Here's two versions of this song. The first one is Keith Whitley's, and the link below is Alison Krauss. For the longest time, the only version I knew was Alison Krauss and I loved it. But then I heard the original by Keith Whitley and I think I like that version better.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Finished front porch!
This is what we did yesterday:
We discussed going to the lake, but then there was rain in the forecast. So we worked on the porch and it ended up not raining. (Go figure!)
A couple months ago I discussed with my Dad how much we thought the porch was going to cost. I thought $500. He thought $1000. Three days of Lowe's receipts totaled $603.
On the menu for the week:
Chicken-Chili Tamale Pie from Food & Wine (I tore it out of the magazine and the page doesn't have the month/year on it!)
Pea and Bacon Risotto from Food & Wine May 2011
On the schedule for the week:
finishing up construction documents for a doctor's office
going to the gym and/or riding my bike a couple days
studying for my CSI CCS exam
Next house project: figuring out what to do with the siding. Do we replace it all with vinyl (ugh, vinyl!) , or do we only replace the pieces that are in bad shape? The Hubs is going to talk to the realtor we bought the house from to get her opinion.
We discussed going to the lake, but then there was rain in the forecast. So we worked on the porch and it ended up not raining. (Go figure!)
A couple months ago I discussed with my Dad how much we thought the porch was going to cost. I thought $500. He thought $1000. Three days of Lowe's receipts totaled $603.
On the menu for the week:
Chicken-Chili Tamale Pie from Food & Wine (I tore it out of the magazine and the page doesn't have the month/year on it!)
Pea and Bacon Risotto from Food & Wine May 2011
On the schedule for the week:
finishing up construction documents for a doctor's office
going to the gym and/or riding my bike a couple days
studying for my CSI CCS exam
Next house project: figuring out what to do with the siding. Do we replace it all with vinyl (ugh, vinyl!) , or do we only replace the pieces that are in bad shape? The Hubs is going to talk to the realtor we bought the house from to get her opinion.
Oatmeal Muffins
Oatmeal Muffins. See the recipe here, on 101 Cookbooks.
There weren't any seasonings listed for the muffins, so I added 1 tsp vanilla and sprinkle of cinnamon to the batter. And I didn't see the note in the recipe heading about the crumble being a double recipe, until after the muffins were in the oven with the entirety of the crumble topping...
I used both muffin pans again. This time, I put the "good" pan in first, and let it bake for about 5 minutes before putting in the aluminum one that likes to burn everything. I also used less muffin batter in aluminum one, so they wouldn't overflow the pan. Instead of having 18 muffins as the recipe calls for, I had 20. Halfway through the cooking time, I rotated the pans and switched shelves.
The Hubs likes these! I keep hearing him sneak back into the kitchen to grab another one!
The Hubs suggested that next time I add pecans.
There weren't any seasonings listed for the muffins, so I added 1 tsp vanilla and sprinkle of cinnamon to the batter. And I didn't see the note in the recipe heading about the crumble being a double recipe, until after the muffins were in the oven with the entirety of the crumble topping...
I used both muffin pans again. This time, I put the "good" pan in first, and let it bake for about 5 minutes before putting in the aluminum one that likes to burn everything. I also used less muffin batter in aluminum one, so they wouldn't overflow the pan. Instead of having 18 muffins as the recipe calls for, I had 20. Halfway through the cooking time, I rotated the pans and switched shelves.
The Hubs likes these! I keep hearing him sneak back into the kitchen to grab another one!
The Hubs suggested that next time I add pecans.
Off the regular schedule...
I've been super busy this week. I ended up putting in 10 hours of overtime this week to try getting caught up on a project I'm working on. Actually, several projects. I brought home work to do today, and we'll see if I get to it.
Yesterday, we finished the front porch. Photos to come later this afternoon when I'm not parked in the yard. We put on railings, lattice and the Hubs made a custom condensate pan for our air conditioner so our new decking doesn't rot out! It is so beautiful, and it's nice to sit in my Adirondack chair without fear that I'll fall through the decking!
Between all this work and the house projects, I'm also studying for my CSI Certified Construction Specifier exam, and need to start working on my last (again, because it's a retake) architecture exam, Schematic Design. I can take Schematic Design in early September (There's a six month waiting period between when you first take it, and when you are allowed to retake it.) The CSI exam has an exam window of September 26 to October 8. I laid out a 12 week plan for studying, but figured if I started early that would build in a couple weeks like this week where I'm mentally incapable of studying.
Right now I have Oatmeal Muffins in the oven. Photos of those to come too.
Garden report:
I noticed on Thursday that the tarragon sprouted in the greenhouse. Yesterday, several of the artichoke seeds sprouted.
Yesterday morning I harvested an ounce of peas, and Friday evening another 3 oz of mixed greens. That brings the mixed greens total to 22.5 oz for the season, with more to harvest this week.
Yesterday, we finished the front porch. Photos to come later this afternoon when I'm not parked in the yard. We put on railings, lattice and the Hubs made a custom condensate pan for our air conditioner so our new decking doesn't rot out! It is so beautiful, and it's nice to sit in my Adirondack chair without fear that I'll fall through the decking!
Between all this work and the house projects, I'm also studying for my CSI Certified Construction Specifier exam, and need to start working on my last (again, because it's a retake) architecture exam, Schematic Design. I can take Schematic Design in early September (There's a six month waiting period between when you first take it, and when you are allowed to retake it.) The CSI exam has an exam window of September 26 to October 8. I laid out a 12 week plan for studying, but figured if I started early that would build in a couple weeks like this week where I'm mentally incapable of studying.
