Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Posted by Brit

Less organized, more chaos - my father's kitchen is stocked full of cooking materials.  There is a cupboard full of pots and pans, and another for baking dishes.  There is a drawer for wooden spoons and drawer for knives and two drawers for flatware.  And a drawer for sauce packets and seasonings.  And an island full of seasonings.  More cups and plates and bowls than one man needs (and more frying pans, there are a whole hell of a lot of frying pans).  I asked him why today, why all the frying pans?  He replied with, "I'm a cook."  And then he chuckled and said, "naw really I just hate doing dishes."  He does hate dishes but he really is a cook.  A very good one at that.

Today I learned how to make his homemade ham gravy.  I don't even like gravy but today's was especially good.  I guess I never really realized that my father rarely follows a recipe.  He put the fatty ham juice in a sauce pan and boiled it.  He then threw in a mixture of milk and flour and almost instantly knew the proportions weren't right.  He quickly poured some more milk in and threw in some more flour and it was perfect.  I need to learn to cook like that.  I am methodical and by the book in almost everything.  Cooking is easy when you follow the plan already laid out for you, but cooking like my father cooks is something to aspire to. 

My contribution to the Thanksgiving feast was two pies.  I made one pumpkin and one cherry - my brother and my father's favorites.  They turned out very well, however pies are one of my favorite things to bake even though I don't enjoy eating them all too much.

Pumpkin Pie Crust

Finished Pumpkin Pie

Not Yet Baked Cherry Pie

A while

A while

Posted by Brit

It's been a while.  I've been out of town the last two weekends and working in between.  And attempting to stay warm.

A couple of weeks ago I went to Denver.  I witnessed more love and friendship and family in one weekend in one place than I've probably ever witnessed before.  I don't get tear-y eyed too often but I did that Saturday night.  I was elated to be a part of something so whole and good.  I also had a damn good time shaking my butt all night long!

Last weekend I went with some friends to visit our friend Darren in Hays.  We were able to see his art show and had an opportunity to purchase some art at the Fort Hays art sale.  I came away with a ceramic bowl and a piece of Darren's art.  We missed our dear friend Ashley who is out in D.C. but other than that the group was back together after a long time a part.  It's funny how people change but some things stay the same.  It's also weird that I've known Joshua for eight years.  The rest I got to know sometime shortly thereafter.  We've all grown and changed in a lot of ways.  We're making separate lives when our lives used to be so intertwined.  The nice thing is we can always come back and pick up where we left off, even after not speaking for months.

Work is going well.  I have excellent days and some days of frustration.  I'm learning though, and continue to be given the opportunity to further my education (for free)!

I am saving for a trip to Germany with Brandon.  We hope to go in the Spring sometime.  I also have to save up PTO hours so that I can take two weeks off and hopefully still have a day or two built up just in case.  Here's to hoping I don't get ill this winter.  The money is the larger part of it though.

Speaking of money I received my first student loan bill this week.  I can't believe it's been six months since I've finished school. 

I'll make a food or photo post sometime soon.

Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Posted by Brit

I could never run a legitimate food blog.  Tonight's recipe doesn't have any photos because I didn't even think I would post about it.  It turned out so great I just had to share.  I adapted it from a Cabot Vermont ad I found in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine I got in the mail today as a replacement for the now defunct ReadyMade mag I used to get.  The original less fatty (and presumably less delicious) recipe can be found here.  My version is below.


Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

1 Tb. Cooking Oil
1 & 1/4 C. Chopped Onion
1 Medium Head Cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 & 1/2 C. Chicken Broth (we used 2.5 chicken bouillon cubes to about 2.75 C. water and boiled it)
3/4 C. Heavy Whipping Cream (okay, go with whole milk to save on the fat if you want)
1 C. Vermont Sharp White Cheddar, grated (we bought the Kroger/Private Selection brand)
2-3 Tb. Fresh Dill, chopped
Salt
Pepper

1. Chop Onion and Cauliflower
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute for about 3 minutes until tender.  The onion shouldn't carmelize.  Add cauliflower and keep cooking for about 3 more minutes.
3. Add broth and heavy whipping cream.  Add a half teaspoon salt and a teaspoon pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and puree mixture in batches.  Return to pan over medium low heat.  Stir in cheese and dill until cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve.  Throw a little extra dill on top for good flavor.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

Saltine Cracker Toffee

Posted by Brit

Yesterday I made Saltine Cracker Toffee.  I had this once as a child and loved it.  I didn't really know what it was though until I found this recipe on the internet the other day while checking out the website Pinterest. I saw a comment my friend Cassi made on my friend Ashley's facebook ("you really don't have a Pinterest?") and thought, "well gee, I don't either."  While I didn't sign for an account I did find this food blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything, and this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 C. Unsalted Butter
2 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Sleeve Saltine Crackers

Set oven to 400 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and then line it with saltines.  Make sure to put enough tin foil in your pan so that you can bend it up the edges.  This will help to keep the gooey caramel from escaping onto your pan.

