Happy Home

This weekend we had a housewarming party/birthday party for DH. When I finally find 1) a USB cord that attaches to my camera or 2) the tiny memory card adapter that's probably buried in some weird place I put it to "keep it safe" for the move, I will post pictures, promise. I feel as frustrated as the rest of you. Know that the house looks lived in and put together, and that's partially due to the fact that we now have a basement and large cupboards, both lovely places to stash stuff for visitors so it looks like you live there and have some of your crap put together. Now we've moved on to the "where did I shove that _______ that I hid for the party?" phase. I'm sure I'll find everything I need within the next five years. Or I won't and I'll get over it.

I admit I had such fun showing our place to our friends who could come, and they all oohed and ahhed in just the right places and even brought us lovely gifts. Savoryandsweet and her husband brought a delicious green salad with tomatoes from their garden and an absolutely mouthwatering cake that I think she should post the recipe to. Plus they brought us our wedding present (a mandoline--the cooking appliance, not the musical instrument) now because she thoughtfully realized we wouldn't want to pack it. I second this: I still have a box filled with other wedding presents still in their respective boxes. As I said, give it five years. We had to crock pot it again, but as a result I have a super easy recipe to share:

• 8 cu. cauliflower florets (about one large bunch)
• 1 jar cheddar cheese pasta sauce (Ragu makes one)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed (and if you know an easy way to do this that does not involve mortar and pestle, let me know. But I do want a mortar and pestle. They're just cool.)
• Put all these ingredients together in a crock pot on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-3 1/2. Add pepper before serving. How mind-numbingly simple is that for a side? And everyone liked it.

So, yes, we had a lovely evening with good food, good folks, and good fun. It eclipsed the fact that the Bills' performance today has me wondering if we should rename them the Fragile Porcelain Mice because we already have so many injuries. Eat your Wheaties, drink your milk, do something to toughen up, for the love of Mike. At least hockey's on its way.

Now I'm off to plan the week because, hey, it's 8:10 on a Sunday night and my time's running out. Oops. Do as I say, not as I do--I always tell the students to avoid exactly this. Have a good Monday, people.