Woohooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, we get the new house. YAY! The right person had to come along, and as it was, two did, so we got to pick an offer. Better late than never!
So in the next couple of months, I've got a lot of packing to do.
But tomorrow? I am NOT going to clean the toilets. In fact, I don't even think I'll make my bed.
Yippee!!!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Sold!!!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
A Walk in Paris
My friend is amazing. I miss her, and all my Paris friends. And I miss Paris.
If you don't read her blog already, please go there. Whether you like Paris or not, you'll like Irene. Promise.
If you don't read her blog already, please go there. Whether you like Paris or not, you'll like Irene. Promise.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Holiday 2010 Photos (Edited for more photos)
So I finally got it done. Phew. Not the best quality, but they're up. I only brought my tiny point-and-shoot with us back to North Dakota for Xmas, and honestly, I think the lens was kind of dirty. I'd been procrastinating putting them up because I wanted to try to clean them up in editor, but I couldn't do much so eventually I gave up and just loaded them.
Go here and here for more.
Now, I suppose it's time to start my Christmas cards?
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Magic Blue Cheese Pecan Dip
Over Christmas, we were back in North Dakota. Staying at my dad's and Pam's house was great--no cleaning to do, no one showing our house, and very little cooking, save for the day when Pam was having major dental work done. (It worked, thank goodness! She had been in agony.) We also did some shopping, and realized living in the middle of nowhere North Dakota does sometimes have distinct advantages compared to the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. I guess being close to Philly, Pitt, Baltimore, DC and NYC means we don't need diddly here. Grumble grumble grumble.
Anyway. We'd go into the local liquor store and marvel at the cheap cheap cheap prices (PA residents will understand--our local laws make our beverages about twice the price). A trip to the mall was mind-boggling at the quantity of stuff available. Unfortunately, we couldn't take too much advantage of the after-holiday pricing, as we had to pay to get it home on the plane, but I did find some jeans and boots and got some dresses for Rowan (much needed--she's a dress girl, every day.)
But my favorite discovery was something Pam brought out when we finally made it, after 13 hours in the planes and airports waiting for the blizzard to let us through on our final leg of the journey. Spread on crackers (crispy rice ones were perfect), it was a fantastic hors d'oeuvre. Slathered on a bun, it topped my burger. Had we run out of crackers, I would have eaten it with a spoon. We went back for more at the local grocery store deli, and looked at the ingredients. However, I'm pretty sure they lied so you couldn't duplicate it, because they listed "blue cheese, pecans" as the only ingredients, and I know of no blue cheese like that.
BUT! I looked on the trusty internet and found some other versions. It's really simple, so you can do with it what you like. On Tuesday, I threw together a hasty bowl and brought half to my ladies at my women's choir rehearsal. They loved it. So much, Marita took the bowl home with her. (Luckily, the other half was waiting in our fridge.) I even used a bit of it thinned with milk as an impromptu salad dressing. I didn't put specific amounts, because it's just a thrown together thing.
So here you go. Try it. Change it. Do what you like. But make lots, because it will go. Promise. And? I think it's magic, because I lost 2 pounds over the break. Woo hoo!!!
Magic Blue Cheese Pecan Dip
*1 tub whipped cream cheese (8 oz. I think? Regular works, too, but whipped made it easy to blend.)
*crumbled blue cheese (anwhere from 2T.- the entire chunk. I did the whole chunk. I'm a hedonist.)
*chopped pecans (I put in 1/2 cup)
*seasoning (I did a shake or two of Creole because I pretty much put it in everything I eat except dessert, but anything would work, as long as it's not too salty. Chives or fresh parsley would be great. Or you could do nothing and just let the other flavors shine through, which is probably what the deli did, and definitely what the internet did. Whatever you like.)
