Blink, Blink

Blink twice and it's the end of April.  How quickly this year is flying by!  And as I always say, I wouldn't mind so much if I wasn't getting old at the same rate. {Smile}

It's been an unbelievably gorgeous spring here at the resort.  Our area doesn't often get a nice spring so those of us who live here are truly enjoying this one.  The greens!  The flowers!  Some years the leaves don't even emerge until June, so having all this luscious color is amazing.  

I am loving our front yard.  Hard to remember that last year at this time it looked like a crater-pocked pile of dirt after Dan and grandsons Cameron and Keaton removed the horribly over-grown shrubs and we pondered what to do next.  Every time I drive up I marvel over the change.

We haven't put the flower pots out yet but we probably could.  Usually we're waiting to be certain the freezing temperatures (or even snow!) are behind us.  Hmm, that reminds me that I could bring up the rocking chair that we have out there in the summer.  I'll do that today!  It needs a sanding and paint or stain dreadfully.  Maybe we could do that this weekend, but still, for now, I can sure set it out there.

We are just puttering away here these days.  Nothing much going on, but that's not a bad thing.  I'm continuing to have fun in the kitchen and I'm so thankful to have such wonderful tools with which to work.  We took my parents to Spokane last Friday as Mom had an appointment with an eye specialist. Afterwards we stopped at Trader Joe's and did a little shopping.  I discovered a new chip that's tasty and low in sodium:

I made some hummus the other day using a recipe in the King Arthur Flour magazine Sift and it's a great combination with the chips.  I love hummus but I've never made my own before.  My food processor made quick work of the process and I'll definitely do it again. Most of the recipes I'd seen before usually called for some ingredients not found in my cupboards but this one did not.  

Well, I'd better get a move on.  It's almost lunch time and then I'll be off to watch the little D-man for the afternoon.  They were gone over the weekend and had company last Thursday, so it's been almost two weeks since I've seen him and the rest of the family.  I can hardly wait!  (Love his rosy cheeks and tousled hair when he wakes from his nap.)  I'll see Cameron and Keaton, too, as they get home from school while I'm still there.   ♥

Yum!

At the risk of boring my faithful readers, I have to share my latest kitchen triumph.  Yes, triumph! When I received my stovetop pressure cooker some years ago, on the advice of my cyber friend CJ, I purchased Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass.  I used her book to guide me in my first attempts to use the cooker, and I've continued to rely on it whenever I have a question or need a reliable recipe.  

I was intrigued to note, early on, that she had a dessert section including a recipe for cheesecake. Yup, cheesecake.  I recently tried her rice pudding recipe with great success, but still hesitated to try the cheesecake. (Here is where I probably should mention that never in my life had I actually made a real cheesecake although I love them.)  

Enter my new Instant Pot.  Less stress because it controls everything, so I could concentrate on just making the cheesecake itself.  I was inspired, too, by a recipe on a blog site called Pressure Cooking Today that was a take-off on the Sass recipe and used the electric pressure cooker.  Each time I went to the store, I purchased something I would need to make one: cream cheese, lemons, graham crackers (didn't want to be too hasty in acquiring the ingredients!).  

Last night Dan was at a meeting, so I had the evening to myself.  I had anticipated that I might be brave enough to try, so I took the cream cheese out to warm up before dinner.  After Dan left, I read over the instructions one more time and began.  Truthfully, the hardest part was making the graham cracker crumbs! (Note to self:  buy the box of crumbs next time--can we say crumbs all over the counter?)  

Sass's recipe was straight forward and the only change I made was to add three minutes to the cooking time because electric pc's don't get quite as high a pressure as stovetops do.  And also because we are at an altitude that requires a little additional time.  

The result?  Here it is out of the cooker:

In order to fit in the cooker, a smaller 7" springform pan is needed.  I ordered this one from good ol' Amazon and it's so cute!  The length of foil to the side is for placing under the pan to lower it into and more importantly out of the pot (no burned knuckles!) and is part of Sass's instructions.

