Friday, September 08, 2006
This is our master bedroom. Pretty girly huh? Steven deals with it. I love the purple flowers above the bed. They were part of the trellis decoration at our wedding reception. The paint color on the wall looks more orange-y in the pictures but it matches the pink/salmon color in the bedspread exactly!
Roasted Pork Loin
I got a really great deal on some really fresh pork loin and some muchrooms yesterday and this is what I did with it... I entered this particular recipe in a "Make it with Mushrooms" contest for the mushroom council of America (I didnt actually know there was a MCA before yesterday)when I was looking up the name of the mushrooms I had bought... They were BUTTON mushrooms... tasty.
Funny story about this recipe.. it has white wine in it. Every few months I have to buy a bottle of red and a bottle of white wine.I freeze it in ice cube trays and store it for cooking in the freezer.As I dont drink generally, and as I live in a really small town where everybody knows everybody else, its interesting to actually BUY the wine. I go to a conservative church and since I am involved in ministry it is especially sticky... so anyway yesterday I was in the wine aisle at our grocery store (Id really LIKE to get my wine from a real wine shop.. but GAH! Try explaining THAT to sister Bertha better-than-you!)I was deciding between an Australian white and something random from California (never cook with wine that wouldnt taste good to drink, luckily our local Bi-lo has a pretty good selection as far as my budget goes) and round the corner? You guessed it. I looked like a guilty little kid... I stammered something like.. "hellosisterberthahowareyou?I ambuyingthiswinetogoinarecipeIamtryingtonightallthealcoholcooksoutIpromise" She just kinda stood there looking at me.... and I noticed her hand slowly moving into her cart..to sneakily cover something up. And then I saw it. A six pack of winecoolers. I had to giggle to myself.
Here is my recipe entry.
2 lb pork loin trimmed of excess fat
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
3 or 4 garlic cloves minced
salt and pepper
1 lb mushrooms cleaned and cut in half
1 large onion sliced thinly
In a bowl combine wine,olive oil,rosemary and garlic. Salt and pepper the pork and place inside a roasting bag. Place onion and mushrooms over and around the pork and let rest in refrigerator at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake pork loin for 35-45 minutes.
remove pork and vegtables. Strain drippings and thicken with flour and water until gravy consistency. Serve over potatoes.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
rapidfire
I havent really felt much like blogging lately. Just a lot of BLARGH! going on. Here is a rapidfure update of junk and whatever.
1. Things One and Two were sick over the weekend. Some mystery wierdness. Fever,sore throat and tummy ache. It went as mysteriously as it came. Both are right as rain today. hmmmm
2. Our waterheater finally gave up the ghost last week. Saturday we purchased another one. Monday my Dad, my cousin, and my husband went to war with it, won, and it was installed. After some fine tuning and reversing all of the connections.. we turned it on? The heating element is bad in our BRAND SPANKING NEW GE WATERHEATER. GAH! *&%&^$*^(*^$%%#$%@$&^(!!!!!!!!! Of course I didnt use the actual bad language.. but it came close. Its been a week since I have had reliable running water.. and even longer since my house was normal.
3. I am SO sad over the loss of Croc Hunter Steve Irwin. We all realize that in the back of our minds we are all thinking. "Umm yeah.. Im not surprised that a wild animal killed him" But still. He has little kids, and he was an amazing advocate for the animal kingdom. We lost a good guy Sunday.
4. Recently our Sr Pastor resigned when he was promoted to be the overseer of the Northwest Region in the Church of God. This Sunday a vote was made and Bishop Joe Grice from Columbia was elected as our new shepheard. I am pretty happy with the selection. Since Things One and Two were ill, I was not there to make the vote, but Id have agreed had I been there. Pastor Joe had formerly been a member of the staff at Dillon Church of God, so he is not a stranger, and will make a good leader.
