I receive many blogs via email, just as you do mine. It is amazing how many of them are focusing on cleaning your house! You know, like Top 10 things to do first thing in the morning.  I may not be the best housekeeper in the world, but isn't it natural to make your bed when you wake up? Why does this have to be on a morning checklist? And don't you usually put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher rather than stacking them in the sink? Okay, maybe I've stacked them a few times, but gosh, the dishwasher is right there!



What I really need is a plan for keeping my garage clean. How can it get so dirty, so fast? The location of my garage, the way it is placed (one of 3 garages on a "t" shaped driveway shared with 2 other condos) the wind blows leaves, trash, snow, etc., it swirls around and around, and ends up plastered against my garage door. Then I come bopping home, push the garage door opener as I am coming down the street, and BAM! Every leaf and piece of trash in a 2 mile radius blows straight into my garage! And, as I said, if it is snowing...it all drifts into a huge mound right in front of my garage. Next time, my garage is going to face south!

So, why am I worried about my dirty garage? I have a brand new, shiny black, perfectly clean car. I'd like for it to stay that way....fat chance, but I hate for it to get dirty sitting in my garage! I feel a very cold day of garage cleaning in my future.

Today, I spent the day cleaning up and arranging my new studio space. I think I am going to love it! Now, if only I can paint there. More important....if only I paint! I get so busy making sure things look a certain way, that things are organized a certain way....sun to my back, pallette to my right, paints separated by colors (all reds in one container, blues in another, etc.) music turned on and up, fresh Coke Zero with a lot of ice, a new roll of paper towels near by, etc. I could go on and on....in fact, I do go on and on, until I've run out of time and have to delay starting another painting. Get the picture? I can delay like a pro!

I have a recipe for you that I should have given you before the holidays, but I forgot. This is a perfect nibble to have with a glass of wine or your martini. Hope you enjoy it!



(so simple....so wonderful!)

1 pound cold asiago cheese
chopped pine nuts
chopped fresh sage

Shred 1 pound cold asiago cheese.

Place 6   1 tablespoon-size mounds of cheese about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle each mound with 1/4 teaspoon each chopped pine nuts and sage. Bake at 425 degrees until the cheese is golden and the edges are slightly crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove each crisp with a thin spatula and gently curl around a rolling pin, then cool on a rack.

Repeat to make about 24 crisps.

Pine Nut Cheese Crisps, Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Cheers!