Scone-ity scones!

Obviously, the point of this photo is not to spark a debate over whether or not I need to shave, but the adorable summertime dress Mums gave me, yay!!

 Some treasures from the Fresh Market, where I realized I am highly susceptible to "Buy 1 Get 1 Free" promotions.

One of Daniel's birthday gifts from D! This has been on our "must have" list for awhile :) So cute!! (It's a pizza cutter, by the way...)

Here is a scone recipe I received from a friend at a wedding shower. And since it is SO SIMPLE(!!) I thought I would share. Also, there is no sugar! Which is healthy, but means you (or at least I) definitely want to eat them with jam (marmalade!) or honey.

Simple Scones

Mix: 2 c. flour
       1 T. baking powder.
Cut in: 1/2 c. butter
Stir in: 1 c milk+orange juice mixture (I used the juice from 1 orange and added milk to make 1 c.)

Turn dough onto floured board and fold 8-10 times. Roll out into a circle 1/2-3/4" thick. Cut into 10 triangles. Bake 18 min at 350-375 degrees. (I think I did 350, but it did take longer than 18')

This is a great base recipe, leaving lots of room for dried fruit or zest additions (orange zest + orange marmalade on top, yumm!) Hm I wonder if you could make strawberry scones by using strawberry milk, without the OJ???? Someone try this please! :) And report back.


In other news, I am learning that my "no more than 2 loads of laundry" determination may mean that our clothes are not getting properly cleaned. Especially those that enter the wash covered in bike grease.Whoops. Smaller loads with more soap are in order. : (

Today's poem:

I thought of you
Today in everything

Washed laundry
Rinsing dirty coffee mugs
Bright breakfast dishes
Dried and put away
Good morning memories
Sweet Saturday.
In wedding rings
Congealing bacon grease
Soup cans strong spices
And this sense of peace

Cocktails, Dumplings, Thinkings

My favorite shelf (now that it's on the wall and we're no longer wrestling with crumbling plaster walls!)

1. Drinks from last night: A...somethin-er-other light beer from Rivercity Brewing Co. that tasted banana-y and yumm-y! A B52 from Mort's, an apparently "tiki"-ish bar in Old Town Wichita with the most crowded outdoor seating area i've ever seen (?) and $2-off dessert martinis on Thursdays, whoop! A B-52 consists of Grand Marnier, Baileys, and Kahlua, so is quite delicious and, thanks to Jenny, one of the first cocktails I tried after turning 21!

2. I am getting OLD! Skin splotches and random hairs sprouting up in wrong places!! it's making me feel like i should start having babies because...soon it will be TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Which is a lie. Stop lying to me, self!) *deep breaths*

3. Very excited about the large bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough sittin' in mah fridge, designated exclusively for Cookie Dough Shakes!! We will hopefully be trying out our immersion blender for the first time later this evening, and checking this item off my to-do list: "Do something about that giant tub of leftvover vanilla ice cream taking up freezer space." After a night run, of course....

4. Here is a Cracker Barrel-style Chicken and Dumplins recipe. Also on the to-do list, because I have married a man who loves broth, be it soup or thick chicken-and-d's. So, if you have such a one in your life, knowing this recipe may help calm cravings:

http://backtothecuttingboard.com/dinner/southern-style-chicken-and-dumplings/

5. And here is a link to a 2006 Q and A session with Tim Keller answering questions raised by Richard Florida's book Rise of the Creative Class. (There's a weird bit in the middle where it skips back to the beginning...but continues on again later???) A lot of the focus was on Christian community because one thing Florida noted about creative people was their tend towards individualism and favoring many superficial relationships over deeper, lasting ones. And lately I've been thinking  (not in any concentrated fashion) about how to live without being a judgmental snob, or without fearing that the people I meet won't be interested in me (and consequently just trying to be 'normal' and fade in). I know people who are great at talking to strangers in grocery stores, coffee shops, etc., and I want to be like that. Not afraid for myself, or keeping people safely anonymous and therefore a part of the "ignorant masses" or whatever. This week I remembered a character from the Dark Elf Trilogy (ah my nerdy roots!) who was pretty much universally respected because he treated everyone he met with respect--they didn't have to prove anything first. I'm pretty sure he could also kick butt, which always helps in the respect department, right? People could lose his respect, of course, by being scum bags. But he never assumed they were scum bags when he met them or treated them accordingly. I don't know if I mentioned already, but recently my tendency to assume the worst of people kind of slapped itself in my face. A new girl started at work, and she 1) was a lot friendlier than I am and 2) seemed a wee bit flaky. So I automatically assumed she was flaky and that therefore I would hate working with her. And of course, she was going to be universally beloved by everyone else so I had to assume a role of quiet jealousy. (ugh!) Eventually, I realized that though she may have been a wee bit flightier than myself, she did her job spot-on and really kept things together in her department. At which point I had to start feeling guilty for not being nicer at first. Moral: when you assume the worst of people, you are quite likely to be both wrong and a jerk. And prideful jerkiness is never okay, even if your worst suspicions prove correct.

