Much like my 30 Before 30: Food list, I don't plan to restrict myself to thirty specific books that I want to read before I turn thirty. Because let's be honest--I have a list of over 200 books that I want to read, and there is no way I could whittle that down to a top thirty list. And while reading one book a month for book club will (hopefully!) keep me well on track to reaching my goal, I do have a few books that have been on my to-read list for far too long. So now is as good as time as any to force my hand at pulling these classics off the shelf and making them five of the thirty I intend to read in the next thirty months. And who knows, maybe I'll even convince my book club that we should read one of these classics together!
Pride and Prejudice
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Great Gatsby
Schindler's List
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
What books do you think should be on my list of "must-reads"?
Tales of a South Dakotan married to a North Carolinian
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Wedding Wednesday: The Guestbook
Chances are, you probably haven't given much thought to the guestbook at your wedding. In fact, it may be something you don't ever give any thought to--after all, it isn't very difficult to buy one of those fancy little autograph books for people to sign as they are coming into the ceremony and/or reception.
But let's be real--are you ever going to pull that book out again and look through the list of signatures of people who attended your wedding? Probably not. Because ultimately, the guestbook is nothing more than a list of names, only valuable if one of your guests becomes famous and you can sell their signature for something. Sure, some people might leave a little note, but chances are, they've already written a note into their card and won't take the time to put something in the guestbook.
Does this mean that a guestbook like that is necessarily a bad idea? Certainly not. But be realistic with it--you probably won't ever do anything with it again. If you're okay with that, perfect. But there are lots of fun, creative ways to turn your wedding guestbook into more than just a book full of signatures--something you will actually be proud to display and cherish as a reminder of your wedding day. Need some ideas?
Don't see anything you like? There's lots more possibilities here!
(All images from Style Me Pretty)
But let's be real--are you ever going to pull that book out again and look through the list of signatures of people who attended your wedding? Probably not. Because ultimately, the guestbook is nothing more than a list of names, only valuable if one of your guests becomes famous and you can sell their signature for something. Sure, some people might leave a little note, but chances are, they've already written a note into their card and won't take the time to put something in the guestbook.
Does this mean that a guestbook like that is necessarily a bad idea? Certainly not. But be realistic with it--you probably won't ever do anything with it again. If you're okay with that, perfect. But there are lots of fun, creative ways to turn your wedding guestbook into more than just a book full of signatures--something you will actually be proud to display and cherish as a reminder of your wedding day. Need some ideas?
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| Love the idea of having people sign wine bottles! And they could easily be repurposed into flower vases or something after the wedding. If wine isn't up your ally, consider something more suited to your tastes--how about having your guests sign a slice of wood? |
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| You know all those beautiful engagement photos you took? You know you are going to display some of those in your house after the wedding--why not have your guests sign a mat around the photo? Any time you are having a bad day you can walk by and read the sweet messages left by your guests (and as an added bonus, if you use the right kind of matting, you can replace the photo with a favorite wedding photo down the road). |
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| I'm a big fan of monograms, so I love the idea of taking your married initial and having guests sign that. The possibilities are endless for displaying this in your house! |
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| So long as you aren't inviting any guests that are trying to hide out from the law and keep their fingerprints from becoming publicly accessible, it's becoming a really popular idea to ask guests to "leaf" a thumbprint on a tree. Love that this couple made it look like they had carved their initials into the tree! |
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| If you are planning to print a nice photo album for a coffee table book, consider turning it into your guestbook as well. You can pre-print a book with engagement pictures (or other random pictures of you as a couple), leaving blank spaces for people to sign, or if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person you can just have people sign blank scrapbook pages and incorporate them into a scrapbook of wedding photos. Either way, whenever you pull out the book to look through the pictures you'll also get to read the nice messages from your guests. |
(All images from Style Me Pretty)
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Life of Pi
If I had typed up this review yesterday, it probably would have been much more glowing than it will be today. You see, I finished this book on Sunday and was So.Excited. to meet with my book club to discuss it last night (if it hadn't been for the book club, I probably would have made Darrell read the book IMMEDIATELY so that I could discuss it with him) because I loved the book. It was fascinating, captivating, and had a totally surprising twist. Perfect trifecta in my opinion.
But after talking about it with my book club, I realized that there were some definite faults in this book. Things that I had totally forgotten by the time I got to the end. Granted, I still definitely recommend the book (and from what I hear, the movie as well), just not as glowingly as I would have yesterday.
Here's the rundown--a teenaged boy gets stranded on a lifeboat after the ship he is on sinks, and the only other survivors with him are zoo animals (a tiger, an orangutan, a hyena, and a zebra). Before long, he and the tiger are the only two left alive, and the novel details the remarkable story of their survival.
At least, that's what I would have told you yesterday. Because I had been so captivated by the last two-thirds of the book, I had completely forgotten about the first part of the book (which provides background information on his family life and religious beliefs). Overwhelmingly, the consensus was that the first part of the book moved slowly and then wasn't really relevant to the remainder of the book. Which, given the fact that I had totally forgotten about some of the things that had happened, I can totally agree with.
Like I said, though, the disconnectedness isn't really a deal breaker. In fact, I actually found the first part to be interesting in its own right, but it was definitely overshadowed by the story on the lifeboat. And given that his family history and/or religious beliefs didn't seem to significantly impact the story of his time on the boat, it seems like the background information could have been covered in a little less detail (hence the complaint that the first part of the book was slow).
Ultimately, I'm still really glad that I bought the book. I definitely intend to read it again, especially to see that if in my excitement and rapid-page turning through the middle/end of the book I missed some of the religious undertones that were present (plus I want to read it again now that I know the twist!). And I still plan to encourage Darrell to read the book, because I know the Boy Scout/religion major in him will definitely find it captivating. And really, I think there is something in this story that just about anyone will find interesting--especially if they power through a somewhat-lathargic first seventy-some pages.
Monday, February 25, 2013
30 Before 30: Food
As I mentioned on Friday, food is one of the areas I want to focus on with my 30 before 30 project. In general, my goal is going to be to find thirty new recipes to add to our recipe collection before my thirtieth birthday. Now, before you assume that this will be as simple as trying thirty new recipes, you should know that Darrell and I are kind of picky about which recipes "earn" spots in our permanent collection. We always make a recipe twice before putting it into our collection (unless it is just ahh-mazing), and we consider more than just the taste of it when reviewing it: how manageable is the prep, how easy are the ingredients to find, how affordable are the ingredients, how do the leftovers keep (if it makes leftovers), etc. When I am baking, I always take into consideration how foolproof the recipe is: am I able to get the same results multiple times or is the recipe finicky? So, as you can see, adding one new recipe per month to our permanent collection will be a bit more tedious than just trying thirty new recipes.
