Tis the Season

Thanksgiving is in 3 days, or 2 depending on how you count. Where did this year go? Sheez! I've cooked many a meals in many different ovens over my 29 years (yes, I'm still in my twenties!) and many a times I have never had enough cooking space. The stove top burners, oven, slow cooker, grill, the space is always so limited. Or at least it is on my budget. 

To the rescue comes this multi-tier oven rack from Sur la table. Problem solved and at such a great price too! I can image this contraption coming to the rescue allowing us to cook more than one dish at a time in that hasty effort to get the food on the table before another dish gets cold or guests get cranky. 

Good luck with the beginning of what I hope will be many holiday dinners and gatherings for this season!

Cheers!

Happy Father's Day

First watch this one.....

Then watch this one second....

Thank you to my wonderful Dad for being the best man that I know. I love you with all my heart. Thank you to my Grandpas, Uncles, my Father-in-Law, and all the men out there who love their children and act as that 'father figure' to others. 

Cheers. 

Another year older...

Happy Birthday, O Captain, MY Captain! 

I'm so very proud of you; your accomplishments, attitude, goals and your life in general. You continuously amaze me with your love and support, with your ever present positive outlook, and your endeavor for improvement.

I like you. A whole lot. 

Happy Birthday!

Love, J

Salty Air

Recently, we vacationed in one of our most favorite places on Earth, enjoying 4 days of salty, sunny bliss. 

The Captain caught a 3 ft baby Hammerhead Shark. It was awesome. Surprised us all in relatively shallow water with frozen shrimp. We cut the line and wished him well. 

I caught no less than a dozen puffer fish throughout the day.

Still smiling 5 years, 1 month and 2 days to the hour in the place.

                                                                                   

Cheers. 

To Bartlesville Who Raised Us

It seems like years ago but that's just because I stalk people on facespace instead of updating my blog. However, earlier last month I got to meet the lovely Ree during her latest book signing in Midtown.

Most of you would know her as The Pioneer Woman from her blog but I found out about her while living in Hawaii as we are from the same hometown, Marlboro Man and the ranch being a mer hour or so away. I still enjoy her love of Oklahoma and enjoy her cooking but find her blog to have become pretty commercialized with a lot of other contributers. 

So, book signing, disappointed also. She came out said hello, answered 4 questions and sat down with her pen. Granted, there were at least a couple hundred people with line assignments, many with more than one book, however I would have thought it a bit more enjoyable to hear her read an excerpt. I appreciate her awareness of how long the evening was going to be but a funny story or an Ethel impersonation would have been fun!

I introduced myself and stated how nice it was to see another Bartin around the area. She was shocked and I explained how I do live her, and we chatted about the hometown, how she thought I looked like one of her friends' sisters, how my FIL and her Dad were work colleagues, and how I chat with Mike when I meet my SIL for lunch at the hospital cafeteria. She was a lovely lady. We smiled for what I consider a great picture, I'm terribly critical of myself, and away I was ushered. 

Overall, it was nice. I was happy to meet her. Marlboro Man was there also but I don't like myself in those photos so you don't get to see them. 

Cheers!

Of all the weekends...

The lineup for the 2011 Beale Street Music Festival (BSMF) was announced today and it made me elated for about 10 minutes, then I more closely looked at the dates.

MGMT. In my backyard. Freakin' awesome. Rockin' out on Friday night, after Cake, after The Flaming Lips---yes please!

The whole lineup looks much more awesome than last year. I'm not a fan of Earth, Wind and Fire or Bret Michaels. Bigger headliners this year, or at least in my musical world.

I could totally take a nap all morning to recover from getting up 4 AM to watch William and Kate get married. However, the Captain is a groomsman in his best friends wedding that weekend 2 states away. Doh.

I shake my fist at those that plan REALLY COOL things in the Memphis area the one weekend I can not and will not change my plans.

For those of your that are going to be in the area, or wouldn't mind a drive (I promise it will be worth it!) check out the website. Just don't send me a postcard telling me how awesome it was.

