Friday Favorites

Not having a job has me singing the blues every now and again. Day to day activities can sometimes seem so monumentally dull and unfulfilling that I would prefer to lie in bed than attempt another mundane task. So rather than (continuing to) wallow in self pity, I decided to spend some time celebrating some of my favorite things. 

Thus, I present to you...

1) Our wedding photos. 

I still remember the smells, sounds, and feelings that accompanied every photo in the set. I love looking them over, my eyes eating up every detail.

My Mother and I

My beautiful bridesmaids (and best friends!)

Thanks to Karen Dicks for capturing our day in such vivid detail!

2) My birthday is coming up in a little over a month.

I'll be turning 25... again. And to celebrate my 4th year of completing a quarter century, I am hoping this little beauty will make an appearance

Michael Kors Selma Satchel

Since my b-day is so close to Thanksgiving, I am hoping to spend the long weekend out at Mt Hood, skiing and relaxing in a cabin similar to this:

3) Portland fashion. 

These 2 words seem incongruous, but let me assure you there is a distinct fashion in my new neck of the woods, and I love it. Half of the year is cold, wet, and wintery, so the population has adapted its style to fit the weather. High waters with ankle boots, short skirts and tights, a rain jacket and scarf with everything. You have seen those shabby-chic model living rooms that look lived in and miss matched, but are somehow still tied together perfectly? Yeah - it's like that.

Source: Urban Weeds

Source: Urban Weeds

4) This Little Guy

I can't tell you how much I love that stinky dog

I feel better all ready. Any favorite you have that you would like to share?

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Apples, Apples, and Pumpkins

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Before we begin, I would like to say a bit about my cooking style. 

When I bake, I am sure to follow the recipe to a T. A lot of baking is the chemical reaction between the flour, soda/powder, and whatever else is called for. I am not yet experienced enough to monkey with baked recipes.

Cooking, however, is a totally different story. I like to add my own flavor to anything I cook. I typically start from a recipe so I have a basic idea of what I am doing, but only use it as a jumping off point for what will ultimately be my own creation. I am trying to get in the habit of writing down the changes I make so I can replicate the dish, but this rarely happens. 

***

Oh my. After this weekend's exploits we are still swimming in apples. I attempted to use as many as I could, but it looks like we are going to be creating apple dishes for a while to come. Luckily, I was told by the owner of one of the orchards that fresh apples can keep in the fridge for several months!

I am a huge fan of apple pie, but I had my heart set on trying out a Pumpkin Shortbread Bar recipe that I had be given by a friend, and too many pastries in the house at one time is always bad news. So I had to get creative with my first round of apple cooking.

First up - Apple Sauce

This is seriously one of the easiest things I have ever made.

Peel, core, and slice as many apples as you want. I did 7 and this resulted in about a Mason jar and a half of sauce (you love these exact measurments). Throw those babies in a slow cooker, spinkle with ginger, cinnamon, lemon, and toss in a few cloves.

This is not an exact science - love you some ginger? Load it up! I elected not to add any sugar, as the apples we so divinely sweet to begin with, but if you have a mega sweet tooth (or are hell bent on developing diabetes) throw some sugar in, too.

We had picked some Pink Pearl apples. These little beauties have a greenish skin and pink flesh! It is pretty weird, but they are quite tasty. I added those to the mix, and the result was a delightfully rose colored sauce.

I left the slow cooker on high for about 2.5 hours. The apples had turned to mush and only needed a few stirs to achieve apple sauciness.  I had some boiled jars and lids waiting. After adding the sauce to the jars, I boiled them again for another 10 minutes and set them on the counter to cool.

*** Safety note: Whenever you are canning, be sure you are maintaining a sanitary environment. Boil your jars for at least 5 minutes prior to filling, and again for at least 10 minutes after they have been filled and sealed (most recipes will have a recommended boiling time after filling). Once the jars have cooled, the button on the top should be down, meaning you won't get that satisfying "pop-pop" if you push on it. If this has not happened, the jar has not sealed properly and the contents will spoil sooner than later. This is ok, just be sure to consume the contents within a week or so of canning.



Next up - Apple Chutney

Again, this one is pretty easy and does not involve exact measurements.

- Peel, core, and dice apples. I used 4 and got a full Mason jar.
- Mince 1/4 of an onion and stir into apples.
- Throw in some cranberries and some chopped walnuts - As many as make you happy.
- Add several shakes of fresh ground pepper.
- Stir in 1/3 cup apply cider vinegar - This is something you do want to measure. Too much vinegar will ruin most anything.

Put it in a pot and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. You want the apples to become softer, but not squishy. They should still hold their cubed shape.

