Recipe for a Great Birthday

Here are my big golden birthday plans:

Friday night- Hubby and I are going to eat at BD’s Mongolian BBQ. I have a free meal at BD’s because I signed up for their birthday club. Other places you can sign up and get something for free on your birthday are Baskin Robbins (free scoop of ice cream), Culvers (a free sundae), Cold Stone (which I am getting tonight after my stir fry), Noodles and Co. (a free meal), Houlihans (a free meal), Red Robin (a free meal), Firehouse Subs (a free sub on your actual birthday), and one of my favorites- Caribou Coffee (a free coffee if you go on your birthday). There are a lot more deals like these that you can find on the internet. The only problem for me is- once I have the coupons, I feel obligated to use them. I end up with probably twenty coupons that all expire in a two week period.

Saturday- Hubby and I are going to Nordstrom’s and I am going to pick out a pair of Toms shoes (www.toms.com). I am in love with Toms, not only because of their fabulous prints, but because they are so philanthropic. For every pair of Toms purchased, the company donates a pair of shoes to a child in need. A pair of Toms costs around $55.00, not such a bad price considering it pays for two pairs of shoes.

After Nordstrom’s, we are going to Firehouse Subs for my free sandwich. I haven’t been to Firehouse yet, but I’ve heard amazing things about it. After Firehouse, we are dropping by Caribou for my free cup of joe. I love Caribou, but I don’t get to go there too often, so it will be a real treat. After Caribou, we will probably head home, unless I can convince Hubby to stroll through HomeGoods with me. I love HomeGoods. I was introduced to this store by some co-workers who could not believe I had never been there before. Now that I am acquainted with the place, I can’t believe I drove past it so often and had no idea what was inside.

Saturday night… is my birthday party! I am having a Minute to Win It birthday celebration. Hubby and I are going to set up stations around our home with different Minute to Win It games. For dinner, we are serving bbq grilled chicken, beer brats, potato salad and corn on the cob. For dessert- PUMPKIN PIE! As a take home gift, we are giving each guest a pint of our homemade salsa (remember all those tomatoes from a while back- these are them).

Sunday- homework, homework, homework. Did I mention I have homework? In all honesty, we will also be spending some time out at my uncle’s house. Fair time is right around the corner and there is a lot to get done before then. More about the fair later- I promise.

Meanwhile, in honor of my golden birthday- eat a piece of cake and take a moment to relax and enjoy life. Blessings!

Reading, Writing...My Birthday?

Let's briefly take a trip down memory lane and see why having a birthday in the end of August is not always that amazing, shall we?

1987- It's my 5th birthday and I celebrate by having my first day of kindergarten. I'm crying because my best friend in the whole world (who is also my cousin) is not in the same class that I'm in. To make matters worse, the music teacher yells at me and tells me I need to shape up and start participating or I have to sit in the corner. No cupcakes for me, not even a happy birthday song (yes, I remember this exactly).

1993- My first day of junior high and again, my birthday. Two different elementary schools are combined into one junior and senior high, so a lot of the kids are strangers. One girl, who just so happens to have the same first name as me, gets her locker right next to mine. Unfortunately, back at a second grade mixer, I told her I didn't want to play with her on the jungle gym, so now she hates me. Happy birthday gawky teenager.

2000- My first day of college classes. I know only a handful of people and none of them know it is my birthday. I am overwhelmed by my first experience with college syllabi and I spend that night at the Big Brother/Big Sister Freshman Welcome Party, following the commands of my upperclassman big sister to kiss guys on the cheek and sing Barney songs to the architect students. Embarrassing- yes, memorable- for sure.

There was just never a way to escape it- my birthday always landed on the first or second day of school. If I was lucky, it would be on a Saturday and I could escape the classes and just focus on finishing my new homework before blowing out the candles. Then, for several years after college graduation, I didn't have to worry about school anymore and my birthday was free of all worries.

