Ky in the Kitchen

Favorite Band

2012-01-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

My favorite band, The Shins, are releasing an album in March. (Yay!) Their first single is called "Simple Song," and I think it's great. Have a listen!

Things that are Awesome

2012-01-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

1. Speed-finger-painting

2. Making Thai iced-tea a dance

3. We got a portable dishwasher!!!! We haven't had one for 3.5 years!! Also, we get the bonus of additional counter space. Score.

What kind of meals are your favorite when it's cold outside? Soups? Casseroles? Mexican? Pastas? We have a recipe for vegetarian bean chili that's pretty delicious this time of year. Maybe I'll post that one soon.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Christmas movies is 'A Muppet Christmas Carol,' and in that movie there's a song about closing up work for Christmas Eve and going home for the holiday because there's only "One more sleep 'til Christmas." Since we watched it last week, Ryan's been asking me, "Ky, how many sleeps 'til Christmas?" :)

It's finally here and we arrived in Utah yesterday to celebrate. Hope you have a great holiday. :)

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last Christmas I made this super-awesome rainbow-layered Jell-O. It was beautiful. So, I decided to make one with reds, purples, and blues, for Thanksgiving this year. Well, after this layer you see below - even with five other semi-successful layers on top - it all went down hill. I just didn't want to give up, though I probably should have just started the whole thing over again. Anyway, the end result was a colorful Jell-O soup, which is fun for about one slurp.

-the unfortunate layer-

My efforts weren't a complete failure though, because the appetizers/snacks were edible.

-zippy italian popcorn, white chocolate popcorn, yum-yum bacon, and a veggie tray-

For the savory popcorn, which was spicier than expected, go here. For the white chocolate popcorn, which was just as delicious as was expected, go here. I added a little more white chocolate than she called for. Growing up I had a neighbor who would make this every Christmas with mint M&Ms to pass out. Dangerously tasty. If you haven't had it, you need to make some this Christmas, or whenever you're going to have lots of other people around to eat some, too, so you don't eat the whole bowl. The veggie tray was complete with: cucumbers, celery, carrots, orange and red bell peppers, black olives, and petite sweet pickles.

The yum-yum bacon is bacon, mustard, and brown sugar gooey-ness that gets stuck in your teeth, and is so rich that you can only ~~make~~ eat it once or twice a year. You'll still crave some, but your dentist will thank you.

Overall the meal was delicious, and we had a great time visiting and Skyping with family on the East Coast, but I still think my favorite part was admiring the pretty table setting. Observe.

Preetty. My mother-in-law has a "thing" for the color orange, and her stoneware is very fall appropriate. :)

Seattle in the Fall

2011-12-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

Ryan had a conference in Seattle last month. I tagged along for the ride, visited some family in the Tri-Cities, and then we toured the city! Here are some instagram photos from the trip.

-view from our room-

-belle epicurean cafe, first meal in seattle-

-fish & chips at Ivar's-

-pier at Ivar's-

-fremont troll!-

-sam, seattle art museum-

-cabbage roses, pike place market-

-pappardelle's pasta, pike place market-
(we brought home chocolate linguine, sweet potato orzo, and a southwestern mix)

-produce stand, pike place market-

-view from Columbia Center Sky View, 73rd floor-

-before the Underground Seattle tour-

-old skylight in the sidewalk-

-same skylight from under the sidewalk-

-above ground again, an alley in pioneer square-
(Columbia Center in background)

-space needle at night-

-seattle center at night-

-divine liége waffles, our last meal in seattle-

A Little Snow

2011-12-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

I live in a quiet place, but it seems even more quiet when snow has fallen.

My Grandma Mary

2011-12-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

My Grandma Mary passed away this morning. She'd been unwell and unhappy for a long time. In a sense she was trapped in her own body. However, now she's been freed and is at peace, and I'm grateful. My sister wrote a poem this morning because she couldn't go back to sleep after the news and I got her permission to post it here because I think it's lovely and it would make my Grandma smile (maybe even cry a few happy tears since in this family we all cry so easily ;).

March 2011

In loving memory of Mary Ellen White Ellis. October 1, 1936 - December 1, 2011

- Caitlin Ellis

This life was never meant to be easy, that's something you soon learned.

Your pain was great throughout your years, and now the tides have turned.

Your suffering is all gone now, something not even trained doctors could do.

Something that I never foresaw was how much I'd miss you.

I knew this day was coming, it just happened all too fast.

On this cold December morning, your defeated body passed.

I wish that I could see you now, free from the bonds of this life.

I bet you ran into our Savior's arms - no more worry, pain, or strife.

This month we celebrate His coming to the earth where the perfect life He led.

It's because of Him our family can unite again, that's something you always said.

The veil is thin, this life is fragile, and we must be our best everyday.

I'm so happy for you - your battle is won; your burdens are lifted away.

The time we'll meet at Jesus' feet, nobody knows when,

But I'll love you forever, and God will be with you until we meet again.

Love you, Grandma.

Planned Thanksgiving Menu Contributions from Yours Truly and Husband

2011-11-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Fall in Seattle - View from our Hotel last week.

Cabbage Roses at Pike Place Market

Since I'm starting my cooking and prep today, I thought I'd share...

Turkey: Ryan (and others willing to help). He's trying out a method in the most recent Cook's Illustrated mag - braised.
Rolls: Ryan & Kylie. We're the bread people, and we like to make bread-y things. We're making some Rustic rolls and some classic American dinner rolls. Both of these recipes also from Cook's Illustrated.
Sweet Potato Pie: Ryan. I requested a spin on traditional sweet potatoes, and he found this option. :)
Layered Jell-O: Kylie. Last Christmas I made a rainbow layered-Jell-O. It was pretty awesome. For Thursday I'm making a layered Jell-O with reds, purples, and blue.
Yum-Yum Bacon: Kylie. Bacon slices with mustard and brown sugar. A bite of happiness. These were served at my wedding reception.
Zippy Italian Popcorn: Kylie. We need a pre-dinner snack, right?
White Chocolate Popcorn: Kylie. Because I want to eat some, and I'm pretty sure others will, too.

If successful, I'll supply recipes (and hopefully a photo or two) after the feast. Happy Thanksgiving!

Window Shopping for Recipes: Things with Cheese

2011-10-06T11:38:00.000-06:00

There are so many food blogs. So. Many. It seems like I come across at least another dozen every week. (OK, I'm exaggerating, but only a little!) I'm always composing lists of recipes to show to Ryan (usually by e-mail so I can include direct links). However, recently I've been overwhelmed with so many potential recipes for our menu that I had to catalog it here, too. If you know me, you should know that one of my biggest weaknesses is for cheese. I don't think I need to elaborate. :)

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich from BS' in the Kitchen

Italian Tomato and Mozzarella Crostini - Topped with Cured Meats and Fresh Parsley from WishfulChef

Artichoke Biscuit Bread with Asiago Cheese and Olives from Circle B Kitchen

Here are a few more for good measure. ;)

Chocolate and Cheese Danish from Giada de Laurentiis

Bacon Lover's Mac and Cheese from Annie's Eats

Brie Cheese Appetizer from Susan Jackson via allrecipes.com

Chinese Chicken and Rice Soup

2011-10-05T20:56:00.000-06:00

Hi, there. I don't have my own photo, but I made this recipe from Food Network Magazine and we've been enjoying it for a few days now. I'm not a "soup person." You know the kind... they melt for soup. Are you one? Don't get me wrong... I like a good clam chowder every once in a while. Actually, I do LOVE clam chowder - I just only eat it every once in a while. It seems like "soup people" could eat soup all of the time. I'm not normally one of those... but it turns out with this soup, I have been. (Maybe it has something to do with it suddenly really feeling like Autumn with all of this chilly weather, overcast days, and rain leading me to need something warm for my insides because my socks+slippers+pants+t-shirts and sweatshirt-with-hood-on aren't enough to keep comfortable?) This soup was surprisingly tasty, and pretty quick to put together with two of us working on it. Leftovers the next couple of days were great, too.

Chinese Chicken and Rice Soup from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

4 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
2 large tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
4 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (white, brown or wild)

Directions

Whisk the eggs with a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or largesaucepan over high heat. Add the eggs and cook, undisturbed, until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is set, about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring gently to break up the eggs, until the tomatoes begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water, the scallions, sesame oil, soy sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Partially cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in the chicken, spinach and rice and warm through. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

A Song for Saturday: "Different" by Ximena Sariñana

2011-09-23T16:47:00.000-06:00

A good mix CD or playlist is kind of essential for unpacking after a move, right? Well, I've heard this on the radio for a few weeks and finally remembered to add it to my playlist today. After four days, progress is slow, but it's starting to look like people live here. Still more boxes to unpack, but I'm pretty determined to not have any unpacked boxes hanging around in a couple weeks.

The view from my red chair:

Ximena (hee-MEN-uh) Sariñana Rivera is 25 and from Guadalajara, Mexico. She released an album in 2008 called Mediocre, which received two Latin grammy nominations. At the end of July this year, her second album, Ximena Sariñana, was released in North America. Her first single from this album is entitled, "Different." It's spunky and playful; you'll find yourself singing along to the chorus.

