Recipe Friday!

Did you ever go to your cupboard intending to make one dish, only to find you didn't have all the ingredients you needed?  That was me yesterday.  I had the pasta happily boiling on the stove, the cans of tuna ready to go in, the frozen peas waiting to cook, but when I looked in the cupboard for the cream of mushroom soup to combine it all, the cupboard was bare!

Have no fear, the fridge yielded cheddar cheese and half 'n' half, so all was well with the world, and my Cheesy Tuna Casserole was born.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Cheesy Tuna Casserole
Cook your pasta and drain (I used about  half a box of Barilla's Fusilli).  In same pot, add about 1 cup (more if you use more pasta) half 'n' half and about 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (I used about 1/4 of a 2 lb bag of shredded cheese), stirring until melted.  Drain two cans of tuna and add to cheese mixture.  Mix pasta into cheese mixture.  (You can add peas if you want, we had them on the side and they were scrumptious!)

Enjoy!

Change of plans

Well, there I was, working away at editing my NaNo project and  fixing the flat/missing characters, fleshing out the scenes, when Fiona tells me to consider trying MG (middle grade) instead of YA (young adult).  I think about it, and think about it, and push it aside.  I continue to work in the middle of my first two chapters, rewording and cutting things out while my mind keeps telling me how I should start my story.  And my mind (or muse, as I later found out) keeps saying, "What you have is good, but what I want you to do is better!"

Then, last night as I was laying in bed, drifting off to sleep, my muse taunted me again with the opening words, then it pulled back to show me the 14 year old girl hearing them said.

So, today I wrote the opening words my muse insisted on, and continued on with this now younger MC.  My entire thoughts on the story have been tossed aside for something that seems better- something I am excited about writing.  I have no idea where this Moira (that's my MC's name) is taking me, but I've already learned some new things about her.  In this world of knights, kings, and magic, I found a young girl who is special.  I'm still working out why she's special, and what that means to those around her, but I am excited to go on this journey with her. And isn't that what it's all about???

WCC Wednesday

With the holidays the last two weeks, I have gotten very little writing done.  I am working on The Ruby Dagger (my NaNo project).  I still need to get to the end, but first needed to repair some out of character issues and flesh out a few characters a bit more to make their roles more believable.  I am having a hard time getting into the mood to do this work though,  Part of me wishes it was already done so I can finish telling the tale, but another part of me knows I need to get the foundation right so the rest of the story will stand.  In the end, it is a draft, and I will finish it.  Hopefully sooner than later!

Trisha is working away on her WIP, and I am anxiously awaiting another installment.  Fiona has wrapped up her WIP, and I am waiting for new work from her.  Katie is still waiting for me to get back to her on the end of her WIP.  I sent out another chapter to her last night, so I am making progress.

How are your works going?  Have you hit a rough spot?  Lost your way?  Did a turn down a side street lead you to a dead end?  Maybe there's a trap door waiting there for you.  Or a door with a secret knock.  You never know what you might find in a dark alley!  Hmmm- maybe that's the answer!

Where, oh where, has my walking gone???

Well, we're four days into the New Year, and I'm already behind in the exercise department.  I was cutting myself some slack for the first (it was a holiday, after all) and the second, as I was still getting over a cold, but I fully intended to get up early and walk yesterday.

However, I could tell Hubby hadn't turned on the heater to warm up the back porch for me before he left for work (and I completely understand his reasoning why), and the bed was so cozy, so needless to say, no walking occurred.  Not a problem, I'd just walk at night.  Oh, but I needed a haircut (I really did- it hadn't been cut since before Thanksgiving!)  Well, there was only one girl working at the place we went, and while she did a good job, it took a lot longer than I was used to.  So, walking didn't happen.

But, it will.  I will get back on that treadmill and walk and walk and... Well, you get the idea!

How are your goals going?  Have you given up some (it's OK- I understand if you have!)  Are you revising some?  Adding new ones?  Share below!

De-Christmas-ed

Well, it's official.  The holidays are finally over in our house.  Yesterday we took the tree down, with the help of our neighbor.  The living room looks much different now.  I always forget how much space things take up!

Now, for the next few weeks, I'll be finding the things we forgot to put away (like the poinsettia sun catcher hanging in my kitchen window!).  Oh, well.  That's the way it goes!

Hope you all had fantastic holidays and are off to a good start with your new year!