I made Smokey Potato Cheese Soup for supper tonight and it was a hit. Just thought I’d let you know. 🙂 Wish I’d taken some pictures! I guess the lazy, laid-back, no-school, DD-went-to-play-with-friends kind of day made me forget all about my camera. My, my…can’t imagine how that happened! ~~Rhonda
This beautiful amaryllis bloomed while we were in Florida. Thankfully, the blooms last a long time and it is at its peak right now. So pretty!
Many stores have these bulbs on clearance right now, as they had been stocked for the holidays. Check them out. Open the box before you buy. If the stalk is long and curled, pass it up. It may not mature properly. Check the bulb. If it is mushy or smells rotten, pass it by. It’s fine if the stalk has started to push its way out of the bulb. And it may be white rather than green depending on how much light has been available. Don’t let that concern you. It will green up just fine once it is planted.
When we pot amaryllis, we discard the light-weight plastic pots most come with and replace it them with heavy ceramic ones. The stalk will grow quite tall and it can become top heavy when the flowers bloom. A heavier pot will keep the entire thing from falling over. Plant the bulb in the medium included with the bulb. Leave the top third of the bulb above the dirt. Water and wait. You will be well rewarded!
A year ago today…we were preparing for Melissa’s wedding.
~~Rhonda 🙂
I’ve been gone for two weeks. We went to Florida for vacation, then up the east coast to visit our son’s family. I stayed there for a few extra days to babysit the grands while DH and DD came on home.
I flew home yesterday. I loved having some time with the twins and their big sister, but is SO good to be back!
So back to normal life, normal routines, etc. After a day or two of relaxing first! At suppertime, DD decided she wanted to bake something. She chose a cornbread recipe from her new cookbook. We didn’t have any buttermilk (the pantry and fridge are woefully empty!), but it was a good opportunity to teach DD how to substitute milk and vinegar for buttermilk.
Cheddar Corn Bread Wedges
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 c. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (DD omitted the cheese)
Preheat oven to 375*. Grease a pie plate. (DD used cooking spray.)
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well blended.
In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, and egg. Mix with a fork until well blended.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Gently stir until blended. Pour batter into the prepared pie dish. Bake until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and set on rack to cool.
Using a sharp knife, cut the corn bread into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
From The Kid’s Cookbook, page 46.
The cornbread looked so pretty and was delicious!
While we ate supper, Niko sat on the rug and kept an eye on us. He looked quite relaxed, but I think he missed us while we were gone. He wanted to be with us.
It’s good to be home. ~~Rhonda
This morning, we woke to a beautiful blanket of snow. It fell all morning. I’m guessing we have about three inches.
Up at 7:00…no school, yeah!…out the door at 7:15.
The babies were duly bundled and taken out on the deck to see the snow.
With Auntie holding her, Twin#1 was brave enough to check it out.
Twin#2, not so sure…what do I do with it now??
~~Rhonda 🙂
The girlies had fun racing the length of the rug (with the help of Auntie and Grandpa).
After their pushers quit on them, they tried it themselves. This works, too!
Stack ’em high, stack ’em tall…
DD#1 arrived today to visit/help with the grands. So glad to see her!
~~Rhonda 🙂
Is this not the cutest blue-eyed baby around?
Of course, then there’s this cutest blue-eyed baby…
For the next few days, I get to squeeze ’em and love on ’em all I want.
~~Grandma 🙂
We’re taking it easy this week. Having fun and not hurrying to or from anything. One evening, after we’d had a late lunch, we decided to have a late, picnic-style supper. We went to Whole Foods to buy cheeses, crostini, shrimp, pasta, sushi, etc. So good! And Whole Foods is just plain fun to walk around in, anyway.
We fed the seagulls.
And the alligators…
We stopped at a favorite haunt. Our entire family loves book stores.
We saw alligators…real ones and not so real ones. Is he telling a secret or looking for a snack?
We’ve had lots of shrimp…and scallops…and crab…
…and oysters…
We even ate smelt and alligator.
And we’ve walked the beach at sunset…
What’s not to like about just having fun? ~~Rhonda 🙂
After four children who ranged from extremely picky to rather picky eaters, it is still a surprise when our ten year old daughter is happy to try something new. Tonight it was oysters Rockefeller.
She loved it, though she preferred her broiled shrimp. 🙂
While we waited for dinner, a young man named Shawn came by the table and made a balloon kitty for her.
DH finished off his oysters. I had my favorite, broiled scallops. Yum!
~~Rhonda 🙂