The Souls of my Shoes

491

2011-09-12T11:16:00.001-08:00

Jumping back in. Its been a long 491 days since I've last posted, & lots of changes on the homefront. I have the most amazing brown-eyed boy, whom just celebrated his 1 yr. Birthday, & will soon be hearing another set of tiny foot steps in our home.
Its good to be back...more to come.

Springtime

2010-05-09T23:08:00.003-08:00

Spring has finally arrived in Alaska, the beautiful blue skied days have been reaching temps in the low 60's, & it's almost time to start planting flowers outdoors. This year, I started begonias & peonies indoors, & have already purchased fuschia starts as I had a hard time finding them last year. Our yard is still brown, but their are little shoots coming up in my flower beds. We have approx. 16 1/2 hrs of daylight, & I've been finding it difficult to sleep when the bright sun is shining in the bedroom window at 6am!

My fuschia starts are enjoying the sun with some peonies (I use cut up milk jugs to temporarily grow them in until there ready to go outdoors), & my crazy begonias. I started the Salmon & Yellow begonias the end of March, from tubers, & it looks like they're ready to go outdoors as they've gotten very large!

My sweet Lucy is enjoying the sunshine. All of the Pugs love being outside when the weather is warm. And, I purchased a hydrangea plant last year & weathered it in the house over the winter. Little blooms are finally starting to appear!

I recently celebrated my 30th Birthday (wowza!)...sometimes I still feel like a teenager, time sure flies by. Mother's Day took on a whole new meaning this year as a mom-to-be. We can't wait until the big d-day in August to finally meet our little one! Kyle has been thrilled these last couple of weeks as he has been able to hear the heartbeat with a fetal monitor, & then he felt/saw several kicks a couple of days ago.

Between working & housework, it seems there is just not enough time in the day. Im planning a freezer food list for the first month, after the baby is born, so that we really won't have to worry about food planning & preparation. Most of the meals will be easy enough to toss in the oven for an hour or two and then, viola, dinner is served :-) So far the dinner menu consists of; lasagna, meatloaf, enchiladas, salsbury steak, porcupine balls & rice, and chicken & rice. Breakfast and lunch will be more convenient items such as muffins, cereal, canned soups/chili, sandwiches, & salads.

Hoping that your Spring days are fantastic.
Im looking forward to an exciting summer...until next time :-)

Catching up

2010-04-08T22:22:00.002-08:00

Always something interesting to see; I spotted these two giants in the parking lot next to work. They weren't too fazed by people, but seemed content to munch on the trees in the area, they actually eat bark in the winter, weird huh! And yes, that is how it currently looks outside.

Its been fairly quiet around the house, but with spring around the corner, I have been itching for summer & all the glorious sunny days that we have here in Alaska. Yes, sadly its still winter"ish" here. Lots of snow on the ground and highs in the upper 30's. We officially don't have the all clear to plant outside until memorial day weekend, which has always been considered the first frost free days here in Alaska. On a happy note, our days are getting longer & its still light out at 9:30 pm, during the summer solstice, it will still be light out at 2-3am...love it! This years plants, that I've started indoors, include yellow & salmon begonias, & pink peonies. As we will be quite busy this summer, Im going to keep my starter plants to a minimum & pick up most of my flowers at a local nursery.

We have an array of household tasks to complete before late summer that include insulating the crawl space, refinishing our large redwood deck, drywall & paint in our living room as well as a bathroom remodel in the master bedroom. The living room & bathroom work is the result of a leak from our jacuzzi tub, definitely not a planned project & we were upset to find out that only the barest of cosmetic work is covered by insurance whereas the replacement of the tub, tile work, flooring, sub flooring, & cost of hiring a plumber will fall to us to take care of. This being our only insurance claim in nearly 10 years, it makes you wonder just why you pay insurance when they aren't there when you need them...I could go on & on !

With the heavy load I've been carrying lately, I seem to run out of steam quickly and find that my evenings after work are normally filled with a nap or soak in the tub, followed by making a quick dinner & watching an episode of 24 with Kyle, then off to dream land. I never imagined that a few extra pounds would be such a pain, but when its centrally located, I can see first hand just what a couple of pounds does :-) Yes...I am pregnant, we are expecting the end of August! After trying for several years, we feel extremely blessed, god is good.

My little friend...

2010-04-08T21:02:00.004-08:00

I'd like to introduce you to my newest little friend.

Well...he's not completely new, as we've been buddies for many, many years. Tucked away safely, I do forget about him from time to time, & then I stumble upon this...

Kyle & I celebrated this years Valentine's Day at a local Italian Restaurant, & I was surprised by a sweet heartfelt gift from Kyle.

I was my little friend!
He's now more fit as an adult gift, but I still love my original Thumper :-) I'm such a softie, I actually cried! Somethings, no matter how old you get, still hold a lot of sentiment in them. My dearest Thumper is made from Swarovski Crystal, & his little nose it pink, how cute!

Now, I just need to get working on a curio case to display my treasures...

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T22:57:00.002-08:00

We celebrated our St. Patrick's Day a bit early this year. A family get together on Sunday was a great way to share my love of the traditional holiday meal of Corned Beef & Cabbage. Below you will find my recipe for Corned Beef, which is something that is made year round in our home. And, a new recipe that I developed this year, for a green punch.

Corned Beef with Potatoes & Cabbage
4 lbs Corned Beef Brisket
8-10 C Water*
Seasoning packet (packaged seperately from the corned beef)
6 Beef Bouillion Cubes
4 Whole Cloves
2 Tbsp. Worchestershire Sauce
8-10 Medium Potatoes, cut in half (Reds, & Golden Yukons work best)
1 Lg Head of Green Cabbage, cut into 8th's

In large pot, place brisket in bottom, & cover with at least 8 C water. Bring the water up to a boil, skim the surface removing any foam. Add in seasoning packet, bouillion cubes, cloves, & worchestershire. Turn heat to medium, cover with a lid, & let simmer 2 - 2 1/2 hours.
Add in potatoes, cover with lid, & let boil 20 minutes, check for doneness. Continue to boil if potatoes are still under cooked, but don't exceed 30 minutes.
Remove potatoes & corned beef from pot, & place on a platter, keeping everything warm in a 200 degree oven.
Add cabbage wedges to boiled water, cover with lid, & let cook 5-8 minutes.
Slice brisket against the grain & serve everything piping hot!

*If your cooking corned beef that is over 4 lbs, use more water when boiling*

Green Punch
2, 2 Liters Sprite, or 7up (Diet also works well)
4 Cans Frozen Limeade
1 Liter Mountain Dew
5-6 Drops Green Food Dye
Lime Slices

Combine sprite, limeade, mt. dew, & green food dye in a large pot. Keep chilled. When ready to serve, pour into glasses with some ice & a couple of lime slices.

Our platter of Corned beef, potatoes, & cabbage. And a nice big glass of green punch!

Warm Lava Cakes

2010-02-25T23:08:00.001-09:00

I like making one special dessert a week, this doesn't always happen, but I like having something to indulge in throughout the week, & helps me look forward to the weekend when I can make a new sweet recipe!

I love making these when I need a chocolately fix. Due to the massive amount of eggs the recipe calls for, you can half the recipe and still make quite a few cakes. I like to serve these with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, but there equally as tasty with a scoop of Caramel Ice Cream!

You can find my recipe for Lava Cakes, HERE.

Lovely Sugar Cookies

2010-02-14T00:31:00.006-09:00

Mom & Dad,
I am thinking of you today & how you always made Valentine's Day special for us when we were growing up. Childhood memories & mom's Sugar Cookie Recipe were the inspiration for today's post.
With most of my recipes, I eventually modify them somewhat, but with this one, it has remained unchanged. I cheat when it comes to "rolling out" the dough, see below.

Mom's Sugar Cookies
1 C Shortening
1 1/2 C Granular Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

Cream shortening & sugar together. Add in eggs, milk, & vanilla, stirring well between each addition. In a medium bowl combine flour & powder, then add into shortening mixture. Stir well to combine. Wrap up, in log shape, & chill overnight for best flavor.

When ready to bake, slice into uniform pieces, & round out the sides. I use a creme brulee dish bottom dipped in flour to push them into evenly round shapes. You could use a glass or even a measuring cup to do this.

Bake at 425 Degrees for 5-9 minutes.
Once in the oven to bake, I take a flexible cutting board & place it under the cooling rack (to collect crumbs, keep down on the mess). This batch took 8 minutes to bake, you can see how they look on the tops & bottom.

Let cool completely before icing.

Icing
1 C Powdered Sugar
4+ Tbsp. Milk
Combine ingredients, add more milk if too dry. I prefer my icing on the thick side so that it doesn't run.

Around the house

2010-02-13T14:25:00.000-09:00

So, what have I been up to, you ask?!?

Making ribbon heart streamers for my dining room chandelier. My inspiration for this decoration can be found HERE.

I also made a batch of Valentine's Day themed sugar cookies, the recipe will be posted tomorrow, 2-14!

Making more homemade butter, yummy! You can find my tutorial/recipe HERE.

Valentine's Decorations

2010-02-01T22:00:00.001-09:00

I made these cute hearts to decorate our fireplace for Valentine's Day. I purchased the foam hearts in various sizes, along with the cute love phrases, at Jo-Ann's. Then added some colorful buttons, & hot glued everything onto some red ribbon. Finally, a couple of red heart candles added to the mantle, & voila, all decorated!

I convinced Kyle to help me decorate them :-)
A more detailed look of the hearts, aren't they cute!!!

*I took my inspiration from these felt hearts at the Little Birdie Secrets.

Cheesy Polenta with Tomato Chile Sauce

2010-02-01T21:52:00.009-09:00

Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!

While attending Culinary School, I purchased a lot of cook books which most of them I have gotten rid of due to lack of interest. During the school year, there were intensive weekend courses that I would attend, they would last 4 weeks, at 6 hrs each Saturday, & would encompass the same work load as a full semester course. One of my favorites was a Healthy Cooking class aimed at tasty dishes that were healthier than their traditional recipes.

My favorite recipe in the book was a dish that included beef tenderloin set atop cheesy polenta, & garnished with chile sauce. I modified the recipe a bit to use some leftover pulled pork & tamed the heat of the sauce by omitting the cayenne powder.

Polenta
4 C Chicken broth or stock
6 oz. Yellow Cornmeal
1/4 C Grated Parmesan (I used a blend of parmesan & cheddar) + more for garnish
2 tsp. Salt

Heat broth/stock to a simmer in medium saucepan. Gradually pour cornmeal into broth, while stirring constantly to avoid clumps. Cook over low heat, stirring nearly constantly, with a wooden spoon, until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan, approx. 25 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in cheese & salt.

