L'Anniversaire de ma Soeur!! (My Sister's Birthday!!)

It's not quite here yet.  It's not until March.  But.....I'm already planning!!!

Here's why........this came in the mail last week......

Southern Living, February 2013

My sister loves cheesecake, lemon cheese bars, and lemon meringue pie.  So a lemon bar cheesecake?  Come on!!!!  It's perfect! 

Why is the title of this post in French?

Because she spent significant time in France and loved it.  For her birthday, we will be having an authentic French dinner, complete with all the courses.  I've never ever cooked anything French, so I am going to rely on a classic for my menu........Julia Child.  Yup, and I am watching Julie & Julia even as I write this.  And doing research on traditional French meal structure, because unlike us 'Mericans, they savor their food, thoroughly enjoying each morsel.  Here's a basic sketch of the meal....

• The Bread. In the French culture, the bread viewed as a symbol of hospitality. Thus, it is available throughout the meal and it complements each course.
• The Hors D’oeuvres. Basic appetizers that will stimulate appetite. It is normally pickled or seasoned spicy food.
• The Fish Course. A fish dish that are paired with garnished vegetables. Normally, it is served after the The Hors D’oeuvres. This course is quickly followed by lime or lemon sorbet. The purpose is to refresh the senses, preparing the person for the next course.  (This may pose a problem......as there is a fish allergy to be considered.)
• The Main Course. Served after the fish course and the accompanied sorbet. This dish is accompanied with garnished vegetables as well. The course is either meat or poultry.
• The Salad Course. Sometimes, salad are served after the main course and before the cheese course or dessert course. For those who are weight conscious, the cheese course can be substituted with yogurt.
• The Cheese Course. Served in an assorted variety of cheeses and cut fruit.
• The Dessert Course. Last course of the meal. Consists of dishes that are either served hot or cold, and sweet in flavor.

I'm going to check with the birthday girl to find out if this is right or not, but the consensus of the sites I've looked, it seems right.

Next up.......the menu selection!  I've got dessert figured out (Lemon Bar Cheesecake!) And Sister has requested goat cheese and endive, so I've found a recipe for Endive Spears Stuffed with Herbed Goat Cheese.  

Bon Appetit!!

These Boots

These boots have stood toe-to-toe
with the biggest baddest joes
Like they had some things to prove
These boots

~Eric Church~

These are my boots.  They are Double H brand. 

They've seen quite a bit of life.  I bought them when I was 20 in a tiny place called Pungo, Virginia.  I was fresh out of Naval "A" school and had no idea who I was or where I was headed.  Both my housemates were guys and we were all pretty decent to each other, most of the time.  One of them had this big Ford F-350 diesel dually truck.  Even though it had a back seat, I would ride up front in the middle between the guys.  We'd smoke our Marlboro's, drink our Mountain Dew, and rock out to country and classic rock while rumbling down the road.  And we all three always wore boots.

Back in the day.....

Of course, I'm not that girl anymore.  Now, I'm a Mama and I quit smoking.  Hamburger Helper is no longer a main staple and I can't remember the last time I drank a Mountain Dew. 

But I still have my boots.  I thought they had been lost, thrown away when my former spouse chucked pretty much anything and everything he could.  He always hated my boots.......they were "country" and he didn't want a "country" wife.  But recently, my Mom started sorting through stuff in the cellar into keep and give piles.  As I walked past the give pile, I saw them.  My boots!  And it went like this.....

"Hey!  My boots!  HEY!!  MY BOOTS!!!!!! I thought they were GONE!  MY BOOTS!"

Seriously, my boots could not have shown up at a better time.  I know- they're "just boots."  But sometimes an inanimate object really can hold a piece of yourself, something that you thought had been lost over the years.  They are a little beat up, a little worn out.  They definitely need some TLC and Neatfoot Oil.  

A little TLC goes a long way.

They aren't so different from who I am now.  They've still got a whole lotta life left in them.  Just like me.  It's all good.

Not Your Average Chicken Stew

I'm not really a stew person.  Meat, potatoes, veggies.....all sitting together in the same broth........getting mushy.  Not my thing.

I do love a good chowder though.  No, I lied.  I love a good Chowdah.  Because if you say the "er" at the end, then it's not authentic.  Sorry- it's true.  I may live below the Mason-Dixon Line now, but I grew up a Yankee.

