TOO FUNNY!!

 

 Have you seen this?

Thanks to Judith for the alert! 

 

 

VEGETABLE SOUP

 

 

or "Minestrone de Romagna"

 from Marcella Hazan's "The Classic Italian Cookbook"

This is one of my very favorite winter soups; lots of ingredients, but easy to make and oh so good.

 

It's the shredded cabbage that makes this one different from other vegetable/minestone soups: 

 

 

Here's how:

• 1/2 c. olive oil                                        1 1/2c. white beans(boil,then soak for 2                                                                     hours)


• 3 tlbs. butter                                           2 c. diced zucchini


• 1 c diced carrots                                     2 c peeled, diced potatoes


• 1 c diced green beans                             3 c shredded Savoy cabbage


• 6 c beef broth                                          2/3 c canned tomatoes


• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large stockpot put in the oil, butter and sliced onion and cook over med.-low heat until onion wilts. Add the diced carrots and cook for 2-3 min., stirring once or twice. Repeat this procedure with celery, potatoes, white beans (if you're using canned or cooked beans, then wait until the end to add them), zucchini, and green beans, cooking each one for a few minutes. Then add the shredded cabbage and cook for about 6 minutes, and stir occasionally.

2. Add the broth, tomatoes & their juice and bit of salt. Cover and cook at a very slow boil for at least 3 hours. (I do two hours). Minestrone must never be thin and watery, so cook until it is soupy thick, adding more broth or water if it becomes too thick.

I always add grated Parmesan when serving! This makes a lot and is great for freezing..  

In trying to find the link for  you to buy this book on line I have just found that it is no longer in print...and even used copies are very expensive! Who knew. It's really a shame: I think her recipes are good and this has been one of my go-to books for many years. So I hope you will go ahead and try this one, and enjoy!

SANTA HEARD ME!

 

 

Remember this post:

"I'm Not Really Into Bags..."  with this visual?

 

That was back in October. Well....someone heard me loud and clear. My daughter has got to be the best in the world!!!

 

 
Yes, I am now the (very) proud owner of the "Ingrid Shopper" in Gray/Pistachio.

It is just as wonderful as it looks.

Nice way to start off the New Year.

STILL LOOKING FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS?

 

Belle Inspiration e-magazine just might be your answer!

This magazine celebrates the French "Joie de Vivre". 

"Belle Inspiration is your  rendez-vous with good taste and style."  So, for all you Francophiles out there, and for anyone who wants something just a bit new, and romantic, and visual, and full of information, take a look. They're even offering a two-for-one subscription for the Holidays!

Here's a sneak peak at the newest Holiday edition: 

 

Belle Inspiration is brought to you by Mimi Bleue of Bonjour Romance.  I met Mimi in Paris last September at the "blogger meet-up" at Les Deux Magots. It was one of those rare opportunities to actually meet some of the bloggers with whom I have "talked". Seems like ages ago now, but it was a special evening and Mimi and I had a short, but fun, talk!

Do go and take a look at her blog and at the e-magazine where I know you will find lots of inspiration and ideas.

CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY!

 

 

In a way, Christmas really DID come early for me this year!

First, I won a giveaway over at Pink Pig Blog. Take a look at Debbie's wonderful blog and store. I've been following her for quite some time now: she's located up in Westport, New York and carries a huge and varied line of products. 

This is what I won: 

These are from The Uptown Soap Company and are FABULOUS! I adore the scent and will most certainly buy more when these are gone. And the bonus here is that their graphics and packaging are unusual, artistic and almost too nice to break open..

That was all fine. But the BIG news of last week is that...ta da...drum roll....we are all moved!  Yes, the moving truck showed up one week ago on a raw, rainy, snowy day. Isn't that everyone's worst nightmare? To have movers trekking through your house, wet feet everywhere, carrying your possessions out to the truck and packing them in there, still wet?

Here's the inside of the enormous truck. We were about 30% of the total load. It's been 25 years since we have moved...so this was a BIG EVENT. 

And then, four days later, the truck and same driver arrived in North Carolina. Just our luck: the day was snowy, icy and rainy. Oh no! Not again... The driver had trouble finding locals who would even venture out to do this job, but we ended up, in the afternoon, with the MOST superb group of men who were so efficient, helpful, amusing and just plain nice.

This is what our "Southland" terrace looked like that morning. Hmmmm: not quite what we expected!

 

But by 2 PM the truck pulled up:

 

and we were off and running

 

thanks Lenny, thanks Rodney!

 

My one geranium that made the trip down at my feet in the car:

And then, of course, the fun began as we unpacked how many...has to be about two hundred boxes. Then the question of what to do with all those (flattened) boxes and packing material. I put an ad on CraigsList, "free", Saturday night at 11 PM and by Sunday morning had ten responses. So, all the boxes are gone and so is every last piece of newsprint paper and bubble wrap! 

But the "Christmas came early" part happened as I unpacked the kitchen boxes. It just amazed me that my things, every last one, arrived safe and sound. As I plunged into yet another box and saw my favorite vase, or that old blue casserole dish, it was as though they were new and I was unwrapping a present! "Oh yes, I remember you" or "Wow, my best serving platter". 

 

 

even the infamous butter dish made the trip just fine:

I'll show you lots more of the new place and all the changes we have made to it, so be sure to check back!

BUY YOUR PANTONE iPHONE CASE WITH THE PANTONE VISA CARD

And now, one year later, we have an iPad case too.

This post about the iPhone cases available from Pantone has been one of my most popular ever. And, for some reason just in the last week I have had hundreds of people searching out this very post. I'm really not quite sure why...it's been over a year since the post. So, to keep this conversation going I'm updating the information on iPhone cases, but with the addition of the iPad! The new cases have just come out in the last week:

These will be produced by Case Scenario, so go here to see the site. However, no one is sure when or where they will be available! I searched the Pantone website: not a word. I've searched the web, and the Case site is the closest I can get. In fact, it was just updated in the last few hours, since I had first started this post in the morning. And here's an Australian site that just posted the colors also.

Keep in mind: these new colors are only for the new 4G phone.

Time to upgrade maybe?

Then there is the Pantone Flash Drive. Now you can have it engraved or even put your logo on it:

"Style. It's not WHAT you do. It's HOW you do it."

So says Pantone in introducing their Pantone Visa Cards! Do you know about these? I am very tempted indeed. No annual fee. Comes in five great colors:

I will let you know when I have more information about those new cases; but in the meantime, I'll have to sign up for the new Visa card!

CALENDARS AS GIFTS

Do you know ANYONE who can't use a calendar? I doubt it...

So, here are just a very few of my favorites. I've been researching these for several weeks and am trying to come up with new, fun and just a little quirky ideas for you! It's not too late to order. Just be quick about it.

A desk calendar perhaps?

etsy

ginabdesigns

postcard desk calendar from SureAsBlue

Or a fun wall calendar?

etsy

etsy

zazzle

Santa: Are you looking/listening? This is the one I want! A write on wall calendar for my new kitchen!!

Please.......!

snowandgraham

moma

hamblystudios

(my personal all-time favorite: I've had one of these in my studio for at least ten years. They are so easy to read)

A tea towel calendar perhaps?

etsy

ThreeBySea on etsy

cicadastudios

This is just a small, small sampling of what is available. As you can see, many come from Etsy...a great source for any and all handmade and artisanal products in almost any category. If you don't already know it, go visit!