Fingers crossed for next year.

Cheers!

Lately....

The Captain and I went on a vacation where were used 4 whole bottles of sunscreen. None less than 30 SPF. I'm a fan of bronze skin but not skin cancer, and since it's only February we didn't need to get burnt yet, so we lathered up and enjoyed ourselves. All of these varieties of sunscreen, the sun, sweating, salt water, etc resulted in a breakout of the undesired kind on our faces. Thank God for concealer!

After 5 years of moving from Norman to Hawaii to Portland to Memphis (with more homes in each location) we payed off our credit card! Hip-Hip-Hooray! That piece of plastic has saved our butts numerous times and allowed us to do what we needed to do when we needed to do. However, it also was the root of many heated discussions, angry nights, worrisome weeks, and stress. We are no longer a salve to the lender and feel a great relief off of ourselves. We did it!! Now to knock out the rest of my school debt....

Weather has been sporadic lately. Sunny and gorgeous one day ending in an evening enjoying patio dining with some friends. The next overcast and 50. Rain, no wait, now it's muggy sunshine. Hooray for springtime! The daffodils are blooming and I can't get enough of their fragrant smell.

My dog is still scared of thunderstorms. As well as the sweeper, hair dryer, real fires, football, and heated discussions. She will however, eat anything.

Reading from my Kindle is very enjoyable. I loaded it up with books for our trip and it was so much more enjoyable than lugging 30 lbs of books because I'm never sure what kind of mood I'm going to be in.

I need a pedicure. And to quit biting my nails. And to quit procrastinating from my job related work that needs done and didn't take a vacation!

The Captain and I reversed sleeping roles over our time in Florida. I was struggling to stay awake past 9 AM but ready to start my day by 7, he however stayed up till midnight every night. At least we balance each other out!

Cheers!

Snow Daze

First the snow graced us with a lovely couple of inches that weren't good for making snowpeople. 

Though Callie and I enjoyed it. 

No, I don't like to take down my Christmas decorations. The wreaths stayed up till the snow started to melt. Satisfied?

We then got a snow fall that lasted a whole 2 hours in the bight sunshine and looked like a cotton field.

            Now, I'm ready to grill out. You bringing the steaks? 

Above are pleasant stories of lovely snow. Stay tuned for photos of destructions. Hope you are staying warm wherever you might be!

Cheers!

Comment on my blog, not facespace

  The Memphis Weather Blog I check posted this map of snow and ice fall to expect in the next few days. Of course Memphis is supposed to get light rain on Tuesday. Which coincidently is Groundhog day, so for a free spicy chicken sandwich from Chick Valet, monitor the shadow!

But back to the weather....nothing in Memphis. On one hand, I'm thankful. The winter weather ruins my workout plans because the gym classes are cancelled if school is. Lame. Yoga and Zumba @ Heartsong have also been cancelled in the past month due to winter weather. I am of course, thankful the instructors are cautious and concerned for our well-being but if the gym is open and well as most businesses, the instructors should be there. I need motivation to get to the gym!

On the other hand, I want snow! Snow that will keep The Captain home and allow or rather encourage him to romp through the snow with Callie and I and slide on the ice. Unfortunately the airline industry is a 366 day a year job, 25/8.

So as one sister enjoys -5 degree weather in North Dakota, another is enjoying snow days working for the Ark City School System, and my brother is doing lots of praying school is cancelled a little further south, I'll be hanging out here in Memphis amazed at how the weather changes and is so different one state east and on the other side of the Mississippi.

Cheers.

We ship boxes!

I would like to clarify that I am from a brown family. My Dad has been a driver for over a decade. My brother (in-law technically) owns 2 stores and is in negotiations for his 3rd. My sister (in-law technically) is a UPS commercial superstar around the Northeast Oklahoma area. My niece said she didn't like to fly into Memphis because there were too many purple planes.