Have a good weekend!

Ballet - Oop!

2011-09-16T09:51:00.000-06:00

I came across this today via one of the animation blogs I follow.

Ah, old animation.

A Song for Saturday: "White Nights" by Oh Land

2011-09-10T09:48:00.000-06:00

Nanna Øland Fabricius, 26 years old, is from Denmark and the daughter of an opera singer and an organist. She studied dance at the Royal Danish and Royal Swedish Ballet schools, until she was injured and found herself devoting more of her time to music. She now lives in New York City, and should be touring with/opening for Katy Perry soon.

I found this song via my friend Nicole. I'm obsessed. I've listened I don't know how many times, and I still love it. I also love this video - it makes me want to dance. Hope you enjoy your weekend!

We're moving to Los Alamos. Today.

Fairy Tales and the Like

2011-09-06T14:44:00.000-06:00

Fairy tales. I've been all about them recently. It all kind of happened by accident. I was going on a trip, and I was going to be flying by myself. Since all of our books are still packed away in a storage unit I headed over to a bookstore to find something fun to read on the plane and during the down-time. I didn't have anything specific in mind, I just pulled things from the shelf. I chose two books.

After those, I moved on to this...

...which I'm reading now.

This fairy tale fascination continued today as I came across an interview of Christian Jackson, a graphic designer, whose collection of minimal fairy tale prints I've fallen head-over-heels for. Please enjoy.

Please, may I have all of them?

The designer. Prints for purchase.

A Song For Saturday: "Battery Kinzie" by Fleet Foxes

2011-09-03T05:05:00.001-06:00

One of the best things about living in Virginia was living in the Eastern timezone. My morning commutes to school were always accompanied with the British voices of BBC Radio 1: The Chris Moyles Show, Fearne Cotton, Greg James, etc. Fearne (pronounced: fern) played this song as her record of the week back in March or April, and I've loved it ever since.

A Song for Saturday: "Impossible" by Anberlin

2011-08-27T04:56:00.001-06:00

This isn't a new band, nor is this song a new release. However, while in Salt Lake last week I heard it on X96 and loved it! (I miss X96.)

Sunflowers in Colorado

2011-08-24T09:42:00.000-06:00

In southwest Colorado on the drive back to Albuquerque we pulled over to enjoy these lovely sunflowers.

Book Event for "Matched" by Ally Condie

2011-08-24T08:56:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of the YA+dystopian novel "Matched"? The author is Ryan's cousin.

On a recent trip to Salt Lake I (along with some family) attended a book event and got to visit with Ally and show our support. :)

Scott, Hope, Nic, Me, Brooke, Ally, Michelle, and Stephanie

At the event, there was a drawing to win an advanced reader's copy (ARC) of the next book in the trilogy, "Crossed", which comes out in November.

My sister Brooke was a lucky winner!

Sunset in Washington

2011-08-24T08:46:00.000-06:00

Sunset over the corn field in front of my Aunt Leslie's house in Basin City.

He's Home

2011-08-24T08:43:00.000-06:00

My brother Trey.

Home from serving a two-year LDS Mission in Orlando, Florida.

It's going to be a great week!

2011-07-10T02:24:00.001-06:00

Sunday, July 10: Go to church. Hang out with some family. Pack, pack, pack!
Monday, July 11: Drive to Airport. Fly to Spokane. Drive to Basin City!!! Try not to cry from being so happy for seeing so much extended family after three whole years.
Tuesday, July 12: Get busy with the family reunion. Prep for Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 13: (Wow, my heart is so full as I even think about this day.) Welcome home my brotherTrey from his LDS mission in Orlando, Florida. He's been gone for 24 months. I'm so, so, so, so very excited to see him and give him an enormous hug.

Thursday, July 14: More family reunion goodness and catching up with my brother.
Friday, July 15: Even MORE family reunion goodness, catching up with my brother, and the last Harry Potter comes out in theaters!! (!!!!)

and finally... Saturday, July 16: Some family reunion goodness, catching up with brother, and Ryan comes in for the weekend!

A Song For Saturday: "Ready to Start" by Arcade Fire

2011-07-02T05:09:00.001-06:00

Maybe you were like me and had heard a song or two from Arcade Fire before the Grammy's this year. Maybe also like me after they won the Grammy for Best Album of the Year, you thought to yourself "Wait, what? Who are these guys? Why did they get this huge award?" Well, very shortly after this thought process occurred I had the award-winning album, The Suburbs, and began to listen. Well, months later I haven't really stopped listening. Not for more than a couple days at least.

(at 1:03 he starts telling you who they -Arcade Fire- are)

This band is Canadian, based in Montreal. It was founded by a married couple - Win Butler and Régine Chassagne - as well as five other bandmembers. When they go on tour, they have accompanying musicians that sometimes bring their numbers up by six others. That means on one stage up to thirteen musicians rocking out!! They had nine onstage at the Grammy Awards. From Wikipedia: "The band plays guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, violin, viola, cello,double bass, xylophone, glockenspiel, keyboard, French horn, accordion, harp, mandolin, and hurdy-gurdy. Most of their instruments are taken on tour, and the multi-instrumentalist band members switch duties throughout shows." Don't know what a hurdy-gurdy is? Yeah, neither did I.

winning best album of the year

Co-fronts of the band & married couple Régine and Win

back row: Régine, William (Win's brother), Tim, Jeremy, and Sarah

front row: Win, and Richard

Now, if you haven't already seen it, you should check out their interactive music video for their song "We Used to Wait." Go ahead... just go. It's pretty cool.

If you've been a fan of Arcade Fire for a while, thanks for tolerating my lateness.

A Song For Saturday: "Bright Lights Bigger City" by Cee Lo Green

2011-06-25T05:07:00.010-06:00

Hailing from Atlanta, Cee Lo Green's name seems to be mentioned frequently these days. First known for his song "Crazy," under the name Gnarls Barkley (Green + Danger Mouse). I think his voice is unique, playful, and pretty dang good. Anyway, earlier this year I got his latest album, "The Lady Killer" and other than the popular song "Forget You (edited),"(Did you see him perform at the Grammy's? His crazy outfit was inspired by an Elton John performance with the Muppets. Odd, but fun.) my other favorites are "Wildflower,""Satisfied," and "Bright Lights Bigger City." This song is filled with energy (admittedly I'm not really impressed with the music video) and makes me want to dance a little.

14 Actors Acting

2011-06-21T17:33:00.000-06:00

Maybe I'm a little late with this. I've seen a couple of these short videos individually, but I didn't realize they were part of a bigger project. Last December the New York Times Magazine published a series of short videos of actors acting. There are fourteen shorts total. Black and white, with a classical soundtrack. On the webpage if you watch one, it will loop through the rest of the series. I found it to be very moving. My favorites were from Javier, Matt, Anthony, and Lesley. (Vincent made me think of "Singin' in the Rain") If you have a little bit of time, take a look.

I've Been Married for Three Years

2011-06-20T19:39:00.000-06:00

Three years ago today I got married. Awesome, right?

Today we celebrated by doing the following:

laundry (for the last time B'burg!)(!?!)
going to the gym
getting stressed out with moving (me) and work/research (him)
eating some tasty Indian food
and taking a few photographs

I love you, Ryan. Thanks for choosing me.

Guilt with a Side of Milo Greene

2011-06-14T11:36:00.002-06:00

Graduation finally happened. School is finished.

We've had family visitors. We've had some small adventures.

We've cooked and baked. We've gone a little crazy, and gotten a little older.

We've finished with Cub Scouts. We've sold some of our furniture. We've started packing for our move. We've made plans for our summer. We're still making plans for the Fall (and the following future). And yet, despite all of my blog-worthy activities I've neglected you until now. The most annoying part of all of this is how guilty I've felt about neglecting you. (So, I'm sorry.) I think part of why I haven't posted anything (especially food-related) in a long time is that I usually forget to take pictures. Silly, I know, because this blog was never intended to be solely a food blog. All of those fancy food blogs are also photography blogs, dang them! It's intimidating! I don't know why it matters so much to me. I feel like I need to compete, which I don't, and it stresses me out. So, yes, we've still been cooking, and there have been recipes I've wanted to share - but without pretty pictures, will you even care? Will my writing be enough? Do I just need to pay a little more attention and have the camera in the kitchen at all times to try to remember to take some pictures before I've finished eating it? Ay, ay, ay.

Alright, here's what I'm going to do. Visual-sensory experiences are important, so I'm going to try. I'm going to try and take more pictures. I'm going to try and practice enough to feel comfortable. I'm going to trust that you'll be patient with the less-than-stellar photos of the food we make until (eventually) they look a little better. I'm going to try and remember that as much as photography appeals to people, the truth is that most people just want something delicious to eat (just me?).

