Monday, October 09, 2006

Yummy, yummy!

Guess what! I spent $2,239.00 today!! Wahoo!!!!!!!!

You know what makes that great? I spent it on airplane tickets!! I'm headed home, baby! Oh yeah, my family is coming too, we'll be spending the holidays with family and enrolling Emma in Kindergarten in Oregon for the spring term. Jason will have to return here for a couple of months, but then he'll join us and in May will start a new job somewhere in Oregon or Washington.

I was higher than a kite earlier, once I had the tickets in hand. Then I started feeling depressed. It's hard to wait, I want to be there NOW! We want to go to the ocean, drive through a coffee kiosk, wear jeans and flannel shirts everyday, and so much more. It will be hard on Jason, leaving us there to finish up his job here and put the house on the market. But I know the time will fly!

The best part of going home? Well, other than being surrounded by family, of course. The food!! Let's see, what am I going to (politely) ask Mom to make? Apple pies (her specialty), enchiladas, canned spaghetti with fresh cabbage (Yuk, you say? Sorry, it's a family tradition from her childhood. Just the thought of it makes my mouth water!), homemade chicken soup, and Jello with fruit inside. Most everything else, I make myself, but those are a few that I always ask of her.

Hungry? Here's a recipe for some mashed potatoes I made last week. YUM!!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes - serves 6

3 lb. red potatoes
1 whole head garlic
1 Tbs. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 C. milk, warmed
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg.
2. Place potatoes in large saucepan & cover w/ water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover & cook 25 minutes (or until tender). Drain & let cool. Remove & discard skins, if desired. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Cut 1/4" from top of garlic head to expose cloves. Place head, root end down, in a small baking dish. Add broth & drizzle w/ oil. Cover w/ foil & bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil & back 5 - 10 minutes, until cloves are very soft. Remove from oven. Using a wooden pick, remove cloves from their skins & add to the potatoes.
4. Add the milk, butter, salt & pepper. With an electric mixer on medium speed or w/ a potato masher, mash the mixture until smooth.

Serve immediately, or brown in oven for 5 minutes just before serving.

YUM!! Hungry now, must go forage for food!

10 comments:

Dave said...

I have not thought about, nor eaten, the canned spaghetti/cabbage combo of which you speak in a very, very long time. I'll leave it at that.

As to the rest, I'm excited for you! Good luck with all the preparations. It will be time to go before you know it.

Elizabeth said...

okay, those sound super duper good!

ArtcTrish said...

Oh, that sounds like it would be yummy with my meatloaf! I know you are excited...I can hear you squeling from here!!!

loonyhiker said...

I love anything with garlic! Yumm! Now I wish I had time to make some but it is almost bed time. Maybe tomorrow.

Jenny said...

Wow how kewl to be moving home I can imagine you are so excited. Can't wait to see what photos you will make as I've never been to Oregon.

Unknown said...

Jumping up and down for you. Glad to hear it is getting closer. And thanks for the recipe. Will have to try that one out soon. (Like while Nuke is still here)

Glynis said...

Sounds delicious!! I'm going to try these...and I love the new header of your blog, Meg--gorgeous!

Glynis said...

Oh, yeah--and lucky you getting to go HOME!!!

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Congrats on moving home! I don't really want to think about the canned spaghtti/cabbage thing...I have cabbage issues from my own childhood.

Karen said...

So happy for you Meg. Don't let the wait get you down. Enjoy all the planning time you've got to think about all the things you want to do on the trip home.
Great recipe. Mash potatoes are one of my all time favourite comfort foods.