Let There Be... Reflection

It's been a month since I last updated progress in our bathroom renovation. In the last post (click here), you'll notice that we were using a tiny old mirror while figuring out a permanent option. We had our hearts set on a large rectangular mirror framed in the same alder wood as the vanity. The only problem? Custom mirror frames are shockingly expensive (more than three quarters of the cost of the vanity). My super handy and very handsome husband took matters into his own hands and after several hours of making loud noises and mess in the garage, created this masterpiece.

We hung it last night and couldn't be happier with how it turned out. And, at less than 1/12 of the cost of a custom frame, our bank account is very happy, too.

Didn't Jeff do an amazing job?!

House Dressing

Several years ago, I found a basic oil and vinegar salad dressing recipe that has just stuck for us - it's become our house dressing. It's fantastic on any green salad, pasta salad (as pictured), or as a marinade on chicken. Simple and delicious- two requirements in my kitchen these days.

adapted from All Recipes and Simply Recipes

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced

1Tablespoon chopped fresh chives or green onions (~ 2 green onions)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1-2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon parmesan or 2 Tablespoons crumbled feta 

Mix ingredients together in a container with a tightly fitting lid. Shake very well and let sit for at least half and hour before serving. In my experience, it keeps well up to two weeks in the refrigerator (and probably longer, if you can keep from eating it!).

To make this a cream dressing, add a tablespoon of mayonnaise. I usually add another half teaspoon of sugar but taste it for yourself and add sugar according to your preference.

Fun Bunks

My people are farming people. That's probably why I think these bunk beds are AWESOME.

For more information and tutorial, check out the Rucker Rendezvous blog (which is also the source of these great photos). 

Breaking Free

Handel's Messiah is usually performed at Christmas but Part II of the oratorio is actually all about Easter. Here is one of our favourite parts of Part II- a section particularly poignant during lent. The text is below. 

Aria: Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed. (Psalms 2:1-2; Acts 4: 25-26)

Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. (Psalm 2:3)

Laundry with Engineers

Jeff here.  I still wonder why my wife follows the washing instructions. I think other men do, too. This is how we (men) git 'er done.

Have a great weekend!

Birthday

Jeff's birthday was last week. It started out with the birthday tradition in our household (one started by Jeff) - pie of your choice for breakfast. Jeff's choice this year was apple.

The day ended with our care group enjoying chocolate brownies in the shape of one of Jeff's robots. They were delicious and Jeff reports that it was a very good day, indeed.

Pucker Up

When it comes to dessert, I'm not a big chocolate fan (unlike my spouse). I'm nuts about citrus- and these classic bars are one of my favourites. Don't skimp on the real lemon juice because it makes an amazing (and wonderfully tart) difference.

adapted from All Recipes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 lemons, zested and juiced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch glass baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. 

While the base is baking, whisk together the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Mix in the eggs and lemon juice and beat until light and frothy. Stir in the lemon zest. When the base is finished baking, pour this lemon filling over the hot crust and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Once baked, cool and serve at room temperature with a dusting of icing sugar. 

Rainbow Mat

Spring has started in our tropical part of the world. With the tulips poking out of the ground, I've been thinking about garden plans and outdoor projects we want to tackle this year. I'm at a loss of inspiration this year and feel less and less motivated to continue work on the garden and exterior of our house.  Or I was until I saw this:

Photo courtesy of Makezine

I'm not sure it would be all that useful at removing mud of the bottom of my wellies but my oh my, isn't it happy?

Lent Listening

Lent began this week. Jeff and I aren't giving anything up during Lent, but we are focusing these days on being better listeners- both to each other, and to the voice of God. The whole idea of listening and being open is captured beautifully in one of my favourite modern hymns, Here I am Lord. It feels like a good focus for our Lent this year.

Dilbert and Valentine's Day

Jeff here again. Isn't this romantic?

Have a great weekend!

Valentine

For today's blog post, I had planned to show photos from Jeff's birthday yesterday but my camera (with said photos) didn't make it home from our friend's house last night. So, those photos will come next week! For today, I'll instead wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day.

Quick Shrimp Pasta

We all have days where we've got no inspiration (or no ingredients) for what to cook for dinner. In our house, those are the days we have omelettes, sandwiches or bowls of cereal for dinner. Or this pasta. By keeping a bag of frozen, peeled shrimp in the freezer, I almost always have all the ingredients for this dish on hand. It's quick, easy, delicious and one of Jeff's favourite meals.