 However, I do live in Memphis, therefore I turn a little purple every once in a while. As it is, it was a sad day in our area yesterday as news came across the lines that we no longer were the busiest airport for cargo transportation. The title now belongs to the Hong Kong Airport whom transported 4.1 million metric tons. Our 3.9 million metric tons just couldn't compete. 18 years was a good run though!

Cheers!

Excessive Strength

I love Post-its. I'm very thankfully Romy and Michelle invented them. My world would be lost without them. Perhaps not lost, but at least more dull, less colorful, unorganized.

However, I am not a fan of the new and improved super sticky ones. They have excessive strength and often are hard to get off the paper and sometimes take the top layer with them. I can never seem to find pretty colored ones, no original yellow for me, in the fan-pop-up ones for my dispenser. So I have to get the super sticky ones. All for the sake of color. The sacrifices I make for happiness.

It is supposed to be near 65 degrees here tomorrow, though I'm sure we will get more snow next week! It's been crazy weather time here this year. Maybe it will get my skin used to seeing the sun for our escape in a couple of weeks. W00t W00t

Cheers.

Must Protect this House

My delightful little four-legged black daughter barks at everything when in our backyard. No more than 3 seconds after we let her outside she is barking, at what we have no idea. At all hours of the day and night. It is rather unnecessary.

So...facts: She has always been an inside dog but has spent extended periods outside. She is spoiled but can go camping without an RV or hotel.

Fact: I don't want to eliminate barking FOREVA because I still need the guard dog aspect, within a reasonable definition.

Fact: We have wooden privacy fence in the current backyard, our dog barks. Dog left in backyard over 3-day weekend, returned to have neighbors complaining that she barked till nearly midnight every night. They then think she just wore herself out or she would have continued.

Fact: Our house was not broken in to that weekend. There was not a murder most foul nor vandalism.

Fact: Home prior to had a wooden privacy fence, dog did not bark as much. Dog was left in backyard many times over the weekend with no problems or complaining from neighbors. Minus the time the cops were called because there wasn't enough shade.....another story. There was shade.

Fact: Our current housing situation is one of those where the backyard borders the alley/street. Garage is in the back of the house, unlike 'normal' houses where garage in front or on side, does that make sense?

Fact: Previous place of residence backyard bordered other backyards.

Fact: We live in a gated community (I know, we are soooo rich...but we don't have a limo). Therefore, we don't have lots of traffic and it's usually the same elderly ladies with their dogs or the same vehicles going down our back street.

Fact: Callie has sniffed every single post box, fire hydrant, rock, sidewalk, and dog we meet. Numerous times. She loves to meet people and other animals. Except when they nip at her.

Fact: She does not bark at the front facing part of the yard.

Therefore is she seeing more action through the wooden planks that she can't comprehend enough to know there is only one car going down the street? I'm not really sure but it has to be gotten under control. We have weekends at the lake which will be occurring on a regular basis in approximately 3 1/2 months where she will need to stay in the backyard. We also have trips planned in the meantime and I can't be worrying about cranky neighbors and an excessively barking dog.

So does anyone have any suggestions? Shock collar is not accepted.

The Capitan is going to tape black garbage bags or a dark tarp on the inside of the fence which hopefully will eliminate confusion on what her eyes see through the planks. Perhaps that will fix it?

I saw this Dog Spray Bark Control Collar at PetCo earlier and wondered about it. I have a friend who suggested I look into. Has anyone tried it or heard anything? I tried to read reviews from Amazon but the posts at the bottom were about whether atheists have dogs or condemning people for breeding puppies that are going to end up in shelters getting put to death. It was way off topic and weird.


Fact: At least I don't have 2-legged kids! 'Barking' all night in the backyard would be the least of my concerns-chuckle. :)

Cheers.

