...for the holidays - an absolutely perfect pie crust!
I love making pies, but sometimes the crust just drives me insane. It falls apart; it sticks to the counter, the wax paper, the rolling pin...augh! Lately, I've caved into the convenience of the store-bought pie crust from Pillsbury. In a pinch, they are great - flaky, easy to use. But I've wanted to revisit homemade crust, and found this recipe from Bon Appetit. I then set about making an apple pie (I like Braeburn apples for my apple pie - a nice combo of sweet and tart).
It. Was. Perfect.
Seriously. Easy to make, easy to roll out, nothing stuck, it didn't fall apart. And, it tasted great! Buttery and flaky. Sigh. I love it. I followed the directions, but only had to use about 1/2 cup ice water to achieve the correct consistency. And I would probably delete the sugar if I were making a savory pie, like a chicken pot pie. I cannot wait to try this with my chocolate pie. So, here's to the holidays! May your pie baking be stress-free!
A seasonally named music selection, the Beethoven piano trio "Ghost", was a perfect start to this lazy Saturday:
Checking things off the "40 Things" list. This falls under the "coffee and classical music" heading (#29).
I also recently watched one of the American Film Institute's "10 top 10" movies, "Anatomy of Murder", with Jimmy Stewart and Lee Remick (#39).A fabulous courtroom drama. Loved it. Had it on while organizing all my crafting ribbon. Good thing it was a long movie! This trailer is pretty good, in its own right:
Yesterday was a state holiday here in Utah. July 24th. It was National Tequila Day, you see, so we all got the day off. There was a big parade in the morning, and lots of fireworks at night! We just go crazy around here celebrating what some might say is an obscure holiday.
Mark and I celebrated by making Raspberry Margaritas:
Recipe (makes one cocktail):
2 ounces tequila (Roger Clyne's Mexican Moonshine, in our case)
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1/2 ounce raspberry liquor
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1 fresh or frozen raspberry
1 lime wheel
Pour all liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake! Pour into a glass (with a salted rim, if desired). Add raspberry and lime garnish. Enjoy!
You may also blend this or substitute other fruits and liquors.
Catherine from Hello, New Day, has graciously awarded my blog the One Lovely Blog Award! Thank you, Catherine!
Of course, there are rules that go along with this award. They are as follows:
Post the award logo and link back to the person who nominated you.
Share 7 things about yourself.
Pass this award along to up to 15 blogs you enjoy reading.
Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.
7 Things about Myself:
1. I hate flying. Love airplanes, hate being in one when it's in the air, doing what it was built to do.
2. I love traveling. Yes, I see how this doesn't actually go with the first one. Maybe I don't love traveling. But I love arriving.
3. I wear my lambswool-lined leather slippers year round. My feet are always cold. Always. (I am aware that I may have offended those who do not support the use of animals as footwear/clothing. Therefore, I will not share the fact that I recently purchased five [five!] pairs of leather shoes. Oh, wait...) Fortunately, this blog has few readers.
4. My husband and I got married on a beach in Jamaica. It was perfection.
5. I hate my oak paneled refrigerator and dishwasher. I mean, really...are we trying to pretend there isn't a fridge in the kitchen? Fortunately, I am actively planning their removal. It's only been 9 years.
6. I could spend all my free time reading. Sometimes I even do.
7. I cannot stand listening to the radio. Drives. Me. Insane. I am very happy with the USB connection in my car.
That's it!
And now, I pass the award along to....
Jen at I Heart Organizing. Her blog is full of great ideas for organizing and decorating.
So that's just two, but I love their blogs. And maybe they aren't interested in this award, but I pretty much think they rock and wanted to share them with you!
I memorized one poem. I chose a short one to start. This is probably my all-time favorite poem. I see a lot of me in it.
The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.
And, in reviving a weekend tradition that Mark and I used to share, last Sunday we sat on the couch with our coffee and hot chocolate and listened to Mendelssohn's Octet for strings. Quite lovely, really, and a very relaxing way to start the day.
Here's a version:
Checking a couple things off the list.
Well, that was a long post. Thanks for hanging in there!
Last year I made a list of 39 things to do before I turned 40. I had fun with it. So I thought I would try it again. Some of these are repeats, some are one's I didn't get around to last time. Here's the list, in no particular order. And since I'm already a month into this cycle, I best get working on things!
