everyday originals

Something new to me.

2011-09-18T20:39:00.000-05:00

When going to garage sales a couple weeks ago, we found this old chalkboard for free. It is in very good shape, there are no scratches on the writing surface. I thought about taking it to school, but was inspired by Mr. Kunnari. So, it is now hanging in my kitchen. I think it looks quite lovely there.

Summer Beauties

2011-07-20T19:59:00.002-05:00

I have a flower bed in our front yard. It was put there by the previous owner, and I had now idea what anything in there was. It was so overgrown and needed some serious work. Since then I have been amazed at the various flowers growing out of there. This deep orange lily is one of the best surprises. It stands about 4' tall and has about 7 blooms on it.

The sunflowers I planted along our garage in the strawberry patch. I was really excited about these. They have taken a couple rough hits from the hard rain because our garage doesn't have a gutter and it is like a big waterfall. But I have rigged up a system to hold them up. I think they are doing fine. Next year they will go in a different spot... and there will be many many more.

They do work!

2011-07-17T17:29:00.004-05:00

This little egg is the first from our hens! Not sure which one it came from, but we are sure happy they finally laid. We were beginning to think we had 11 pet chickens instead of 11 working chickens. God is good!

Batters up!

2011-07-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

My nephew turned 8 this year, and I was asked to make him some cookies! I love every chance I get to make these sugar cookies, so of course I said yes. My sister wanted a baseball theme, so I made baseballs and bats. The bats turned out to look more like chicken legs (and I was teased the whole night after the cookies came out) but that was ok because I didn't have a cookie cutter for that, I had to improvise. But I think the balls turned out great!

Also for the 4th, we had some family over for a picnic. I made some salads and we grilled burgers. For dessert I planned rootbeer floats. I also made some plain star sugar cookies to go with. When I was making the cookies, I tried to do something like this.... (again from bake@350)

but they wouldn't stay on the cups like I wanted. So, we just had plain star cookies, and I think everyone enjoyed them.

Garden Goodness

2011-07-10T14:04:00.000-05:00

Here is the first ever broccoli and cauliflower I have grown! We ate it fresh with dip. So good! Also, some peas that we have been eating. I have a ton in the fridge that I am going to freeze very soon!

Organized

2011-07-09T13:57:00.000-05:00

It is fun having a husband who is willing to build you things. I think he did a pretty nice job too! This is the closet in our back entry way. It serves as major storage, laundry storage, and a pantry. I wanted Rob to build shelves to hold all of the jars of beautiful produce from our garden. We are going to need a lot of space! I am planning to can up a storm.

Snow Peas

2011-07-07T18:25:00.002-05:00

Yum....

Yum!

2011-07-05T14:30:00.003-05:00

Our massive black raspberries are producing well. We originally thought that the ripening of the raspberries was going to be a slow process. We ate them as fast as they turned sweet. But after leaving them alone for most of the weekend, I went to harvest what was there and was pleasantly surprised to get a cup full! Now I just need about three more cups to make black raspberry jam. It shouldn't take long.

This is very cool.

2011-06-20T18:32:00.001-05:00

www.dearphotograph.com

Twinkle, twinkle...

2011-06-19T22:07:00.004-05:00

I noticed that the fireflies have come for summer. I had to climb onto the gate in our backyard so I could see over the grass that comes up to my shoulders, but I saw our pasture is full! It was such a beautiful sight. Hundreds of little green lights sending flashing telegrams to one another.

If you want to witness this amazing yet simple display of summer, you are more than welcome anytime. Rob might even break out the guitar to add to the ambiance like he did tonight.

Reuse

2011-06-18T17:13:00.005-05:00

I am going to let you in on a little secret. For Christmas I received a book called The Complete Tightwad Gazette. No I was not gifted the book because I am cheap (even though I am), but because I asked for it. I like to be thrifty. Anyways, this 4in thick manual of thriftiness is FULL of great ideas on how to save money, reuse common objects for other purposes, and to enjoy the things you do have. I have to admit I wouldn't do everything in the book, but there are a lot of things I have changed since reading parts of the book.

Here is a great tip:

You know when you buy a bag of fruit from the grocery store, they come in those mesh bags. They look like this:

Well, what do you do with the mesh bag when the fruit is all gone? You can save it to put other things in it OR you can use it to do a little scrubbing. YES! I have been using one of the mesh bags we had for doing dishes. It is such a wonderful tool. Really! It scrubs so well and it is gentle. So, don't throw that bag away... clean something instead.

Ladies and Gentleman

2011-06-16T08:49:00.001-05:00

The yellow hen is Henny Penny (Buff Orpington). The black and white chicken behind her is Tatanka (Silver Hamburg), he is a rooster. He is pretty bossy, cocka-doodling when it is time to go to bed, when it is time to wake up, and if we let the hens out to run around. The other photo is Ribbons (Barred Rock) and Elenor (Black Astralorp). They love to be outside, and love to eat spaghetti squash.