In the meantime, I have to show you this music. It's from a newly formed band called Milo Greene, with only two songs available for listening online. (No, you can't purchase anything yet. I've searched and searched.) It's four fellas and a lady, and I think you'll enjoy it. I liked it so much, that it inspired this whole visit to this blog and virtual bookshelf to show y'all this "Breezy with a beat ... infectious, sunny, pop song of harmonizing bliss" and to help me remember to look into when they will eventually release an album. These are their songs, "1957," and "Don't You Give Up On Me."

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://milogreene.bandcamp.com/album/the-hello-sessions"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Hello Sessions by Milo Greene&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Thanks for visiting. See you around. :)

A Song For Saturday: "Something Good Can Work" by Two Door Cinema Club

2011-05-14T10:50:00.001-06:00

Sam, Alex, and Kevin from Northern Ireland formed a band. Sam once mispronounced the name of a local movie theater called 'Tudor Cinema,' and the name stuck. I've heard this song for months on BBCRadio1 and it makes me smile every time. Hopefully it makes you sway or even smile a little.

I did it!

2011-05-14T08:07:00.000-06:00

Grateful for the experience. Grateful for a break. :)

Follow Me Down

2011-05-10T20:15:00.000-06:00

Remember Sarah Jarosz? Well, in one week Sarah Jarosz's second album Follow Me Down will be released. I'm so excited! Ryan asked me if I'm obsessed with SJ. I don't think I'm obsessed - I just think the girl has major talent, I love her voice, and I just really want her to be successful! You can listen to an audio stream of the whole album here.

Status: Internship completed. All projects have been turned in. All tests have been taken.

Graduation happens on Friday!

Countdown

2011-04-20T11:28:00.001-06:00

These are the things that have been on my mind lately.