Now, I am back where I started. Today is my first day of class for the new semester and this weekend I will be focusing on getting my class reading done around my birthday plans. This puts me in such a reminiscent mood; I want to go out and buy some Trapper Keepers, Yikes! pencils and Mr. Sketch markers.

Throw another Candle on the Cake

Looking back on all of my favorite birthdays, they all have one thing in common- they were all spent camping. Camping is one of my favorite activities and since my birthday is in the summer, I spend a lot of them in either a tent or a trailer.

My favorite place to birthday camp is on my own personal island. Don't get me wrong, I don't own an island, but I have one that I like to imagine is just mine. In all actuality, it belongs to the forestry department and it is used for Boy Scout overnights, but I never personally saw any boy scouts on my island and so, I choose to believe there never are any.

My island is located a long canoe ride (down the thorough-fare, under the bridge, across the lake and then down the most scenic stream) from my grandparent's old cabin. Once you get there it is surrounded by submerged boulders that make great cannonball jumping rocks. The island itself is very wooded and probably the size of two Walgreens (sorry for the crazy imagery, I was trying to think of something anyone could relate to). There is just enough of a clearing for a tent and a good fire pit.

Only my dearest friends and my sisters are allowed to visit my island. My hubby could visit now too, but he hasn't been there yet. My favorite thing to do there is a midnight swim when the sky is clear and the stars are out. Oh man, sometimes I really miss living with my parents because if I did- I would go canoeing right now.

Happy birthday to me, I wish I was camping under a tree, Happy birthday dear Lazy Peacock, Happy birthday to me!

A Golden Opportunity to Wish Myself Well

Happy birthday week to me! I am one of those celebratory crazies who will look for any excuse to deck the house with balloons and streamers and throw a family get-together. This week I am going a little extra crazy because this Saturday is my golden birthday- I am turning 28 on August 28th!

My dad thinks it is silly to celebrate a golden birthday, but I think it adds an element of fun to turning another year older . Thankfully, I am not yet at the age where I dread being older, but I am getting closer (I just celebrated my oldest sister's 30th birthday!)

To celebrate my b-day, this week I want to examine some of my favorite birthday traditions and even take a look back at some of my very favorite birthdays. On the flip side, I might even reveal some of my biggest birthday blunders. Stay tuned for those kinds of firecrackers!

Hang Your Hat on This

Today, I am loving hooks! As in, hooks to hang your hat on, or in my case- to hang artwork, craft supplies, etcetera. This all goes back to an incredible idea I came up with a while ago...

You see, Hubby and I have this one small bedroom in our house that doesn't have a closet. The room is too tiny for a guest room and we already have one of those anyway. So, the love of my life graciously handed the room over for my own particular use until we need it for a nursery. What's to become of it until then? I am making it into my own quirky craft room.

...Back to my brilliant idea- I have become a hook collector for the sake of my craft room. I am constantly keeping a sharp lookout for unique, colorful, assorted hooks. When I have collected a good number, I am going to hang them all on one of the walls in my craft room. By itself, it will be an art statement, but I am also going to use the hooks to hang ribbon, my fun scissors, tape, misc. art supplies and especially my handiwork.

I never knew there were so many different kinds of hooks in the world. My favorite hooks so far are a white ceramic fish hook (I think it is a trout) and a barn hook I found in the dirt one day (woo hoo- a freebie).

Here are some other hooks worth a second glance:

What's for Dinner?

Today, I want to talk about the dinner I love the most- POT ROAST. My little sister texted me this morning to say that she had pot roast simmered in red wine for supper last night. My mouth was watering just hearing about her nosh.

In celebration of my favorite dinner, I want to share my favorite pot roast recipe.

What you should remember when it comes to pot roast is that it requires slow cooking over low heat to ensure tender, flavorful meat. This is especially important because pot roasts typically use the tougher cuts of beef -like a chuck roast or shoulder roast, which tend to have the most flavor. It is the slow cooking at low heat that melts the tough connective tissue between the muscle fibers (gross to think about- I know), leaving you with tender meat that flakes apart with your fork.