Toast pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes over medium heat until they start to smell good. Don't let them burn. Meanwhile, blend cream cheese and blue cheese. Flavors will blend while chilling, so you don't need a lot of blue cheese, but you can if you like. Add hot pecans and mix them in. (Hot helps to blend them, but if you don't have time to toast your pecans or if they cooled it's not a big deal.) Add your chosen herbs or seasoning. Chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend flavors. If it's too thick, you can thin it with a little milk.
Serve with crackers, as a bread spread, on burgers, thinned as a salad dressing, or just a spoon. Mmmmmm.
Anyway. We'd go into the local liquor store and marvel at the cheap cheap cheap prices (PA residents will understand--our local laws make our beverages about twice the price). A trip to the mall was mind-boggling at the quantity of stuff available. Unfortunately, we couldn't take too much advantage of the after-holiday pricing, as we had to pay to get it home on the plane, but I did find some jeans and boots and got some dresses for Rowan (much needed--she's a dress girl, every day.)
But my favorite discovery was something Pam brought out when we finally made it, after 13 hours in the planes and airports waiting for the blizzard to let us through on our final leg of the journey. Spread on crackers (crispy rice ones were perfect), it was a fantastic hors d'oeuvre. Slathered on a bun, it topped my burger. Had we run out of crackers, I would have eaten it with a spoon. We went back for more at the local grocery store deli, and looked at the ingredients. However, I'm pretty sure they lied so you couldn't duplicate it, because they listed "blue cheese, pecans" as the only ingredients, and I know of no blue cheese like that.
BUT! I looked on the trusty internet and found some other versions. It's really simple, so you can do with it what you like. On Tuesday, I threw together a hasty bowl and brought half to my ladies at my women's choir rehearsal. They loved it. So much, Marita took the bowl home with her. (Luckily, the other half was waiting in our fridge.) I even used a bit of it thinned with milk as an impromptu salad dressing. I didn't put specific amounts, because it's just a thrown together thing.
So here you go. Try it. Change it. Do what you like. But make lots, because it will go. Promise. And? I think it's magic, because I lost 2 pounds over the break. Woo hoo!!!
Magic Blue Cheese Pecan Dip
*1 tub whipped cream cheese (8 oz. I think? Regular works, too, but whipped made it easy to blend.)
*crumbled blue cheese (anwhere from 2T.- the entire chunk. I did the whole chunk. I'm a hedonist.)
*chopped pecans (I put in 1/2 cup)
*seasoning (I did a shake or two of Creole because I pretty much put it in everything I eat except dessert, but anything would work, as long as it's not too salty. Chives or fresh parsley would be great. Or you could do nothing and just let the other flavors shine through, which is probably what the deli did, and definitely what the internet did. Whatever you like.)
Toast pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes over medium heat until they start to smell good. Don't let them burn. Meanwhile, blend cream cheese and blue cheese. Flavors will blend while chilling, so you don't need a lot of blue cheese, but you can if you like. Add hot pecans and mix them in. (Hot helps to blend them, but if you don't have time to toast your pecans or if they cooled it's not a big deal.) Add your chosen herbs or seasoning. Chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend flavors. If it's too thick, you can thin it with a little milk.
Serve with crackers, as a bread spread, on burgers, thinned as a salad dressing, or just a spoon. Mmmmmm.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
I'm working on it...
Little Norsk/Swede/Icelander: can eat Krumkake without breaking them!, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.
Pictures to come, and a post about our holiday trip, but know it was fabulous and we're home safe and sound. We were able to see all the grandparents while we were back, but not all the friends and family we would have liked to--but then again, we'd have to move home to North Dakota for a month to make that happen. Or maybe a year?
Our house hasn't sold yet, so that's a bit disappointing, but we had a great Christmas and are getting back to normal around here.
Oh, and Anya has discovered her voice. "Mamamamamamama" and "Bababababababa" and I think she might have tried to say "Rowan" the other day, but I could be imagining it.
Also? I discovered blue cheese pecan dip. NOM. And somehow lost 2 lbs. Not quite sure how that happened.
OK, anyway. This is a terrible post, but I just wanted to let you know I'm still alive.
Happy New Year!
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