Monday, May 29, 2017
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Food and Peeps
Thanks to the second best grandma in the world, Nora, (<---such a close, close follow up to my Gama), :) :) we got to have a kid-free dinner with Nat King Cole and Chef Campo last night!
Cheers to Nora!
When we were planning the evening, their exact words were, "let's keep it simple." So I did. I made a fresh corn salsa for apps and we hit the road. (By the way, this salsa is killer. Very fresh, flavorful, and easy to make. Recipe at the bottom, if you're interested.)
And, of course, by "simple" they meant fresh lobster tail, scallop, and shrimp poblano rellenos! What??? OMG they were so good, and we enjoyed them out on their renovated patio.
The picture doesn't do it justice because I couldn't step away from my dinner very long, but they have new furniture and decor, and are transforming this space from a kids' play area to an adults' culinary wonderland. They have my full and undying support in this endeavor.
For dessert - get ready for this! - I made homemade Oreo delights! You. Guys. This is my new favorite. It's rich and creamy as all get out and will send you running for a toothbrush, but dang it's worth it (recipe also at the bottom).
We don't get to see our peeps nearly enough, so last night was a really fun (and kid-free!) chance to catch up on life.
Speaking of catching up, yours truly has been reading like a crazy person lately. I was telling G, it's so nice to read without having to then be 100% accountable for all the information in the dang book. What, no paper to write? No intense study of the themes and structure? Sign me up!
I'll blog about these books soon since the clock is now ticking and I only have one more week of freedom before All The Summer Jobs begin.
Hope you're enjoying Memorial Day Weekend!
Corn Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
1 can sweet corn
4 Roma tomatoes (seeded)
2 avocados
1 Serrano pepper (seeded)
1 Fresno pepper (seeded)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 yellow bell pepper (seeded)
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional - I don't use it)
4 oz zesty Italian dressing
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
Mix everything together and chill and serve!
(Source: MuncherCruncher Instagram)
Oreo Delight Recipe
Ingredients
1 box Devil's Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
5 oz cream cheese
Directions
Mix together the cake mix, eggs, and oil, just until smooth.
On a parchment-covered baking sheet, form dough balls (smaller than golf balls) about 1/2 inch apart and smash them a bit before baking.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, then let cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes.
Remove and let cool on a cooling rack.
Filling:
Beat together the butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until smooth. (I usually add a little bit of water as well, to help with the smooth texture).
Make cookie sandwiches.
Serve these chilled!
(Source: Hungry Runner Girl Blog)
Cheers to Nora!
When we were planning the evening, their exact words were, "let's keep it simple." So I did. I made a fresh corn salsa for apps and we hit the road. (By the way, this salsa is killer. Very fresh, flavorful, and easy to make. Recipe at the bottom, if you're interested.)
And, of course, by "simple" they meant fresh lobster tail, scallop, and shrimp poblano rellenos! What??? OMG they were so good, and we enjoyed them out on their renovated patio.
The picture doesn't do it justice because I couldn't step away from my dinner very long, but they have new furniture and decor, and are transforming this space from a kids' play area to an adults' culinary wonderland. They have my full and undying support in this endeavor.
For dessert - get ready for this! - I made homemade Oreo delights! You. Guys. This is my new favorite. It's rich and creamy as all get out and will send you running for a toothbrush, but dang it's worth it (recipe also at the bottom).
We don't get to see our peeps nearly enough, so last night was a really fun (and kid-free!) chance to catch up on life.
Speaking of catching up, yours truly has been reading like a crazy person lately. I was telling G, it's so nice to read without having to then be 100% accountable for all the information in the dang book. What, no paper to write? No intense study of the themes and structure? Sign me up!
I'll blog about these books soon since the clock is now ticking and I only have one more week of freedom before All The Summer Jobs begin.
Hope you're enjoying Memorial Day Weekend!
Corn Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
1 can sweet corn
4 Roma tomatoes (seeded)
2 avocados
1 Serrano pepper (seeded)
1 Fresno pepper (seeded)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 yellow bell pepper (seeded)
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional - I don't use it)
4 oz zesty Italian dressing
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
Mix everything together and chill and serve!
(Source: MuncherCruncher Instagram)
Oreo Delight Recipe
Ingredients
1 box Devil's Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
5 oz cream cheese
Directions
Mix together the cake mix, eggs, and oil, just until smooth.
On a parchment-covered baking sheet, form dough balls (smaller than golf balls) about 1/2 inch apart and smash them a bit before baking.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, then let cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes.
Remove and let cool on a cooling rack.
Filling:
Beat together the butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until smooth. (I usually add a little bit of water as well, to help with the smooth texture).
Make cookie sandwiches.
Serve these chilled!
(Source: Hungry Runner Girl Blog)
Friday, May 26, 2017
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Color!
The past couple of days have been cold and snowy, so it was nice to get out in the yard today for the refreshing 60 degree (and sunny!) weather.
