Best $3 Lunch

This "feast" is only $3 at Trader Joe's. I can only eat half of it at a time so it is an even better deal!!

Yum, Yum...falafel

I am on the hunt for a good, easy recipe to make it.

{here is proof of my food perfectionism. I have to separate the balls to ensure every bit has the same amount.}

Hummus, falafel balls, cilantro-type salad. So delicious!

Purple Inspired dinner

Since I was home all day during January, I had to do some fancy cooking! I was really craving my favorite Purple dinner. So I looked up a few recipes to make the AWESOME tomato soup. Of course, I created my own recipe from a few different ones.

San Marzano Soup

{yes, you have to eat a chunk of the bread when you leave the grocery store :) }

1 28 oz. can of  tomatoes {I read you have to get San Marzano}
1 shallot or onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
4 oz  C red wine 
4-6oz chicken stock
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
8 basil leaves
olive oil

Preparation:

1. Saute onion & garlic in olive oil in pot slowly until translucent and softened substantially.

2. Add tomatoes and the stock & wine. With a wooden spoon, squish the tomatoes down against the wall of the pot. Stir in basil. Bring to a point where the soup is almost boiling and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 - 60minutes to let the soup thicken. {smell the wonderful soup!}

3. Pour into blender. Blend the soup until all the tomatoes are pureed and the soup is has a smooth consistency. {I poured it back into the pot until Nate got home}

Notes:
I would probably use only chicken stock next time. I don't care for the wine taste. Don't cook too long or it will end up like Pizza Hut dippin' sauce. Or add more stock. {We tried to eat it as left overs. Didn't work so well. Maybe we could have added more stock when we reheated}

Chopped Salad

romaine lettuce

avocado

roasted red bell peppers

bacon

garbanzo beans

blue cheese 

vinegar and oil

Chop lettuce. Chop roasted red peppers. Chop avocado. Add to bowl. {I eyeball for how much of each ingredient to add.} Mix. Serve

Grilled Cheese

...I think this is self explanatory :)

Dinner served :)

 

Nate enjoyed it so much! He even said..."this is so good. can you stay home all the time?"

Why, yes! I would love too!!

Snow...Again!

Look at how much snow we got Wednesday night!! I'm sure y'all in Montana are jealous...hehe! I, like always, love it when we get snow. When Seattle gets snow, it also gets sunshine. SNOW BABY SNOW!

However, I did not like my cold vehicle. We are in the middle of house projects and the garage is full of ceiling tiles. Yes, we are painting our ceiling tiles. Who doesn't like the not-so-obvious speckle in the ceiling tiles you ask? That would be the husband. Anything to make a project last longer than it should ;)

Posting photos soon!

January Update

Not a whole lot has been happening in our neck of the woods, hence the lack of posts!
January was an up and down month for Nate and I.

The downs- I was unemployed. Ok, so maybe there is only one, but it really put a damper on us all month.

The ups - TheHomeMag - Seattle is finally owned by corporate in Florida! {yay! I will get paid for my work and I won't be the only one in the office!} They hired me... :)...My birthday...I set up a business license for my freelance work {one step closer to becoming a millionaire..I can dream, right ;) }

Here is the only photo from January. My friends made breakfast burritos and we watched some TV together! A wonderful Tuesday night birthday, just the way I like it :)

While I was unemployed I sat at the kitchen table every day, all day researching web tutorials, jobs and finding inspiration. I had a buddy next to me the entire time. He sure knows how to get a smile on my face!

He was taking a nap and wagging his tail :) His tail normally doesn't stop wagging. Very happy dog!