Fruit and Berries

2011-06-15T11:31:00.001-05:00

When we bought our place, we knew there were a bunch of different fruit trees. Possibly some other kinds of berries or fruit, but weren't quite sure. It was wonderful to see everything coming to life this spring... or not. We had quite a few fruit trees that didn't make it. They were in pretty bad shape (not being taken care of over the past few years), so Rob had to take them out. We did replace some trees. We now have a new combination apple, patten pear, peach, and cherry. Here are some pictures of the plants that are producing well so far. Grapes, black raspberries, strawberries, and apples. I can't wait to taste them all!

Edible Flowers

2011-06-13T11:24:00.000-05:00

One of my friends was having a bake sale for her niece. I decided it had been a while since I made some sugar cookies. So since the bake sale was the first of June, I made some pretty flower cookies. Here is how they turned out. I had a bunch left over.... so we got to taste them. They were pretty good.

Homegrown Chicken

2011-06-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

Here is our first taste of the chickens we raised. Rob took charge of the cooking. It was pretty tasty. We cooked them on Memorial Day so that we could share with some family.

Butchering Chickens

2011-06-10T11:27:00.000-05:00

Rob and I raised 23 broilers this spring. We had some dog kennels already set up in the big shed, so we put them in there. It was crazy to see how fast they grew. A couple weeks ago we took them out to Marlin's farm to butcher with the help of Rob's mom, aunt, and two uncles. We only did about half of them the first time because a bunch weren't ready yet. That was ok. We would have been at it all day! We did the rest a couple weeks later. Here is a picture of the group making the game plan. I decided not to share any of the actual butchering pictures, I thought some people wouldn't care to see those.

Flowers in Bloom

2011-06-09T10:44:00.002-05:00

Some iris, daisies, and little purple flowers that I am not sure of. Anyone know what they are?

Tulip Time

2011-05-16T08:17:00.002-05:00

Last fall I planted these. I was excited to see them pop out of the ground. I was a little wary that they wouldn't. But here they are. And most of them have two or three blooms! Lovely.

Mama Robin

2011-05-15T08:09:00.000-05:00

When we moved to our house, there was a nest on our porch. There weren't any birds in it at the time, but we decided that it wasn't bothering any one there. This spring a mother robing decided it would be the perfect place to lay her four bright blue eggs. She sits on the nest most of the time. Whenever we go outside she flies away screaming and sits in the tree close by warning us not to go near her precious soon to be babies. I took a few peeks, just to count the eggs. One day there was two, the next three, and finally four. I haven't checked since, so there may be more. I think they can lay up to five eggs. The nest is right outside our kitchen window. Wherever we wash the dishes it is like we can have small conversations with the mama robin. It is really fun to see.

Perennial Swap

2011-05-14T07:58:00.003-05:00

At our church, Rob and I are a part of a group called Creation Tenders. We meet once a month to talk about our responsibility towards God's creation. One of the things we planned was a perennial swap. The awesome thing about this is, our place has a lot of open space to plant beautiful things. So we snagged some day lilies, cedum, cannas, potatoes, ferns, asters, and maybe a few things I don't quite remember right now. It was great to be able to talk to the people who brought the plants, discussing how/where they should be plants, and what they look like when they bloom. I love the fact that whenever
I look at those plants I will remember the people who so generously shared them.

Sorry for the neglect...

2011-05-04T20:51:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted anything in a while. Life has been extremely busy, but full of some really wonderful things. I will have to find some undated pictures to share and explain what we have been up to lately. Stay tuned...

Super Cute!

2011-04-16T12:03:00.003-05:00

Does anyone need an idea for some super-cute spring cupcakes? Here is the perfect idea! I love these...

They are from an amazing blog called Bake at 350. If you make them... please let me know!

Thanks Rob!

2011-04-08T20:34:00.000-05:00

Now I have to make something!

Birthdays are fun at school.

2011-04-07T20:22:00.005-05:00

Fun little gifts I made for the great kids I work with everyday. For the girls, little hair clips in fun colors. For the boys, crayons made from a bucket full of old crayons I used growing up. (They enjoyed the unique little gifts.) And a huge thank you to the wonderful mom's that came in to help celebrate an already blessed day.

Amazing Spring!

2011-04-07T07:02:00.002-05:00

Tulip fields of Holland.

How is this not one of the most beautiful things you have ever seen?
I saw pictures like this on a blog I read often.
I hope you enjoy!

KitchenAid Mixer Cover

2011-03-27T08:19:00.003-05:00

Rob had given my a gift certificate for Christmas to a fabric shop in town. I wanted to make one thing out with that money, so I looked and looked, and this is what I found. I used an idea from homemade by jill (a great blog I found recently). She has a link to about.com that shows how to create a mixer cover. Like here, I added a lining and a pocket. It was so easy and only took me part of an afternoon. I love this bright splash of color on my kitchen counter.

Spring Cleaing

2011-03-16T17:07:00.003-05:00

I haven't had the time to do the real thing (getting a little antsy to clear some stuff out of our new house), but I had a minute to spruce up this space. A little green really brightens up the place.