The Power of an Iron Skillet

For Christmas, the majority of the gifts I received were cooking related. Cookbooks, serving trays, warming trays, utensils, knives, deep fryer, immersion blender, and the likes. A cake carrier, lotions, polka dot galoshes, socks, Burts Bees products, gift cards, yoga mat and bag as well as measuring spoons shaped like flowers. Also included was cast iron skillet and a dutch oven. I'm pretty sure there was only one thing on my list I didn't get. Very blessed am I.

The first time I cooked in my skillet it was cheesy fried potato and apple hash. Trust me it's seriously yummy. However, the heat was turned up to high and I let it sit to long before I stirred it which caused the bottom layer to burn.

The first time I cooked in my dutch oven it was loaded baked potato soup. Intensely thick and just the right amount of creaminess and potato chunks. After the first servings were emptied into our bellies, we turned the back on the stove to warm the soup up again. After we dipped our second helpings up, the heat stayed on and of course I again under estimated the power of the iron cookware.

Point being: I love cooking with my cast iron ware. It adds a certain flavor and warmth to the food. However, it responds differently to heat and I need to pay closer attention to that or I'm going to end up burning things more often. It would remind the Captain of our first year of marriage though-HA!

Side note: this was also the week that I made homemade cheesy rosemary bread which didn't properly raise. It was heavy, very heavy. We didn't eat much of it so perhaps it was an off week for this cook in the kitchen.

I try. I also love cheese.

Cheers!

Come Rain or Come Shine

Five years ago today I became 'Mrs. Krause' on a very windy, very happy, very perfect day. 

Thank you for a novel worthy five years, babe! 

I love you!

More Candles

My  birthday is tomorrow and I wear a size 6. Oh wait...there is a slightly different version in red and I REALLY love red. I always feel jipped on my birthday. Everyone has over spent their budget on Christmas. They are worn out from Christmas cards and remembering to get gifts for everyone on their list. They are partied out from the holidays, food, friends and family and the weather is a big encourager of vegging out in flannel pants in front of the fire. The grunge of reality and school is bringing everyone down that I seldom receive the excitement for the day of my birth as I wish.

I do have some very good memories of birthdays in the past, of sleepovers, laughter, angel food cakes, and many times not having school to attend. However, because this is my blog and I have had a headache all day, I can focus on the negativity of my day. I can focus on the fact that important people have failed to call me on my birthday. I can vent about how people take the easy way out and give me $20 because they can't think of anything that I didn't get for Christmas that I would like. Way lame. I can post about how I never got to take cupcakes to school on my birthday and about how working from home sucks in that I won't have coworkers to take me out to lunch tomorrow or surprise me with a cake. I can vent about how my husband gives me a hard time because I'm hardcore birthday and I like balloons, singing, breakfast in bed, and not having dishes, laundry, floors or poop to scoop and special surprises that don't break the bank because yes, I over spent on the holidays as well.  I can vent about how I miss my college bars which would provide at least 3 new shirts for the next year. I can vent about how all my gifts are received within a month (Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary).  I get greedy.

Unfortunately I'm terribly blessed. Because the people who call me far outweighs those who just text or forget. Because I have a husband who will sing the birthday song for the 42nd time and take me wherever I want for my birthday dinner even if I end up only wanting to sit at home with a bottomless glass of wine and solve crimes. Because I have wonderful parents who birthed me out less than 30 yrs ago on a cold night with a full moon and provided a wonderful life molding whom I am today.

I can't party at this pity party for too long. Besides I just remembered that I forgot to pick up the cake and icing mixes for my birthday cake while at the market today. Kroeger is calling!

Cheers!

What a stupid question

Two Buck Chuck is a love of my life. No kidding. During my, approximately 16 months of living in the Land of Port, we became good friends. And I have to give props to Pautz as the person whom introduced us. After all of her fond stories tasty glass fulls I was thrilled to finally live in a location where there was a Trader Joe's. Which brings me to a point: the nearest Trader Joe's is in Nashville. A glass of wine at the end of the day is one life's most delightful pleasures.

