Made calzones for the first time tonight. Used Thom’s fave bread/pizza dough and pizza sauce. They definitely didn’t look the greatest {need to work on pinching and sealing the dough better} but they tasted SO good.
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…Saturday Thoughts
Happy Saturday, Friends!
I’m trying to force myself to have some sort of positive thoughts right now since my blood pressure is through the roof and I am frustrated beyond belief. My stupid, idiotic, useless computer is driving me positively insane. Really. I’m a mad woman. I’ve kicked it, screamed at it, shed many a tear over it, and called it every foul name in the book.
It’s response? It sits there and mocks me as it reboots every time I try to save what I’ve been working on {pictures}. It beeps and whistles as it slowly comes back to life and flashes it’s not-so-fancy colors {dying monitor} at me and tricks me into believing that this time will be my lucky moment and it beguiles me into thinking I’ve fixed the problem {by kicking it repeatedly}.
Anyway. I’m trying to get over it. Really.
So I meant to post about my One Little Word for 2010 last week but I never got around to it.
Let us review my past words, shall we?
2007 Love Took a chance on love and moved to Arkansas to pursue it!
2008 Create I felt pretty good about this word. I spent 2008 getting more into taking photos and creating more digital scrapping projects. What I think I didn’t do well on was creating more of a life for me down here in Ark. I didn’t make any friends outside of work, I didn’t join any clubs or groups in order to do so, and I wish that I had. It was one of my goals for that year.
2009 Fit I went absolutely nowhere with this. I didn’t get fit-physically, mentally, monitarily. I was a big fat loser, in fact. I didn’t even try. Didn’t work on it at all. What’s the point of “having” a word if I’m not going to do anything with it, right?
Let me just say I’m not doing so well with it thus far either. My word for this year is Thoughtful. I had grand plans of remembering to send birthday post cards to every single person in my family this entire year. I’ve already missed, like, 4 cousins. Granted, I really didn’t know it was their birthdays-guess I should have looked at the handy-dandy list that Mom printed out for me-sooner.
I’m going to try to get on track with that this coming week though. I’m also wanting to get back to handwriting notes, letters, cards to my friends and family. I think too much of the time I get SO wrapped up in myself that I flip the blinders on to what’s going on around me {easy to do when I’m 800 miles away from almost everyone in my life}.
So…that’s one focus for 2010. I also started a photo project for this year too….something I already know that I’ll fail miserably. A picture a day for 365 days. A whole year. I’ve already found myself scrambling last minute to click-a-pic….but I am trying to capture and image that represents part of my life and not just some random photo.
…Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas
And now….the winner of the Holiday Giveaway….
Melanie!! Congrats and Merry Christmas, my friend!!
…Date Night
I enjoyed a date night with Thom on Friday night– dinner, shopping, and a giant-screen movie at the Aerospace Education Center.
The lobby has some really cool planes and the replicas of the Lunar Module and a Wright plane.
The movie was kind of lame….but the giant screen was way cool…and the company was nice 🙂
…Giving Thanks & Goodies
I spent a few hours in the kitchen tonight making cookie and muffin doughs for the rest of the week. I signed up to bring an assortment of cookies for the store’s Black Friday potluck. I also agreed to bring some veggies and I have a cute plan for the veggie display {seen on this blog} but I’m not sure that I a.) will have the energy to put it together and b.) will have the funds to do it.
I spent some time putting together some goody-thank-you boxes for Thom’s nephew and his bestest friend. They were extremely helpful with my car-less situation these last few week. I bought the little goody boxes at The Container Store {I LURVE that place!}
I used my fave Thickers and fall ribbons {didn’t get a detail shot-there is ribbon attached from one side of the box, around the back, and along the other side} from American Crafts I actaully broke out stamps and ink pads too. Feeling quite ambitious, I guess!
…When the clouds part, watch for falling spirits.
The sun finally came out again down here in Ark. It’s been so rainy and dreary {again} and it gets so dark SO early. It’s been a bit depressing. So, today, when the clouds parted and the sun made it’s grand appearance, my mood lifted and my spirit floated away.
