Rainbow Looms, Whiskey Pork, & Homemade IPA

Sunday was a pretty darn good day.  Paul ran the Philadelphia half-marathon and was feeling good, I had a great morning at work, and the weather was absolutely idyllic.  Was it possible to get better than that?  Yep.

My BFF Beth and her mini, CLo, came over to visit in the afternoon.  We had a great time playing, coloring, talking, and giggling, but I still had a work project to do, and CLo was ready to help.  My mission: learn how to use a Rainbow Loom.  (Did I mention my job is awesome?)

Magical Gluten-Free Entertaining...

Our friends Nick and Kristy came over for dinner on Friday.  Not only are guests a great excuse to whip the house into shape, it was the perfect opportunity to try a recipe I've had my eye on for a while: Magical White Bean Soup.  It ended up being just the right dish.  It's easy, hearty, comforting, delicious, and beautifully met the gluten-free needs of our guests.

I got this recipe from one of my favorite books, Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist.  Bread & Wine is "a love letter to life around the table with recipes."  Every chapter makes you want to gather your friends together and share a good meal while soaking up some quality time.  I love every recipe from this book that I have made so far.  Shauna's husband is gluten-free, so she knows about making delicious food that satisfies a variety of dietary needs and pleases the palate.

On last night's menu:

Magical White Bean Soup with parmesan and prosciutto

Salad with almonds, sunflower seeds, and homemade vinaigrette

Chocolate-chip coconut macaroons

Lots of red wine, generously provided by our guests