Spagetti Tacos

My husband emailed me this article today from the New York Times featuring a new food phenomenon among kids today, Spaghetti Tacos.

Yet here is the thing. My family was eating spaghetti tacos for as long as can remember! I have even blogged about it before here. I'm not exactly sure where or how the tradition began. It may have started with my grandmother. However, whenever we had spaghetti my Mom would make extra sauce and the next day we would have spaghetti sauce tacos. So yummy! In face I think I may need some spaghetti tacos soon.

Gallery Wall

I love gallery walls. In our apartment I had a great one in the living room over the couch. We moved into our house in May and I have been planning to get one up for months now. A few weeks ago we finally got around to it. Because we live with another couple I wanted this gallery wall, which is in our living room, to be a mixture of pictures from all of us. I also wanted a mix of old and new, art, photography and family pictures. I think it turned out really well.

My favorite picture is the oval frame in the center. It is a photograph taken in 1945 of my grandmother and her sister. My grandmother, on the right, is 9 years old. Growing up this photo, still in its original frame, was in my grandmother's house and everyone always said that it looked like me. My Mom gave this to me after she died a couple of years ago. My other grandmother is on the far right. This is her graduation picture. And this particular copy, given to me by my grandfather, is signed be her to him. It is such a classic beautiful picture I just love it.

What are your thoughts on gallery walls? Do you have one?

Views of our Kitchen on a Sunday Afternoon

Fall is definitely here. Temperatures are starting to fall at night and the slugs and snails have returned to wreak havoc upon our garden. It was for this reason that I decided to make chow chow yesterday afternoon. I had some of this wonderful green tomato relish in Tennessee a couple of years ago and have been wanted to make it ever since. By far the best chow chow I had was at Martha's at the Plantation, at Belle Meade. Sadly Martha's has since closed but lucky for me I have the cookbook which has her amazing chow chow recipe. Because one kitchen project is just not enough for a Sunday afternoon I also embarked upon a huge pot of warm comfy fall soup for lunches this week, and while I was at it dinner also simmered on the stove.

Tomatoes from our garden turning red

Successfully canned chow chow

My favorite easy pasta, roasted red pepper and sausage pasta.

This is a great pasta recipe that I came up with a few years ago when my Mom bought me a huge package of Italian sausage at Costco.

Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Pasta

3 links of Italian sausage, casing removed

1 onion chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup roasted red peppers chopped up

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cans tomatoes, or 4 cups fresh tomatoes chopped or combination

1/2 cup broth, red wine, or water

pasta of your choice

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in pan, when hot add sausage and onion. Break up sausage while it cooks, when sausage is mostly brown add garlic, cook a few more minutes breaking up sausage. Add broth or wine, scrape all bits of bottom of pan, season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, roasted peppers, herbs and pepper flakes. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, simmer 30-40 minutes. Add more broth or water if sauce gets too thick. Cook pasta according to directions, top with sauce and serve with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

One of the Perks

One of the many exciting things about my new job is the need to buy clothes. At my old job I only wore business attire when I had meetings or hearings. If I was just in the office working I was able to wear jeans. This allowed me to have a much smaller work wardrobe and rely on my favorite jeans a lot of days. This will not be the case at my new job. I must wear business attire every day including Fridays. This means I truly need to buy some clothes. The other day Ann Taylor Loft was having a sale, 25% of your entire purchase, so I popped over on my lunch hour and got a few things. Ann Taylor is my favorite place to shop for work clothes because they have cute yet professional options and they always carry them in petite. One of the things I picked up was this skirt.

I wore it for the first time today and it is fabulous! It fits wonderfully, looks amazing and is comfortable. The tucked waist and ribbon waistband gives it a really great edge without detracting from it's professionalism. And the grey tweed fabric is versatile enough for a lot of wear. Ann Taylor Loft is continuing their fall sale in store and online making this a great deal if you are in need of some new work clothes this fall.

The best soup

I want someone to make me this soup!

My housemate Jessica is sick and this morning I woke up with a rotten sore throat and headache. This delicious chicken soup with Chinese mustard greens is the perfect fall /winter soup especially when you are sick. Mustard greens are one of those greens you can get all year. It is a fresh and light soup full of healthy ingredients. This picture is from when I made it a few weeks ago when Mr. P had a cold and I made it for him.

Chicken and Chinese mustard green soup
1 whole chicken
4 stalks lemon grass
2 stalks celery
2 bunches fresh Chinese mustard greens, purple mustard greens or bok choi
salt and pepper
2 jalapenos
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 lime

Fill large pot 3/4 way full of water. Add lemon grass and whole celery stalks. Bring to boil, simmer 30 minutes. Add whole chicken. Bring back to boil, add salt, simmer 45 minutes until cooked. Remove chicken, celery and lemon grass. While chicken cools. Finely chop jalapeno and cilantro. Mix together in bow. Add salt and juice of the lime. Set aside. Pull meat off of chicken and return it to pot. Bring back to boil add greens. Simmer greens a few minutes until cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Serve soup in bowls. Garnish each bowl with jalapeno cilantro mixture.

To make this a heartier soup you can add cooked brown rice in at the end.

*adapted from Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis

Exciting News

Last week Mr. P and I had some really exciting news. We found out that Mr. P passed the bar exam! I am so proud of Chris for all of his hard work and dedication. And I know he is SO relieved that he doesn't have to retake that test!

Also this week I was offered a new job! As I mentioned on this blog, in January my hours were cut and I have been working with a 20% pay cut for the past 9 months. My current job also is not very secure and I was looking another potential cut this year. Since January I have been searching for a new job, applying and interviewing for jobs. I have been turned down for some really good jobs and it's been a very difficult process. The position I have accepted is the Director of Business Advocacy for the Chamber of commerce. It is an amazing opportunity for me. It will be a very challenging position and probably a lot of hours. But the Chamber is an organization I have a lot of respect for. The issues I will be working on are important ones. I am truly excited for the challenge. I am so thankful to God for providing this opportunity both for my career and for Chris' and I.

A Wife of Noble Character

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her Husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all". Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31:10-31

Something to aspire to.