Housesitting

Spent the last week house-sitting for my parents and taking care of their three dogs, my youngest sister's dog, and my dog.  Here are some random pictures from the week.

My scarf matches the wallpaper

Pad Thai = happiness

Wreath on the carriage house

This started as an omelet but clearly had a higher calling

Dogs napping while I knit/watch Arrested Development

Callie gets more comfortable

Pics from July

Catching up

Pics from the last couple weeks...



My new recipe for September - homemade spaghetti sauce and green beans from the garden



One of the sunflowers that John planted for me <3



Veggies from the garden (and the backyard)



A veggie close-up

It's frosted a couple times since I took these pictures - I covered the garden the first two nights, but since then, it's been on its own (survival of the hardiest?)

And a great surprise - one of our overgrown flowerbeds has mums in it (one of my favorite flowers and the main decoration at out wedding)!!

Harvest time (kind of)

So far, we have cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes, green beans, peas, and beets ready to go. Just waiting for our peppers to get big enough and for the rest of the tomatoes to turn red (and get bigger).



Also, last week, I succeeded in making over-easy eggs for the first.time.ever! I really wanted eggs, but John's the expert egg maker (and he was at work). More proof that I can do ANYTHING as long as I have google

Tastes like Fall

John made (from scratch) caramel apples yesterday. Delicious!

(P.S. John's blogging now http://middleofnowheregourmet.blogspot.com/ )

Mmmm....

Made Lemony Goat Cheese Zucchini Pizza for dinner (finally! I've been planning to make it since I made the grilled pizzas). Delicious (and if I made it about 10 more times, we might use up all the squash we have)!

Earlier today I went to the Steam Threshing Jamboree at Prairie Village with my Dad. He was on a mission to find a few house things at the flea market, and I just wanted to take some pictures.



A portrait in the Wentworth Hotel (love, LOVE the wallpaper!)



Rolling pins in the Old Madison Hotel--I'd been in both these buildings before, but more of the Madison Hotel was open to walk through. Very neat to see!

We also went to a few garage sales (mark that one off the list!)...didn't find anything that I had to have, but it was still fun (and Dad got me a mini Blizzard at DQ)

And another one...

because I used my fire ring tonight =) Would've been a little easier if the dogs hadn't kept stealing my sticks...and now I totally smell like bug spray and campfire (so I really need a shower before bed). There's just something about a campfire though...

I ALSO made grilled pizza for the first time (and I used all veggies and herbs from our garden - zucchini, yellow squash, orange and yellow tomatoes, onion, banana peppers, parsley, and basil) - so, SO delicious. Now if there were just a pizza recipe that called for pickling cucumbers...



A couple websites I used to make sure I didn't mess up too much ;)
http://annies-eats.com/2010/06/24/grilled-pizza/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grilled-veggie-pizza-recipe/index.html
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/08/grilled-eggplant-and-olive-pizza/

Mmmmm

Yesterday, we went to Downtown Sioux Falls, particularly the Market on Phillips, to check out their Crazy Days sale. John had fun getting wine, cheese from Italy, and a huge bottle of capers.



This was our after-shopping snack, enjoyed on their patio (John loooooved it, but next time, I want the cheese plate ;) )

4th of July

We spent the 4th at my parents' house--they grilled out (burgers and brats), and John made strawberry and cherry pie (the cherry was his BEST pie ever--incredible).



I documented the crazy pie action...



The dogs were also paying very close attention

For the party, I made David Lebovitz's Chocolate Banana Ice Cream (I also crossed it off my summer list - yay!). Easy to put together but didn't freeze as quickly as I hoped (recipes says "at least 4 hours" and I had 4 hours and 15 minutes--not enough time). We ended up putting it in our ice cream maker to speed the process along, and by dinner it was fine. It tasted a LOT like the generic Bailey's irish cream (not necessarily a bad thing), but I'm not sure I'd make it again. I've marked it off my list, but I'd like to try a couple more recipes before the summer is up (mint chocolate...candied bacon...avocado coconut...etc)

After dinner, John and I (and Callie and Cooper) went out to the lake to watch the fireworks. Despite the smelly lake and swarming mosquitoes (thank goodness for bug spray!!), I'm glad we went out.