8 blog drafts waiting to be finished and published post-graduation
~~~13~~ 1!!! commute(s) to Dublin campus
~~12 class days / 2.5 weeks of spring semester~~
~~1 group project to finish and present~~
~~1 ECE administrative manual to compile~~
~~37 hours left to complete in my internship~~

~~1 more full day of teaching~~
~~2 group times to execute~~
~~1 learning center to implement~~
~~1 final portfolio to compile~~

~~22 days / 3 wks~~ 2 days until my mom comes into town
~~22 days / 3 wks~~ 2 days until my in-laws come into town
~~23 days / 3 wks~~ 3 days until graduation
~~33 days / 4.5 wks~~ 13 days until my 23rd birthday (on the 23rd)
~ 2 months until Ryan defends his thesis and graduates
8 6 Cub Scout den meetings
2 1 Cub Scout pack meetings
<10 6 Friday night dinners-out in Virginia
~~2 months + 6 days~~ 46 days until Caitlin comes into town
~~2 months + 10 days~~ 51 days until we move from Blacksburg

Desk inspiration:

I'm most looking forward to going to the library and choosing whatever book off the shelves I feel like grabbing and reading without feeling guilt after graduation.

Hope you're hanging in there, too.

xo. Ky

*Updated 5/10/11*

Disney Geek

2011-04-05T20:51:00.002-06:00

My inner child gets so happy while watching this.

(Who am I kidding? Inner child? I wish I could contain it... :)

A real flying house!

2011-03-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

Two guys inspired by the movie "Up" decided to see if they could really make a house fly. Click here for a cool photo montage, and I added a video about it. The photos are pretty awesome.

I love when people do awesome things.

A Song For Saturday: "Hello" by Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

2011-02-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

He's French, and he's cool.

Magic Bookshelf

2011-02-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Love this!

A Song For Saturday: "Gold" by The Swell Season

2011-02-19T08:31:00.001-07:00

Spring Break 2008: I was flying with my then fiancé, Ryan, to Baltimore, MD, where we were going to visit some family and explore Washington, D.C. The movie "Once" had been recommended by Ryan's mom, so he rented it through iTunes and we watched the movie on his laptop during our flight from SLC. (R, I know I may have mixed up some of the details... correct me if I'm wrong, please. :)

Glen Hansard (of the Irish band The Frames) and Markéta Irglová, both musicians, starred in a small film about two strangers in Dublin (He a street performer and Hoover-vacuum-repairman, she an immigrant street vendor from the Czech Republic) who begin a friendship, and over the course of a week compose and record some songs together. The music from the film was composed by Hansard and Irglová for the movie, and they actually received a Grammy for one of their songs, "Falling Slowly."

I loved this movie, but I've only watched it once (during that flight)(no pun intended). The movie soundtrack, however, has been a favorite since the first hearing thereof. I've recently discovered that Hansard and Irglová formed a musical duo called The Swell Season, and have released two albums under that name (though the Once movie soundtrack is considered another of their albums), which is cool. Though I've only listened to a bit of their other material, I still find myself turning back to the Once movie soundtrack. My favorites from the album are: "Say It To Me Now," "Falling Slowly," "Gold," and "When Your Mind's Made Up."

Here is a video of Hansard, Irglová and some companions performing "Gold." I love this song. Enjoy.

Love Everyone

2011-02-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Red Velvet Cake Balls in the works... I'll let you know how they turn out.

(pic via iLove)

A Song For Saturday: "Walking The Dog" by Fun.

2011-02-12T08:53:00.002-07:00

I was introduced to The Format's indie+60s/70s+folk+alternative+punk sound by my friend Nicole. Thanks, Nicole. I really love The Format's album "Dog Problems." Particularly the variation in which Nate Ruess, the singer-guy, uses his voice. Well, in early 2008 The Format broke up.

Sad day.

Good news, though. Nate Ruess reached out to Andrew Dost (of Anathallo) and then Jack Antonoff (of Steel Train) and together the trio formed the band Fun. It was my friend Amy who turned my attention to Fun. - a discovery that has made my commute much more musical and enjoyable. Thanks, Amy. Fun. is an indie-pop band based in New York, NY. Their album, "Aim and Ignite," is filled with catchy+experimental+literally-fun lyrics and melodies. My favorites tracks are: "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)," "Be Calm," "Walking The Dog," "I Want To Be The One," and "All The Pretty Girls."

Here's a video of "Walking the Dog," which can be decidedly described at psychedelic.

Jack_Nate_Andrew

Happy Almost-Super-Bowl!

2011-02-05T15:39:00.001-07:00

Things I look forward to about the Super Bowl:

The Food
The Commercials

Then, sometimes I enjoy these:

The Game
The Half-Time Show

This year Ryan has been taken over by writing his paper that he's trying to submit to a conference, so most likely I'll be having a Super Bowl Party of One, which is fine by me. I've already made last year's Sweet Chex Mix, and plan to have a homemade vegetable platter, sausage dip and crackers, and maybe a soda. I plan on having leftovers, but leftovers rule, so I'm okay with that, too.

I got the recipe from Jane Maynard (of This Week For Dinner, here's the original) last year and had enough good memories that it was a necessity for this year. It's super simple, and I haven't done much experimentation with it yet. Though, Ryan suggested we might toast the coconut and almonds for the next batch.

Sweet Chex Mix (adapted slightly from thisweekfordinner.com) (printer-friendly version)

Ingredients

1 small box Rice Chex

2 C coconut (optional: toasted)

1 C sliced almonds (optional: toasted)

1 C karo syrup

1 C sugar

1 1/2 C butter

Dash salt

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

Directions
Add sugar, karo syrup, salt and butter in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 5 minutes. Stir and cook 2 more minutes (watch out – it’s HOT). Using hot pads, remove from microwave and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir until combined.

Meanwhile, if choosing to toast coconut and almonds, do so. Add Rice Chex, coconut, and sliced almonds into a large mixing bowl and mix together.

Pour sugar mixture over the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine.

(photo via Me, from my camera)

A Song For Saturday: "Song Up In Her Head" by Sarah Jarosz

2011-02-05T10:45:00.001-07:00

Sarah Jarosz, a nineteen-year-old Texas-native who now attends the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, recorded her first album when she was only 17! For one reason or another I've really been getting into bluegrass lately - Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek, Chris Thile (formerly of Nickel Creek), The Wailin' Jenny's... I've been listening to these folks for a while. Recently I heard Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Ranger's "Late for School" when I came across a "Listener's Also Bought" that showed me this lovely album cover:

Judging a book (or in this case, an album) completely by its cover, I clicked on the link and I listened and listened and listened until I bought the album and haven't stopped listening since. She plays the mandolin - a few different versions - as well as the guitar. Her instrumental song, "Mansineedof" was nominated for a Grammy last year. She has a soulful and earthy voice, and her lyrics are smart. My favorites on the album are: "Song Up In Her Head," "I Can't Love You Now," "Broussard's Lament" (written just after Hurricane Katrina), "Edge of a Dream," and "Mansineedof."

Here is a live version of "Song Up In Her Head."

Sarah Jarosz " Song up in Her Head" from Mike Abb on Vimeo.

Suddenly I have plans to do something that I didn't think I'd be able to do for a while-

2011-02-01T21:06:00.001-07:00

I'm excited to give...

YOU

and...

YOU & YOU

a really big, squeeze-all-your-air-out, tear-inducing kind of hug when I come visit you in March.

ooxxooXoXXx, Ky

(pictures from C's facebook - Thanks!)

Jona Vark

2011-01-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

My computer setup has been upgraded! I now have a slick flatscreen monitor, a sweet keyboard, and a magic trackpad. (AWESOME!) Also, I got some new speakers to go along with this new setup which is kind of a big deal for me because a couple years ago my huge stereo stopped working - and though I've had an iPod to listen to, it's not quite the same as having a quality system to listen to/play music with.

Since the speakers were put up yesterday, I've been listening to this song over and over again. Hope you're having a good day!

Also, when I first listened to it yesterday there were only 700-something plays. Now it's above 35,000!

p.s. You can now reach this blog at www.kyinthekitchen.com. If you go to the old URL, it'll forward you to the new site. That's the only change to the blog (the URL change), though I've been considering some re-design. Exciting, eh? (Ky in the Kitchen is much better than find me in the kitchen, don't you think?)

School hasn't started and we now have access to some basic TV channels and I get to watch Ellen. Also: cheese.

2011-01-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know why or when it started, but I have referred to Ellen DeGeneres as "Miss Ellen" for a while. Ryan can verify - whenever I'm sharing a tweet from @TheEllenShow or telling him about some web video from her show, I always call her "Miss Ellen." Anyway, since I feel guilty just sitting and watching TV (especially when there are dishes to do) I multitask by finding cool things on the web while I watch.

One of my favorite meals while I was in Switzerland was a Raclette Dinner and though I've tried to explain it to people for a long time, I don't think I've ever done it justice. However, I found this video that does the job! Though our dinner party back in Leysin was a little different in the actual-melting-of-the-cheese method, it's basically the same.

YUUUUMMMMMM!!!!

Also, a tomato salad? Cool! Why haven't I done that? My sister-in-law and her husband traveled to the Mediterranean in October and were very impressed that all of the salads in Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt were made without lettuce! Again, cool! Sometimes I just don't feel like lettuce/spinach/arugula/green leafy things. I'm going to start thinking about making and eating more salads without lettuce. Maybe if I think about it enough, I'll end up making some delicious not-dependent-on-lettuce salad. Well, I guess my mom already makes a cucumber salad. (Vinegar, anyone? Mmm.)

I came across this on howdyheidi, and the authors Tina Roth Eisenberg (a.k.a. swissmiss) and Carlos Corti give a nice description of Raclette that I will snippet for you here:

Raclette is traditionally eaten in fall and winter, not so much in the warmer times of the year. The raclette stove can also be used as a table grill, the top surface can be used to grill meats. This is a perfect dinner party meal as it’s easy to prepare, and fun for everyone to make, and so yummy!

Raclette cheese can be found in any grocery or cheese store in Switzerland; if you live in North America, try a European specialty cheese store. You calculate between 200 – 250 grams of cheese per person, sliced. The raclette cheese is very flavourful and melts quickly, but it’s NOT processed single slice cheese! It is real Swiss cheese, made by traditional method.

