- Made Turkey Pot Pies--okay this was on Thursday, but the recipe (which I will share) was so delicious it was as if the weekend started a day early!
- Ate some delicious Vietnamese food on Friday night with friends
- Slept in on Saturday and Sunday
- Made orange and clove ornaments with a friend on Saturday morning--details to follow
- Designed, ordered and picked up our Christmas cards
- Took a nap
- Watched Crazy Heart
- Watched the Nebraska game with friends--sadly the Huskers lost
- Ordered and picked up some photos from our wedding
- Went to church
- Cleaned house
- Made Penne alla Carbonara
- Spent several hours reading and shopping for Christmas presents at Barnes and Noble
- Made Green-Onion risotto for Sunday night dinner--recipe to follow
Monday, December 6, 2010
Weekend Update
This weekend was a good one. Since we were in Peoria the weekend before, it was nice just to be at home and relax. Here's how we spent our weekend:
Friday, December 3, 2010
Book Review: Sarah
When I picked this book off of the shelves at my local library, I had hoped that it would be reminiscent of The Red Tent, a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading a few years ago. Sarah did remind me of The Red Tent, but lacked a few elements that really made Diamant's novel sing.
Set a bit earlier in the historical record in Ur (Mesopotamia) than The Red Tent, Sarah follows the story of Sarai, later Sarah, before, during and after she meets and falls in love with Abram, later Abraham. I have always been fascinated with ancient civilizations, especially those of Mesopotamia, and the author does a great job describing that world. His descriptions of the ziggurats and the hanging gardens are especially vivid.
Sarai is born into a life of privilege, as the only daughter of a powerful lord. As she attempts to flee Ur after a failed marriage proposal, she meets a nomad by the name of Abram and falls in love. Faced with the possibility of another loveless marriage, Sarai takes a potion that makes her infertile, elevating her status in society to that of a priestess to the goddess of war.
The rest of the story is known to those familiar with the Book of Exodus: Sarai and Abram reunite, marry, become Sarah and Abraham, travel to Egypt where Sarai is taken as a mistress of the Pharaoh, before settling in Canaan and all the while try in vain to conceive. The searing pain which with the author writes about Sarah's desire to have children is heartwrenching and immediately understood, despite the over 2,000 years that separate the reader from the story.
Highlight below for a spoiler discussion:
I suppose because I was so familiar with the story of Abraham and Sarah, much of the book (especially once Abram and Sarai marry) felt a bit stale and predictable. His other novels about lesser known women of the Bible (at least to me) Zipporah: Wife of Moses, Lilah and Mary of Nazareth might fare better in this regard. In fact, I have started reading Mary of Nazareth and am happy to report that is feels a bit fresher and has a better pace than Sarah did, at least so far.
Overall, it was a decent novel. However, if you are going to read biblical fiction and haven't read The Red Tent, I would definitely recommend you read that novel over Sarah.
What do you think? Have any of you read Sarah or another one of Marek Halter's novels?
Set a bit earlier in the historical record in Ur (Mesopotamia) than The Red Tent, Sarah follows the story of Sarai, later Sarah, before, during and after she meets and falls in love with Abram, later Abraham. I have always been fascinated with ancient civilizations, especially those of Mesopotamia, and the author does a great job describing that world. His descriptions of the ziggurats and the hanging gardens are especially vivid.
Sarai is born into a life of privilege, as the only daughter of a powerful lord. As she attempts to flee Ur after a failed marriage proposal, she meets a nomad by the name of Abram and falls in love. Faced with the possibility of another loveless marriage, Sarai takes a potion that makes her infertile, elevating her status in society to that of a priestess to the goddess of war.
The rest of the story is known to those familiar with the Book of Exodus: Sarai and Abram reunite, marry, become Sarah and Abraham, travel to Egypt where Sarai is taken as a mistress of the Pharaoh, before settling in Canaan and all the while try in vain to conceive. The searing pain which with the author writes about Sarah's desire to have children is heartwrenching and immediately understood, despite the over 2,000 years that separate the reader from the story.