Brush sides & bottom of 9x9 pan with water & add polenta to pan. Spread evenly, cool, & cover with plastic until ready to serve.

The first picture shows the cornmeal just added to the chicken broth/stock. The next picture shows the finished product after it has cooked 25 minutes & all of the liquid is absorbed.

The Polenta is spread in a 9x9 pan. You can use a 9x13 pan for smaller slices of polenta.

Tomato Chile Sauce
2 Tbsp. Oil
2 Tbsp. Onion - chopped fine
3 oz. Tomato Paste (half of a small can)
2 tsp. Garlic - minced fine
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. White wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. Chile Powder
1 C Chicken broth or stock
3/4 C Beef broth or stock

Heat oil in a small pan over medium, add in the onion & saute until translucent. Add in tomato paste & cook until rusty colored (don't burn!). Add in the garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, chile powder, & chicken broth/stock.

Bring sauce to a simmer, let cook 20 minutes, don't forget to stir! Once thickened, add in beef broth/stock & let simmer an additional 10 minutes. At this point, you can puree the sauce if desired.

For Color:
1/2 Red Pepper - sliced thin
1/2 C Zucchini - sliced thin
1/2 C Yellow Squash - sliced thin
1 tsp. Salt

Saute pepper, zucchini, & squash in a small amount of oil until cooked through, sprinkle salt to finish. *This was omitted in this preparation of the recipe due to not having any of these items, they are a great color addition to the dish and complement the flavors.*

To assemble I cut rounds of Polenta, use a large cookie cutter, top with a small amount of additional parmesan & cheddar mix, set under low broiler just until cheese melts (you could also melt in microwave in 15-20 seconds). Place a small amount of tomato chile sauce on the plate, top with the cheesy polenta, add on the shredded pork (or Beef Tenderloin), sauteed veggies, & garnish the top with more tomato chile sauce.

Wolf Moon

2010-02-01T20:50:00.000-09:00

On Friday, we viewed a wonderful Wolf Moon which is the largest full moon of the year. The moon was within 221,577 miles of Earth, and appeared 30% larger & 14% brighter.

Not sure how I caught this shot as this is not a time lapse photo, but interesting none the less!

Sleepy girl

2010-01-23T23:47:00.048-09:00

I truly thought that my lack of posts was due to the hectic time around the holidays, but that seems to not be the case. I've been in a funk the last couple of weeks, constantly ready for a nap, & it seems like I'm always behind on housework.

BUT, I had a burst of energy this weekend, & I spent most of Saturday re-arranging two rooms, going through belongings & hauling 3 boxes to the Goodwill. With all the different crafting that I enjoy, it was evident that it was time to trim my crafting supplies from 6 large rubbermade totes down to 4.  Im sure that I won't miss any of it. Hopefully Sunday will be just as productive.

I picked up some lovely dishes at the thrift store a week or so ago. We have a small amount of dishes, service for 4, and it always seems that we are in need of small plates. I found 3 plates, they are Mikasa's Blue River, made from 1975-1981 & sell for $11.99 at replacement cost.  I picked them up for .49c each, not a bad investment, & I like the splash of color!

On the downside, my carpet cleaner kicked the bucket this week, so we will be budgeting for several months to purchase a new one. Our first cleaner lasted 6 years so well worth the $300 investment, & I couldn't imagine not having one on hand between the dog messes, our messes, & the inevitable daily grime that is brought into the house.

The Pugs say HI!! They aren't very happy about getting kicked from the second bedroom & being relocated to the office nook, which was previously my crafting area. And now they know the second we awake in the morning & if we don't let them out pronto they wine until we do!

Banana Split Cake

2010-01-16T12:32:00.001-09:00

The title says it all!

Banana Split Cake
2 1/2 C Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 C Granular Sugar
2/3 C Margarine or butter - melted
16 oz. Cream Cheese - softened
2 C Powdered Sugar
2 Medium cans crushed pineapple - drained (you can use this juice for the Mountain Dew Salad!)
6 Medium/Large Bananas - cut into 1/2 in. thick slices
1 Lg. Tub of Cool Whip
Chocolate Syrup
Maraschino Cherries

Combine graham cracker crumbs, granular sugar, & margarine/butter press into bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Bake 375 degrees for 5 minutes, let cool completely.

In medium bowl combine cream cheese, powdered sugar & mix until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled crust. Layer pineapple over cream cheese & top that with the banana slices. Completely cover banana slices with cool whip.

Let chill til ready to serve. Garnish top with chocolate syrup & maraschino cherries before cutting.

Another weekend

2010-01-16T00:39:00.003-09:00

My...I really have no idea where the time has gone! I still haven't fully recovered from the rush of the holidays and this is the first time I've sat down to the computer in over a week.

Our little Winston's eye finally healed and all is well with our spunky little boy. I am still administering his eye drops once a day, down from his 4x a day perscription from the vet. We will probably continue the drops for another week just to make sure.

Here are some recipes that I'll be making over our extended weekend, we have Monday off due to Martin Luther King Day.

Surprise Pancakes
Heat oven to 450 Degrees. Put 1/4 C butter in a 9 x 13 pan, place in middle rack in oven to heat up. Meanwhile in a blender combine:
1 C All Purpose Flour
1 C Milk
1 tsp. Salt
4 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Combine for 1 minute until well blended. Open oven door & pour batter into pan (don't remove pan from oven). Do Not Stir! Bake in oven 15 minutes. No Peeking! Cut into wedges & serve with butter & syrup (or fruit & whipped cream).

Mountain Dew Salad
4 C Boiling water
2 C Cold Mountain Dew
1 C Pineapple Juice
2, 6 oz. packages Lemon Jello
2 cans Lemon pie filling
2 C Cool whip or whipped cream

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Stir in Mountain Dew & pineapple juice. Refrigerate until thick but not set. Once thickened, add pie filling & cool whip to jello mix. Pour into 9 x 13 pan & refrigerate until set. When ready to serve, garnish with more cool whip.

I've been slowly working on some recipes to see how freezable/reheatable they are. I am hoping to tackle some meals in advance by doubling or tripling the recipes & freezing them for future meals. I'm excited to share those recipes once I get the kinks worked out.

My next test recipe involves a breakfast casserole comprised of cubed potatoes, sausage, scrambled eggs, & cheddar cheese. I have never frozen scrambled eggs before so we'll see how it goes!

P.S. Winnie says Hi!

I'm back!!

2010-01-05T07:00:00.004-09:00

Our family enjoyed the holiday season, with hopes that 2010 will be even better! Im slowly getting back into the grove of things so bear with me :-)

It seems that there is always something going on, Winston scratched his eye & is now on a round of antibiotics as well as two different eye drops. He scratched off part of some scarring that was on his eye, at the vets they numbed his eye, & removed the loose piece. One of the meds he is on is a Serum, they draw some of his blood & spin it to separate the white blood cells from the rest, then you administer the white blood cells as eye drops. He has had allergic reactions to eye meds in the past & with the Serum there is no risk of this because it comes from his own body. He isn't sure what to think with all the fuss, below you can see just what he looks like after he gets both eye drops. If I bribe him with a treat he will follow me to get the meds, but he huffs & puffs afterwards for about 15 min. & puts on this pitiful face.

Poor 'ol one eye Winnie!

Waldorf Salad

2010-01-04T23:22:00.006-09:00

New Year, New Recipe...Enjoy!

~Waldorf Salad~
3 - 4 Medium Apples - core, chop in 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. Lime Juice
1/3 C Walnuts - rough chop
1/2 C Celery - rough chop
1/3 C Raisins or Craisins (optional)
3/4 C Cool Whip
1/3 C Mayonnaise

Take prepared apples, drizzle lime juice over top & toss lightly to coat, use more lime juice if needed to coat all pieces. Add in walnuts, celery, & raisins/craisins. Combine cool whip & mayonnaise in a medium bowl, mix until well blended. Pour over apple mixture, & fold in. Serve chilled.

*I find that if it seems there is more dressing than filling, I just chop up & add in another apple to compensate.* You could also try a blend of apples & pears!!

Bring it on!

2009-12-31T07:00:00.003-09:00

Flying by to wish everyone a Happy New Year's Eve & Day!!

Don't forget to make a resolution for the New Year. Looking forward to seeing you in 2010, with more adventures to come :-)

The Simple Woman's Daybook - December 29th

2009-12-29T07:00:00.007-09:00

FOR TODAY, Tuesday, December 29th

Outside my window... It's finally getting cold again, the snow has stopped melting & we now have an ice rink in our driveway. Hopefully we will get more snow to cover up the ice!

I am thinking... That I can't believe its the end of the year, 2010 here I come :-)

I am thankful for... My trusty SUV. I had hoped to get a new vehicle this year, but had to make other priorities instead. It's kept me safe the last 6 years. Go baby go!

From the kitchen... The counters are over run with holiday goods, there is no way that the two of us will eat it all, so I will bring some to work to share with friends.

I am creating... Break from crafting for a while, until I get the holiday clutter under control!

I am going... To get ready for work, sometimes I enjoy having more time in the morning before I have to work, & other times it would be nice to have more time in the evenings.

I am reading... Digital books on my Iphone.

I am hoping... To take down the holiday decorations this upcoming weekend. We always do this after the first of the year.

I am hearing... The microwave, heating up some water for a cup of tea.

Around the house... We have a 4 day weekend so will put away the christmas decorations as well as reclaiming our second bedroom that has become over run with wrapping paper & boxes.

One of my favorite things... Looking forward to a fresh start to a new year, & a new year's resolution. I've had mine planned for a while now, do you?

A few plans for the rest of the week: Coast through work, enjoy the evenings with Kyle watching some movies, & catching up on some housework.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

A wintery view of downtown Anchorage.

You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook entries.

Welcome!

2009-12-21T00:37:00.002-09:00

Here's some Holiday Scenes from around our home.

Close up of the door swag complete with red jingle bells. And our fireplace Mantle.

Full view of the fireplace complete with stockings & Christmas Tree reflection. Counting down the days with our Advent Calendar.

Our most precious gifts underneath the Christmas Tree.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2009-12-16T23:01:00.002-09:00

Enchanting snow covered trees outside my office this morning, with the falling snow twinkling in the cameras flash. Isn't it beautiful?!?
In the last two days we've had between 17-22 inches of new snowfall. This will definitely be a white christmas :-)

Holiday Baking; Almond cookies

2009-12-15T07:00:00.006-09:00

These aren't really a holiday type cookie, but this is the only time of year that I seem to bake them.

