baking.

i sort of love this photo for so many reasons.  one, i love that avery's actually old enough to participate in things like baking cookies, or brownies in this case.  two, i love that sweater.  three, the ponytail.  four, she just looks so grown up, like she's really going to be turning two in a few months.  and five, i think there are about a hundred pictures of me baking with my mom when i was a kid.    

avery loves to help bake by dumping the ingredients into the bowl after i measure them out and then mixing everything together.  she also loves turning the light on the oven and watching things bake.   i'm really more of a baker than a cooker.  i cook because we have to eat but i really like baking.  however, since having avery i haven't baked all that much because cooking with a baby or a toddler is hard and i haven't had the time or energy to attempt to bake things after cooking a meal.  baking always seems like such a luxury while cooking is a necessity.  but lately, we've been baking more because she loves it too and it's an activity that we can actually do together.  also, i'm pregnant and want to eat cookies all day long.  avery's already talking about the cooking and baking that she's going to do with grandma when she comes to visit.  and she's really excited to bake christmas cookies because i told her that she could make them in the shape of santa.  so even though we have another little one coming in a few weeks, i'll have to make sure that avery gets her fill of holiday baking.  and who knows, maybe one day i'll figure out how to make something without sugar.    

december birthdays.

i've mentioned that december's kind of a big month in our house. 

we've got dunkin's birthday on december 7th, charlie's on the 17th, and avery's on the 20th.  

my in-laws came out last week and spent a few days hanging out with us, playing with avery, and we also started our birthday celebrating a little early so they could celebrate with us.  

this was avery's first balloon that a very nice checkout lady at sprouts gave to us.  avery liked it a lot and then i tied the balloon to dunkin who wasn't all about it.  

i made a carrot cake since i figured this would be avery's first cake and i convinced myself this would be a healthier option since there were some veggies in it.  pretty sure the sugar and oil cancelled out anything good the carrots may have added.  and let's be honest, her favorite part was the icing, which was cheese and sugar.  she didn't sleep well at all that night but it was fun to see her try something new.  i will say after giving her a small slice of the cake i don't know how people give their kids entire cakes to smash because the cleanup from a tiny piece was messy enough!  

i can't believe my baby is almost one! everyone always says that time really starts to fly once you have kids but it really does!  i feel like it was just a few months ago that she was a teeny infant and now she's a talking, moving, sleep-stealing almost-toddler.  crazy.  

cake.

sunday night i had a million things that i wanted to do.  and it was still driving me insane (charlie, too) that we could not make a decision about where to live.  so of course the only logical thing to do was ignore the grocery shopping and decision making and bake a cake.  i had been wanting to make this cake since last january when i found the recipe in a better homes and gardens magazine.  unfortunately i did not have cake pans.  one year and three cake pans later, i finally made it.  my first three layer cake.  the frosting was a little sweet for me but tasted much better the next day after a night in the refrigerator.

last night was a rare night when avery beat us to bed so charlie and i had cake and tea at 7:30, watched an hour of the grammy's and then went to bed.  it's sad when 'staying up late' involves being in bed by 9.  

of course after making it to bed my daughter decided that last night would be a perfect night to wake up every two hours throughout the night.  and when she was up she was wide awake, smiling and ready to play.  at one point around 3:30 i started to think of those first two weeks when we first brought her home, when we were up every 3 hours, and a two hour stretch of sleeping was considered really good.  i sort of miss those days, because although we got less sleep the only thing we had to worry about was taking care of her.  it was really nice just to spend all of our time together and not worry about work or what was for dinner that night.  expectations were a lot lower and it was pretty sweet.  i remember one day, when she was about 3 weeks old, when i got about 2 hours of sleep the night before and then we spent the whole next day on the couch, napping.  it was snowing outside and it was pretty much the most perfect wednesday.  

food.

i tried 2 new recipes this week.  this is a record for me as i don't think i've tried 2 new recipes in a month before.  i could really get used to this staying at home thing.  i've been trying to eat healthy but i've found that with a new baby this requires a bit more planning than it did before.  we're in bed a lot earlier and my evening hours are pretty much devoted to her since she's at her crankiest and refuses to be put down.  

