An unexpectedly good Monday

Even though I had a rough night's sleep 

(and ended up falling asleep after a really good breakfast!)

I was able to go to the local grocery store;

my friend Grace told me about this way to do

boneless turkey breast 

and since I could not find bone-in turkey breast,

I thought this to be a good idea (though I liked the recipe I found

yesterday too) ...

I had found some cherry preserves, gotten another bag of red lentils

(once the Nativity Fast starts in late November, this soup

is going back on rotation!) 

And by this soup, I don't seem to have included the recipe on my blog of the soup

I made for WEEKS of lockdown during Great Lent last year.

It's from my friend Mary and here is her words for the soup:

 My family's favorite is very simple. I just made yesterday, oil free, but it's better with oil. Saute until soft in 1 T. of olive oil - one chopped onion, one large chopped carrot, and one minced clove of garlic. Add 1 T. of tomato paste, 2 tsps. cumin, 1/4 tsp of cayenne, 6 cups of water, two veggie bouillon cubes, and 1 cup of red lentil. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and, if you want, puree with the immersion blender (I always do).

I often would include 2 large carrots... 

It's a really great soup! 

And fun to add macaroni too as well! 

***

I see that I am getting diverted from what I was going to tell you about the TURKEY.

So, I was buying (very selectively, our pantry is nearly complete...and we had just

gone to the grocery store yesterday...) and I was in the frozen section looking for

the frozen turkey when I asked an employee where to find it

and went there and was looking for the boneless turkey breast and there I found 

it but also a BONE-IN turkey breast! which is what I had wanted to do in the first place!!!

I was so surprised and happy!  I then bought the wine for the meal,

plus some more for cooking ...

and I drove back home... I don't drive much around here

so it was an accomplishment for me, anyway...

***

Tomorrow I hope to make a fia-sauce with ground beef 

(which was already cooked with tomato and Italian spices).

spinach, mushroom, cooked pasta and cheese casserole... 

That will last us till the weekend.... 

(since Wednesday and Friday are fast days)... 

***

We were listening to Classic FM during dinner and this 

stunning gorgeous one of my favourite songs how could I forget for one minute? 

came on... here it is:

this beautiful, heavenly, song is 

 Gregorio Allegri's Miserere mei, Deus 

sung here by The Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge.

***

My Husband listens to Audible books whenever he has spare moment...

I am more likely to listen to either part of a service from one of my 

favourite monasteries or classical music...

or Christmas music, once Thanksgiving is over :) 

***

We had a really nice walk, beautiful as you can see by the pictures

of sun and cloud.... it cheered me up... not that I was down as much as 

just tired from the grocery run .... I had gone, also, to Bed Bath and Beyond

and am now fully stocked on adult bubble bath.  Yep.  Love baths

with Epsom salt and a nice bubble bath scent (lavender, eucalyptus...)

***

Before I went shopping, which was after lunch,

I made, and almost forgot to mention, really good potato wedges/home fries!

One of the first reasons I discovered the toaster oven I have is because

it, by some, is considered a totally equal if not better than air fryers because

of the speed convection setting (blows hot air around fast basically,

which is what an air fryer does from what I understand).

Anyway, I used the speed convection setting for the first time with the 

potatoes pictured above!

Here's what I wrote earlier about them:

Potato wedges/home fries the healthy way! 

Washed and cut in thick wedges. 

Placed upright on the parchment paper, 

then [topped with] olive oil garlic salt (Trader Joe's) 

and garlic powder [also Trader Joe's]. 

Baked first at 400F for 13 minutes with speed convection

 and then 425F for 11 minutes with speed convection!

***

Next time I will go for 425F to begin with and the speed convection

and then see how long they take. 

With the light in the toaster oven, and a quick opening of the door,

I was able to easily gauge how they were.

***

Well, I better get to bed...

I hope the song I put above blesses you like it does me!

God bless and keep you!

I know for so many this time is SO hard.

May God give us peace and comfort in the midst of our struggles.