May, 2012
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first day
The man made dinner tonight- despite that fact that it was his first day at his new job- and it rocked. Sooo, because he is very accommodating and the best thing ever, he is letting me share his delish recipe tonight. Our neighbors, once again, generously gifted us some fresh trout. It’s pretty addictive, so the man got creative and decided to try something new.
We ended up having Apple Stuffed Trout with Potato Pancakes. Yum yum yummers.
Here’s what the man used:
Apple filling:
2 apples, finely chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp butter
1. Toss together. Stuff trout.
2. When the trout is stuffed, rub down sparingly with bacon fat, and season with S&P, garlic powder, oregano and a splash of lemon juice. (We have a whole jar of bacon fat ~ my grandmother kept a jar the whole time I was growing up, and even though we rarely use it, I have one in my fridge. The bacon fat helps the fish cook and maintain moisture while crisping the skin).
For the Potato Cakes:
2 potatoes (we grated them in the food processor)
1 egg yolk
2 tsp flour
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 c grated parmesan
S & P
1. The man cubed and grated the potatoes in our food processor. Buuuut, you could grate them on a manual cheese grater, which we have also done.
2. Mix grated potato with egg yolk, flour, parmesan, softened butter and salt & pepper to taste. We used our sandwich press and used approx 1/3 cup mixture per potato cake, cooked at medium heat.
Miscellaneous:
1. We cooked the apple stuffed fish for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees ~ as the man determined, we cooked it until the skin started to bubble. Then he bumped the heat up to broil and cooked for a few seconds to crispen up the skin.
2. Butter makes the potato cakes cook much better. Just an FYI. Our first round of cakes weren’t quite as good at rounds #2 or #3, because we added butter to help cook everything faster.
Bon Appetite.
family
This afternoon, we had some of John’s cousins over for dinner. It was a completely fantastic afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised that the man’s cousin’s wife and I saw eye to eye on a lot of things. I loved the idea that we are related to people we enjoy spending time with ~ so wonderful.
Our menu ~ We started with brie, pork & cognac pate and aged cheddar (the man and I are big fans). The man made a wedge salad as a first course, with homemade blue cheese dressing, bacon crumbles and sliced grape tomatoes. And as our main meal ~ venison steaks for dinner (not a surprise given the recent trend) with grilled veggies (made on bendable skewers and seasoned to perfection by my future cousin-in-law) and hickory smoked cheese loaf.
Dinner was delicious, and the company was excellent. A person couldn’t ask for much more on a beautiful Sunday in May. Since most of my recipes from today have already been shared (steak marinade, hickory smoked cheese loaf, etc) I’ll share a secret weapon with you ~ homemade blue cheese dressing. My neighbor first shared this with me, and it kicks all other blue cheese dressings’ butts.
What You Need:
8 oz sour cream
crumbled blue cheese
lemon juice
salt & pepper
milk
What You Do:
1. Combine sour cream and blue cheese crumbles in a food processor. Once combined, add a dash or two of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Use milk to achieve the consistency you desire. Serve immediately.
saturday night
Last night, Lucy, the man and I had a campout in our living room. It was really fun, and we discovered that our new couch is actually a really comfy bed.
We went for our long hike at Valley Green, did errands and have since spent a very satisfying evening enjoying venison tenderloin and avocado salad.
At some point, I meant to sit down and spend some quality time on here, because I feel as though I’ve been a little neglectful for the past few days. Buuuuuut … it’s after ten and here I am, finally sipping on a glass of vino and settling in to watch “The Change Up” (which, at this time of night, means I will most likely enjoy the first 45 minutes before conching out).
So far, my observations about “The Change Up” are thus ~ can a movie with Jason Bateman (Sidenote: Have I mentioned my deep love for Jason Bateman? Oh. I didn’t? Well, consider it mentioned.) and Ryan Reynolds (no footnotes/sidenotes needed here) be bad? I think not.
We shall have to wait and see. We have company tomorrow, so it will be up and at ’em nice and early and quite a day. I promise promise promise to take some snaps and share our menu.
it’s Friday night and I’m …
If you’ve ever checked out my “Curiosity about Me” tab, you might be able to guess what the man and I are up to tonight.
