Nancy on the Home Front

Fall Salads: Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Last week I shared 10 Best Fall Soups, today I share one of our favorite fall salads. I love salad but I don’t necessarily like to make salads. So when I find a simple salad that is easy to make and tastes delicious it’s a winner in my book! I don’t know if you’ve ever made your own candied nuts but they are a wonderful addition to this salad. You can read more about making your own candied nuts HERE. If you don’t want to make your own I’ve seen candied nuts for sale in the grocery store. Either way they are a wonderful addition to this salad. Pear and Blue Cheese Salad is a perfect fall salad and I’ve even served it with our Christmas dinner before. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

1 head of spinach or about 10 oz of fresh salad greens

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1-2 pears, thinly sliced

½ cup blue cheese, crumbled

½ cup candied pecans or walnuts
1 avocado, cubed (optional)

¼ cup dried cranberries (optional)

Dressing:

¼ cup maple syrup

⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

⅓ cup mayonnaise

¾ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

Before you assemble the delicious Pear and Blue Cheese Salad make the dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a bender. Mix up the dressing ingredients ahead of time. This will make putting the salad together even quicker.

To put the salad together layer the greens, thinly sliced onion, sliced pears, blue cheese and, pecans.

Add avocado or dried cranberries as desired. Pour over the salad just before serving. Serve and enjoy.

For an easy dinner serve this salad with one of the simples soups I shared recently; Irish Yellow Broth, Chicken Pot Pie Soup or Butternut Squash Soup would all pair perfectly with this delicious fall salad.

Christmas Countdown: Make a List

Can you believe that Christmas Eve is only 12 weeks away? The Christmas countdown has begun! I’m a list maker and the first step I take to be prepared for Christmas is to make a list.

By making a list I can organize my thoughts. I make a list of gift recipients, all the people I plan to buy gifts for. I include everyone from family and friends to the woman who cuts my hair! I also decide how many Christmas cards I will be sending out this year. I know many people no longer send cards but we have so many friends that live in different parts of the country I live to send out cards. This year we will include the news of our move and our new address.

Make a list of the menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Will you be hosting this year or traveling to friends or family and celebrating with them? Even if you are not hosting make a list of foods you want to bring or contributions you can make. Many of your ideas can be make ahead and frozen. By being prepared the holiday season can be enjoyed and not stressful.

When making a list of gifts you plan to give decide which gifts you will be making. I usually have many more ideas of gifts to make than I have time. Don’t make yourself crazy but often a simple homemade gift is much more appreciated than something store-bought. I also like to put together gift baskets for friends and neighbors.

Christmas may seem like it is far away but by making a list now you will be better prepared to enjoy this busy season.

What do you do to prepare for the Christmas countdown? Are you a list maker as well? Share your tips, I’m always looking for more ways to be prepared!

Goal Setting Weekly Update 40

One more day and we will have completed our drive to the west coast. Spending a night with friends in Eugene, OR. and then several days with our daughter in Portland before heading up to the Seattle area and our small rental. The furniture should arrive in a week!

~~1. Find a new hosting site for my blog and make it secure.~~ Done! This was the first goal accomplished this year and I am so happy to have a secure website.

2. Monetize my blog. I have set up two affiliate accounts. You may be noticing links to my favorite items on Amazon. I’ve also teamed up with an amazing heirloom seed company, Mary’s Heirloom Seeds. Really don’t want to clutter my blog up with too many ads, however I sure appreciate any support in running this blog!

3. Create a cookbook. This is definitely getting put on hold. Hopefully I’ll have more time once we are relocated, this may be postponed until the new year!

4. ~~Be diligent about getting 10K steps in 5 out of 7 days a week.~~ I’ve decided to change this goal to 3 out of 7 days a week! This has not happened at all this week, too many hours driving in the car!

5. ~~As we continue to prepare for our house sale, continue to de-clutter~~. DONE!!