Although I'm not going to constrain myself to a list of thirty specific recipes to try, there are a few important ones (to me) that I would like to get in my permanent collection by the time I'm thirty. Some of these I've tried recipes for in the past (unsuccessfully); others are challenges that I want to push myself to attempt.
Buttercream and/or Cream Cheese Frosting
Although I'm not going to constrain myself to a list of thirty specific recipes to try, there are a few important ones (to me) that I would like to get in my permanent collection by the time I'm thirty. Some of these I've tried recipes for in the past (unsuccessfully); others are challenges that I want to push myself to attempt.
Buttercream and/or Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Chip Cookies (I actually set out to find my "perfect" chocolate chip cookie recipe a few summers ago, but didn't really make any progress. Whoops.)
Homemade Croissants
Basic Brownies
Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade Pancakes (Bonus points if I can find a recipe to make into a shelf-stable dry mix; have you seen the sodium contents of the mixes you buy in the store?)
Caramels (Probably going to need to buy a candy thermometer for this, but I'm totally okay with that.)
Macaroni and Cheese (not from the box--I've already got the boxed kind mastered)
Jambalaya
Roast Chicken (a whole chicken)
Tomato Sauce
Chicken Noodle Soup
Are there any other recipes you think I should try to master by the time I'm thirty? What are some of your favorite recipe box staples?
Macaroni and Cheese (not from the box--I've already got the boxed kind mastered)
Jambalaya
Roast Chicken (a whole chicken)
Tomato Sauce
Chicken Noodle Soup
Are there any other recipes you think I should try to master by the time I'm thirty? What are some of your favorite recipe box staples?
Friday, February 22, 2013
30 Before 30
A few months after getting married, Darrell and I compiled a list of 101 tasks to complete in 1001 days. While we certainly won't be able to accomplish all the items on the list before the 1001 days are up on April 19th (pretty sure skydiving is not going to happen between now and then), we have gotten through quite a few of the items on the list. We've even managed to accomplish a few things that we probably wouldn't have prioritized if they hadn't been on the list (like attending a state fair), and for that reason alone I'm glad we at least attempted the list.
So, when I realized that I'm rapidly approaching my thirtieth birthday (goodbye, mid-twenties!), I thought that it would only be fitting for me to put together a similar list. I've learned that I'm much more likely to follow through on something if I set concrete goals instead of having an ambiguous desire to accomplish "something" by "some point". And with a baby on its way to change our world as we know it, I thought now would be an especially fitting time for me to set some goals tailored to making sure I don't lose sight of who I am as an individual as we transition into a family of three.
Of course, I couldn't just be normal and create a single list of 30 things to accomplish before I turn 30 (which will happen in approximately 30 months, hence the reason for the timing of this post). Instead, I decided to create four lists, each tailored to a specific passion of mine. Thirty months seems like quite a bit of time, and if there are thirty items on each of the four lists, then I only have to accomplish four things per month, which is just one thing per week. Totally reasonable, right? (This would be where Darrell tells me I'm biting off more than I can chew. This would be where I respond that I don't care.)
As you can probably tell from my blog content, I very much enjoy being in the kitchen. So, one of my lists is going to be "30 Before 30: Food". I also enjoy leisure reading, although I don't always make time to read as much as I'd like, so I'm going to do a "30 Before 30: Books" as well. The last two lists are things that I want to get better at doing, so hopefully having a goal for accomplishing them will be the spark I need to get going. One is "30 Before 30: Crafts", and the other is "30 Before 30: Running".
In the next few weeks I'll go into a little more detail on the food, books, and crafts lists, but they'll all follow the same general pattern: the goal will be to complete thirty tasks related to the list by the end of the thirty months. The slight variation to that will be the running list. I considered making it my goal to complete thirty road races before thirty, but with pregnancy, being out of shape, and terrible running conditions six months of the year, I decided that it was more realistic for me to aim for completing thirty miles in road races instead of thirty individual races. Thirty miles would be the equivalent of ten 5K races, or if I were really ambitious I could run a marathon (26.2 miles) and get most of the miles done in one fell swoop.
I know a lot of people fear turning thirty (just ask my sister who hits that milestone in October!), but I feel like if I can end my twenties on a high note (maintaining my sense of personal identity while learning how to adjust to life as a mother) then I can handle anything the thirties throw at me!
So, when I realized that I'm rapidly approaching my thirtieth birthday (goodbye, mid-twenties!), I thought that it would only be fitting for me to put together a similar list. I've learned that I'm much more likely to follow through on something if I set concrete goals instead of having an ambiguous desire to accomplish "something" by "some point". And with a baby on its way to change our world as we know it, I thought now would be an especially fitting time for me to set some goals tailored to making sure I don't lose sight of who I am as an individual as we transition into a family of three.
Of course, I couldn't just be normal and create a single list of 30 things to accomplish before I turn 30 (which will happen in approximately 30 months, hence the reason for the timing of this post). Instead, I decided to create four lists, each tailored to a specific passion of mine. Thirty months seems like quite a bit of time, and if there are thirty items on each of the four lists, then I only have to accomplish four things per month, which is just one thing per week. Totally reasonable, right? (This would be where Darrell tells me I'm biting off more than I can chew. This would be where I respond that I don't care.)
As you can probably tell from my blog content, I very much enjoy being in the kitchen. So, one of my lists is going to be "30 Before 30: Food". I also enjoy leisure reading, although I don't always make time to read as much as I'd like, so I'm going to do a "30 Before 30: Books" as well. The last two lists are things that I want to get better at doing, so hopefully having a goal for accomplishing them will be the spark I need to get going. One is "30 Before 30: Crafts", and the other is "30 Before 30: Running".
In the next few weeks I'll go into a little more detail on the food, books, and crafts lists, but they'll all follow the same general pattern: the goal will be to complete thirty tasks related to the list by the end of the thirty months. The slight variation to that will be the running list. I considered making it my goal to complete thirty road races before thirty, but with pregnancy, being out of shape, and terrible running conditions six months of the year, I decided that it was more realistic for me to aim for completing thirty miles in road races instead of thirty individual races. Thirty miles would be the equivalent of ten 5K races, or if I were really ambitious I could run a marathon (26.2 miles) and get most of the miles done in one fell swoop.
I know a lot of people fear turning thirty (just ask my sister who hits that milestone in October!), but I feel like if I can end my twenties on a high note (maintaining my sense of personal identity while learning how to adjust to life as a mother) then I can handle anything the thirties throw at me!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Belly Pics: Weeks 31 and 32
I suppose since I've started seeing my OB/GYN every two weeks I might as well start updating my belly pics every two weeks as well. The differences probably won't be as easy to spot, although supposedly baby is going to "drop" soon, so that change might be noticeable. I guess time will tell!
