A10CalGal

Quote: Originally Posted by Rachelle E. Ok, the brie/artichoke recipe sounds AMAZING!!!! omg.... Ummm, yeah. Pretty much anything with brie is great in my book...but put it with chokes & I am THERE!!! To bad I can't get fresh artichokes like I used to. They are like $3 a piece here & not so great in the quality department

Thanks ladies. I'm thinking of buying some accent pillows in fun colors. These silk pillows in aqua are on sale at overstock.com...

I've had (ok WE'VE had) project overload ever since getting married a little over a year ago. Relocating to WA, building a house, moving into a house...now decorating a house. All good stuff though. It's definitely nice to be on the other side of it now. I'm ready for a little chill time....and a vacation!

OMG, that was great. Who wears four shirts?? Who cares, glad someone captured it for us to laugh at!

I was going to say, we "test drove" a Sleep Number bed before just settling on a memory foam topper. I think the main benefit of the bed (other than it's a NEW mattress!) is that each of you can choose your firmness/softness. My BFF has this bed and absolutely LOVES it. The pump on it went out not long after purchasing, and the Sleep Number people took care of it right away for no charge.

Oh wow...note to self: no passing out on new leather couch when any stamps present on body.

Also, love the stuffed choke recipe Jamy! For other choke recipe inspiration, see this link Welcome to OceanMist This one sounds scrumptious: Artichoke Stuffed with Brie Source: Bistro 110, Chicago, Illinois Ingredients 1 large Ocean Mist Artichoke 2 ounces brie 1 tablespoon chopped shallots 4 ounces white wine 8 ounces butter (1/4 inch slices) 2 ounces whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar squeeze of lemon juice salt and pepper to taste Directions Cut off the top and bottom of the Artichoke. Cook it in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until the bottom is easy to pierce with a fork. Run Artichoke under cold water to stop the cooking process. When cool enough to handle, cut the inner choke away from the Heart. Cut the brie into 1/2" chuncks. Place the brie into the Artichoke and throughout the leaves. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until the brie is melted (approximately 10 minutes). To make the mustard sauce, combine shallots and white wine in a saucepan over high heat. Slowly add the butter and remove from heat. Then add mustard, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice to the mixture. Drizzle mixture over Artichoke and serve.

How did I miss this thread Here's a great choke & pasta recipe I posted in another thread: Here's an awesome baby artichoke & pasta recipe I learned from my days in the 'choke business. It is SO yummy. Penne Pasta with Artichokes, Parmesan and Sausage Source: Ocean Mist Farms Serves: 6 Ingredients 4 sweet Italian sausages 1 large chopped Onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 18 Ocean Mist Baby Artichokes, prepared 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken broth 12 oz. penne pasta cooked al dente 4 Tablespoons butter 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley salt and pepper to taste Directions In a large stainless steel or enameled skillet, sauté the sausage over moderately high heat until it is browned, add the Onion and garlic, and cook over moderate heat, stirring until the Onion is golden. Add the prepared Baby Artichokes (See Baby Artichokes), the wine and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the Artichoke Hearts are tender. Cook the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the juices have thickened slightly. Keep warm and covered. Serve over fettuccine, cooked al dente, tossed with the butter and Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley. Here is the method for preparing baby chokes prior to using for any recipe After rinsing, snap off the lower petals until you reach the yellow-green core. Use a knife and cut off the top half inch of the Baby Artichoke, or just below the green tips of the petals. Trim the stems and all remaining dark-green areas from the base. Slice, halve or quarter per your recipe directions or preference. Tip: To preserve the color, immediately soak prepared Baby Artichokes in acidulated water (water with lemon juice or vinegar) until you are ready to cook with them to prevent browning caused by oxidation. (Optional) **If you need pics of what they should look like, go here Baby Artichokes - A Completely Edible Treat!