6. ~~Read 25 books this year!~~ Done! So far we’ve listened to two books on Audible. Great way to pass the time while you are driving. First book we listened to was The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. Great story about a man who walks over 500 miles in England to try and save a dear friend who is dying of cancer. The second book was my favorite, Send Down The Rain by Charles Martin. Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors and this was a wonderful story about making the choice to love not hate.

7. Have a consistent meal plan each week and prepare ahead. This did not happen either this week. As we were traveling I made sandwiches to eat in the car for lunch and we had appetizers for dinner. We did enjoy several nights staying with friends where we enjoyed delicious dinners.

~~8. Finish 4 knitting projects.~~ Completed! Made two hats and two scarves. I was hoping to do some knitting in the car but I really enjoy looking at the landscape if I’m not driving so I haven’t done any knitting!

9. Clean out our freezer. We left the new owners with a perfectly cleaned out refrigerator and freer.

10. Take a few road trips and visit family and friends on the east coast that we will not see as often once we move to the west coast. We are now making the drive across the country! Stopped and visited two friends along the way one in Indiana and the other in Colorado. Such fun and so nice to take a break from the driving!

“Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.”

Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog

This was another goal we had while eating Dove chocolates in the car. So appropriate!

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site.

For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Nancy On The Home Front

10 Best Fall Soups

Now that we are finally settled in our new temporary home and the weather is feeling more like fall its time to enjoy some homemade soup. The clocks are turned back, the days are getting shorter and there is a definite crispness to the air. I love soup and I have to say these are the best fall soups and you will often find them on our menu this time of year.

Cheddar Ale Soup
This soup is so easy and delicious, perfect for a fall day.

Pork, Bean and Kale Soup

I have an ongoing goal to eat healthier and make good food choices. It’s not always easy but my goal is to eat right 80% of the time! I have a wonderful cookbook called Eating Well in Season – the Farmers’ Market Cookbook. The recipes are divided into seasons of the year and focus on what food is fresh during each season. If you are looking for a hearty winter soup, this pork, bean and kale soup is perfect. It’s delicious and nutritious and uses foods you can find in your farmer’s market this time of year.

Amazing Turkey Soup
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holdays and one of the best things about Thanksgiving is the leftover turkey! I look forward to making this soup every year. You can also make it with leftover chicken as well.

The Soup Doctor’s Egg Drop Soup
You may have heard of the Cake Doctorbefore, a series of cookbooks where every recipe is based on a boxed cake mix. My husband is the Soup Doctor! He can take a plain package of Ramen Noodles and turn it into an amazing egg drop soup with just a few simple ingredients. Perfect for those lunch or dinners where you just want a quick, delicious meal.

Black Bean and Sausage Soup
Cool autumn days are the perfect time to enjoy a bowl of hearty black bean and sausage soup. The combination of sweet Italian turkey sausage, jalapeño peppers and fresh cilantro gives this black bean and sausage soup a distinctive flavor. If you have any leftovers they are easily reheated in the microwave or can be frozen for later use. Serve along with a leafy green salad and a loaf of bread and your have a meal!

Irish Yellow Broth
Autumn comes all too quickly. Much as I hate to see summer go the fall is one of my favorite times of year. Fall in Vermont is so enjoyable; the days are still fairly warm and sunny but the nights are cold. When there is a slight chill in the air I enjoy making simple soups for lunch. One of my favorite soups is this Irish Yellow Broth. The steel cut oats not only add nutrition but they give a creaminess to the soup. Usually I leave out the cream and the soup still tastes delicious! Next time you’re looking for a fabulous fall soup try this Irish Yellow Broth. I’ve shared the recipe several years ago but it’s worth repeating. I enjoy this soup whether it’s the beginning of fall, the middle of winter or early spring! It’s simple to make and delicious! This soup is definitely one of my top fabulous fall soups!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
When the weather cools off in Vermont and there is a constant chill in the air my thoughts turn to simple soups I can make. This Chicken Pot Pie Soup is a favorite in our family and it is so easy to put together. If you have leftover chicken in your refrigerator this is a great way to use it up while at the same time making a delicious meal. The soup tastes just like the filling of a chicken pot pie; in fact you can also thicken the soup up a little more and top it with a crust for a delicious chicken pot pie. However you enjoy this simple soup it is bound to become a favorite in your family!