I have a pretty dang awesome cousin who, like me, grew up North, but now lives South.  I got to visit her recently (YAY!) and while I was at her (fantastic) house, I flipped through a cookbook she had.  It is very rare that I will find a cookbook that I like some of the recipes in.  I never find one where I like all the recipes, but here it was.  The most wonderful cookbook I have ever beheld.  Dishing Up Maine: 165 Recipes That Capture Authentic Down East Flavors by Brooke Dojny. 

As soon as I got back home, I ordered a copy on Amazon.  (You can get your own copy here.)  As soon as it arrived at my door, I picked out my first recipe.  Shaker Chicken Stew With Scallion Dumplings on page 158.  The name Shaker refers to the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community.  (Definitely try their dried herbs......they are unbelievable.)

Like I said, I'm not typically a stew person, but my Mom is and this one sounded really good.  It is a little more complex, because you actually cook the chicken in broth to make the stock, but it is definitely worth the work.  Before I added the dumplings, it made a really wonderful chicken soup. 
I tossed in some of the extra sliced up scallions for color.......

Before the Dumplings.......

After I made the dumplings and added them, the stew really claimed its character.....and my heart.  It went from a plain old chicken soup to a lovely, creamy (and hearty) stew.  It will definitely be a favorite recipe of mine for years to come. 

Hearty Heavliness........in a soup pot

Without further adieu, I give you the recipe.  (Although don't bank on me giving away ALL the recipes from this cookbook........just try this one and know that the book is definitely worth buying.)

Shaker Chicken Stew with Scallion Dumplings

Chicken Stew:

• 5 cups chicken broth
• 3.5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, excess fat removed
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 large bay leaf, broken in half
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2.5 cups baby carrots (I did these in 1/2 inch slices)
• salt and pepper 

To make the chicken stew, bring the broth to a boil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.  Add the chicken, onion, celery, bay leaf, and thyme.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the chicken is about three-quarters cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.  Add the carrots and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes longer.  Remove from the heat

Remove the chicken to a plate and, when cool enough to handle, strip off the skin, remove the meat from the bones, and cut into 2 inch chunks.  Return the chicken meat to the broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Scallion Dumplings:

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tablespoons minced scallions or chives
• 3 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into five pieces
• 1/2 cup (plus 1-2 tablespoons) milk

To make the scallion dumplings, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the scallions.  Work the shortening into the flour mixture, using your fingertips or a fork, until most of the pieces are about the size of small peas.  Add 1/2 cup milk and stir with a fork until the dough comes together in a sticky mass.  If the mixture seems dry, add some or all of the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of milk.  (They really do mean sticky....)

Return the stew to a simmer.  Dip a tablespoon into the simmering liquid, scoop out a rounded spoonful of dumpling dough, and drop it into the simmering stew.  Repeat with the remaining dough, forming 12-14 dumplings.  Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the dumplings look shiny on top and are firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.

ENJOY!!!! 

Super-what? Ooooh....Super Bowl.....

I've been asked to host a Super Bowl Party.  I've been to a Super-Bowl party before.  I was 17 and it was with my Youth Group.  All the boys watched the game in various states of anticipation, exhilaration, and desperation.  All the girls sat together, off to the side and sang songs, braided hair, did nails, whispered about the boys watching the game.  The only time we pulled together was when the commercials came on. 

When I was in the Navy, I "watched" the Super Bowl.  Actually, I sat on the couch next to my boyfriend while he watched the game.  I watched the commercials.  I have to say- it must be tough to watch the game AND the commercials- when do you get a bathroom break??

But, now that I'm all grown up and a Youth Group leader, my priest, Padre A, asked me if I could host a party for our kids.  Of course, I think, I guess.....the super-what?  And when is it? 

I'm not totally sports ignorant- I grew up watching Ice Hockey every Saturday night (and I definitely watched those games.)  GO 'HABS!  I was the sports photographer in high school, and I've even taken Kiddo to see a college ball game.  I like sports- I just don't really invest myself in them. 


I'm taking a crash course in Super Bowl 101 via Pinterest, mainly looking up food ideas.  I'm a little concerned about the all-consuming appetites of teenage boys, wondering how much stuff I should actually prepare.  I will figure it all out, but I never in a million eons would have said "When I'm 30, I will host a Super Bowl party." It's all good.

I'm definitely not making one of these bad boys.......

