Hello Friends!
I hope you're having a quiet, relaxing Sunday! I am. I took a quick 17-second video of the pets this morning, I love when they all hang out with me! :)
It's kind of a yucky day outside today. Our big predicted snowstorm turned into rain and it's a SLUSHY MESS out there. It's a good day to test if you have holes in your boots that's for sure!! The dogs didn't care so much, they were sniffing around for forest critters!
I mentioned on my Thoughts Blog yesterday that I was making a big ol' Italian dinner last night! It turned out so delicious. I'd kind of lost my kitchen mojo for the last few months, but I'm slowly but surely finding it again!
For the main course, I made pasta. Alex really likes my Linguine Puttanesca. I can't digest the Kalamata olives so I made myself something different.
My pasta was Cappellini with Fish and Olives. So fresh and yummy!
Fresh homemade bread with butter is an absolute must!!! I made my No Knead Bread - but this time I made it the same day as I started it. The recipe I usually follow indicates starting the bread on day 1, then putting it in the fridge overnight and baking it on day 2. No issues here, in fact, I noticed it rose a lot better when I baked it same day.
For dessert, I made my Italian Cheesecake with Homemade Ricotta Cheese. We had red wine with the meal, it was a great success! For so much food...it was very easy to digest! :)
A few days ago, I was playing around with some "scratchboard" style art. Scratchboard is actually done on a white canvas or surface, covered with black ink - and you scratch your design through. I used black acrylic paint as my surface and a white gel pen to scratch in my tree. :)
Here's another property I found on the realtor pages. But again, it's a property that will not suit the bank's criteria (no foundation). FIFTY acres with a little cabin for 40k. Small cottages, houses or cabins don't bother us if the price and location are right. We're always willing to build or add on over the years. Here's the link: 2749 Pleasant Ridge. (I love the name of the road too!) Gosh fifty acres of land... :)
Why does it not meet the bank's criteria?
ReplyDeleteYour dinner looks wonderful. If I could reach through the screen, that bread would be so gone! :)
Hi Sandi :) No foundation :( It's another case where I will see what they say. I sent an email on Friday to the mortgage guy asking if they would finance if we agreed to build a foundation and have the cottage/camps moved. He said it would be unlikely.
ReplyDeleteThat bread warmed up with butter...so delicious!!! :)
Great food!
ReplyDeleteyour fur babies make the best kind of pals,,that meal is amazing, and I agree, the dough always rises better after a night in the fridge, I think the long resting lets it ferment a bit and tastes all the better for it.I have never heard of scratch board art before but it looks wonderful, you are still buried in snow and so are we,, it seems to never end, we got more last night.I made bread today too, and a pot of baked beans are baking so its still winter food here, your photos are wonderful and that meal was amazing!
ReplyDeleteA great meal! The bread always makes my salivary glands kick into high gear! Follow that up with cheesecake? Oh my.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy :)
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie :) My fur babies are my best pals that's for sure! :) Honestly, this is one of the worst winters for snow, I'm sure you can agree...I think the last bad snowy winter was 6 years ago, at least here in the Laurentians. You're right, it seems never to end. Oh bread and baked beans sounds heavenly!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan :) Oh my oh my...I could live off just bread, cheese and wine lol...the cheesecake is very light since it's made with ricotta, perfect after a pasta meal! :)
ReplyDeleteBut isn't the bank criteria, wise???? That is cold, cold, cold weather up there. Certainly some sort of a foundation, is needed. Think of heating, without one.
ReplyDeleteYummmmmy dinnnnner!!!!!!
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Mamma mia! Delicioso!
ReplyDeleteHi Wisps of Words :) Honestly, not having a foundation makes no difference to me. I lived in a cottage with no foundation for a year in the Eastern Townships here. Same winters. I had a nice wood stove that heated the place really well. Rugs can be put down, crawl space insulated, pipes insulated too. Plus foundations can be added later and cottages moved if necessary. I really think the bank rules are too rigid for average folks like me!
ReplyDeleteLol Debra :) Mucho Delicioso! :)
ReplyDeleteI smiled at your comment about being able to live off of bread, cheese, and wine. Husband could live off bread, cheese, and meat. I might have some of the wine. Your bread looks so ridiculously good! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteHi Jenn :) Those are my three favourite flavours and textures!! :) Meat I can live without, your hubby can have it! The bread is awesome, especially when it's all warm...the butter soaks right in! :)
ReplyDeleteYour dinner looks amazing! That was a cute video. And you WILL find that house.
ReplyDeleteMmmmm... your picture of your no-knead bread reminds me I didn't get around to the recipes you shared last week. I'm making some Irish Soda Bread today, but soon I must make some no-knead bread. I've done it before, but it's certainly time to give it another go!
ReplyDeletehi rain! that looks like a good meal for sure! i let my no knead bread sit out overnight. i've never refrigerated it. maybe try that next time and see how it works. that is a very cute cottage!
ReplyDeleteYummy looking food. I detest olives so would have just picked them out of my dish and given them to my man. I need to get back to bread making. I miss homemade bread. Your video of your fur friends is great. I love my babies hanging out with me too.
