homeless no more!

It’s been 5 weeks and 1 day since I put my 23-year-old daughter on a plane to San Francisco to begin a new job in a new city, without a place to live. What a wonderful and caring mother I am! She has been homeless ever since. OK, not living on the street-homeless, thank God! But sleeping on a friend’s couch for what will end up being 6-weeks-homeless. I also thank God for her very good and kind friend, Amanda, whose couch she sleeps on! xoxo Amanda, can’t wait to meet you.

And I will meet Amanda next weekend when Dave and I pull up in the rented U-Haul, pulling Marissa’s VW bug behind, to her new home. Marissa, Amanda, and a new friend, Jessica, found a place to live together. This was the plan all along; it’s just taken all this time to find the place and wait for it to be ready. Sleeping on a couch for 6 weeks, wasn’t part of the original plan, but I’m forever grateful that it was an option.

So, now I’m in the purging mood. Our 3rd stall garage, Marissa’s bedroom, and the upstairs playroom have had Marissa’s boxes and furniture covering the floors. There hasn’t been a couch in the playroom (in front of the best TV in the house) for 7 weeks, since we gave it to Connor to take up to Flagstaff for his new apartment, and the house has been in disarray and in a bit of a funk these past two months.

That is coming to a screeching halt. Yesterday we bought a new leather sofa and love seat for the playroom (with a total of four undetectable recliners -count them – 4!!!) We tested them out last night, and man are they comfy. Also, I’ve been going through stacks of old food magazines, purging! Boy does that feel good!

It’s bittersweet to go through the now-defunct Gourmet magazines. In the January 2008 issue, I found an easy-breezy and super yummy recipe, that I altered slightly, to share with you.  And, darling Marissa, I’ll make it for you, Amanda, and Jessica when I see you next weekend.  We can enjoy it while we move you into your new home… finally!

Pimento Cheese Spread

4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup diced roasted red pepper, well-drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crackers and/or crudites

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Mix together the cheese, paprika, mayonnaise, red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.  Place into an over-proof crock.

Place in preheated oven for 10 minutes to heat through. Turn the broiler on high and broil for about two minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Remove from oven and serve with crackers or crudites.