Highlight below for a spoiler discussion:
The second half of the novel was written with a bit more haste than the first half, which was a bit disappointing. I would have liked to have followed Sarah and Abraham as they raised Issac, something the book did not delve into. It simply skips from the visitors who predict Sarah's pregnancy to the scene where Abraham attempts to sacrifice Issac with little reflection on the other moments that brought the characters to that point--picking known stories in the Bible and doing little to enhance or embellish them. It was as if the author got tired of writing and wanted to tie up loose ends as quickly as possible.
I suppose because I was so familiar with the story of Abraham and Sarah, much of the book (especially once Abram and Sarai marry) felt a bit stale and predictable. His other novels about lesser known women of the Bible (at least to me) Zipporah: Wife of Moses, Lilah and Mary of Nazareth might fare better in this regard. In fact, I have started reading Mary of Nazareth and am happy to report that is feels a bit fresher and has a better pace than Sarah did, at least so far.
Overall, it was a decent novel. However, if you are going to read biblical fiction and haven't read The Red Tent, I would definitely recommend you read that novel over Sarah.
What do you think? Have any of you read Sarah or another one of Marek Halter's novels?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
End of Year Resolution #2
Back when I made this end of year resolution, I didn't think I'd be making any more. After all, resolutions are usually reserved for the new year. However, I've been noticing a pattern that needs to be addressed.
When I think of things I want to blog about, topics I want to research, things I want to buy, projects I want to start, I email myself and put notes in the message of the email. As a result of this habit, I have lots and lots of emails to myself, some with only one line in them because I think of something to add to the list right after I hit send.
It is good that I write (okay type) these things down but the emails get buried among my other correspondence during the day and often times go forgotten. Enter my resolution solution.
My journal. It is a lined thin Moleskin, small enough to fit in my purse, which means I will always have it with me. I love that my journal will have more than just traditional journal entries, filled with lists, inspirational quotes, images, anything that moves or inspires me. The fact that it is the color of Blue Moon ice cream from Michigan and my favorite color is an added bonus!
It's official. My journal will be traveling everywhere with me, ready and waiting when inspiration strikes!
Have any of you recently made resolutions or am I the only one nutty enough to make resolutions in December?
When I think of things I want to blog about, topics I want to research, things I want to buy, projects I want to start, I email myself and put notes in the message of the email. As a result of this habit, I have lots and lots of emails to myself, some with only one line in them because I think of something to add to the list right after I hit send.
It is good that I write (okay type) these things down but the emails get buried among my other correspondence during the day and often times go forgotten. Enter my resolution solution.
 |
| Image from weheartit and here originally |
It's official. My journal will be traveling everywhere with me, ready and waiting when inspiration strikes!
Have any of you recently made resolutions or am I the only one nutty enough to make resolutions in December?
Christmas Decor
After helping my grandparents decorate their Christmas tree this past weekend, I was itching to decorate our own space. I began by assessing what we had from last year and went from there. Here's what we ended up with:
My grandma bought us a fresh pine garland when we visited The Fresh Market this weekend, so that was hung with the help of some Command hooks over the large opening between our living room and dining room. The hooks themselves were a bit pricey (around five dollars each), but I bought the five pound ones since I wasn't sure how much the garland would weigh once we uncoiled it and I definitely didn't want the garland to come crashing down. Once the holidays are over, I plan to use them to hang a curtain rod over the opening with some airy curtains pulled back to divide and define the spaces a bit more.
Growing up, we always had a fresh pine tree for Christmas. This year, a big real tree just isn't in the cards for us, but I am happy to report that the garland (12.99 or so) leaves a similar piny scent throughout our living room without having to worry about watering the tree or Woods drinking the tree water. For those of you out there who don't have a real tree and miss the smell, this is a great way to go!
Next, I moved a side table in from the office for our three foot tree. After fluffing and placing some of our ornaments on the tree, I wrapped the base of it with a tree skirt I picked up at the dollar store last year. Psst...see that yellow card there? That is from J for my birthday in a few weeks. Every time I walk by I have to resist opening it!
