carrie kim

Not too shabby and a wish for a friend:)

 
This is the most delicious soup ever. ever.  well that's certainly not true.  but it was super tasty and big E and I didn't waste a drop of this broth, which was the best part. That might have had something to do with the fact that I overcooked most of the seafood. I lost one of my ingredients and while I wandered around my kitchen wondering where in the world I set the peppers, the shrimp and fish were turning into rubber. I think I have a good excuse because it was after midnight.  big E and I have been eating dinner together after he gets off work late at night or I should say early in the morning. So for a midnight snack this wasn't bad and it has to be healthier than donuts. That certainly is true:)

Happy Monday!!!!
and
Happy Anniversary Friend and Friend's hubby:)  I hope you have a wonderful date:)

We saw this made on the Food Network years ago.  They don't have it listed anymore on their website. So here it is from my copy.

Yucatan Stew

3 littleneck clams

4 prince edward island mussels

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup sliced white onions

2 tablespoons diced roma tomatoes

1/2 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice

3 medium sized shrimp

4 ounces fresh whitefish fillet (grouper, snapper, flounder)

1 tablespoon dry chili puree (ancho, pasilla, guijilb)

3 ounces fresh calamari cut into rings

1/2 cup coconut milik

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Begin with a hot skillet.  Saute the clams and mussels for 2 minutes. Then add chopped garlic. Cook for a minute(be careful not to burn the garlic). Then, add onions and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.  Next, add fish stock as mussels and clams begin to open.  Add shrimp, whitefish and chile puree.  Cook for three minutes. At this point add calamari, coconut milk, cilantro. Cook for a minute more and serve in halved coconuts.

We've never followed the directions exactly.  I don't think we've ever had all the seafood called for or the dried chili puree.  I use fresh peppers and we don't normally measure the other ingredients.  You should make it, the seafood, tomatoes, peppers, coconut milk and cilantro taste great together. 

Perseverance

Why do some thrive while others fall away and dwindle?

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." -John Quincy Adams

I'm really looking forward to seeing a bit of John Quincy Adams' magic at work in my garden. I only wish I knew if I'm playing the role of the magician or the obstacle.  Hopefully the magician:)

Shoes anyone?

Does anyone want these Boden sandals?  You can have them for the cost of the shipping. I bought them before I had little E and I've never worn them. I think it was the summer of 2005. Is that right?  I can't believe it was that long ago. They are size 37.  My foot is narrow but I was hoping when I bought these that they'd fit.  Well, I was wrong.  And I guess lazy too, because I never returned them.  I've tried to pass them off to everyone I know, but no one else is a size 37.  Am I really the only size 37?  If your a size 37 and would like to actually wear them, unlike me who just keeps them at the bottom of her closet, leave a comment and I'll get back to you by email. 

Hope your weekends are going smoothly :)

Saturday July 6th: I took these to Goodwill today.  I hope they find a nice home:)

Peg Board Makeover

Take your peg board from zero to hero in one afternoon!
(Does anyone else remember that hilarious infomercial for some kind of hair brush that would take the frumpy girl "from zero to hero in 10 minutes" ?  It still cracks me up)

I think peg boards look a bit unsightly naked.  There are a ton of tutorials and magazine pics using peg board that's been "dressed up".  But normally it's framed, which looks terrific but can be a bit of work to do. 
After some experimentation I decided it looks great without a frame too.  Just make sure you have straight cuts.  After you cut the board the size you want, use sand paper to clean up the cut edges and then paint the shiny side.   I thought the holes might be messy to paint. Fortunately I was wrong.  It took the paint great and only needed two or three coats.  It was fast and not at all messy. 

Tomato can lids covered with fabric make great magnetic memo boards.  When you hang your board don't forget to put nylon spacers between it and the wall so there's room for the hooks to stick through. 

And that's it, now you have a pretty peg board. 

If you don't want to make your own, I'll have some of these in my shop later in the summer.  I've put all of my crafting and making on hold until our house is finished. 

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Sources: fabric, pouch, paint

Making do or is it due?

This is from March.  It was a very chilly morning and I told Little E that she couldn't come in the kitchen without slippers on.  Her slippers where MIA so she improvised. It turns out that a play oven mitt and plastic container can keep your feet warm too.