5.I am making Tortilla soup this week. I saw several chefs make it this week on FN and Im going to try it on my family. Kinda a dumbed down version, since no one here eats many onions or ANY peppers. I might make my very own little pot of it with all the yummy veggies in it. Other menu items this week include meatloaf and augrautin potatoes, with sauteed cabbage and beet salad, breakfast casserole and homemade sourdough toast, baked pesto pene with grilled chicken, and dressed out hot dogs with curly fries.Want some?
Did I miss anything?
1. Things One and Two were sick over the weekend. Some mystery wierdness. Fever,sore throat and tummy ache. It went as mysteriously as it came. Both are right as rain today. hmmmm
2. Our waterheater finally gave up the ghost last week. Saturday we purchased another one. Monday my Dad, my cousin, and my husband went to war with it, won, and it was installed. After some fine tuning and reversing all of the connections.. we turned it on? The heating element is bad in our BRAND SPANKING NEW GE WATERHEATER. GAH! *&%&^$*^(*^$%%#$%@$&^(!!!!!!!!! Of course I didnt use the actual bad language.. but it came close. Its been a week since I have had reliable running water.. and even longer since my house was normal.
3. I am SO sad over the loss of Croc Hunter Steve Irwin. We all realize that in the back of our minds we are all thinking. "Umm yeah.. Im not surprised that a wild animal killed him" But still. He has little kids, and he was an amazing advocate for the animal kingdom. We lost a good guy Sunday.
4. Recently our Sr Pastor resigned when he was promoted to be the overseer of the Northwest Region in the Church of God. This Sunday a vote was made and Bishop Joe Grice from Columbia was elected as our new shepheard. I am pretty happy with the selection. Since Things One and Two were ill, I was not there to make the vote, but Id have agreed had I been there. Pastor Joe had formerly been a member of the staff at Dillon Church of God, so he is not a stranger, and will make a good leader.
5.I am making Tortilla soup this week. I saw several chefs make it this week on FN and Im going to try it on my family. Kinda a dumbed down version, since no one here eats many onions or ANY peppers. I might make my very own little pot of it with all the yummy veggies in it. Other menu items this week include meatloaf and augrautin potatoes, with sauteed cabbage and beet salad, breakfast casserole and homemade sourdough toast, baked pesto pene with grilled chicken, and dressed out hot dogs with curly fries.Want some?
Did I miss anything?
Friday, September 01, 2006
Bloggy Parade of homes bathrooms!
In this weeks parade of homes we are showcasing our bathrooms.This is our master bath and I didnt realize it, but photographing a bathroom that size (teensie tinesie) is quite difficult. The angles dont allow for any sort of continuity. You cant tell that my theme really flows and it isnt so odd. I like our bathroom. The theme is dragonflies and I have had fun collecting them. I love the mosiac picture frames on the back of the toilet.. although I have yet to find an appropriate picture to go in them.. whos face do you put on the back of the pooper?
The other mosiac things I have in there are the garden stepping stones. I know they belong in the garden, but they were so cute I threw them up on the wall.
Cant wait to see how everyone else managed to photograph thier bathroom!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
fun meme
In order to keep my blogg from sucking your will to live :) I am going to perk up some.
I saw this meme on www.kaylynskitchen.blogspot.com and thought it was pretty neat. Id love to hear about your favorite MUST have foods. SO.. respond suckers!
give me a list of five of your most favorite food memories.. or your favorite foods in the world, I mean special foods that you go back to again and again.The eye rolling tummy rubbers..