In (somewhat) unrelated news, I've officially decided that 2013 is going to be affectionately known as "The Year of the Baby". My sister-in-law just delivered a little boy yesterday (and he's a cutie!), and three friends from high school are expecting later this year. Not to mention the fact that I am good friends with two other moms-to-be in Sioux Falls who are both due within a month of me (for the record, I knew them prior to any of us getting pregnant; we did not meet as a result of some prenatal class). And of course, who can forget the royal baby that Will and Kate are cooking up? If you are feeling left out, it isn't too late to get in on the year of the baby--there is plenty of time left for some November/December babies!
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| 31 Weeks |
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| 32 Weeks |
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Wedding Wednesday: Accommodating Out-of-Town Guests
Unless you are fortunate enough to have all your friends and family live in the same town as you, chances are you are going to have people that will be traveling in order to attend your wedding. While anyone who travels to a wedding (or anywhere) assumes that there will be some sort of time and financial burden, I always think that it's nice when the bride and groom do their best to ease the burdens of their travelers. Here are just a few things you can do to help make the trip a more enjoyable one for your guests.
Provide them with information about local resources.
Planning a trip can be a lot of work, so help out your guests by providing them with some of the basic information they'll need. If you know you have guests that are going to be flying, include information about nearby airports and car rental services. Give them information about lodging options and, if possible, reserve a block of rooms at a local hotel or two (some guests may still opt to shop around to see if they can find a better rate, but by reserving some rooms you guarantee that there are some rooms available for your wedding guests just in case there are other events in the area that may cause the hotels to fill up). Also, try to make a map available to your guests that has the main locations (ceremony, reception, etc) well-marked, or at least provide them with the exact addresses of those locations so they can map them themselves. Much of this information can be included with the wedding invitation, although many couples also choose to create a wedding website and have this information available on there as well.
Try to minimize the amount of down time for your guests.
In my opinion, there is nothing worse than being in an unfamiliar town with nothing to do for three hours between the ceremony and reception. If possible, try to keep your events close together so that guests aren't left to wander aimlessly. However, I also understand that sometimes special circumstances dictate the schedule of your day, and downtime is unavoidable. If you know there is going to be downtime, try to provide your guests with some options, especially if they are unfamiliar with the area: local points of interests, nearby parks, perhaps even a favorite bar or two. Even if they don't take advantage of your suggestions and opt to just hang out in their hotel room, they'll appreciate that you took the time to give them some guidance.
Have a welcome bag for them when they check into the hotel.
This requires a little bit of coordination with the hotels that your have rooms reserved at, but your guests will definitely appreciate the effort. Darrell and I did this for our wedding, and all we had to do was tell the front desk that whenever anyone checked in who had made a reservation in our block of rooms that they should be given a small goodie bag in addition to their room key. Not only are these welcome bags a good way to provide your guests with information about local things to do as well as detailed maps of the area, but you can also slip in a few goodies for the weary travelers: a bottle of water, trail mix, chocolate, etc. It can also be helpful to provide them with a person's contact information in case they have any difficulty navigating to wedding events; you may be difficult to get a hold of on your big day (and guests might feel bad calling you anyway), so provide them with the number of a trusted friend or family member who can help direct people who get lost.
Most guests will consider it an honor and a privilege to celebrate your wedding with you, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't acknowledge the sacrifices they made to be in attendance. Do what you can to make sure they know their presence is appreciated--because trust me, the whole wedding day will go by so fast that you may not get the personal time with all your guests that you would like.
Provide them with information about local resources.
Planning a trip can be a lot of work, so help out your guests by providing them with some of the basic information they'll need. If you know you have guests that are going to be flying, include information about nearby airports and car rental services. Give them information about lodging options and, if possible, reserve a block of rooms at a local hotel or two (some guests may still opt to shop around to see if they can find a better rate, but by reserving some rooms you guarantee that there are some rooms available for your wedding guests just in case there are other events in the area that may cause the hotels to fill up). Also, try to make a map available to your guests that has the main locations (ceremony, reception, etc) well-marked, or at least provide them with the exact addresses of those locations so they can map them themselves. Much of this information can be included with the wedding invitation, although many couples also choose to create a wedding website and have this information available on there as well.
Try to minimize the amount of down time for your guests.
In my opinion, there is nothing worse than being in an unfamiliar town with nothing to do for three hours between the ceremony and reception. If possible, try to keep your events close together so that guests aren't left to wander aimlessly. However, I also understand that sometimes special circumstances dictate the schedule of your day, and downtime is unavoidable. If you know there is going to be downtime, try to provide your guests with some options, especially if they are unfamiliar with the area: local points of interests, nearby parks, perhaps even a favorite bar or two. Even if they don't take advantage of your suggestions and opt to just hang out in their hotel room, they'll appreciate that you took the time to give them some guidance.
Have a welcome bag for them when they check into the hotel.
This requires a little bit of coordination with the hotels that your have rooms reserved at, but your guests will definitely appreciate the effort. Darrell and I did this for our wedding, and all we had to do was tell the front desk that whenever anyone checked in who had made a reservation in our block of rooms that they should be given a small goodie bag in addition to their room key. Not only are these welcome bags a good way to provide your guests with information about local things to do as well as detailed maps of the area, but you can also slip in a few goodies for the weary travelers: a bottle of water, trail mix, chocolate, etc. It can also be helpful to provide them with a person's contact information in case they have any difficulty navigating to wedding events; you may be difficult to get a hold of on your big day (and guests might feel bad calling you anyway), so provide them with the number of a trusted friend or family member who can help direct people who get lost.
Most guests will consider it an honor and a privilege to celebrate your wedding with you, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't acknowledge the sacrifices they made to be in attendance. Do what you can to make sure they know their presence is appreciated--because trust me, the whole wedding day will go by so fast that you may not get the personal time with all your guests that you would like.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Maternity Photos
So the only nice thing about the lamest blizzard ever a few weekends ago was that our photography friends had to come to Sioux Falls early to avoid missing work due to the blizzard, and that gave us an opportunity to take some maternity photos. And I am In.Love. with them. I'm not exactly sure what we'll end up doing with the photos (Darrell thinks it will be weird to have pictures of pregnant me around the house once I'm no longer pregnant), but I'm glad nonetheless that we were able to have a chance to document this journey. And you know, have a little fun canoodling with each other in front of the camera since usually Darrell is behind it (or we're taking self-portraits). Here are just a few of my favorites (all images courtesy of and copyrighted by Korzan Customs):
This next one might be my all-time favorite... Totally can't take credit for the idea, but I'm so glad I stole it!