Cheap wine isn't like cheap liquor. It won't make you sick from cheap production or products. If the bottle of Two Buck Chuck didn't flip my bic I could have always used it in cooking, but that was never the case, and I've never felt bad from purchasing the low price wines. I can taste the difference in the good stuff but my wallet doesn't allow for that anymore. I drank a lot of wine in Hawaii, a lot more than I should have, a lot more liquor than we should have but I digress. Costco was allowed to sell liquor in the stores in that state therefore liquor and wine was ridiculously cheap and we could afford to buy really nice wines for sunsets on the lanai.

But the point of this blog is in response to this article on Slashfood. Most wines have the same alcohol content so that can't really be a factor. One can judge wine on the label or the vineyard reputation, which are noteworthy, but it really leaves the taste, and everyone's taste buds are different. Everyone interprets the smell and taste from wine differently despite an attempt to add smokiness, berries, wood, etc in the wine during production. I can't wait to visit a local Whole Foods and try a bottle from Three Wishes Vineyards.

What are your thoughts? Can a $3 bottle of wine taste good?

Cheers!

Just like Martha

Over the past few days as we were putting up our Christmas decorations, the Captain came across an older issue of Martha Stewart Living that had cups of hot cocoa with homemade marshmallow snowflakes on the cover. He made a comment and I took notice and yesterday Callie and I made him heart marshmallows for our hot cocoa. Snowflakes were not an option among my cookie cutters and since all I have is love...well..gag.

Upon his arrival home today, he was greeted with a delicious cup of hot cocoa with heart marshmallows. I think he was surprised. I was surprised. Why don't you be surprised also! They are surprisingly easy to make-check out this recipe!





Items needed:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 cups of sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
Dash of salt
Lots of Pam cooking spray
1/3 cup of water
Cornstarch

Spray a 12x17 inch pan generously with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray again. Set aside.

Pour half of 1/3 cup of water in mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin on top, let set while you prepare the rest.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla, and rest of the water in medium saucepan. Stir well. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid, stirring occasionally until syrup reaches 238 degrees, apparently this is the "soft ball stage" of candy making.

Pour syrup mixture into gelatin mixture and start mixer on low. Slowly increase to high. Mix on high for about 12 minutes. Product should at least double in size.

Pour mixture on to slippery pan. Smooth down with a spatula which you have also generously sprayed with cooking spray. Trust me, this marshmallow mixture is sticky. After you have spread the mixture out to your depth preference, set aside for at least 2 hours. I let mine set nearly 24. My life gets busy peoples.

Coat your preferred cookie cutter shape with plenty of, yep you guessed it, cooking spray and cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible. After each marshmallow is cut, lightly dust it with cornstarch. This will prevent it from sticking with the others in the container. Sidenote: the cornstarch doesn't prevent perfect melting in the beverage nor does it affect taste. Storing these in an airtight container for a week will lead to many yummy cups of hot cocoa, and it's the perfect season for that!

Cheers

Not a picnic for me with the skunks

Late summer I had a dream where to put it without great detail, a skunk had sprayed our area at the docks and I was about to throw up. If you didn't know, I dream in great detail. Extreme detail. The Captain made the mistake of once asking me about my dream and I spent an hour, no kidding might have been longer, telling him about my dream that I'm sure only last 15 minutes in real time. Everything from what people were wearing, to where things were on a counter, to what the post its on the fridge said. It's ridiculous. I've wanted to have my dreams analyzed because I think I'm special. Or just because it might be fun.

Anyhoo, back to the initial dream. I was about to throw up in my dream and I woke up. Our house stunk like a skunk had sprayed in our bedroom. It was gross and I was about to throw up in real life. Wouldn't that have been great! We slept with our windows open so I can see how smells can filter in but the potenice was extreme. The Captain of course was still sleeping. I woke him up, freaked out, shut the windows, lite some candles, turned on the fans, and got terribly upset. Our alarm was supposed to go off 15 minutes later as we were catching an early morning flight and had to be out the door by 5:30AM. I hate it when I get woke up. And now my house smelt like a skunk.

