We stole Donald away for about a 1/2 hour yesterday from work.
It’s a bad habit (well, not really!) – but we can’t seem to be downtown and not go visit, or make him come to us!
Thankfully, lunch can be eaten in a short period of time!
Taking daddy hostage is just the best!
(the mommy, abi & nate pumpkins picked out by Abi…we were caught up in the moment and apparently only bought for those present…sorry, donald!)
I rarely think that anything that came out of C.S. Lewis’s mouth wasn’t a good thought…but I am always continually thankful and humbled (oh yes, and convicted) by some. One that caught me today…
"All that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery--[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." -C.S. Lewis
When fall comes and graces us with its presence – Abi and I always have one response: Pumpkin Pie. I have made one with her each year of her sweet life, and this year was the first year that she was really helpful and not a liability!
We deviated from the norm just a bit and tried Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Pumpkin Cream Pie and while it was delicious (is anything of hers not scrumptious?!) I think we will stick to our traditional roots for pumpkin pie making.
Matching aprons – check.
Some goofy – check.
Love – check.
Abi tossing in the graham crackers for our crust
A watched crust never sets…
The cream – oh yummy. One thing I really do love about PW’s cooking is that there is always a healthy presence of heavy cream.
Enjoyed while watching the Aggies beat Oklahoma State. Oh wait. Our poor Aggies are choking when the time comes! It must have been the pie…
Stir-Fried Chicken with Broccoli or Cauliflower
Score: B
Lesson learned: By parboiling vegetables first, you end up saving time b/c cooking the broccoli on the wok raw takes a MUCH longer time. Time saver: poaching veggies!
Sauteed Pork Chops
Score: B+
I’d never made pork chops before! I think I was both intimidated and turned off because I have eaten many a dry pork chop. But, oh my lands, these were good! Not good enough to get beyond a B+ (there could have been some user error – I didn’t follow the recipe exactly at the end – silly me) – but the recipe was for sure good enough to make me want to maintain a relationship with this cut of pork!
Lesson learned: When making pork chops – you must purchase the ‘center-cut loin chops’ – they have a distinct eye of meat and little meat elsewhere (thank you, cookbook!). And, buy nice thick pork chops. The cookbook encouraged the 1 inch chop – but I had 4 that were about 3/4 inch thick and they cooked just great. I did feel a bit unsure about the color of mine – but everyone else’s were a great color when cut into!
While enjoying dinner with great friends, I forgot to take a picture! Blast! I do not have a picture of a pig anywhere– I will work on that at the State Fair this year. But, I do have this darling picture of an Irish cow. And I just love this picture.
A few weekends ago we went to an AMAZING wedding. Everything about it was phenomenal.
Ceremony = there was a boy choir singing, talk about fairy-tale-esque
Flowers = oh my goodness, I could go on and on about these, don’t get me started
Food = divine
Reception = unreal, simply put
But, what Doons & I were struck by and encouraged with was that with all of this amazing luxury that we were able to participate in and benefit from – it is just a sampling of the luxury that we are able to inherit because of our claim to being children of God. The grace that we have received now and will continue to receive is a far greater luxury than anything that this world can offer.
And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
John 1:16
My wonderful friend, Sarah (her brother was the groom) Thank you, Houston, for my poofy hair
Oh my goodness, first…watch this video. Amazing. I am moved and thankful for those who have acted on the call of the Lord on their lives and have moved to Haiti to love. Simply love.
WOW - right?! My heart is so moved and is so broken over the grace that I’ve been given and the beauty in the eyes of these women.
SO, check out this post and then go vote here!
To quote from Heather’s blog:
With a little bit of help, we could win a 50 thousand dollar private grant that would allow our program to expand. All we need is your vote and your assistance spreading the word. Will you help some fellow Aggies BTHO of the orphan crisis in Haiti? Please take two seconds (that's really all it takes), go to Giving of Life's website, and vote for Heartline. It takes one click to vote. Then will you spread the word and ask other Aggies to vote as well?
Aren’t Aggies just the best??!! What a silly question…
So, go vote…and repost…and then spread the word some more!
I think I’m channeling the movie Julie & Julia here. I’m inspired. I love to cook (by no means great, but I like to learn!) and I like goals. So, working through a cookbook sounds like a good idea to me! Or at least interesting. I’m not going to copy the idea presented in the book/movie exactly (my life really doesn’t allow for that / I don’t think it’d be good for my family!) – but I do want to try and cook through a cookbook. I’m guessing that I’ll be done in a few years. That sounds kind of depressing, but somewhat hopeful too! I guess there is a reason why goals are supposed to be a shorter period of time…feel free to ask me if I’m still doing this in a year!
Here’s my co-conspirator:
First stop: Apple Tart with an almond crust.
PS – I didn’t make my own pie crust; please don’t tell my Grandma! I actually really do love making pie crusts – it reminds me of happy memories with my delightful Grandma, but it just takes a long time! Time is not something in abundance these days!
*I don’t think that I’m going to type out every recipe. Honestly, that just seems like so much work…and I’m wondering if that’s technically illegal since I’d be typing out an entire book? Not really sure on that…so I’ll go with the lazy excuse!
*If you want any of the recipe(s)…please come over and I’ll make it again. Or, I’ll just email it to you :)
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The Apple Tart was pretty straight forward, especially with the whole-bunch-of-cheating that I did and used a store brought crust. The finely chopped and blended almonds on the bottom was delicious and I would definitely incorporate that aspect again.
Cutting that many apples is just a plain pain-in-the-hiney. But baked apples? Oh, well worth it.
The glaze that was applied after was just amazing. And when do I have an excuse to buy preserves? Not near enough. Called for a liqueur, but I didn’t have it – and neither did Albertson’s. And I just didn’t feel like driving.
Alrighty, one down. Just a few hundred (or so) left…