After the mixture has simmered for a bit, sprinkly with 1/4 packet of gelatin. This will help it achieve a "sauce" consistancy, rather than a "brine."

Add the mix to a processed jar. Reboil the jar for another 10 minutes, then set it aside to cool.

I plan to use my apple chutney as a topping for pork chops and an addition to stuffing when Thanksgiving rolls around.



FINALLY - Pumpkin Shortbread Bars

When I picked the sugar pumpkin to make this recipe, I thought about getting 2 just in case. I am so glad I didn't.

That little punkin' gave me over 4 cups of processed pumpkin meat. I couldn't believe it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice your pumpkin into quarters and remove the seeds and pulp. Place it face down on a baking dish and add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for about an hour. The pumpkin should be easily pierced with a fork when done. 

Let the pumpkin cool for a bit while you make the base:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

      (I nuke mine for 35 seconds to achieve "room temp"... my impatience gets the better of me)
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbl. vanilla
3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Mix butter and brown sugar until creamy.  Whisk eggs and vanilla until combined and add them to the mix.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and introduce bit by bit to the mixture. Do not over beat. Pour this into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Lick bowl and whisk.   

Now that your pumpkin has cooled, gently peel off the ski and discard. Place the pumpkin pieces into a large bowl and mash until all lumps are gone.

Here is what ou need for the top:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperture
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 heaping tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I like to use Trader Joe's)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup fresh pumpkin mash

 

Mix sugar and butter until creamy. Mix eggs and vanilla until combined, add them to the mixture. mix the dry ingredients, then slowly add them to the wet mix. Beat until homogenized. Spread over shortbread layer. Lick bowl and whisk.

Throw that bad boy into an oven set for 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. This recipe makes A LOT of dessert, so be sure to have some people in mind that you would like to share with.

I packed up the left over pumpkin mash and stuck it in the freezer. It may make an appearance again round about Thanksgiving time.

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Whew!! That was a lot of info for one post! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.

Weekend Recap

This post is a day late, but I have a good excuse: my Momma was in town this weekend! She lives in Huntsville, Alabama so I am only able to see her a few times a year. This was the first time she has been to visit us in our new home, so we spent the weekend touring her around Portland and the surrounding area. The leaves are just turning, the air was crisp, and the sky was blue. It was the perfect weekend for her to visit!

When I picked her up from the airport we took a drive through the city and Washington Park. There were just a few small buds at the Rose Garden, but it was still nice to take a walk around the beautiful grounds. We then drove up to Pittock Mansion, not so much to look at the mansion, but more to get a great view of the city. The day was so clear we could see all the way to Mt Hood and Mt St Helens. I am so happy that she was able to catch the last few good days of the year. Brian returned from work and we took the MAX downtown and did some beer tasting at Deschutes. All of their beers are delish, so I am glad we too the MAX, ha!

My mother had a list of things she wanted to do and see while she was here, so we were up and out of the house Early on Saturday to head down to the Saturday Market. I told her we had to go to VooDoo Doughnuts to round out her Portland experience, but the line was too long for her liking and she would not be swayeed otherwise... Le sigh, no doughnuts for me. It was nice to walk around the market and catch up with my mom, inspite of my doughnut-less state. We oogles all the pretties the market had to offer, but didn't find anything that tickled our facies enough to walk away with. Saturday was fun, but Sunday really knocked it out of the park!!

A friend of mine had mentioned the "Fruit Loop" in the Hood River Valley, and I was curious to check it out. It is a long loop of road that is dotted with pick-your-own-farms, cider houses, pumpkin patches, orchards, and even an alpaca farm (swoon)!! Oh My Lawd, was it incredible! There are close to 30 establishments, so it is impossible to enjoy them all in one day. I think we made it to about 6, but I would have loved to do more. Every place we stopped had a section set up for tasting, whether it be house-made jams and jellies, fruit, or cider. Quite a few places had hard cider sampling, so Brian was in Heaven.

Fox Tail Cider Company. Everything from Peach, to Berry, to Pear, to Apple.

This little guy was one day old. If I could have taken him, I would have. So sweet and so soft.

Mt Adams (?) in the background, handsome man in the fore. 

We returned home exhausted, stuffed, and laden with fruit. I had no idea what to do with so much produce, so my mother and I spent the evening discussing recipes and making list. We decided the best use of our bounty would be:

- Apple Sauce

- Pumpkin Shortbread bars

- Apple Chutney

- Raspberry Jam

I love cooking with my Momma, so that is how we spent all day Monday before she had to fly away again. Tomorrow I am going to go over the above mentioned recipes. I have a feeling there are going to be several recipe posts in the future, as we did not use even half of the apples or pumpkin we came home with!!