Homemade Pea Soup

2011-03-15T17:22:00.002-05:00

I have had a jar of dried peas sitting on my counter for a while. I thought they looked beautiful, but thought I should actually use them. So I made pea soup. I thought it was going to be harder, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was! I used a recipe from allrecipes.com, but adjusted it to fit what I had in the house. You should try it sometime. It is amazing!

2 cups dried split peas
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon hot peppers sauce
1-2 cups cubed ham
1 onion chopped
2 potatoes diced
1 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large stock pot, add split green peas, chicken broth, water, hot pepper sauce, ham, chopped onion, diced potatoes, bay leaves, pepper, chicken bouillon cube, soy sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 1 hour 30 min, stirring occasionally. Or until you think it is done.

** The recipe says to take out part of it to process in a blender or food processor. I didn't do that because I like thick, chunky soup. And the peas had cooked down. You can add 2 cups of cream at the end too, but I didn't.

Yum!

Here's an idea....

2011-03-14T17:14:00.005-05:00

I have been wanting to make a quilt for our bed for a while now, but haven't gotten enough guts to pick out a patter, fabric, or even start for that matter. All I do is look online at all the beautiful pieces other people create and try to get inspired. Well, that isn't how things get done. But I found this great blog called thelongthread.com. She is an amazing quilter, seamstress, and over-all idea collector. And from her, I finally got an idea! She started doing something like this...

Using a bunch of scraps, she sewed a long piece of lines. Now she is making this...

I am now inspired! She said "sew now... figure out if you like it later." I think I will do that. We will see where it leads me.

Yikes!

Thanks Becky!

2011-03-13T21:22:00.000-05:00

My Sister-in-law Becky is so talented! She made Kris a hat like this recently and she asked if I wanted one too.... Of course! She picked gray for the hat and a burnt orange for the flower. It fits perfectly and the flower is on a pin so I can wear it with other things too. *so smart*

Today was "Chicken Day"

2011-03-12T21:19:00.003-06:00

Rob, Ollie, and I welcomed home 12 day old chicks! They are such a joy. They had many visitors today.

I will post better pictures soon. Cheap Cheap!

Best Boy Scout Themed Cake

2011-02-25T12:36:00.003-06:00

Rob was recruited to help Taylor with his cake for the Boy Scout's Blue and Gold Banquet. Here are some pics of the winner of "Best Theme".

A little green

2011-02-24T20:18:00.003-06:00

A while ago, I bought these little plants at a greenhouse that was going out of business. Rob had these little spice containers that belonged to his grandma that we had sitting on our kitchen windowsill. What a great way to use these little jars and bring a little color into our home. I also put one in a little glass tea cup for our table.

Support Handmade

2011-02-03T16:27:00.005-06:00

Somethings found from Etsy.com

iviemade

unExpectedParTie

baileydoesntbark

ginelleirene

spreadthelove

Hello February...

2011-02-01T07:45:00.004-06:00

I will welcome you with some pretty pictures.

*Pictures from designspongeonline.com and Martha Stewart.

Making the switch...

2011-01-24T19:30:00.004-06:00

I went to see a Diabetes Nurse Educator this past weekend as a part of my routine check-ups. Since getting my new pump, controlling my glucose levels has been a bit easier. The doses of insulin are more exact, the calculation of carbs is more accurate, and delivering my doses is a lot easier. Most of the time I don't have to touch my pump because I have a remote - oh yeah! One of the first things the nurse did was download the past couple of weeks of glucose checks, carb intakes, and insulin boluses. What? Yeah... I don't have to keep take of any of that because the pump does it for me. She took that information and made charts and graphs and could analyze how I am controlling my diabetes.

To say the least - she was quite impressed! My A1C was 5.8 (which she said was one of the best numbers she has seen in a long time). Since being diagnosed at age 22, I have always wondered if I am doing everything the right way or if I am really understanding this disease. It is really comforting to know that I am doing something right. The only recommendations that she gave me was to take a multi-vitamin and to cut back on the caffeine. Um - one of those might be close to impossible. But, I am going to try. So, I'm making the switch to half-caffeine and decaf and just plain cutting back. So, I hope I don't turn into a walking crabby-zombie.

Discarded Items.

2011-01-15T10:57:00.002-06:00

Rob found a listing in the Doon Press that a flower shop in Hull was going out of business. They were going to be selling all of their plants and store items for cheap. So, he went there and came home with some great finds.

Snow at home

2011-01-14T10:52:00.003-06:00

Just a few pictures of the winter wonderland outside.

Fabric and Frames

2011-01-13T10:47:00.000-06:00

I am not sure if I quite like the placement of these. I also have an oval one filled with a beautiful fabric by Amy Butler. Anyway, I found these frames at a garage sale this summer. I spray painted them black and set them aside because I was not sure what I wanted to do with them. Finally, I decided to fill them with fabric pieces I had in my stock. I attached the pieces with hot glue. After I had taken down the wonderful Christmas cards that we had received, I decided that wall seemed bare. They are only temporarily attached to the wall, so if I find I don't like them, it will be easy to move. Any suggestions?

Using found items.