Here are mine
1.King Crab... no, not just any king Crab. One summer I dated a proffesional fisherman on and off (in those days I dated a LOT of guys on and off)... in Alaska thats not a hard thing to come by.He often went to sea for days and days at a time and one day he called me out of the blue and said for me to drop whatever I was doing,grab some girlfriends and buy a case of Alaskan Pale Ale (a really yummy and VERY popular micro brew)some butter and a few pounds of lemons and get my butt to Homer. Homer is a fishing town on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska about 3-4 hours away from where I grew up. So being me ;> I was game. When I arrived on the beach there was a crowd of fishermen, and a huge bonfire.. on the bonfire were these giant pots of boiling water.. beside the pots were these orange garbage bags.. full of live Alaskan King Crabs. I swear I have never tasted better crab.. really better than anything I have ever tasted. It is litterally not possible to have fresher seafood. mmm mmm
2. Red Robin Buzzard wings.
Red Robin is a gourmet burger chain. I worked there when I was in college. They have this wing sauce that is SO good. I mean it is absolute perfection. There are things in there that I still cant figure out. Even better than on wings? They have chicken strips called "clucks" and you can have em tossed in the sauce. Then you dip them in the amazing cucumber ranch dressing they have? YUM
3. Phad Thai, Yellow curry over Jasmine rice,spring rolls and Thai iced tea from a genuine thai resturant
I know to those of you from more metropolitan areas this might seem less desireable. BUT we dont have a thai resturant. Not one.. not for 75 miles.. or even anywhere close.. Ive been craving it for 5 years. The person that takes me to a REAL thai resturant and not just a chinese place that has a few thai items on the menu would be my friend for life. Pad Thai is a rice noodle dish with chicken and shrimp, spring rolls are like super crispy egg rolls made on really thin wrappers. and yellow curry is curry made with coconut milk and chicken and potatos. Thai iced tea is a spicy creamy tea made with sweetened condensed milk.
4. Guidos Super Sub
In anchorage there is a pizza place that makes a calzone/sandwich that is sooo yummy. It has ham,turkey,pastrami, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and all kinds of good stuff... I havent had one in 5 years. We used to order them for delivery on friday nights when I was a kid and all sit around and watch tv together.
5 Basically anything I ate in Italy wood oven Roman pizza, tuna in olive oil on italian bread.. fresh olives, cheese, gelato,tirimisu, I honestly cant remember eating anything I didnt love,
But most memorably Fish Florentine...
I have had in several resturants including in Florence Italy. It was so perfect and fresh and makes me shiver when I eat itIf its on the menu? I want it. It is a simple sole or cod filet stuffed with spinach, bread crumbs, shrimp..usually parmessno depending on the place and then cooked in some kind of lemon garlic white wine sauce. Usually served with some kind of pasta here in America.. I think it came with potatoes of some sort in Italy. I love basically anything cooked in lemon white wine garlic sauce.
sooo what are your faves?
I saw this meme on www.kaylynskitchen.blogspot.com and thought it was pretty neat. Id love to hear about your favorite MUST have foods. SO.. respond suckers!
give me a list of five of your most favorite food memories.. or your favorite foods in the world, I mean special foods that you go back to again and again.The eye rolling tummy rubbers..
Here are mine
1.King Crab... no, not just any king Crab. One summer I dated a proffesional fisherman on and off (in those days I dated a LOT of guys on and off)... in Alaska thats not a hard thing to come by.He often went to sea for days and days at a time and one day he called me out of the blue and said for me to drop whatever I was doing,grab some girlfriends and buy a case of Alaskan Pale Ale (a really yummy and VERY popular micro brew)some butter and a few pounds of lemons and get my butt to Homer. Homer is a fishing town on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska about 3-4 hours away from where I grew up. So being me ;> I was game. When I arrived on the beach there was a crowd of fishermen, and a huge bonfire.. on the bonfire were these giant pots of boiling water.. beside the pots were these orange garbage bags.. full of live Alaskan King Crabs. I swear I have never tasted better crab.. really better than anything I have ever tasted. It is litterally not possible to have fresher seafood. mmm mmm
