme, tarragon (some sweet potato was in my veggie mix and I LOVE tarragon with sweet pots) S and P, with some chicken thighs, some rice (already cooked and leftover in the fridge) and a grain blend I like from TJ's and we had dinner. A dinner that everyone enjoyed. The plain stock that would have perhaps disappointed came through with flying colors.

That along with the usual washing clothes, reading books, feeding small people, actually getting out of my jammies, made up my stay at home day. It's a glamorous life I lead, I make nothing days something days.

Day One

I sit here and think 'how should I start a blog?,What do I say to start? , Will I do it right?, I don't always have the best grammar!'
Well, I decided to take some advice I saw and write like I am talking to my sister.
But I don't have a sister, I have a Leah, a Molly, a Jessie, a Brad, a Steph, I could (and should so as not to leave any names out) go on and on but basically I have my peeps.
So, peeps, here's talking to you.

Today I am talking hungry. I don't know if it's just the time of year, or the mood I am in today, but I am hungry. It's not the 'I didn't eat breakfast' kind of hungry either, it's the 'I want to just keep eating until I find that thing that is going to satisfy my hungry'. But today is not the day for this as the cupboards are pretty stark and the day is filled with driving to various schools and practice--it's a grab and go day.

My question is to you though, what do you eat when you are hungry....for the sake of being hungry? What satisfies that inner mood of hunger? Is it something you make for yourself, your family, or something that is made for you?