2011-01-12T10:41:00.003-06:00

In a previous post, I told you about how Rob and I found a bunch of things in a crawl space in our basement. Here is how I am using some of them.

Crocs Anyone?

2011-01-11T13:00:00.000-06:00

There is a 70% off sale going on. Go to their website.

I'm not a huge fan of the "original" style, but they have come out with some cute ones!

Snow Day Again?

2011-01-11T08:46:00.003-06:00

Starting this past Sunday, a snow system moved across the area. It was pretty huge. (Did anyone see the radar?) Well, I guess non-stop snow for two days means only one thing... SNOW DAY! And not one, but two! Monday's day was not as productive as I would have hoped. It was mostly filled with worrying about Rob at work and if he would make it home alright. *He did* I did conquer some neat projects and I will post some pictures soon.

This snow day, Rob stayed home from work. He decided that it wasn't worth the risk of driving on roads labeled as "completely covered". I think it was a good idea. Plus now we get to work on some things we have been putting off. I love unexpected time at home.

*Side note* I was exploring different things on the internet the other day, and I remembered that at Mic and Shinae's wedding we had taken some pictures in a "photo booth" they had set up. I didn't have a copy of those pictures, so I went looking for them. Well, I found them. I really like this one, so I thought I would share.

Plant Stand

2011-01-03T21:49:00.000-06:00

Rob spent the day building a plant stand for the seeds we just ordered. We placed a huge order for the garden we are planning this summer. Our garden will hold tomatoes, green beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, cabbage, basil, lavender, dill, cilantro, strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, lettuce, spinach, zucchini, onions, and egg plant. Also we ordered a cherry tree and a peach tree. WOW! It is going to be a lot of work, but we have been reading up on how to be the most productive. We are going to start our tomatoes and other plants from seed, which is why Rob built the stand. He picked up some light fixtures from a garage sale this summer. He did a pretty good job! Now I am getting even more excited!

Old Years Night

2011-01-02T21:44:00.000-06:00

Here is the real reason why I made those Scrabble Cookies. I didn't want to post a picture of it until I gave them to the recipients. Congrats Jason and Dani!

We spent old years night at Jay's. He had flooded his backyard creating an amazing ice rink. Of course it was bitterly cold out, but we had a great time skating around. We also played some games and celebrated the new year. Thanks for the great night!

New Year's Dinner

2011-01-01T21:37:00.003-06:00

Homemade Potato Soup and a Rustic Pear Galette

3-4 pears cut into slices
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp sugar
nutmeg
cinnamon

Mix Together

1 c flour
1 stick butter
1 tbsp sugar

Pulse together in a food processor then add water in small amount until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge until firm. Roll out into circle, place pear mixture on top, brush with some sort of marmalade and water. Bake at 350 for about 45 min.

Scrabble Cookies

2010-12-30T20:48:00.002-06:00

Recipe and idea from bakeat350.blogspot.com

Giveaway...

2010-12-30T07:58:00.003-06:00

A blog that I go to frequently for inspiration and ideas is giving away a sweet machine.

The blog : brown paper packages

The giveaway : a Silhouette

Check it out!

Sometimes we see these out our windows.

2010-12-21T21:24:00.000-06:00

First Birthday!

2010-12-20T21:06:00.002-06:00

Home exploration....

2010-12-19T20:34:00.004-06:00

Saturday night when we came home from a family Christmas, we found that our toilet wasn't working. We were kind of nervous about the whole deal because we know that the corner of the house where the bathroom is located is prone to pipes freezing. (We need to do some work on that) Sure enough, the pipe that went to the toilet was frozen. Rob started running some heat in the basement to help warm it up. It was after midnight already, so doing more intensive work would have been really tiring. We got up the next morning, equipped with a hair dryer and some space heaters. Rob finally got it thawed with no damage to the pipes! What a handy man. The great part of the story is what Rob found while doing this repair. The place where the pipes are located are way in the back of the basement. there is a partial way and a crawl space with a dirt floor. Here is where he had to climb through...

While back there he found these things...

Having the family here, makes this place warm.

2010-12-17T22:08:00.005-06:00

The Haan family came over to our house tonight, and we got to hang out with the nephews. We had a great time playing with blocks, LEGOS, watching the cats and Maisy (the bunny), and playing on the computer. I showed Jake how to run Photo Booth. Here are some of our great creations.

Even Sawyer got in on the action.

Jake really picked up on how to run the computer mouse. It sounded like he hadn't really had any experience with it before. Sawyer turns one tomorrow. It is great being able to see him grow. He even tried to take a few steps tonight. He was quick to grab on for help after he realized what he was doing. He will get the hang of it soon.

Anyone?

2010-12-13T19:09:00.002-06:00

I am thinking about creating a Nativity Scene and an Advent Calendar to use for the Christmas season. I was wondering if anyone had any neat ideas for how to make one of these two things. I want them to be handmade and creative. Please let me know if you have seen one on a blog or website! I am open to any ideas.

Snowed in?

2010-12-12T11:00:00.007-06:00

I don't mind. As a matter of fact - I liked the blizzard. I woke up, decided that it wasn't worth going to Sioux Center for work, and proceeded to make these...