since avery's been born charlie's been going to the gym in the mornings so that he can spend more time with us in the evenings.  although i don't think any of us love that he's up at 5:45 (i know this could be a lot worse) but it's been really nice to have him around after work.  i know this will be especially nice when i go back to work and won't see him until 5 pm which is when he was leaving for the gym.  he's also made a deal with me that if i plan all of our meals he'll be the one to cook them.  i have yet to take him up on this but i'm sure once i'm gone 9 hours a day it will be a different story.  

i'm going to try and use this blog to keep track of some of these meals.  one of the reasons i've never been terribly successful with meal planning and cooking in the past is that i don't have a ton that i like to make and we get sick of eating the same things over and over again.  i have found that pinterest has been helpful in finding new, easy recipes to make and hopefully i'll be able to find more we can add to our rotation.  i'm in need of some good vegetarian recipes if anyone has some.  most of mine involve pasta which i'm trying to eat less of.  

anyway.  here are the two recipies i tried this week.  i modified them enough that i want to write them down so i can remember them for next time.  

Hamburg Casserole.

we had a variation of this growing up but i didn't have the recipe.  

1 lb. beef (or bison)

mashed potatoes ~6-8 depending on size

1.5 packages of frozen green beans, thawed

1 can of tomato soup

1 onion

seasoning for the beef

cheese (optional)

1.  make mashed potatoes.

2.  brown meat and onion and add seasoning.  i used salt, pepper, worcestershire sause, and hot sauce but you could use anything. 

3.  add cooked meat and beans to a 9 x 13 pan.  mix.

4.  pour tomato soup on top of the meat/bean mixture.

5.  layer mashed potatoes on top and add shredded cheese.

6.  bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Swiss Chicken.

this was goooood.

2-3 chicken breasts. 

4 slices of cheese (i used havarti)

can of cream of chicken

1/2 cup of milk

6 oz. breadcrumbs

ranch seasoning mix

1/2 cup of butter

1.  cut chicken into cutlets and place on the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan.

2.  lay cheese on top of chicken.

3.  mix cream of chicken and milk and pour over chicken.

4.  mix breadcrumbs and ranch seasoning and layer on top of chicken.

5.  melt butter and pour on top of breadcrumbs

6.  bake at 350 for 50 - 65 minutes.

this week's meal plan.  

monday. pizza.

tuesday. hamburger casserole.

wednesday. swiss chicken.

thursday. leftovers

friday. turkey bean chili (with bison).

saturday. leftovers

sunday. v-day dinner.

lunches. leftovers, sandwiches, & trail mix.

hopefully this will make it a little easier to keep track of stuff.  and since it's already thursday and i go back to work next week (insert sad face)! i should probably start to figure out what we're eating (and charlie's cooking) next week.

and here's an avery picture because she's just so cute.

cookies and a crock pot.

i have a confession to make.  

i've never made chocolate chip cookies.  

i realized this the other day and then decided that i had to fix that.

and then i found this recipe on pinterest, which is incidentally the same exact recipe that my mom used when i was growing up.  and unlike me, she made chocolate chip cookies all.the.time..

also, i had a lot of pudding mix so i figured this was a good recipe to make.  

and it was.  

i accidentally added an extra egg.  apparently i can't tell the difference between 2 and 3, but they still tasted just fine.  

all ready to go to the oven.

and then charlie came home from the gym and ate 5 of them.  

in other exciting food news i've been looking for more crock pot recipes because 1. they are awesome 2. they are easy and 3.  i figure they'll come in handy with a new baby.  

i found a few that i'm attempting to try, but i made this recipe for chicken on sunday night.  

it was my first time actually putting raw meat in the crock pot but it turned out really well.  

if you're looking to make it i will say that it cooked really fast.  i'd definitely cook it on low the whole time next time but there definitely will be a next time.  i'm thinking that chicken chili might be next.  

lately.

it has been storming just about every day.

good for the grass but the hail has almost killed my flowers.

we've been grilling almost every meal.

this chicken was amazing. and i don't like chicken.

and eating lots of salads.

this baby better come out liking vegetables.

and we've also been swimming every weekend for the past month.

it's not quite the same as going to the beach but it's pretty darn close.

have i mentioned how much i love summer?

perfect weeknight.

last night i came home and charlie wanted to grill dinner.

so we went to sprouts, came home, and cooked dinner while listening to adele.

i was in the mood for mexican so we made steak fajitas.

we grilled peppers.

and steak.