We also had to pay homage to one of my favorite wedding photos. Here's the photo from our wedding day:
And here's the updated "baby" version:
Lest you think we managed to act normal and respectable for the duration of our photo shoot, here's a few out-takes to prove otherwise:
This next one might be my all-time favorite... Totally can't take credit for the idea, but I'm so glad I stole it!
We also had to pay homage to one of my favorite wedding photos. Here's the photo from our wedding day:
And here's the updated "baby" version:
Lest you think we managed to act normal and respectable for the duration of our photo shoot, here's a few out-takes to prove otherwise:
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| We were supposed to act serious for this photo. Safe to say we don't do "serious" very well |
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| We were just testing out the playground equipment to make sure it will be safe for baby. This was not for personal pleasure whatsoever. I swear. |
Friday, February 15, 2013
Nursery Bookshelves
So remember those totally awesome bookshelves I showed you earlier this week? Bragging time--Darrell totally made those. What started as a few pieces of wood and some nails turned into one of my favorite things about the nursery. And although I can't really take any credit for the assembly of the bookshelves, I can say that they were pretty easy--and way cheaper than buying pre-built shelves.
Unfortunately, Darrell took some initiative and built these shelves one morning while I was working so I don't have any pictures of the process, but from what I understand it was pretty simple. Let me refresh for you what they look like before I explain what he did.
The shelf is actually made up of three separate pieces: the base, the lip on the front, and a mounting piece on the back. Since he kept the lip on the front pretty small he was able to split one piece of wood and use it for the lip on both shelves, and then secured it with small finishing nails. He then created the same lip on the back of the base using another piece of wood, but left the extra material hanging below the shelf to serve as the anchor (I apologize that it's really hard to see that, but trust me, there is some material hanging below the shelf which mounts it into the wall). We fully anticipate our child using these shelves to pull himself/herself up, so Darrell made sure to secure the screws into studs (and trust me--those suckers aren't going anywhere).
What I love most about this project is that we were able to customize the depth of the shelves. All the pre-built shelves we found were around three inches deep, and I really didn't want our bookshelves to stick out that far from the wall. Trusty Menards had plenty of small wood pieces (I believe we purchased cedar, but I could be mistaken) of varying widths, so we were able to find one that was closer to an inch--plenty deep for supporting a children's book or two. Plus the wood we bought was already finished so we didn't have to worry about doing any sanding--just slapped a few coats of paint on the shelves after they were built and we were done! Love them!
Unfortunately, Darrell took some initiative and built these shelves one morning while I was working so I don't have any pictures of the process, but from what I understand it was pretty simple. Let me refresh for you what they look like before I explain what he did.
The shelf is actually made up of three separate pieces: the base, the lip on the front, and a mounting piece on the back. Since he kept the lip on the front pretty small he was able to split one piece of wood and use it for the lip on both shelves, and then secured it with small finishing nails. He then created the same lip on the back of the base using another piece of wood, but left the extra material hanging below the shelf to serve as the anchor (I apologize that it's really hard to see that, but trust me, there is some material hanging below the shelf which mounts it into the wall). We fully anticipate our child using these shelves to pull himself/herself up, so Darrell made sure to secure the screws into studs (and trust me--those suckers aren't going anywhere).
What I love most about this project is that we were able to customize the depth of the shelves. All the pre-built shelves we found were around three inches deep, and I really didn't want our bookshelves to stick out that far from the wall. Trusty Menards had plenty of small wood pieces (I believe we purchased cedar, but I could be mistaken) of varying widths, so we were able to find one that was closer to an inch--plenty deep for supporting a children's book or two. Plus the wood we bought was already finished so we didn't have to worry about doing any sanding--just slapped a few coats of paint on the shelves after they were built and we were done! Love them!
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| If you enlarge this image, you can see the anchor piece underneath the top shelf a little more clearly |
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Crackers
That may be quite a mouthful for the name of this recipe, but it covers all three ingredients necessary for it: chocolate, peanut butter, and crackers. And I suppose you also need a little bit of time and patience--but the end product is totally worth it. Be warned, though: these tasty treats are highly addictive. And if people start to get attached to them... Well, you might be on the hook for providing them on a regular basis. Just ask Darrell's grandmommy if you don't believe me--for as long as he can remember (so twenty-plus years), she's been providing them for her kids and grandkids at Christmas. And let me tell you--the moment when every family gets their tin of cookies is always a big deal. Not to mention how exciting it is to get married and start a family of your own, which entitles you to your own tin, not one that you have to share with your parents and unmarried siblings.
I've always known that the basic concept of these cookies was ridiculously easy, but much like my cut-out cookies, I've always been intimidated by the process. After all, chocolate will only melt so quickly on a double-boiler, and dipping the cookies one at a time is tedious. But I found that once I got into a routine, the whole process went quite smoothly, and I was done before I knew it. Blaring fun dance music always helps to pass the time as well :)
Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Crackers
Ritz (or similar) crackers
Peanut Butter
Chocolate for coating
I know that ingredient list is really vague, but truthfully, this is more of a method than a recipe. Just slap a small spoonful of peanut between two crackers and coat with chocolate. That's it. I did find that I could coat approximately 40 sandwiches with one 24 oz package of almond bark, so that might help give you a gauge on quantities. And just in case you are a visual learner who has never had one of these before, here's a picture of the inside:
Doesn't that just make you want to whip up some of these right now? Maybe for your sweetie for Valentine's Day so you don't have to pay for ridiculous candy and flowers at the store? That's one of the beauties of this "recipe"--you can make as many or as few as you would like! Of course, if you are going to take the time to melt the chocolate for them, I'd recommend making at least a couple dozen--also because you'll probably discover that once they are made they don't last very long.
They are also easily customizable to any occasion (hello, sprinkles), and once the chocolate has set they are virtually indestructible, making them perfect for traveling to any type of gathering. Just be prepared to be the hero--and don't be surprised if people request them again and again.
I've always known that the basic concept of these cookies was ridiculously easy, but much like my cut-out cookies, I've always been intimidated by the process. After all, chocolate will only melt so quickly on a double-boiler, and dipping the cookies one at a time is tedious. But I found that once I got into a routine, the whole process went quite smoothly, and I was done before I knew it. Blaring fun dance music always helps to pass the time as well :)
Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Crackers
Ritz (or similar) crackers
Peanut Butter
Chocolate for coating
I know that ingredient list is really vague, but truthfully, this is more of a method than a recipe. Just slap a small spoonful of peanut between two crackers and coat with chocolate. That's it. I did find that I could coat approximately 40 sandwiches with one 24 oz package of almond bark, so that might help give you a gauge on quantities. And just in case you are a visual learner who has never had one of these before, here's a picture of the inside:
Doesn't that just make you want to whip up some of these right now? Maybe for your sweetie for Valentine's Day so you don't have to pay for ridiculous candy and flowers at the store? That's one of the beauties of this "recipe"--you can make as many or as few as you would like! Of course, if you are going to take the time to melt the chocolate for them, I'd recommend making at least a couple dozen--also because you'll probably discover that once they are made they don't last very long.