If you haven’t, I’ll give you a clue. Check out #2.
Have a great weekend! I’ll see you on the flip side. 🙂
moments in time
On May 17th, 1920, my grandfather was born.
On May 17th, 2003, I graduated from college.
My grandfather was gone by then ~ he’d left us the December before.
My family is really good with names and numbers. Not necessarily math. But dates, times ~ coincidences. We remember things. My dad knows more sports minutiae than any one person I’ve ever met. I have a knack for birthdays. My mother and my aunt ~ wickedly good memories. They know every address for every home they have ever lived in, including the postal codes. And that’s really nothing compared to everything else they have stored in their brains.
Even if I wanted to forget significant dates, I can’t. For me, May 17th will always be the day I graduated from college on my grandfather’s birthday, right after he died. I guess it sounds morbid, but for me, it’s not. It’s always a chance to remember my grandfather ~ a gentle man who used to read while listening to classical music, and watch billiards on television. A man who took my brother and I to the local library in the British village he and my Granny lived in, and with us propped in his lap, read about dinosaurs from one of our books. He taught me the intricacies of the game of cricket, and listened as I told him all about my semester in Rome. He built model ships, and spent hours bird-watching.
I miss him ~ I wish I’d had more time with him. And I wish I had something more to talk about today, but really, that’s what is on my mind. Every time I saw the date, every time I had to write it down ~ I thought about how May 17th reminds of my grandfather, and of college. And really, that’s not too bad, in the whole scheme of things.
random thoughts at this very moment
Last night, we had an amazing dessert. I affectionately called them little packages of addiction. And next WehangsDay, I am going to share the recipe. You can’t have just one.
Tonight was the resumption, following a month off, of WeHangsDay. It is completely amazing how fast a baby grows. Little Rosa looks gi-normous compared with the last time I saw her. Absolute craziness. Circle of life, right?
I’m obsessed with the song “Don’t Forget Me” from the season finale of Smash. Obsessed as in ~ I downloaded it on my phone and play it on repeat in my car. There are only two notes I can’t hit. Which means my goal is to hit those notes. That takes practice. (Hope the man is prepared!)
The man being home from work is pretty cool. A lot of things have gotten done around the house. It’s ah-may-zing. My wardrobe has brushed nickel handles now ~ so I don’t have to pry the doors open from the top anymore. Genius! (There are a lot more things, but that’s the one that makes me smile from ear to ear!)
I cry at the most random things. Tonight? The end of “Modern Family.” I couldn’t even tell you why. The man smiles, shakes his head, and says “I love you doll,’ every time I cry at something on TV. I think that about sums up how I feel, too.
Sometimes, Lucy loves her bed more than snuggling with us on the couch. She’s a true creature of habit. Just like her mama.
I had an amazing idea for a blog today, but work was a beast, and now, I am (valiantly) losing a battle with my heavy eyelids. Hopefully ~ tomorrow! But for tonight, I think my random thoughts definitely reflect where my brain is! Sleep tight ~ I’ll catch you on the flip side.
a delicate stream
Here is today’s yoga thought.
Move through practice softly ~ like a delicate stream, rather than a rushing river. Consider each action before reacting. Contemplate the action.
My yoga instructor was funny today. (And I use the word ‘funny’ loosely). She began class by letting us know that we were not going to move through postures quickly. Instead, we were going to move slowly through the motions, and with intention. With mindfulness and thoughtfulness. She said (with a smile) not to worry about class being hard. Just because we were moving slowly didn’t mean it wouldn’t be challenging. She wasn’t joking.
Holding poses has always been a challenge for me ~ and I didn’t start to make real progress with it until I began going regularly to yoga on Tuesdays. Well ~ regular yoga practice in conjunction with training.
Let me explain.
I have always been very impatient. I have a couple of theories about why that is, but needless to say, that’s the universal conclusion. Impatience. When I began training for the Broad Street, I learned very quickly that progress came slowly, and because of that, I reminded myself daily that each step was moving in the right direction. Even if I felt no movement had been made at all.