http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/christianity-and-creative-age

6. A poem, reflecting on "getting to know people."

Sharing a secret more
An intimate
Account of living
In true replies,
Not head-nods, half-grunts.
Sentences.
Your eyes are blue,
And mine are brown.
What is there in this town?
Your head?
Your heart?
Move on, beyond,
Be human-frail
Not ego-harsh
Be kind
Be true
Befriend.

Mood Music

 A sweet lion-embroidered hankie my mom found in an old treasure chest of my Grandma's.

My fun-credible, super-light, trail-running shoes! (which will probably not be seeing any trails for awhile, unless they be of concrete)

Until two seconds ago, when I turned it off for concentration purposes, I was listening to Patty Griffin's album Children Running Through on Spotify. I listened to this album quite a lot a couple years ago, but lost it and subsequently forgot about it. Shame on me, because it is one to remember! Fantastic power-up song, "I Don't Ever Give Up".  "Take Me or Leave Me" from Rent is still my favorite empowering song, but Patty Griffin's sets a different kind of mood, so would do better in certain situations I suppose.

Speaking of music that sets a mood, when I am feeling stressed and need to calm down, Brett Dennen is the musician for the job! His songs are peace-filling and unflinchingly positive. Daniel and I were listening to his album "Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World" which would probably have crossed the line in to too much gooey-ness, except that we have both been feeling fairly cranky this week and [I] decided we needed to listen to that album like it was medicine.

Was going to write more, but...we are going to meet a friend and get drinks. Whoo!

WEEKEND...is gone :(

What a fun weekend! House guests, party, pie (and may I say, that Martha Stewart totally outdid herself with her butterscotch pie recipe?! THE BEST! i can get it to you if you want....), baby raccoons, library cards, chicken and dumplinsdidimentionpie???? Which all meant that Monday came WAY too soon and I was Grumpy Pants for the first hour or so at work. *glare* The fact that I was utterly humiliated during the first of hopefully-many morning runs didn't help. Oh muscles, where have ye gone? *wail*

Here's a story: I finally got a library card so I won't be tempted to buy books (not that that's bad, but i don't need to go out and drop $25 on the newest Maisie Dobbs just because I've been waiting for MONTHS and can't wait any longer!). So what do I do? Head to amazon to start a book list, search "journalism" because I would like to learn something about that subject, realize that the library doesn't have the top-rated journalism textbook and that I can buy it used for $20 instead of new for $63, and....buy a book. Fail! ah, well :)

Am running out of time for the morning, but I wanted to mention something about salads. Specifically, Panera's Thai Chicken Salad (or something or other) is Delicious! Daniel and I came up with a few "salad" rules as to what makes a good salad:

1. Killer dressing
2. Interesting toppings
3. An even lettuce-to-toppings ratio. No all-lettuce bites, or a bunch of lettuce left for the end, UGH!

anyway, those rules are not groundbreaking, i realize, but seriously. salads.

TIME FOR WORK!

Variation on a Theme of Sandwiches

Good morning! I just wanted to share with you the "recipe" for the World's Greatest Grilled Cheese!
*Rosemary and Olive Oil  Potato Bread (found in the discount bin at Dillons!)
*Gouda cheese
*Cheddar cheese (melts better than the Gouda)
* Mushrooms sauteed in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dill, and Italian seasoning
*Sliced Tomatoes
*Fresh basil

Sides: a giant dill pickle spear! and extra-crispy bacon! (or limp, sickly bacon, if that's your preference...)