They are a recipe from one of my favorite blogs

The recipe is from one of my favorite blogs - Bake at 350. She is amazing! This was my first attempt, and other than working on my piping technique, I think I did ok. I also made peppermint marshmallows.

We also spent some of our day watching the birds outside feasting at our bird feeder. It quite the site, seeing all the birds fighting the blizzard - having to fly sideways to get to our porch. They decided that it was warmer by our window. Ollie and Neko thought they looked a little tasty.

We ended the night with some homemade Chinese food and a movie. A wonderful way to spend the snowy day.

How did you spend yours?

Maisy Blue Blonnet

2010-12-07T20:51:00.003-06:00

Here is the newest resident at the Roost - Maisy Blue Bonnet. Her job is to fertilize the garden and to look cute. She lives in a little bunny hutch between the garage and the soon-to-be chicken coop. She came to us from a farm near Doon, and we are glad to have her. She is about 7 years old and has soft brown and gray fur. She really enjoys a good carrot now and then.

I hope you can all meet her someday! She is a real joy!

*FYI - So far all of our animals have a first and middle name. The first names are picked in order to complete the middle part of the alphabet (L M N O P) and the middle names need to have a color reference.

Maisy Blue Bonnet
Neko Violet
Ollie Redford

2010-12-04T06:56:00.003-06:00

Camera is getting fixed... finally. I have so many things I want to take good pictures of to show all of you. (the house, Christmas decorations, ornament swap results, Neko getting a hair cut, the new bunny)

Oh yeah. Rob and I are getting a 7 year old female rabbit from some people in town. They now longer what it, so they are giving us all the goods along with her. Rob picker her up this morning. We named is Maisy Blue Bonnet.

And Neko hasn't been feeling well lately. We brought her to the vet and they had to take x-rays to figure out what was wrong. It turns out she just has a big hairball. But while they had her, they gave her a hair cut because her fur was in rough shape. Now she looks like a wild lioness. Hopefully, no more hairballs! I will post a picture soon.

I am thankful for...

2010-11-25T07:39:00.003-06:00

so many things. Especially for a day that we can celebrate those things and hang out with lots of family!

Have a great day everyone!

Yummy

2010-11-23T10:51:00.000-06:00

Here is something to try...

Peanut Butter Goodness
1 1/3 cup finely ground peanuts (I used my food processor/can also use peanut butter)
2 tbsp powdered sugar
dash of kosher salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp honey

Mixed until a paste forms. Roll into balls and flatten into disks.

Melt 1 package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or whatever kind you like). Spread a little chocolate in the bottom of cupcake wrappers, place peanut butter goodness on top, and coat with more chocolate.

Can you say yum?

School cancellations are...

2010-11-22T13:00:00.000-06:00

ok.

Especially since I didn't find out until after I was already ready for school. I don't mind. That just means that I had a load of laundry folded and started, dishes washed, bills paid, and a lunch made all by 8 o'clock. Now to catch up with other things neglected around the house. And a special time for crafts.

Nope, I don't mind.

A giveaway....

2010-11-22T07:08:00.000-06:00

One of the blogs I follow is having a giveaway just in time for some Christmas shopping! (Oh a little something for yourself) Go over to brownpaper--packages.blogspot.com. She has a lot of cute ideas for crafting and decorating.

The giveaway is from The Pleated Poppy. It is a little shop that sells handmade checkbook covers, little pouches, and hair pieces. Here are some examples.

Cold days mean...

2010-11-20T20:44:00.000-06:00

the crafting is in full swing.

Yesterday, I went shopping to snag a new winter jacket. I found a cute black Columbia jacket that doesn't look like you are a ski junkie, some really warm black mittens, and this hat!

I also found a short scarf that buttoned in the front. I thought... I could make that. So... I am going to try.

But first I will make this until I find the right yarn.

New Bling...

2010-11-18T17:35:00.000-06:00

You might see me sporting one of these bad boys soon. Yep, pretty excited about it. It could be that it has a meter that can run the pump. OR that there is a huge catalog of food already entered in it. OR that it is completely waterproof. Any of those options would be great... but all three! Sweet!

Oh, and I am getting the pretty blue color.

Back to old traditions.

2010-11-17T17:10:00.000-06:00

I love Thanksgiving.
I love family.

Yet, I will miss the small gathering we had in Chicago for the past two years. Spending the holiday with friends was warm, thoughtful, and a little quirky without the turkey. Gathering around a table full of food prepared by loving hands really reminds you of what you are thankful for. I am happy that this year we get to spend this wonderful holiday with family, but I will still be thinking of those who we celebrated with for the last couple years.

To celebrate, I think I will prepare...

Apple Cranberry Raisin Stuffing
Ingredients

* 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
* 1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
* 3 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced
* 1 cup golden raisins
* 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
* 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup apple cider
* 1/2 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix the bread cubes, cranberry sauce, apples, raisins, lemon zest, and orange zest. Season with salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, cider, and butter. Toss the egg mixture with the bread mixture until evenly moist. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
3. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

World Diabetes Day November 14

2010-11-12T10:57:00.000-06:00

I'm so in...

