I'm dreaming of a white January....wait, what?

Christmas came and went. We spent a lot of time in St. Louis with Brett's family. We went to the zoo at night to see all the Christmas lights they put up. We also went to the Lewis and Clark boat house where they set out on their expedition across the West to find the Pacific Ocean. Finally we went to Springfield, Illinois to tour some of the Abraham Lincoln museums and tourist centers.

very large insect on this man's hat at the zoo

Brett standing where President Lincoln gave his famous speech "A house divided cannot stand!"

Me playing the 150-yr-old piano - totally awesome moment in my life!

Brett in front of Abraham Lincoln's law office

New Years was a big game party. Brett played basketball all night. I played card games with other people. P.S. We really love the Battleship game we got for Christmas. It's one of our favorite games to play together. Beforehand we played with pencil and paper - much cooler to play on the pin boards.

This week we devoured our gingerbread house. I've been contemplating taking a picture of it as it disappeared and then I decided not to, and now all the crumbs are in the trash. So, you don't get any pictures. I was surprised at how well the sugar syrup worked. That house was the sturdiest house. I think it's probably better to use that instead of royal icing to hold it together if there's going to be a lot of candy on it.

So, the biggest event this week has been the good 8 inches of snow that fell. It is so beautiful! We got a snow day because the university shut down. We tried to go outside to play in it and build a snowman, but it was way too powdery and super cold with the wind chill. Even though we layered up pretty well we were freezing within just 5 minutes. So, we ended up just clearing the snowdrift that had collected in front of our door and around our car so that it wouldn't block us in.

I finally got to try this new recipe that's been sitting on my counter, waiting for me to make it. Brett's comment upon taking the first bite was a huge compliment. It's a vegetarian stew, but certainly not lacking for flavor or any meaty texture. It is a really good soup for a very cold day. Here is my adaptation:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/452119250063348750/

Veggie Pasta Stew

Serves 8
3 sliced mushrooms
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic or a dash of garlic powder
2 bay leaves
5 cups water
2 Tbsp chicken bouillon
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1 potato, diced (I really didn't think this soup needed it - it can be optional)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup dry fusilli spiral pasta or macaroni noodles
1/3 cup mild salsa
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (don't miss this one! it gives the soup a great kick)
1/4 tsp salt
1 can cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard...)
cayenne pepper to taste

In a large pot saute onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender.
Add all the other ingredients except the beans and the leafy greens. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover. Simmer 15 minutes. Taste test for spice levels.
Add the beans and greens. Remove the bay leaves. (I tried to eat one of those once and it was like trying to eat a piece of bark.)