Happy Halloween!!

I awoke to a very erie foggy morning. What a perfect Halloween day. I had a plethora of ideas for Halloween costumes: a kangaroo with Camille as my joey, a web and Camille as the spider, a family of whoopie cushions, a monkey and Camille would be my banana. However, Brad found the cutest costume for Camille so we built our outfits around her costume. She is going as a cob of corn and we are going as corn farmers.

(Brad isn't just any corn farmer, check out his t-shirt.)

We love seeing people's costumes!! Here's one of my sister Lisa's family.

One man's trash...

For my 26th birthday/Christmas/you just had a baby present, Brad bought me the treadmill that I've always wanted. After getting the treadmill set up in the basement in front of the big screen (that's the only way to exercise!) we were left with a ginormous box in the garage. Brad hates to throw away big boxes (We still have the box our 5 year old TV came in) and asked me what we should do with it. Thinking about our attempt to organize the garage I suggested just cutting it up and throwing it away. It's too big to pack anything in besides pillows because you'd never be able to lift it. So, Brad grabbed a knife and decided to start the deconstruction process. Well, after the first cut (a big square out of the middle) we both knew we couldn't say good-bye because standing in front of us was no longer a big box but the beginning of a fort. Brad continued to sculpt the fort, a front door with a handle and another window. Then to put the finishing touches on he placed a Steelers mat in front of the door. We knew this would make our garage the place to be.



Well, our vision was correct! This weekend our friends, Steve and Erin, came with their kids, Kurtis and Kylee (two of our favorite little people) and we had a great time in the fort. Kurtis even mowed the "lawn" in front of his "house" and went and got the "mail". Kylee seemed to like it too. Brad and Erin even made visits to the new neighbors. Oh the fun you can have with a little bit of garbage!

Food Glorious Food

This is one of my favorite soups to make on a dreary fall day. (We had this when we were in Hungry and this recipe is actually very authentic!)

Hungarian Gulyas or Goulash

Ingredients:
1 lb beef chuck cut into 1” squares (I use left over Sunday roast or just cook some chicken)
2 tsp salt
2 medium onions diced
2 Tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
1 Tablespoon paprika (or more if you like)
3 medium carrots
1 quart water
4 medium potatoes diced into ¾ inch chucks
¼ tsp. black pepper (or to taste)

Optional ingredients (I always use these)
1 ½ to 2 cups sour cream
2 medium cans of tomato sauce

Directions:
Mix the salt into the beef cubes
Brown the onions in oil. Add the beef and paprika. Let the beef simmer in its own juices for about 1 hour.
Add the sliced carrots and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the water and diced potatoes and remaining 1 ½ tsp salt, the tomato sauce, and sour cream. Simmer until the potatoes are done; add the black pepper. Add dumplings
(Also easy in a crock pot!)

Egg Dumpling dough for the Gulyas

3 eggs
3 cup flour
1 Tablespoon salt
½ cup water

Directions
Make while the beef is simmering
Mix all the ingredients together and beat with a spoon. It will make stiff dough. Place the dough mound on a cutting board and slice small sections of dough off with a knife or spoon. (About the size of a quarter) Cook these dumplings about 15 minutes or so in a pot of boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water. Serve the cooked dumplings in the cooked gulyas.

Trying something new

My friends must think my life is interesting because in the last week I've had 3 of them tell me I should start a blog. So, since I have so much "extra" time on my hands, I thought I would.
I can't even manage to keep the checkbook balanced so I don't know why I think I have time to blog. (It's like an electronic journal so I don't have to feel completely guilty about using my precious time on a blog, Right?) I can't promise anything funny or witty but I'm willing to try...