Quote: Originally Posted by DougsGirl wow that's a crazy good deal! right on girl! and wow jeez i hope you didnt get white Well, I did get white honey! But with leather it's not a biggy imo. But now I've probably jinxed myself.... This couch is for our living area that is adjacent to the kitchen. I needed something really modern to work, and this really fits the bill. It's great to have a place to sit in front of the fire now. I also got a great coffee table & armoir. I swear I will post real pics once Comcast gets their heads out of their asses & gets our cable & internet up.

Well, I'm super bummed I can't post any pics of our actual house - we still don't have internet access...ergo can't upload pics & post to BDW. GRRRR. However, I did buy a new couch this weekend, luckily it's up on Macy's website, so here's a link.... Macy*s - Furniture - Vice Versa Modular Tufted-Leather Living Room Furniture Collection I am super stoked because I got 5 pieces for $600 at auction!!! Retail would have been $4300 for the two corner pieces, two armless chairs & one ottoman. Hell ya!!!

Congrats Kate!! I am so glad he was still able to surprise you a bit, even with all of your suspicions!

Lovely home Becks! Fingers crossed for you on a smooth successful deal.

Oh Tammy... You are such a good mommy. I am sad for you every time you "lose" a foster...but I'm sure her new home will be awesome.

OMG, you guys are killing me! Mummergirl - I can't believe you fricking fell off the boat! I bet that hurt real bad the next day. I've been on a booze cruise in Cabo & it was just a hot sweaty mess of drunken debauchery ala girls gone wild. Totally fun for sure, but not something I would have wanted to expose my wedding guests to.

OMG Tammy, Elsie is such a doll face. I love all of those pics of her you shared - dirty look & all! Hugs to you in advance, because I know it's tough to let her go

Ugg Abbie, I totally missed this! Can you believe this stupid weather? A fifty fricking degree swing from last weekend...what the?? Anyway, I'm glad you guys rescheduled your e-pics, even though that means you have to wait longer to see them. We want you having some semblance of spring weather for your spring engagement pics! I will do a sunshine dance for you tomorrow while it's snowing.

Quote: Originally Posted by LC_Rachel LOL- oh great. It's "storybook Rachel." I talk to much too. I'm surprised more people don't call me this. They probably just talk about it behind my back. Oh shut it! You are awesome & great...you make me laugh every time I read a post of yours. I love it!

Sweet! Another great picture story by Rachel. Loving it!

Quote: Originally Posted by Dbell As a mother of a teenager, most of the time, they are not thinking of the big picture all the time. I will pray that it all works out! Exactly! It still totally sucks though. I swear, asking a million times isn't good enough with teens....although I still think the 'rents should have figured this one out well in advance. No matter what, your wedding will be great though...BM or no BM.

Lucky girl with a 3 day bachelorrette celebrations! Tear it up sister! And def make sure you document well ala LC Rachel

What a bunch of crap! Fight the power! I totally agree with posting your ass off about this - it is shady business practices with the sole intention ripping people off. The only way it will ever change is that they hear an earful about it from all directions...and it affects their bottom line.

Dear obnoxiously loud talking co-worker, WHY WHY WHY do you have to talk SOOOO loud I don't understand it. I know you have to be on the phone all day, but do we all have to be right there with you? I get paid way too much money to not be able to get my work done while you chatter at the top of your lungs. Shut the fuck up!!! Thank you, Quiet Accounting Chick in the corner

Glenda - I was at the hair salon last night & saw an article in the April issue of Ladies Home Journal about this exact subject! Craziness. Anyway, they discuss the pros & cons of all possible methods of getting out of debt trouble, including debt consolidation. I didn't fully absorb the article, so I won't try to summarize...just thought I would throw this out there.

OMG. My first thought was this has to be a hoax, but Christine covered that with the snopes entry. The simple fact that this is even an idea that might have sort of happened is sickening. The picture on snopes made me ill. I hate people sometimes.

Super smart answer Janet - I totally agree with you! Especially the part about living below your means to get ahead. Sometimes you just can't have all the things that "look good" because it drags you down financially. It's amazing how many possibilities open up when you place limits on yourself (i.e. no more Starbucks = $4.50/day = $135/month = $1600+/year)