Almond Cookies
Cream Together;
    1 C Butter - softened
    1 C Granular Sugar
Then add, mixing after each addition;
    2 Egg yolks
    1 C Almonds - ground fine
    1 tsp. Almond Extract
    2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour

Dust hands with more flour, & roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, use the bottom of a round glass to flatten balls (dip bottom of glass in flour so dough doesn't stick).

Bake 350 Degrees, 9-15 minutes.

Icing
    2 tsp. Instant tea (not flavored)
    1/4 C Butter - softened
    1 1/4 C Powdered Sugar
    2 Tbsp. Milk

Cream together butter & tea. Add in powdered sugar & milk, stir until smooth. Ice tops of cooled cookies.

*If you want to be fancy, decorate the iced tops with a slivered almond or two.

Holiday Baking; Mexican wedding cookies

2009-12-13T07:00:00.004-09:00

This is an adaptation of my mothers recipe. I also call them sand dollars.

Mexican wedding cookies
1/2 C Butter* - softened (no substitutes)
1/4 C Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3/4 C + 2 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1/2 C Walnuts - chop fine

Combine softened butter, sugar, & vanilla. Add in salt & 3/4 C flour. If dough is too wet, add in remaining flour. Add in walnuts, the smaller the pieces the better. Let chill 1 hour.

Roll dough into small balls & place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 350 degrees, 12-14 min., or until the tops are firm and the bottoms are golden.

Take warm cookies & roll in more powdered sugar. This works well in a ziploc bag, or in a large bowl.

*If you use salted butter, just omit the pinch of salt.*

4 Seasons

2009-12-11T06:00:00.007-09:00

Wow, what a crazy years its been for our household! We've had a ton of activity & it seems that the last year has breezed by. Here's a peek at our memorable moments of 2009.

Spring:
* Started the year with a bang *literally*, the numerous eruptions of Mt. Redoubt finally made its impact in Anchorage with a dusting or two of volcanic ash!

* We watched the ceremonial start of the 36th Annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race.

* We took our spring pilgrimage to Valdez, its become an annual tradition, & our visit always falls on Memorial Day weekend & early enough in the year so that we can still enjoy the many waterfalls that dot the mountainsides around Valdez.

* Kyle had to take a business trip to Seattle & I was able to join him for several days & extend the trip into a few leisure days of fun.

Summer:
* A short day ride south of Anchorage, we travelled the tram to the top of Mount Alyeska for a view of the seven glaciers surrounding the resort. It was a nice afternoon trip & I am hoping next year to paraglide from the top!

* Just two weeks later we travelled to California for a mixture of business & leisure. We spent 4 days in Anaheim then travelled, for work purposes, to Apple Valley for another 5 days.

Fall:
* We squeezed in a trip to the U-pick farm. We were rewarded with warm weather & a bountiful variety of fresh fruits & vegetables.

* The perfect weather for picking berries in Arctic Valley! We were a bit slow to harvest, but enjoyed the trip nonetheless.

Winter:
* Time for celebrating with parties & lots of tasty food! Our company Christmas Party. Always enjoyable, a fun evening of food & entertainment, & a reason to get all dolled up. I kept the pics to a minimum, between socializing with co-workers, I thought it would be a bit rude to walk around taking a bunch of pics, so you'll just have to believe me when I say it was a great party!

Pouting!

2009-12-10T08:00:00.010-09:00

Haha...what a little pouter! Here's Lucy stealing my computer chair, she is notoriously bad for taking your warm seat, & her cute little face just begs for any treats that you may have on hand.

And yes, I normally give into her sweet little begging :-)

Holiday Baking; Applesauce cookies

2009-12-09T07:00:00.001-09:00

Woohoo, I'm starting off my holiday baking with one of my grandmothers recipes!

Applesauce Cookies
1 C Shortening
2 C Packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C Coffee - cold
3 1/2 C Flour - sifted
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. EACH; Cinnamon, Cloves, & Nutmeg
2 C Applesauce - well drained
1 C Raisins or Chocolate chips
1/2 C Walnuts - chopped (optional)

Combine shortening, sugar, & eggs. Add in coffee, & whisk until it starts to pull together. Stir in sifted flour, soda, salt, & spices. Stir well. Add in applesauce (I used my homemade apple butter), raisins/chips, & nuts, stirring between each addition. Cover & let chill 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400 degrees, bake on ungreased cookie sheets 8-12 minutes.

Christmas Party

2009-12-07T02:00:00.005-09:00

Kyle & I enjoyed attending our company Christmas party on Saturday. It was a great excuse to get dressed up & it always surprises me at how your co-workers look outside of the daily grind. I knew weeks ago that I wanted a sparkly black dress & a Magnolia for my hair. The red nail polish, lipstick, & jewelry was my festive holiday color added in, I would have also had a pair of red heels if I could have found some! The hair took 1 1/2 hours to style & was worth every minute :-)

I already have next years outfit picked out; a pinstriped suit with a pair of stilletos & red satin shirt!

*on a side note, I'm waayyy behind on my christmas happenings and with the party done, now I have more time to focus on the final gift touches. I'll start posting some holiday baking recipes this week. Are you ready for christmas?

Sooo excited!

2009-12-02T23:35:00.001-09:00

When I got home from work today, a small package was waiting for me. I ordered it about a week ago, & was nervous as to if it would arrive in time.

Wanna see whats inside?

A beautiful Ivory Magnolia. It is the finishing touch on something that I've been planning for a while now. Pics to follow sometime early next week!

Yard Decorations

2009-11-30T09:24:00.002-09:00

We were driving by our neighbors home over the weekend, & stopped to check out there holiday yard decorations. A complete Alaskan theme with snowmen, an igloo, & a moose in the background.

Wait a minute...that's a real moose!

Oh well, he did fit in with the theme, I just hope they don't mind that he snacked on their trees!

For Dad

2009-11-29T16:35:00.001-09:00

I wanted to send a message out to my father wishing him a Happy Birthday!

    Love,
        DeeDee & Kyle

Counting Blessings

2009-11-25T23:52:00.003-09:00

This last year has been a rollercoaster of sorts for me.

I've been struggling to come to terms with the fact that this will be my last year in my 20's, & I haven't yet embraced the notion of turning 30. It only seems like yesterday that I was taking hunters ed & learning how to drive, can it really be 12 years since I graduated high school?!?, it only seems like yesterday.   Just this week I even spotted a grey hair, yikes! It was only a short little thing, but it's still a blantant indication that everyday I am/ we are all getting older. It's a reminder for me to not forget the many blessings that have been bestowed upon me, & to embrace them all.

     Our heavenly father, even when all seems lost, you strengthen my faith & never lead me wrong.

     My loving devoted husband, you are my rock, my shelter, my love...you were right on time.

     My family, near & far, I love you all.

     My sweet furry little dogs, my life would be very different without you.

     My health.

     My friends; whether we talk every day or just swap emails every once in a while, I am blessed to know each & everyone of you.

     My job; without it I wouldn't be able to sleep in my big warm bed, always having something to eat, indulge in a movie night out every once in a while, & being able to donate money, time, & goods, when the need arises.

**I want to wish everyone a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!   And don't forget to count your blessings :-)

End of November madness

2009-11-25T00:43:00.002-09:00

My household has been a bit crazy this week, with Thanksgiving just a day away, & black Friday shopping thereafter, my blog posts are getting a bit backed up.

Upcoming posts will include a series on holiday baking, & a roundup of my favorite moments of the year. We've had quit the active year, from Mt. Augustine's eruption, to watching the start of the Iditarod, & several trips in-state as well as to Washington & California.

On a side note, if your looking to do some black Friday shopping, I would strongly recommend checking out the store's online website as some of them already have deals available for purchase. Here's some online website resources for checking out great deals.
Gotta Deal
Deal News
Bizrate (price comparing)

We'll be hitting up Target, Best Buy, Costco, & Walmart early in the morning then follow up with a nice breakfast, & then home to take an afternoon nap!

Favorite Things

2009-11-22T00:29:00.006-09:00

It seems my favorite things change with the seasons, here's whats currently at the top of my favorite things list.

Our chocolate colored bedside lamps, a must have during the long dark cold winter months. And my fingerless gloves. I am odd when it comes to hand coverage, I prefer either fingerless or mitts (yeah, yeah, most people haven't worn mitts since they were 4 but honestly they are really comfortable!).

Yummy, Yummy! Smells like chocolate in the shower! And last year I purchased a wax melt, shown here in my living room, I prefer to use candles during the summer and wax melts in the winter, don't ask me where the logic is in that.

Some of my favorite tunes at the moment.

I love these guys!!

For the Superwoman in all of us.

Nifty placemats

2009-11-20T06:00:00.002-09:00

I started these nifty placemats wwwaaayyy back when, well you know stuff comes up & I got a bit side tracked. I really loved the pattern because of the pocket to hold the silverware in. The fabric was all cut & ready to go & quite honestly I was tired of staring at the pile of them just patiently waiting to get made. So.....I finally got to work and they are really easy, duh!, now I feel even stupider for waiting to finish them.

*I couldn't resist the opportunity to show my fire king dishes, they are absolutely lovely! We will probably be using them for the holidays this year.*

Counting down

2009-11-20T00:49:00.006-09:00

Did you know that it's;

     6 Weeks til the New Year

     5 Weeks til Christmas

     4 Weeks til Postal shipping deadline

     1 Week   til Thanksgiving

     1 Day     til the Weekend

Are you ready? :-)

Happy Apples

2009-11-18T22:53:00.001-09:00

Aren't they cute!?! Kyle picked out the embroidery floss for this pattern, and I think that they are quite adorable :-) I should have been done by now, but I had to back track to the mouthes as I didn't like how they were turning out. I am hoping to wrap this up sometime this week.

To warm you up

2009-11-18T22:41:00.004-09:00

Here's some tasty warm drink recipes, enjoy!

Hot Cocoa
2 C Powdered Sugar
1 C Hershey's Dark Cocoa powder
2 1/2 C Powdered Milk
2 C Powdered Creamer (flavored works best but plain is ok)
1 tsp. Salt

Stir ingredients together, store in an air-tight container. Mix 1/3 C cocoa mix with 2/3 C hot water or a 50/50 ratio for a richer taste.

Have you tried Mexican Hot Chocolate? Check out my recipe HERE!

Hot Buttered Rum
1 Lb Unsalted Butter (softened)
1 1/2 C Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Nutmeg - ground
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon - ground
1 Tbsp. Cloves - ground
1 Quart Vanilla Ice Cream (softened)

In large bowl cream together butter & sugars. Add in spices & ice cream, & mix until combined. Freeze until set. When ready to serve; 1 scoop buttered mix (approx. 1/4 C), 2 tsp. rum, & 1 C hot water or hot apple cider or hot coffee. Stir until melted.

