2 (10-ounce) packages frozen choppen spinach
1 cup sour cream
1 package onion soup mix
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix
Cook and drain spinach according to package. Mix sour cream and onion soup mix well. Pour over spinach and stir. In a separate bowl, mix stuffing and melted butter. Place in 2-quart casserole and top with stuffing mixture. Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Nana.
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
food coloring
flavoring oil
In saucepan, mix dry ingredients. Add oil, water, food coloring and flavor. Cook three minutes, or until mixture pulls away from pan. Knead slightly. Add oil and coloring. Knead oil and coloring in. Store in airtight container.
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons ground allspice
3 tablespoons ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons orris root powder
1 cup applesauce
Combine dry ingredients. Stir in applesauce. Roll into walnut size balls around ribbon. Hang and let dry. Use as ornaments and gifts.
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
5 drops (or more) hot pepper sauce
Puree the beans, lemon juice, rosemary, and hot pepper sauce in a food processor. Scrape into a bowl, cover and refrigerate 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
…to get a house around here?
1. Get approved for a loan. Check. December 2006.
2. Find an agent. A good agent. Check. December 9, 2006.
3. Find a house. Check. January 12, 2007.
4. Write an offer. Check. January 13, 2007.
5. Negotiate offer. Check. January 13, 2007.
6. Ratify offer. Check. January 13, 2007.
7. Home inspection. Check. January 18, 2007.
8. Ask for repairs. Check. January 18, 2007.
9. Renegotiate offer. Check. January 19, 2007.
10. Release of contract. Check. January 23, 2007.
11. Find another house. Check. March 13, 2007.
12. Write an offer. Check. March 14, 2007.
13. Ratify offer. Check. March 15, 2007.
14. Home inspection. Scheduled. March 21, 2007.
15. Ask for repairs. TBD.
16. Set up utilities, change of address, newspaper, library cards, driving license, homeowners insurance, voter registration, dog licenses…the list goes on and on. TBD (Waiting until after the inspection).
17. Go to settlement. Scheduled.
18. Move into new house. Tentatively scheduled.
19. Make it your home. Tentatively scheduled.
20. Housewarming party. TBD.
Offer written. Let’s just see if this one sticks.
Last Friday at dinner, we heard about Jim and Sheri O’Neal, Overlanders. Traveling through Africa. In their Land Cruiser. On muddy, muddy roads. Words don’t do justice. You have to follow the links on Tale of Two Travelers.
Amazing. Just amazing.
Our social calendar was booked this weekend!
Friday night we had dinner with some friends who dished up some marvelous 5 hour chili. Oh, and the company was great as well. We met the mastermind who transformed their house and the square footage from 1400 to 3400!
Saturday evening we attended Daniel and Kristine’s birthday/carriage housewarming/new job party with old (and new!) friends until the wee hours of Sunday morning. Springing ahead an hour with daylight savings time really kicked our butts the next day. But, we had a blast…drinking beer (including Daniel’s homebrew, which can only improve), listening to music (Daniel and David need to open their musical horizons just a tad!) and playing Apples to Apples, the most bizarre board game. Believe it or not, it is an acclaimed game. In 1999 it won the Mensa select award. Associates RULE!
Through freecycle I snagged a slew of magazines today, including Washingtonian, Country Living, Country Home, Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, Lucky, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Cooks Illustrated, Smithsonian, Cooks Country, Backyard Living, Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious, Taste of Home’s Light & Tasty, Taste of Home’s Cooking for Two. All current issues and most magazines have five or more issues worth. Whoopie!
Above is one of my favorite pictures from Mead Photography. For me, wedding photography is about capturing the moment and this picture is a culmination of moments (or hours of work) the hairdresser spent on the maid of honor’s hair (note: her hair went halfway down her back), but the end result was glorious.
So, imagine my surprise last night when I found this picture on the Wedding Photo Journalist Association’s latest contest winners and finalists. Sean Flanigan, a talented photographer in Washington state saw the artistry in the updo as well.
This is reaffirmation to me that Matt’s got talent. With so many people running around with digital cameras, oftentimes the importance of an artist’s eye is lost. But when pictures like these appear, it’s really worth it to get someone other than Uncle Fred to capture those special moments.