That thought pattern came in very handy today. Yes, I still struggle with holding poses, but the truth (my truth?) is any progress made is something I can own, as my very own. The practice isn’t about how fast things happen ~ it’s that the progress is continual. (Or at least, that’s where my mind focused this evening. Class was also about the delicate stream finding crevices and pushing through those crevices ~ overcoming the obstacles to better appreciate the path … without the obstacles, the water flows easily, therefore not fully appreciating the act of moving in the first place. Also very good meditation). In a nutshell, the tortoise and the hare.
Here’s the thing. In life, I find that it’s very easy to react immediately. It’s much harder to take a breath, consider all angles, and move forward with those thoughts in mind. Is it better? Umm, that’s an easy one. Ninety-nine percent of the time, taking a moment to contemplate any idea thoughtfully is better than reacting viscerally. Remembering that in the heat of the moment … infinitely harder.
Yoga -to me- has always been a reminder to stop, breath and consider the entire situation. Everyone walks away from class with something ~ a good work out, a good stretch, a thoughtful spiritual message. My shoulders feel lighter, and my heart less heavy after class on Tuesday night. My mind is full of introspection, examination and thoughtfulness. In the rush of everyday craziness, I often forget to be mindful. I love that yoga helps me remember, and examine, my thoughts, choices and actions. It helps create a tenuous balance for me. And I know that continual practice will help me make progress toward a better version of myself. Even if I don’t see progress every day, class this evening allowed me to remember that progress is being made. Like a delicate stream, or the tortoise. Steady, and slow.
celebrate good times
The man officially has a new job (!!!), and we celebrated tonight with some bubbly. It’s been quite a journey to this point, and my heart is full of pride for him and this new adventure. Life takes you down paths you wouldn’t expect, and things are changing in our household ~ but it’s all for the better. I am so unbelievably full of love and excitement for what he has accomplished. Selfishly, it’s such an amazing thing to watch a person you love achieve great things. I get a huge kick out of it. I’m so happy for him. And that is such an understatement in relation to how I feel.
ANYWAY! The point is, CONGRATS TO THE MAN!!! (I love you, babe!)
I also put my parental units on a flight to the UK to celebrate my Granny’s 90th birthday (belatedly ~ her birthday was April 24th). As we drove together to the airport, we reflected on the fact that if my dad’s dad were still alive, he would have been 100 yesterday. And if my mum’s dad were still alive, he would be 92 on Thursday.
Life. Time. Funny things.
My thought for the day? Celebrate the one you love. I know they are worth it.
my mother, my friend
To all mothers everywhere, I hope you were spoiled today by those who love you. I am not a mother, just a puppy-momma, but I love my little girl more than anything. I also know that being a puppy-momma is hard work, so I can imagine that motherhood is both the most rewarding and the most difficult thing any woman ever does.
I’d just like to raise my glass and my heart to my own mother for giving me life, instilling values and morals, a love for reading and writing and education, travel, strength and finding the positive in life. I am not half the woman my mother is ~ she inspires me every day. And I would also like to say thank you to my ‘other’ mother-my aunt- who has been my friend and an ‘other’ mother when I needed one.
Sometimes, as children, we are unaware that our parents are people, who have interests and quirks and passions and sadness outside of being a parent. We only know them as our parents, the people who make us eat veggies, and go to bed on time. But also our idol, infallible; a superhero. I’d like to believe that I see that part of my mother entwined with the woman I got to know as I grew up. But I also think that my mother the person is one of the most amazing, thoughtful, good-spirited, articulate, educated, compassionate, talented, beautiful people I have ever encountered, and anyone who has had a chance to know her is better for it. She is absolutely my real hero.
soundtrack of my life
Y’know when you read those articles in magazines where a celebrity is asked random questions? And of course, you find their answers interesting, but more selfishly, you think about what you’d say? (Or, it’s just me!). Either way, EW has a column called ‘Soundtrack of my Life,’ and I really want to share my answers.
That, and music makes me think of road trips, and we have one today. Heading north and west, toward the man’s hometown for Mother’s Day. It’s very relaxing being up in the mountains. Of course, I miss certain commodities of being near a big city (Starbucks, anyone?) ~ but a few days decompressing is good for anyone.
Using my most recent EW magazine (Entertainment Weekly ~ I’ve probably had a subscription for 10 years ~ it’s my utter favorite), here is the “Soundtrack of my Life.”