The Simple Woman's Daybook - November 16th

2009-11-16T02:13:00.005-09:00

FOR TODAY, Monday, November 16th

Outside my window... Burrr! It's very cold, we've been in the single digits the last couple of days. I would much rather have snow than frigid temps.

I am thinking... That its time to start wearing flats to work, high heels in the parking lot is a bit precarious when you're in a hurry.

I am thankful for... KYLE, he makes me laugh, comforts me when I cry, & is my best friend. I Love You.

From the kitchen... Slightly chaotic, working on more canning projects (sweet & sour sauce), & pulling out holiday baking recipes. This year I will be making both grandmother's fruit cake recipes, they are drastically different!

I am wearing... Warm fuzzy socks, flannel pants & sweater (yeah, nothing exciting)

I am creating... Working on two projects right now, some really cool place mats & a kitchen towel with cute little smiling apples.

I am going... To make myself a cup of Chai Tea. I swear it tastes like pumpkin pie!

I am reading... Starting on the Twilight books & Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

I am hoping... That we get more snow, PLEASE!!!

I am hearing... Silence

Around the house... Getting ready to pull out holiday decorations, I will have to pick up a new door wreath this year as my cranberry wreath was really sad & abused so I tossed after last christmas. I have picked out one I like but since its $50 bucks I might have to keep looking :-(

One of my favorite things... Those cinnamon/spice scented pine cones, & potpourri on the stove.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Finish our Thanksgiving meal plan & finalize christmas gift lists.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Frank & Winston enjoying the snow.

You can visit Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook for more daybook entries.

Half way

2009-11-07T12:38:00.011-09:00

Aren't they cute!! Its so wrinkly cause its waiting patiently to get washed & put on one of our pillows. Im pretty happy with how the Pattern turned out, not too bad considering this is the first needle point project that I've done, & had to self-learn the different knots & embroidery stitches.

1 pillowcase down, & 1 to go!

Apple Pie filling

2009-11-06T09:27:00.008-09:00

Apples were on sale again & I picked up a 5 Lb bag of Fuji apples for $3.99.
Over at One Acre Homestead was a recipe posted for Apple Pie filling in a jar, perfect! I altered the recipe as I figured I would have enough apples for half a recipe. I increased the sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg & added cloves (the recipe did not call for), & increased the canning time from 20-30 minutes. Below, you will find a posting for a full recipe, so don't be confused when you see the pictures :-)

Apple Pie filling (7 Quarts)
10 Lbs Apples - peeled, cored, & cut into slices
5 1/2 C Granular Sugar (1/2 C less if the apples are sweet)
12 C Water - COLD
1 1/3 C Cornstarch
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Cloves
3 Tbsp. Lemon juice

In large sauce pot combine cold water, corn starch, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves. Stir well to combine & break up any clumps. Bring to a strong boil, constantly stirring, until thickened (5-8 min). Remove from heat, & add in lemon juice.

Fill clean & sanitized quart jars with apples.

Pour sauce over apples, use a knife or skewer stick to get rid of any air bubbles, fill jars leaving a 1/2 in. headspace. Wipe rims clean before placing lids on top. Water bath can them for 30 minutes.

All the apples floated to the top after being canned. I think these will be great with ice cream, & I am planning on using the small jar for crepes; fill them with the apple slices and drizzle some of the sauce over the top, yummy!

Priorities

2009-11-03T00:47:00.006-09:00

Dear Blogger,
     Please forgive me for my absence from you Monday evening. I had good intentions of visiting you today and making changes to the layout & my posted playlist (time for something new, ya know?!?)
BUT
    I was busy, so I have a valid excuse. After a long day at work, I meet my sweet husband at Barnes & Noble for some hot drinks around a warm fire, & looked up some tasty recipe books (and yes, I did copy some of the recipes to bring home!).
THEN
    We headed home, with our fast food dinner (our first eating-out meal in the last 4-5 weeks). And spent the remainder of the evening snuggled on the couch watching movies until we were silly tired.
NOW
     It is bed time, my sweet man is in our warm comfy bed & he is waiting for me to join him.
MAYBE
     Tomorrow I'll find time to fit you in, I promise I'll try :-)

Vintage inspiration

2009-11-01T17:36:00.007-09:00

I always seem to finds lots of intersting crafts to do during the holiday time of year. I love making homemade jewelry. Last year were these adorable scrabble pendants.

This year I've decided on a more vintage approach and I have been making earrings using buttons, sounds odd but they turn out really cute, I promise!

One noticeable trend are these cute little rose earrings, HERE, HERE, HERE, or HERE.
I decided to make some of my own, & you can purchase rose cabochon's online, but I figured I could make something similar with what I can find at the craft store. I purchased enough roses to make 3 pairs, I'm thinking red, yellow, & salmon/orange. When they are done I'll get them posted.

Shopping...from the freezer

2009-11-01T15:49:00.003-09:00

Sunday is the one day of the week, that I pull all proteins & frozen items from the deep freezer that we will be consuming throughout the upcoming week. This is what was pulled for this week, & a general idea of how the items will be used.

Beef Roast; Top it with a mixture of dry onion soup mix & cream of mushroom sauce before baking. YUM!

Pork Shoulder; Pulled pork sandwiches for dinner sometime this week.

Bacon; Breakfast & crumbled on top of baked potatoes.

Chicken; Legs & drumsticks saved from fryer chickens, good for homemade chicken noodle soup.

Corn; We must have at least 6 pks of corn, time to use up!

Ham; Sandwiches for lunch, & omelets on the weekend

Orange Juice; Haven't been feeling very well the last couple of days :-(

Zucchini bread; I had no idea this was in the freezer! Will work great for our work week breakfasts.

Butter; All out of margarine, just butter for the next 2 weeks. Thankfully I still have more in the freezer.

**As you can see, some items have a clearance sticker on them, this is the best way to purchase perishables as long as you have freezer space for them.**

Harvest Apple Muffins

2009-10-30T21:41:00.004-08:00

I made some homemade apple butter last weekend and had some leftover, so besides using it on toast I was pondering what other great ways it could be used. A while back, I purchased a large box of muffin mix at costco, you add in the flavorings you want, as well as some water and your good to go. So my plan was to try adding the apple butter to the muffins for a fall inspired muffin. With a quick dig around the pantry and my spice & baking cabinet, this is what I came up with.

Harvest Apple Muffins
3 C Dry muffin mix
1 C Water
1/2 C Apple Butter
1/4 C Pecan pieces
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Cinnamon - ground
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Butter- softened
1 tsp. Cinnamon - ground

Combine muffin mix & water, add in apple butter, pecans, vanilla, & first cinnamon amount. Stir until well combined but don't overmix. Spoon mix into prepared muffin tins. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, softened butter & second cinnamon amount. Mix until it resembles coarse crumbs, spoon over muffin mix.
Bake 350, 12-18 minutes. To test for doneness, lightly touch tops, if it springs back then it is ready.

I prefer to break up the pecan pieces in my hand, & I left the apple butter on the chunky side cause I like to see what I am eating, sorry I just get weird with food sometimes!

The topping added to the muffins before they are baked, & then what they look like after. For a healthy twist, you can add in some quick oats to the brown sugar streusel topping before they are baked.

!Surprise!

2009-10-30T21:13:00.003-08:00

Spotted this *little* fella on my way into work today, he was munching on the trees in the employee parking lot. Ain't he handsome! :-)

Heavenly Apple Butter

2009-10-25T22:12:00.007-08:00

Apples are on sale for .88c a lb. through Wednesday at Carr's grocery, & I thought I'd take advantage of the great price to try my hand at making homemade Apple Butter. This is my modified version of an apple butter recipe, the original does not call for apple cider mix or apple pie spice.

Apple Butter
4 Lbs Apples
1 1/2 C Water
1 Packet Apple Cider mix
2 3/4 C Granular Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon - ground
1/2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice (if you don't have, just use more cinnamon)
1/4 tsp. Cloves - ground

Peel, core & large dice the apples & place them in a large pot with water & apple cider mix. Bring up to a boil, stir and let cook 30 minutes or until soft. Puree apples & water in small batches, into uniform size but do not liquify. Place puree mix in large pot, add in sugar & spices. Bring up to a good boil, reduce heat to medium, continue to boil, & stir until it thickens. To test for doneness, take a chilled plate, put a small amount of mixture on plate & if it holds its shape it is ready to can. If it seperates, and a ring of liquid forms around the solid, it is not ready yet and continue to cook! Once done cooking, ladle into hot sanitized jars and water bath can them for 10 minutes.

Here's the spices for my apple butter & the next picture is of the apples getting all soft and smooshy before I can puree them.

Now they are pureed and the spices added in, the whole house smells great! And the final product, I had some leftover that wouldn't fit in the canning jars so we each had a slice of homemade bread with homemade apple butter, yummy!

This recipe made 6, 1/2 pint jars with a little leftover.

Versatile Hoagie Rolls

2009-10-25T21:45:00.003-08:00

I love buying products that can be used multiple ways! We purchase packs of hoagie rolls at Costco, you get 3, 6 packs for less than $2.00 a pack. They freeze easily and quickly thaw when needed. Here are some of the ways I use hoagie rolls.

Meatball sandwich: meatballs, marinara sauce, & parmesan cheese on a warm hoagie.

Toasted chili & cheese: chili, & cheese on a toasted hoagie (you could add a hotdog too!).

Garlic bread: butter & garlic parmesan mix slathered on a hoagie & brown using broiler.

French Dip sandwich: roast beef on a toasted hoagie, with a side of au jus.

Do you have any tasty recipes using hoagie rolls? Shoot me an email & I'll be sure to try them out :-)

French Dip Sandwiches

2009-10-25T21:33:00.014-08:00

To make French Dip sandwiches you will need:

3 oz Roast Beef per sandwich (I prefer presliced sandwich meat)

3 C Au Jus Sauce

Hoagie Rolls

1 Tbsp Butter per Hoagie Roll

Heat oven to 400 Degrees. In an oven proof dish add in au jus and roast beef. Warm in oven 10-15 minutes until hot.

In the meantime; toast the hoagie roll, cut side down, on a small pat of butter, in a saute pan until golden brown.

Remove roast beef from au jus, place on toasted hoagie rolls. Serve au jus warm on the side.