I placed our smaller tree on one of the shelves of our entertainment center, near an electrical outlet to light up the tree. We may not have a tall tree, but we do have two smaller trees!
On the other shelf of our entertainment center, I filled three cylinder vases with silver and gold ornaments I picked up at Walmart for ten dollars. I even had some left over which I will incorporate into our Holiday table setting in the dining room.
I hung our stockings by the chimney with care.
Then I got a crazy idea. Our fireplace doesn't work and we have a strand of outdoor white lights that I bought last year before I learned there is no good way to put up lights out there. I decided to wrap the fake logs in there for some color and light. Eventually I'd like to remove the fake logs altogether and replace them with something like this or this. Until then, I think our wrapped logs will work great for the holiday season!
I still have have the dining room to finish (which I will of course share when I'm done) but the living room is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. In fact, it has become my favorite room in our apartment!
Have you decorated for Christmas yet? What new items have worked their way in this year?
My grandma bought us a fresh pine garland when we visited The Fresh Market this weekend, so that was hung with the help of some Command hooks over the large opening between our living room and dining room. The hooks themselves were a bit pricey (around five dollars each), but I bought the five pound ones since I wasn't sure how much the garland would weigh once we uncoiled it and I definitely didn't want the garland to come crashing down. Once the holidays are over, I plan to use them to hang a curtain rod over the opening with some airy curtains pulled back to divide and define the spaces a bit more.
Growing up, we always had a fresh pine tree for Christmas. This year, a big real tree just isn't in the cards for us, but I am happy to report that the garland (12.99 or so) leaves a similar piny scent throughout our living room without having to worry about watering the tree or Woods drinking the tree water. For those of you out there who don't have a real tree and miss the smell, this is a great way to go!
Next, I moved a side table in from the office for our three foot tree. After fluffing and placing some of our ornaments on the tree, I wrapped the base of it with a tree skirt I picked up at the dollar store last year. Psst...see that yellow card there? That is from J for my birthday in a few weeks. Every time I walk by I have to resist opening it!
I placed our smaller tree on one of the shelves of our entertainment center, near an electrical outlet to light up the tree. We may not have a tall tree, but we do have two smaller trees!
On the other shelf of our entertainment center, I filled three cylinder vases with silver and gold ornaments I picked up at Walmart for ten dollars. I even had some left over which I will incorporate into our Holiday table setting in the dining room.
I hung our stockings by the chimney with care.
Then I got a crazy idea. Our fireplace doesn't work and we have a strand of outdoor white lights that I bought last year before I learned there is no good way to put up lights out there. I decided to wrap the fake logs in there for some color and light. Eventually I'd like to remove the fake logs altogether and replace them with something like this or this. Until then, I think our wrapped logs will work great for the holiday season!
I still have have the dining room to finish (which I will of course share when I'm done) but the living room is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. In fact, it has become my favorite room in our apartment!
Have you decorated for Christmas yet? What new items have worked their way in this year?
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Note to Self
Your cat really likes to look out windows and you should really leave your blinds open for him more often when you are home, as evidenced by the quickness he jumped on to couch when you open the blinds to take pictures of Christmas decorations. He is alone a lot and doesn't get as much stimulation as he probably should.
That would be good.
Also, if your cat is burrowing under your pea coat on the couch next to you as you write, maybe that is a sign that it is entirely too cold in the apartment.
Also, if your cat seeks heat by laying on your laptop, multiple times, even when all you've done is get up for a cup of tea, it really, really is quite cold for him in here.
So let's remember to open those blinds and turn up the heat. K? K!
Love,
Me
That would be good.
Also, if your cat is burrowing under your pea coat on the couch next to you as you write, maybe that is a sign that it is entirely too cold in the apartment.
Also, if your cat seeks heat by laying on your laptop, multiple times, even when all you've done is get up for a cup of tea, it really, really is quite cold for him in here.
So let's remember to open those blinds and turn up the heat. K? K!
