Moving...

We're moved in (mostly) and finally were able to get in to the phone company... in 7-10 BUSINESS days we should have phone and internet. Seeing as how I don't have a laptop, I will be taking a somewhat forced blogging break. I'll see you in 7-10 business days.

Menu: Sept 12-18

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go... oh wait. It's more like the boxes are packed and EVERYWHERE...With just a few odds and ends left and probably some more I'll find when we're loading the truck, I feel pretty much ready to move. Tomorrow (Monday) we'll actually be signing at the closing! Then Tuesday it will be the frenzy of loading, driving and unloading. Wish us luck! With any luck I'll be back online to post the recipe on Thursday... if not, I'll be back whenever our internet is up and running!

Here's the menu:

 

Monday: Nectarine, Peach Balsamic Chicken Drumsticks, Grilled corn, Nectarine Lemonade, Pear Gorgonzola Spinach Salad

Tuesday: Ham Steaks, Cauliflower steaks

Wednesday: Grilled Hamburgers

 

Thursday: Asian BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken aka Really Good Stuff (sorry that the picture isn't actually cooked chicken, I missed getting a picture of the end product) w/rice, Scalloped sweet potatoes, grapes

Friday: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad with Fried Rice

Saturday: Sloppy Joes and cooked carrots (made by my mom)

Sunday: Roast with carrots and potatoes (made by my mom)

Vote for the recipe you want to see next Thursday. This Thursday (hopefully) I'll be posting BLT Salad.

Moving...

Honestly, this scene below was June 30, 2009. Two and a half months later we packed up all this stuff and moved a few states away... now we're packing all our stuff to move into our house. I can't believe I'm actually saying, Our House! It is exciting. We'll be closing on Monday and moving on Tuesday.

This will be the 6th time I've moved in the last 6 years (although one of those moves was a double move - we spent 3 weeks at my parents before going to grad school as our housing contract ended and our grad school housing wasn't available.)

I'm looking forward to NOT moving for a long time! Packing has become less and less exciting... more and more annoying! Here I go to pack a few more boxes!

Menu: Sept 5-11

I finally got my point and shoot camera, so I'll start having pictures again, but this week I don't... However whichever recipe wins the poll will have pictures taken of them. Speaking of getting my new camera, we got one of the most inexpensive models available with a macro function and a few other features we wanted. After taking a few (very few - our old memory card is not compatible) pictures with it, I am amazed at the difference in our old camera and this one. This camera has features that our old one (though we paid $400 for it... SLRs were still 800+ at the time) did not have - it automatically finds a focus point in the picture, and has a super macro shot as well as some fun ways to use it! Our old camera was great and had a 10x optical zoom which was pretty much amazing for birding. We're not going to get the birding shots we want until we get a better camera... but first things first - we need to get into our house!
Speaking of our house, we might be moving at the start of next week and not this weekend. We'll see, I'm still hoping that things come together this week, though it may not happen.

Here's our menu:

Monday: Grilled Chicken, corn and veggie packet, Nectarine Lemonade

Tuesday:  Cauliflower 'Steaks' & Eggs (sorry no pictures - roasted cauliflower and fried eggs)

Wednesday: Spinach Pancakes

Thursday: Black Bean Quesadillas

Friday: Carry Out Pizza

Saturday: Chicken Fried Steak, Spinach Pesto and Garlicky Green Beans.

Sunday: BLT Salad

Vote for the recipe you want to see next Thursday. There will be no post this Thursday due to the move (hopefully everything will be in place for next week)!

Friends...

Lately I have been thinking about friends and friendship... maybe because my husband and I are getting ready to move (only 30 miles away, but still moving.) Since we've been here, we have been thinking this day was coming just around the corner, so we have not really put time and effort into making friends in this area (although my best friend lives here so that is great!) As it turned out, we were here for 2 years. 2 years. That's two years of my life gone and honestly I have not really tried to connect with people.

I will admit that I am not the type of person who has a lot of friends. I have a few really close friends, and when I move from an area (as has been the case 3 times since we've been married due to schooling), I only keep in touch with a handful of people. But to be honest, I am HORRIBLE at keeping in touch with friends. I have decided I only have low maintenance friendships... Friendships I can let sit for months (and possible a year!) and then get in touch with them and catch up. 

