It's officially fall in Minnesota. Chilly nights, 60 degree days, a little rain, turning leaves, hot tea, apples, jackets, football, gourds, decorative scarves, and winter squash. While I love the smells, colors, and tastes of the season, I am certainly lamenting how fast summer seemed to have disappeared.
Sean and I are FINALLY settled in our apartment. Everything is unpacked and in its place, except for wall decorations, but I'm getting there. What a stressful time that was; it took up nearly all of my weekends since being back, but I am so happy to have it done, knowing that I don't have to trek in my minivan out to the suburbs for a long while now. (If I never step into IKEA again for the next two years that I am here, I will be a happy woman.)
In happy news, I still have a job! Since getting back to the cities in August, I have been working basically full-time at the health department, thinking that my tenure there would be over on Sept. 20th since I am no longer a student taking classes. Normally the graduating students get kicked out at the end of August, but because of the 20-day-long government shutdown in July, they let us stay an extra 20 days. I haven't yet finished my master's project; my goal is to be done this fall semester. But I was planning on basically being unemployed come this Tuesday, finishing up my project while searching for the full-time job. Not the end of the world, but living would be very tight for Sean and I if I didn't have a job. However, my supervisor had been pushing the higher-ups to let me stay, since I haven't officially graduated, and IT WORKED! So I can stay in my current student worker position for 20 hours a week until I finish and defend my thesis. What a relief! :)
This weekend was super busy for us. A St. Joseph Worker friend got married here in town, with the wedding and reception on Friday, and a big picnic for everyone on Saturday. We had some out of town friends staying with us for the event. As our gift to her, the bride had asked a number of us SJWs if we would make the salads for the picnic (to feed 150 people). So there was quite a chopping and assembly operation in my house yesterday morning. I feel like I officially christened my kitchen! Three different salads: one pasta, one greens, and one fruit salad, in a total of six giant catering bowls. They were delicious! So I thought I would share the pasta salad recipe with you:
Yuppie Pasta Salad
2 cups dried pasta - rotini, shells, elbow or any medium sized pasta
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup sliced zucchini - I quartered it and sliced it
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup cooked or canned (drained & rinsed) red kidney beans
12 cherry tomatoes, halved - If they are large I quarter them
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/3 cup chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped red onion
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil or 1/2 tsp. dried
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Cook the pasta according to package direction; drain. In a large bowl combine the pasta, bell pepper, zucchini, celery, beans cherry tomatoes, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and onion. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss to combine. Serves 12.
A little involved in the prep, but so delicious!
I miss you ladies so much! So I am leaving you with a reminder of how beautiful we are:
Peace and love,Lishka
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