I love our clients, but I love our cleaners much more.  Remember this truth: it is very hard to find good workers, but super easy to find dirty houses.

Back to the topic of this blog post…springtime will be here before we know it.  One of my favorite things to do when the flowers begin to bloom is go on a picnic…even if only in the back yard.  You just need an old blanket to transform your yard into an adventure.  Here is a perfect addition to a picnic.

Macaroni & Ham Salad!

• 1 small box (7 oz) Creamette Macaroni Noodles
• 1 cup Duke’s Mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 oz ham
• 1/2 small onion
• 1/2 green pepper
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 diced tomato

Cook macaroni & drain.
Combine mayo, salt, vinegar in bowl.
Chop and add ham.
Add sharp cheddar cheese.
Add macaroni.
Chop and add onion, green pepper, and celery.
Add diced tomato last.

About Bachelor Chef Doug

Bachelor Chef Doug is a southern gentleman from a good family.  He recently moved to Georgia from Virginia.  He’s in his late 30s and is saving his first kiss (he would never last on ABC’s The Bachelor) for when the pastor says, “You may kiss the bride.”  He is passionate about working with data and learning new technologies, and has spent the past two years helping one of Atlanta’s hottest high tech startups transform their data infrastructure from that of a small business to one that supports a large, international enterprise.  Doug is a Reformed Southern Baptist who puts God first in his life.  He sets aside his Sundays for time with his church family and devotes his Sunday afternoons to discovering eclectic local coffee shops where he can study his Bible and read books on theology.  In his free time Bachelor Chef Doug enjoys volunteering at a local clinic and exploring Atlanta’s parks, history, and culture.  His ideal date is creating a romantic dinner for two.

Please direct all fan mail to:

5 WIVES
Attn: Bachelor Chef Doug
P.O. Box 670132
Marietta, GA 30066

For more information on The Bachelor Chef, click here.

I love all our clients, and respect many of them for many different reasons, but there is one couple that stands out in my mind as a beacon of hope for me as a single person.  I’m very proud to brag that we have the honor of cleaning for Bob and Jan every other week.  They have been married for over 50 years!  I remembered a while back seeing a stack of letters in their basement that they saved from the year when Bob was stationed at West Point.  That was branded in my memory, so I asked Bob if I could drop by today to take a photo and hear more of their story.

Apparently, you can have love at first sight.  Bob didn’t tell me that per se, but when he described the first time he saw Jan, it sounded as if there was an immediate and very real attraction and connection.  He saw her at a dance.  Their first date was on Halloween and within months they began thinking that the other could be a great life partner.  They got engaged pretty quickly and then had one year apart due to the military.  In that year, they only saw each other a couple of days (if I remember correctly).  They were married less than two years after first meeting, and now, 50 years later, they are one of the most delightful couples I have ever met.  Bob is very out-going, funny, witty, clever, and loving.  Jan is gracious, wise, kind, lovely, and vivacious.  They love each other, and they love others.  I went to their house to take a photo of the letters, and I ended up sitting down with them and crying.  I did not mean for that to happen, but there was just so much love in their home and emanating from them directly that I think I became overwhelmed.

I am pretty sure I will never be married for 50 years at this stage in my life, but I do hope to have the type of marriage they have…a least a little slice of that would be nice…even if for only 20 years.

Here are the photos I took of the stack of letters that went back and forth for that one year while they were engaged, the letter from Jan about the engagement shown to me by Bob (I noticed that they addressed each other “Darling” in all the letters), Jan in her wedding dress, and the beautiful, gracious, funny, lively, smart, caring, amazing couple at home today.

Hooray for a photo!

Sweetheart Pound Cake!

• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of Swans Down cake flower
• 1 cup of Butter

Mix well in Blender.  Preheat oven to 350, bake 1 hour then check with toothpick to see if comes out clean if not bake 5 more minutes or until straw comes out clean. Before pouring batter into pan, grease with butter and then coat with flour; make sure all the pan is covered and then shake excess flour out. This will keep cake from sticking to pan.  Or, use Pam Baking Spray which has flour in it.

About Bachelor Chef Brian:

“Being raised in the sweet onion city as a Southern Gentlemen, I appreciate and know how to treat a lady!  I have never been married but desire a sweet Christian woman to protect and cherish!  I have a servant’s heart, and when I’m not playing my saxophone in the church orchestra, praise band, and jazz band, I enjoy riding motorcycles, surfing waves on the jet ski, tennis, camping, hiking, rollerblading, and other various forms of exercise.  I was the Valedictorian from my Vidalia High School class and have a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from Georgia Southern University.  I also know my way around in the kitchen.  Yes, I can operate a spatula & blender!  I’m happy to whip up a batch of homemade cookies, donuts, and other tasty treats.”

Please direct all fan mail to:

5 WIVES
Attn: Bachelor Chef Brian
P.O. Box 670132
Marietta, GA 30066

For more information on The Bachelor Chef, click here.

