Edie Wadsworth

Forty Schmorty

January 5, 2010 by Edie Wadsworth 51 Comments

This is the sunrise that greeted me on my fortieth birthday. I have a good feeling about this decade. But if ’40 is the new 30′, 40’s gonna need a little help. 40’s gonna need a healthy amount of beautiful sunrises…….

and a lot of 5 hour energy drinks. 40’s gonna need a few more anti-wrinkle creams and plenty of visine or maybe a little more sleep. 40 may, in fact, need comfortable shoes. I’m not saying that 40 isn’t the new 30—I’m just saying that 40 needs a little help.

Gina, JamieKnoxville and I had lots of fun this weekend. We started out in this cab trying to go to Anthropologie—only to be taken half way to some museum. NO NO NO. This is not a trip for museums. This is a trip to see what 40’s made of.

Finally, we made it. We tried on hats and marvelled at how wonderfully EVERYTHING is embellished at Anthro. I bought the hat, wore it around in the hotel room and decided that I looked a little too Minnie Pearl. Which reminds me that some day we should talk about Hee-Haw. But not today. Today, 40 has some things to prove.

But first let me say that I could haul a cot into Anthropologie and live there. It’s the perfect combination of artsy/homey/fortyisthenewthirty. I love it there.

Then we made our way to Atlantic City (very near Jamie and Mark’s place) for dinner at Bobby Flay’s steakhouse. It was great ambiance, there were no apple martini’s involved, and the food was divine. Take note of the rose head band and the wonderful Anthro hat—which looks amazingly lovely on JamieKnoxville.

Then we made our way to Caesar’s Hotel in AC. Very chic. Right on the ocean. Beautiful upholstered headboards and a handy Starbucks. We spent $20 on slots and the rest of our fun money on a very wonderful pair of jeans. 40 needs the help of good jeans. It’s just a fact.

The next day we had a wondeful day at JK’s and Mark’s place. We got to snuggle this furball (a habanese/szhitsu mix named Rocco). I know. Stop. The. World.

And then we spent the better part of the afternoon watching the wild man in the kitchen. Mark made homeade mixed berry pie (with a homeade crust—which I will share with you soon) and homeade fettucine and meatballs. WITH HOMEADE PASTA. He was a little leary to let me near the pasta maker—–did I say he gets a little wild in the kitchen? But now I’m hooked. 40 definitely needs a pasta maker.

We drove back to Philly to catch our flight home and did a quick drive by of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I was so lonesome for Stevie and the girls and couldn’t wait to nestle back into my wonderful life. I did manage to make a good start on my ’40 list’. I’m almost finished the book ‘Till We Have Faces’—which will need a post all its’ own. I spent an afternoon (okay at least a good hour and a half) in Anthropologie. I slept til 6:50 (which I’m gonna go ahead and count as 7) and I started the ‘read the Bible in 90 days’ schedule.

Thank you all so much for your kind and funny birthday wishes. I’m so thankful for you all. You make writing this blog so much more fun than it would be otherwise. There are so many of you that I can’t wait to meet in February at Blissdom.

A huge thanks to Gina and Jamieknoxville and Mark for making my birthday so much fun. A huge smooch and thanks to Stevie for encouraging me to go and to my mom for completely spoiling my girls (they gloated about how much soda they drank and how much tv they watched!)

40 is fabulous so far!

The New Year’s List::2010

January 1, 2010 by Edie Wadsworth 61 Comments

There’s something special about the start of a decade. I was born in 1970. I had my tenth birthday and my first boyfriend in 1980. I had my first child in 1990. I turned 30, graduated from residency, married my soul mate and had my third child in 2000. On Monday, I welcome the new decade by turning 40. So I thought I’d make a fun little list—a 40 in 40—but since 40 is the new 30—it only has 30 things on it. (okay, I thought that was clever but in reality, I can’t make that document bigger because photoshop does not cooperate with me). Here’s to the new year. The new decade. New beginnings and another chance to make those dreams come true. Happy 2010!

What’s on your list?

Post edit: I saw something like this on Meg’s blog and thought it looked like fun.

Christmas Break Shenanigans

December 31, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 12 Comments

Patty and I took our kids to Market Square yesterday for ice skating. The girls and I had so much fun and truly enjoyed their company. I’m not sure she and I would ever run out of things to talk about . We are two peas in a pod—from our mutual love of indian food —-to our obsession with coffee —-to our creative/ADD /photographer tendencies.

There was lots of fun had by all and her children are wonderfully kind and engaging.

I tend to think mine are pretty wonderful too. But I guess I’m a little biased.

Surprisingly enough, the kiddos weren’t all that hungry when we got home. (I’m such a pushover.)

Thanks Patty (and Jordan and Lexi) for a wonderful afternoon. And for the samosa suggestion. We loved them!