We are slowly growing the plant collection over here. My grand plan is to sneak about two plants into the Home Depot buggy every time we're there so that G doesn't notice them adding up over time. Gradual accumulation and all that.
The back yard is pretty bare (we're working on killing weeds and leveling the dirt) but every little bit of color helps. At least we can sit in the rockers and enjoy these desert beauties:
The descriptions say that these hardy desert plants are drought-resistant and can go long periods of time with very little care. I'm hoping that means they can be taken inside (please, G, please) during the winters and placed next to a heating vent and a window. I love how these dry-area plants get big, gnarly, and alien-looking over time. My dad has an Aloe Vera plant on their back deck that's as big as a car tire and looks like it belongs in outer space somewhere. Goalz.
Since G's parents left, these introverts have been hibernating in the house, in total silence and solitude. But we managed to get to the grocery store today and it was full of color, too. Look at these cute dragon fruits! Have you ever eaten these? I haven't but I bet you bucks I'd like them.
The front yard is coming along. I'm almost done with the new mulch (nothing like getting through it and realizing you still need like 2 more bags to cover the bare spots. Eye roll emoji.) and it looks like the lil things survived the snow. It didn't really freeze or frost over night so I think we're good to go.
OK, in the picture below, I want you to notice the colorful outdoor mat. See it? It's made from recycled flip flops! I've been looking for something (1) weather proof, (2) colorful (NOT BROWN), and (3) large, for our front stoop. You can't tell in the pictures, but the stoop is big, about 4 feet across. Therefore, normal-sized mats look small and inadequate out front. All the bigger mats I've found, though, aren't really rugged enough to survive for long in Colorado. Or, they say something like "Hello!" or "Welcome!"
We're not exactly "Hello!" kind of people.
But this one! It's super bright and resilient. I love it! When I start making peanuts - I mean, a paycheck - later this summer, I'd like to order one for the back patio door, too.
Things are coming together. We're starting to make hiking plans for the coming weeks. Mer is visiting soon. And by "visiting," I mean, "living with us until we go to Africa". I have two solid weeks until All The Summer Jobs begin.
Life is good.
We are slowly growing the plant collection over here. My grand plan is to sneak about two plants into the Home Depot buggy every time we're there so that G doesn't notice them adding up over time. Gradual accumulation and all that.
The back yard is pretty bare (we're working on killing weeds and leveling the dirt) but every little bit of color helps. At least we can sit in the rockers and enjoy these desert beauties:
The descriptions say that these hardy desert plants are drought-resistant and can go long periods of time with very little care. I'm hoping that means they can be taken inside (please, G, please) during the winters and placed next to a heating vent and a window. I love how these dry-area plants get big, gnarly, and alien-looking over time. My dad has an Aloe Vera plant on their back deck that's as big as a car tire and looks like it belongs in outer space somewhere. Goalz.
Since G's parents left, these introverts have been hibernating in the house, in total silence and solitude. But we managed to get to the grocery store today and it was full of color, too. Look at these cute dragon fruits! Have you ever eaten these? I haven't but I bet you bucks I'd like them.
The front yard is coming along. I'm almost done with the new mulch (nothing like getting through it and realizing you still need like 2 more bags to cover the bare spots. Eye roll emoji.) and it looks like the lil things survived the snow. It didn't really freeze or frost over night so I think we're good to go.
OK, in the picture below, I want you to notice the colorful outdoor mat. See it? It's made from recycled flip flops! I've been looking for something (1) weather proof, (2) colorful (NOT BROWN), and (3) large, for our front stoop. You can't tell in the pictures, but the stoop is big, about 4 feet across. Therefore, normal-sized mats look small and inadequate out front. All the bigger mats I've found, though, aren't really rugged enough to survive for long in Colorado. Or, they say something like "Hello!" or "Welcome!"
We're not exactly "Hello!" kind of people.
But this one! It's super bright and resilient. I love it! When I start making peanuts - I mean, a paycheck - later this summer, I'd like to order one for the back patio door, too.
Things are coming together. We're starting to make hiking plans for the coming weeks. Mer is visiting soon. And by "visiting," I mean, "living with us until we go to Africa". I have two solid weeks until All The Summer Jobs begin.
Life is good.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
A Very Different Kind of Summer
G's parents are safely back home and everyone is on our eat-nothing-but-water diet. I might have sprung for the teensiest Starbucks latte tonight but otherwise...
So this summer is going to be markedly different from those of the recent past. Which is to say that bunny mama is gonna work. I've discovered that taking 2+ months off - while it sounds deliriously wonderful and amazing - isn't the best thing for (1) our finances, or, (2) my mental health. Turns out I need a routine to keep me anchored. A routine that consists of more than reading, binge watching Netflix, and hiking all over RMNP. Oh, and yard work.
