Pampered

A little pampering took place today. I had a 1/2 hour massage from Deb Cannon at the Y. I'd won it at the Indoor Triathlon back in spring sometime and still hadn't redeemed it. I figured post-marathons was a good time to take advantage of it. She did my legs. I told her about the sore left calf and she could feel a lump in there, as well as a few other hot spots I didn't even know I had. She even did my feet. I have to say it felt great. I'd had one other massage several years ago that was a gift and I think it's fair to say that I could get used to them. :-) Then it was off to get my hair shampooed and cut.

I was so relaxed. I love having someone else shampoo my hair. Fingers on my scalp just makes me get weak in the knees. :-)

On the way home I stopped at The Mouse & Marketplace to get a 2010 calendar for the kitchen.

Wendy, the owner, said they're having a 25% off sale for the public Fri-Sun. They're also selling tickets for an after hours sale (including champagne and appetizers) this Saturday and next where the discount will be 30%. Lots of fun stuff, including "Minnesota Walleye Poop" (chocolate covered sunflower seeds), ...

and cute stuff for the holidays, but I just got my little calendar.

I just had to post this photo sent from a dear friend. I think it's absolutely beautiful. Just a simple abandoned house on a prairie, but the lighting and different looks to the sky, are spectacular.

I talked to Margo yesterday, and indeed, those are beets from my garden in Rochester Women magazine this month. My 15 seconds of fame for the month.

Speaking of beets, I roasted some today, along with some onions (also from the garden) and a couple of sweet potatoes. They were delicious. Very sweet. I grew both red and golden beets.

Roasted Beets ‘n Sweets

Ingredients
• 6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, toss the beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat vegetables with the oil mixture.
4. Bake beets 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Mix sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet. Continue baking 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

And ... speaking of vegetables, winter squash are 49 cents each (not per pound, but each) at Rochester Produce this week. That's a very good price. I just love winter squash.

As long as I'm so into food for this post, here's the cake I made the other day. I got to taste some crumbs and it's a keeper.

Pumpkin Cranberry Cake (from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns)

Streusel (I added the flour and oatmeal as it was syrup without it)
1/2 c. light brown sugar
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. quick-cooking oatmeal

Cake
2 c. cranberries, fresh or thawed frozen
1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) plain yellow cake mix (not with pudding in the mix)
1 pkg. (i oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. water
3 large eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. Make the streusel topping: Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Set aside.
2. Make the cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 13 x 9 inch metal cake plan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.
3. If using frozen cranberries, drain them well in a colander. Coarsely chop the cranberries and pat them dry with paper towels. Set the cranberries aside.
4. Place the cake mix, cream cheese, oil, granulated sugar, milk, water, eggs, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the mixture is smooth, 1 1/2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Stir in 1 cup of the chopped cranberries.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smooth the top with the ruber spatula, and sprinkle the remaining chopped cranberries on top. Scatter the streusel topping over the cake.
6. Bake until it is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 45 to 50 minutes.

Our book club book for January is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. I have some time this evening so I think I'll get started on it after I read the paper. It'll probably take me the 2 1/2 months I have until we meet to get it read the way my life has been going. The book for our November/December meeting has not been decided on as of yet.

Quote for the day: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." --Albert Einstein

Live. Love. Laugh.