Thanks:

1. Cell phones. Mine is out of comission for a few days. Over the vacation it died and refused to be charged, we always keep insurance on our phones, so I took it in and they're sending a replacement- an upgrade even (apparently mine is now old enough that they don't keep parts/replacements for it so I get the newer model). We have a landline- but it still makes me realize how much I'm grateful for my cell phone.

2. A "clean" car. I got the car emptied out from the trip yesterday. I still need to vacuum it, but it feels good to not have it packed full of stuff.

3. Cold weather meals. Honestly I think I enjoy cooking in the winter the best. Grilling in the summers is fun- but I really love all the soups, stews and the warmth of oven baking breads etc in the winter. Last night I pulled out a jar of canned tomatoes from (from our garden) and made tomato soup accompanied by open faced tuna melts. A simple meal; but it hit the spot. I normally hate tomato soup- but I love this recipe:

Cream of Tomato Soup with Pesto:

32 oz chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes w/ juice
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 Tbsp basil pesto
salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken broth and let reduce by about 1/3. Pour in the rest of the ingredients, stir, turn to med-low and stir and let simmer 15 minuted. Blend in batches or use a immersion blender. Serve hot.