They are also easily customizable to any occasion (hello, sprinkles), and once the chocolate has set they are virtually indestructible, making them perfect for traveling to any type of gathering. Just be prepared to be the hero--and don't be surprised if people request them again and again.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Wedding Wednesday: Incorporating Traditions
Oh Valentine's Day. That wonderful holiday of love, romance, and over-priced flowers and chocolates. Forgive me if I don't get overly sentimental about the holiday; the only thing I really like about Valentine's Day is the discounted chocolate the day after. But, I know many people hold Valentine's Day in high esteem, and enjoy the opportunity to shower those they care about with love and affection (regardless of the inflated cost), so in this traditional season of love I thought it would only be appropriate to address the implementation of traditions during another time of love: the wedding.
Wedding traditions can vary from widely-known (tossing the bouquet) to more intimate family traditions (wearing an heirloom broach). Regardless of the scope of the tradition, though, you should never include something in your wedding "just because it's what everyone else does". While some guests may be surprised that you omit the bouquet toss, an equal number of guests probably won't even notice. If the thought of a bunch of grown adults dancing around like chickens makes you cry a little inside, tell the DJ he isn't allowed to play the chicken dance. If you are closer to your mom than your dad, have her walk you down the aisle. Or have them both walk you down the aisle. Or walk down the aisle by yourself! When it comes time to determine the details of your special day, remember that you are not planning the event to please your guests; you are planning the wedding to mark the beginning of your life as husband and wife, and therefore the day should be a reflection of you and your relationship with your future spouse. And if being "you" involves wearing a dress with rainbow-colored tulle, then by all means, go for it. Don't worry about what tradition says. Especially because many of the "common" traditions are rooted in beliefs that are no longer relevant in modern day (did you know that the tradition of the bride tossing her bouquet originated because wedding guests used to tear at a bride's dress after the wedding as an attempt to "steal" some of her luck so she would toss her bouquet--and other items--as a distraction?).
Personally, while I have no objections to mainstream traditions, I always find that I get more sentimental when I hear about family traditions that have been incorporated into weddings. Like the Bible passage that has been read at weddings for generations. Or the cake topper that graced the cake at a grandparent's wedding. Or the father-daughter song that your father used to sing to you as he rocked you to sleep as a child. Perhaps your guests won't recognize these things as tradition, and they likely won't understand the meaning behind them, but that's okay. What's important is that the traditions are meaningful to you.
Oh, and that whole Valentine's Day thing? Why not go for some traditions there too? Forget the expensive flowers and chocolates and jewelry--start a tradition of making cupcakes with your sweetie to share on Valentine's Day. Or make a homemade pizza--you could even shape the crust into a heart! The possibilities are endless.
Note: With baby fast approaching, I plan to wrap up my series of Wedding Wednesday in the next few weeks. So if you have any wedding-related topic that you would like me to address, feel free to let me know!
Wedding traditions can vary from widely-known (tossing the bouquet) to more intimate family traditions (wearing an heirloom broach). Regardless of the scope of the tradition, though, you should never include something in your wedding "just because it's what everyone else does". While some guests may be surprised that you omit the bouquet toss, an equal number of guests probably won't even notice. If the thought of a bunch of grown adults dancing around like chickens makes you cry a little inside, tell the DJ he isn't allowed to play the chicken dance. If you are closer to your mom than your dad, have her walk you down the aisle. Or have them both walk you down the aisle. Or walk down the aisle by yourself! When it comes time to determine the details of your special day, remember that you are not planning the event to please your guests; you are planning the wedding to mark the beginning of your life as husband and wife, and therefore the day should be a reflection of you and your relationship with your future spouse. And if being "you" involves wearing a dress with rainbow-colored tulle, then by all means, go for it. Don't worry about what tradition says. Especially because many of the "common" traditions are rooted in beliefs that are no longer relevant in modern day (did you know that the tradition of the bride tossing her bouquet originated because wedding guests used to tear at a bride's dress after the wedding as an attempt to "steal" some of her luck so she would toss her bouquet--and other items--as a distraction?).
Personally, while I have no objections to mainstream traditions, I always find that I get more sentimental when I hear about family traditions that have been incorporated into weddings. Like the Bible passage that has been read at weddings for generations. Or the cake topper that graced the cake at a grandparent's wedding. Or the father-daughter song that your father used to sing to you as he rocked you to sleep as a child. Perhaps your guests won't recognize these things as tradition, and they likely won't understand the meaning behind them, but that's okay. What's important is that the traditions are meaningful to you.
Oh, and that whole Valentine's Day thing? Why not go for some traditions there too? Forget the expensive flowers and chocolates and jewelry--start a tradition of making cupcakes with your sweetie to share on Valentine's Day. Or make a homemade pizza--you could even shape the crust into a heart! The possibilities are endless.
Note: With baby fast approaching, I plan to wrap up my series of Wedding Wednesday in the next few weeks. So if you have any wedding-related topic that you would like me to address, feel free to let me know!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Nursery Teaser IV
Since we've been buying children's books like crazy, I decided we needed some creative way to display them in the nursery, especially since we don't have a lot of space for a traditional bookshelf. And I couldn't be happier with the final product.
Love. Love. Love.
Love. Love. Love.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Lamest Blizzard Ever
So at noon on Friday, Darrell and I were pretty set on our weekend plans--and, as usual, we had a pretty full weekend planned. Saturday morning we were going to drive up to Webster for some family time with my sister and to do some wedding planning, and then we were going to leave there Sunday morning to head to Kimball to take some maternity photos with one of my friends.
But then we looked a little bit more closely at the weather--and every news report was screaming blizzard for pretty much the entire state from Saturday night into Monday. It was supposed to start with light rain showers, turn into snow (with snowfall predictions of six inches around Sioux Falls and more than a foot in Kimball and Webster), and then the winds were supposed to pick up causing white-out conditions. So, after making a few phone calls, we cancelled all our plans for the weekend and kicked our feet back to enjoy the blizzard from the comfort of our own home.
And then?? Nothing. At least in the Sioux Falls area. The temperatures stayed warm enough to keep the rain from turning to snow, plus the warm ground kept the little bit of snow that did fall from accumulating. Which meant that by the time the wind picked up there wasn't much to blow around. It was a major disappointment--although still nice to enjoy a relaxing weekend at the house.
Granted, the storm lived up to its hype elsewhere, causing the interstates to close throughout most of the state on Sunday, so it still ended up being a good thing that we decided not to travel. Plus, our photographer friends ended up coming to town on Saturday because they had work stuff in Sioux Falls on Monday and wanted to make sure they didn't get stuck in Kimball, so we were still able to get some maternity photos taken. Definitely not what we were planning for the weekend, but it still ended up being a major win!
