happenstance home

Next week I'm going to share a couple of really great products from UncommonGoods.  When looking through their online catalog for a item that really spoke to me, and one that I thought we would get a lot of use from I really stumbled across so many items that I'd love to own.  It was a difficult choice.

UncommonGoods is the perfect resource to turn to when shopping for unique items, and with Christmas around the corner it's a great time to get familiar with their company.  This is always a catalog I look at each year when I'm Christmas shopping.  Noah is into guitar and he has their Pick Punch.  It's a fun way to create your own guitar picks.  He is really smart and loves to have fun so this year I'm planning on getting him this Edible Chemistry Kit.  He is seriously into his Chemistry, and is taking AP Chem at school so this kit will be purely for entertainment!

Here are a few items for the home that caught my eye ... Click the links below to really see the quality and the detail that is in each item.


Thumbprint Alternative Guestbook - would be great to customize and use for any party

Sac A Plat - carry dishes and even bottles of wine to a friends for dinner

Basket Locker - I have been in love with basket locker cabinets for forever

Wood & Ceramic Tumblers - useful, handcrafted and beautiful = perfect

Crochet Dishcloths - adorable set of dishcloths - once again pretty and useful

Baseball Bat Bottle Openers - PERFECT for that hard to buy for sports fan.  I'm in love with this item!!!

Illustrated Land Pillow - despite all of the drawings this is really a great neutral pillow

Glass Teapot With Stand - this is just beautiful!

Tea Kettle - beautiful and useful is a theme :)

Cardboard Animal Heads - fun decorations for a child' room

Handmade Lidded Hamper - was so-ooo close to choosing the mint basket for our laundry room makeover - but I still have a bit more to finish in there :)

Repurposed Layered Wood Frames - STUNNING

Math Mug - great for the "smarties" in my house

Hand Painted Bocce Ball Set - the most gorgeous bocce ball set I've ever seen.  You could just display them in the house when not in use :)

So much to choose from!  For more shopping ideas click here for home and garden decor, here for art, and here for housewarming gift ideas.  Check back next week to see my super useful UncommonGoods find.  I'm really looking forward to using it this weekend!


* all photo's are from UncommonGoods website

Last night I made the most delicious tomato soup!

One comment from the table was "I don't even like tomato soup, but this is the best soup I have eaten in a long time".  The nice thing about this recipe is that it is not complicated plus it's full of healthy ingredients.  So, here it is ... and probably double it - we were able to make 3 bowls from this recipe.

Homemade Roasted Tomato Soup

1 - 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes (I used Whole Foods 365 Diced - no salt added)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth (I used Whole Foods Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth)  also see below ...
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
(then at the end I added another 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chicken broth)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Strain the tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread them on a foil lined baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil.  Roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.  Stir every 5 minutes or so.

While the tomatoes are roasting heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic.  Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the roasted tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf, and butter.  Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Next, remove bay leaf.  Puree soup with a handheld immersion blender until smooth.  I pureed mine on medium speed.  At the end I added around 3/4 cup of chicken broth to the pot.  I felt the soup needed extra liquid.  Garnish each bowl with some fresh basil.

I know I will be making more this week.  The texture of the soup was very rustic.  I didn't overly blend so it wasn't totally smooth.  My was it good!  We ate roasted chicken alongside, but next time I also want a warm loaf of crusty bread!


The original recipe was from Michael Chiarello.  I found it inside one of my favorite cookbooks - Food Network Favorites:  Recipes from Our All-Star Chefs.  I have made so many of the recipes in this book, and none have disappointed.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to cook.

Oh, also if you are looking for an immersion blender this one comes with very good reviews, and it's made in lots of colors.  It is also at a very good price.  Mine is made by Russell Hobbs, and I couldn't find it anywhere online.  I've had it for a really long time.

The above photo's were all taken yesterday. Couldn't resist adding my cozy hound.

Happy soup making!