What we like to eat with raclette as side dishes: mini gherkins, pickled zucchini and pumpkin, pickled baby onions, tomato salad in a balsamic dressing with chives, mini corns on the cob, bacon, pear, pineapple, and of course potatoes are a must! Typical spices used on top of raclette cheese are sweet paprika, lemon pepper, and mild curry. In stores here you can buy a special “raclette spice” mix, and I also like caraway seeds and cayenne pepper on my cheese!

You can find the original post here.

Ah, cheese.

Also, I heard that today, January 20th is National Cheese Lovers Day. I am a cheese lover, and I made a traditional crunchy-crust gooey-melty-cheddar-cheesy grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. I helped Ryan participate by making him a crunchy-crust gooey-melty-mozzarella-and-roasted-red-pepper grilled cheese sandwich. Brie-licious! (Ha, please excuse my lame attempt at a cheese pun.)

Sometimes Being Rewarded is Nice

2011-01-18T09:56:00.002-07:00

1. This is the first semester (ever in my whooole life) that I've gotten a 4.0 GPA.
2. It's especially meaningful because this was also my busiest/ most difficult semester I've had.
3. The other day I received my certificate for being on The President's List, which is cool. It's the second or third time, which is also very cool.
4. Ryan was like proud of me or something and so he asked that I pick out something special or some kind of treat (we were grocery shopping) as a reward. I chose these flowers and some Crystal Clear drinks.
5. Aren't these lovely? I think they're beautiful. Since I took this they've opened up even more. :)

(Photo taken with Ryan's iPod Touch)

Vegetable Lasagne - starring Green Chard, Mushrooms, and Asparagus

2011-01-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

I'm 80% sure that we've made this recipe before. However, this last episode was... (how can I properly describe this?)... sooooo delicious! (!!!!) The vegetables totally stole the show. I guess it is a vegetable lasagne, but still. Though it takes a while to prep everything - such as slicing and blanching the asparagus, slicing and sautéing the mushrooms, and chopping and sautéing the chard - if you're anything like us, you'll end up gobbling a huge slice of lasagne shamelessly.

What's so great about this recipe is that it calls for 3 cups of vegetables, and you get to choose which vegetables you want to use based on preference and availability. Included in the recipe is a list of recommended vegetables and how to prepare them. Awesome.
Also awesome: It calls for no-boil noodles. Have you heard of/seen/used these? So much more convenient. I recommend Barilla.
And, big surprise to everyone, the recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Vegetable Lasagne with Tomato Sauce (Cook’s Illustrated) (printer friendly version)
Most recently we made this with asparagus, Swiss chard, and mushrooms. It was totally delicious, and nice that all of the ingredients were sautéed so we only used the oven for the put-together lasagne.

Smoked mozzarella, Gruyère, or Fontina can be substituted for the mozzarella and Pecorino Romano for the Parmesan. Also, three and one-half cups of your favorite prepared tomato sauce can be substituted for the sauce in this recipe. Because no-boil noodles come twelve to sixteen in a box, we suggest buying two boxes to ensure that you'll have the fifteen required for this lasagne. Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients

Lasagne

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves

15 no boil lasagna noodles (We use Barilla)

3 cups vegetables, cooked and seasoned (see below)

1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)

5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about ⅔ cup)

Vegetable cooking spray for foil

Vegetables: Toss with enough olive oil to coat them lightly before roasting or sauté them in a few tablespoons of olive oil.

asparagus spears - trim tough ends, slice in half lengthwise, and cut into ½-inch pieces; blanch until crisp-tender, drain well, and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes

broccoli or cauliflower - cut into florets, blanch until crisp-tender, drain, chop into ¼-inch pieces and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes

eggplant - cut into ½-inch dice, roast until tender, about 35 minutes at 400 degrees

fennel - cut bulb into very thin strips; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes, or roast until tender, about 30 minutes at 400 degrees

mushrooms - trim and slice or dice; sauté until golden, about 5-7 minutes, or roast until tender, about 20 minutes at 400 degrees

onions - peel and cut into thin slices; sauté until soft and golden, 5-7 minutes, or roast until soft and golden, about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

spinach or Swiss chard - wash, stem, and chop; sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes

zucchini - cut into ½-inch dice; sauté until tender, about 7 minutes, or roast until tender, about 35 minutes at 400 degrees

Vegetable Seasonings

minced garlic (optional)

minced fresh herbs (optional)

red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Heat oil and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil or parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3 1/2 cups.
Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over bottom of greased 13-by-9-inch lasagne pan. Lay three noodles crosswise over sauce, making sure they do not touch each other or sides of pan. Spread 3/4 cup prepared vegetables evenly over noodles, 1/2 cup sauce evenly over vegetables, and 3/4 cup mozzarella and 2 generous tablespoons Parmesan evenly over sauce. Repeat layering of noodles, vegetables, sauce, and cheeses three more times. For fifth and final layer, lay final three noodles crosswise over previous layer and top with with remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. (Can be wrapped with plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator).
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover pan with large sheet foil greased with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes (30 minutes if chilled); remove foil and continue baking until top turns golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let lasagne rest 5 minutes. Cut and serve immediately.

Christmas Lights

2011-01-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

We spent Christmas Ryan's family (minus Scott. You were missed!) With fifteen of us - covering the age range of 3 to 68 - in one house. After the baking, cooking, wrapping, unwrapping, playing, and napping at Christmas we ventured out to the Baltimore Inner Harbor for two days. After this we went to Washington, D.C. and stayed for another two days. At this point we returned to the house for New Year's Eve and people began to leave the next day. It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to whatever get-together we have next.

One of the nights we were in D.C. we went to see the Christmas lights at the temple. It was beautiful, cold, and crowded. (Side note: for those of you who know her, I saw Sis. Hanny and said hello. :) We arrived just in time to find seats for a jazz concert which was nice. Ryan took some pictures of the lights camera-toss style without actually tossing the camera. I think some of them are pretty cool so I thought I'd share.

These last two are my favorite because you can see the spires of the temple at the top.

Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes

2011-01-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

I'm fairly certain that breakfast is my favorite meal. Sometimes I'm not too excited about what I'm eating for lunch or dinner, but I'm usually very excited about what I'm having for breakfast. Ryan made these oh-so-very-delicious buttermilk oatmeal pancakes that are seriously good. The recipe is from Eating Well magazine (see original recipe here) which we just gifted a subscription of to my brother-in-law.

(We gave quite a few magazine subscriptions this year, actually. Hope you all like them!)

These have a hearty flavor/texture without being heavy (yay!) and I don't know if it's just because we have nice cinnamon (Penzey's) or what, but you could really smell the cinnamon with the oats as they cooked and it was totally mouthwatering.

They require some extra ingredients that not every household will have (i.e. whole wheat flour, wheat germ), but I promise you that this recipe would make your purchase(s) worth it!
We use powdered buttermilk which is much more convenient to use than the liquified kind. You just measure the powder and add water.
This makes a lot of pancakes. We had pancakes in the fridge for days. :)
Best pancake re-heating method: in the toaster.

Buttermilk-Oatmeal Pancakes (EatingWell.com)
(printer friendly version)

Prep Time: 35 min
Inactive Prep Time:--
Cook Time:20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 6 servings, 2 pancakes each

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

Maple syrup (optional)

Directions
Combine buttermilk and rolled oats in a small bowl; let stand for 20 to 30 minutes to soften oats.

Stir together flours, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix together egg, egg whites and 1 teaspoon oil in another bowl with a whisk or fork. Add the oat mixture and the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Lightly brush a large nonstick skillet with a little of the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and place over medium heat. Using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake, pour batter onto the pan and cook until the underside is browned and the bubbles on top remain open, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook until the underside is browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in a 200°F oven. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the pan with a little of the remaining oil as needed. Serve hot, topping with maple syrup if desired.

Black Bean Stuffed Peppers in a Crock Pot/At least this was edible. Kind of.

2011-01-09T10:03:00.001-07:00

I really like stuffed peppers. At least, I think I do. Though they're normally a summer kind of meal, we tried out a new recipe just last week. In the Crock Pot. Funny thing, when you cook vegetables in the crock pot for a while, they get really mushy. Sadly our peppers fell apart and soggy-fied, making them only kind of enjoyable. However, the insides were good - which redeemed it just enough that I'll still give you the recipe. We ended up scooping out most of the black bean mixture and eating it with tortilla chips.

I suppose the reason I'm posting this is because though it isn't necessarily the best thing I've eaten, it still brought on a strong response in myself. We've all made things that have turned out badly, so why not add this story to prove I don't only use good recipes, though I do try. Let's not even get started on the wings disaster of 2010 or the atrocious meatballs I made Ryan when we were dating.

Here's the recipe:

Black Bean Stuffed Peppers (printer friendly version)
This recipe is for a slow cooker, which I wouldn’t recommend. I haven’t adapted it, but these ingredients would do pretty well baked in the traditional method of the oven.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

¼ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon chili powder

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

6 tall bell peppers, tops removed, seeded and cored

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup tomato salsa

½ cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

Cook the onion in a medium skillet with two tablespoons of oil until golden. Add the red pepper, oregano, cumin, and chili powder.
Mash half the black beans with the cooked onion in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining beans. Place the bell peppers into slow cooker or baking pan; spoon black bean mixture into the bell peppers.