2. Red Robin Buzzard wings.
Red Robin is a gourmet burger chain. I worked there when I was in college. They have this wing sauce that is SO good. I mean it is absolute perfection. There are things in there that I still cant figure out. Even better than on wings? They have chicken strips called "clucks" and you can have em tossed in the sauce. Then you dip them in the amazing cucumber ranch dressing they have? YUM
3. Phad Thai, Yellow curry over Jasmine rice,spring rolls and Thai iced tea from a genuine thai resturant
I know to those of you from more metropolitan areas this might seem less desireable. BUT we dont have a thai resturant. Not one.. not for 75 miles.. or even anywhere close.. Ive been craving it for 5 years. The person that takes me to a REAL thai resturant and not just a chinese place that has a few thai items on the menu would be my friend for life. Pad Thai is a rice noodle dish with chicken and shrimp, spring rolls are like super crispy egg rolls made on really thin wrappers. and yellow curry is curry made with coconut milk and chicken and potatos. Thai iced tea is a spicy creamy tea made with sweetened condensed milk.
4. Guidos Super Sub
In anchorage there is a pizza place that makes a calzone/sandwich that is sooo yummy. It has ham,turkey,pastrami, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo and all kinds of good stuff... I havent had one in 5 years. We used to order them for delivery on friday nights when I was a kid and all sit around and watch tv together.
5 Basically anything I ate in Italy wood oven Roman pizza, tuna in olive oil on italian bread.. fresh olives, cheese, gelato,tirimisu, I honestly cant remember eating anything I didnt love,
But most memorably Fish Florentine...
I have had in several resturants including in Florence Italy. It was so perfect and fresh and makes me shiver when I eat itIf its on the menu? I want it. It is a simple sole or cod filet stuffed with spinach, bread crumbs, shrimp..usually parmessno depending on the place and then cooked in some kind of lemon garlic white wine sauce. Usually served with some kind of pasta here in America.. I think it came with potatoes of some sort in Italy. I love basically anything cooked in lemon white wine garlic sauce.
sooo what are your faves?
Oh no Earnesto!
Here he comes! It has been raining cats and dogs here all day long. The wind is picking up and we are snuggling down here at Casa De Lane to weather the storm. We likely wont see much more action than what we are seeing now, but it sure is making for a messy day.
I am still having a hard time over the loss of our dog. I am not usually an overly emotional person, so this is new for me. I cant identify if I am mourning the loss of Jakey or the trauma of seeing what happened.. the pain of it for my Dad or what. Every time I close my eyes I see his happy little face..and then the scene of his death, and I cry.I keep telling myself to suck it up.. its just a dog.. puppies die.. things happen, its the way of nature. But it isnt helping. Im still so incredibly sad over it.
Things One and Two dealt SO well with it. Only a few tears from Thing Two..and that
surprisingly was over the loss of BOTH the dogs.. she felt compassion for Taynus.. the one who commited the crime. I was shocked, when my 6 yr old could feel such compassion, And I? punched him in the skull and ordered his execution.She is an incredible little kid. Thing One is stoic about such things. I remember when she was about 6 and her great grandad died. She tilted her head to one side and said "ohh thats too bad" or something equally as unemotional. A year later when Steven's Grandmother,someone Thing One had been very close to,died very suddenly she barely shed a tear. She is just more internal than most.
In other news about Thing Two, I am a little worried about her. She has something called "selective mutism" wich is basically a fancy term for "really really shy in certain situations" And it is getting worse.
It is debilatating for her in some situations. She clams up when men speak to her (and I know the first inclination would be to ask Who messed with her? She has rarely been out of my sight.. as a victim of abuse in my childhood (a teacher) It doesnt play out like that) and she REALLY freaks out over situations where she will be in a crowd or loud noise. Im trying to think of a way to deal with it, and to help her be more approachable by loved ones. Any advice?
I am still having a hard time over the loss of our dog. I am not usually an overly emotional person, so this is new for me. I cant identify if I am mourning the loss of Jakey or the trauma of seeing what happened.. the pain of it for my Dad or what. Every time I close my eyes I see his happy little face..and then the scene of his death, and I cry.I keep telling myself to suck it up.. its just a dog.. puppies die.. things happen, its the way of nature. But it isnt helping. Im still so incredibly sad over it.