Love,
Me
Remember When Wednesday: Hilltop Sing
I'm back with the second installment of Remember When Wednesdays. In honor of the first day of December, with Christmas just around the corner, I thought I would take you down memory lane to...
Remember When:
We would get bundled up and ride in Grandpa's wagon.
We would eat lots and lots of goodies at all the neighbors' houses.
The dogs would follow us from house to house.
We would sing Christmas carols acapella. Some sounded better than others.
The Hill was all woods with a few houses scattered in between.
Our eyes would get big hearing how many years The Sing had been going on.
We would warm up with warm hot chocolate and apple cider.
I remember. Those were the days.
A little background for those who don't remember: My grandparents lived in at the end of a cul-de-sac with three neighbors (and friends) nearby. Many years ago, around Christmas time they began a progressive dinner, complete with Christmas caroling. Thus the Mandalay Hilltop Sing was born. My mom and her siblings grew up traveling from house to house singing carols and eating lots of delicious food. This tradition continued when my cousins and I were young. It was one of my favorite festivities come December!
Now it's your turn. What are some of your family holiday traditions? Anyone else out there have a progressive dinner or go caroling like us? Share below or if, like me, you've written about your traditions recently, leave a link! Thanks for sharing!
The Mandalay Hilltop Sing
Remember When:
We would get bundled up and ride in Grandpa's wagon.
We would eat lots and lots of goodies at all the neighbors' houses.
The dogs would follow us from house to house.
We would sing Christmas carols acapella. Some sounded better than others.
The Hill was all woods with a few houses scattered in between.
Our eyes would get big hearing how many years The Sing had been going on.
We would warm up with warm hot chocolate and apple cider.
I remember. Those were the days.
A little background for those who don't remember: My grandparents lived in at the end of a cul-de-sac with three neighbors (and friends) nearby. Many years ago, around Christmas time they began a progressive dinner, complete with Christmas caroling. Thus the Mandalay Hilltop Sing was born. My mom and her siblings grew up traveling from house to house singing carols and eating lots of delicious food. This tradition continued when my cousins and I were young. It was one of my favorite festivities come December!
Now it's your turn. What are some of your family holiday traditions? Anyone else out there have a progressive dinner or go caroling like us? Share below or if, like me, you've written about your traditions recently, leave a link! Thanks for sharing!
Turkey Day Soup
As I mentioned, J and I spent Thanksgiving in Peoria this year. Although it was not at our house, we got the leftovers--specifically the turkey carcass (bones sounds better), turkey legs and turkey wings, which I turned into soup last night!
This is a great recipe and makes a ton of turkey stock, which you can use for all sorts of things from soups to risottos. We had enough to make soup as well as a large container of stock which we froze for later use.
As I was putting away the extra stock, I realized something: I completed number 10 on my list of 130 Before I'm Thirty since I made a stock from scratch. Now granted the recipe I used isn't Ina Garten's and it isn't chicken stock, but it is homemade stock, which is the important part! And since it's my list I can bend the rules a bit, can't I?!?
I think I can.
10. Make Ina Garten's homemade chicken stock accomplished 11/29/10!
This recipe is based on a family recipe and is great for using up all those Thanksgiving Day leftovers. We added a few ingredients to make it our own. Please feel free to do the same! Unfortunately, because this is a from scratch recipe, I do not have calorie count or serving size information to share.
Final note: if you have a pasta pot insert (with holes for draining) I would recommend using it for this recipe. This allows you to drain the stock pot easily, leaving the yummy stock in the pot and removing all the veggies and turkey to cool and shred.
Turkey Day Soup
Ingredients:
1 turkey carcass (ours was from a sixteen pound bird)
Turkey wings and drumsticks
4 carrots, divided
1 onion, divided
4 stalks of celery, divided
Leftover stuffing, approximately 1/2 cup
Leftover green bean casserole, approximately 1/4 cup--if you don't have any leftovers, you could always add frozen green beans
1/4 cup rice
2 cups of egg noodles
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon French Four Spice
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Kitchen Supplies:
Large stock pot, preferably with pasta drain insert
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups
In a large stock pot, place turkey bones, half of an onion (quartered), two carrot sticks and two stalks of celery. You do not need to peel the carrots and try to use the leafy parts in the middle of the celery bunch. If you have any leafy tops of celery, throw these in too. Add just enough water to cover the bones and produce. Place on stove and bring to a boil. Reduce and let simmer for one to four hours. (I simmered mine for 1 hour 15 minutes because that's all the time that I had.)