But then we looked a little bit more closely at the weather--and every news report was screaming blizzard for pretty much the entire state from Saturday night into Monday. It was supposed to start with light rain showers, turn into snow (with snowfall predictions of six inches around Sioux Falls and more than a foot in Kimball and Webster), and then the winds were supposed to pick up causing white-out conditions. So, after making a few phone calls, we cancelled all our plans for the weekend and kicked our feet back to enjoy the blizzard from the comfort of our own home.
And then?? Nothing. At least in the Sioux Falls area. The temperatures stayed warm enough to keep the rain from turning to snow, plus the warm ground kept the little bit of snow that did fall from accumulating. Which meant that by the time the wind picked up there wasn't much to blow around. It was a major disappointment--although still nice to enjoy a relaxing weekend at the house.
Granted, the storm lived up to its hype elsewhere, causing the interstates to close throughout most of the state on Sunday, so it still ended up being a good thing that we decided not to travel. Plus, our photographer friends ended up coming to town on Saturday because they had work stuff in Sioux Falls on Monday and wanted to make sure they didn't get stuck in Kimball, so we were still able to get some maternity photos taken. Definitely not what we were planning for the weekend, but it still ended up being a major win!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Almond Poppy Seed Bread
Look at me--food posts two days in a row! This might be the closest I come to nesting; I am totally fine without doing any of the cleaning/organizing stuff, but sign me up for spending more time in the kitchen and building a stockpile of recipes to be able to fall back on once baby gets here. And this bread is definitely a good place to start. It's sturdy enough that I imagine it would freeze well, although I can't say that we've ever tried that because we eat through the loaves quickly enough without needing to freeze them. I'm not even sure we would need to stock our freezer with any of these loaves before baby comes, either--the recipe is easy enough to prepare that I could do it while baby is napping (does that totally make me sound like an overly optimistic/ambitious novice Mom? Yes? Well, I guess I'll learn soon enough).
Oh, and don't be tempted to forgo the glaze. While I love me some almond extract (like in this recipe) and the unique flavor that the extract gives the bread, the glaze just gives it that extra boost of sweetness that takes this bread from delicious to delectable. And maybe makes it just slightly addicting.
Almond Poppy Seed Bread
(recipe originally found here)
Bread:
3 cups flour
2 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350*. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. Mix all bread ingredients together and beat for two minutes. Pour into pans and bake for 45-60 minutes (begin checking at 45 minutes until you know how quickly it will cook in your oven). In a small bowl, mix together all glaze ingredients. Loosen bread from the side of the pans and poke some holes in the top. Pour the glaze over the hot loaves, making sure to cover the entire top. Let cool completely before removing from pans.
We do store the second loaf in the fridge for the few days it takes us to eat through the first loaf just because I'm worried the glaze would make it susceptible to getting moldy more quickly if left at room temperature for an extended period of time, but it should be fine at room temperature for at least four or five days (covered, of course).
Oh, and don't be tempted to forgo the glaze. While I love me some almond extract (like in this recipe) and the unique flavor that the extract gives the bread, the glaze just gives it that extra boost of sweetness that takes this bread from delicious to delectable. And maybe makes it just slightly addicting.
Almond Poppy Seed Bread
(recipe originally found here)
Bread:
3 cups flour
2 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350*. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. Mix all bread ingredients together and beat for two minutes. Pour into pans and bake for 45-60 minutes (begin checking at 45 minutes until you know how quickly it will cook in your oven). In a small bowl, mix together all glaze ingredients. Loosen bread from the side of the pans and poke some holes in the top. Pour the glaze over the hot loaves, making sure to cover the entire top. Let cool completely before removing from pans.
We do store the second loaf in the fridge for the few days it takes us to eat through the first loaf just because I'm worried the glaze would make it susceptible to getting moldy more quickly if left at room temperature for an extended period of time, but it should be fine at room temperature for at least four or five days (covered, of course).
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Taco Dip
I played soccer back in college, and we had--without a doubt--the best parents in the conference (maybe even the country). They were not only loyal supporters, but also excellent chefs. Whenever possible, local parents would host the teams for dinner during road games so that we weren't stuck eating fast food, and for home games they'd bring us snacks and Gatorades for after the game. Even when we would travel during the off-season for indoor tournaments and such, there always seemed to be a parent willing to house (or at least feed) a rambunctious group of college students. They were awesome.
Even more awesome, though, was the fact that during my senior year the parents got together and complied their (and the team's) favorite recipes into a cookbook. And once I got my hands on one of those cookbooks, this was the first recipe I made. And made again. And again. I won't say how quickly a group of us girls used to be able to eat through a batch (and perhaps even a double batch) of this stuff--just take my word on it and make it for your next party. I promise it won't disappoint.
Taco Dip
(courtesy of Mary C. and the Wartburg Soccer Cookbook)
1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
1 container sour cream (8 oz)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
Toppings as desired (lettuce, shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives, jalapenos, etc)
Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning mix until well combined. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of a serving platter (I usually use a 9x13 pan so I can put a lid on it and travel it easily, but it also works great to spread it in a pizza pan or other rimmed baking sheet). Sprinkle with toppings as desired. Store in the refrigerator. Serve with tortilla chips.
Did I forget to mention earlier how easy it is? Yes? Well, now you know. Seriously easy. You have no excuses not to make it.
Even more awesome, though, was the fact that during my senior year the parents got together and complied their (and the team's) favorite recipes into a cookbook. And once I got my hands on one of those cookbooks, this was the first recipe I made. And made again. And again. I won't say how quickly a group of us girls used to be able to eat through a batch (and perhaps even a double batch) of this stuff--just take my word on it and make it for your next party. I promise it won't disappoint.
Taco Dip
(courtesy of Mary C. and the Wartburg Soccer Cookbook)
1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
1 container sour cream (8 oz)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
Toppings as desired (lettuce, shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives, jalapenos, etc)
Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning mix until well combined. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of a serving platter (I usually use a 9x13 pan so I can put a lid on it and travel it easily, but it also works great to spread it in a pizza pan or other rimmed baking sheet). Sprinkle with toppings as desired. Store in the refrigerator. Serve with tortilla chips.
Did I forget to mention earlier how easy it is? Yes? Well, now you know. Seriously easy. You have no excuses not to make it.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Wedding Wednesday: Caterers and the Menu
I already talked a little bit about how you can be unique by incorporating special foods into your wedding meal, but there are a few more considerations to make when selecting a caterer and other catering options. As I've said with some of the other vendors, choosing a caterer that has some familiarity with your venue can be beneficial. They'll already know the requirements about where they can and can't set up, as well as what access they have to a kitchen and/or supplies. It's also good to talk with other brides (or people) who have used that caterer--while you'll likely get an opportunity to sample their food items, something they serve you fresh may vary in taste when it has to be prepared in bulk and served at a wedding. You'll also be able to find out from previous patrons if the caterer provided good, timely service--the caterer probably won't admit to getting bad reviews in these areas.