and made guacamole.

and made amazing fajitas.

almost as amazing as rio grande. almost.

it was the perfect tuesday night after a long weekend.

how to make your significant other fall in love with you...

assuming they haven't already.

or unless you want them to fall even more in love with you.

note: this only applies if said significant other likes dessert.

but if your partner isn't a fan of dessert then you have bigger problems. like who to share an enormous sundae with. or convincing yourself that a late night ice cream run is absolutely necessary.

for us, it's safe to say that charlie loves dessert more than i do. especially ice cream.

i have never seen that boy turn down ice cream. ever.

for charlie:

happy = food.

love = caramel pie.

not real caramel but the 'caramel' you get when you boil a few cans of sweetened condensed milk.

side note: this method of making caramel is not recommended by the internets because if the water drops below the top of the cans the cans will explode. this happened to my mom when i was a kid and there is still caramel stuck to our kitchen table to this day.

anyway a few days ago we were at sprouts getting a few things and charlie was all 'oh, lets (read: you) make caramel pie!'. so we got some graham crackers and cans of sweetened condensed milk and tonight amid writing papers (what else?) he convinced me to make the pie.

this time we used organic sweetened condensed milk instead of my trusted eagle brand.

bad move.

when the cans were done instead of the gooey almost liquid mixture that was supposed to be inside there was this gelatinous caramel-like stuff.

it's pretty difficult to mold gelatin into a pie. trust me.

so the moral of the story is that if you're trying to bake caramel pie:

a. boiling the cans might not be your best bet. unless you like to live dangerously.

and b. this is one case where organic doesn't win. go eagle.

this is what the pie should look like:

and this is what tonight's 'pie' turned out to be:

oh well, i'm sure even julia child had a few disasters. at least that's what it seemed like from the movie julie and julia. but i'm pretty sure charlie's joining match.com right now.

disclaimer & backstory: when i started working at my current job i came in on my third day of work to find this copy from a magazine on my desk. no note. no explanation. nothing. obviously i chose not to say anything considering the fact that i was brand new and i had no idea who had left it there in the first place. i was also hoping that it was a joke. at the end of the day, one of the guys i work with came by and told me he was the one i had left i there. and then we got into a lovely discussion regarding male and female roles. i have to admit that over time my own views of the roles i want in my own marriage are changing. that being said, i can say that i would never remove charlie's shoes for him (unless physically he was incapable) and if he came home to the sound of the washing machine and dishwasher i think he should be grateful that some cleaning was going on. i'm sure you've seen this before, its been floating around for years, but regardless, enjoy.

How to be a good wife ...

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal -- on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take fifteen minutes to rest so that you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. he has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him, greet him with a smile and be glad to see him.

Some don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.

Make the evening his: never complain if he doest not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain of pressure, his need to be home and relax.

Your goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

-- Taken from a Home Economics textbook in the 1950s

apparently if you google "5 signs people know your house is dirty" it'll lead you to my blog.

i'm blaming this post.

my mom would be so proud.

bedroom "curtains"

so last winter we hung some curtains in our bedroom:

i wasn't crazy about the color.

i actually thought they were a bit depressing. honestly i think they look much better in this picture than they did in person.

anyway, i've been looking for an inexpensive alternative.

right now this is their replacement.

i'm not exactly crazy about these either.

the problem is that i think they match the walls too closely.

also, they are not blackout curtains, which probably isn't a problem for a normal person but i cannot sleep unless it's pitch black.

please feel free to judge me for the unmade bed. i honestly can't be bothered to care about making the bed anymore.

thoughts? suggestions? go for it.

if i end up taking these out of our bedroom i'll probably move them to the office, so it's not like they're a waste. also they were super cheap.

it's hard to find something that doesn't totally clash with our quilt.

ps. just made chocolate chip pumpkin bread tonight. very excited that it came out successfully.

life, papers, and a cozy little apartment

so i mentioned in my love letter to our jeep that we now had full ownership our little patriot.

this was no accident. charlie and i made a few executive decisions about money, houses, and our little car.

side note: charlie's always hated that jeep. you see he traded in his wrangler for it because of things like "practicality", "responsibility", and "maturity". charlie loved the wrangler. me, not so much. i'm not really a "let's put the top up and down several times a week for fun" kinda girl. but ever since we paid the patriot off he's been saying things like "jeep we love you. please last forever". so sweet.

