DoubleTree Paradise Valley Resort

Here we are in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. This is what we saw when we opened the door of our room:

First, the living suite. (You can't see it, but there's a dining room table and a bar in this area, too!)

Our bedroom. (I love the "Sweet Dreams" pillow.)

And when I woke up this morning and stepped out onto one of our balconies (there's two of them), this is what I saw.

Yeah. I think I can be happy here for a couple of days.

Very Beefy Vegetable Soup

We had a cold, windy and rainy day last week, and I decided it was the perfect time for a bowl of beef vegetable soup. It was delicious. Here's how I did it.

First, here are the basic ingredients I was working with:

Dice the beef into bite-size chunks and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Saute the onions in olive oil and butter. Add the garlic. Then add in the beef.

Celery next.

Then the tomatoes and beef broth.

Finish with the spinach.

Serve and enjoy!

Here's the recipe:

Very Beefy (or Chickeny) Vegetable Soup

(serves 4)

1 pound lean beef stew meat (or chicken tenders)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 small yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, diced

4 stalks celery, sliced

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings

4 cups beef (or chicken) broth

Fresh chopped parsley, optional

1. Cut the beef (or chicken) into bite-sized chunks and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. In a soup pot, saute the garlic and continue to cook until translucent, about another 2 or 3 minutes.

3. Add the beef (or chicken) and saute until no longer pink.

4. Add the celery and saute until slightly softened, about 3 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

5. Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until done.

6. When ready to serve, sprinkle parsley on the top - if you like.

Last Five Books I've Read

I love a good story, and I usually have one (or more) books that I'm reading or listening to at any given time. Here are my last five along with my ratings (***** is the best):

5. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Set in South Carolina, it tells the story of 14 year old Lily Owens, who is in search of her mother's past. Her life deals with her abusive father, her maid, and the kindness of strangers. My rating: *****

4. The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum. This is the story of Harvard Law grad Emily Haxby as she deals with self-doubt, abandonment issues and skeletons in her closet. There are some funny parts and some sad parts but mostly parts that had trouble keeping my attention. It just wasn't my favorite. My rating: **

3. The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts. Okay, this is really a set of four books: Vision in White, Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment and Happy Ever After. Set in Connecticut, this is a series of books about four childhood girlfriends who grow up and form an all-inclusive wedding service. One is the photographer, one handles the flower arrangements, one creates beautiful wedding cakes, and one handles the books and supervises the events. Predictable, but enjoyable. My rating: ****

2. Cross Fire by James Patterson. I'm definitely a James Patterson fan, and I love the character he's created in Alex Cross. In this book, Alex is trying to solve murders and marry his long-time girlfriend, Bree. The fact that Alex's nemesis Kyle Craig is involved makes the story a real page turner. My rating: *****

1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This is a non-fiction book about Henrietta Lacks and the immortal cell line, known as HeLa, that came from her cervical cancer cells in 1951. It is composed of a good bit of scientific writing dealing with medical research and ethics, but it is also a good and fairly told story about Henrietta and her family. Very moving. My rating: ****

Right now I'm in the middle of The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner. I'm liking how Mr. Weiner approaches this subject; it's interesting and enjoyable so far!

Celebrate Good Times

Family and friends gathered for cookies and milk to celebrate the very first birthday of our precious baby Clara. A good time was had by all.

Mitch and I are incredibly blessed.

We know it.