Blingin' Ballcap

In the city nearest us, there is a nice little downtown/ market area where all these little shops have all these amazing creations......clothes, accessories, hats, scarves, jewelry.  I'm a pretty t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, so fancy clothes don't appeal to me all that much.  I am a sucker for hats and scarves though. Over Thanksgiving and Christmas, I ducked into one of these little shops and found an awesome hat- it was a military style cap, with a short brim and round top, but it was all blinged out on the front.  And it was something like $45.  I showed my Mom and we whispered in the corner and said "totally doable...."

As it happens, I own a plain short brim cap.  I picked it up at the Gap a couple of years ago and I've worn it quite a bit, especially when I had long hair.  After seeing the possibilities downtown, I skipped over to AC Moore and picked up some of those iron-on rhinestones, figuring it would be easy to iron some bling onto my hat.  Well............here's how it looked after I attempted that.

The Goal

The Reality

I can't just give up though, so I busted out the big guns.........the craft glue.  We used this glue when we made Advent banners for our Church this year, so it's been put to the test- hopefully it will have similar success on my hat.  After gluing each silly little rhinestone onto the hat, I am beginning to understand the $45 price tag.  *mutter mutter*

But the bling isn't enough for me.  I wanted to add my reverse flag to the mix too.  I am a Veteran and I am a Hippie- I wanted both to be represented.  This flag was an iron-on patch at some point, but I don't think the glue was good for more than one use, so I used the craft glue on it too.

Finished!!

Eventually my hair will be long again........but for now the hat hides it all.

While I had the glue out, I finished attaching the patches to Kiddo's "Build & Grow" workshop apron from Lowe's.  He'll be uber-excited when he sees it. He has more than this, but I can't find them.  I put them all in one spot, but they are quickly acquired and become "treasure" or something similar.  I attach them as I find them.  :) 

So, while my hat isn't really pretty enough to be sold on Etsy, I'm proud of it and the fact that it didn't cost me $45.  Plus when people ask me about it, I can tell them how one-of-a-kind it is.  It's all good.

Humility

Life is a long lesson in humility.  

-J.M. Barrie-

6 months ago, I quit my fairly cushy job to go after a degree in Nursing.  I knew I would get all A's in my classes- I knew I would immediately get accepted into the BSN program.  I had no worries.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Yeah.......one of my classes kicked my butt and took so much of my time in the process that I ended up stumbling in my other classes.  I did get an A in Philosophy, which was actually my favorite class.  Ironic since it was the one class I was dreading the most.  Anyway, I learned a lot about myself (and about philosophy) in the process.

It sucks to fail, to stumble, to fall down.  It sucks to have to stand back up when you know everyone is watching you.  It sucks to have to make new plans and start from scratch.  But that's what builds us back up and makes us stronger in the long run. 

I've been knocked off my High Horse and taught a lesson in humility, which really is not a bad thing. 

Today, I went to the local Tech college and signed up for........Certified Nurse Assistant classes.  I will get my certification and license and work as a CNA until I finish my LPN degree.  It's all good.  

Welcome to Life..........

2013.......

I make no promises for 2013, no massive plans, no mad dreams.

Here's what's going on that will happen with a little luck, a lotta faith, and a fair amount of elbow grease.

1. Marathon
2. More Chickens!!  (Maybe some ducks?)
3. Camping and Kayaking 
4. Raised bed gardening 
5. Learn to knit more than just scarves and blankets
6. Enter my baking into the local county fair
7. Learn to sew

 Somedays, it seems like a lot.  Somedays, not so much.  We'll see where it goes.

Another new blog..........

I've switched blogs before.  Hopefully this will be the last time.  I have a lot of trouble fitting everything that I am into one little blog- I feel like I can't write about crafting in one blog, or about running in another, or about the challenges of being a nursing student and single mom......and someday, the challenge of being a nurse.  My goal is to roll all these things together into "Of Tractors and Hippies".........

The story behind the title is simple.  We have had tractors my entire life- they were actually my grandfather's tractors and then my Dad's.  Farming in some form runs through Dad's side of my family tree.  I am a self-described hippie.  To me, a hippie is someone who believes in self-sustainability, leans towards liberalism, and prefers to be barefoot.  (Nope- no illegal drugs- if that's what you are hoping for, go away.)  I also run like a mother and try to eat as vegetarian as possible, but I don't force it on those around me. 

Anyway, welcome to Of Tractors and Hippies- here's hoping that this blog is the blog that sticks.