Fast forward, the house smelt fine when we returned and the animals seemed to not have been bothered by it. We never did find a skunk and since our neighborhood is somewhat surrounded by nature, we assumed they had wondered through. It has happened a couple of times since then and we no longer sleep with our windows open, it is nearly Thanksgiving after all, but it happened again last night. I woke to this rancid smell filtrating through my nostrils. The windows were shut and everyone else was asleep. There was no skunk in my dream.

Then we saw a fresh one on the side of the road on our way to church this morning, thinking that might have been him or her. However, tonight I smelt skunk in my office. The windows were closed and the smell was no where else in the house. The Captain couldn't smell anything and it wasn't Callie. I now think I'm paranoid.

Cheers!

Turn on the Oven

The Christmas music has started at our house. I couldn't wait any longer. Don't alert the authorities yet, there aren't any decorations out of their boxes, bags, or down from the attic yet and the Captain is defending the fall and Thanksgiving, laying on a slight guilt trip for me wanting to put out the Snow Village so we could enjoy it longer.

This past weekend I made perhaps the most delicious pumpkin chiffon pie for a dinner we had with some friends. Seriously delicious, and I am a pumpkin pie fan. It was light, flavorful, with every spice jumping out. It didn't require baking (huge plus) but does require refrigeration. It was however, super, super, terribly simple to make. And our house smelt festive afterwards. I'm making a couple for a church function next week and then one to take to my Grandparent's for Thanksgiving. Try the recipe out if you get a chance-I assure you there won't be disappointment!

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Graham Cracker Crust

If you don't buy one from the store, finely crush 1 pkg of 9 whole crackers
Mix with 6 tbsp of melted butter and
1/4 cup sugar

Disperse evenly throughout the 9-inch pie pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Filling

In a small sauce pan combine the following:
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 nutmeg
1 envelope of plain gelatin
3/4 cups of milk
3 egg yolks (beaten)

Heat till it gets thick, stirring frequently, you don't want the gelatin to get lumpy. Using a whisk is wise.

Remove from heat and stir in:
1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin (do not use pumpkin pie filling as you are adding in spices separately)

Place in a bowl and put in the refrigerator to chill.

Meanwhile:

Mix the 3 egg whites with
1/4 cup sugar till tall peaks are formed

After pumpkin mixture is chilled, it doesn't take long, fold in the egg white mixture. Don't stir, fold. Then pour in the graham cracker crust. Refrigerator for at least an hour so it can firm up.

The Captain said it needed whip cream as it is apparently, always a requirement on pumpkin pies. I thought it was perfect without.

Because I don't take pictures of food, i.e. the afore mentioned pie, here is a picture of some friends with us during our tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery which is located in a dry county last Spring. Yes, they still have those, hence the Lynchburg Lemonade. Behind is the spring of which all the water is for the whiskey is acquired, aka the secret ingredient.

 For further clarification this was during Mustache March. Dirty Staches...ugh!

Cheers!

Resolutions Already

My New Year's resolution for 2011 should be a certain # of posts per 7-day week. I've been terrible and I spend overloads of time on the internet. Thank you Al Gore for my addiction.

A couple of months ago I drove up to North West-Tennessee to pick up my Dad. My Grandpa, Uncles and Father all participate in a fishing trip every fall, a get-away. 

 With our current location, it works out that I can drive a couple of hours to pick him up, he stays with us for and extended weekend, and then flies from MEM to HRO where my Mom picks him up to drive back home. It's not complicated in our minds I promise.

 Well, a perk this year were the cotton fields, they were gorgeous. Rows and rows of brown sticks and white balls. It's so Southern, or Mid-Southern in my case.

And the most wonderful thing was that when you picked a ball of cotton and smelt it, it was the most wonderful, most clean, fresh, scent your (or my nose in the case) had every experienced. Put a smile on my face.













Cheers!