How is training going?

I haven't been writing about my training, mostly because not much is going on.
I am training for my 6th, 31 mile race scheduled for August 21st at Hagg Lake, Forest grove, OR. It will be my 3rd race up there. This one is a little different as it isn't going to be a very big race as far as participants and it will be hot.
I am running 18 miles this weekend and am doing it solo. Last weekend, I ran 16 miles with a friend and I had gone from running 12 the prior weekend to 16. It was done with ease, but I could feel the pull in my legs. It was a nice run however, on the trails, my favorite spot to run.
Today, was the first day of heat training. I started at 5:11 PM and it was 79 outside. Not to bad. Where I live, Oregon, it's having difficulty accepting that it's supposed to be warm. But, we get what we get, right? The run was good, I didn't feel overly hot, but did kind of get the hot weather chills hear or there and I could tell my breathing was a little heavier. I also got a heat rash on my arms and my face was read when I went into my bathroom. I only came in 1 min slower compared to when I ran in the morning earlier in the week. I did bring a lot of water and sipped it throughout, drinking the whole thing by the time I got home.
Swimming is going good. I have got up to swimming around 2.65 miles and I felt like that was a lot. Earlier in the week, I swam 2.05 miles and I felt done, just finished and felt complete. Tomorrow, I am going to swim 1.42 miles I believe. I feel good in the pool, it comes easier for me then running and I really enjoy it. I normally swim one long swim 2.00 miles or above and a shorter swim at about 1.50 miles. Plus they replace 2 of my runs during the week. The kids are out of school now, so I am not sure how this is going to affect my swimming, they are too young to leave at home. I can go swimming at night, but doesn't appear, they will let me stay in for 2 hours to get my 2+ miles in. So, I'll cut back till the girls are in school again and then rebuild.
That's it for now.~

Silly sleeping position

My husband sees my daughter sleeping like this when he gets up to go to work each morning.

Jacques's French Potato Salad

This is a great potato salad. I even had it for breakfast. My girls even enjoyed it.

Serving 4 to 6

2 pounds small waxy potatoes
1/2 cup or so olive oil
1/2 cup 1/4 inch slices of scallion, green and white parts
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, mashed and coarsely chopped 1 1/2 tsp
1/3 cup white wine
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon style mustard
2-3 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp basic, tarragon or parsley. (I used 1/2 tbsp basic and parsley and felt that it was enough)
1 tsp kosher salt + -
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 -2 hard boiled eggs, chopped. (optional) Tip (cover eggs, once boiling, put a lid on the pot and turn off stove, let sit for 10 min before taking off the lid)-Perfect eggs, every time.

Cover whole potatoes with water by 1/2 inch. Boil with lid on. They are done when you can pierce with knife. Drain, let cool slightly. Scrape skin off potatoes.
Heat oil in a pan, add scallions and onion, cook for 1 min over med-high heat. Add garlic, cook for just a few moments, remove from heat.
Slice potatoes while still warm in 1/2 inch sections. Put in mixing bowl, add wine and 3-4 tbsp oil and toss. Add vegetables, mustard, chives, herbs, salt and pepper and eggs if desired.
Serve warm.

Basic Pancake Mix

We don't buy pancake mix at the store anymore. It's loaded with stuff that your body doesn't need and it's cheaper to make yourself.

Here is the recipe;
4 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Just add it to a ziploc bag and shake, or better yet, use the store pancake bag.

When your ready to use, for 2 servings. Use 1 cup of the pre-made mix, mix with 3/4 cup water and stir or you can add these ingredients;
1 1/4 cup -1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I say optional)

and you have pancakes. Very easy, saves $$.

Chicken Saute Provence style

I wasn't going to make a french dish, I was going to make Corn Flake Chicken, but couldn't resist. For tonight's meal, I decided upon Chicken Saute Provence Style or Saute de poulet a la provencale. I wasn't sure how the family or kids would like this meal and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. Probably because of all the onions and I don't like tomatoes. But I have to tell you, it was absolutely delicious.
Click on the recipe, if you are interested to see it enlarged.

For dessert

Picture of me during the beginning stages.
The caramel sauce as I was stirring in the cream. I thought it was neat looking
Finished dessert and very yummy!!






I decided to make a dessert tonight following the shepherds pie. I decided upon Iles Flottantes. When I started, I didn't realize that I was going to through with it and also make the Cream Anglaise. My original plan was to just make the caramel sauce. But I made it and it was very delicious. I can't believe however that I had to use 10 eggs for this treat. Everyone enjoyed it, even the kids.

Iles Flottantes ~ Floating Islands

serves 4

butter and flour to coat pan
6 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 325

Butter and lightly dust with flour a square cake pan
In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites with salt. Whisk for at least 5 minutes, until firm peaks form. Continue whisking gradually adding the sugar. Slowly add the lemon juice, whisking constantly. Pour the batter into the plan and bake for 5-10 min or utill the top is a very pale golden color. Remove from the oven; let cool in the mold. Once cool, cut into square or round shapes with a coolie cutter. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve with Creme Anglaise and a drizzle of hot caramel.

Recipe taken from the book One Pot French

Crème Anglaise


You can substitute 2 tablespoons vanilla extract for the bean, but the flavor will suffer. You can find vanilla beans in your supermarket's spice section.


Yield: 1 3/4 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)


1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 (3-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/3 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks

Pour milk into a medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to milk. Cook over medium heat 6 minutes (do not boil); discard bean. Remove from heat.
Combine sugar and yolks in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Gradually add milk mixture to bowl, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat 6 minutes or until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Immediately pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and chill (mixture will thicken as it cools).
Note: Crème Anglaise can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Caramel

1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream

In 2 quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and butter to boiling over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in whipping cream; heat to boiling. Cool about 30 minutes. Serve warm. Store covered in refrigerator up to 2 months. Reheat slightly before serving if desired.

Love is pure and limitless

This is my command: Love each other. John 15:17

When a child looks up at you, their eyes are full of love. Children have a beauty that is like no other. The love of God shines through them. A child's love is an unconditional love. They love you no matter what.

My 2 girls are constantly fighting as most siblings do. And I do get upset with them and they get disciplined and I have lost my temper with them. But at the end of the day, they don't hold grudges against me for taking away their favorite toy or sending them to bed without a treat. They give me a big hug and kiss and they love me.

How can we love pure and limitless in a world that has so much hate? True loves definition comes to us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always remains strong. Love never ends.

We live in a world that is full of ugliness and harm and while the answer may not be easy, it isn't impossible. If we choose to focus on our Lord and savior first, never taking our eyes off of him, we are all capable of this kind of love. This kind of love is awesome and it comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.

So these three things continue forever; faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13