Sprinkle half of cheese over the peppers. Pour salsa over the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese. (If using slow cooker [not recommended]: Cover; cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.) Serve each pepper with a dollop of sour cream.

You know what to do - Just keep on keepin' on

2011-01-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hi there. Just so you know, I have at least four posts (including recipes) in queue just waiting to be finished and published.

I've been asked to speak in church on Sunday and have had a terrible time focusing. Surprised? No, not really. However, in the middle of my distractions today, I came across this lovely version of one of my favorite songs from Clare and the Reasons. I love how musical they are. So many different kinds of lovely sounds, and an amusing song to boot.

Straight No Chaser

2010-12-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

If I were smart I'd be studying for my first final tomorrow.

Instead, I wanted to show you these in case you haven't heard them already.

Also, I really really like teaching.

If you're in the mood for more, listen to more songs on their website player.

I highly recommend the cover of 'Africa' by Toto. It's great.

Back to studying. :-\

2010-12-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Today is Ryan's birthday.

I just wanted to let you know.

Happy Birthday, Ryan!!

(p.s. This is the most recent picture that I like of him/the two of us.)

Even if It's Late, Dinner Fixes Most Things

2010-11-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today was a long day. Yesterday was a long day. Tuesday was a long day. In fact, I've had a series of long days for a while now.

However, after a quick stop at the grocery store on the way home, we made breakfast for dinner: Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes and Bacon.

These kind of meals just make my day.

Also, it is nice to miss someone all day and be able to see them when you come home.

Happy Halloween Weekend!

2010-10-29T10:53:00.001-06:00

This morning I went trick-or-treating with all of the preschoolers and their parents around some of the buildings on campus*. It was fun. And exhausting. They got so much candy! In fact, one father (A health teacher) stopped trick-or-treating with his son halfway through and said "That's enough for us." They went back to his office and played until the rest of the class was finished. I forgot my camera, so I can't prove to you that I was really there. I was. There were three Tinkerbell's. Then the rest of the class dressed up as a fairy, a butterfly, Snow White, Mulan, Boba Fett (Star Wars), Mario, Thomas the Train, Spiderman, a superhero, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, a cowboy, and Dracula. I may be forgetting someone, but that's all I can remember.

On a semi-related note, I took these pictures of my favorite tree on campus yesterday afternoon. With my phone. Forgive the quality and enjoy the colors.
Happy Halloween!

* I intern at a preschool on NRCC campus, called the Early Learning Center. I work with 3-5 year-olds.

Oh Dier!

2010-10-28T19:27:00.000-06:00

Aah!! I love this shop!

Oh Dier! from William Dohman

A robot.

There are a bunch of lovely prints...

And some wooden signs.

My personal favorite:

About a year ago (I think...) I officially added "bananas" to my vocabulary as an interjection. In place of "dang," "dang it," or "that's too bad."

Here's an example of how I use it. Work with me, here:

R: "Looks like we aren't making ____ tonight"(Because we are missing a key ingredient and it's way too late to run out to the store.)

Me: "Bananas! Well at least we've got ramen." (Side note: Ramen is the cheapest food ever. R wants to know how grocery stores make any money from selling ramen.)(I love oriental.)(R does not love ramen as much as I do.)

Absent Without Official Leave + Video

2010-10-11T19:37:00.000-06:00

A few things...

1. Sorry I've been AWOL lately (busy busy busy - stress stress - busy busy busy - stress - busy)

2. Fall Break is this week, so I'm looking forward to catching up on some things (i.e. blogging, homework, cleaning, visiting, tv shows, etc.)
3. My speech that was scheduled for tomorrow (that I've been stressing about) has been delayed until next week! WOOHOO!!

4. Ryan found this video earlier tonight and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Hope you do, too!

A Nightmare

2010-10-03T18:29:00.000-06:00

This morning I woke up crying from a nightmare I'd had. Does that ever happen to you?

I dreamed that Ryan & I were going on a trip with another couple (I don't know who they were), and our flight had been delayed to the next morning, so we all headed back to our hotel. Somehow in the transition to the hotel, I got a call from my Mom and suddenly I was there with her in some kitchen I didn't recognize. She was walking around straightening things up, my brother (20)(who is currently serving an LDS mission in Orlando, FL) was sitting on a barstool, and I stood beside him. My youngest sister (14) was sitting on the counter next to the stove.

As I looked at her, I was startled because she looked different - faded, maybe? Then, my mom explained that my youngest sister had died. I looked at my sister, who just smiled back at me somewhat blankly, then to my brother for some kind of explanation of what my mom had just said. Before I could say anything, my mom continued to explain that my sister had gone on a trip with her best friend and the friend's family to a cabin in northern Idaho. Something happened, and my sister was kidnapped, hurt, and died. Then, my sister started talking to me. I don't remember what she said - I just remember being surprised that she looked happy and peaceful. Suddenly I was back with Ryan and this other couple. Apparently the night had passed, and we were boarding our flight. I just kept thinking to myself, "My sister died last night. My sister died last night."

Then, I woke up with tears streaming down my cheeks into my ears. Desperate for something real/not related to my dream/a chance to not fall back asleep, I scrambled out of bed, grabbed my glasses and made my way to the bathroom. Once there, I looked at my reflection. My face was puffy and blotched, but I was surprised to see that my eyes were hard. It was then that I recognized a nasty feeling of hatred for the fictional person who had fictionally taken my sweet sister from me. This feeling is so out of character for me, that I started crying again, startled. I allowed a few minutes of recovery to pass. Then I wobbled down the hall, turned on my cell phone and sent a text message to my (still very much alive) sister. I said something to the effect of "Just wanted to say 'take care of yourself.' I love you."

Feeling a little better, I went back to bed. I was struck with a strong sense of calm as I turned to face the window.

I realized that I had cried for my sister's fictional pain. I had cried because I would miss her desperately.

I did not cry for her loss, because I knew I would see her again. I knew it the whole time. I know it now.

Whoosh! The tears! Again!

This time they were tears of gratitude for my knowledge, for the Plan of Happiness, for a family I love so much, and for such a tender and loving Heavenly Father.

It's been a weird few days, but I am determined to regain control of my life. It seems to have spun out of control these last couple of weeks! That dazed/lost feeling seems to be subsiding. Thank goodness. There is so much to do! I don't want to waste any of my opportunities.

If I haven't been a good friend lately, I apologize. Mini personal crisis. I think I'm getting over it.

Also, we made chocolate cupcakes tonight! Time to go frost them. How does butterscotch buttercream sound? (Mmm!)

Marcel the Shell

2010-09-10T18:42:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine, Brittany, put this on her blog because she'd seen it on her friend Hannah's blog.

I copy-catted because it is worth showing to more people. Besides, I'm 98% sure that my people (you. :) will like it a lot.
I'm going to watch it again, so here you go!

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

My Summer 2010 Playlist

2010-09-05T18:28:00.000-06:00

A haiku about my summer playlist:

Dry summer heat rays

Carry these sounds to my ears

My voice sings along

Thank you! Thank you! (Bowing to applause)

Let's to the list!

"The Cave" Mumford and Sons
"Feel Like Myself Again" Brendan Benson
"Giving Up the Gun" Vampire Weekend
"Colors" April Smith and the Great Picture Show
"What Part of Forever" Cee Lo Green
"Vinyl Memories" Shel
"Coast to Coast" Elliott Smith
"Atlas (The Time and Space Machine Remix)" Fanfarlo
"Chop and Change" The Black Keys
"Back it Up" Caro Emerald
"I Am Not A Robot" Marina & the Diamonds
"Let's Get Lost" Beck & Bat for Lashes
"Spit it Out" Brendan Benson
"So This Is Goodbye (Pink Ganter Remix)" William Fitzsimmons
"Wake Up (You Sleepyhead)" Clare and the Reasons
"Glitter in the Air" Pink
"Sweet Disposition" The Temper Trap
"Terrible Things" April and the Great Picture Show
"Soldier On" The Temper Trap
"Our Team Is Grand" Clare and the Reasons
"That Man" Caro Emerald
"My Love" Sia
"Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)" Florence + The Machine
"Pluto" Clare and the Reasons

Each of these songs have brought me joy this summer. If you haven't heard any of it - Look it up! You'll like it!

Back into the swing of things

2010-09-05T18:27:00.000-06:00

We're approaching the third week of school, after the Labor Day holiday, of course.

This week will be the first week that I will be experiencing my full schedule:

15 Credits of coursework and lecture*

15 hours internship at Early Learning Center

12 hours work-study for ECD Program Head

35-minute one-way commute to school, 4 days a week

Babysit every Wednesday morning

+ Cub Scouts every Wednesday evening

No biggie. Right?

*(Public Speaking, Single-Parent Families, CHD Internship, Math, and Infant and Toddler Programs)

(Also, did I mention that I have two night classes and a Saturday morning class?)

Stir-Fry with Asparagus, Crispy Tofu, and Maple Syrup

2010-09-05T17:20:00.000-06:00

I don't know that I've mentioned it before, but I have had a hard time with tofu. Eating it, I mean.

It's only really been something on my radar within the last 3... 4 years? Every time I've tried it, it's been meh, and bleck. Determined not to give up, we tried once more. Great news: I loved it in this recipe! I think the lesson that we learned is that I like it when it's crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside. So, we used soft tofu and a new technique and voila! Delicious! It helped that the stir-fry had asparagus and maple syrup, two of my favorite ingredients. :)

The recipe is a combination of a couple different recipes from (you guessed it) Cook's Illustrated. So helpful. Love them. Here's the modified recipe:

Stir-Fried Asparagus with Tofu, Soy Sauce, Maple Syrup, and Scallions

Serves 4-6.

Served over rice, if desired.

(Printer Friendly Version)

Ingredients
Stir-Fry
     1 1/2    tablespoons soy sauce
     1 1/2    tablespoons maple syrup
     1 tablespoon water
     2 1/2   tablespoons peanut oil
     1 1/2    pounds asparagus, tough ends snapped off and cut on the bias into 1 1/2-inch pieces
     3          medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
     2    medium scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin on the bias
Crispy Tofu
     2          (14 ounce) blocks medium-firm or soft tofu (We used soft!) diced into 1-inch pieces
     1          cup cornstarch
     1/2      cup cornmeal
     Salt and ground black pepper
     3/4      cup vegetable or peanut oil

Directions
For the tofu:

