Spaghetti with Fake Meatballs.

Nothing exciting in my world, just a pleasant weekend

1. Slept late on Saturday.

2. Played an hour of tennis with the husband.

3. Came up with a great Spaghetti and Fake Meatballs recipe. (Recipe Below)

4. Sunday church was great (always is).


5. Tried a tasy new Curry (Chickpea & Coconut Curry) from Clean Eating.













6. Watched a really cute movie (Son of Rambow) while ironing mountains of clothes.













Now I'm at work and happy to have a job.

In case you're interested, here's a simple new recipe I concocted this weekend:


Spaghetti and FakeMeatballs:

1 lb. Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage sliced into one inch slices
1 red bell pepper chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 med. purple onion chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 T Olive Oil
1 Can Diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 t. dried Oregano
1 T. dried Basil
1 t. chili garlic sauce
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb. spaghetti cooked al dente
grated parmesan cheese (optional)


First heat a wok or dutch oven. Saute the onions and red peppers for a couple of minutes. Add the uncooked sausage pieces and cover, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes when vegetables are beginning to become transparant and sausage is cooking, add tomatoes, tomato paste, Oregano, Basil and chili garlic sauce. Simmer until flavors combine. Salt & Pepper to taste. Serve over spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan. It tastes as though you have been slaving away over meatballs, but you and I know the truth. I will be our little secret. =-)

Happy Eating!

Aunt Melissa

Fires

Hi everyone. I know family and friends are concerned, so I'm just dropping a quick line about the fires this week. Sesnon fire was visible from down the street on Monday, but it is miles away and we were luckily never in danger. The sad and unfortunate story is that more than a few people completely lost their homes and my heart and prayers are with them during this extremely difficult time.

Mom, we are fine. Although I could see flames driving home from work on Monday night, they were miles and miles away...across the valley.

Our Ionic Breeze air purifiers have done an excellent job of keeping the indoor air clean. I think not running an a/c has really helped, too. In years past the a/c brought in smoke faster than the purifiers could clean it up.

If you ever want to check on fires and their proximity to us, here's a handy link to the USGS fire maps. Of course I'm not posting my address on the blog, so it's only useful for those of you who know us personally.

Sorry, I have no photos. Luckily, by the time I got home, retrieved my camera and walked down the street to take pictures, the flames had died down and the fire was no longer visible from that vantage point. This was a happy relief, but you can find plenty of pictures and news on the kcal9 website. They continued round-the-clock coverage when other stations went back to local programming on Monday evening.


It's late and past my bedtime, so I'll say sweet dreams to all.

Love you Mom.

=)

Aunt Melissa

wow, surprise in the hallway

I don't think I mentioned that my new office is across the hall from a casting agency... a couple of weeks ago, we saw scores of the the cutest sets of twins here to audition for something...

Well, I just took a quick break to pop down the hall and there are 3 or 4 attractive men standing around dressed in business attire and practicing lines.

=)

to all my single friends..... Today would be a great day to stop by for lunch.

Have a happy Monday everyone.

Aunt Melissa

October, My favorite month of the year.

Forget all the stress and bad news! I'm posting today to talk about some of my favorites.

This is one of my favorite views on PCH 1. I don't see it on my daily commute, because it's a little further North; but I must say, my new drive to work is stunning. I've lived in LA for 13 years now, and for the first time I actually get to see the ocean every day I go to work. The drive over the mountain feels like I'm going camping (my favorite). I pass my favorite breakfast cafe (Pat's Topanga Grill) and then minutes later I'm watching the sun rise across the Pacific. Lovely, lovely, indeed.





Favorite Commute:

So what if money's tight, jobs are uncertain, the economy is in a tailspin, my tiny 401K is disappearing before my eyes.... I can roll down the windows and smell the ocean before work. The great thing about commuting over a mountain with no cell phone or radio coverage? You guessed it, there are no distractions from the scenery and fresh air.

I'm very tempted now with the prospect of one day loading up the bicycle on the bike rack to take a bicycle ride on the beach at sunset. It's getting harder and harder to make it home in time to play tennis before dark (and we were just getting started!). Doesn't matter, October's still my favorite month of the year, shortening days or no.


This is me driving home. Sun is setting in my eyes and none of the other photos came out sharp, but that tiny patch of blue on the left side of my head is the ocean. Sitting in traffic, somehow doesn't bother me anymore. Go figure!














Continuing my list, here's one of my favorite dogs. This little lady is my best friend's dog, Mandy. Mandy will soon be sporting a hot pink doggie sweater knitted by yours truly. Hopefully upon delivery we can both a) find better lighting and b)convince her to hold still for one split second so that you can see how pretty she looks in pink.




Okay, for my next to last favorite thing from today..
at left is the apple pie I baked before church this morning...
It isn't the prettiest pie I've ever made by any stretch of the imagination, but it is plenty good. The great mystery is how, with only me and my husband in the house, somehow half of it is already gone. hmmm... ?

My next favorite thing today will be singing practice tonight at church. That's always the high point of my week. This morning we sang "Thy Word" by Amy Grant. I love that song and every time I hear it or I read Psalms 119:105, I think of my Daddy. I was probably 6 years old, it was a Saturday night and I was completing my bible study homework for Sunday school the next day. My memory verse was Psalms 119:105 and it didn't make any sense at all to my 6 year old mind. Why do our feet need light? Don't we see with our eyes? It seemed very cryptic to me... so my sweet Daddy took off his socks, rolled up his pant legs, picked up a lamp from the bedstand, turned off the overhead light and switched on the lamp, holding it just over his feet. I remember so clearly the image of his bare feet and the arch of light falling ahead and illuminating a path before him. In an act so simple, he brought this abstract thought to my 6 year old brain. I got it and I will ever be greatful for a Daddy who loves God and loved me enough to share God's word with me. Come to think of it, that story qualifies as one of my favorite childhood memories.

Last, and not nearly as sentimental, are some favorite recipes we tried this week from a new magazine I picked up. (Clean Eating). Recipes we've tried so far:

Veggie Rice and Cheese Supreme (p56)
Roasted Cauliflower, Leek & Garlic Soup (tasty)
Sweet & Sour Chard with pineapple (yum!)
Thai-Style Tofu & Noodles with Peanut Sauce (Oh my, now THIS was my favorite!)
Garlic Sizzled Kale Saute (Good, but I can give you a better kale recipe, if you're interested)

Also tried this week was:

Spicy Peanut Noodles (give-away insert in Vegetarian Times).

Up this next week will be: Butternut Squash & Potato Curry (p.50 Clean Eating).

Okay, I really have to run because practice is beginning soon, but before I leave, I have to mention my favorite sweater pattern in this month's Vogue Knitting. It's on page 74! Or, follow the link here and it's halfway down the page... top row of sweaters... the one on the right.... Gorgeous! Wait, maybe I can give you a link directly there. Okay, now I 'm running late.

Until next time: Enjoy YOUR favorite things in October.

Aunt Melissa