Tomato Soup From a Can
Perhaps when you think of tomato soup from a can you think of Campbell’s. Isn’t that what we grew up with? Comfort food at it’s finest is tomato soup served alongside a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s also a quick and easy meal. However, did you know you could make your own tomato soup? I have a wonderful recipe from my mother for a tomato soup that can be canned for later use. Perhaps you didn’t have a garden last year. You can also enjoy homemade tomato soup with ingredients you probably have on hand in your pantry.

Best Ever Cheeseburger Soup
Fall has come to Vermont and the weather is much cooler now, it’s the perfect weather for this best ever Cheeseburger Soup! We can’t always enjoy a yummy cheeseburger for lunch instead mix up a batch of this delicious soup. This Cheeseburger Soup is similar to potato soup but even more satisfying. I haven’t tried freezing this soup as it is usually consumed within a day or two! Pair it with a fresh salad and you have a complete dinner.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup is another family favorite. This delicious soup has curry in it as well as leeks. I usually grow both leeks and butternut squash in my garden so this is a perfect soup to use up some of my garden harvest. In just a short amount of time you can enjoy a bowl of this soup. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Moving? What Do You Pack Last?

This move has been a challenge. When we first put our house on the market over two years ago the realtor suggested we start to pack up the family photos and have the house as clutter free as possible. The object was to give those looking at the house the freedom to imagine their things in the house. So all the family photos, some artwork and books were packed away. when you are moving, what do you pack last?

Once we received our offer packing began in earnest. We packed up everything we would not need in the weeks ahead. With only a week until we leave you may wonder what do you pack last?

Currently we are eating off of plastic plates and bowls. I have two pans we’ve left out and I have a set of silverware that will travel with us.

We have gone through our clothes and packed two suitcases. One full of clothes we will want to have on hand before the moving truck arrives and the boxes are unpacked. We have another set of small suitcases that will contain the clothes we will be wearing as we drive across the country.

For the car we have two coolers, one to carry sandwich meats, water and drinks we may want while driving. We also have a smaller cooler that will carry our lunch for the day and any snacks we may want.

Once the house is packed up we will have once last night in our house. Luckily we have a wall bed to sleep in and a simple breakfast of granola and yogurt to enjoy as our last breakfast. At that point the truck will be packed and our car will be packed. We are having the house cleaned that morning and then we are on the road!

Figuring out what to pack last is not too hard. You just have to decide what you will need to get through that last week and what you may need during your travel time. The desktop computers will be packed up but we each have a laptop that will travel with us. Hopefully I will be able to continue to post my blog as we travel across the country. Be sure to follow my on Facebook and Instagram to follow our journey along across the country. Next up to decide whether we want to live closer to Portland or Seattle? Or perhaps somewhere in-between?

Goal Setting Update Week 39

It’s only a matter of hours now until we are on the road and headed west. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see the daily updates.

~~1. Find a new hosting site for my blog and make it secure.~~ Done! This was the first goal accomplished this year and I am so happy to have a secure website.

3. Create a cookbook. This is definitely getting put on hold. Hopefully I’ll have more time once we are relocated, this may be postponed until the new year!

4. ~~Be diligent about getting 10K steps in 5 out of 7 days a week.~~ I’ve decided to change this goal to 3 out of 7 days a week! I know I will not be getting my steps in while we are traveling. We plan to stop regularly and stretch our legs but don’t think we’ll be walking 10K steps each day.

5. ~~As we continue to prepare for our house sale, continue to de-clutter~~. DONE!!

6. ~~Read 25 books this year!~~ Done! We have downloaded books to listen to while driving. First book up is: Send Down the Rain by Charles Martin. Charles Martin is one of our favorite authors, we’ve enjoyed everyone one of his books we’ve read!