Right now I have Oatmeal Muffins in the oven. Photos of those to come too.
Garden report:
I noticed on Thursday that the tarragon sprouted in the greenhouse. Yesterday, several of the artichoke seeds sprouted.
Yesterday morning I harvested an ounce of peas, and Friday evening another 3 oz of mixed greens. That brings the mixed greens total to 22.5 oz for the season, with more to harvest this week.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Throw-together meal
This week I had full intentions of making a couple new recipes. But I've been slammed at work. Monday I worked 11.5 hours and by the time I got home I had no mental capacity to create anything so I stopped at Papa Murphy's and bought a take-home pizza.
Last night I was in a little better shape. Over the weekend I bought a package of boneless skinless chicken tenderloins and I had two leeks in the bottom of the fridge that needed to be used. Here's last night's dinner (which the Hubs took a bite of last night and decided to take a container of it for lunch today, so, WIN!):
Cut the chicken tenderloins into about 1" long pieces. Put in a large nonstick skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil and cook until almost cooked through.
In the meantime, slice the leeks up (make sure to wash them REALLY well, because dirt likes to hide in the layers).
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, basil (or whatever your heart desires. I originally thought I'd go more Tex-Mex with this but halfway through decided basil sounded good too. Surprisingly it turned out ok.)
Add the leeks, a can of black beans (rinsed) and a pint of home-canned tomatoes. You want it to cook down a little, so also add 1-2 cups of water depending on the consistency desired.
Cook for several minutes, until the leeks are tender and some of the liquid has evaporated. This made about 4 servings.
Last night I was in a little better shape. Over the weekend I bought a package of boneless skinless chicken tenderloins and I had two leeks in the bottom of the fridge that needed to be used. Here's last night's dinner (which the Hubs took a bite of last night and decided to take a container of it for lunch today, so, WIN!):
Cut the chicken tenderloins into about 1" long pieces. Put in a large nonstick skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil and cook until almost cooked through.
In the meantime, slice the leeks up (make sure to wash them REALLY well, because dirt likes to hide in the layers).
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, basil (or whatever your heart desires. I originally thought I'd go more Tex-Mex with this but halfway through decided basil sounded good too. Surprisingly it turned out ok.)
Add the leeks, a can of black beans (rinsed) and a pint of home-canned tomatoes. You want it to cook down a little, so also add 1-2 cups of water depending on the consistency desired.
Cook for several minutes, until the leeks are tender and some of the liquid has evaporated. This made about 4 servings.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
You scream for ice cream, I scream for Sweet peas!
I ended up moving all the herbs out from the greenhouse. It is way too hot in the greenhouse during the day and I was ending up drenching the pots with water every evening to try to keep up with the leaves sagging.
The tomato plants are looking really good. I was a little scared when I put them in the ground that I might have to look for some at a nursery but they really turned around. There is something munching on the leaves, so I put Garden Dust
on them. If that doesn't work, it may be a larger critter and I have a critter repellent to try.
The diatomaceous earth wasn't working at all on the big ants on the artichoke plant, so I put Garden Dust on it, too, as well as the cucurbit seedlings that have pushed through.
And the object of this post: Peas! These are shelling peas, so that's why I haven't picked any yet. The pods aren't filled out. I've been trying to remember to water them every couple days since it's been so hot and dry. I came across a Bacon & Pea Risotto recipe that I'd like to try when I harvest them. Yum. :)
The tomato plants are looking really good. I was a little scared when I put them in the ground that I might have to look for some at a nursery but they really turned around. There is something munching on the leaves, so I put Garden Dust
on them. If that doesn't work, it may be a larger critter and I have a critter repellent to try. The diatomaceous earth wasn't working at all on the big ants on the artichoke plant, so I put Garden Dust on it, too, as well as the cucurbit seedlings that have pushed through.
And the object of this post: Peas! These are shelling peas, so that's why I haven't picked any yet. The pods aren't filled out. I've been trying to remember to water them every couple days since it's been so hot and dry. I came across a Bacon & Pea Risotto recipe that I'd like to try when I harvest them. Yum. :)
Front porch!
Something funky is going on with these photos... they look kind of pixelated but none of the settings have changed...
Sunday we worked on the porch from noon until 7. It was a long day! (Oh and we had a Lowe's trip at 11 that lasted almost an hour including travel time.)
At the end of the day, we had a porch that was sturdy and didn't sag even when walked on.
We still have a couple things to do like railings (we bought the ones for the sides but not the front because we decided after we got home that we should do front railings too) and lattice between the decking and the ground. And then!!! I get to start landscaping in front, which is something I've been looking forward to for almost three years! A native plant nursery just opened up near our house and that's my first stop for ideas.
Sunday we worked on the porch from noon until 7. It was a long day! (Oh and we had a Lowe's trip at 11 that lasted almost an hour including travel time.)
At the end of the day, we had a porch that was sturdy and didn't sag even when walked on.
We still have a couple things to do like railings (we bought the ones for the sides but not the front because we decided after we got home that we should do front railings too) and lattice between the decking and the ground. And then!!! I get to start landscaping in front, which is something I've been looking forward to for almost three years! A native plant nursery just opened up near our house and that's my first stop for ideas.
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