Remove from heat. Drain, reserving liquid. Remove and discard carrots and celery. Leave turkey to cool in strainer.
Set aside approximately half of the stock and freeze or refrigerate immediately to use for other meals.
Meanwhile, peel and dice two remaining carrots, the rest of the onion and two more stalks of celery. Saute in a small pan with some olive oil and garlic for five minutes or so, until the onions and celery soften. Add carrots and saute another two minutes. Return stock pot (with stock) to the stove and add carrot mixture. Add 1 bay leaf, spices, and leftovers (stuffing and green bean casserole) to the pot.
Remove turkey from bones and discard bones. Shred remaining turkey into large bite sized pieces. Add to stock pot. Add rice and pasta. Stir and allow to come up to a boil. Boil uncovered for twenty minutes until ingredients are combined and heated through.
Serve with warm crusty bread.
Slurp and enjoy!
This is a great recipe and makes a ton of turkey stock, which you can use for all sorts of things from soups to risottos. We had enough to make soup as well as a large container of stock which we froze for later use.
As I was putting away the extra stock, I realized something: I completed number 10 on my list of 130 Before I'm Thirty since I made a stock from scratch. Now granted the recipe I used isn't Ina Garten's and it isn't chicken stock, but it is homemade stock, which is the important part! And since it's my list I can bend the rules a bit, can't I?!?
I think I can.
This recipe is based on a family recipe and is great for using up all those Thanksgiving Day leftovers. We added a few ingredients to make it our own. Please feel free to do the same! Unfortunately, because this is a from scratch recipe, I do not have calorie count or serving size information to share.
Final note: if you have a pasta pot insert (with holes for draining) I would recommend using it for this recipe. This allows you to drain the stock pot easily, leaving the yummy stock in the pot and removing all the veggies and turkey to cool and shred.
Turkey Day Soup
Ingredients:
1 turkey carcass (ours was from a sixteen pound bird)
Turkey wings and drumsticks
4 carrots, divided
1 onion, divided
4 stalks of celery, divided
Leftover stuffing, approximately 1/2 cup
Leftover green bean casserole, approximately 1/4 cup--if you don't have any leftovers, you could always add frozen green beans
1/4 cup rice
2 cups of egg noodles
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon French Four Spice
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Kitchen Supplies:
Large stock pot, preferably with pasta drain insert
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring cups
In a large stock pot, place turkey bones, half of an onion (quartered), two carrot sticks and two stalks of celery. You do not need to peel the carrots and try to use the leafy parts in the middle of the celery bunch. If you have any leafy tops of celery, throw these in too. Add just enough water to cover the bones and produce. Place on stove and bring to a boil. Reduce and let simmer for one to four hours. (I simmered mine for 1 hour 15 minutes because that's all the time that I had.)
Remove from heat. Drain, reserving liquid. Remove and discard carrots and celery. Leave turkey to cool in strainer.
Set aside approximately half of the stock and freeze or refrigerate immediately to use for other meals.
Meanwhile, peel and dice two remaining carrots, the rest of the onion and two more stalks of celery. Saute in a small pan with some olive oil and garlic for five minutes or so, until the onions and celery soften. Add carrots and saute another two minutes. Return stock pot (with stock) to the stove and add carrot mixture. Add 1 bay leaf, spices, and leftovers (stuffing and green bean casserole) to the pot.
Remove turkey from bones and discard bones. Shred remaining turkey into large bite sized pieces. Add to stock pot. Add rice and pasta. Stir and allow to come up to a boil. Boil uncovered for twenty minutes until ingredients are combined and heated through.
Serve with warm crusty bread.
Slurp and enjoy!
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