Spread the tofu out over several layers of paper towels and let sit to drain slightly, about 20 minutes. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a paper towl-lined platter on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside. Toss the cornstarch and cornmeal together in a shallow dish. Season the tofu with salt and pepper. Working with a few pieces of tofu at a time, coat them thoroughly with the cornstarch mixture, pressing on the coating to adhere, then transfer to the wire rack.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the tofu in the skillet and cook, turning with a spatula until crisp and golden on all sides, about 4 minutes. (This movement is similar to stirring/folding gently, not individually crisping each side by picking it up and turning it over.) Using a spatula, gently lift the tofu from the oil, letting any excess oil drip back into the skillet, and transfer to the prepared platter in the oven.
Repeat with the remaining tofu pieces and let them drain briefly on the prepared platter. Keep warm in the oven.

For the stir-fry:

Mix the soy sauce, maple syrup, and water together in a small bowl.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, nonstick heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, about 5 minutes.
Clear a space in the center of the pan , add the garlic, and drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then mix with the asparagus. Add the appropriate amount of warmed tofu from the oven into the skillet and mix.
Add the soy sauce mixture and toss to coat the asparagus and tofu. Cook until the sauce is syrupy, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve immediately, over rice, if desired.

Yum yum yum! I hope you make this! If you do, let me know how it goes!

IOU

2010-09-01T20:52:00.002-06:00

~~A post about a really yummy Maple+Tofu+Asparagus stir-fry. (Our tofu had the perfect texture!)~~
A post about a Vegetable Lasagne (Eggplant and Zucchini) that is SO GOOD!
A post about the wrap-up of my summer.
~~A post about my busy semester.~~
I think there are one or two other things I've thought of and just haven't gotten to, as well.

My cousin Kaleb is getting married in Raleigh, NC on Friday. I'm skipping my classes and going to join the party tomorrow. Some of this family I haven't seen in two years. Exciting!!

I Do Adore

2010-08-26T11:25:00.000-06:00

Mindy Gledhill 

I'm liking the sound of her new album, entitled "Anchor." It'll most likely be my next music purchase. Yay for happy music!

Mail

2010-08-25T12:27:00.000-06:00

I like this necklace from jackdawpilates on etsy.

Sometimes I think I like living far away from family and friends because I like mail. I like writing letters. I like writing e-mails. I like getting random phone calls and text messages from family and friends who haven't heard from me in a while. Yesterday I wrote a really good letter to my brother. I'm excited for him to get it.

New music from...

2010-08-13T08:42:00.000-06:00

So, I wish that I could make you listen to this new track with your eyes closed and have you guess at who it might be. This person's voice is quite recognizable, but with this new track from the upcoming Back to Scratch album - after a failed pop album from 2005 and two babies - has a different sound. I think I like it. I'm not quite sure though. It's just very different from what this person has been known for in the past. I suppose I respect the artistic need to explore different outlets and mediums.

There is another video about the upcoming album on their website.

(Now, scroll down slowly!)
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OK. You ready?

"Cold California" by Charlotte Church

Food in the Freezer

2010-08-12T10:44:00.000-06:00

The end of the summer is just around the corner. In fact, we move out of this place tomorrow.

We'll crash with the in-laws for the weekend and start driving toward Blacksburg on Tuesday.

I am excited to be back in Blacksburg. I'm excited to stock-up on food again. Today I read a post about Freezer Essentials on the Kitchn. There were so many inspiring ideas of what other people keep in their freezer at all times. For example, keeping one bag for leftover veggie and herb scraps for a stock. Another example I liked was using yogurt containers for leftover mashed potatoes. And I learned that fried foods do better when frozen first and are then re-heated in the oven. People also freeze chicken stock into ice cubes. I know that our freezer always has: nuts, whole-wheat flour, and ice-cream. We usually have jam, butter, leftovers, frozen pizza, frozen dough (pizza, breadsticks), bread, and cheese in there, too. Anyway, check out the comments on the post. I thought it was interesting. :)

Oh, and here is our freezer now, the day before we move:

(Ice packs/bags, lunch meat, Thin Mints, key lime pie, frozen blueberries, and maple syrup.

Thank goodness for coolers to transport this stuff to ABQ.)

A YouTube Choir and One Frame of Fame

2010-08-05T11:25:00.000-06:00

I think this is amazing.

Conductor and Composer Eric Whitacre directed a YouTube Virtual Choir in singing 'Lux Aurumque.'

(The Soprano looks and sounds like an angel. :)

I just thought this was fun, too. You can go to their One Frame of Fame website to submit your own photo to be a part of the music video.
Here is the music video thus far... Pretty cool.

C-Mon & Kypski - "More is Less"

William Fitzsimmons

2010-08-04T21:04:00.000-06:00

I'm really loving this song right now. Enjoy!

William Fitzsimmons - "So This is Goodbye" (Pink Ganter Remix)

basil cubes & a sunset

2010-08-03T09:26:00.000-06:00

Chop up the basil leaves. Fill ice cube tray. Top with water (or oil). Freeze.

Pop out basil cubes and freeze in ziplocs or leftover containers for the fresh Summer-basil flavor to add to Fall and Winter meals!

Read about this nifty idea this morning on The Green Phone Booth.

Here is the post.

On another note, today is my last day of summer classes! I'll take my test this afternoon then I'm done for 20 days! Then Fall semester starts. Time to start packing!

(pic taken July 2010 in Albuquerque with our camera)

space stuff

2010-08-01T22:14:00.000-06:00

1. Listened to this song while driving in the car up to Colorado and laughed.

(Favorite music this summer!)

2. Read this article about "The Planets in HD" movie/performance from Nat Geo.

3. Saw that it was performed in D.C. yesterday. It looks great. I'm curious where else it will be. I would love to go.

"Guess what? We're in New Mexico!"

2010-07-28T16:59:00.000-06:00

My sisters came to visit this last weekend.

I love having visitors.  ('Specially family.)

Here are some photos of our busy weekend.

Stopped by the Albuquerque Temple: 

Had a bake night:

Went hiking in Bandelier National Monument:

(ponderosa pines smell like vanilla)

Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe:

Went to Church:

Picnic at Las Conchas:

Harry Potter Exhibit at City Library:

El Santuario de Chimayo (after a delicious dinner here):

Then we finished with the White Rock Overlook (over the Rio Grande):

Bake Night With My Sisters

2010-07-28T15:57:00.000-06:00

When my sisters were in town last weekend we had a bake night.

We made:

Soft Pretzels - I've posted about this recipe before. Find it here. Also, I have pictures this time!
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies, courtesy of 101cookbooks.com. These were so yummy! We were surprised with how good they tasted with whole wheat flour instead of white flour.
We attempted to make chocolate ice cream and some frozen yogurt* - but our canister-things didn't freeze in time (even though they'd been in the freezer overnight) for us to make any. It was sad. Luckily, we had yummy pretzels and delicious cookies to help us cope.

*I'll post this recipe soon. SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!

Thai Mango and Coconut Sticky Rice

2010-07-23T10:14:00.000-06:00

I'm putting this in my file for something that I MUST make.

It looks amazing!!

I've only ever had this at a Thai restaurant that my sister used to work at called Simply Thai, and it was wonderful.

I can hardly wait.

Also, I'm looking for my next opportunity to make some lemonade.

(Licking my lips just thinking about it!)

Sia - "My Love"

2010-07-21T14:21:00.001-06:00

This is a new favorite song. I think it is beautiful and find myself singing along with it often.

Don't you love those kind of songs?

*update* This video has been removed from youtube. Here is another link to the song.

Zion 2010

2010-07-19T20:52:00.000-06:00

I got these shoes for my birthday.

I've hiked more this year than I have... ever. And I've loved it.

They (the shoes) were excellent for hiking in Zion National Park; also great for the river, because I had solid footing, and the color is so bright I could always see my feet in the water!

Though I could go on about my shoes, I really wanted to show you some photos!

photo 1: Wow! We had gorgeous views every day.

photo 2: Starting the trek up to Angel's Landing

photo 3: Angel's Landing (Can you see the tiny people on the bottom-right?)

photo 4: The group that hiked Angel's Landing - Ryan got cut out on the left. (Sorry!)

photo 5: We made it!!

photo 6: Have I mentioned that I have a slight (bigger than I realized) fear of heights? Eek!

photo 7: Looking up Virgin River toward the Narrows.

photo 8: Playing knee-deep in the river.

photo 9: Ryan says the water is fine.

photo 10: Another awesome view from the top.

Frontline: Sick Around the World

2010-07-16T08:12:00.007-06:00

In Sick Around the World, FRONTLINE teams up with veteran Washington Post foreign correspondent T.R. Reid to find out how five other capitalist democracies -- the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland -- deliver health care, and what the United States might learn from their successes and their failures.

Again, I saw this in my Social Problems class this last semester. I found this program so enlightening. I highly, highly recommend it.

Find the program here.

(Length: 56:19)

Babies

2010-07-15T17:59:00.002-06:00

I am not pregnant.

However, my friends Angela, ~~Cambria~~, ~~Chelsi~~, Christine, ~~Crystal~~, ~~Jackie~~, ~~Naomi~~, ~~Natalie~~, ~~Melanie~~, and my ~~Aunt Shandece~~ are pregnant.

(I can think of at least four more women that I know of that are expecting, too.)

So... It seems like these ladies have been expecting for a really really long time. I'm ready for these babies to be here! I'm not even the one with the bulging belly (he he) and I'm impatient for these little ones to be here already! I'm ready to babysit! I'm ready to give your arms a break, ladies.

If the little ones ever come, let me know.

I'll be ready when you are. :)

Good luck, Ladies!

And... Just for kicks... Baby Ethan

Cherries

2010-07-14T13:14:00.000-06:00

Aaahh...

Have I mentioned that I love cherries?

Oh yeah, I guess I have...

(picture from my phone)

Web-Finds of the Day

2010-07-14T08:55:00.003-06:00

Some articles and posts that have entertained, intrigued, and interested me over the last few days...

War-Torn and Overgrown, Ghost Town Was Soviet Paradise It was interesting and haunting to see photos of a classic location that was such a paradise for a such a strange place.

Dead for a Century, Twain Says What He Meant Mark Twain's autobiography (in three volumes) which was considered too bold in the past will be published beginning November of this year.

Facts Are Stubbornly Rejected Things "Our beliefs often dictate which facts we choose to accept."

Self-Service: The Delicate Dance of Online Bragging "When you celebrate yourself online, are you a willing participant in a brave new social future, or are you just being an ass? Don’t panic; it’s the former — as long as you strike a balance."

American Dream is Elusive for New Generation I'm feeling for those I know in this (or a similar) situation.

Rosetta's Closest Asteroid Flyby Photos I just liked the pictures. Space is cool.

Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise Your brain functions better when you exercise. It's official! (I'd never have guessed. JK.)

Becoming the Alpha Dog in Your Home People are taking parenting tips from Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer. Ryan often jokes (sometimes I'm not so sure it's a joke) that he will use Dog Whisperer techniques as a parent. Maybe it isn't such a bad idea... though strange.

OK Go

2010-07-13T15:04:00.000-06:00

They have the coolest music videos!

Have you seen their latest? It's called End Love.

And just for a quick reminder here are some classics:

Here It Goes Again (The Treadmill Video)

A Million Ways

You're So Damn Hot (a personal favorite of mine)

Frontline: Poisoned Waters

2010-07-13T10:11:00.000-06:00

Ch.1 Imperiled Chesapeake Bay

For 25 years, federal and state governments have failed to keep their promises to clean it up. The public has lost interest, too.

I watched this video in my Social Problems class this last semester and it has stuck with me.

Take a look, here.

(Read: You need to set aside time for this, as it is a full PBS Frontline program - length, 1:56:44)

Yesterday We...

2010-07-11T17:30:00.000-06:00

Went to the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe. See the website here.

I got a dark purple recycled-glass beaded necklace from Ghana.

And a tin 'heart for Haiti' (from Haiti).

Unfortunately we had the camera without a memory card, so we took this photo with a phone.

It was crowded and hot, but very cool. The artists were right there! There were over a hundred booths (?) from all over the place.

i heart buffalo exchange

2010-07-09T16:54:00.000-06:00

Today I went to Buffalo Exchange.

(website)

I found:

1 black&white print BCBG Max Azria shirt for $10.00

1 brown&white large chevron print LAUREN Ralph Lauren sweater for $18.50

1 canvas-style shirt with blue embroidered flowers for $13.00

1 long Asian (maybe kimono style) dress for ~~$17.50~~ (gift)

1 candy-striped dress for $21.00 (gift)

1 pair of brown faux-leather bronze-studded peep-toe heels for $9.25

That came to a total of around $54.00 w/ tax.

Woo hoo!!!

I love that place!

Just had to share. :)

(haven't been in the kitchen)

2010-07-09T16:33:00.000-06:00

I feel compelled to give some excuse for my lack of recipe-giving and kitchen-adventure-tellings this summer. Since the beginning of May, I've been all over the place. (Driving out from VA. Utah with my family, Los Alamos during the week, ABQ on weekends, Vacation to Zion & Cedar City, etc.) This has prevented me from doing any real cooking. Especially because our summer rental supplies us only with: a teeny tiny sink, toaster oven, electric skillet, microwave, toaster, and panini grill (ours from home), and (luckily) a full fridge. So... No stove top. No real oven. No real sink. We still have dishes.

I was creative one morning a couple weeks ago and made breakfast burritos with chicken sausage and scrambled eggs+salsa, and Golden Pride tortillas. That was fun. :)

Just wanted to let you know that I will be baking/cooking much more as soon as we're back in VA.

Hope you're having a great summer!

Caro Emerald

2010-07-08T09:29:00.000-06:00

Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw, better known by her stagename Caro Emerald was born 26 April 1981 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She studied as a jazz vocalist at the Amsterdam conservatory of music and earned her degree in 2005. She debuted on 6 July 2009 with her single "Back It Up". You can check out her website here.

(Thanks Wikipedia)

Here are a couple fun songs. I love that she has a full jazz band!

Enjoy!
. . . bum-Bum-BUM Buh-duh
bum-Bum-BUM Buh-duh . . .

Web-Finds of the Day

2010-07-07T19:45:00.000-06:00

We got back from our Southern Utah trip late last night.

Last week we were hiking in Zion National Park where we stayed at the Lodge. (Very cool to be in the park at night!)

After some fun hiking for a few days we drove to Cedar City to see some plays (Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing)(Wonderful!!!) at the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Oh, and my FIL had his 50th high school reunion on Monday.

*Fun fact: My FIL's father was crucial to getting the Utah Shakespeare Festival (which started in 1961) to ever even happen. He was the President of SUU from 1955-1978.

Also, there is a Fine Arts Gallery named after him. Pretty cool.

Anyway, on to my cool Web-Finds!

1. In a light-spirited jest, I present this: "5 Green Life Lessons We Can Learn from Twilight 'Eclipse'" from re-nest.com.

(Did you see it? I really liked it. Hopefully I'll see it again this weekend.)

Sustainability
Energy Efficiency
Save Water and Detergent
Get Moving, and Depend Less on Oil
Support Your Local Community

2. "14 Home Hacks for Your Dishwasher" from unplggd.com. Including such ideas as cleaning make-up brushes, rinsing potatoes, switch plate and vent cover cleaning, computer keyboard rinse, sterilizing kid (and pet) toys, and even making a Dishwasher Lasagna!

3. "5 Around-the-Campfire Desserts" from ohdeedoh.com with ideas like Orange-Chocolate Cake, Raspberry and Chocolate Burritos, and a Campfire Banana-Split. There are some other fun ideas in the comments!

4. Have I mentioned that Pistachio Ice Cream is one of my all-time favorite treats? There is a Häagen Dazs location right in the plaza in Santa Fe, and whenever I get a scoop I'm in heaven! It's divine!!! So, when I came across Pistachio Gelato from Annie's Eats (seriously, I love this woman and her amazing food!) I was elated. Can't wait to find a chance to make some!

Summer's Half Over Already!

2010-06-29T14:00:00.000-06:00

Remember this?

Here's an updated list of my progress! Can you believe how quickly the summer is passing?

This summer means to me:

Family

~~C's high school graduation~~
~~Cousin's wedding~~
~~2 nieces in Logan (Just graduated from USU!)~~

Mountains

~~Utah~~, Colorado, ~~New Mexico~~

~~Sunshine (and sunblock)~~
Friends

~~Old friends~~
~~High School friends (maybe...?)~~
~~College friends (E!)~~

Cooking on the Grill (Fail! I'm sad that we haven't done more.)

Pizza
Veggies
~~Pineapple~~
Chicken
Maybe I'll try fish this year...
Grilled guacamole!

Green Chile

~~On EVERYTHING~~
If you're ever in Santa Fe, Café Castro has wonderful red and green chile.

Distance Education (6 credits) (Closer!)

Health
Child Psychology

Road Trips

Longmont, CO
Zion's Nat'l Park (This week!)

Movies

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Go ahead - laugh) (This week!)
~~Toy Story 3~~
The Last Airbender
Eat, Pray, Love

Etc.

Farmer's Market

2010-06-28T21:55:00.000-06:00

1. Green Chili and Jalapeño Chévre

2. Corn and Green Chili Quiche

3. Some kind of cinnamon danish

4. Cinnamon Pear bread (that ended up having pine nuts* in it)

*Ryan is allergic to pine nuts. He had a minor reaction. Annoying.

Kind Over Matter - Etsy Finds

2010-06-25T11:48:00.000-06:00

Good Morning!

I just came across this blog called "kind over matter" where in their own words...

"Kindness is all that matters. Have you ever left something beautiful for a stranger to find, have you ever found something beautiful yourself? We want to see it. Focusing heavily on the handmade community, our blog is dedicated to Kind Acts, Inspirational Art & Kind Projects. Feel Good Nouns."

Basically, it's dedicated to positive, thoughtful, and beautiful things. My favorite part though, is their "Five Kind Etsy Finds" feature. They find five "kind" items based on a theme and present them. You can see all of those features here.

I found a bunch of fun/inspiring/happy things thanks to admire!

These items can be found here:

1. Success Watercolor by stephaniecorfee (sold)

2. Adventuring young lady greeting card by localwisdomcards (sold)

3. Paper Airplane pillow by diffractionfiber

4. You White - Graphic Design Printing by hueconcept (sold)

5. Mix Tape Cloth Baby Shoes by starlightsound (sold)

6. Lemon Wedge Necklace by lulubugjewelry

7. June Birthstone - Spread Ring, Crochet Sterling Silve Wire and Pearls by galit (sold)

8. Wild Air by The Wheatfield (sold)

Kind Over Matter has some other special things, too... some Feel Good Nouns and their own shop with mugs, shirts, cards, etc.

Have a good weekend!

The Revolutionary War According to Larry

2010-06-22T15:07:00.000-06:00

I LOVE this comic.

Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis - 22 June 2010

p.s. Stephan Pastis also has an entertaining blog found here.

Two Years!

2010-06-20T05:00:00.002-06:00

I often find myself in awe of how many blessings I have received. I feel so very, very blessed, lucky, favored, fortunate, etc. in oh so many ways. Two of the most meaningful blessings for me have been (1) my relationship with Ryan, and (2) that I get to be married to him.

It's been 2 years already!!!

My goodness, where did the time go? (However, at the same time, it seems like we've just always been together...)

I really love this man. I just really like him, too. :)

Happy Anniversary Ryan!

(I'll see you tomorrow! xo)

(Click here to see more of my wedding photos)

Ky in the Kitchen

Favorite Band

Things that are Awesome

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2011

Seattle in the Fall

A Little Snow

My Grandma Mary

Planned Thanksgiving Menu Contributions from Yours Truly and Husband

Window Shopping for Recipes: Things with Cheese

Chinese Chicken and Rice Soup

Chinese Chicken and Rice Soup from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

Directions

A Song for Saturday: "Different" by Ximena Sariñana

Ballet - Oop!

A Song for Saturday: "White Nights" by Oh Land

Fairy Tales and the Like

A Song For Saturday: "Battery Kinzie" by Fleet Foxes

A Song for Saturday: "Impossible" by Anberlin

Sunflowers in Colorado

Book Event for "Matched" by Ally Condie

Sunset in Washington

He's Home

It's going to be a great week!

A Song For Saturday: "Ready to Start" by Arcade Fire

A Song For Saturday: "Bright Lights Bigger City" by Cee Lo Green

14 Actors Acting

I've Been Married for Three Years

Guilt with a Side of Milo Greene

A Song For Saturday: "Something Good Can Work" by Two Door Cinema Club

I did it!

Follow Me Down

Countdown

Disney Geek

A real flying house!

A Song For Saturday: "Hello" by Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

Magic Bookshelf

A Song For Saturday: "Gold" by The Swell Season

Love Everyone

A Song For Saturday: "Walking The Dog" by Fun.

Happy Almost-Super-Bowl!

Sweet Chex Mix (adapted slightly from thisweekfordinner.com) (printer-friendly version)

A Song For Saturday: "Song Up In Her Head" by Sarah Jarosz

Suddenly I have plans to do something that I didn't think I'd be able to do for a while-

Jona Vark

School hasn't started and we now have access to some basic TV channels and I get to watch Ellen. Also: cheese.

Sometimes Being Rewarded is Nice

Vegetable Lasagne - starring Green Chard, Mushrooms, and Asparagus

Instructions

Christmas Lights

Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes

Buttermilk-Oatmeal Pancakes (EatingWell.com) (printer friendly version)

Black Bean Stuffed Peppers in a Crock Pot/At least this was edible. Kind of.

You know what to do - Just keep on keepin' on

Straight No Chaser

Even if It's Late, Dinner Fixes Most Things

Happy Halloween Weekend!

Oh Dier!

Absent Without Official Leave + Video

A Nightmare

Marcel the Shell

My Summer 2010 Playlist

Back into the swing of things

Stir-Fry with Asparagus, Crispy Tofu, and Maple Syrup

IOU

I Do Adore

Mail

New music from...

Food in the Freezer

A YouTube Choir and One Frame of Fame

William Fitzsimmons

basil cubes & a sunset

space stuff

"Guess what? We're in New Mexico!"

Bake Night With My Sisters

Thai Mango and Coconut Sticky Rice

Sia - "My Love"

Zion 2010

Frontline: Sick Around the World

Buttermilk-Oatmeal Pancakes (EatingWell.com)
(printer friendly version)