When the firework pictures weren't working out, I gave up and took pictures of the tree we were sitting by instead.

Valentine's Day

Cranberry scones for breakfast (made by me).



Working on some little socks for my new niece, Dixie (I'm an aunt!!)

We also had a lovely dinner at my parents' house. John made all the food, and my dad picked up the tab (yay for free, delicious meals!!) So it was homemade bread with boursin cheese, chicken coconut cream soup, salad, teriyaki salmon with pineapple salsa, chocolate covered strawberries, and red cake with cream cheese frosting...mmmmm.

Earlier this weekend...



Callie had a crazed look in her eyes , so on Saturday I put on my snowshoes and tromped around the backyard with her. She loooves the snow. If you throw snowballs at her, she'll catch them in her mouth and eat them. I even saw her carrying part of an icicle around like a stick.



All the snow in our backyard. She can walk over that really tall spot by the fence, but (thankfully) she's only ever done it when John was on the other side.

S-U-C-C-E-S-S

John's birthday cake!

(Two layer, from scratch yellow cake with homemade chocolate frosting)

Recipe here

My first two layer, first yellow cake, and first time doing all the tricks to make it pretty. I could just show the picture and let you assume that I was totally cool and confident during the whole baking process, but that wasn't entirely the case.

I made the cake the night before and was convinced they were burning and looked like "mutant cake" (put too much batter in each pan so they got really tall). Then it was time to make the frosting before the party, and I was a quarter cup short on sour cream. John thought it'd be fine without it (I was not convinced), so he made a quick trip to the grocery store (thanks John!).

=)

Blog-a-licious

It's just like Smitten Kitchen and Pioneer Woman around here...



well, kind of..

Tonight, I got really inspired and made the Raspberry Buttermilk Cake from Smitten Kitchen (with strawberries). I think I was a little over-eager in turning it out of the pan because half of it stuck (evidence above). All the bits I've eaten have tasted REALLY good though, so I think it'll be okay.



...but it is kind of embarrassing to mess up a cake. Maybe I should eat the whole thing before John gets home so he won't ever know. ;)

(I also learned how to make buttermilk when you don't have it on hand--how did I go so long without knowing this?!? If you've been in the dark like me, just read down to the bottom of the recipe)

I also made Baked Lemon Pasta from The Pioneer Woman.



It's creamy, lemon-y, and awesome, and there's a LOT of it (guess what I'm taking for lunch tomorrow and the next day and the next?)

Two new recipes in one day. I think that may be a record!

Happy Happy Happy

We grilled kabobs tonight--one of my all-time, favorite foods (right up there with cake and eggplant parmesean). We also got to use our new skewers. Cute, huh? Another plus-they don't catch on fire (one of my problems with bamboo skewers).

Unfortunately, I stabbed my fingers about a zillion times (or more like 15 times) putting the kabobs together. I was also so distracted by my excitement about the kabobs and the pain in my fingers that I kept forgetting to add tomatoes.

Notes for next time:
Be more careful with skewers!!!
Decide on a kabob pattern from the start (to avoid forgotten tomatoes)
Add more pineapple (I had my doubts, but it was delicious)

Baked goods craziness

This is actually the first year I've made and decorated gingerbread and I LOVE it! My favorites were the "James Bond" gingerbread men (with the bow ties, pictured above) and also the ones I made with winter scarves. My favorite of John's was his smiling star from the Mario Brothers games (complete with the song and added dancing).

I think John is making the dough for our third batch of gingerbread cookies tonight, and this is after making fudge (chocolate and peanut butter), truffles, no-bakes, Stolen (German bread), peppermint bark and cranberry chip cookies over the weekend! The peppermint bark and cranberry cookies were all me, but the rest? All John. What can I say? He's a total baking rock star (and I am a total baking rock star groupie). He even came to my rescue last night when I got tired of decorating the cookies to take to my office party.