2010-11-06T08:34:00.000-05:00

I am so excited for this!

One of the blogs I follow (freshlyblended) puts on a homemade ornament exchange, where you make 8-10 handmade ornaments and send them to a list of people you are assigned to. They could be from all over the country. In return, you get 8-10 unique handmade ornaments too! I think I have an idea for mine, but need to finalized the details yet. But what a cool way to share with people the things you make!

My tree is going to look fabulous!

I think the registration is open until tomorrow (Sunday, November 7) go here if you want to check it out!

I will post pictures of my project and of the ornaments as they come in.

What is more perfect on a dark and windy evening?

2010-10-26T19:07:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

* 3 pounds butternut squash, halved and seeded
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, sliced
* 1 leek, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, sliced
* 2 (49.5 fluid ounce) cans chicken broth
* 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup sherry wine
* 1 cup half-and-half cream
* 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pour a thin layer of water in a baking dish, or a cookie sheet with sides. Place the squash halves cut side down on the dish. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Cool slightly, then remove the peel. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic, and saute for a few minutes, until tender. Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Add the squash, and mash with the potatoes until chunks are small. Use an immersible hand blender to puree the soup, or transfer to a blender or food processor in batches, and puree until smooth. Return to the pot.
3. Season the soup with cayenne pepper, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, salt and pepper, then stir in the sherry and half-and-half cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Oh it was very tasty. We crumbled some crispy turkey bacon on top and ate it with a small salad. Perfect!

Somewhere in the dark...

2010-10-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

2010-10-24T18:03:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who came last night. We enjoyed having our house filled with warm laughter and smiles.

Oh painting... I don't think I will be missing you.

2010-10-19T22:31:00.000-05:00

A little over a week ago, I decided that it the kitchen and dining room needed a face lift. (Funny since we have only lived here for about two weeks) I thought that the dark tan and black in the kitchen was too dark, so I went for a color palate that I thought would compliment the time period of the house, something light and bright. I think the neutral colors will let the colors of our things stand out.

I also found this great rag rug in a store in Rock Valley. It reminds me of the colors in my small globe collection, which is also featured in our fresh kitchen.

(The second and third pictures have a kind of greenish tint to them because I took them with my phone. If you want to see the colors for real, you will just have to stop by on Saturday during our little get together mentioned on the previous post.)

Sure you can come see our new house!

2010-10-14T07:01:00.000-05:00

Saturday, October 23 at 6:30pm, Rob and I are opening up our home for people to come and hang out. We want to invite you to our Housewarming/Open House! Rob ordered a small keg of Fat Tire and I will have some snacks around. We might even try out the fire pit, if you stay long enough! We have some pumpkins, gourds, and squash from our summer garden you can take home as well. It is sure to be a fun time. It is really informal, come and go are you please. But please come!

Something new to try...

2010-10-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was the Fall Party out on the farm. I needed to bring along some sort of squash dish to show off the produce from the garden... this is what I came up with.

1 butternut squash cut into chunks
1/2-3/4 c brown sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 c water
2 TBSP margarine or butter

Combine and put into crock pot for until squash is tender.
Enjoy!

(the brown sugar and cinnamon may vary depending on how much squash you use or how sweet you want it.)

Started painting the kitchen and dinning room this weekend; therefore, I haven't been blogging much. I will post pics when I am finished. Rob doesn't like to help paint, so I said I would do it all if I got to choose the colors. And I did. So... much work to do!

And we made it...

2010-10-05T15:56:00.001-05:00

It has been five days since we closed on our house and moved in. I am happy to say that we made it. We have collected most of our things, found a place for them, and mowed the lawn (well actually that was a collaborative effort between a handful of family members). But we are here and for the most part we will be seeing this for a while...

And these out our front window...

But I am ok with that.

If you want to see for yourself, you are more than welcome to check out our roost.

Today is the day!

2010-10-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Homestead

2010-09-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I think we have waited long enough. Rob and I are "unoffical" homeowners. We started looking this summer for a house, just in case we would find the "house of our dreams." Right now, I don't think it quite fits that description, but eventually it might. It is a small farm house in Doon, Iowa with a good sized pasture in the back. We hope to raise chickens and goats and have a garden. There are few more things brewing in the back of our heads, but not everything can happen at once. We are super excited and really can't wait to put our feet down in a place that we own. We are planning to move in October 1.

New Find

2010-09-26T17:16:00.000-05:00

I have found a cute new blog. Bake at 350. It is all about cookies! Once we have my new kitchen set up, I think I will try a few. But for now, my mouth will just water.

http://bakeat350.blogspot.com

Made the Pot Stickers

2010-09-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

And they are a tasty treat!
If you have butternut squash hanging around, give this recipe a try.
The recipe is a couple posts down.
Enjoy!

Things for outside...

2010-09-22T19:53:00.000-05:00

Photos from apartmenttherapy.com

Love...

2010-09-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

Photos from apartmenttherapy.com

2010-09-20T19:24:00.000-05:00

Because we have so many of these...