1. Plan 6 date nights –
not just “out to dinner”
2. Learn to style my
hair. Seriously. Something besides straight or ponytail.
3. Make a will (in progress)
4. Girls’ weekend!
5. Learn six poems by
heart
6. Go on a cruise
7. New paint in the
condo
8. Begin to learn
Spanish (I have the Fluenz CD course)
9. Go camping
10. Read one
non-fiction book a month - any ideas?
11. Spend one weekend “unplugged”.
No computer, TV, etc.
12. Have a professional
portrait taken
13. Buy myself a
bouquet of flowers
14. Choose a color
palette for our condo
15. Tea at the Grand
America
16. Update one section
of my wardrobe
17. Go on a picnic
18. Have a homemade dinner
by candlelight
19. Skate ski 10 times
this season, snow permitting
20. Do one unassisted
pull up
21. Make a new friend
22. Have Sunday brunch –
six times
23. Throw a party
24. Attend a conference
dealing with a hobby/craft
25. Make one new recipe
a month
26. Take a gun safety
class
27. Store seasonal
items/clothes – and rotate!
28. Get a new pair of
glasses
29. One Saturday a
month: Coffee, cocoa and classical music with Mark
30. Make the storage
unit a functional space
31. Work on the sewing
project I started 12+ years ago
Yep, that's right. The big 4-0 happened over the weekend. I celebrated with a bike ride and sushi. How perfect is that?
I thought I'd post an update on my "39 Things Before I Turn 40" list. I accomplished some, completely ignored others, but all in all, I have to say it worked out! I did some things that I might not have otherwise.
1. Pass my NP boards (7/10/11)
2. Start a new job (7/18/11)
3. Visit Germany (June 19-26)
4. Start Spanish lessons - Rosetta Stone? Ugh. Just. Do. This. Pronto!
5. Do some volunteer work Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (8/2011)
6. Take a photography class - didn't happen
7. Visit a high school friend - wasn't in the cards
8. Take up a new exercise…barre classes sound really fun played community rec basketball! (12/11-2/12)
9. Visit Yellowstone - didn't work out this year
10. Go on a backpacking trip (9/30-10/2/11)
11. Organize the storage closet (8/2011)
12. Make one new friend made a couple
13. Try a ballroom dance class
14. Frame my diplomas
15. Make a will - actually have this planned for June
16. Visit the Oregon coast - Have a trip planned for possibly this summer! yay!
17. Buy myself a bouquet of flowers - for no reason! Umm...sadly, didn't even do this! What a goofball!
18. Have professional portraits taken of me and Mark - not sure who to go to
19. Take a sewing class - did an online tutorial. Count it! (2/12)
20. Update one section of my wardrobe Updated my socks. Seriously. (3/12)
21. Throw a party - had a few dinner parties..does that count? Sure! (11/11, 12/11, 3/12, 3/12, 4/12)
22. Buy an “investment bag” (Thanks, Mark! 9/10/11)
23. Try dim sum In San Francisco, no less! (8/20/11)
24. Get ripped shoulders and arms - didn't even try
25. Buy a dress for everyday wear (and wear it)! (5/12 - see photo, above)
26. Learn to change a bike tire
27. 39 scrapbook layouts Think I only did 15 or so.
28. 39 cards - well, I made all my xmas cards, so that covers that! (12/11)
29. Watch a sunrise (4/12)
30. Watch a sunset (5/12)
31. Read the plays of Shakespeare Read one....gave up. Yawn...
32. Visit a state I’ve never set foot in (South Carolina! 5/12)
33. Go on a horseback ride
34. Take a gun safety class - got some info on it, though.
35. Write and send 39 letters/postcards (not including xmas cards or email, of course). Not even one...
36. Buy a new desk chair - didn't do this, but I did fix my old one!
37. Do 10 pull-ups (right now, I can't do a single one) - Didn't attempt. Still cannot do one.
38. Go to tea at the Grand America
39. Celebrate all of this with a bottle of Dom Perignon on my 40th birthday! It was amazing!
This was quite fun. I think I'll make a list for next year. It might be hard to come up with 41 things, let alone attempt to accomplish all of them. I'll let you know!