Pretty soon this season of The Bachelor will be over, and I don’t think I will watch it again.  I am tired of watching pain and misery.  On The Bachelor Chef, however, there is no pain and misery…quite the contrary actually…there is joy, happiness, and macaroni and cheese!  Check out Greg’s twist on this classic recipe:

Yummy Mac and Cheese!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Large Rigatoni Noodles
• 2 lbs Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 2 cans chopped Tomatoes with Onions and Garlic
• 1 cup Cottage Cheese
• 1 cup Milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven for 400 degrees.

In a large bake pan, add 2 cans(drained) of chopped tomatoes with onions and garlic. If you like more tomatoes, add another can. Spread evenly lining the bottom of the pan. Set aside. The reason for tomatoes on bottom is to help it from sticking and make it easy to spoon out.

Noodles:
Cook 1 lb of large Rigatoni Noodles.
About halfway through time of cooking start the cheese process(see Cheese below)
Cook noodles soft, but with a little bit chewy texture.
Drain and cover to keep warm waiting for cheese.

Cheese:
Chop into pieces 2 lbs of Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese and place in a deep sauce pan. Add 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of cottage cheese. Melt on medium high heat, continuing to stir so bottom doesn’t burn.

Once cheese is melted, pour into pot with noodles. Stir until cheese is evenly distributed among noodles. Pour Cheesy noodles on top of bake pan with tomatoes and distribute evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes. You may want to broil the top for a more browned top, but you’ll have to watch it carefully. Serve.

About Bachelor Chef Greg:

I met Bachelor Chef Greg this past summer.  He’s a super great guy who is responsible for creating and managing a wonderful organization, ECHO, for Christian singles in the Atlanta area.  This summer I was amazed during a hike with his leadership skills.  He is gifted with the ability to inspire and effortlessly herd large groups of people – which is impressive.  He once convinced about 50 of us to drive up to the top of Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia, and lay on the asphalt parking lot all night in freezing temperatures staring up into the sky to wait and watch for a meteor shower.

Chef Greg is a former real estate investor.  He moved from Colorado to Georgia due to having amazing quiet-time with and prompting by God in the Georgia mountains. This bachelor chef grew up in Maine and currently lives in Helen.  Greg is of Sicilian, Irish, and Cherokee descent (we could be cousins).

Bachelor Chef Greg is in his forties, has never been married and has no children.  He loves the great outdoors, is adventurous, and loves people (all obvious from the above).  Did I mention that in his spare time and when conditions are ideal he likes to chase tornadoes?  He is one of the manliest men I know, yet he adores his three cats (a not-so-obvious trait).

Please direct all fan mail to:

5 WIVES
Attn: Bachelor Chef Greg
P.O. Box 670132
Marietta, GA 30066

For more information on The Bachelor Chef, click here.

How creative!  Hadn’t seen this before.

[Sigh...] 

On The Bachelor tonight,  Ben took the ladies on a trip to Puerto Rico.  Even though it is part of the U.S., it still has its own distinct culture, so we are presenting our culturally-unique, culinary delight for you.  I am pleased to introduce Bachelor Chef Otto and his great goulash recipe.

Otto’s Goulash!

Cook Time: 40 min.  Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 large potatoes, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 12 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1/3 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 cups dried elbow macaroni

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sautéing.  Spoon off any grease. Chop the potatoes and carrots and hard boil for 5 minutes then add to the pot. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender about 5 minutes.  Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, pepper, and sea salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.

About Bachelor Chef Otto:

Otto is Mr. International.  He grew up in Holland, lived in South Africa for six years, has visited 40 or 50 countries, and now calls America his home.  The thing I like most about Otto is that he always has a smile on his face.  He is a realtor and tells me that he has the secret for finding the right type of foreclosure for his clients.  He loves being outdoors, dancing, and studying.  He has an intimate, love relationship with Christ.  He even taught his parrot, Camelot, to say “God loves you.”  Speaking of pets, he also has two dogs and two cats: Sir Lancelot, Lady Guinevere, King Arthur, and Sir Kay.   If you guessed Bachelor Chef Otto is a gentleman based on the names of his pets, you’d be absolutely correct.  He knows how to treat a lady right.  He has a zest for life, gives great Dutch kisses (I’ve been told), and is ready to settle down. 

He would have never misled Jennifer like Ben did (The Bachelor).

Please direct all fan mail to:

5 WIVES
Attn: Bachelor Chef Otto
P.O. Box 670132
Marietta, GA 30066

For more information on The Bachelor Chef, click here.

What we need at this point are: actresses, dancers, and hair and make-up artists.  No prior experience is necessary.  If you have enough hair to wear a bun or if you are talented enough to put others’ hair in a nice, neat bun, contact me at: adecia.shumate@5wives.com.

Action!