Post #198: Thanksgiving

We had planned to go to Des Moines for Thanksgiving, where we usually see my uncle's family.  His neighbor has also joined for a number of years, and we have a nice tradition built there.  We decided to change our plans at the last minute due to the weather.  We went to Sioux City instead and had a nice long weekend with the other side of the family.

It wasn't until Thanksgiving dinner that I realized how much I missed the little specific things that I associate with Thanksgiving, only because of going to my uncle's for all those years.  His neighbor always brings spinach-egg casserole and pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust.  My aunt and uncle always make carrot souffle.

Vegetarian Wellingon cross sectional study

We did have some amazing meals, mostly crafted by my husband. The pièce de résistance was this Vegetarian Wellington. It is thyme-roasted carrots, wrapped in duxelles (which is a mixture of mushrooms, onions, shallots, and herbs sautéed in butter, and reduced to a paste), wrapped in a cashew bean mixture, wrapped in puff pastry. For the record, there was also Beef Wellington.

Vegetarian Wellingon dressed with a side of Brussels sprouts 

This was all topped with the most amazing red wine reduction sauce. It blew my mind-hole! It was a culinary triumph. Miss E even ate it, sans wine reduction. She has expensive tastes, and she likes umami.
--吴碧芙

Post #197: Owl organizing

Before: cluttered

After: organized

Tuesday is my day off, and today I decided to focus my attention on cooking and cleaning.  

The cooking is taking care of itself.  I'm making Slow Cooker Lentil Chili, with a few secret extra ingredients.  I used the Vitamix to chop the veggies, and sauteed them last night, and threw them in the slow cooker this morning.  Dinner done!

Next, I tackled this 3-foot counterspace, which was cluttered mostly by things that needed to be put away...and old mail.  I got a little owl planter at Hobby Lobby, and it fit my criterion of "functional owl items."  It is able to contain all of our binder clips (butterfly clips), while also looking cute.  In our kitchen, we use binder clips for everything, so now they have a home.

--吴碧芙