Holidays

During our reading class at school, I have my kids respond in writing to a simple question. Today, it was "What do you love about winter?" I got answers ranging from "Drinking hot chocolate inside" to "Making snow angels." I realized that I love this time of year. I love shopping amidst the insanity. I love buying just that right gift. I love chopping down our Christmas tree. I love seeing all of the Christmas lights beginning to sparkle. And I really love the extra opportunities to see family and friends. (This year, I am going to visit my best friend, Andrea, in St. Louis!)

What do you love most about this time of year?

addition

What do you get when you add:

13 hours worked on Monday
+
12 hours worked on Tuesday
=Wednesday off!!!

Yay for a looooooong holiday. Did you know that Monday is the first day of gun hunting in PA? That means NO SCHOOL for staff or students. Wow, I love living in the sticks.

Check out this cute comic.

Dukem

I love my book club. I truly do. The girls have become some of my most enduring and faithful friends. We meet once a month (at least), and never are in want of good conversation, GREAT food, and belly-aching laughs. After reading "A Long Way Gone" (see previous post), our host decided that we'd be adventurous and try an Ethiopian restaurant in Baltimore. We met at 1:00 at Dukem, a little restaurant right on Maryland Avenue. It looks like a hole in the wall, but the upstairs dining area was surprisingly cute and cozy.

We ordered a combination platter which allowed us to try lamb, tibs (beef cubes), chicken, lentils, and several vegetables. The meal was served with a crepe-like bread that was tangy. The bread was used as our utensil. Ethiopian restaurants do not provide diners with knifes, spoons OR forks! Each meat option was in some sort of sauce, ranging from mild and flavorful to spicy and "nose sniffling."

I had a blast sampling a new cuisine and loved the experience of eating an entire meal with my hands. The food was delicious (loved the spicy lamb) and the experience was one I'll never forget.

Pairings and Recommendations

Miguel and I recently bought a wine fridge. We then promptly went to Wine World and bought a case of wine. Now I love to research food and wine pairings. With that said, here are my wine recommendations for Thanksgiving!

Main Course: Turkey (duh!)

Riesling: Schmitt Schone OR Chateau Ste Michelle
First one is German, second is from Washington St.

Pinot Grigio: Smoking Loon
California. We love everything Smoking Loon!

Beaujolais: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages
This French wine is inexpensive ($7/bottle) , but you'd never guess that from the taste and quality! One of my favorites.

What are your favorites?? I am always wanting some new bottles to try!

Nov.

I forgot to post my book club's reading for the month of November. We are reading (some of us have already finished) another non-fiction memoir. A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah, is the story of a young boy, caught in the violent civil war in Sierra Leone during the '90s. Survival meant fighting. And not fighting as we may think. But fighting in all of its violent and gruesome aspects. After years of wandering, pillaging and murdering, Ishmael is saved by a government organization, rehabilitated, and then sent to America to live. In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael details his personal struggles and triumphs as he desperately attempts to regain his life and childhood. Beah's memoir was riveting and made me grateful for the safety and security we know in this country.

Amanda

Amanda is a truly gifted artist. Many of us see her regularly in the "church" setting, but never get to experience her in a "performance" setting. Last night, Kristin and I drove to D.C. We watched Amanda's band, Never in Denver, perform at a great little coffee house called Ebenezer's. Amanda was phenomenal. Nothing short of breathtaking. I am by no means an expert on anything musical, but I do know that she has an incredible gift. Make sure you check out her my space page to listen to her latest recordings.

Velvety Squash Soup

I made this soup tonight for dinner. It was a wonderful cold-weather soup! It's so hearty that we had this as our main meal. The recipe calls for molasses, which I didn't have. So, I simply left it out.

I love making soups, and have enjoyed trying new recipes like this one. What is your favorite soup recipe?