Of course, many venues require you to use their caterer, so you might not have to worry about those considerations (although it's always a good idea to check into the caterer before finalizing your decision on the venue). But you'll still need to decide how to serve your food, generally either a buffet or plated dining service. Buffets are generally cheaper, although many people view them as less formal. However, I think they are perfectly fine, and certainly less work. Unless you plan to serve all of your guests the same meal, doing a plated dining service requires you to track menu selections of your guests, as well as devise a way to convey that information to the serving staff (usually done using the place cards). Additionally, doing a buffet allows you a little more freedom when it comes to special diet considerations. As long as you offer a variety of foods on your buffet, even people with special diets (like vegetarians) can pick and choose the items and still walk away with a full plate of food. Forcing them to pick an entree for plated dining service means they may not be able to eat all the food on their plate, or it may mean you need to offer additional options to accommodate their needs (which can drive up the costs with some caterers). Don't panic too much about what people can and can't eat, though--many people with very restrictive diets (like those with Celiac disease) often understand that caterers at large events like weddings won't be able to provide options suitable to their diets so they will make alternate arrangements on their own.
Most people will remember the quality of the food versus the elaborateness of the decor, so make sure you pay consideration to this when budgeting for and selecting a caterer. And don't be afraid to step out of the box and do something original--if I'm ever invited to a wedding where they serve ribs the bride will win major points in my book!
Of course, many venues require you to use their caterer, so you might not have to worry about those considerations (although it's always a good idea to check into the caterer before finalizing your decision on the venue). But you'll still need to decide how to serve your food, generally either a buffet or plated dining service. Buffets are generally cheaper, although many people view them as less formal. However, I think they are perfectly fine, and certainly less work. Unless you plan to serve all of your guests the same meal, doing a plated dining service requires you to track menu selections of your guests, as well as devise a way to convey that information to the serving staff (usually done using the place cards). Additionally, doing a buffet allows you a little more freedom when it comes to special diet considerations. As long as you offer a variety of foods on your buffet, even people with special diets (like vegetarians) can pick and choose the items and still walk away with a full plate of food. Forcing them to pick an entree for plated dining service means they may not be able to eat all the food on their plate, or it may mean you need to offer additional options to accommodate their needs (which can drive up the costs with some caterers). Don't panic too much about what people can and can't eat, though--many people with very restrictive diets (like those with Celiac disease) often understand that caterers at large events like weddings won't be able to provide options suitable to their diets so they will make alternate arrangements on their own.
Most people will remember the quality of the food versus the elaborateness of the decor, so make sure you pay consideration to this when budgeting for and selecting a caterer. And don't be afraid to step out of the box and do something original--if I'm ever invited to a wedding where they serve ribs the bride will win major points in my book!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Belly Pics: Weeks 27-30
Thirty weeks!!?! It just doesn't quite seem possible. Am I really three-fourths of the way done with this pregnancy? Gulp.
Perhaps it's just me, but I'm having a harder time seeing changes week-to-week. I don't really feel like I grow all that much, although the numbers on the scale (and tightness of my clothes) indicate otherwise. Just for fun, though, to really see the growth, I had Darrell stitch together a little bump progression shot:
How crazy is that? I feel like I should be able to write an exponential growth equation to predict my size at forty weeks--but I'm not so sure I want to imagine just how much bigger this belly is going to get. And let's pretend like I was smart enough to wear sleeves instead of a tank top so you can't tell how much bigger (and less tan!) my arms are getting, mmkay?
Not surprisingly, my bigger belly continues to affect certain every day tasks. Putting on socks and shoes is definitely getting more difficult; I can still do it, but it just takes a little more time (and probably looks pretty funny). Thankfully most of my shoes just slip on, but I don't think the weather will warm up enough that I'll be able to go without socks anytime soon. I've also had to wear my non-maternity coat a few times the past few weeks (my maternity coat just isn't built to handle wind chills of thirty-five degrees below zero); while I can still (barely) get it zipped, I usually have to have someone else do it for me because I can't see under my belly where the zipper ends meet.
Aside from those changes, no real complaints. I'm still sleeping well, which is obviously great, although it does means that making the adjustment to less sleep will be more difficult once baby gets here (and trust me--it will be an adjustment. I get cranky if I don't get seven hours of sleep, and I know that'll be impossible with baby). I'm also ready for BOB to get a little more chunky; while I'm not necessarily thrilled to grow any more or get any more cramped, I'm ready to be done with these super bony knees and elbows jabbing in to me all the time (unfortunately, baby can probably thank both parents for his/her bony appendages). And speaking of being kicked--baby movements are bizarre. There are occasional movements that make sense and are easily identifiable as a kick/punch or somersault. But sometimes? I swear kid is having a seizure in there. Except with like eight limbs instead of just four. They're weird--and totally not something I would have expected. But they sure are fun to watch from the outside. I'd make some comment about trying to catch some of the movements on video, but it'd just be an empty promise. I'm pretty sure my camera is the only device we own that takes video, and I never have it on me. So you'll just have to take my word on it.
Here's to (eek!!) ten more weeks!!
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| 27 Weeks |
 |
| 28 Weeks |
 |
| 29 Weeks |
 |
| 30 Weeks |
How crazy is that? I feel like I should be able to write an exponential growth equation to predict my size at forty weeks--but I'm not so sure I want to imagine just how much bigger this belly is going to get. And let's pretend like I was smart enough to wear sleeves instead of a tank top so you can't tell how much bigger (and less tan!) my arms are getting, mmkay?
Not surprisingly, my bigger belly continues to affect certain every day tasks. Putting on socks and shoes is definitely getting more difficult; I can still do it, but it just takes a little more time (and probably looks pretty funny). Thankfully most of my shoes just slip on, but I don't think the weather will warm up enough that I'll be able to go without socks anytime soon. I've also had to wear my non-maternity coat a few times the past few weeks (my maternity coat just isn't built to handle wind chills of thirty-five degrees below zero); while I can still (barely) get it zipped, I usually have to have someone else do it for me because I can't see under my belly where the zipper ends meet.