Walgreens

2009-10-25T14:06:00.002-08:00

I'am still working out the kinks in earning Register Rewards. Below are posts of 2 different trips to Walgreens with the latter of them to be a good example of how not to use your Register Rewards :-(

Trip 1
Dentek floss, sale $2.00, final $2.00
Halls Refresh sale $1.39, coupon .50c, final .89c (earned RR $1)
Chapstick, $3.49, sale $2.99, final $2.99 (earned RR $2)
Mini Highlighter, .65c, sale .15c
Used RR = $5.00
Total oop = $1.03
Earned RR = $3.00 (should have earned $2 for the floss, not sure why I didn't)

Trip 2
Hershey candy bars, .89c, coupon 2 for $1.00, final .50c ea (2)
Zantac, sale $8.99, coupon $5.00, final $3.99 (earned RR $9)
Used RR = $4.00
Total oop = .99c
Earned RR = $9.00

Then

Almay eye concealer, $8.99, sale B1G1 free
Almay eye liner, $9.49, sale $8.99
Mini Highlighter, .65c
Used RR = $9.00
Total oop = .64c

*On the second transaction, I figured that the higher priced Almay item would ring through (didn't know it was on sale), so between the 2 Almay products it would still be over the $9 and thus able to use the RR from the previous transaction. I had a $3.00 Almay coupon and not thinking I would need it, I failed to bring any other items to the register. With a line behind me I grabbed the closest thing to make it over the $9 mark, this time the highlighters were no longer on sale for .15c, urgh! If I had played it a bit better, I would have had $3 more to spend in store and nothing out of pocket. This is an example of what not to do when you shop at Walgreens!

Nantiinaq spirit

2009-10-22T00:13:00.001-08:00

Just in time for Halloween, an Alaskan Ghost story as told by a native tribal elder. You can read about it HERE.

Ups & Downs

2009-10-22T00:08:00.001-08:00

Upside: Today at work, between the member calls and entering info into the computer, it dawned on me. I REALLY like my new job!   I forgot how nice it was to take a scheduled lunch, and actually sit down on the job, instead of being on my feet all day in a constant state of rush.

Downside: The floor that I work on is particularly active, there are a lot of people that work there and the unfortunate part is that when one person is sick it spreads throughout the entire floor!   In the last week we have had several co-workers out with swine flu, god help me that I don't get sick. I seem to get pneumonia yearly and swine flu is worse when you have both at the same time. Its been a daily barrage of lysol clouds in the department, "cause you know it kills 99% of whatever it comes in contact with, right?!?"
*Sigh*

Sticky Bun heaven

2009-10-18T17:19:00.014-08:00

Growing up, my mother would make sticky buns on Christmas morning, and as an adult I still love them when the weather gets cold. Today we woke up to a good frost and temps around 26 Degrees. With sticky buns on the brain I threw the dough ingredients into my trusty bread machine, came back 1 1/2 hrs later to finish them in the oven.

Sticky Buns
1 Batch bread dough
1/3 C Butter
2/3 C Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Rum flavoring
1/4 C Pecan pieces - I prefer to break them up in my hand
Melt butter, add in sugar, rum and pecan pieces. Lightly grease bundt pan, pour 2/3 of butter topping into pan. Take dough and roll into small balls & place them on top. Pour remaining butter topping all over the dough. Cover and let sit 30-45 minutes to proof dough. Uncover, & bake 350 Degrees 30-35 minutes until golden. Cover top of bundt pan with a large plate and invert the entire thing, remove the bundt pan, and the pecans brown sugar goodness runs down the sides of the dough.

Here the dough is rolled into balls, cover the top of the pan and let rest. And here is what it looks like after baking, check the sides to make sure it isn't stuck before attempting to invert onto large plate.

Oh yum!
Thanks mom for giving me your trusty worn-with-love bundt pan :-)

Next time I make these, I am going to try rolling the balls in a sugar cinnamon mixture before placing them in the pan to rise.

**No, these were not on the scheduled food menu for this month, BUT I had all the ingredients and it doesn't affect any of the other planned meals. I figure that there will be several times this month that this will happen, I noticed I have a full bag of Polenta in my pantry and haven't used it in a recipe this month so it will probably be swapped in somewhere instead of rice. I have an awesome recipe for Polenta with cheese, it's healthy too, I'll post it when its made.

More crafts

2009-10-18T17:04:00.006-08:00

Heres some of the new crafting that I picked up this last week. I ordered the embroidery prints and waited a week before they arrived (They are vintage from the 40's & 50's and really pretty!) In that week I picked up several hoops, embroidery floss and looked up lots of free patterns online :-)
First up; Bluebird pillowcases.

Now I just need to transfer the images to the pillowcases & I'll post the finished work when I get them done, hopefully they won't take too long. Then its onto kitchen towels with cute little smiling fruits. If you enjoy embroidery you can get free patterns at flickr under the group "Hoop Love Vintage Transfers".

On an amusing note, last week at work, I was speaking with a co-worker regarding the hobbies I enjoy (quilting, canning, baking, gardening, etc.). She laughed saying "How cute, your like old fashioned." I was a bit surprised at the statement, and sharing the story with Kyle he commented that he guessed I was old fashioned as in practical, & self reliant. A good thing? I think so :-)

Just around the corner

2009-10-17T10:36:00.001-08:00

Fall is upon us! Which means that the holidays and all the yummy baked goods are just around the corner. As you've probably figured out, I LOVE to bake :-) Nestle carnation is giving away free recipe guides, just go HERE.

Time as a commodity?

2009-10-16T00:31:00.001-08:00

Take back your Time Day is October 24th.

A few videos on how consumerism affects us all. **Be advised, these are for mature audiences only!**

Planning ahead

2009-10-12T23:43:00.000-08:00

Establishing a weekly meal plan eliminates the nearly daily occurence of standing around the kitchen after working a full day and drawing a complete blank as to what to make. To make it a bit more challenging, I am attempting to do a monthly meal plan, yep you heard me right I am planning our meals for an entire month, 28 days to be exact!

I did an inventory of both our freezers, our dry goods/ canned goods in the kitchen and in our pantry. It took quite a bit of work, then with the weekly flyers of what was on sale and a list of items that we need for the next month, I finally worked out a *hopefully* successful monthly meal plan.

Most of our budget expenses were spent over the weekend, with visits to 5 stores. I saved some money for a small run in two weeks time for more dog food and the basics such as milk and eggs (I am making bread at home for now as I have all the ingredients).

My biggest challenge was that I was out of some big expense items that had to be purchased. We buy our larger bulk items at Costco, for convenience, and I find that in most instances it is cheaper than I would spend at the store with coupons.

These were the items we HAD to purchase this week.
Flour-25 Lbs, Granular Sugar-25 Lbs, Dish Soap-100 loads, Laundry detergent-64 loads, & Dryer sheets-144 loads.
Flour & sugar normally last 9-11 months, dish soap approx. 6 months, detergent 4 months, & dryer sheets 8 months. So, here is what our monthly meal plan is scheduled for, with our first meals starting today.

Weekday Breakfast (work days)
Choice of:
Muffins
Fruit Cups
Pop tarts/ Toast
Cereal

Weekend Breakfast
Omelets & hashbrowns
French toast
Egg in Bread
Crepes with fruit

Weekday Lunch (work days)
Leftovers
Sandwich & chips
Noodle cups & cookies
Leftovers
Soup & bread

Weekend Lunch
Tomato soup & cheese sandwiches
Leftovers
Chili cheese on toasted bread
Coldcut sandwiches

Dinners
8 Leftovers
2 To-Go, Dine out
Corned beef & cabbage
Cabbage bundles & rice
Pulled pork sandwich & cabbage
Pork chops & sauerkraut
Ham & Bean soup
Beef stroganoff
Meatballs & rice
Meatball sandwiches
Taco soup
Lumpia & brown rice
Chicken fried steak & potato skins
Beef & barley soup
Sweet n Sour chicken & rice
Chicken, spinach, & mushroom pizza
Salmon patties & brown rice
Reindeer sausage & rice
Shrimp scampi & broccoli cheese rice
Chili & corn bread

So I will need to explain it a bit to make sense.
During the work week, there is a choice of breakfast items to have, i'll make muffins or quick bread every weekend to last through the week.
The lunches during the work days is standard, which makes it easier for me :-) On the weekends, we have only 2 meals a day, with typically sunday reserved for our breakfasts, so the lunches would only be for saturdays.
When planning out our dinners, I tried to use multiple items in different dishes as much as possible as well as relying on what we already have. I had to purchase eggs, milk, cabbage, pork chops, sour cream, cheese, hamburger, easy mac n cheese (lunch), ramen cups (lunch), hoagie rolls, lunch meat (lunch & weekends), & potatoes in order to make all of the above meals.

Peanut Butter Balls

2009-10-07T23:43:00.002-08:00

These are one of my favorite holiday time desserts. I know, I know, it isn't the holidays yet but were close enough, right?!?

Peanut Butter Balls

1 2/3 C Graham Cracker crumbs

2 C Powdered Sugar

1 C Peanut Butter

1 C Butter - melted

12 oz. Chocolate chips (I prefer a 50/50 mix of bitter & semisweet)
2 tsp. Parafin Wax (helps the chocolate set up but I have omitted it before without any problems)

Combine graham crumbs, sugar, butter, and peanut butter. Roll into small balls and let freeze several hours until solid.
In a medium bowl combine chocolate chips and wax, microwave, stopping every 10-15 seconds to stir, until they are a smooth consistency. Make sure you don't overheat as the chocolate will scorch!
Dip frozen balls into chocolate and let sit out to dry. If you keep these stored in the fridge the chocolate will not be so soft, especially if you live in a warmer climate.

Before the frost

2009-10-01T22:32:00.003-08:00

Take a look at what I harvested from the seeds that I started in March. I figure we have about 10 lbs of carrots and a couple dozen cherry tomatoes although most of the tomatoes are in the process of ripening up so not quite ready to eat. Unfortunately the zucchini never got any bigger than 2-3 in long before they would fall off, and the green onions didn't survive the transition outside. Guess there's always next year to try again.

I started my seeds in little peat pots, the carrots got a bit root bound and I had to dig them up and replant them, guess that explains why they grew so funny. My funny looking carrots reminded me of a Mandrake from Harry Potter, don't you think so?!?

Little Ava

2009-10-01T00:24:00.005-08:00

My niece Heather & her fiance Robbie became proud parents on Tuesday the 29th!

Ava Judy was born at 5:45pm, weighing 7 lbs 7 oz, and 20 inches long. Ain't she a doll!!