I would like to think that the craziness of my life in the last two years and the difficulties we've been having (they have occupied much of my time) will end and I will have more time to cultivate these most precious relationships in my life, as well as making more of them.

Part of me wishes I was the type of person who could make friends with anybody they came in contact with. Instead, I am introverted and think, 'if ____ and I got to know each other, I'm sure we'd be great friends.' I can actually think this about total strangers... like the woman standing in front of me at the grocery store. However, I'm more likely to be introverted and as a mom, I find that this has been amplified. I get into routines with my son until I finally reach a point where I NEED outside contact because I'm not the type of person who can be a hermit. I need others.

I think the need for outside contact is one of the reasons I started this blog in the first place, to feel that I have some contact to people outside the four walls of my residence. I have learned these types of friendships take more than I have been willing to give... and possible more than I have been able to give in the past few years. However, now that I have a more 'normal' life, I want to put the effort to develop friendships with you as my readers and my fellow bloggers. Please forgive me for my lack of putting myself out there - and help me to become better.

Thanks for reading.

Plum Ricotta Crepes

Every time I use wax paper I am reminded of an experience that happened in college. My second year I lived in an apartment with 3 other girls and we had some guy neighbors that we hung out with from time to time. We had some fun times together... but I digress. One of these guys came over and needed to buy something, however he could not remember the name, so ended up saying: "What is that waxy paper stuff called?" To which one of my roommates responded, "Wax paper?!"

I have been loving planning meals revolving around fresh produce. It has made me try recipes I never would have tried before, mainly because I do not typically buy the produce I get in our weekly co-op. As I was searching for plum recipes, I found a recipe for Sugar Plum Crepes on Smitten Kitchen. I loved the recipe and couldn't wait to try it, but I did wait until the plums were ripe enough to use them.

Plum Ricotta Crepes

For Crepes: First, you'll need milk.

 1/2 cup milk, poured into a blender.

 Next, add 2 Tbsp butter - melted but not super hot!

 You'll also need two eggs.

 I like to break them into a separate container so I know there will be no shells...

 toss them into the blender.

Toss in 1/2 cup flour...

 You'll also need some salt.

 just a pinch or two.

 Toss in a pinch of nutmeg,

 and two pieces of cinnamon.

 You'll also want some honey

 I used huckleberry honey, but plain old honey will be just fine.

 Blend until mixed.

 Once mixed, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (and up to 2 days - if you're that organized!)

 Once crepes have rested for an hour, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Brush pan with butter, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

 Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan

 and swirl the batter around

 to coat the bottom.

 Let the crepe cook until the batter is set,

 Should take about 2 minutes.

 Once it is set,

 once the batter is set, carefully flip the crepe.

 Cook for about 10 seconds on the other side, and then place onto a plate.

 Place wax paper in between each crepe to keep them from sticking. Repeat with remaining batter.

 Cover and keep them warm until ready to use.

For Plum Filling:

 

You'll need plums,

 more than one - about 1 pound.

Cut in half and remove the pit.

 Then slice each half into 3 pieces.

 Repeat with all plums

 I think I may have cut more than a pound... but they were delicious.

 You'll also need lemon juice... I used the juice from a whole lemon (about 2-3 Tbsp)

 In a skillet, melt the butter and toss in the plums.

You'll also need some honey.

1-2 Tbsp. I used 2 Tbsp.

You can also add a pinch of cinnamon.

and pour in the lemon juice.

Heat for a minute or two until it is warm.

Set aside until ready to assemble crepes - I covered the bowl with aluminum foil to keep in the heat.

For Ricotta filling: You'll need 1 cup of ricotta cheese,

zest of half a lemon, and 1 Tbsp honey.

Mix well.

(the original recipe used only plain ricotta, but I loved this simple addition!)

Another addition I had: Maple Syrup Whipped Cream - simply whip cream and add maple syrup until desires sweetness is achieved.

For Assembly: Place a crepe on a paper and apply a smear of whipped cream,

Top with plum filling,

Add some ricotta filling,

Sprinkle with mint.

Wrap and enjoy!

Original Recipe