Next melt together the butter and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

While boiling the brown sugary butter mixture put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time.  Stir in between microwaves.  Continue until smooth.

Pour the boiling caramel mixture over the saltines and spread to cover them completely.  Then put the saltines in the oven and bake for about 6 minutes.  When you pull the crackers they should be sort of "swimming" in the caramel.  Allow them to sit for about a minute so that the caramel hardens slightly.  It will then be easier to spread the melted chocolate over the caramel crackers.

Spread the chocolate and allow the toffee to cool completely.  Then break it up into pieces and enjoy!  Prior to breaking my toffee, but once it was completely cooled, I stuck it in the fridge for about 5 minutes.  This allows the chocolate to harden a bit more so it doesn't melt on your hands while breaking.

october

october

Posted by Brit

It's been a while since the last update.  I've not been incredibly busy, but busy enough I suppose.  Work is busy but for the most part I am enjoying it.  It's getting cold - I'm not enjoying that.  A couple of weeks ago I went to Lawrence to visit some family with Ron.  It was a much needed trip and I was so happy to be able to catch up with my grandma and aunt.  My cousin Sarah has just about the cutest kid in the world and he is growing up fast and happy.

Some of the things I've been up to... carving pumpkins, going to concerts, and celebrating my 23rd birthday alongside some great people.

One Tooth Jack

The whole bunch. Tracee, Me, Tia, Genevieve

 I had just about the greatest birthday week.  Tia's birthday was also this week so we did lots of celebrating.

Gillian Welch stage at The Orpheum

Carrie Nation and The Speakeasy at Rock Island Live

Birthday Cheers

Oh I cut my hair off and I love it.

Winfield

Winfield

Posted by Brit

Winfield was very wet this year.  We got drenched the first morning by a storm that lasted a few hours.  The camping was good though and we enjoyed the guys we set up camp with.  They were in a couple of different bands, Cowgirl's Train Set and Duffy McGee.  Here are some pictures I snapped while wandering the Grove.

Cowgirl's Train Set

Sombrero men of Mudstomp Records jumped up to give the Bear Fighters a proper introduction.

Shawn and Quinn of the Kansas City Bear Fighters at the Fine Time Stage.

Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy at Fine Time.

Kansas City Bear Fighters playing an afternoon set at Stage 5.

Creepy orange sky after rain storm two on Saturday night.

Again, with a faint rainbow.

More of our camp mates, Duffy McGee at Fine Time.

Crowd at Fine Time.

Cowgirl's Train Set with Molly doing some vocals!

Black light face paint.

Post storm Stage 5 was shut down - Carrie Nation took it to the street.

And then to a tent where I stomped the night away.

Construction

Construction

Posted by Brit

I knew since I wasn't planning on going anywhere for Labor Day Weekend that I needed a project to keep me busy.  I decided to build a bookshelf for our living room.  After drawing some (rough) sketches to figure out what height and width I wanted Brandon helped me refine my idea.  We ended up finding an "Instructable" for some low-waste bookshelves.  There was absolutely no left over lumber or polyurethane when I was finished with the project.  I did have about a foot and a half of all thread rod left over.  After a couple of coats of poly I cut 8 pieces of the all thread rod and assembled the shelf.  I finished it last night and moved it into our living room.

1. Drill holes through wood.  2. Place rod through holes.  3. Put shelf boards on top of rods and bolt together.

The shelf is actually pretty darn stable.  It also fits perfectly in the living room.

The site I used to find the Instructable is http://www.instructables.com/.  I highly recommend it if you like DIY projects.  I also used it last year to find a template for a homemade notebook for Tia's birthday.  There are all sorts of different projects, and they include pictures and comments so you can see how the projects worked out for other people.

Cold Front

Cold Front

Posted by Brit

The weather is better.  It's time for Winfield.  And I cannot wait.  Less than a week and I'll be happily surrounded by friends and music.  I'll be drunk and un-showered.  And maybe I'll eat a chicken salad sandwich to cure the inevitable hangover.

Last night we had a potluck at our place.  We call our place Southside (not really, but that was our intended name).  A friend is trying to re-name it Baja.  Okay, so Baja had a potluck.  For a bunch of early twenty-somethings we really did a fantastic job.  Most people brought more than alcohol to share and I was stuffed.  My favorite things were the sweet potatoes from Robbie and the corn dip from Bre.  We are going to try to keep this thing up, the potluck thing.  Next week most of that same group will be running around Winfield.  I can't wait til the next one though.

Post Winfield I'll update with some pictures!

