Pick a little. Talk a little.

Spring Cleaning Ideas from Martha

2010-03-11T09:59:00.002-06:00

Cleaning the oven:

"If you don't have a self-cleaning oven (which burns off residue at very high temperatures), try a paste of baking soda and water. Coat the oven surfaces with the paste (avoiding bare metal and heating elements), let stand overnight, and, while wearing gloves, use a plastic spatula to remove it.

To prevent future buildup, line the oven floor with aluminum foil, and wipe oven walls and ceiling after each spill. If you do have a self-cleaning oven, remove oven racks before running the cycle."

Goodbye musty must!

"To remove musty smells from old furniture, fill plastic containers with white vinegar; seal, and punch holes in lids. Put one inside each drawer or cabinet overnight to absorb odors. For extreme cases, clean interiors with a vinegar-dampened cloth."

From MarthaStewart.com

Sometimes it's hard to have faith.

2009-11-05T16:05:00.004-06:00

(Photo by Mama Brandt)

I've been trapped in an unemployment revolving door since June. As you can imagine, this takes a toll on a person.

Not surprisingly, I find myself looking to the Bible for wisdom and encouragement. I find it difficult at times to steadfastly have faith that God has a purpose for my life given it's current and ceaseless state of flux. However, when I turn to the Bible and am always comforted by what I find.

I am constantly striving to grow my faith and count my blessings. During this trying time I've had the good fortune to discover a wonderful church, join their fabulous choir and meet a truly lovely guy who also happens to be a Christian. All three of these things are invaluable blessings that help me to have faith that I will eventually conquer this unemployment slump.

The following passage has been particularly helpful. On the off chance that others find themselves in my situation, I decided to blog about it.

Proverbs 3
Further Benefits of Wisdom

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,

14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;

20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;

22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.

23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;

24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

26 for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.

27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.

28 Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.

29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.

30 Do not accuse a man for no reason—
when he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy a violent man
or choose any of his ways,

32 for the LORD detests a perverse man
but takes the upright into his confidence.

33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.

34 He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble.

35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools he holds up to shame.

Chevre Cheesecake

2009-10-20T15:08:00.003-05:00

(Programming note: repost of an old FB note)

I like regular cream cheese cheesecake okay, but I LOVE chevre (i.e. goat cheese). If you love chevre and like cheesecake, then you're gonna love this recipe. Discovered online yesterday and enjoyed today, "Ma Ottaway's Goat Cheese Cheesecake" is a new favorite of mine. Enjoy!

Ma Ottaway's Goat Cheese Cheesecake (or, as I like to think of it, Chevre Cheesecake)

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Crust:
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

Combine and press into the bottom and onto the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate until filling is ready.

*Filling:
2 cups soft fresh goat cheese / chevre
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla

Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour into crust. Smooth out filling with a spatula.

*Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until firm. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate once cheesecake is room temperature until ready to eat. Remove sides of springform pan and serve.

*Top with fresh black berries and raspberries.

Autumn Harvest Stew

2009-10-10T14:11:00.004-05:00

This is an abosolutely DELICIOUS stew. And, it is tres TRES easy since it's a crock pot creation.

Being that I'm a single gal, I have the smallest crock pot you can purchase. Consequently, I'm forced to modify pretty much every crock pot recipe I enjoy. For this one, I more or less cut the recipe in half and didn't include any parsnips because I didn't have any in the house. I started cooking this stew on low before I went to bed and it was ready in the morning so I could take it with me to work.

This truly is a wonderful treat for a chilly Autumn day!

Autumn Harvest Stew

Servings: 4 servings
Total: 7 hrs 25 mins
Prep: 25 mins

Ingredients
1 pound boneless pork shoulder
2 cups cubed, peeled sweet potatoes
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 3/4 cups)
2 small cooking apples, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 3/4 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups apple cider

Directions
1. Trim fat from meat. Cut pork into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a 31/2- or 4-quart crockery cooker layer potatoes, parsnip, apples, and onion. Sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add meat. Pour apple cider over all.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 31/2 to 4 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Ladle into bowls. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 365, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 76 mg, Sodium 392 mg, Carbohydrate 37 g, Total Sugar 7 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 24 g. Daily Values: Vitamin A 121%, Vitamin C 40%, Calcium 7%, Iron 16%. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Curry Chicken Soup

2009-09-21T21:23:00.007-05:00

They say that when life gives you lemons you should make lemonade. Well in my case, when Trader Joe's gives you Curry Chicken Breast Tenders, make Curry Chicken Soup.

I like to think of this as my own recipe, but in truth I did get a bit of help from a recipe online. It's very simple to make and really delicious. It made about 6-8 serving.

