I also made soup

I made a really yummy Veggie Minestrone soup over the rainy weekend. It was muy tasty!

Ingredients
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small to medium onion minced
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 to 3 stocks celery chopped
- 2 to 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 small zucchini cubed
- 1 bunch kale chopped well (spinach can also be used too)
- 1/2 cup canned kidney beans drained
- 1/2 cup canned cannellini beans drained
- 1/2 cup small pasta shells
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
- 4 cups veggie stock or broth (1 box)
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 small can tomato sauce
- a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
- a pinch or 2 of red pepper flake
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Saute onions until translucent.

- Add garlic, carrots, celery and cook for another 5 minutes.

- Add zucchini and cook 5 more minutes.

- Add kale and stir with cooked veggies. The kale will wilt quickly. Add kidney and cannellini beans and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flake and nutmeg.

- Stir in the large can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and veggie stock. Cover and allow to come to right before a boil. Add the pasta and cover again for 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and check that pasta is cooked.

- Add parsley, stir and serve! (with bread, crostini, crackers..)


*I made Crostini by slicing store bought ciabatta bread into 1 inch pieces and baking in a toaster oven on each side for 4 minutes.

I met a dinosaur

We went for a long walk on the pier at the beach and met this guy, up close and personal and he was amazing.


I have never seen a pelican so close and was surprised that he was unfazed and relatively calm about so many people taking his picture. He also opened his HUGE beak and showed us his throat pouch, but the camera missed that shot.


As we walked further down the pier, we came across a few more pelicans. They were less colorful, but just as comfortable in our presence.

We got to the end of the pier and watched the waves and occasional swimmer and surfer before we headed back and ran into our first pelican buddy in his same resting spot.

I guess I'm on a video kick

This is David. He is on the way home from the dentist, where he had some type of oral surgery. I have watched this video wayyy too many times, but it's just so funny. I almost feel a little evil that I laugh so hard.

Watch Me

This video breaks my heart. If it makes you feel the same, please visit Courage Campaign and let California know.

La-De-Da

I have been featured in a fabulous blog among some extremely gifted jewelry artists. (That's me in the top right.)

It is truly an honor to have my jewelry included in such a luscious collection. Be sure to check out the authors etsy shop.

Wow

This story is absolutely amazing! Everything past this point of my post has been taken directly from TMZ. Yes, I am apparently a lazy blogger.

HERO
Chesley B. Sullenburger III -- the pilot of flight 1549.


Career highlights -- Flew F-4s for the U.S. Air Force from 1973 to 1980. Flight Leader and Training Officer with experience in Europe, Pacific and at Nellis AFB, serving as Blue Force Mission Commander in Red Flag Exercises.

Sullenburger spent years as an Air Line Pilots Association Local Air Safety Chairman, national technical committee member and accident investigator -- where he participated in several NTSB investigations of major aircraft accidents.

The last Scrabble game of 2008

I lost this game by nearly 100 points. Some would think that would be a painful defeat. Not me, I've had lots of practice.


I failed to win once in 2008. No, I'm not kidding. The BF won every s-i-n-g-l-e Scrabble match we played. There was one time he only beat me by 2 points.

So my 2009 New Year's Resolution is to improve my Scrabble skills. Maybe there is a Scrabble crash course that guarantees to teach you the secret tricks to destroy your competition. I will shamelessly accept any tips you may have, because I am serious about this year's resolution.