Winfield Ready

Winfield Ready

Posted by Brit

Thrive

Thrive

Posted by Brit

Normally this is the time of year I'd be headed to Target to grab some new pens and a couple note books.  Yesterday marked the first day of the semester at WSU.  While I had considered taking an online finance class through the business school this semester, and even had it ok'd (and paid for) from my employer, it didn't work out due to the class being full.  I am feeling mixed emotions about this.  The class would have really been informational and taught me some things about banking that I don't know yet.  The class also would have given me something to do in the evenings, and free education is pretty cool.  At the same time I am not sure that graduation has fully set in yet, and so jumping in to a class may be something I would regret about a month from now.  It is strange though, thinking that I am really done.  That I've got my two majors and I am out in the world.  Working.  Building a career.

Now for a little more of an update.  Tia and I have been settled into our new home for about a month now.  It's spacious, efficient, and cute.  Here are a few pictures I took after work today.

Front

View from front to back

Bedroom. Colors.

Breakfast Nook

Rest o' Kitchen

Dining. Mess.

In other news, it's been hot.  Really hot.  And while I've watched most plants die a slow death over the last couple months this guy is thriving.  It even had a bloom.  We learned this year that the bloom is a night bloomer.  Night pictures didn't turn out so well so I snuck out in the early morning and snapped a few pictures.  This plant is not a product of my abilities, but Bran's.  I can't even tell you the type of plant that it is, other than a really cool succulent.

The next thing to say is this is Nixon.  Once in the yard and once at the Kansas Team Disc Golf Championship that was hosted at Camp Hawk two weekends ago.

Checking out some disc golf.

Last but not least.  Try these potatoes.  I had them at a birthday dinner last weekend and couldn't get enough. Crash Hot Potatoes - The Pioneer Woman

History

History

Posted by Brit

I enjoy traveling back in time via photos.  History has always interested me.  My childhood home was a beautiful Victorian in Riverside.  Built in 1886 it had character and class.  My parents (and even my brother and I) poured hours into that home in order to continue it's restoration to a more accurate depiction of the late 1800's.  A website I visit from time to time, www.wichitaphotos.org shows Wichita's rich history through photos.  In fact, my old house is on the site.  Before the Big Ditch rescued the city from floods my little neighborhood, just 4 houses down from the river, experienced regular floods such as the one depicted below in 1904.

My home, 1218 Bitting, in the background. 1216 Bitting in the foreground.

It took us 2 summers to complete the exterior paint job.  Queen Anne style.

I could spend hours here.

Home is wherever I’m with you

Home is wherever I’m with you

Posted by Brit

Update

Update

Posted by Brit

I've been at the new place for about ten days now.  No internet yet, which is the reason for a lack of posts.  Tia and I have learned more and more about the neighborhood.  Summary: We're not feeling it.  Luckily we had an addendum built into our lease that with thirty days notice we could get out and get our deposit back.  So we're out on the house hunt again.  We've got a couple of prospects and our very generous landlord is looking into buying a couple of places here in town so he is going to see if he can get in to show them to us before buying.  He could close in thirty days if we choose to go that route.  Newton isn't really that bad even it's worst neighborhoods - but with it being just the two of us now we really want to be comfortable being in our home.  I will update with some news sometime soon!

Fire

Fire

Posted by Brit

Tonight the sky was magnificent.
I was outside by myself between storms and this is what I found.

 

And here are a couple of my plants.  My little pepper was enjoying the sunshine earlier today.

May and some June

May and some June

Posted by Brit

I graduated from college May 14th.  That was neat.  My mom graduated May 13th which was even more neat.  Tia and I had a lovely reception.

Don't worry, I am buying the actual image.

Mom and Me

I wanted to get a Saudi Arabia flag cake, but Tia said no.

After the two pictures above were taken Tia told my Aunt, "We are probably going to get a civil union."

Ezells

Pictures of this guy are hard to come by.

We have no speakers; that's the only reason why this is happening.

I came outside before I went to bed and these wonderful people cheered and clapped for me because I am a college graduate.

 

In other news we recently went to the lake for two hours.

Also in other news Tia and I are getting a new house June 16th.  Our last lease was up June 1st which means we are currently homeless or staying with our boyfriends for two weeks.  I was going to make a food blog like entry initially because I was making this quiche.  I took a couple of before/prep pictures but failed to take anymore because I got hungry and forgot that I am now a blogger and well, I lost my focus.  Anyway, it was delicious and I lost the recipe - but it's quiche so I am sure you can figure it out on your own, trust me it's easy.

Eggs and pie crust.

Eggs and milk and pie crust.

Pie crust, cheese, spices

 You'll have to draw your own conclusions on what comes next.  Oh bake at 375 degrees farenheit.

-B