7. Have a consistent meal plan each week and prepare ahead. Our meals for the net two weeks will be pretty inconsistent. The goal will be to eat as healthy as possible. I have packed healthy snacks to enjoy in the car.

~~8. Finish 4 knitting projects.~~ Completed! Made two hats and two scarves. Since this goal is completed I am going to put the baby sweater I was working on aside. I have a hard time knitting when the weather is warm so I will finish this sweater, but probably not until the fall! I plan to knit while we’re driving, we’ll see how much I get accomplished!

9. ~~Clean out our freezer.~~ DONE! Left the new owners with a cleaned out freezer.

10. ~~Take a few road trips and visit family and friends on the east coast that we will not see as often once we move to the west coast.~~ DONE! So glad we completed the various road trips this year to visit friends and family on the east coast. Next year we’ll be visiting family on the west coast!

“Start with big dreams and make life worth living.”
― Stephen Richards

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site.

For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Nancy On The Home Front

Making A Change of Address

We’re in the midst of getting ready to make a move. What is the best way that we can let our friends and family know about our change of address? The easiest way I have found to notify our friends and family of an address change is to use Paperless Post.

What is Paperless Post? Paperless Post is an “e-commerce company focusing on design-driven online and printed stationary, including greetings, invitations, birth announcements, wedding suites, and custom stationery. Paperless Post partners with leading fashion designers including kate spade new york, Kelly Wearstler, and Oscar de la Renta.”

Using Paperless Post is fun and easy. After creating an account, I just typed in “we’ve moved” in the search box and was shown numerous designs to choose from. There were so many options to pick from I had a hard time picking just one!

Once the design is chosen you are given the option to customize the design. You can change the background, size of text or even the color of the text.

The next step is to add the recipients you want the card to go to and purchase any coins if needed. Then just hit send. That’s all there is to it. In a matter of minutes your friends and family will have your change of address.

Paperless Post is also a great way to send our party invitations. Once the invitations are sent out the recipient is given the option to click to reply. It’s a great way to keep track of who is coming to your party!

Next time you have a change of address and want to let your friends and family know, use Paperless Post. It makes the job of notifying friends and family so easy.

Spinach Parmesan Strata

I had some frozen spinach that I wanted to use up along with some leftover Italian bread, what to make? A Spinach Parmesan Strata was the perfect solution. The recipe made enough for my husband and I to enjoy for dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Spinach Parmesan Strata

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 (10oz) packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tsp. Salt
Black pepper, to taste
8 cups of cubed bread
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
9 large eggs
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 ¾ cups milk

Directions:

Butter a 3-quart baking dish.

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and seasonings (1/2 tsp. Salt and pepper to taste) and sauté until the onion shave softened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach to the onion mixture and stir for about 1 minute.

Spread 1/3 of the bread cubes into the buttered baking dish. Top with 1/3 of the spinach mix and 1/3 of each of the cheeses. Repeat this layering step two more times.

Using a wire whisk beat the eggs, milk, ½ tsp. Salt and 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the casserole. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Remove the plastic wrap and bake uncovered until the strata is puffed and golden. (45-55 minutes). Let cool 5 minutes and serve.

Goal Setting Week 38

One more week and we are heading west! The house is looking very packed up, and it looks like everything has fallen into place and the closing will occur as planned. If you read yesterday’s post you know that we were dealing with radon in our water. The issue has been dealt with.

~~1. Find a new hosting site for my blog and make it secure.~~ Done! This was the first goal accomplished this year and I am so happy to have a secure website.

3. Create a cookbook. This is definitely getting put on hold. Hopefully I’ll have more time once we are relocated, this may be postponed until the new year!

4. ~~Be diligent about getting 10K steps in 5 out of 7 days a week.~~ I’ve decided to change this goal to 3 out of 7 days a week! I may not be getting outside to get my steps in but with all the running around packing and going upstairs and downstairs I am managing to get my steps in! Just so you know I count my week Tuesday to Tuesday since that is the day I post my goals! This past weekend we visited family on the Cape, my cousin is also into counting her steps and we enjoyed two very nice walks while we were there. I love being able to walk to the beach!

