Certainly was a weird weather day!

We had clouds, sunny breaks, nasty wind and now we've got rain. Tomorrow they are calling for snow showers and hail! Welcome spring! Let's hope this is your last kick at the can before we move on to some nice weather!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Larry's gone to Bellingham with Rene today and I have asked him to pick up some corned beef briskets for me. I feel like I am battling the start of a bladder infection so I am staying home, drinking cranberry juice and working on checking our income tax returns. I did want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy St. Patrick's Day though.

Here I sit...

having my morning tea. I am certainly not having it with a fancy service like this...but I wonder why I don't? Maybe the answer is that I don't have a fancy set like this. Sure I have a teapot but it doesn't match my cups and what not. But no...I have a beer mug of tea first thing in the morning and generally that's the only tea I have all day. Funny the habits we develop.

The weather is sure ugly...rain, rain and more rain this week! Yucko!

I postponed all my appointments so that I can stay home where it's nice and warm and dry. Today I have a bunch of filing to do and then I am thinking maybe it's a good day to make some honey garlic meatballs. Before I start, I need to make some more GF bread crumbs. I am having Creamy Irish Potato Soup for supper tonight and the meatball subs with ooey gooey melted mozzarella on them sound yummy! I have a couple of my GF hot dogs buns left, so this will use one of them and leave me one more to use up before our trip to Bellevue at Easter.

Doesn't this just cry out...

come have tea and Gluten Free muffins and sit a spell? What a view! I guess I am still on the fact that water is so very soothing for the soul.

Larry says he currently has almost 8 1/2 Lieu days that he needs to take this year. I need to send us somewhere by the water. I have no idea where, I'll keep you posted if I have a moment of inspiration.

I found an interesting GF muffin that I think I may try, Here's a picture and the link to the recipe:



and here's the recipe...

http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/cinnamon-apricot-muffins

Feel the ocean calling...

The last few weeks, it's all I can do not to have my mind wandering off to the ocean. I really feel the need for some quiet time at the shore right now. I don't know why I get in these moods but at least once a year I just want time to myself listening to the roar of the waves. Most years I don't do anything about that desire...I wonder if I can find an economical day or two for myself this year? I may have to look into it. If nothing else, a little armchair travel is fun!

Trying a new recipe...

Since it's crazy busy around here with our tax returns, I have a nice new slow cooker soup in mind for our dinner. We eat relatively late these days, after Larry gets home so if we get the slow cooker rocking before we sit down to lunch...the timing will be perfecy with dinner 4-5 hours later. Here is what we are having tonight:



Slow Cooker Sausage, White Bean and Pasta Soup

This is a great soup for any day. Comfort food at its best. Serve it with a sandwich or cornbread and your family and guests will be coming back for more.

1 pound breakfast pork sausage (You can use mild or hot. I used the mild)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup << I am substituting Campbell's Gluten Free Cream soup & chopped celery
1/2 package Kroger baby carrots or 3 to 4 carrots cut in pieces
1 cup dried great northern beans
1/2 cup elbow macaroni or pasta shells << I am using quinoa macaroni
1 tablespoon black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded (Optional)


Brown sausage and onion with basil and garlic in a skillet. Drain and pour into crockpot. Add all other ingredients except the pasta. Cook on low for seven to eight hours or high for 4 or 5 hours. About an hour before soup finishes cooking, add pasta. This could be made on top of the stove as well. Just cook in large pot until beans are tender. Then add pasta or shells about the last 20 minutes.