I will try these...

Butternut Squash Pot Stickers
Ingredients
Makes 20

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and seeded, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
20 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup canola oil
Directions
1.Put squash, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until squash is very soft, about 12 minutes; drain. Transfer to a medium bowl; mash with a fork until smooth. Stir in scallions and ginger. Stir together sesame seeds, 1/4 cup water, and remaining 1/2 cup soy sauce in a bowl; set sauce aside.
2.Place 1 scant tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper; brush edges with water. Bring up corners to make a triangle; press to seal. Place on a baking sheet; freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
3.Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add 10 potstickers, and cook, shaking pan frequently, until bottoms are golden brown. Turn pot stickers over; very carefully pour in 1/2 cup water, and cover. Steam until most liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and pot stickers. Serve with dipping sauce.

Recipes and pictures from:
MarthaStewart.com

2010-09-19T18:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some pumpkins carving ideas that I would love to try. I really like the faux wood grain pumpkin.

Pictures and ideas from marthstewart.com

Garage Sales

2010-09-11T16:29:00.001-05:00

My family had a garage sale at the Sioux Center city-wides this weekend. We set up shop in my grandma's garage, and actually had a really good turnout. My grandma sold the most stuff (she had a ton of kitchen supplies that she was selling out of her camper). We had a great time sitting around and chatting during the down times and trying to sell our stuff while people were there. Whatever stuff I had left, I donated to a local thrift store that sells for domestic abuse prevention.

I also had the chance to go to some sales around town. Walked away with a microwave and a riding lawn mower. We also found a globe, canisters, books, and random neat things.

Anyone else go to any sales? What could you not walk away from?

Long Weekend

2010-09-07T08:09:00.000-05:00

Avery playing baseball.

We toured Schell's Brewery in New Ulm, MN. The whole place was really beautiful, old brick buildings, victorian houses, and of course good beer.

A peacock found at the brewery before we left.

The door to the old brew house.

2010-09-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

Things are in the saddle,
And ride mankind.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Check it out!

2010-08-29T19:23:00.000-05:00

Making the Sauce

2010-08-23T11:33:00.000-05:00

This weekend we picked apples from the trees on Uncle Marlin's farm. We decided to make some applesauce and added some different flavors. One batch was made with Apple Pie spice and the other with raspberry flavoring. They both turned out super yummy.

Night Visitor

2010-08-22T09:07:00.000-05:00

Rob and I were watching a Podcast yesterday on how to make a bat house. We decided that once we had a place of our own, we would probably build a bat house to help out with the mosquito population. So, last night I went out to grab my mom's cat to take inside. I was looking in the garage when I heard and saw movement in the pop can box. Rob came out with gloves and looked in the box and found a bat trying to get into a beer can. So, he grabbed to can and put it in a box and brought the box out to the back end of my mom's yard. Hopefully the bat just flew away. Here is a blurry pic of the cute little guy.

New Reads and Resources

2010-08-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

All summer Rob and I have been tending a rather large garden in Doon at Rob's uncle's house. It has been great working in the dirt and enjoying the fruits of our labor. I have canned so many different things (whole tomoatoes, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, sweet pickles, dill pickles, strawberry jam, salsa, vegetable soup) and frozen different produce too (cherry tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, strawberries, pesto). It has been really fun to see how much produce we have and learning the process of canning and freezing from my mom. All of the work we have done has made us want to learn and do more. Hopefully we will soon own our own small piece of land and will be able to do more. Eventually we want to have chickens, maybe goats, and in the long run be able to brew beer. This book is a great resource. It shows all the steps in order to create a homestead and be able to produce a lot of food for yourself.

If any of you have ever tried to bake bread, check out this book. The authors show you how you can have a fresh loaf of bread everyday. The first book they wrote focuses on the whole process of baking bread and saving the dough in the fridge so that the next day all you have to do is pull a piece off, form it, and bake it. It is full of tons of recipes for different types of breads. I have made boule, pizza, oatmeal bread, pretzels, and sticky buns. A couple weeks ago I went to Minneapolis with my mom and sister to take a class given by the authors. They demonstrated different techniques from the book, and how to have successful bread each time. This book is full of recipes that use whole grains. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but I am excited to get started.

Garden Adventures

2010-08-04T15:09:00.001-05:00

Now on Etsy

2010-07-13T14:48:00.001-05:00

I am trying something new. I have items left from the craft show I did in June, so I thought I would try and sell them on etsy.com. I am not done putting items up, but you can check it out now if you like. If you haven't been on Etsy before it is a place where people can sell their handmade items. It is great place!

Here is the link to me: meganhaan.etsy.com

I hope you enjoy!

Sticky Caramel Pecan Rolls

2010-07-08T14:25:00.000-05:00

My first try at making caramel rolls. I haven't tasted them yet... but they smell really good.

