thanksgiving

Mr. Corners brought a little bit of home

with us to Florida . . . .

Spaghetti Squash with Artichokes

Spaghetti Squash Artichoke Gratin 

Servings: 8 {150 calories} Servings: 6 {190 calories} 

photo credit: kitchenserendipity.com

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
14 oz artichoke quarters, drained
2 teaspoons chopped sage leaves
5 cups Roasted Spaghetti Squash (see directions below)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large pot, melt 2 Tbls butter and then stir in 2 Tbls flour until a paste forms. Gradually add broth, milk, garlic and 1 tsp sage stirring continually. Bring to a low simmer, and cook until thickened, 6+ minutes.

3. Add artichokes and squash to sauce and season with salt and pepper

4. Transfer to a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

5. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon sage, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan. Sprinkle over squash.

6. Bake until top is golden brown and mixture is bubbling at edges, 20 to 25 minutes.

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave

Cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise (remove the stem first)

Scrape out the seeds and fibers using a large spoon.

Take one of the halves and put it cut-side-up in a close-fitting microwave dish. 

You want it to be as stable and as level as possible. 

If it isn't, cut a very thin strip of skin from the bottom.

Pour 1/2 cup water into the hollow of the squash itself (not into the dish), 

then place the other half on top cut-side-down.

Carefully place it in the microwave and cook on full power. 

A large squash will take about 15-20 minutes to cook.

To test for doneness, squeeze the top half gently.

If it's flexible, it's likely to be done. 

Carefully remove the top half to see if the flesh has turned 

a rich, semi-translucent yellow (as opposed to opaque yellow-white)

Drain any remaining water and pull out the strands with a fork.

collections

Throughout our marriage we have been collectors.

{baskets, candlesticks, tins, wooden bowls, R. Atkinson Fox prints, aprons, scrabble games, 

quilts, grapes,watermelons, rocking horses, vintage table cloths, gurley candles, snowmen}

Although it was fun at the time - now what do we do with it all?

As a child my mother collected for me . . .

buttons and miniature lamps.

What shall I do with all of them?

Advice to my children: Don't collect anything!

Oh - and get rid of all those things Grandma collected for you 

{clowns, ducks, horses, sheep}

Leisure House 07

Let me show you the living room in our Leisure House . . .

We created an entryway by 

positioning the sofa near the door.

{still searching for a painting to hang over this chest}

When you visit, this is what we want you to do - relax

This fun chest has interchangeable door panels.

We chose these paintings but you could also have 

bead-board or glass.

Since it is a "great room" you see all three rooms as you enter.

The sofa was the first thing we purchased so

the colors became our inspiration.

It holds a hide-a-bed with an inflatable air mattress.

We have been looking for baskets to hold 

various items without much luck so I made 

one with the perfect dimensions.

A fun tray with just the right colors.

Swivel rockers complete the seating.

For foot rests, Jim painted unfinished stools

and we found these pillows to top them off.

Gotta love that pop-of-orange.

I made all the window valances from a 

drop-cloth I purchased at Walmart.

Great texture and you can't beat the price.

The nautical clock is from the clearance section 

of a local furniture store.

I love the wooden blinds and

wish I had them up north as well.

I'd love to have you sit here and chat

while I cook you dinner.

winooski

Weekend in Vermont

{visiting Lindsay and Blaine}

more photos

{not for the faint of heart as there are many photos here}

perspective {guest post}

This is a post from my daughter's blog.
She and her family live in Cambodia.
We are so proud of her and the mission in her heart.
I hope it touches you as it did us . . . .

survival mode {perspective}

[perspective: the view from our porch as a thunderstorm rolls in ]

because it seemed that the days had been coming in frantic rushes.  there were details to remember, a farewell party to coordinate, daniel's show going late, late, late cutting into precious sleep, arranging babysitters, a saturday board meeting to chair.  round & round she goes.

& i sat in the tuk tuk & exhaled deeply. mind racing, i thought:

"we've been living in survival mode ever since cedar was born.  when will it end?"

& then i remembered.

i remembered the woman with the recycling cart & her newborn slung in a scarf between the bars that she pushed, walking the streets asking for others' trash., unable to rest - where was her maternity leave?

i remembered the boys huddled at the bus stop sniffing the glue bottle.  so young & beautiful & already longing to be numb.

i remembered our own ming kohm & how she had to leave her tiny daughters to go work in the rice fields.  how she heard their cries when a neighbor lied & told them that she was never returning.  how she showed me how she would bind her breasts so she could go the whole day without feeding her baby.

i looked down & remembered that the coffee i was drinking as i whizzed through the city costs the daily wage of the construction workers i watch from my kitchen window.

 oh, right. 

i have never, not ever, known what it is like to live in survival mode.

sometimes perspective is like a swift slap to the face. 

 [but the good kind, like the kind that snaps you out of navel gazing & jolts you into gratitude]

we live in all we seek