It was just perfect. And Happy birthday to Daniel and Jenny! WHOO! Here's another picture of the sandwich. Because, once again...formatting issues :) Have wonderful days!

Produce Pixie

woo! my own personal photo booth! so...new haircut!! let me explain the terrible faces. A week ago, one of my co-workers confessed than a certain husband of mine reminded her and someone else of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. 1) I'm not sure I see it and 2) She genuinely meant it as a compliment. I imagine that was in the back of my mind when, after viewing a couple pictures of my new haircut, my first thought was "There's a hint of Sheldon there!!" How bizarre, how bizarre! My kindly subconscious made me erase those photos before I could share them with the world, but then my more-adventurous (hah!) conscious regretted that and tried to recapture the moment by making Sheldon-inspired faces. I think the moment was way passed, though, so all you get is some strange faces.

(My semi-official official title at work is "Produce Pixie" and now i've got a pixie haircut to match!)

Feeling downright jittery about the trip to Tulsa this evening, and for once it's not a fear of travel, just excitement about the Tulsa Tough!!

Oh, and here's a recommendation: Use a good razor! after a lifetime of cheap razors (and that's not necessarily going to change, i'm still cheap-o) Daniel made me throw away all the rusty ones, and let me use his Schick-or-something 5-BLADE razor! and it was silky silky smooth! made shaving a downright PLEASURE! or at least, closer to one than i'd previously experienced ;) 

Current favorite word: Lame-a-zoid. Does that come from anywhere? anyone? Feedback appreciated :)

So, here's what I came up with when I was intending to nap (remedy for sleepiness currently under testing--Emergen-C plus Grease soundtrack):

Write with your eyes closed,
The better to hear

To drift beyond reason,
Rash judgment, and fear

Explore possibility,
Hoping and dreams

'Tween waking and sleeping
Alive at the seams

Astronomically Incorrect

 My Favorite Muffins--Banana-Chocolate Chip-Espresso! from the Baked! Cookbook. Thanks to D, I have these fancy-schmancy coffee-brown tulip muffin holders :) They really do make them look more professional. (These are un-baked muffins, by the bye, in case you were wondering...)

 My favorite granola! Once again, from Baked! This version is hazelnut-golden raisin, because those were the cheapest nuts/dried fruit I could buy. (And why is it that golden raisins are so much less-noxious than regular brown raisins?)

 

Daniel's favorite Ramen--No MSG! = No Headaches. So, if you are ever in an asian grocery store, look for this brand! 

My favorite husband--looking ready for the Tulsa Tough Sunday! Unfortunately, we have to miss the first 2 days of this magnificent cycling event, but even one day is worth the drive! Especially Cry Baby Hill Sunday!

Ah, I was missing baking this morning! Working as a baker really is rather a privilege (obviously, with some exceptions. But as a profession, "Baker" is not undesirable!) . Thank goodness for kitchens at home :) Last night, Daniel introduced me to the Brian Setzer Orchestra, in particular, "This Cat's on a Hot Tin Roof." They are an amazing, fun, swing-type band (ugh I can't do music reviews!), and even have a song about coffee "Jumpin' East of Java." AND a whole album of now-swingin' classics including Beethoven's 5th symphony, called "Wolfgang's Big Night Out." If you have spotify (or, i'm sure, youtube) give 'em a listen!

I have not been feeling creative lately! Ugh! Embroidery died a quick death--hopefully not forever, because it could be fun! Every time I think about writing, my next thought is "can I still do that?" I suppose the important thing is just to try...

Pluto always knew
He was a diff'rent sort of sphere,
With so much solitude, he mused
The best part of his year.
And with such time to think,
He couldn't help but notice...things...
Like how the heavens marvelled
At Miss Saturn and her rings,
Or grovelled before Jupiter,
Of all the plantets, King,
Or wondered how Earth managed,
Hosting countless human beings...

That Universe plays fav'rites,
Pluto knew beyond a doubt,
And yet he ne'er suspected
He would one day be cast out.  

A happy ending, please? Just this-
Though planet nevermore,
He knows one thing will never change:
He's Pluto to the core.