Artisan Bread

2010-07-07T11:55:00.000-05:00

My mom has a book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The whole idea behind this method of baking bread is that you make a big batch of dough, put it in the fridge, pull off a piece anytime you want fresh bread and bake it. After making bread with my grandma one time, I have wanted to make bread again. Yesterday I made the "Master Recipe" and it turned out pretty good. I am planning to make a pizza tonight with part of the dough and fresh basil from our garden. Carmel-pecon rolls tomorrow.

the old

2010-07-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I stopped in Canton to visit a couple antique stores. These places were packed full of beautiful color and objects. It took me a while to get through both places, but well worth it. I found so many things. One booth was full of old Pyrex. There was a set of 4 green bowls that stacked inside each other. There were also tons of old aprons made with vintage fabric. Here are just a few pictures I grabbed with my phone. I only walked out with a small beige and green hankie, but I am sure I will be going back for more.

American Jane

2010-06-27T19:57:00.001-05:00

This is my new favorite fabric. It is made by designer Sandy Klop. Moda prints her designs, so you can go to their website to purchase it. I want to make this quilt sometime. I just have to start collecting the fabric.

Here is her website.

2010-06-27T19:48:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning at 6:30, I went with my Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle and Mom to pick strawberries by Sanborn, Iowa. We ate a great breakfast at a small town diner, and then got to the patch around 8. I picked one flat (11 lbs) for myself, and everyone else picked two. It was a beautiful morning to do it.

When we got home, my mom and I made strawberry jam. I made mine with no sugar. I came out with 9 jars. I also frozen 5 half pint containers for ice cream topping and sliced a little over four cups for two strawberry pies. Here is the recipe I used for the pies. They are also not sugar added. Instead of making my own crust, I used the philsbury roll out dough (which is extremely easy). The pies are extremely good.

Ingredients:
FILLING
1 pint strawberries (cleaned and stems removed)
2 cups water
1 large package sugar free strawberry Jello
1 tablespoon cornstarch

CRUST
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon Equal Brand Sweetener for Recipes, or 6 packets Equal Brand Sweetener
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold margarine, cut into pieces
10-11 tablespoons ice water

Topping
Lite Cool Whip Non-Dairy Frozen Whipped Topping, thawed

Instructions:
For Filling:
Boil water and cornstarch until it begins to thicken. Add jello; dissolve. Pour over 1 pint strawberries in prebaked crust ( see crust recipe below). Cover top with Lite Cool Whip.

Crust:
Combine flour, Equal Sweetener and salt in bowl; cut in margarine with fork until mixture is crumbly. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Refrigerate until ready to use or well chilled.

To Bake Crust:
Bake pie crust at 375 degrees F. For partially baked pie shells, bake 10 to 12 minutes. For fully baked crusts, bake 15 to 18 minutes. Instead of using foil or beans to hold down the crust, use a foil pan that is the same size as the pie pan and place in the crust for the first 6 minutes. When crust begins to color around the edges, take the pan out and finish to desired brown-ness.

Fill baked, cooled crust with strawberry filling, and top pie with Lite Cool Whip.

Art Festival

2010-06-04T11:55:00.001-05:00

Saturday, June 5 from 9-4 at the Centre Mall I will be selling earings and pouches at the Art Festival. Stop by to see my products and me!

Spare time = Creative time

2010-05-26T09:02:00.000-05:00

In four years we have...

2010-05-12T08:33:00.000-05:00

1. graduated college

2. moved to Chicago
3. got and conquered diabetes
4. went to a huge handful of awesome concerts, plays, and museums
5. learned an amazing amount about life, ourselves, and cats
6. suffered important loses
7. witnessed beautiful births
8. ate sensational food
9. drank a lot of coffee
10. worked full-time jobs in our fields
11. decided that we wanted to be closer to family
12. moved back to Sioux Center
13. been incredibly happy the entire time

Happy Anniversary!

getting back to my roots....

2010-05-11T09:31:00.000-05:00

Rob and I are officially residents of Sioux Center now. He came out to Chicago with my family this past weekend, and we came back with all of our stuff. (For the record - my dad weighed the trailer before and after and our life weighs about 4,500 lbs.) We are so excited and relieved to finally have the move over with.

So... HELLO Northwest IOWA!

Procrastination

2010-04-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

Rob is now in Sioux Center. We drove half way yesterday to do a hand off with his sister. He has taken Ollie with him, so now it is just me and Neko here, which means it is very quiet. I have been delaying as much as possible to continue the never-ending task of packing (for those of you who don't know, Rob and I are moving back to nw Iowa because he is now working for Alpha Omega in Rock Rapids).

In my procrastination, I was looking at old Threadbanger Podcasts and found a T-Shirt recon that I wanted to try. It only took about 5 min.

If the video doesn't work, you can try to link:

http://www.threadbanger.com/tb-projects/episode/THR_20090811

Look Mom... I'm on TV!

2010-03-05T18:35:00.000-06:00

Rob and I went to a free Willie Nelson concert for the taping of Soundstage for WTTW. It aired the last weekend of February. Here is a clip of a close up.

Try these....

2010-01-23T20:02:00.000-06:00

Butternut Squash Fries

1. One butternut squash peeled and cut into thin strips.

2. Cover with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

3. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until brown and crisp at 425.

Flip half way through.