Special note: for this recipe, I only add a half cup of liquid to the pot because I'm able to keep the heat very low and my slow cooker has a tight cover.

My Pot Roast Recipe

Ingredients

3 1/2 lb of beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt, pepper, italian seasoning to taste

1 large yellow onion, chopped or sliced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 cup of red wine

Several carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise

Method

1. Use a thick-bottomed covered pot (oven-proof if you intend to cook in an oven), such as a dutch oven, just large enough to hold the roast and vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to sear the meat). Sprinkle and rub the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning all over the meat. Brown the roast in the pot, all over, several minutes on each side. Don't move the roast while a each side is browning, or it won't brown well at all.

2. When the roast is browned, lift up the meat and add garlic and chopped onion to the bottom of the pan. Let the roast sit on top of the onions. Add 1/2 a cup of red wine. Cover. Bring to a simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer when covered. Alternatively, you can cook the pot roast in a 225°F oven, once you have browned it on the stovetop, and brought the liquid to a simmer (make sure to use an oven proof pan).

3. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the meat is tender. Near the end of the cooking, add the carrots and cook until they are tender- about an additional 10 minutes.

After cooking for 3 1/2 hours, before adding the carrots- note how much liquid has been released by the meat. This liquid comes from slow cooking at a very low temperature. If your pot roast is too dry, make sure the pan you are using has a tight fitting lid and that you are cooking at the lowest possible heat to maintain the low simmering.

This recipe serves 4-5 people. I love serving this pot roast with green beans and delicious mashed potatoes.

A Tune that makes me Croon

Today, I am absolutely loving study music. I currently am in the middle of piecing together a twelve page paper on mentoring and it seems that no matter how long I sit and write- I am getting nowhere. Actually, I have eight pages completed, but they are just a jumble of thoughts and bullet points that I need to convert into prose.

This long-drawn out paper is why I am loving music that I can study to. I prefer to write with some background noise, but not like a television show or conversation. I am an easily distracted person and the chatter makes my mind wander. I am not good at writing while listening to pop music either. Whenever I write while listening to the radio, I find that I am typing the lyrics of the current song, as opposed to my brilliant logic (so if you ever notice that this blog sounds familiar- think of the current pop songs and you'll probably figure out why).

What's left to listen to while I write? I am particularly fond of two scores right now. The first is the Amazing Grace soundtrack. The music on it is beautifully written with some very mellow sounds, but also some stand up proud, with your chest puffed out- kind of music.

Along the same lines, I am especially in love with the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack. Have you ever heard it? It is incredible! Not only was it a wonderful movie, but the music that was created for it is genius. In fact, I am listening to it as I write this blog post.

What do you listen to while you study or write? If neither of those things is on your to-do list-what about while you clean the house or maybe mow the lawn? I am always on the lookout for some excellent options. Just remember- I don't do well with lyrics... unless I am in the car, with open windows.... then I belt it!

Knock Knock... Who's There?

It's me ...To tell you how much I am loving red front doors today! Believe me, this is not as random as it seems. My hubby and I are finally around to painting our front porch and our front door. Up until now, our front door has been that dull, light gray color all new (non-wood) doors come in- directly from Menards.

It took me quite a while to pick out just the right colors for our porch, but especially for our front door. I mean think about it... the first thing people notice when they come over to our house is the front porch (including the door). And people who are driving by really only get that quick front-of-the-house impression. I want our house to make people smile because they are thinking:
What a great home!
It looks so inviting!
I wish I was going to visit that house!
Those people know what's going on style-wise!