My Big Fat Greek Goulash

December 29, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 28 Comments

I have tendency to be a little over-zealous when the New Year rolls around. I want to train for a marathon and read 52 books in a month and reorganize my whole house and take sewing, photography and dance classes. All today. Right now. And I usually set lofty goals only to be reminded a year later that I’m only one person—with plenty enough to do everyday—aside from visit the Sistine Chapel and learn to quilt. So while I work on a very bold and bright ’40 Things to Do While I’m 40 list’ (in photoshop) I thought I’d share with you one of my favorite recipes. And if you have any wonderful suggestions for my 40’s list, leave them in the comments section and maybe I’ll add them to the list. And now, lest you think I have no recipes that aren’t laden with butter and cream, I give you

My Big Fat (Butterless, Creamless) Greek Goulash

What you’ll need:
1 ½ pounds ground beef

½ t. ground cloves
1/3 pound bulk sausage

½ t. cinnamon
1 large eggplant

1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 large onions

1. T. worcestershire
2 cloves garlic

1 T. olive oil
1 can tomatoes

2 T. honey
¼ t. Cayenne pepper

salt, pepper to taste
AND
Tzatziki Sauce (16 oz greek yogurt mixed with 2 T. lemon juice, 2 T. olive oil, 2 T. honey and chopped cucumber)

Brown beef and sausage together adding salt and pepper to taste and a little olive oil if the meat is ultra-lean. Add cayenne and chopped garlic. (This photo makes me almost want to be vegetarian.)

Cut eggplant into small bite sized cubes and add to meat mixture. The eggplant will soak up all the liquid but be patient and it will release its’ liquids soon.

Chop onions into thinly sliced half moons and add to a separate pan with 2 T. olive oil.

If the meat and eggplant mixture get too dry, add a little olive oil if necessary and cook on medium heat until the eggplant is softened.

Add one can of diced tomatoes (with juice) and then cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, Worcestershire, and honey. Taste and add more salt as necessary.

Continue to cook the onions—it usually takes about 30 minutes until they are carmelized.

Cook 1/3 package of orzo pasta according to directions on package and then add the fully cooked pasta to the meat mixture. Then make the tzatziki sauce using the greek yogurt.

Serve by layering each plate with meat/pasta mixture then onions topped with feta cheese and tzatziki sauce. The carmelized onions are like a party in your mouth. Do not attempt to skip this step or worse yet add the ‘fried onions’ you can buy at the store. Don’t do it. Carmelize your own and soon you’ll be adding them to your Raisin Bran. Enjoy with pita bread and a greek salad!

Download a copy of the recipe here.

And for those of you blog stalkers who care, I’m leaving on Saturday for a quick visit to Philadelphia/Atlantic City for my 40th birthday. I’m going with my sister and JamieKnoxville. It should be big fun. I’m taking every precaution and forbidding Washington apple martinis! (a very funny inside joke). I plan to laugh till I cry, spend hours chatting with two of my favorite people, spend the afternoon in Anthropologie, take hundreds of pictures, and read a book. What other suggestions do you have for me?

Photoshop and Lounge Pants

December 26, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 30 Comments

I’m sitting in my lounge pants, drinking the world’s best coffee, in my very quiet house (all kids are somehow briefly gone), desperately trying to figure out how to use my new Christmas present (photoshop cs4). It’s kinda complicated—with a very steep learning curve. Any suggestions?

So far, with Cindy’s help, I can make a simple collage, resize it, posterize it, and fiddle with the saturation and exposure. I was able to add text an hour ago and can’t seem to make that work at the present moment. Maybe by next Christmas I’ll have the hang of it. Hope you get to spend lots of time in your lounge pants today! Stevie was kinda disappointed that he didn’t get a new pair so I may have to venture out later. We decided we either need a new exercise and diet regimen or some new lounge pants. I vote for lounge pants.

Christmas Brunch 2009

December 24, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 12 Comments

We gathered to eat and open a few goodies with my extended family. Oh what fun!

taylor and corey and their loot

that scream and horrible face was brought to you by a creme brulee flame torch

american girl heaven

and Marcus’ love for the cheese balls seemed out of proportion to the quality of the gift—but he carried them around all day and thought of all sorts of scenarios where they’d come in handy.

the men folk

sisters’ new jeans—very nice

facebooking together–i’m pretty sure the cheese ball pic is uploaded!

Kris and the kids with Grannie and Papa G

Sis (Gina), Mark, Corey, Hope and Marlea

the sibs

the motliest crew of all

and Grannie and her new Northface jacket! (she said three times “What are you calling that, North what?” She’s the same dear mother of mine who says “I need to go to the Walmart.”

You gotta love her. At least she’ll be nice and warm in the Northface.

Now I’m busy making the bouillabaise and pizza bianca for dinner and then off to a candlelight and communion service. Hope your day is merry and bright.