…The Day Before Friday, the 13th
It’s been a couple of crazy days around here. Yesterday, on the way to work, Thom’s engine light came on. I started to panic slightly since his is the only vehicle we have right now {Thom’s good friend has loaned us his old [i’m sure Thom would call it vintage] beater truck so that he can tool around town if he needs to}. I turned around immediately and headed back home, called work, and took a vacation day.
Then, just after midnight, Thom’s mom was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She’s had problems breathing all week. Thom was at the hospital until 6 am. His mom was transferred to Little Rock. She’ll likely be there the whole weekend.
Today we’ve said goodbye to a couple of fixtures around the Scenic house. My car has finally left the driveway, via another tow truck. It’s on it’s way to ~hopefully~ be fixed.
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this on the blog, but we’ve had a couple of parakeets for just about a year. Thom’s good friend {of aforementioned vintage- truck- loanage} so graciously gave us the pesky birds cuz they were annoyingly loud. They were a lovely addition to the household for about a week before they annoyed us too. We’ve endured Para’s and Keet’s noise a long time, in my opinion. It just got to be too much though…so they’re on their way to a new home. I told you Thom was starting a menagerie. Two birds and a fish at the Scenic house…and the two kitties at the Lake house.
I’m working a few hours on Saturday and all day on Sunday…so I’m getting in some baking while I have the where-withall. Is that the expression? Hope y’all are well and feelin’ fine. Would love to hear your weekend plans!
…Ponderings and Figuring out this thing called Life
I’ve been thinking {again} about why I continue to blog when I don’t have anything interesting or fun to share. Sometimes it starts to feel like a chore–not that I have a lot of readers beating at my monitor demanding another installment of desperately seeking {gina}–but, I tend to put a tad bit of pressure on myself to come up with something creative to do, share, or blog about. And the truth is….most days I just don’t feel creative. Or motivated.
A lot of why I do this, I suppose is I fear being forgotten…..You know–“out of sight, out of mind.” I’ve been thinking of this in terms of children too. Not having any, I mean. What’s going to happen when I’m 80 and there’s no one to take care of me. No one to visit me at the old folks home, cuz that’s surely where I’ll end up if there’s no one to take me in. Anyway…thems a whole bunch of other issues…well…sort of non-issues actually….I don’t dwell on them too much, too often. They’re just random thoughts that pop into my head. And then I start thinking about what dessert I can make…and I’m off topic pretty quickly.
Back to the “out of sight, out of mind.” I know the fam and my friends have a lot going on in their lives too. Their own issues to dwell on and solve. But, I can’t help thinking don’t forget about me way down here in Arkansas! I may have moved 800 miles away but I still want to be a part of your lives! And have you be a part in mine…and I guess that’s the biggest reason I do this silly blog so much. I want to share my life with you, even if only with words and a million and one goofy pictures of the kitties. Even if you’re just clicking by while working, too busy to leave comments. Just that you’re stopping by and peeking in at my little world. That’s enough for me.
Okay…so thems my deep thoughts for the day. {“thems” seems to be the word of the day}
It’s Wednesday. Naked Wednesday in some circles! Hi, Uncle Mike!
It’s my day off. I’ve been blog surfing and looking up recipes while I wait for Thom to return from running errands and taking his mom grocery shopping. On today’s agenda: pulling Thom’s fishing boat to the Lake House so he can do some maintenence work. This week marks my two year anniversary of being in Ark…and I still haven’t been on the lake. Unbelievable, I know!
I also have a basket of laundry that needs to be hung and put away. I’ve been living out of the basket for, like, two weeks now instead of putting the stuff where it’s supposted to go. I’m always telling Thom that I like organization and tidiness…yet I can’t seem to get my clothes situation under control. {sigh}
Also today, I’m making creamy tomato soup from Martha’s Cooking School. I bought the book months and months ago and only flipped through it briefly so I dragged it out last weekend and started reading from the beginning. My kitchen is pretty well stocked according to Martha’s suggestions so I think I’m good-to-go and learn some techniques and get cooking 🙂
Hope y’all are well…and feeling fine. Love and lots of hugs to you all!
