The power of electricity.....

Today my totally awesome Aunt Lorri came to visit and help Mike install some extra outlets in our kitchen. For some bizarre reason there are only 4 outlets in the kitchen for small appliances and they are only on the right side of the kitchen. One of the outlets is taken up by the microwave and the other by the power adapter for Mike's computer, which leaves me with 2 for my 8 million electric kitchen appliances. Lorri and Mike installed 4 new ones on the left side of the kitchen for me. Yay!

For breakfast and before Lorri showed up, I made Pumpkin Muffins from the 1961 cook book (pg 89). Mixer action:

 

I love love love all things pumpkin and these were divine (especially with the raisins!):

 

I think they would be good as a dessert if you frosted them with some yummy cream cheese frosting.

I got a little bored today since I didn't have access to the kitchen/dinning room for a few hours. I didn't know what to do with myself. Besides watching the Olympics and reading a magazine, I covered this little cardboard box with some left over scrapbooking paper I had:

 

Why did I cover this box? Do you really want to know? If I tell you, you can't get mad or disgusted. Okay. Well when it's my time of the month I leave a tampon box full of all the things I could need for the week out on the counter in my bathroom. The box is not pretty and it's starting to fall apart since I reuse it every month and just replace the items it in. So I thought why not have a semi-pretty un-identifying box for my stuff to leave on the counter for the week. Everything fits nicely into this box and it make things happier for all involved :)

Lorri and Mike weren't in the kitchen all day which means I got to make dinner tonight. Yay! I made my basic chili recipe. It's a ground beef, tomato, and taco seasoning base and then I add whatever is in the fridge or pantry. Today it was pinto beans, green chilies, onions, and jalapenos. Here is a shot of part of the kitchen (on the far left is the new outlet, center is the new magnetic bar Mike installed, and right is my chili on the stove):

 

I decided to pair my chili with Rachael Ray's Flat-Tire Corn and Black Bean Toppers from her M.Y.O.T.O cards my Dad got for Mike for Christmas:

 

They turned out more like corn and black bean pancakes, which were actually really really good. Since the corn muffin mix was sweet it was a nice balance for my spicy chili. I have some leftover ones and I will probably eat them for breakfast!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I have a lobster tail dinner planned for Mike and I. I am so excited for lobster! In honor of my lobster friends, here is a little clip art I made for a shirt that I made to wear to my brother's varsity soccer games (long story):