1 can Trader Joe's low fat coconut milk
1 package cooked Trader Joe's Curry Chicken Breast Tenders cubed (from their meat section)
1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
Garlic to taste (2 - 3 cloves)
Red pepper flakes to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 onion chopped
1 - 2 cups mushrooms cut into bite size pieces
1/2 - 1 cup frozen peas
1 - 2 cups cooked Batsami Rice

In a large pot, combine liquids, garlic and pepper. Slowly bring to a simmer on low heat remembering to stir frequently. Add chicken, onions and mushrooms. Increase heat and bring to a boil still remembering to stir frequently. Boil for 10 minutes. Lower heat to return soup to a simmer. Taste broth. Add more pepper or garlic if needed. Add frozen peas. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Just prior to serving / refrigerating / freezing, add cooked Batsami Rice.

Bon appetit!

Rep. Betty Mccollum's Health Care Town Hall Meeting 08/31/2009

2009-09-01T00:49:00.013-05:00

Tonight I attended my first Town Hall Meeting. I was happy to actively participate in the democratic process, but a bit ashamed that it took the health care bill to finally get me to a Town Hall.

I live in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District and Rep. Betty Mccollum is my Congresswoman. Technically she held her official Town Hall Meeting earlier this summer, but she agreed to hold a second event to address the health care bill.

I learned about this second event last week on Friday because a friend of mine happened to forward me an email about the meeting. The email that was forwarded to me was not from Rep. Mccollum's office, but was instead from someone who happened to hear that there would be a second event.

The event was to be held in a chapel at Macallester College and was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The email I received advised that interested constituents arrive no later than 6 p.m. to ensure admission to the event. Because I had to work today, I was unable to arrive at the event until 6 p.m. I found it interesting that the time and date of the event also coincided with a Vikings game which aired on the conservative FM radio station the same time the meeting was scheduled to take place. I also didn't really see any media at the event. In total, I only spotted one person with a news camera, however there may have been more media inside the venue.

I arrived at the event to find a large crowd of people. Several long ticket lines had formed. Several were for Rep. Mccollum's constituents and several were for non-constituents. I took my place in one of the constituent lines and began the long wait for a ticket. My assumption was that constituents would be given preferential admission seeing as Town Hall Meetings are designed to give voters and opportunity to talk to their elected officials. To my surprise both constituents and non-constituents were being given tickets to the event.

As the lines grew and the crowd swelled to several thousand, a rumor began circulating among the crowd - the venue selected for tonight's event seats approximately 450 people. Rep. Mccullum's district contains approximately 400,000 constituents. Many attendees, including myself, were astounding to discover that seating would be so limited - especially in light of the fact that Macallester College has plenty of larger venues (including a large stadium) that could have accommodated a larger crowd. Furthermore, the city of Saint Paul is home to a number of colleges, all of which offer a multitude of venues that could accommodate more than 450 people.

Shortly after buzz of the seating shortage reached me, we were informed that all of the tickets had been assigned. I overheard many attendees - both in support and opposition of the house bill - remark that given the lovely weather and the large turn out Rep. Mccullum should instead conduct the meeting outdoors in front of the chapel. This suggestion was quickly dismissed by Mccullum staffers. We were informed that the meeting would be broadcast to the crowd over "loud" speakers.

While I waited for things to get underway, I overheard a Mccollum staffer tell several frustrated pro-bill attendees that she was about to tip over from exhaustion and that really town hall meetings are a crap shoot - sometimes you have a large crowd and sometimes you only have a few hundred people. She stated that at Rep. Mccollum's first Town Hall Meeting (which took place prior to the intense health care buzz the nation is currently experiencing) there were only 170 or so attendees and that no one anticipated such a large turn out for this meeting. If Rep. Mccollum and her staff honestly didn't anticipate the tonight's turn out, then I fear that my Representative is even more out of touch with her constituents then initially contemplated.

Another observation I made as I waited for the meeting to start were a group of twenty-somethings with stacks of professionally printed "pro-Obama care" signs that were embellished with the "Obama-care" logo. These were being distributed to any attendee who wanted one. Soon, everywhere I looked it seemed like I was surrounded by these signs. But for a few homemade signs to the contrary, it seemed to me that approximately 80-90% of the attendees were pro-Obama-care. As someone who does not support this legislation it was a very intimidating feeling. That said, everyone was very respectful and pretty much kept to themselves or those they knew agreed with their point of view.

