grapefruit

photo found here
I have never liked eating grapefruit straight. I like grapefruit based drinks (think Fresca) but grapefruit juice and grapefruit in general have always been on my dislike list. I used half a grapefruit last night while making more cranberry sauce (I love cranberry sauce on my turkey sandwiches, so much better!) I used half a grapefruit. I had half left over and decided to give it another go, I doused it sugar and dug it. Grapefruit and I have made up.

P.S. the Cranberry sauce salad was a hit! I added about 1/4 cup of sugar to the dressing though.

salad with cranberry dressing

I am taking a salad to a Christmas party tonight. I searched various blogs looking for a new and interesting recipe. This one from Cookbook Junkies wins, I can't wait to try it. Now back to studying!

Green Salad with Cranberry Dressing

1 cup sliced almonds

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh cranberries

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons water

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

1 pound mixed salad greens

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, oil, cranberries, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and water. Process until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, toss the almonds, onion, blue cheese, and greens with the vinegar mixture until evenly coated.

50% off

Williams Sonoma has marked their ebelskiver pans 50% off, but only for today!!!

masking tape

Who needs ribbon when you have fun masking tape?

tips

photo found here

calligraphy tips for beginners? yes please!
See Jordan Ferney's tips here.

city comparison: st. louis, missouri

via yahoorealestate

For the record, I don't think St. Louis even made my husband's list. Hopefully this will change his mind. They have some incredible Victorian era homes, incredible.
Pros:
Big airport
Gorgeous houses
Cost of living is on the cheaper side
Market is good for dentists
Several sports teams
Nice sized city
Seasons?

Cons:
Long drive home and flight is almost 3 hours
Property crime is high
Test scores are very low (an indication of struggling schools?)

Median Property- $95,000
Median Family Income-$41,581

Publish Post

Median Age- 35.0
Population-350,800
Crime Rate- (the national average is 100, the lower, the better)
Personal Crime Risk- 22
Property Crime Risk-95
Restaurants- 3,555

info via money.com

o christmas tree

Tonight we are getting our Christmas tree. I love December, it really is the best! This is our tree last year.

city comparison: dallas, texas

photo found here

Dallas is pretty high on the list, my list at least. My husband is still prioritizing his list.
Pros:
Large airport nearby
Big city
Cheap cost of living
Warm
Major sports teams are abundant
No income tax

Cons:
Do they have tornadoes in Dallas?
About a 3 hour flight home (2 hours or less would be ideal)
Long, long, long drive home.

Median Property- $142,775
Median Family Income-$51,194
Median Age- 31.7
Population-1,240,500
Crime Rate- (the national average is 100, the lower, the better)
Personal Crime Risk- 11
Property Crime Risk-67
Restaurants- 8,907

info via money.com