…Bake at your own risk
Seriously. This bread is so addictive. This is for Liz {sang in my cheesiest DJ voice while holding the make-believe microphone to my lips. Or maybe it’s just the whisk. Whatev.}
For the bread/crust:
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water {110 degrees}
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups high gluten bread flour
Salt/Poppy seed seasoning:
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
{this makes more than needed for this one bread recipe. I’m still using my initial 1/4 cup:1 Tbs poppy seed, and I’ve made many, many loaves and crusts. You could just eyeball it according to your Kneads. ha ha. Bread humor… I’m so funny}.
Chef Larry’s Blessing {Must be one a chef at one of Chuck Muer’s restauraunts?}
1 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon basil leaves
1 table spoon oregano leaves
Emulsify olive oil and garlic in a blender or food processor. Add herbs and process to combine. This mixture lasts one week at room temp. {again, this makes much more than you’ll need for this recipe. Eyeball it for your needs.}
Okay, now that you have all your ingredients mis en place {fancy term for get all your crap together before you actually start to bake…Although I’m fairly certain Martha didn’t call it “crap” in her book}, you’re ready to put together your dough.
Sprinkle yeast over the warm water. Wait about 5 minutes until it dissolves and starts bubbling a bit. Add sugar, salt, and olive oil. Stir well. Begin to stir in flour. I use my kitchen aid with dough hook…and I’m no bread baking expert so I assume you could stir by hand and then knead it}. Knead in the mixer for 5 minutes. Dough may be a bit sticky. Remove from bowl and knead by hand for 2-3 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel or cling wrap. I usually use cling wrap and lightly oil the top so it doesn’t stick. Set in a warm, draft-free place and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle your work surface with the poppy seed mixture and remove dough from the bowl. At this point, divide dough into fourths if you’re making loaves, or roll in the salt/poppy mixture and spread the dough into your lightly greased pizza pans. We make one big deep dish pizza. It would probably make two crusts using ordinary cookie sheets.
If you’re making loaves: divide into fourths. Shape each quarter into loaves and roll in salt/poppy mixture. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Using kitchen shears or two really sharp knives, cut dough into 5 sections, leaving them attached.
For both loaves and crust: Brush Chef Larry’s blessing over the salted/poppied dough. Cover again and let rise a second time for 30 minutes.
After it has risen a second time, bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then drop the temp down to 400 degrees and bake for another ten minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before devouring. This is excellent as a dipping bread, sandwich bread, or just plain.
And now I’m seeing the benefit of having pictures for each step like The Pioneer Woman does on her blog…but I’m just not that good at actually following the recipe and taking a picture at the same time.
Hope you get the chance to make this Liz…it’s definitely worth the work!
…Pumpkin Recovery
I’m feeling Hallweened and Pumpkined out….and I’ve been thinking all day long about what in the world I’d blog about.
Scotch if feeling the same. This is about the best shot I could get of the Halloween costume I bought for the kitties. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t cooperate with me while I was trying to get their pictures. So…I had to settle for stalking them until they fell asleep. Scotch must have been totally tuckered out because she didn’t budge while Thom moved her around and even held her up for “the perfect shot.” Just for the record- I never thought I’d be the kind of girl who dressed up her cats and photographed them. I’m pretty bored and reaching for blog material, friends!
I’ve finished the last of the pumpkin bars I had stashed in the freezer and I stalked the markdown people at work today to get the best Halloween decor on clearance. I scored some cool wall adhesives for just 2 bucks each….and with my discount I only spent a whopping $12. And since I had $7 in cash and only used the debit card for $5, I really only spent $5, right? lol I think too much like my mother, methinks.
My mind has started wandering toward Thanksgiving and I’m starting to search the internet for side dishes. Thom and I will be alone for the holiday and we’re trying out a Tofurkey this year. I’d love to hear what you’ll be doing for Turkey day.