Wedding Registries

Creating a wedding registry is so much fun. Nothing beats being let loose in a store to create a wishlist of all the items you will start your new life with. I remember dreaming about all the dinner parties I would host, knowing a juicer would revolutionize my life, and complimenting myself on how perfectly I had coordinated my sheet and duvet cover selections.

I was given all kinds of tips from various sources: register for at least three times the number of guests you have so they have a choice, don't be afraid to choose big ticket items, be sure to set up your registry early... I could go on for days.

Being the Type A girl I am, I followed the rules. I registered for a lot of things, I made sure I varied the price ranges, I began my registry over a year before my wedding. But even after following all the rules, we have some major holes in our house ware collection.

HOLD ON!! Before you start calling me a spoiled brat, I want to say that we were so grateful for everything we received. The outpouring of love and generosity that surrounded our wedding was immense. What I am saying is I wish I had strategized a little better when creating my wedding registry.

Here are some things I wish people had told me before placing a scan-gun in my oh-so-eager hands:

~ Complete your registry about 2 months before your first shower.
       
When people said "register early" I took them at their word. I had our registry wrapped up about 13 months before the actual wedding. The problem? Companies discontinue items. Over the coming months I found myself constantly updating the registry because many of the items became unavailable.


~ Don't register for things you would buy yourself.

I love my Britta Pitcher, but did I need to have someone else buy it for my? Not really. Paper towel holder? Should have purchased it myself.

Again, it's not that I am ungrateful, it's just I should not have included those items in the first place. 

~ Three times the number of guests is WAY too many.

I was very careful to make sure there was something for everyone's price range on the registry. However, quite a few people gave gift cards or cash instead. And something no one really mentions? Some people won't give you a gift. There is no reason to put that much stuff on your list.

~ Only register for things you REALLY want

If you find yourself thinking "I guess it would be nice to have..." then don't register for it. Chances are that you will end of with a lot of things that you "guessed would be nice" rather than the things you really want. Here is my list of "really want" items that still need some additions:

Royal Doulton is a timeless china brand.
Their pieces are so delicate, but have enough weight to make the easy to handle. 

I drooled over this Calphalon set for months.

Hotel Collection 600 thread count sheets. Love.

~ People will buy things that are not on your registry.

I have no idea why. But they do. The hours you spent designing the perfect list are lost on some people. 

I am so grateful to everyone who attended our wedding. It was such an amazing celebration. The gifts we received we just icing on an already perfect event. This post is not meant to offend in any way... I just thought it would be helpful to pass along my personal experience to the nearly-weds out there.

Surviving House Wifery

When we decided to move to Portland it was understood that Brian would work while I job hunted. I thought I would easily find a job within a month (Portland is a Mecca for nonprofits, right?). In the mean time I would unpack, write thank you notes, catch up on recipes I had been wanting to try, and generally do what I want. I committed myself to keeping a clean house and having dinner on the table when Brian arrived home from a long day of work. It all sounded very romantic, in a Leave it to Beaver kind of way.

And it was nice... for a while. You see, the problem was we had moved to a place where I knew no one. Had this arrangement taken effect in Santa Barbara, my days would be full of mimosas, adventures, and crafty time with the girls I love. Instead, I soon found myself out of boxes to unpack and thank you note to write. With no one to share them with, baked goods became my waistline's worst enemy. Our little, temporary condo provided no room for gardening. I was spending a lot of time with the dog. He is great and all, but not one for conversation. I wanted so badly to remain upbeat during this transition, not just for me, but for my husband. But I felt myself slowly taking steps down a dark path.

Malaise. Ennui. All of those deliciously French, extential words. I had 'em, and I needed to shake 'em. Here are the steps I took to help keep me sane while I looked for employment.

Step 1 - Make a schedule.
I reserve one day a week for homework; paying bills, making appointments, general home office tasks. Another day to deep clean the house. Another couple for job hunting and follow ups. I take the dog to the park at least 4 times a week. Laundry day. Now when I go to sleep at night I am able to think about what needs to be accomplished to following day. It is comforting and empowering to know what I am looking forward to.


Step 2 - Lay some ground rules.
Personally, I do not allow myself to watch TV during the day. It is easy to get sucked in to a show when there are no other "real" obligations needing my attention. Set your priorities and stick with them.
Step 3 - Contribute.
Have an impact on a person, an organization, an animal, something. Volunteer. it is surprisingly difficult to find an organization that will readily take on new volunteers. Even though many oreganizatons consistantly advertise for volunteers, they often don't need them. Be prepared for rejection when looking for volunteer work, but stick with it. Somewhere will be looking for your skills and help.