Plus, the paycheck doesn't hurt. (G would chime in here to say that it doesn't help, either. But, hey, every lil bit...)
During the summer semester I'll not only be working in the writing consultant job, but I will be helping out in two additional college classes, which will be a new experience to add to my teaching repertoire. I'll be a writing consultant in a special summer bridge class to help high school students transition to college writing courses, and I'll be a TA for a high-level Rhetoric course, facilitating class discussions and helping with the grading. Both classroom experiences will be at least somewhat new and different for me, which will be great to add to the ol' CV before I graduate next year.
But that's not all!
We're changing up our luggage situation for the Africa trip! No suitcases for us. We are going light and tight with these roll-able packs. They arrived today and we've been trying them out around the house. (You can't tell from this pic but it's snowing outside. Has been all day. Because Denver.)
Unlike our trip a few years ago, we are going very light, taking only a couple of outfits and the essentials. We wanted something durable that we could check on long flights (I mean, there will be souvenirs, people) but that won't be hard to schlep around the safari vehicles and in the bush.
You know, the African bush.
That we will explore in a few weeks.
Hallelujah and praise God.
Tanzania! The Serengeti!
G was super thrilled about being my model for these pics. He found the packs online at Cabella's. This is a London brand that is only available in the store's online stock (as opposed to physically in the stores). These seem like they're going to be perfect not only for this vacation but for future trips like this. We're contemplating doing a rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon next year with Mer and her hubs. Contemplating.
So, here's to a whole different summer season!
Back to my regularly scheduled latte.
So this summer is going to be markedly different from those of the recent past. Which is to say that bunny mama is gonna work. I've discovered that taking 2+ months off - while it sounds deliriously wonderful and amazing - isn't the best thing for (1) our finances, or, (2) my mental health. Turns out I need a routine to keep me anchored. A routine that consists of more than reading, binge watching Netflix, and hiking all over RMNP. Oh, and yard work.
Plus, the paycheck doesn't hurt. (G would chime in here to say that it doesn't help, either. But, hey, every lil bit...)
During the summer semester I'll not only be working in the writing consultant job, but I will be helping out in two additional college classes, which will be a new experience to add to my teaching repertoire. I'll be a writing consultant in a special summer bridge class to help high school students transition to college writing courses, and I'll be a TA for a high-level Rhetoric course, facilitating class discussions and helping with the grading. Both classroom experiences will be at least somewhat new and different for me, which will be great to add to the ol' CV before I graduate next year.
But that's not all!
We're changing up our luggage situation for the Africa trip! No suitcases for us. We are going light and tight with these roll-able packs. They arrived today and we've been trying them out around the house. (You can't tell from this pic but it's snowing outside. Has been all day. Because Denver.)
Unlike our trip a few years ago, we are going very light, taking only a couple of outfits and the essentials. We wanted something durable that we could check on long flights (I mean, there will be souvenirs, people) but that won't be hard to schlep around the safari vehicles and in the bush.
You know, the African bush.
That we will explore in a few weeks.
Hallelujah and praise God.
Tanzania! The Serengeti!
G was super thrilled about being my model for these pics. He found the packs online at Cabella's. This is a London brand that is only available in the store's online stock (as opposed to physically in the stores). These seem like they're going to be perfect not only for this vacation but for future trips like this. We're contemplating doing a rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon next year with Mer and her hubs. Contemplating.
So, here's to a whole different summer season!
Back to my regularly scheduled latte.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
All The Buns
So we went to Linger last night, one of my (many) favorite restaurants in Denver. I've blogged about it before. ALL THE TAPAS, you guys.
The Bao Buns are my favorite.
Whenever they have Salted Oreo, that's what I get, hands down. This time I added a scoop of the vegan Peanut Butter Oreo, which I ended up picking around to get at more Salted Oreo. In hindsight, it was probably a blessing that I ate less ice cream than I had planned.
The Bao Buns are my favorite.
 |
| Pork belly |
 |
| Hot chicken |
You know what they say - Bao Buns are better than BUN BUNS! Our lil bun bun is sick of the company already and wants her side room back. She had just waged a war on the new plant and then it was rudely interrupted. We've blocked her from entering the room and she's not being very subtle about wanting the two extra bipeds out of the house, pronto.
Some other amazing delights from dinner:
 |
| Goat cheese-stuff dates wrapped in bacon. |
 |
| Mediterranean Bites |
 |
| Korean tacos |
 |
| Lucy wants everyone out. |
We had dessert - because, you know, we weren't stuffed enough at that point - just down the hill at Little Man Ice Cream, the best creamy goodness in Denver.
Whenever they have Salted Oreo, that's what I get, hands down. This time I added a scoop of the vegan Peanut Butter Oreo, which I ended up picking around to get at more Salted Oreo. In hindsight, it was probably a blessing that I ate less ice cream than I had planned.
 |
| OK. If the bipeds won't leave, then Lucy will. |
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