I overheard one guy, about my age (late twenties / early thirties), who was wearing a Marines tshirt discuss VA medical benefits. He alleged that he was a Marines veteran, but that he served prior to the Iraq / Afghanistan conflict. He stood behind me in the ticket line and on of the people who accompanied me thanked him for his service. He seemed confused by this and went on to tell the people around him that, although he was a non-disabled veteran and suffered no duty-related injuries, he and his family were fully covered by VA medical insurance. Not only did he allege to be fully covered by VA insurance, but he claimed that the coverage he received as a veteran was equivalent to that offered by private insurance. He was also very outspoken about his support of Obama-care. I do not pretend to be an expert in VA medical coverage, but as the sister, daughter and niece of veterans and the sister-in-law of a VA doctor, I was always told that veterans only qualify for VA medical benefits if they're being treated for medical problems directly related to their service. I found his conversation puzzling and suspect. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I do not believe that this gentleman was actually a veteran.

As ticketed attendees began filing into the chapel, they were informed that the only signs allowed inside would be those NOT on a stick (i.e. no pickets). Once everyone was inside, a barricade of tables was placed outside the entrance staffed by large men in security uniforms.

Once the meeting got underway, the crowd outside hushed and gathered around the speakers. Rep. Mccollum gave a speech after she was introduced. Then she allowed a series of randomly selected attendees to make a statement or ask her a question. To my surprise, after feeling so out numbered by folks in favor of Obama-care, at least 2/3rds of those selected to talk to the Congresswoman raised concerns about the proposed legislation. Republicans, Democrats and Independents all raised questions and concerns.

Rep. Mccollum did not respond to at least half of the questions / comments. When she did respond, she offered little substance. Instead she answered specific questions (such as what quantifiable data will be used if the health care bill is enacted to assess whether or not the new system is working or specific questions regarding specific sections of the bill) with shallow generalities (such as reassuring folks that children would receive health care and that she would take all questions and concerns under advisement when she returns to D.C.).

As questions and concerns were being raised and folks in favor offered their rationale for supporting a public option, the crowd remained respectful. Jeers and cheers were kept to a minimum and only a few impassioned chants broke out. To be honest, I could never tell if the chanters were for or against the bill, but either way I was glad that these outbursts were the exception and not the rule.

When the event ended, the crowd outside the chapel left peacefully.

Overall, I am left feeling dissatisfied with the lack of content offered by my Congresswoman. Whilst I know she favor's Obama's vision for health care, she never shared any specifics on what she would and would not be voting for once she returns to D.C. I dislike that she failed to explain what sorts of amendments she might want to see added to the bill or what portion(s) she would like to see taken out of the bill. While it would be nice to live in a district where my Congresswoman more accurately embodied my values and principles, I choose to live where I do and so I accept that politically I am vastly outnumbered. That acknowledged, I do not think that it is asking too much to expect my Congresswoman to explain with specificity what it is she plans to do for/to me - ESPECIALLY when it comes to completely changing health care.

To reiterate, I'm glad I went. If this health care discussion has taught me nothing else, it is that being informed and active is important for all Americans regardless of party or political philosophy. I took a few pictures which are posted below. I also was able to capture audio of about 3/4 of the meeting. Please let me know if you are interested in that and I will get that to you.

Threshing Bee Teaser

2009-09-01T00:07:00.002-05:00

I will write a detailed account of the Threshing Bee later this week. Until then, you can find my photos here and my videos here.

Return of the Recessionista

2009-08-23T20:29:00.003-05:00

I just flipped through the September issue of Lucky magazine and thought I'd share a few photos that are strikingly similar to several of my Goodwill finds. Clearly the fashion gods were with me this weekend. Thanks to all who have checked out my blog on my shopping adventure!

Very similar to my 80's blazer.

Not that I would ever wear leggings without a dress, but the blazer in this photo reminds me of the plaid blazer I got.

I happen to really love this advertisement and even decided to post it on my wall next to my bulliten board of fashion inspirations in my bedroom. It reminds me both of my skirt and my plaid blazer.

The Recessionista Strikes Back

2009-08-23T13:47:00.037-05:00

For whatever reason, I got the bug to do some bargain hunting this weekend at work on Friday. Before leaving for the weekend, I decided to see if there was a Goodwill anywhere nearer downtown Minneapolis, than the one I always drop my stuff off at in Saint Paul.

As I investigated this matter on the Goodwill website, I came across a startling discovery - a Goodwill Outlet in Saint Paul??!! The description read "deals by the pound." Immediately the bargain bells began to sound in my head. Given the time, I knew that I wouldn't be able to investigate this new potential treasure trove until Saturday, but needless to say I was super intrigued.