Aside from those changes, no real complaints. I'm still sleeping well, which is obviously great, although it does means that making the adjustment to less sleep will be more difficult once baby gets here (and trust me--it will be an adjustment. I get cranky if I don't get seven hours of sleep, and I know that'll be impossible with baby). I'm also ready for BOB to get a little more chunky; while I'm not necessarily thrilled to grow any more or get any more cramped, I'm ready to be done with these super bony knees and elbows jabbing in to me all the time (unfortunately, baby can probably thank both parents for his/her bony appendages). And speaking of being kicked--baby movements are bizarre. There are occasional movements that make sense and are easily identifiable as a kick/punch or somersault. But sometimes? I swear kid is having a seizure in there. Except with like eight limbs instead of just four. They're weird--and totally not something I would have expected. But they sure are fun to watch from the outside. I'd make some comment about trying to catch some of the movements on video, but it'd just be an empty promise. I'm pretty sure my camera is the only device we own that takes video, and I never have it on me. So you'll just have to take my word on it.
Here's to (eek!!) ten more weeks!!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Louie and JR
So a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I've successfully kept two houseplants alive for well over two months. That may not sound like much, but it's kind of a big deal for me, given the hit-or-miss luck I've had gardening (and the fact that I usually give up on the garden about two months into the summer). Of course, house plants don't really require any weeding or pruning or insect removal, so all I've had to do is remember to water them (thankfully they seem pretty hardy because this does slip my mind occasionally) and open the curtains so they actually get sunlight during the day (I'm definitely not the best at remembering this, but thankfully the days are getting longer so they can still get some sunlight even if I don't open the curtains until after I get home from work).
For the record, I'm probably jinxing myself and will find them both wilted and dead when I get home from work today, but whatever. I'm impressed they've lasted even this long, so I totally won't be heartbroken when/if they die.
Introducing Louie and JR:
Louie (top photo) is a Croton Plant, and was gifted to me after the death of my grandfather Louis in October. Apparently if we were to put him into a larger pot he could grow to four feet or taller--I think we're happy with him the size he is.
JR is an amaryllis, gifted to us by someone with the initials J.R. (shocking, right?). About a week after the photo shoot the other two flowers bloomed; since then all four flowers have started to die. But I'm pretty sure that she will flower again as long as we keep her alive (knock on wood).
And just for fun, while I was taking pictures of the plants, I decided to play around with Darrell's new camera flash a little bit. Here is the same picture of JR as above, but with the flash tilted at a different angle.
And for this next shot I put a different filter on the flash (a "warm" filter, as Darrell tells me).
Isn't that fun how much of a difference the flash makes? Of course, I don't really understand any of the logistics behind it; I get the shot I want by playing around with all the different settings and filters whereas Darrell can do all the adjustments before he shoots and get the shot he wants the first time. Which is why photography is his hobby and not mine.
For the record, I'm probably jinxing myself and will find them both wilted and dead when I get home from work today, but whatever. I'm impressed they've lasted even this long, so I totally won't be heartbroken when/if they die.
Introducing Louie and JR:
Louie (top photo) is a Croton Plant, and was gifted to me after the death of my grandfather Louis in October. Apparently if we were to put him into a larger pot he could grow to four feet or taller--I think we're happy with him the size he is.
JR is an amaryllis, gifted to us by someone with the initials J.R. (shocking, right?). About a week after the photo shoot the other two flowers bloomed; since then all four flowers have started to die. But I'm pretty sure that she will flower again as long as we keep her alive (knock on wood).
And just for fun, while I was taking pictures of the plants, I decided to play around with Darrell's new camera flash a little bit. Here is the same picture of JR as above, but with the flash tilted at a different angle.
 |
| Shadows! |
Isn't that fun how much of a difference the flash makes? Of course, I don't really understand any of the logistics behind it; I get the shot I want by playing around with all the different settings and filters whereas Darrell can do all the adjustments before he shoots and get the shot he wants the first time. Which is why photography is his hobby and not mine.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Chicken Korma
My posts may lead you to believe otherwise, but Darrell and I have actually been eating more than just sweets in the past few months. However, baby is usually Ready.To.Eat by the time we sit down to the table, so on the rare occasion we've tried a new recipe, taking a picture of it hasn't exactly been a priority.
However, I made photographing this dish a priority, mostly because there was no doubt that it needed to make an appearance on the blog. This is actually the second time we've tried this recipe, so I knew that it was going to be a winner. I know the ingredient list is pretty intense, and subsequently the directions are a little lengthy, but it really is pretty easy to throw together once all the prep work is done. And for an Indian dish, there really aren't any ingredients that you shouldn't be able to find in a standard grocery store, which is always a win in my book. Nothing is more annoying to me than having to drive all over town to speciality grocery stores trying to find an elusive exotic ingredient.
I will warn you though--if you are unfamiliar with cooking with turmeric, be warned that it is yellow--very yellow. And has the potential to turn your utensils (like a wooden spoon) or leftover containers yellow. But trust me--it's totally worth it.
Chicken Korma
(original recipe found here)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece ginger, grated
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cashews, roasted
Steamed rice for serving
Cilantro for garnish
In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. Stir to combine and saute an additional minute. Mix in the chicken stock, tomato sauce, and sugar (add 1 tsp salt if desired). Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Add the chicken to the pot and stir to coat. Turn heat to low, partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer until chicken is tender and sauce is thickened, about one hour. Near the end of the simmering time, combine buttermilk and cashews in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour into the pot and cook until heated through, about five minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.
Another thing to love about this recipe (besides the taste, of course)? You can get practically all the dishes done while the chicken is cooking, so the after-dinner cleanup is a cinch!
However, I made photographing this dish a priority, mostly because there was no doubt that it needed to make an appearance on the blog. This is actually the second time we've tried this recipe, so I knew that it was going to be a winner. I know the ingredient list is pretty intense, and subsequently the directions are a little lengthy, but it really is pretty easy to throw together once all the prep work is done. And for an Indian dish, there really aren't any ingredients that you shouldn't be able to find in a standard grocery store, which is always a win in my book. Nothing is more annoying to me than having to drive all over town to speciality grocery stores trying to find an elusive exotic ingredient.
I will warn you though--if you are unfamiliar with cooking with turmeric, be warned that it is yellow--very yellow. And has the potential to turn your utensils (like a wooden spoon) or leftover containers yellow. But trust me--it's totally worth it.
Chicken Korma
(original recipe found here)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece ginger, grated
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cashews, roasted
Steamed rice for serving
Cilantro for garnish
In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. Stir to combine and saute an additional minute. Mix in the chicken stock, tomato sauce, and sugar (add 1 tsp salt if desired). Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Add the chicken to the pot and stir to coat. Turn heat to low, partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer until chicken is tender and sauce is thickened, about one hour. Near the end of the simmering time, combine buttermilk and cashews in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour into the pot and cook until heated through, about five minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.
Another thing to love about this recipe (besides the taste, of course)? You can get practically all the dishes done while the chicken is cooking, so the after-dinner cleanup is a cinch!
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