Step 4 - Find women in similar situations.
Luckily the company Brian works for hires people from all around the worlds. It was actually quite easy to find other women who had moved her for their husband's jobs, once I started looking. It was  difficult to get over my fear of putting myself out there socially, but once I did I was able to start connecting with some really neat ladies.  Try this website. It has been so helpful.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? I'd love to hear how you have beat the "stay at home blues."

Weekend Recap

Welp, it is once again Monday. Not that it matters too much to me, as I am not working at the moment, but there is always something tense and grumpy about the first day of the week, whether or not officious obligations await.

This weekend was a particularly exciting one. I have ridden on the back of Brian's motorcycle several times and really enjoy it (once I get past being initially terrified). It is so exhilarating to be out in the open, with the wind and cars whipping by, matching the the sway of my body to the sway of his. I love it. However, constantly clanking helmets, sliding forward, and the inability to squirm for fear of shifting to much weight are far from enjoyable element of the ride. So I decided that I wanted to learn to ride by myself! I enrolled in a training program that had a classroom session on Friday, then range and classroom sessions on Saturday and Sunday. The classroom sessions were not what one might call engaging. I think the instructor may have been allowed to eat paint chips as a child. But the range sessions were great, in spite of the fact that it rained THE ENTIRE TIME, turning something that was already difficult into a really challenging task! I know how to drive a stick shift, so the principle was easy to learn, but retraining my muscles was quite difficult. I passed the written test with flying colors, but missed the practical test by a mere 3 points - very disappointing. I am going to practice on Brian's bike and retake the exam in a few weeks, hopefully on a day that it is not raining.

Saturday night we went downtown to celebrate a friend's birthday. We were supposed to go to Branch Whiskey Bar. Their menu look phenomenal, so I was really excited to try it out. Unfortunately, the birthday boy's fiance is picky. Like, Wonder Bread and ketchup are dietary staples kind of picky, and she thought duck fat fries sounded gross. I died a little inside. So we ended up down the street at a restaurant the specialized in Southern Food. I'm typically open to try anything, but I do have some hard rules I refuse to break. Having lived in Atlanta for the better part of a decade, I will not each Southern food unless I am in the South. It is never done right and there are always variations that take it from classic and delicious to gastronomic abomination. A Po'Boy on sweet potato bread? Excuse me, but that is not a Po'Boy... it's a sandwich. Call me a purist, but I would rather not waste the calories on vague impressions of something that, in its true form, is perfect.

We ended the night at Salt and Straw, a Portland staple. They specialize in ice cream with odd flavor combination. I had the mint and sea urchin meringue. I know, it sounds gross, but it was actually one of the most incredible things I have put in my mouth. Their other flavors include lavender and honey, loaded baked potato, and olive oil. So weird, but so tastey.

We wrapped up this stormy weekend with some homemade chicken wings (Which were quite impressive, if I do say so myself), roasted brussel sprouts, and watching several episodes of The Long Way Round. It documents Ewan McGregor's trip from London to New York via Europe and Asia on a motorcycle. It came out in 2004, so you can find it on Netflix, which I recommend you do. Now. You'll love it.

Have a beautiful day!

Sick Day

When I was working I used to sometimes wish for sick days. Not to be terribly ill, but just sick enough to warrent staying home and bundled up on the couch. There is nothing better than a hall pass form the days needs.

Now it's a different story. Not that beeing temporarily unemployed means I spend each day lazing on the couch, but the house definitely gets more "Jett time" then it used to. Each day I invent my own schedule and, when it comes down to it, I am the only one who cares if my list is not completed. I end up being quite disappointed in myself if not all the boxes are checked. As a result, being sick feels more like being grounded instead of a free day.

But I'm not going to to allow my couch bound state to get me down! I have armed my self with my laptop, crochet hook, box of tissues, and a desperate desire to feel productive.

I once began to knit a quilt. 2 years later, Brian and I are not enjoying a lopsided afghan that can almost (alllmooost) cover both our arms and feet at the same time. It was a learning expeience. Mostly I learned how much I did not like knitting. So I have decided to try my hand a crochetting.

My mother was really into crochet. She made my baby blanket, various articles of clothing, even a couple of stuffed animals. I have decided my first project will be this scarf.

It is not a traditional crochet, but a style called Tunisian crochet. The result is a thicker product, opposed to the lacy style of normal crochet. I have found that fixing mistake sin crochet is much easier than in knitting, and the stiches are easier to read. I am only six inches into what is to be a sixty inch scarf, but so far so good!

The issue with crochet (or knitting, for that matter) is it is a short term activity. Repetitive hand motion can only be sustained for so long until said hand begins to cramp. But don't worry (because I know you were) I have several other fall crafts on the to do list! I should be able to share some of those with you in upcoming posts.