1. The first song I was obsessed with: This is a tough one. I’m what you might call a ‘repeater’ ~ meaning I can listen to something over and over and over again. I remember being obsessed with the British “Chess” soundtrack when I was young ~ and “Cats” even more so (…Memories, all alone in the moonlight, I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then … oh, Elaine Paige, you are my hero). In my teens, during a blizzard that stranded people in their homes for a few days, I remember listening to “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack on repeat for hours while writing “the next great American novel” (haha). I am not sure how much stock to put into that, as I think I was also obsessed with Jeremy Jordan at the time, and “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors. (Does everything from the early 90’s make me want to cringe?)
2. The album that reminds me of my first love: I have two. “Rocky Horror Picture Show”soundtrack (this probably deserves a blog post all by itself) and Phish’s double CD live album. My high school boyfriend loved Phish, and we listened to “Bouncing ‘Round the Room” a lot. Every time I hear that song, I think of my old house in Wyo and my high school boyfriend in 1997. Craziness.
3. My favorite soundtrack album: While a tough call, I say that “Footloose” (the real one, not the re-make) narrowly edges out “Dirty Dancing” by half of a quarter of a fraction of a nose. At the end of my senior year, my girlfriends and I drove around, feeling like ‘queens of the world’ listening to ‘Holding Out for a Hero.” It was like the soundtrack of my high school graduation. Every song rocks.
4. A song I love that people might not expect: “The Real Slim Shady.” I am a huge Eminem fan. His second album, “The Marshal Mathers LP” ~ I’m pretty sure that every song is ridic. And by “pretty sure” ~ I mean, the man is an utter genius. ** Additionally, I absolutely love a song called “Love is Dead” by Mad Sin ~ a rockabilly group I was introduced to a little after I graduated from college. Yes. I went through a punk phase.
5. My favorite song to play air guitar: How can a person not say “November Rain”? That moment, when Slash is ripping it outside a tiny little chapel in the middle of nowhere? We all wanted to be him. Well, anyone of my generation, that is. True story.
6. My favorite break-up song: “That I Would Be Good,” by Alanis Morrisette. She reigned supreme for all aspects of break-ups, and always seems to sing in a minor key, making the music sad and haunting. And “There’s No Need to Argue” by the Cranberries. I get chills just thinking about how a person can wallow in sadness listening to that song.
7. My favorite hip-hop song: “Gold Digger.” Kanye. Or … “Hey Ya,” Outkast. I have a ton of memories with Gold Digger as the soundtrack, but the memories of blasting Outkast with my new roomie in State College and making up our own lyrics while decorating our apartment? Priceless. Even now, when I hear “Hey Ya” and the line “You know we’re not happy here” I finish it up with “….at 211 Amblewood Way” and think of Sonia and her convertible. Great memories.
8. My favorite love song: “Something” by the Beatles. It’s utterly gorgeous in every way. George Harrison = genius.
9. My favorite 12 a.m. jukebox song: This is an easy one. “Don’t Stop Believing.” I was managing a restaurant and a banquet booked a karaoke machine. When all the customers were gone, and work was done, all the employees grabbed a beer and we blasted Journey while hanging on the outside patio. One of my favorite memories from that job.
10. My go-to karaoke songs: Oh boy. Top 3: ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ because I do a mean Cher, ‘Goodbye Earl’ because I adore the Dixie Chicks and always will, and 3. ‘Killin Me Softly’ … because I’m trapped in a world where the Fugees are still making music (or, covering a Roberta Flack song, as in this case!).
11. The band I’m currently obsessed with: Twenty-four hours ago, I would 100% have said Mumford & Sons (the man and I even looked into go to the Rockness Music Festival in Loch Ness ~ Sidenote: It’s cray-cray expensive to fly to Scotland in June!). But right now this very minute? I cannot stop listening to Florence + the Machine. The woman is ah-may-zing. Seriously. Shake It Out.
12. The song that makes me think of my love: “Walking In Memphis.” When we first moved in together, we started introducing each other to television shows we liked. The man was a big fan of America’s Got Talent, and he showed me clips of one of the contestants singing “Walking In Memphis.” It sort of became our song ~ and every time it comes on, I get butterflies in my stomach and immediately look for him with a goofy grin on my face. Love it.
D5 Creation