Things One and Two dealt SO well with it. Only a few tears from Thing Two..and that
surprisingly was over the loss of BOTH the dogs.. she felt compassion for Taynus.. the one who commited the crime. I was shocked, when my 6 yr old could feel such compassion, And I? punched him in the skull and ordered his execution.She is an incredible little kid. Thing One is stoic about such things. I remember when she was about 6 and her great grandad died. She tilted her head to one side and said "ohh thats too bad" or something equally as unemotional. A year later when Steven's Grandmother,someone Thing One had been very close to,died very suddenly she barely shed a tear. She is just more internal than most.
In other news about Thing Two, I am a little worried about her. She has something called "selective mutism" wich is basically a fancy term for "really really shy in certain situations" And it is getting worse.
It is debilatating for her in some situations. She clams up when men speak to her (and I know the first inclination would be to ask Who messed with her? She has rarely been out of my sight.. as a victim of abuse in my childhood (a teacher) It doesnt play out like that) and she REALLY freaks out over situations where she will be in a crowd or loud noise. Im trying to think of a way to deal with it, and to help her be more approachable by loved ones. Any advice?
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
RIP little buddy
I barely have words. My heart is breaking...
We lost our little Jake puppy today.I find it very ironic that I just posted his little pug face here a few days ago. He escaped his fenced yard and our guard dog killed him. We had been calling and calling him all morning,looking and looking and somehow he snuck by me,behind the house and tangled with the german shephard.I screamed and punched him so hard I sprained my wrist.I pulled him out of his doghouse and just blindly beat at him ... in horror at what he had done and in grief of losing our friend.I didnt do much damage to the great brute, but I wanted to kill him.... I still do...and he wont survive the day. When Steven comes home he will go wherever bad mean dogs go.
I'll have to tell the babies this afternoon... worse, my Dad who is at work, will have to be told. Jake was his good best friend. They walked and talked and played together every single day. Daddy had taught him some little tricks and Jake pined for him whenever he was gone from the house.Just last night we shared ice cream with him and he played with the kids..."speaking" for his share of the goodies. Going through his repetoire without being told in hopes of a scoop. I am having a hard time imagining our evenings without him.
I called my uncle to come take care of him.. so Daddy wouldnt have to... He burried him in our pet cemetary near the garden where he can hear the kids playing...and he can be close to my Dad.
We lost our little Jake puppy today.I find it very ironic that I just posted his little pug face here a few days ago. He escaped his fenced yard and our guard dog killed him. We had been calling and calling him all morning,looking and looking and somehow he snuck by me,behind the house and tangled with the german shephard.I screamed and punched him so hard I sprained my wrist.I pulled him out of his doghouse and just blindly beat at him ... in horror at what he had done and in grief of losing our friend.I didnt do much damage to the great brute, but I wanted to kill him.... I still do...and he wont survive the day. When Steven comes home he will go wherever bad mean dogs go.
I'll have to tell the babies this afternoon... worse, my Dad who is at work, will have to be told. Jake was his good best friend. They walked and talked and played together every single day. Daddy had taught him some little tricks and Jake pined for him whenever he was gone from the house.Just last night we shared ice cream with him and he played with the kids..."speaking" for his share of the goodies. Going through his repetoire without being told in hopes of a scoop. I am having a hard time imagining our evenings without him.
I called my uncle to come take care of him.. so Daddy wouldnt have to... He burried him in our pet cemetary near the garden where he can hear the kids playing...and he can be close to my Dad.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
recipe repeats and general news
hello kids. Things are pretty quiet here at Casa De Lane. Steven is working all weekend and Things One and Two after doing chores went off to play.
Our car is on the fritz.. really sick. Hopefully not TOO sick though. But for now Steven is driving the Mamamobile (My mom's van) to work. BLAH!