The Walgreens Game

2009-09-30T00:21:00.000-08:00

Over a year ago, when I first started up my original blog, I was figuring out the best coupon deals available. In the last several months, Walgreens has opened 2 stores here in Anchorage and I figured that I would start working the Walgreens Game that seems ever so popular on many frugal websites.
This is my first attempt, but I think that so far I am doing ok. I have made two trips this week, here is how I did. My second trip was purely to score more RR (Rebate Rewards) and to pick up some milk.

Trip 1
Herbal Essences, sale $3.49, coupon $1.00, final $2.49 (earned RR $2)
Venus Razor, sale $7.99, coupon $2.00, final $5.99 (earned RR $4)
Dentek floss picks, sale $2.00, coupon $1.00, final $1.00 (earned RR $2)
Chapstick, $3.49, sale $2.99, final $2.99 (earned RR $3)
Oral-B toothbrush, $3.79, sale $3.00, coupon $1.00, final $2.00 (earned RR $3)
Halls Refresh sale $1.39, coupon .75c, final .64c (earned RR $1)

Total oop = $15.11
Earned RR = $15.00

Trip 2
Fat Free Milk, $2.99
Dentek floss picks, sale $2.00, coupon $1.00, final $1.00 (earned RR $2)
Oral-B Toothbrush, $3.79, sale $3.00, final $3.00 (earned RR $3)
Hersheys chocolate, sale 2 for $1.00

Used RR = $6.00
Total oop = $1.99
Earned RR = $5.00

So...not to bad for my first attempts at the Walgreens Game, we'll see how well I can keep it up :-) For more frugal shopping tips, check out the Saving Money Blogs List in the left column.

Gourmet Grape Jelly

2009-09-28T21:49:00.043-08:00

I posted a while back how I had been on the lookout for grape juice for jelly, right HERE, well I ended up making blueberry jelly and being very content with that, that is until this that weekend...
I was picking up strawberries and such in the produce section and lo & behold I spotted 100% pure grape juice! Just my lucky day :-)

Grape Jelly
3 Cups Grape Juice - pure juice no additives
4 1/2 C Granular Sugar
1 Pkg. Pectin

Combine grape juice and pectin in a medium/large pot, whisk until combined, bring up to a strong boil. Then, add in all of the sugar at once stirring well, bring back up to a rapid boil and let cook 1 minute,don't forget to stir!

Ladle into sanitized jars and water bath can them for 10 minutes. This recipe makes 6, 1/2 pint jars.

I purchased the juice in the Syrah & Chardonnay varieties, but this would work well with any pure grape juice that you can find. Good luck!

Lumpia

2009-09-27T14:37:00.041-08:00

I purchased a pack of Lumpia wrappers a week ago and figured out that it was time to try them out. I've never used them before but I have had Lumpia several years ago, it was the inspiration for the filling that I made.
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DeeDee's Lumpia
1 1/2 Lbs. Hamburger
2 Medium Potatoes
1/4 C Onion - diced
1 Tbsp. Garlic - minced
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Pepper
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
Place hamburger in large saute pan, add in onion, & garlic. Break up hamburger finely and cook through. Meanwhile, peel & dice two medium potatoes, add into hamburger, season with sale & pepper. Cook until potatoes are done, finish with soy sauce, & remove from heat.
Place a small amount of filling on Lumpia wrapper. Wrap up and use a small amount of water to seal the end. Fry a couple at a time until golden brown, drain & serve hot.

The end result was a dozen Lumpia. They were really tasty!

...around

2009-09-22T01:25:00.001-08:00

Just some going-ons in our neck of the woods.

It took a while, but the dogs are starting to adjust to our new schedule. For the longest time, they were programmed to know that if I let them out of there kennels in the morning, then that meant that I wasn't working for the day. Now, since Kyle works at 9am and I don't go in til 10am, I take care of the dogs in the morning. They are so excited when I let them out in the morning because they figure that I am home for the day, and then they watch me get ready for work, and as soon as I slide on my shoes in unison they stand up and head into there kennels. I feel so bad! Here I am giving Lucy a pep talk and reassuring her that we will be back, man oh man how we love our little dogs.

And, as I was getting ready for work Monday morning, this was the scene that greeted me outside my bedroom window. "It's Bbbaaaccckkk!" Agh, I guess its the right time of year for our first termination dust, aka snow, but hopefully we will make it to the weekend before any of it hits at street level.

Are you ready for winter?

Berry hunt

2009-09-20T11:26:00.038-08:00

Kyle and I, along with his sister & parents, spent Saturday afternoon hunting for berries at Arctic Valley. It is a ski resort that is popular with hikers during the summer and berry pickers in the fall. This was our first time berry picking at Arctic Valley, next year we will have to harvest earlier in the season as by the time we arrived the pickings were slim. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we enjoyed ourselves.

Awesome Thrift Store find

2009-09-14T22:11:00.000-08:00

I was browsing one of the local thrift stores, "cause you never know what you may find", and I couldn't believe what I did find!

Yep, it is a copper saute pan with utensils and a wall rack to hang it from, I am still ecstatic. Its marked Paul Revere on the bottom, dated 1976, and thanks to my handy IPhone I was able to look up info on it before I made my purchase. Now I just need to find a spot to hang it in my kitchen, hmm.......

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2009-09-14T21:53:00.003-08:00

This is one of my all time favorite meals. I spent some time in China and South Korea and have always loved the asian cuisine. Sweet & Sour Chicken is definetely sweeter here in the U.S. than you will find in China. Here is my version of the dish.

Sweet & Sour Chicken
6 Chicken breasts - cut into 1 in. cubes
8 oz. can Pineapple pieces (drain & reserve juice)
2 Green bell peppers, cut into 1 in. chunks
1 small can Water chestnuts sliced
1/4 C Cornstarch
1 1/2 C Water - cold
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C White Wine Vinegar
1/4 C Ketchup
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 Egg - whisked up
Vegetable oil for frying

In a large sauce pan saute peppers, & water chestnuts, in a little oil, just until the peppers soften up. Combine 1st amount of cornstarch to cold water, pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, & ketchup, add into peppers. Stir constantly so starch doesn't stick to bottom of pan, bring up to a simmer until it starts to thicken. Let cook 2 minutes, & remove from heat.

In a medium bowl combine 2nd amount of cornstarch, ginger, salt, pepper, & egg. Add in cubed chicken and stir until well coated.

Heat up frying oil, once hot, add in chicken pieces in batches. Don't overcrowd the pot. Cook chicken until lightly golden and floating. Remove chicken pieces and let drain.

Once all of the chicken has been cooked, heat up the pepper sauce and add in pineapple pieces and chicken. Stir until combined and heat until warm. Plate up and top with toasted sesame seeds.

*I omitted the peppers in my dish as we didn't have any on hand when I made it over the weekend, it still tastes fantastic!

Some inspiration

2009-09-12T12:29:00.008-08:00

Saw this video online and loved it, I hope you enjoy it too!

Semi-homemade pizza

2009-09-12T12:13:00.021-08:00

I've been wanting to make a homemade pizza using some of the fresh veggies we recently picked, but being short on time I figured I would try out the pre-made Boboli pizza crusts. These are actually quite expensive and its just the dough. After some thinking, I ended up purchasing a frozen cheese pizza, it has the dough, sauce, & cheese, and the only thing missing were the toppings. It turned out to be cheaper than buying just the pre-made crust. I topped this pizza with cauliflower, broccoli, and a drizzle of ranch sauce. Bake per directions on the box.
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U-Pick Farm

2009-09-09T20:33:00.038-08:00

Its just about frost time here in Alaska. Kyle and I, along with my mother & father in-law, took advantage of the beautiful weather and headed out to the valley to pick some vegetables.

This is always the best time of year for harvesting vegetables as there is a great amount of variety. The view out in the Butte is beautiful, and only a short drive from Anchorage, makes it well worth the time involved versus running to the grocery store.

We weren't the only ones to visit that day as the farm was running out of buckets and knives to supply to the visitors. Kyle, my hunter gatherer, climbing around in the broccoli forest to find me the perfect broccoli, ain't he sweet!a:-)

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I have been dying to get some fresh rhubarb before it is gone for the year and thankfully the farm still had a dozen or so plants left to harvest. My grandmother made a mean Rhubarb Custard Pie, and the recipe has been patiently been sitting on my kitchen counter just waiting to be made. And, something that still amazes me, the farm actually grows artichokes. In the middle of gosh darn Alaska, something that I thought didn't grow in cold weather and here are rows and rows of artichoke plants.

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Here is our score for our days work. Zucchini, cabbage, rhubarb, cauliflower, broccoli, baby red potatoes, and mustard greens. Considering that all of this produce came in under $1 per pound, I don't feel so bad spending the gas to get out there to harvest it and support the local growers at the same time.

Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce

2009-09-04T21:50:00.023-08:00

Here's a quick mealtime idea. Its not an official recipe but I'll notate approximations for the mushroom sauce. I came up with this years back when we were looking for a quick homemade sauce for pork chops.

I prefer to use thin sliced boneless pork chops as they cook up quicker than the traditional pork chop, and you can feed more people without having to buy additional pounds of meat.
Sprinkle both sides of the chops with salt & pepper, saute in a pan with a bit of vegetable oil. Once you brown one side, flip chops to the other side and let cook 5 min. on medium heat. After 5 min. remove pork chops from pan, then to the hot pan toss in 1 small can of drained mushroom pieces, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 C sour cream. Let cook on medium heat 5 min. stirring constantly, this will thicken the sauce, finish with a bit of chopped parsley and salt & pepper to taste. Viola, pork chops with mushroom sauce!
The above recipe should make enough sauce for 4-5 pork chops.

If you have leftover sauce, you can use it in fajitas. Cook up some pork or chicken, peppers, onions and put into tortillas, top with some warmed up mushroom sauce, roll up and enjoy.

A bite of kindness

2009-09-04T21:14:00.022-08:00

Today, as I was making a batch of my mom's tasty Chocolate Chip cookies, I thought that the guy who was actively working on replacing my water heater might enjoy a couple of fresh warm cookies too!
I managed to arrange it so that the cookies had just finished baking as he was getting ready to leave and I handed him a napkin with several warm fragrant cookies as he was heading out the door. The huge smile on his face was enough to know that those cookies were well appreciated, he commented on how good they smelled and I knew then that even the smallest sign of appreciation can have a huge impact. It's in those small moments of gratitude that we see the human in humanity and the kindness that can be shared by all.

Do you take the time to show appreciation to those around you?