What did I finally decide on? Our house has light blue (metal) siding and so, I picked colors that would complement the light blue and brighten up the front of the house a bit. As a bonus, whatever we can do to draw attention away from the fact that our house says "Howard is gay" up by the roof- the better (why haven't we tried to get rid of that yet- I have no idea... and who is Howard?). After looking at hundreds of color cards, I chose red for the front door (red delicious by Glidden) and a darker, smoky blue for the porch (paint name to come).

I took the initiative to paint two coats of red on the front door while Hubby was off visiting friends. When he came home he was very surprised by my handy work and much to my delight- complemented my on my cutting-in skills around the door handles and locks. At first the red was very bright and awful, but the more coats we put on- the darker the red gets.

As of right now, the door is not finished being painted because Hubby decided the Glidden paint is a bear to work with (he is a Benjamin Moore painter through and through and I trust him). As soon as I can get it finished, I will post a stellar before and after photo.

For your enjoyment- here are some other red doors that triggered my imagination and tickled my fancy bone:







































*For those of you who are wondering- Hubby and I went out to my uncle's house and ended up coming home with 3 more pounds of plump, ripe tomatoes. Now that I have so many, I am going to make them into my blue ribbon salsa and can 'em. Yum yum!

Tomaters...

I absolutely love fresh, organic produce! I especially love when it comes out of my own garden, but alas- I do not have a garden this year. Hubby and I decided we have so many house renovations to tackle that we can't care for a garden this summer. It was the right choice to make, but every time I pass a garden brimming with fruits and veggies- I get a tad bit regretful.

So imagine my delight, when I came into work this morning to find a bunch of homegrown, plump, red tomatoes up for grabs in the kitchen. Out of a begrudging fairness to everyone else, I only took one tomato, but it is fairly large.

Now, the question is- WHAT DO I MAKE WITH IT? I've already had several thoughts.

I love bruschetta, so that is one possibility. I particularly enjoy very garlicky bruschetta with good extra virgin olive oil (like what we got at the Queen Creek Olive Mill in Arizona. If you have never been there- check it out @ queencreekolivemill.com. They have amazing food and have been featured on The Food Network several times).

I am also toying with the thought of making grilled tomatoes with fresh mozzarella. Hubby and I love to grill some freshly sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. When the slices get good grill marks (we always use charcoal), we add fresh mozzarella to the top and let it get a bit melty. Grilled tomato and mozzarella is great to eat on its own, or on top of our favorite crusty bread.

The last possibility I've thought of for this plump tomato is my blue ribbon salsa (the blue ribbon was won at the Sandwich Fair last year- more to come on the fair shortly). The tomato would make a small batch, but it would be great served with some enchiladas or tacos over the weekend.

Just to be a king blogger- here is my blue ribbon salsa recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced
1 serano chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced optional depending on how hot you want it
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: oregano and or cumin to taste
2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes (from 1 lb to 1 1/2 lb), stems removed, finely diced

Mixing it all together:

Start by chopping up 2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes. Then, carefully prepare the chilies. If you can, avoid touching the chillies with your hands because they can burn! Use a fork to cut up the chilies over a small plate, or use a paper towel to protect your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling and avoid touching your eyes for several hours (believe you me). Set aside some of the seeds from the peppers. If the salsa isn't hot enough, you can add a few for heat.

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Take a taste. If the chilies make the salsa too hot, add some more chopped tomato. If not hot enough, carefully add a few of the seeds from the chilies, or add some ground cumin.


Let sit for an hour for the flavors to combine.


Makes approximately 3-4 cups.


All of these ideas sound so delicious- I might have to go to the store and buy some more organic tomaters. I'll let you know how I ended up eating this particular winner later on...


Blessings on your weekend!

Next gas station 100 miles...

Last Thursday, my husband and I drove up to the Grand Canyon from Phoenix. The drive up was beautiful through Jerome, Sedona and Flagstaff. If you have never been, I suggest it.