ReplyDeleteGood looking meal. we had beef stew today, it's a blustery, cold day and that seemed right. All of our cats are confined indoors at the moment as we had a visit from red wolves today and they will eat cats. Otherwise, all is well.😁
ReplyDeleteRain,
ReplyDeleteThat's just too much snow for me! :) That meal looks fabulous, girlfriend!! I'm coming to your house for dinner. What's cookin'? I guess I better wait for the weather warm up before I head north, huh? Oh well, you're safe from unwanted dinner guests for now. lol
Interesting art play! This reminds me a bit of those old scratchboards we had as kids, except in reverse color, that had a transparent, plastic film against a black background that you used pencil shaped tool to draw with and then all you had to do was lift the film to erase the image. I couldn't remember what they're called, so I asked Google and found some pictures on Pinterest. They're called 'Magic Slate Paper Saver'. I found a neat write-up on this vintage kiddie toy, here if you'd like to check it out.
WOW, another small home with lots of land! It has to be because it's out in the middle of nowhere, right? How do real estate prices compare in or a near a metropolitan area to these little diamonds you're finding? Keep digging, you'll find your dream home soon! ;)
You are really finding some fantastic bargains when it comes to land! I guess the only way to buy something like that is with cash (which leaves most of us out). But then, maybe you two should open up a restaurant! Visiting your blog always makes my mouth water, LOL
ReplyDeleteThe food!!! Looks so delicious. If only we could reach through the screen and taste it. LOL
ReplyDeleteI just love your fur babies. They hang around you because they love to be with you!
The perfect property will show up and you'll be on your way xo
Awww...what a cute cabin. And the acreage is much more realistic than 1.5 ;) I love the indoors too. It looks cozy and sunny. Damn those banks :(
ReplyDeleteYour dinner looks so delicious !!!
Hey Rain! I have been working on this treadle sewing machine for two days, and am very behind in looking at my blogs! Your feast is lovely! I am going to try your recipe for sure! I was wondering if you have a thing we call a land contract up there. My brother in Wyoming is purchasing some acreage next to his ranch on a land contract. Their terms are that the family that live there can stay until their death, but my brother has rights to their land area. Each month he pays them the agreed upon money, and it goes toward the final purchase that they agreed on the contract. I don't know if I explained it correctly, but it's sort of like he's renting the land, but the rent each month goes on the purchase price. It makes it nice for him, so he doesn't have to come up with a lot of money, and the bank doesn't need to be involved, just a lawyer.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope you have some goodies left dear Rain, because that meal looks like something from a fine dining restaurant, and I adore the picture of all that snow! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteYour description of dinner made my mouth water, wish I was there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Becki :) I have never made Irish Soda Bread, I had it many times as a kid, but never tried it on my own! Thanks for mentioning it, I'm going to add that to my list of things I want to bake! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Joyce :) Great idea about the bread. I'm going to try that next time, it seems to rise better out of the fridge!
ReplyDeleteHi Marsha :) Thanks, the furbabes are so nice to hang out with :) I like green and black olives a lot, but the brown ones for some reason don't like me :)
ReplyDeleteHi Harry :) Oh my gosh, red wolves...I've only seen them on tv! Yes, I'd keep the cats inside too. Ours never go out! I'm glad all is well with you! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy :) Oh thank you for the fair warning about your pop in visit. :) I remember those magic slates!!! I had one too, well, I think I had several, I remember them wearing down really quickly!! :) Honestly the real estate prices don't vary too much between rural and urban in those two provinces. There is a mixed bag of all sorts of pricing. I'm still finding some nice gems, but the bank will not finance them... but we'll keep looking!!
ReplyDeleteHi Leigh :) Oh thanks Leigh! :) Yeah, that's kind of how I feel...if you don't have cash, you can't get financing for land, even a house on lots of land...sigh...we're working on something though! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Martha :) Oh thank you, I love the fur babies and I know they love me too! :) I'm still hoping the housing market will pick up soon, so far though, bubkus! :-s
ReplyDeleteHi Nik :) Yes, I agree, 1.5 acres wouldn't be enough!!! :) That cabin in very cute, small but we could build on it!
ReplyDeleteHi Dino :) Is what you brother doing kind of like a rent-to-own, yet not renting the place? People do that here, the rent-to-own, but I haven't found many who are really serious about it - the property owners that is. Most want all the money up front and don't want it in installments, but I'm leaving that option open. I'd love not to have the bank involved! I hope you try the recipe, let me know if you do!
ReplyDeleteHi RO :) Thank you so much! I loved our Italian feast! I'm working on a Greek-inspired feast now! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks John! :)
ReplyDeleteI like how each of your pets has its own spot and they're just chillin on that Sunday. Your food pics always make my mouth water.
ReplyDeleteOh dear Rain you are excellent and all rounder :)))
ReplyDeletewatch out for this YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! meal as it can be steal away by me lol
your bread is just mouth watering!
thank you for the lovely video ,how relaxing and cute :)
you are constantly in my thoughts and prayers my friend i am sure Lord will help you to have which is perfect for you !
stay strong and blessed with faith!
Hi Stefanie :) Yeah, the pets each have their place, but they all interchange throughout the day sometimes. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Baili :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, we could all use some! :) That meal was SO GOOD...my gosh, I love bread and pasta!!! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the scratch art!! I remember colouring a page then painting it over with black paint then scratching the paint off...gives a coloured effect under the scratches!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post from beginning to end, Rain! I have one piece of framed art of my own, and it's a scratchboard piece. I'm so proud of it. Your tree made me smile! Well done!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your video with all your fur babies! Such a yummy meal you made Rain! WOW!! I'm still thinking about your last post and drinking water, because I have been having bad dry mouth since winter. Maybe it's because we stopped filtering our water? Interesting! You got me thinking! Big Hugs!
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