Here is the recipe for my mom's Chocolate Chip cookies, with a bit of modifications of my own.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C Shortening

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1/4 C Granular Sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp. Water

1 Egg

1 C + 2 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 C Chocolate Chips (I prefer bittersweet but semisweet also works well)

1/3 C Pecan or Walnut pieces (I break them up in my hands) *optional*

Mix shortening, sugars, vanilla & water, beat until creamy. Add in egg and mix well. In a medium bowl combine flour, soda, & salt, once mixed add into shortening mixture. Stir well. Add in chocolate chips & nuts.

Bake 375 degrees on ungreased cookie sheets for 10 minutes.

Thoughtful change

2009-09-03T16:27:00.030-08:00

After some thoughtful discussion, I have decided to change in my kitchen work station for a computer and desk. I am not completely leaving the culinary world, sheesh!...I still cook plenty at home and for friends, but jointly we agreed that it would be best for our household if I were to go to a more reliable job field.

Its not that I am burned out, but the food service industry is highly unreliable. I have been with the current restaurant for 3 years. Even with being hired full time, during the off winter season its hard to even make 6 hour work days let alone 10 hour supervisor shifts. And to be honest, getting up at 4am really sucks! There are other downsides of the food service industry that weren't imaginable until I worked in it. A fair amount of the kitchen staff is made of up people looking for a second chance, yep they marked that little box about criminal record on their application, and honestly a majority of the employees have addictions that spill into work and I really don't tolerate excessive absences or the employees with the long lists of made of excuses of why they can't make it on time or need to leave early every day. I earned a reputation at the restaurant, sadly not appropriate the nickname that was given for me, because I didn't tolerate the b/s. So, at a particularly low point of my working at the restaurant, I had a heart to heart talk with Kyle.

He always finds ways to amaze me, he will sit quietly and allow me to get out all of my frustrations and fears, and in return comforts me and supports me in any decision that I choose. Did I waste the last 6 years on a career that I am no longer pursuing? I haven't yet answered that myself and maybe it will never be resolved.

What I do know is that I am a bit giddy about my new job. I will get to sleep in til 7am, share rides with Kyle, take a real lunch break, I actually get to sit at my job, and the benefits are better than I have had in any restaurant.

And the best perk is that I work for the same organization that Kyle works fora:-)
Wish me luck!

Catching up

2009-09-03T16:27:00.012-08:00

This week has been hectic at home. We have been without the internet since Sunday, our water heater died Monday, and our little Pug Winston has Kennel Cough.
On the upside, our internet was fixed today, Winston visited the vet today and he is on a couple of meds so hopefully he will feel better soon, and a new water heater is being installed tomorrow. Everything just takes time, and I need to remember to be a bit patient as resolutions can't always happen when I want, though sometimes it hard to remember that when you have to spend 2 hours heating up water for a bath and you've been up since 3am with a sick dog!
My posts are a bit backed up at the moment and there will be quite a list of new posts within the next couple of days. Stay tuned...

HOME

2009-08-30T10:14:00.006-08:00

We arrived in Anchorage friday evening and were greeted by our stinky little Pugs! After being kenneled for nearly 2 weeks, they were in dire need of a warm bath. They have been sleeping with us on the big bed since we got home, now everything is as it should be, life is good again.

Cruisin the Inland Empire

2009-08-30T10:12:00.015-08:00

The last 4 days of our trip were spent in the Victorville area. Kyle worked 3 of the days so I spent the time doing a bit of sightseeing, we had a GPS with our rented Mustang so I didn't get lost. Boy, oh boy, was it hot outside! Our last full day in Victorville, it had reached 100 degrees by 11am, and I was burning in less than 15 minutes in the sun.
There are signs in town for the old Route 66, we drove this for a while and it was actually disappointing. The old city is being torn down to make way for new buildings. It was still an enjoyable ride and now I can say that I travelled on Route 66, in a Mustang no lessa:-)

Santa Monica & a farewell to friends

2009-08-27T23:47:00.048-08:00

We spent most of a day at the beach & shops around Santa Monica. Kyle enjoyed swimming in the ocean, this was most likely his first time doing so. I forgot just how hot the sand could get and was happy when we reached the cool waters of the pacific.
After our swim we headed up to the street level where there are lots of shops. The shopping area near the beach has several streets blocked just for pedestrian use, the sun was setting and street performers were setting up for the night, it was a nice warm night in Santa Monica.

We wrapped up the evening with a AWESOME dinner of Korean BBQ with our friends Martin & Linh. Kyle has known them for several years and we met them for the first time at blizzcon. Its unfortunate that we live so far apart as it was great getting to hang out with them, hopefully they will come visit Alaska as long as they don't mind our crazy Pugs!

The Mouse, the Myth

2009-08-24T14:01:00.025-08:00

What would a trip to California be without a trip to see the infamous Mickey Mouse!
We got a great deal on twilight convention tickets, so our first evening in California was spent wandering around Disneyland. We entered the park around 6:30 pm and left close to midnight but even with all the time in the park we didn't go on any of the rides as most of them had 40 min. or longer wait times.
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We weren't use to the evenings getting dark so quickly but the park is lit nicely so we were still able to wander around after the sun went down. This was the first time we have seen fireworks since we moved to Alaska in 2003, it never gets dark enough in the summer to fully appreciate 4th of July fireworks.

Blizzcon 2009

2009-08-24T14:00:00.013-08:00

Here's some pics. of the Blizzcon Convention in Anaheim. The event sold 20,000 tickets, lasted 2 days, and there were some crazy long lines for all the activities.
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I took occasional breaks outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the beautiful California sunshine. One of the bigger events was the unveiling of the newest WOW expansion, if you are a gamer than you know what I am talking about!
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There were a handful of people dressed in character, these are some of the better costumes that we saw, I didn't take pictures of the bad costumes, sorry.
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Kyle and I taking a quick stop at one of the fountains outside the convention. Above, Kyle was fortunate to meet up with a group of fellow gamers that he has known for some time. We enjoyed spending time with his friends and having the chance to get to know them out of the game. Ozzie was the performer for the concert on closing day of the convention, Kyle and I skipped this as we preferred to spend the time with friends than in a overly crowded smoky room.

Look Mom!

2009-08-24T13:56:00.013-08:00

I got a new tattoo!!

Hahaha....just joking, its only a temporarya:-)
Love ya!

Lunch & the Beach

2009-08-24T13:52:00.029-08:00

Kyle's good friend Martin graciously picked us up at the airport and took us to El Segundo for a quick walk on the pier and lunch at a local burger joint.

I haven't been to California in nearly 20 years, it was like visiting for the first time as I really don't remember much from when I visited as a kid.

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Martin & Kyle heading to Manhattan Beach, the day was a bit overcast but still very warm and enjoyable.

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Some locals fishing from the pier, though I am not sure what they caught, and some dirty surf boards taking a break.

Simmzy's located several block from the beach with a variety of drinkables to choose from, it was a lemonade for me!

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Martin recommended their burgers, and yes they are really good!

Californication

2009-08-24T13:17:00.008-08:00

Kyle and I arrived in Victorville, California this afternoon.
We spent the last 5 days in Anaheim enjoying the sites and soaking in some sunny weather. The next 5 days are going to be work focused, with a bit of fun squeezed in when possible.
Our hotel has wi-fi so I will be able to blog for the duration of our stay in beautiful California.
Can you believe that it's the end of August?!? Summer is nearly overa:-(

The Guild at Blizzcon

2009-08-18T23:19:00.010-08:00

The guild is an internet series about a group of friends who play online gaming. Kyle and I stumbled upon them two years ago when they first started up. Their 3rd season is getting ready to start Aug. 25th. This video was posted online, for anyone into this type of entertainment or if you are familiar with online gaming, you should check out there website HERE. I still go back and watch old seasons, they really make me laugh. They will be at Blizzcon, the same convention we will be attending, this coming weekend.

Sunny State

2009-08-18T23:02:00.015-08:00

Kyle and I are flying to California tomorrow!

Our trip is a combination of a convention and spending a few days in Anaheim, but we now have work added on to the end. I'm hoping that the 90 degree weather won't be too miserable and that I come back with a bit of a tan. We will be spending Thursday evening in Disneyland, two days at the convention, Sunday will be spent at the beach (was thinking Santa Monica), & then Monday heading over to San Bernardino for work.

I'm not sure how much time I'll have for blogging but I'll post pictures when I can.

Me and my beloved thumper, I'll be keeping my eye out for him at Disneyland :-)

Sweet Bread & Butter Pickles

2009-08-15T03:09:00.007-08:00

Sweet bread & butter pickles are my favorite pickles. I found a recipe for making them, and since I have been a crazy canning lady this year, I figured I would try making them at home. Be forewarned, it is a lot cheaper to get store bought pickles, that being said, feeling proud and a bit giddy making your own definitely wins over the cost factor any day!

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The recipe states to let them sit 2-3 weeks before opening up, to develop the flavor, I'm not sure if I can wait that long!

Buying local

2009-08-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Kyle and I went out to the valley to purchase some local grown produce. Not quite the same as digging it straight from the fields, but just as tasty! I was after pickling cucumbers for canning, look for that in a future post. After picking out my cucumbers, we settled on some zucchini and kale. Kyle was paying for our produce and purchased a jar of local honey for me, oh how sweet, he knows just what I like :-)
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Vanilla Extract

2009-08-07T01:00:00.002-08:00

I started up a batch of homemade Vanilla Extract, I am soo excited!! You can read the full recipe HERE, and some great uses for Vanilla Extract HERE.
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The first picture is of how the Vanilla extract looks when first assembled vs. what it looks like after just 2 days of the Vanilla Beans getting all schmoozy with the Vodka :-)

Greener ideas

2009-08-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Kyle and I had planned to take a trip to the Valley this weekend to pick our own produce at Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm. This idea only works if the weather cooperates with us, which at the current time it is over cast and has been raining off and on throughout the week. With that in mind, I have been researching local options of ways to get local produce without having to roll in the mud!
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I came across Glacier Valley Farm CSA, is the only Community Supported Agriculture in the state of Alaska. The way it works is 3 weeks a month, they sell boxes filled with local produce. For $35 you get a 18-21 lb. box filled with fresh produce, this week it is; cabbage, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, celery, fennel, zucchini, cauliflower, garlic, & potatoes. They are available for pickup at various locations, you pay the fee several days in advance and you can set a weekly pick up or sporadically based on what is available, they also enclose a newsletter for recipes on how to use the produce that is available that week. I missed this weeks pick-up but I have my sights set on next week, yummy yummy fresh produce! You can read more about Glacier Valley Farm CSA HERE. Nancy at Glacier Valley Farm was kind enough to get me information regarding local honey production in the state, if you are interested in Alaskan honey you can find more information HERE.
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While searching for the above information, I came across a community run program under the Anchorage Soil & Water Conservation District. They are currently offering compost bins to residents for half off, and they also run a local woodlot where you can pick up mulch and firewood for free! I have been wanting to pick up some mulch for my garden, and you can't beat free. More information on the compost bins can be found HERE, and woodlot information is HERE.
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Beautiful Mount Alyeska

2009-08-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

Kyle and I took advantage of the nice weather and headed out to Alyeska Resort for the afternoon. Alyeska Resort is located in Girdwood, approx. 40 minutes south of Anchorage. We spent the afternoon riding the tram to the top of the mountain, viewing the seven glaciers while we had a nice lunch at the lodge, and watching the paragliders jumping from the mountain (I want to do this next year!)

