About Santa Fe County, NM

I have on many occasions invited friends over for Tapas and Paella so when an invitation came a few months ago I attended an event by Melanie Milasinovich also known as the Paella Queen. It was a fun and exciting evening with Tapas, Sangria and my favorite Paella. I had so much fun at the event that for my birthday I decided to fix a huge, huge pan of Paella and tapas for my friends. Paella is one of those dishes you can make simply or expand on it as one would with pizza. I personally love a fairly simple version which I am going to share with you. I have also been able to do it on my grill outside in the summer which adds to the party excitement. Also here is the You-Tube presentation of Melanie's Paella evening http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFS9y5vj32g. Also if you need some of the ingredients go to www.thespanishtable.com ENJOY!

Paella with Shrimp, Chicken, Serrano Ham and Chorizo (serves 10-12)

1/2 cup of olive oil (Spanish preferred)

1 lg onion, slivered

5 cloves of garlic minced

3 Chicken Breasts, Cut into 2 inch pieces

6 oz of chorizo, casting removed and cut into small pieces

8 oz of Serrano Ham, cut into thin strips

1 lb of shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 green bell peppers, cut into thin 2 inch strips

2 red bell pepperss, cut into thin 2 inch strips

4 large tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped

2.5 cups of Bomba Rice

8 cups of chicken stock

1 tsp Turmeric

3/4 tsp Saffron threads, break down in a mortar and add a 1/4 cup of the chicken stock

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Lemon Wedges

Heat the oil in a paella pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown. Remove chicken to plate. Saute the peppers, onions til they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the chorizo and cook of 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken, spices, ham, tomatoes and rice. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes. Add the 1/2 of the chicken stock and mix well. Reduce the heat to Medium/Low and do not stir. Every few minutes add a bit more of the chicken stock - but do not stir the mixture. After about 10 minutes top the mixture with the shrimp. Continue to cook and add broth. After 5 minutes turn the shrimp and continue to cook and add broth as needed.

Serve with lemon wedges.

A few years ago I wrote a letter to the editor asking the simple question - Where is the New Mexico State Capitol building? The uniquely designed building was inspired by our state Zia symbol and is now hidden behind rambling overgrown shrubs and dying trees being choked by vines. I remember a woman responded to my letter that it had been a previous NM employee who had all of the trees and shrubs planted to hide what he felt was an ugly building. My thought is how dare one person makes that decision. Like it or not this is our State Capitol Building and it should be shown and well maintained not hidden. My husband and I have fun when we are in the vicinity the capitol by asking people if they know where the capitol is. When they point to the building we then ask - Can you see it? Often they start laughing realizing you can't see it. Perhaps I should make a video and post it on You-Tube and hopefully get the attention of our state officials into sprucing up OUR State Capitol grounds.

Well I am back from my few days visiting my father's side of the family in Clear Lake, Iowa. Growing up we would spend every summer there fishing and swimming the spring fed lake. What a peaceful resort town it still reminds me of the play "Our Town". You can ride your bike downtown, park it and don't worry about locking it. Clear Lake was put on the map following the airplane crash which killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. They had played their last concert at the Surf Ballroom (which my uncle then bought and I worked there every summer while gowing up). The housing market is great in Clear Lake being it is a resort town. Wonderful homes and cabins are on the market and very reasonably priced. Hard to describe so here are some of my photos.

Turquoise Trail

The Turquoise Trail (NM Hwy 14) is quite a wonderful day trip from Santa Fe or a wonderful way to head to or from Albuquerque.

The road follows the route used by the Spaniards on the route from Mexico to Santa Fe. The trail is filled with old mines, incredible rock formations and somewhat new - western movie sets.

One of the most fasinating mines is the Tiffany Turquoise mine. These mines are all on private lands and are vey rarely open to the public. However parts of the Tiffany mine are visible from the Bonanza Creek Road off of Hwy 14. The best time to look at the mine from the road is late evening after a rain storm. The hillside glisten with bits of turuqoise. It is truely a magical site.

Back to Hwy 14 head towards Albuquerque. You will pass through the charming villages of Cerrillos, Madrid and Golden. Both were once thriving mining towns and now each hold their own special charm.

As you contuinue your journey you will find yourself behind the Sandia mountains. As the road curves you will pass through Tijeras and Cedar Crest, and then boom. You are back to freeways and traffic.

I Love Sign Calls. It shows me there are buyers out there. I shows me that their are buyers interested enough in my listing to stop and take down my information or pick a brochure out of the box. It tells me that very soon I may sell this listing.

But do I really love sign calls? Sign calls are potentially dangerous especially if the home is vacant as mine is. We have to remember to play is safely

• Have the person meet you in your office and make a copy of their drivers license. Put the persons cell number on it and hand it someone in your office.
• Have someone in your office phone you shortly after the appointment time to check in on you.
• If you do meet them at the home. First call them back to verify the phone number is actually theirs.
• Give their name and number to an associate and have them call you.
• All remember to play is safe and have an escape route planned.

Most of all enjoy your business - play it safe - and sell those listings.