Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. Kansas City. The day was sunny. The air was crisp. The temperature was in the 40s, high enough to help freshly cut ice sculptures decompose at a quicker rate than normal in this place at this time of year .
These were two of the survivors:
More info from Kansas City Star story.
I was with my cousins over the holidays. I met one cousin for the first time. I saw one cousin for the last.
The world is constantly changing, ever expanding our understanding and gratitude for those who have made an indelible mark on our lives, and those who will.
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Happy New Year to everyone!! I hope that 2012 is fueled by more peace, love and comfort around the world!
Gas price $2.98 – 12-31-11
Thanks to Trader Joes, we have more penguins in Kansas City than we can eat…
Penguins in the bag
But not everyone likes eating penguins. Here are some other options:
Something good is happening on my dining room table…
Cheery winter centerpiece
Flowers are such a luxury when you have to buy them. I was having house guests a couple of weekends ago, so I splurged and decorated with daisies and hydrangeas and tea roses.
Most of the flowers went into traditional vases, but I paired these daisy-like flowers with Christmasy strands of silver sparkles and created a low-riding centerpiece.
I was out and about today and ran across two locally produced items that I thought would be the perfect duo to start the “What I love locally” conversation.
1) Shatto milk
Shatto milk: Tasty and local
I love the recipes, tips, restaurant reviews and sage advice…and basil advice…and : )
Tastebud magazine
What are some of your favorites? In Kansas City or where you live, if it’s not K.C.?
Gas went down two cents from last week.
Gas $3.15, Nov. 5, 2011
I’ve been in a soup-making mood for weeks…but there wasn’t enough time to really dig into it. And then there’s the decision to make – what kind of soup?
I’ve been missing my usual storehouse of gazpacho. The summer flew by with only one batch. *Sigh* However, with the leaves dressed to walk the autumn runway and a chillier breeze in the air, the comfort, warmth and deliciousness factor turned my attention to French onion soup.
THEN, this morning, a package of ground beef-like soy (Boca burger bits) caught my attention in the freezer looking neglected. So, I put veggie chili on this week’s menu and went to gather a few extra provisions…
But then I saw cans of okra. So the first stew/soup of the season became (drum roll, please) Okra stew.
Here are the main ingredients I assembled:
Ingredients for okra stew
Almost everything made it in – the squash was saved for later, and I used only one can of okra. And I included some sea salt and a small glass of dry red wine:
Added some dry red wine
The stew simmered for about an hour.
Simmering stew
Then I couldn’t take it any longer…I had to have some! I added some chicken, but I think that was too much. I also added a few drops of green Tabasco Sauce. Other thoughts for variations: Add tofu; sprinkle mozzarella or Parmesan cheese on top. With the cheese, maybe I’m just trying to turn it into a French vegetable soup?
Bon appetite!
What a difference a month…or two or three…makes! The gas price has dropped by 45 cents! I hope that this trend continues into the winter. Or, is that just encouraging us to use gas instead of being more conscious of oil consumption? What do you think?
Gas price Oct. 30, 2011
