Salad (with tortilla chips)
1 can black beans, drained
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
Salt
2 cups corn kernels
about 1/4 red onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Pepper
Cayenne
In a serving bowl toss tomatoes with salt and set aside for 10-15 minutes to bring out juices. Add beans, corn, and onion and mix well. Add cilantro, lime juice and oil. Stir to coat. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Serve immediately, or set aside for 30 minutes for flavors to intensify (I served it the next day and it was just as good).
Turkey-Cranberry finger sandwiches (aka Thanksgiving -on-Bun)
Wheat rolls
Pulled turkey
Stove Top turkey stuffing, prepared
Cream cheese
Cranberry sauce
Layer ingredients on wheat roll and serve cold
Fall Fruit Dip1 can solid pack pumpkin
80z package of cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tsp pumkin spice (or a tsp each: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dash of nutmeg, etc)
Beat cream cheese and pumpkin together until smooth; stir in sugar and spices, Chill and serve with sliced pears and apples.
Punch: Old Orchard Apple Passion Mango Juice (2 frozen cans); 2 cans water; 3 litres ginger ale; ice.
Chili w/ cornbread- I had other people bring these items, but they were delicious. Also, I had planned to make Peanut soup, but considering the guest list, I settled on an Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken broth, celery, carrots, fat egg noodles, choped white chicken---99% fat free and YUMMY). However, Peanut Soup is so good, I want you to have the recipe. Same with the cider.
WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP1 cup chopped onion
1 TB vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cayenne or other ground chiles
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped sweet potatoes
4 cups vegetable stock or water
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 TB sugarchopped scallions,chopped
roasted peanuts
Sauté onion in oil until it is transluscent. Stir in cayenne and ginger. Add carrots and sauté a couple minutes more. Mix in potatoes and stock, bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes(until the vegetables are tender).
Puree the vegetables with tomato juice (and some of the cooking liquid if necessary) in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pot. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
Check sweetness and add sugar if necessary. Reheat gently, using a heat difuser if necessary to prevent scorching. Add more water, stock, or tomato juice to make a thinner soup if desired. Serve topped with plenty of chopped scallions and chopped roasted peanuts.
Spiced Cider
2 qt. apple cider
¼ c. brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp. cardamom
½ tsp. nutmeg
4 whole cloves
zest of one orange (optional)
Combine the cider, light brown sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and orange zest in a large pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Strain the spices from the mixture and discard. Return the cider to pan and keep warm. The cider is ready –serves 8.
There! Now go have your own party, and don't forget to delegate.
Heidi playing in Uncle Matt's backyard
Addie playing with Aunt Amie's soap dish in the back yard; she and Heidi kept fighting over the "Nemo"--then we found there was a lotion pump AND a soap dish, so they both could have a "Nemo." Luckily, Jacob didn't care about the fish--he was loving Heidi's baby doll!
Jacob & Heidi in August 2004 right after Jake moved to Montana.
Heidi and Jacob October 2005--they are getting big and play so cute together!
Addie loves her new fish! Thank you, Nana!
"Just press the execute button" 
The west side of the town where I was born.
The east side (my side) of the town where I was born.
When I typed in my name, pix of cheerleaders and gymnasts came up, but then I found cute chef, Jamie Oliver. He rocks.
This is my maternal Grandmother's first name (which she rarely uses). I quite like it and she hates it. (PS: the author's name on this cover is what we would like to name our baby if it's a girl).
Hmmm...these didn't post in the right order, but here is my favorite smell--cinnamon vanilla.
This is what came ups when I typed in the title of my current favorite song, "Crimes of Paris" by Elvis Costello.
Is that the hallelujah chorus I hear? My pregnant appetite could really use some authentic tacos right now, right off the dirty ol' downtown taco cart, y'all. Too bad I am in Livingston and all the streets rolled up and hour ago (not to mention we are running low on taco carts).
Jessica & her friend, way into their carving
Kelsey didn't want me to see her punk rock pumpkin!
Brittany and Taylor worked on their pumkins in the kitchen while the seeds were roasting in the oven (that's Brittany's mom in the background doing something with the cub scouts).