anyway, charlie and i are renters. and previously we were thinking that sometime around next year-ish we'd start looking for a house. i really, really love our little apartment and if it had a 2 car garage, a yard, and i could paint the walls i'd stay forever. but it doesn't and i can't. (oh, wait i did.)

however, the thing about us buying a house is that it's sort of permanent.

charlie works from home, the lucky duck, but i don't. and since i graduate in may, we decided it probably would be best not to ground ourselves and limit our options before seeing what the next year or two are going to look like.

also, the other thing about buying a house is that it is a lot of debt. and since we already had debt from the jeep and student loans, we decided it probably would be best to get out of the debt we were in before adding to it.

such a boring decision. but it had to be done.

the deal was, that if we were going to stay in our little apartment. there was a few things i wanted to do to make our lives here a little more comfortable.

1. i wanted organize the garage.

exciting stuff. but between bikes, canoes, skis, storage, charlie's work stuff, and a car. it was getting tight.

2. i wanted to move the tv off the mantle.

i hate our tv where it is. a. it's too high and b. the wires hanging all over drive me insane.

3. charlie wanted the office rearranged.

he's all "it sucks in here". and he was kinda right.

4. curtains.

we hung curtains in our bedroom and office and i hate them. so i have to do something cheap about it.

all of these are works in progress. i'll let you know how they turn out. and if you have any suggestions feel free to throw them my way. the problem is i go from a "loving bright colors" phase to a "loving neutrals" phase.

for now i'm off to write 3 20 page papers, which i probably should have started back in september. but the good news is there's only 5 weeks of school left and then 1 more semester. crazy.

good thing i have lots of help.

it's the little things, right?

like successful high altitude baking.

before we moved to colorado i used to bake all the time.

i mean i was no martha, but i made things, from scratch, and they were good!

then i moved and denver taunted me.

but last weekend, for the first time since moving out to colorado, i baked something from scratch and instead of ending in tears (because, yes, it had gotten that bad), it was successful!

meet mr. pumpkin cake.

he was delicious.

and now we don't have to relocate back to sea level.

julia child's beef bourguignon

sunday, we were super lazy and did nothing other than laze around all day, cook, and watch movies.

i finally crossed this dish off of my "2010 things to do list" and i was glad to have some cooking company. it would have been a long, lonely day otherwise.

the meal started with some chopping:

moved on to boiling water for some bacon (which i thought was slightly odd)

raw bacon (we couldn't find lardon)

[we got hungry during the cooking and ate approximately a million cookies]

here's the boiled bacon:

we (excluding me) made a BLT for charlie with the extra bacon

we used A LOT of this. if julia was really all about the butter, she would have been proud.

we chopped some more:

and then cooked some more:

all the copping and cooking made a bit of a mess:

and made for some very bored animals:

BUT, 24 hours later, we had a meal:

sangria.

i mentioned that i made sangria for the 4th.

it was my first time making sangria and i was told it was impossible to mess up & i think everyone was right.

i used this recipe because it was made with red wine and was easy and fast.

remember, the kitchen and i aren't good friends.

i made two batches of it. hey, it was a three day weekend.

the second batch, i didn't put any oranges in because i didn't have enough room. and it was definitely not as sweet, but in a good way.

i think if i made this again i'd cut the sugar in half.

oh, and instead of gin i used coconut rum & i didn't measure, i poured. a lot.

it was good. :)

fourth of july weekend

friday night:

made sangria & had dinner and drinks at lodo's.

saturday:

took the canoe to boyd lake.

had an arnold palmer & m&m's for breakfast, lunch on the canoe, & hot dogs and sangria for dinner.

boyd lake & a beautiful day.

i successfully jumped out and back into the canoe without tipping us over, read a good book, and watched charlie fish.

he caught a little fish ...

... and a bigger one.

we also got lots of sun.

sunday:

charlie broke out his new trail running shoes:

and we hiked bear peak & south boulder peak.

we made it down just before it started to rain.

and then we baked an apple pie, grilled out with some friends, drank a lot more sangria, and watched some fireworks in the rain.

monday:

had breakfast @ panera and then braved the traffic and drove out to the mountains to hike herman's gulch.

dunkin loves me. :)

family photo.

snow in july.

pretty good weekend. :)