Summer Solstice Preserves

2009-08-02T09:08:00.001-08:00

I had Friday off from work, so I spent the morning camped out on the living room floor surrounded by my Pugs, with the sun shining in the windows as I enjoyed a bowl of cereal while I browsed through my canning book, ahh...I love my days off!

I found a recipe for Summer Solstice Preserves, sounds very tasty and I think it will make a great topping for waffles, & ice cream. As always, I change up the recipe a smidge. The recipe says it makes 5, half-pint jars and I ended up with 7, half-pint jars.

Summer Solstice Preserves

1 C Blueberries - washed & packed well

3 C Cherries - washed, pitted & halved (I used Rainier variety)

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

4 1/2 C Granular Sugar

1 Pouch Liquid Pectin

1/2 tsp. Butter

2 Tbsp. Cherry Flavoring (is optional, I used some Maraschino Juice)

In large pot combine berries, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir to mix well & let sit 20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare jars, lids, & canner.

Bring pot of berries to high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a strong boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in full package of pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in butter & cherry flavoring. Skim off any foam. Ladle into hot sanitized jars & water bath can them for 10 minutes.

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As you can see from the top picture, I have quite the stack of canning jars, this doesn't include the 3 cases I've already gone through.

Hop-along

2009-08-01T00:59:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, Lucy started limping around the house. I took her to the vets for a quick check on Friday, she has had a previous injury to the same shoulder from jumping off of our bed, but we aren't sure how she injured it this time.
The vet explained that the injury is caused by an extension of the shoulder, it would be like unexpectedly stepping in a hole, so our little hop-along Lucy will be taking it easy the next 3 weeks. Which means; she will be carried up/down the stairs, lifted up when necessary, and that she isn't allowed any rough housing during this time, I have a feeling that she won't mind the extra attention :-)

Almond Thumbprint Cookies

2009-08-01T00:26:00.001-08:00

Found this tasty little recipe online and figured it would be another great way to use my homemade jams & jellies. I also like this recipe as it doesn't require a lot of ingredients. And next time I make these, I will try using vanilla or rum flavoring instead of the almond for another variation. This recipe makes 24-28 cookies.

Almond thumbprint cookies

1 C Butter - softened but cool temp.

2/3 C Granular Sugar

1/2 tsp. Almond extract

2 1/4 C All Purpose Flour

1/2 C Jam or Jelly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add in almond extract and combine well. Mix in flour until dough comes together, you may not need all of the flour. Roll dough into balls, approx. 1 1/2 in. diameter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, use the back of a 1/2 tsp. to indent the center of the cookie. Fill each cookie with a very small amount of jam/jelly.

Bake 16-19 minutes or until golden. Let cool 1 minute before removing from sheet pan, then drizzle tops with icing.

Icing
1/2 C Powdered Sugar

3/4 tsp. Almond extract

1 tsp. Milk

Mix together all ingredients. Drizzle over tops of still warm cookies.

In the Garden

2009-07-28T23:06:00.000-08:00

Here's whats coming up in my garden, and in the flower pots too!

Cerinthe (a Mediterranean native flower that the upper most leaves turn purple to match the flowers) and Columbine that grows wild here.

Pink sea thrift and the tops of my little baby carrots. All of my veggies are growing on my deck in pots so who knows how well they will do, I'll just have to wait and see but it looks like they are off to a good start.

Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes are starting to make an appearance. I started them from seed the first part of April.
My Lillie's are getting ready to bloom in my garden, I have several varieties including dwarf oriental and stargazer, they will make great cut flowers in the coming weeks!

Shrimp Scampi

2009-07-26T19:08:00.001-08:00

Heres another favorite dinner of mine. In a restaurant that I worked at years ago, this was on the menu and I found that making it at home was just as easy. This is a great recipe when you have leftover rice as the rest pulls together in a jiffy. This recipe is per person.
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Shrimp Scampi
1 C Basmati or Jasmine rice (cooked of course)
10-12 medium Shrimp per person (peeled & deveined)
3 Tbsp. Butter
1 Garlic clove - minced
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Parsley - chopped
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Combine butter, minced garlic, & lemon juice in saute pan. Heat until butter melts, add in shrimp and toss to coat, cook until shrimp is pink and done. Add in salt & minced parsley, give the pan a final toss. Pour shrimp and all of butter sauce over warm rice, serve hot and enjoy!!
**Cooking basmati or jasmine rice; I prefer to wash my rice to get rid of excess starch, then when cooking, follow directions for water amounts (approx. 1 1/2 c to 1 3/4 c water, for every 1 c of rice), place rice & water in large sauce pot, add 2 Tbsp. salt for every cup of rice, and bring up to a boil & make sure to stir frequently. Cover pot and drop temperature to medium/low heat and cook 13 minutes. When done, remove from heat & let sit undisturbed, don't take the cover off, for 5 minutes, this will make perfect rice everytime!**

Head on over to the Grocery Cart Challenge for more great recipe ideas.

Ode to the Blueberry

2009-07-26T17:25:00.001-08:00

I've turned into a crazy canning lady, I can't be stopped!!!!
I'm not sure whats got into me this year, but I've really taken a liking to canning stuff. So far I've canned Raspberry Jam, Chili Sauce, Marinara, & now I can add Blueberry Jelly to the list. I really wanted to make homemade Grape Jelly, one of my favorite jam/jellies, but I found it very difficult & expensive to locate unsweetened grape juice. After much debate it seemed only logical to make something more Alaska themed and I opted for Blueberry Jelly instead, plus blueberries are in season and easy to get, so a no brainer!
Did you realize that blueberries aren't blue inside?!? Well I didn't know that until I made this recipe. It is based on a berry jelly recipe in a canning book that I have, but I changed it up a bit based on other recipes I read involving the use of blueberries. This recipe makes 5, half-pint jars.
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Blueberry Jelly
3 1/2 C Blueberry Juice (2 C blueberries = 1 C blueberry juice)
*you will need to boil fresh berries in order to get the berry juice you need, this recipe is for 3 1/2 C juice so you will need 7 C fresh berries* You may be short/over the needed juice, if you are short the juice needed you can add in water to make up the difference.
1 Pkg Pectin
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
3 2/3 C Granular Sugar
1/2 tsp. Butter (sub margarine)
1 Jelly bag or Pkg of Cheesecloth
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Carefully wash berries, remove stems, and place in a large sauce pot. Add 1/2 C water for every 4 C berries to avoid scorching them. Turn heat to medium/high and stir constantly until brought to a soft boil. Drop temperature to medium and cover, let simmer 10 min., occasionally stir breaking up berries. Once softened and broken up, remove from heat. Pour into jelly bag or a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth and let drip into a large pot 2 hrs or overnight until all of the juices have left the berries. If you force the juice out of the berries, the end result could be cloudy jelly!
Once the juice has been measured out to 3 1/2 cups, combine berry juice and lemon juice in large sauce pot, whisk in pectin until combined. Bring up to a rolling boil and continually stir mixture. Once at a rolling boil, add in all of the sugar, mix until combined. Add in butter (not necessary but will keep foaming down). Mix well and bring back up to a boil, continue to stir and let boil vigorously 1 minute.
After boiling vigorously for 1 minute, you can remove from heat, skim off any foam. Ladle into hot sanitized jars and water bath can them for 10 minutes.

A little strange on the inside, blueberries are only blue on the outside, you should've seen my hands when I was done with the recipe as they were stained a lovely shade of blue for a good day and a half!

Simmering berries getting all saucy in the sauce pot! Here they are straining in some cheesecloth, it took way over 2 hrs for all the juice to be extracted, overnight would probably be best, just lightly cover the top of the pot to keep the bugs out.

Measuring the freshly made blueberry jelly into canning jars. You can see that I made a double batch, I ran out of jars and had to pour the excess into a leftover container, oops!

Yummy Yummy Yummy, fresh blueberry jelly for breakfast, makes me happy!

Velcom

2009-07-26T16:17:00.000-08:00

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Several nights back, Kyle surprised me by getting off work early, arriving home and announcing that I had to get ready to leave, & he even helped me pick out an outfit (he did really well!). Still clueless, I got in the car and Kyle kept me in suspense until we arrived in Girdwood, which is about 40 min. drive south of Anchorage.
Kyle and I have talked about trying out a restaurant in Girdwood, the Double Musky, it is known for its awesome food and thus tends to be full most nights. We arrived shortly before they opened, and there was already a line waiting to get in.
*You'll have to excuse the horrible lighting in the restaurant, I used my flash once, and with the looks I got, decided it would be best to nix all flash photography*

We had some free time before opening, so we browsed around their gardens, Kyle even spotted a hummingbird.
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We decided to go all out for our dinner! We started off with a Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo appetizer. This was followed by a mixed greens salad and Jalapeno Cheese bread.
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For the main course, Kyle opted for the Crab stuffed Halibut topped with beurre blanc sauce, and I went crazy by ordering the Prime Rib. The prime rib was monstrous, over 2 inches thick, & we both had plenty of food to take home!
MMM....desserts, my favorite part of a meal! The servers bring around trays of desserts available, this makes them seem more tempting, and we fell for it by each ordering something tasty to try. Kyle picked the healthier blueberry cheesecake and I got the Double Musky pie, it tastes like a pecan pie topped with fudge and whipped cream. Very heavenly but a bit too sweet and I was unable to finish it.
What a great way to start the weekend; an unexpected dinner with my handsome husband, at a great restaurant located in the wilds of Alaska. Does it get any better?
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You can click HERE for more information about the Double Musky in Girdwood, Bon Appetit!

Staying in

2009-07-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

Recipe for a great night in:
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aaaaPlay time with the crazy Pugs
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aaaaCanning homemade Marinara
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aaaaDinner & Movie
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aaaaSpending time with the ones you love
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Here's to hoping that you enjoy your evenings staying in, I know that I do.