Laguna Beach

I know it's been a little while since I posted anything, but I have been here. This, my friends, is Laguna Beach. Beautiful isn't it? Brad and I stayed a night here during the trip we took last week. We took a little "babymoon" of sorts. We're figured we'd better take advantage of what little time we have left just the two of us. That, and we have to stay true to our six month schedule of heading down to San Diego. We flew into Long Beach this time so we could meet up with some friends in Manhattan Beach, then we drove down to this little spot for the night before continuing down to San Diego the next day. We were so pampered here! I mean serious, serious pampering. We walked in the room to this:


I think many more places should greet you with some yummy chocolate covered strawberries. I think I might have saved one for Brad. Maybe.

Mushroom Artichoke Soup

It is now officially feeling like fall outside, so inside I think I should be doing things like cooking up lots of comfort food and assembling piles of pumpkins throughout my house.  But as far as my love of pumpkins goes, that's another post for another time.  I want to share my recipe for a delicious soup with any of you mushroom lovers out there.  This is Brad's favorite soup.  He thinks it should be modified and served as a sauce over everything.  So if you like mushrooms and you are feeling like some home-cooked soup give this one a try.


MUSHROOM ARTICHOKE SOUP

1/2 LB BROWN MUSHROOMS, SLICED

1/2 LB SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, STEMMED, SLICED  

1 CUP THINLY SLICED SHALLOTS

2 LARGE CARROTS SLICED

1/4 CUP BUTTER

3 TBSP FLOUR

1/2 TSP THYME, CRUSHED

1/2 TSP GARLIC POWDER

1/4 TSP CRUSHED RED PEPPER (OPT)

2 14 OZ CANS CHICKEN BROTH

2 14 OZ CANS ARTICHOKES, DRAINED QUARTERED

1/4 CUP OIL PACKED DRIED TOMATOES, DRAINED AND CUT

1 BAY LEAF

1 CUP HALF AND HALF OR LIGHT CREAM

SAUTEE MUSHROOMS, SHALLOTS, CARROTS AND BUTTER FOR 15 MINUTES UNTIL MUSHROOMS ARE TENDER. ADD FLOUR, THYME, GARLIC, SALT, PEPPER

AND CRUSHED RED PEPPER IF DESIRED. ADD CHICKEN BROTH. COOK UNTIL

SLIGHTLY THICKENED AND BUBBLY. STIR IN ARTICHOKES AND TOMATOES AND

ADD BAY LEAF. COVER AND SIMMER FOR 15 MINUTES. STIR IN HALF AND HALF

AND HEAT THROUGH. DISCARD BAY LEAF AND SERVE.

Traveling List

I have been a serious list maker lately. Hormones maybe? Don't know, but I certainly like to sit down and make lists of just about anything. So I was constantly making this list in my head about the pros and cons of my last 'business trip.'

Pros
1) I like traveling, pretty much anywhere. If you're going somewhere, I wanna come too.
2) Kansas City is beautiful country. Rolling hills and lots of trees. Beautiful.
3) Having your very own rental car is sorta cool.
4) Navigational devices are equal parts miraculous and frustrating.
5) I felt my baby kick during every flight. She likes traveling too.
6) I got to kill some time before my flight left here. It's a whole new thing to experience it by yourself.


Cons
1) I MISSED BRAD
2) Hotel breakfast is nasty!
3) I hate smelling like airplane.
4) I thought we might die coming in with all that turbulence Tuesday night.  SCARY.  And we were in a little plane.
5) I was always a little nervous I would get lost and end up somewhere not so good.  All by myself.
6) I really wanted some of these.  Lately I can down a whole bag, no problem.  I didn't have any in my hotel room.

And once again. . . I MISSED BRAD.  I am very, very glad to be back home (well, for the next week at least) with my husband and my cheetos.  Life is good.