5. ~~As we continue to prepare for our house sale, continue to de-clutter~~. DONE!!

6. ~~Read 25 books this year!~~ Done! This week I finished reading The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani. Such a wonderful story, the main character is Jaya, a New York journalist, who travels to India to uncover her family’s past. I just loved this book. Such a good story with a few tears, but so many good lessons. Now to put a few books on my Kindle for the trip west.

7. Have a consistent meal plan each week and prepare ahead. Our kitchen is pretty much packed right now. Thankfully we have numerous friends inviting us over for dinner. I do look forward to being settled once again and having a consistent meal plan each week! October here we come!

~~8. Finish 4 knitting projects.~~ Completed! Made two hats and two scarves. Since this goal is completed I am going to put the baby sweater I was working on aside. I have a hard time knitting when the weather is warm so I will finish this sweater, but probably not until the fall! Maybe I’ll do some knitting on the drive west? I am planning to take my knitting bag in the car.

9. Clean out our freezer. Almost done! We have two frozen dinners, a little ice cream and some ice packs and that’s about it in the freezer! Pretty sure the ice cream will be gone before we leave!

10. Take a few road trips and visit family and friends on the east coast that we will not see as often once we move to the west coast. Enjoyed a lovely weekend on the Cape visiting my aunt and my husband’s aunt. Good visits all around and a wonderful time just taking a break from all those boxes! One more overnight to visit my mother-in-law and the next trip will be heading west!

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Napoleon Hill

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site.

For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Nancy On The Home Front

Radon in Our Water?

Radon in our Water?

One of the challenges that we faced in selling our home is that during the home inspection they did a water test and found radon in our water. We had never given a thought to radon in water before. We had done an expensive water test four years ago and all the numbers were just fine. The new owners were concerned about radon in the water and wanted the problem fixed.

What is Radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that may cause cancer, and may be found in drinking water and indoor air. Some people who are exposed to radon in drinking water may have increased risk of getting cancer over the course of their lifetime, especially lung cancer.

The first thing we did was to take a second water sample. The results came in much lower but were still above what Vermont recommended. At present there is no federal standard for radon in drinking water. Such a standard is known as a maximum contaminant level (MCL). However, the MassDEP Office of Research and Standards has developed a guideline of 10,000pCi/L for radon in drinking water. If we lived in New Hampshire our numbers would be fine as they agree with the MassDEP guideline, however Vermont has a much lower value (4000pCi/L and we needed to have the problem corrected. Our numbers came in at 6000pCi/L

The more we learned about radon in our water the more interesting it was. One of the problems with understanding the amount of risk due to specific radon level measurement is that the risk statistics are based on an average lifetime (70 years) spent in an exposed area, even though the average American moves every 7 years, and is thus exposed to many different radon levels.

There is no certification required for installing remediation devises. We found several companies online and after reading numerous reviews chose A&B Water LLC to install the device. There are two ways to fix the problem, the most popular is the aeration treatment – the water is sprayed or mixed with air and then the air is vented from the water before use. The second method is called a GAC treatment; the water is filtered through a granular activated carbon. Radon attaches to the carbon and leaves the water free from radon. The problem with this method is that you end up with a filter full of radioactive waste.

The Solution

We chose the aeration treatment. A large device that looks like a washing machine was installed in our furnace room. The water comes in from our well goes through this machine and then we can drink the water. It was an expensive fix and I’m not sure we would have done it if we were staying in the house. However, it solved the radon in the water issue.

If you are concerned that you may have radon in your water the total cost for a water test is under $100. In less than a week you will know what the levels of radon are in you water.

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

Dressing:

“Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.”

Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog

“Start with big dreams and make life worth living.” ― Stephen Richards

Spinach Parmesan Strata

Ingredients:

Directions:

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Napoleon Hill

Radon in our Water?

What is Radon?

The Solution

“Start with big dreams and make life worth living.”
― Stephen Richards