Adapted from All Recipes

4 servings of angel hair pasta (a large fist full)

1 Tbsp of olive oil

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon of dried basil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of white wine
1/2 pound of shrimp (frozen, precooked shrimp works fine)

3 oz of feta, crumbled

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. While water heats, heat olive oil in a separate skillet and add tomatoes, oregano and basil. Cook over medium heat until tomatoes begin to soften. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add white wine and reduce heat to simmer. 

While sauce simmers, cook pasta for 3-5 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Once pasta is cooked, add shrimp to tomato sauce and cook until it is just pink (taking care not to overcook). Add parsley, feta and pasta; toss to serve. If you desire a "saucier" sauce, add the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, tossing after each addition. Serve immediately!

Butterfly Art

I'm not an art connoisseur. We have just a few pieces of original art in our house (and a few more mass-produced Ikea and Winners specials) and a few more original photographs. I suppose that's because I like to change things up every season or two- move art around or put a new photograph in the frame. Swapping around original paintings just isn't in the budget.

I also love creative and colourful art. You know- the kind of thing that turns this:

Photo courtesy of Little Green Notebook 

into this: 

Photo courtesy of Young House Love

or this: 

Photo courtesy of Kiki's List

Thanks to the May 2012 issue of Country Living for this idea. 

Delivering Daniel

It's been a long while since I chose a spiritual for Sunday music. It's also about time I featured the Moses Hogan Chorale- one of the premier choirs specializing in African American music. Their conductor, Moses Hogan, has arranged many spirituals for choirs over the past 20 years and arranged this version of "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel"; in the choral world, this arrangement has become a new standard. I love it because it's exuberant  joyful, and Hogan's use of syncopation is just brilliant.

Dilbert and Gun Control

Jeff here. Stefanie was pretty mad last weekend when she found out that the NRA added Mennonite Central Committe to its list of "enemies" that support anti-gun policy. I like Dilbert's solution for this issue.

My View Yesterday...

... included rain.

Chicken Stock

For years, I read countless recipe books and blog posts raving about homemade chicken stock. I tried making stock a number of times but always ended up with bland dishwater that needed to be fortified with bouillon powder to be edible. So I gave up... until I found a recipe that changed everything. I used to avoid making soup at all costs (because mine always seemed painfully bland) but this stock has changed that, too. The secret? Roasting the poultry bones before throwing them in the soup pot. It seems like an unnecessary step but I promise you, it makes a world of difference.

adapted from Mennonite Girls Can Cook 

1 chicken or turkey carcass
12-16 cups water (more for the turkey, less for the chicken)
2 tsp salt
4 pepper corns
4 whole garlic cloves
1 unpeeled onion, chopped
2 scrubbed, unpeeled chopped carrots

2 stalks chopped celery
1/2 cup fresh parsley, unchopped

1-2 bay leaves

a few sprigs of thyme, if you have them

In a large roasting pan, spread out the remains of the poultry carcass (I had stuffed this chicken with parsley and lemon so threw that in as well). Here, I used the same pan I used for roasting potatoes. I didn't wash it so the leftover crumbly bits could be added to the stock! Roast the bones at 425 degrees; 45 minutes for chicken and 60 minutes for turkey. When they are done, they will look significantly browner.

 Before & After Roasting

When the bones are roasted, add them to a large stock pot with the remaining ingredients. It will look like a horrible mess of peels, skins and very dark chicken bits! Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 4 hours. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and strain. 

NOTE: this original recipe calls for 2 cubes of chicken boullion to be added to the broth. I skip this and add more flavouring to taste, if needed, when I later use the stock. Depending on what soup I am making, a bit of extra seasoning (poultry seasoning, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper) usually does the trick. 

Spring Art

I found this image via my sister-in-law- it's a few clothespins with magnets stuck to one side, and   some pages in an old botanical book. Together, they make instant refrigerator art. How fresh and lovely is this?!

Photo courtesy of the Stina Ballerina Blog

Lead Kindly Light

I'm been pretty outspoken here about how much I love the choral compositions of Dan Forest. Here is one of his newer pieces which was performed for the first time less than a year ago. It's a stunning piece with an incredibly beautiful accompaniment, played here by the composer himself (along with the Tennessee Tech University Chorale).

Dilbert and Cooking with Engineers

 Jeff here. Here is cooking for engineers. My wife would affirm it is quite true.

Have a good weekend!