Hmmmm...let me think...what have I been doing? I went to Chapel Hill for a week, played catch up with the housework, laundry,etc when I got home.Caught up paperwork at church,babysat the youngest DGS for 3 days and nights, took Aunt Bernice to Dr appointments,the bank,grocery stores,and various nurseries for her annuals to go in her flower pots,shopped for flowers and shrubs for the steep bank beside my house and planted what I bought,went to my old house and dug up stuff and brought it here and planted it,tried some new recipes,cooked some good stuff for sick friends,visited sick friends and took good stuff to them,started planning wedding for dearest friends who are getting married on our anniversary June 21st,(He is in his 70s and she is 65) AIN'T LOVE GRAND!! Oh, I almost forgot,my daughter told me she and her fiance were finally getting married after being together almost 6 years. The wedding date is MAY 23!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had exactly 2 weeks to help her get everything together for an outdoor wedding! Thank God it is going to be a small wedding and the mother-in-law to be loves to cook and volunteered to do most of the food for the reception. Sooooooooooooooo I've been a little busy, but not bored!! Missed being here with y'all. Wondered how everybody was. Maybe Mary Ruth and Judith have gone shopping for some "much needed" dishes to make us some new settings!! Betty Just checking to see if I remembered how to post pics! This was my goodwill find for 50 cents.

I am a hostess that does not want guests to bring anything other than a bottle of wine (as long as they do not need me to open it right then as I have my drinks planned). I really do not like flowers as I have my table and such set and then need to cut and vase the flowers and too often they are from Trader Joes and are half dead. I hate any guest to do the dishes. I am a really really nice person and am grateful if anyone serves me anything at all at their home as they wish--paper plates/unseasoned food/whatever. Does not bother me at all and most often I take many dishes because they want me to and I do not mind at all. But! when I am the hostess I just want to run the show and really do not want to put other's food into the mix.

Hey Jayne thanks I was just going to volunteer someone else to do it (grin). Can you make sure you include all seven threads? My soup got lost last time, I think (sniff) - stuff happens, no biggie! Is Stacy not around?!?! I haven't check the WFD threads. BTW I'm in.

I'm thinking of starting with one of these soups, or a variation of the two. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Southwest Gazpacho ================== Source: Southwest Cookbook 3 1/2 cups tomato juice 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes diced 1 cup finely chopped cucumber 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 jalapeno chili , seeded and minced 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh squeeze lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon red hot pepper sauce salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro 1 cup garlic croûtons 1/2 cup black olives avocado . In a food processor or blender, put 1 cup of tomato juice, half of the tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the cucumber, 1/4 cup red onion, 1/4 cup celery, 2 tablespoons green pepper, parsley, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, cumin and hot pepper sauce. Process or blend until almost smooth. Pour into a large bowl and add the remaining tomato juice and vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight so that the flavors blend the soup is cold. divide soup among 6 chilled bowls; pass the avocado, cilantro, croûtons and olives as optional garnish. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Chilled Tomato Soup Gardnished with Shredded Cabbage ==================================================== 4 cups chilled tomato juice 1/2 up fresh cilantro leaves, minced 1 garlic clove minced 2 green onions finely chopped 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno chili 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice salt to taste 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced Garnish: 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro 6 tablespoons shredded napa cabbage leaves Pour the chilled juice into a large bowl and stir in the cilantro, garlic, green onions, jalapeno , cumin and lime juice. Season to taste, adding salt and more lime juice, if necessary; stir in avocado. Chill. Devide soup amount 6 chilled bowls. Garnish each serving with 1 teaspoon cilantro leaves and 1 tablespoon shredded napa cabbage leaves.