I am a chronic recipe repeater, so tonight I revisited the zuppa Tuscana that I made last weekend. It was a winner then and with less spicy sausage it was an even bigger hit. I didnt however get around to making any rolls. Store bought had to suffice.
This weeks menu is kinda boring. I found that it was exhausting to go all Food Network Foodie wannabe on the food last week. So I went a little simpler this week.
Chicken breast sandwiches
fries
Zupa Tuscana
Rolls
Shrimp and Grits (Im pretty excited about this one.. I got some shrimp on special and plan to toss them with some fried chicken tenders,mushrooms,smoked sausage and pour it all over some really creamy cheese grits. YUMM-O!)
Salmon Patties
Homemade mac and cheese
speckled butterbeans
Hamburger Helper ( ew. but the kids like it)
Corn
Baked Potatoes with a choice of chili and/or
broccoli and cheese
I am planning on working on another cookie recipe this week.Its never to early to get ready for Christmas! I lost my favorite Lemon White Chocolate Cashew cookie recipe so I gotta find one online. Im thinking it shouldnt be tooo hard. I just wish I could remember where I got that recipe from. They are AWESOME. I am also going to try and replicate the sweet spicy sauce from Zaxby's. That stuff is like ummm liquid joy. mmmm MMMM mmmm
Our car is on the fritz.. really sick. Hopefully not TOO sick though. But for now Steven is driving the Mamamobile (My mom's van) to work. BLAH!
I am a chronic recipe repeater, so tonight I revisited the zuppa Tuscana that I made last weekend. It was a winner then and with less spicy sausage it was an even bigger hit. I didnt however get around to making any rolls. Store bought had to suffice.
This weeks menu is kinda boring. I found that it was exhausting to go all Food Network Foodie wannabe on the food last week. So I went a little simpler this week.
Chicken breast sandwiches
fries
Zupa Tuscana
Rolls
Shrimp and Grits (Im pretty excited about this one.. I got some shrimp on special and plan to toss them with some fried chicken tenders,mushrooms,smoked sausage and pour it all over some really creamy cheese grits. YUMM-O!)
Salmon Patties
Homemade mac and cheese
speckled butterbeans
Hamburger Helper ( ew. but the kids like it)
Corn
Baked Potatoes with a choice of chili and/or
broccoli and cheese
I am planning on working on another cookie recipe this week.Its never to early to get ready for Christmas! I lost my favorite Lemon White Chocolate Cashew cookie recipe so I gotta find one online. Im thinking it shouldnt be tooo hard. I just wish I could remember where I got that recipe from. They are AWESOME. I am also going to try and replicate the sweet spicy sauce from Zaxby's. That stuff is like ummm liquid joy. mmmm MMMM mmmm
Friday, August 25, 2006
Whats in Your Bag???
I got tagged to do this fun little meme.. and here you are.. what I lug around in my pocketbook.
gum,oragel(Thing One is cutting 12 yr molars and often has sore gums) carmex, a fuzzy purple pen (for obviously, no one should live life without a fuzzy purple pen) children's pepto (Thing Two has a delicate tummy) dramamine (I have a delicate tummy)
hand sanitizer, hairbows (until yesterday I had hair that was to the middle of my back.. today? right at my neckline AKK!) lip glossy, change, a little cash, checkbook, various ID and insurance cards, copies of the custody thingee so that I can take Thing Two to the Dr (they ask every single time If I have authority to take her for medical attention)various coupons and a little black bag that holds all the little junk and a mirror, it is embroidered with my church's name.
thats it.. sooo... Whats in YOUR bag?
Bloggy parade of Homes week 4
This is my cute Coke kitchen. It is SMALL. Dinky, Tiny and otherwise LITTLE. But fo rnow Ive tried to make it fun and workable. As a cook I rely a lot on my kitchen table for workspace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