Thankfully, we've managed to give MOST of the baked goods away...but there's still enough here to keep munching and munching and munching. At this point, I am totally sick of gingerbread cookies...but that still leaves about 26 other sweets to get sick of ;)

Edited to add...

I haven't touched the soup again since I had my first bowl. I think I may have been more impressed with the idea of the soup, rather than the soup itself...

Not that you shouldn't make it if the recipe rocks your world, but for my part, I won't be making it again.

Lucky

This week's new recipe ~ Lucky Chinese Soup




And it really is lucky, because I don't have to type out the recipe! Find it here.

I really liked this soup, and I also liked that it was different than anything I've ever cooked. It was also the first time I've ever purchased or used tofu. I still have half a brick (I guess that's what you'd call it) of tofu left, so I'm hoping to find a use for it.

It wasn't hard to make, but it was so much like something you'd get for take-out or off a chinese buffet, that after a few bites, I was thinking, "Wait...I made this? I started with ingredients and made this??"

Seems a little amazing to me.

Mmm...

My new recipe for this week was...

Orange Cookies!

I have to say, I am VERY partial to chocolate in all desserts, but I decided to try something new. These are good...and since they taste like fruit (kind of), you can eat several without feeling guilty (if you don't think too hard about the sugar, shortening, and icing). I also halved the recipe (didn't need 12 dozen) but I'll put the whole recipe in here, in case they look so good that you must have 12 dozen ;)




Orange Cookies
From: Taste of Home's "Best Loved Cookies and Bars"

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
2/3 cup orange juice
4 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Icing
4 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/3 to 1/2 cup orange juice

• In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the buttermilk, eggs, orange juice, and orange zest (it looks really funky after you add that stuff--don't worry, it'll turn out okay once you add the dry ingredients!). Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture
• Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• For icing, combine the confectioners' sugar, orange extract, and enough orange juice to acheive desired consistency. Spread over cooled cookies. Yield: 12 dozen
  

And, in case you're not in a baking mood...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjxY9rZwNGU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0jRuASVEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39qdhbkTko4

I do love embroidery and kittens...

;)

Spring Foward is "ruff"

I love it being lighter in the evenings BUT the mornings are terrible (well, more terrible than usual) for at least a week.

Anyway, despite my not wonderful feelings about the time change, I got a TON of stuff done today. I caught spring cleaning fever and have been cleaning, and cleaning, and cleaning all day long. Everything in my apartment is cleaner than it's EVER been...except for my second bedroom, which is a wreck. I'm hoping I can tackle it sometime next week...after I got finished with my bedroom I was done for the day.

I did have energy to make dinner and it turned out lovely (!!) and incredibly easy to clean up, which was good because I didn't have the heart to mess up my perfect kitchen ;) This wonderful, incredible meal was...

Pork Chops with Apple Cranberry Sauce (and a baked sweet potato)




Seriously, the best porkchop I've ever had (the picture doesn't really do it justice, but when it comes down to it, I really wanted to EAT the porkchop, not take a picture of it or style the food or do whatever people do to make food look really appetizing and not just like mush on a plate) . I guess part of being inspired by food blogs means I should actually be including the recipe...which I'm planning on doing, but right now I think I need some ice cream. ;)

ETA: Recipe Time!

Pork Chops with Apple-Cranberry Sauce
From: Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy Cookbook

4 boneless pork chops (3/4 to 1 lb)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 tsp. dried majoram
1/4 cup Craisins
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup..I think I used more than this)
2 tsps. cornstarch

1. Spray 10-inch non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over meduim high heat, sprinkly pork chops with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet, turning once, until brown.

2.Stir in 1/2 cup apple juice, cranberry juice and majoram. Cook over medium low for 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries and onions. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning pork once, until pork is slightly pink in center.

3. Mix cornstarch amd remaining 1/4 cup apple juice until smooth. Remove pork from skillet and cover to keep warm. Stir cornstarch misture into skillet; cook and stir until thickened. Serve sauce over pork.

Yum!