So, on my way home I stopped by my neighborhood Goodwill and after about an hour went home with a small booty for $20 plus some change. Not exactly a wild Friday night, but I enjoyed myself! The biggest heartbreak was this beautiful camel colored cashmere blend blazer for $6 - right size but a petite. GRR!!! I'm all about the shrunken blazer, but there are certain obstacles that even the most creative among us can't get around. In my case, it's the curse of my long arms and broad shoulders. There's virtually no way a petite blazer would ever work on me. Bummer. Oh well.

Saturday I woke up ready to embark on my mission. I decided to sport a tshirt, jeans and baseball hat so that I would be relatively incognito. Given the bargain prices ($1.20 / pound), I knew that there would be an eclectic blend of people joining me at the Goodwill Outlet. My goal was not to stand out.

Although I knew where the Outlet was located, it took me three tries to actually find the entrance - a little frontage road next to 280 just off of University. I pulled around to the backside of a row of store fronts, and there she was...

Nearly all of the parking spaces were taken, which made me feel oddly less nervous. Safety in numbers or something like that. I walked through the entrance to find a large dimly lit warehouse filled with large tables piled high with clothing. There were dozens of carts lining the walls filled with stuff. On the left side were about 10 different conveyor belt thingys lined with bins of "new" stuff. If you looked through the opening of these conveyor belts you could spy the backroom which was at least the size of the "outlet" and filled with enormous boxes filled with stuff. The checkout lanes had big scales where shoppers placed their goods and were charged based on weight. I took a picture of the interior, but failed to successfully save it on my phone. Needless to say, it was unlike any shopping experience I'd ever encountered before.

I took a deep breath and headed to the nearest table and began to dig. Surprisingly I started to amass a pile fairly quickly. I decided to get a cart. Unfortunately all of the carts I could spy were filled with stuff and were along the walls. I overheard someone explaining to another person that carts along the wall were "taken". I eventually observed someone with a cart checking out and asked to use their cart. Success. Not comfortable with the whole "leave my cart against the wall" strategy, I kept mine close... until an employee informed me that apparently this was against the shopping protocol. So, I reluctantly parked my cart in a relatively unoccupied corner of the warehouse, ditched my stash, and continued hunting.

After sorting through the tables I moved on to the bins on the conveyor belts. Every so often bins were emptied onto tables and a new set would be rolled down the conveyor belts. People would line up on one side and await the arrival of new goods. Still unfamiliar with the protocol of the Outlet, I decided to peruse these bins once they were unveiled by wandering up and down the unoccupied sides of the conveyors. I was again scolded by an employee and told that when things were being rolled out patrons were only allowed on one side of the conveyor belt. Had I been thinking about it, I probably would have figured this out. Oops! My attempts to remain incognito were definitely damaged by my rookie mistakes. All things considered however, I was left alone and had absolutely no trouble with the other patrons. This could also have been attributed to the fact that I'm pretty sure most people in there with me were non-English speaking (seriously - it was a buffet of languages - Spanish, Hmong, Somali,Vietnamese...).

After about 2 hours of hunting, I returned to my cart and reassessed my stash. I scooped up my armful of keepers and headed toward the checkout. I plopped my pile down on the scale. Total cost - $7.22. Wowzah! I was shocked! I was also instantly hooked!!! It was definitely an out of the ordinary shopping experience, but how can a person beat only spending $7.22 on a huge armful of goods in this economy??!! I will definitely be back.

From there I headed out to the Goodwill in West Saint Paul before my final destination -Stephanie and Keith's for free laundry and Lucy the cat watching/feeding. I sunk a couple of more hours into thrifting and uncovered a few more gems. Another $20 and some change spent and I was ready to call it a weekend.

So just exactly what did my $47 and some change buy me? For those inquiring minds, I give you (for all intents and purposes) my thrifting catalogue. Drum roll please......

A boy's broken in Gopher's tshirt. I am slowly amassing a collection of Minnesota sports apparel. So far I only really have my Twins and Saints stuff. I love boy's tshirts because they offer a more fitted look but aren't as cheesy as a lot of the stuff teams make for women.

(Found at the West Saint Paul Goodwill)

Martha Stewart's August magazine had a few great ideas for upcycling vintage handkerchiefs. I loved this simple and sweet design. I'm not sure if I will turn it into something new or keep it as is. Either way, I fell instantly in love.
(Found at the Goodwill Outlet)

The moment I saw this I snatched it up. It's a men's Geoffrey Bean Italian crafted faux cashmere scarf in mint condition. I'm not sure yet if I'll keep this for myself as I'm obsessed with plaid or if I'll give it to my preppy younger brother. Either way, it was an absolute steal as it cost less than fifty cents.