Right before we got to the Grand Canyon entrance, I suggested to my husband that we purchase some gas. At the time, we had about a quarter tank. Unfortunately, the gas station was advertising unleaded at $3.25 per gallon! Unwilling to shell out that much cash for gas, my husband said we should wait and get gas the next day on our way into Utah. Surely he said, there will be cheaper gas a bit further away from the entrance to the canyon.

We proceeded to drive to the entrance to the park, only to wait 45 minutes at the gate because of the large crowds. By the time we got into Mather Campground inside the park, we were noticeably lower than a quarter tank of gas. Fortunately for us (and the environment), the Grand Canyon has a wonderful bus system that carries guests around the park for free. The buses run on natural fuels and we only had to wait maybe 15 minutes (at the most) to catch a bus.

My husband and I had a wonderful evening wandering around the Grand Canyon. We walked for an hour along the rim, stopping to take pictures and gaze in wonder along the way. My only wish is that we had more time to spend on the rim- hiking and lingering.

We spent a great night in our tent with the air reaching a cool 52 degrees at night. When we woke the next morning, we packed up our car and jumped back in for the long drive up to Denver. The only obstacle in our way- our gas tank! We needed gas soon.

While driving out of the campground, I asked my husband if we should go back to the gas station we had seen the day before. He said no, explaining that we needed to take a different exit out of the east side of the park. When we got onto the proper exit road we saw a sign saying- "24 miles to Desert View". We could make it 24 miles with what we had left... I reasoned.

After a few prime photography stops, we finally reached Desert View, only to realize that it was a watchtower and not a town with a gas station! Running on vapors, we kept going. As it turns out, the next gas station was 36 miles past the Desert View Watchtower.

I remember I was praying so hard that we wouldn't run out of gas, but I wasn't trying to act scared because I didn't want to let me husband see I was nervous (which he saw right through). The Lord heard our scared pleas though, and most of the 36 mile trip was downhill and there was no need to use the gas pedal. Praise the Lord!!!

Had we run out of gas during those 36 miles, we would have been in complete desert- stranded. There was nothing, but large red rocks and several roadside Native American craft stands for miles in every direction. I believe we only passed a small handful of cars as well.

I know I was gripping the steering wheel pretty hard during that drive. In the end however, we did make it to the next gas station available and it was only $2.74 per gallon. What a scary stretch of road for us. Next time, I will listen to my dad when he says to never let the gas tank get below half a tank in the desert.

On the Road Again... Going Places that I've Never Been...

I'm back! That's right... I was gone, but now I am back. For safety's sake, I decided not to blog about being gone until after I had returned. Following? Now that I am a bonafide house owner, I understand the folly of telling complete strangers when exactly they are free to take a shopping spree in your home.

Last week after my grandma's funeral (which was lovely by the way), my husband and I hit the road on our summer vacation. The destination- Phoenix, AZ. Obviously, Phoenix in the beginning of August isn't everyone's dream vacation, but we headed down there to meet up with my husband's family. I was nervous about the intense heat, but it turned out better than I thought it would (I love air conditioning).

Overall, my hubby and I toured through 10 states, including a bunch that he had never been in before. We also visited one state I had never been in- Utah. We drove through a ton of desert landscapes. I particularly loved the saguaro cactus (although I can never pronounce it correctly) and the ocotillo. My husband actually hurt himself on an ocotillo (Why has no one ever told him to never touch a cactus?)

Obligatory road trip animal count: we saw a roadkill armadillo, a mule deer, lizards crossing the highway, three bighorn sheep way up on a mountain cliff, a huge raven at the Grand Canyon, a long horn steer, loads of cows, a snake (unidentified type), a mouse at a Moab gas station, and Lady Gaga.

Seriously, we passed Lady Gaga's tour bus as we headed out of Albuquerque. We don't have a picture to prove this, but seriously- it is nothing to brag about anyway. She is a very strange person.

More travel stories and pictures to come, but I just wanted to let everyone know... I have returned from the vacation many of you didn't know I was on. Blessings!