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Three day weekends are a beautiful thing.  I've got plenty of things to do before school on Tuesday, but plenty of time to get it done.  I think I'll take my stuff to a coffee shop and work on some lessing planning.  That would be nice.  I always feel like I get more work done in a non-home/office setting.

I doubled up on my vitamin D intake lately.  All you folks out there that don't take one, you really should.  If you work as much as I do, you don't see the sun much or ever.  I leave for work while it is still dark, and I leave work usually after the sun has already gone down.  Let's be honest for a second.   I'm a total child of the sun.  I'm happiest when it is sunny and 85 degrees or on a Bluebird day at Snowbird.  I get moody when it's raining and the skies are gray.  Vitamin D helps keep my mood up during the winter months.  Maybe it's just a placebo effect, or maybe I really do have a vitamin D deficiency during the winter months.  Who cares.  Either way I'm a happy blonde.

I went and saw this band Mingo Fishtrap last night after I went to the 429.  They were so great.  It was really cool to see some solid musicians live in a small venue.  Best $12 cover ever.  I bought their newest cd, cause they really did rock.  I will definitely have to see them play again.

I'm starting to find my footing in the town, which is really nice.  I knew it would just take some time.  I'm sure it won't be smooth sailing always here, but I'm enjoying being here more every day.   I love my job.  Absolutely love it.  The kids force me to be a better teacher every day.  Sometime it's like eating broccoli, it's not always tasty and delicious, but it's so good for you.  I've got a long way to go, but climbing a mountain of self improvement is so much easier to do when you enjoy the climb.  At The 429 they've been talking about greater things happening.  Dream bigger, start smaller.  Every great accomplishment started with 1 step.  I refuse to accept mediocrity in my life.  Regarding my last post, good things are worth waiting for.  I believe that there is a man somewhere out there that is worthy of my love.  Until he comes around, I've decided that I'm going to work on being a lady worthy of his.

3x more likely?

I've  done the match.com thing.  It was fine.  I went on lots of dates.  Dated some guys for a few weeks, one for a few months. I was on there twice in the past year so a total of 6 months.

So I'm watching tv tonight (the first time I've turned it on since Sunday) and a match.com commercial comes on and boldly states that people who use match.com are "3 times more likely to find a relationship."   3 times more likely?  I was on there for 6 months and I couldn't find a relationship with their help, so does that mean my cause is completely lost without their match making skills?  I mean, I did go on more dates, and I even found someone I cared about, but still no relationship.

Clearly, there's something wrong with me.

Or.

I refuse to settle for anything less than a passionate and extraordinary love.   Settling for anything less after seeing/feeling what that could feel like just seems very much like the Carrie Underwood song titled "Wine after whiskey."  
 
End rant.

Love is not a whisper or a weakness. Love is strong.

So I completely rocked the kitchen tonight.  Clean Shepherds Pie.    I'm blogging the recipe so I don't forget the amazingness of it.  Here goes:

Ingredients -

2 small (or 1 large) sweet onions

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon oregano 

2 teaspoons cumin 

Salt and Pepper 

1 lbs Ground Turkey Breast (99% fat free)

1 bag frozen mixed veggies (ex: corn, green beans, lima beans, carrots, etc.) 

2.5 Sweet potatoes 

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup no sugar added almond milk 

Worcestershire sauce  

2 tablespoons tomato sauce 

1 cup red wine (I used shiraz this time)

EVOO

1.  Slice the onion thinly and caramelize in a pan with EVOO while cooking the sweet potatoes.  I baked my sweet potatoes in my convection oven at 425 for 1 hour.  In case you've never caramelized onions before, it is super easy. It just takes a while so you have to have patience.  I like to get the onions started over high heat for about 3-4 minutes and then cook them over low heat for about 30-40 minutes.       When the onions are done place them aside.  Also, peel the sweet potatoes after they have cooled enough to handle. 

2.  When the onions are done, cook the ground turkey with the spices.  When the ground turkey is browned add the wine, 1 cup of the chicken stock, garlic, tomato sauce, and worcestershire sauce.  As far as how much worcestershire to use, I just tossed some in until I thought it was enough. So just go with what you like!    Let simmer for 5 minutes and then toss in that bag of mixed veggies and onions.  Allow to simmer until the liquid has reduced a bit.  

3.  While the filling is simmering take the peeled sweet potatoes in a bowl and add 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup almond milk, and some salt.  I used my immersion blender to mix it all together.  

4.  Add filling to glass casserole dish and top with the sweet potato mix.  Pop in to the over at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (to allow the sweet potatoes to brown).  

I'm telling you, I couldn't get over how fantastic it was.  There is absolutely nothing bad about this recipe.  Clean and delicious, can't ask for much better!  This makes 5 servings at around 300 calories per serving.  Nom nom nom.