I refrigerated the cheese cake overnight after it cooled down and just took it out and removed the sides a little bit ago:

It looks like a real cheesecake!  More importantly, it tastes like one!  In a word:  Yum!  ♥

Tuesday, Choose-day

When our kids were growing up, we came up with the idea of Tuesday, Choose-day.  It probably started one Tuesday when we were all groggy at breakfast and we decided it would be wonderful if there was a day when we could choose to stay home and do whatever we wanted. We even came up with a name for it. From then on, everyone once in a while, we'd be eating breakfast on a Tuesday and say, "Hey, it's Tuesday, Choose-day. Too bad we didn't remember and stay in bed.  Oh well, guess we're up and ready, so off we go!"

So today is Tuesday, and here it is, after ten and I'm still in my jammies.  I declare it to be Tuesday, Choose-day!  Oh, don't worry--I'll get in the shower soon, but for now, I'm choosing relaxation and rejuvenation.  And Tuesdays truly work because it's the one day week after week that I don't have other things to do or places to be.

Meanwhile, pardon me while I shout, "Glory hallelujah!" because yesterday I finally faced a buffalo and got the last border on the Through the Winter Woods quilt!!  

I hate doing borders and this one had three.  Borders can be fraught with peril because they're long seams and if not done correctly, the edges can get wavy.  And with this one, wavy times three.  So, I procrastinated. And procrastinated. Which means, since I'm a weird quilter in that I only have one quilt going at a time, that I wasn't getting anything else done in the sewing room. Anyway, now it's ready to be quilted.  

I did make some bibs last week, however, when I discovered that I had just one girl bib left. There was a church shower Saturday morning for a baby girl who will arrive in a couple of weeks and of course bibs are my traditional gift.  (I will note here that I have at least a dozen boy bibs, but now that people know what they're having ahead of time, they are truly boy bibs and wouldn't work for a girl at all.)  I hadn't embroidered for I don't know how long, and so I oiled and cleaned my machine, picked out some designs and began.  Success! Here are a couple:

Sharp eyes may notice the knitted green baby blanket underneath.  I finished it some time ago, and actually blocked it!  

I love the blocking squares I bought because they can be joined into different shapes--long for scarves and square for things like this blanket.  So many great helps available for crafters these day! 

So here I am, happily puttering away on my Choose-day.  Time to make the bed and get in the shower.  And I just may choose to clean out the freezer!  It actually sounds like a fun thing to do today!  ♥ 

Mea Culpa

Oops!  I just realized I left my readers hanging in my last post.  Chalk it up to getting ready for Easter and catching up with some household chores.

Anyway, let me reveal the new toy that arrived in my kitchen two weeks ago:

It's called an Instant Pot and it's an electric pressure cooker--and so much more!  Here's a close-up of it's touch panel:

In addition to pressure cooking, it is also a rice cooker, a slow cooker, and has specialized setting for grains, soups, and beans.  I used it for the first time on Easter to cook rice for my dad.  Dad has had to go on a total no-salt diet and so I fixed him a chicken dish with plum sauce and thought rice would go well with it.  Cooking rice can be hazardous in a busy kitchen (boil over, anyone?), but it cooked perfectly with no attention once I put on the top and pressed the rice button, and waited patiently when done until I scooped it out.  Yay!!

Last week I did some pork chops that were thick and tough (I'd used a few from the pack previously), and they were fork tender when done.  I also used it for split pea soup with ham left from Easter. Dan was at a meeting across town and I wasn't sure when he'd call me to pick him up (I'd dropped him off that morning to save the hassle of trying to find an all-day parking place).  By using this new toy,  I didn't have to worry about leaving while in process! There's even a saute button so you can brown meats and/or veggies before beginning the pressure cooking process.  I still love my stovetop pressure cooker, but this one is truly a set it and forget it pot.

Oh, here's a picture of the insert--it's like a big stainless steel bowl and washes like a dream:

Cuisinart also makes an electric pressure cooker, but its insert is non-stick which requires some care. I found my new toy at Amazon and I see it's still at a great price.  (I get nothing for this link--I'm putting it up in case anyone is interested.)  I'm all for anything that makes cooking more fun and/or easier!!  

Love,

The Gadget Girl  ♥

End of March

It's a very stormy day here at the resort.  March is definitely going out like a lion instead of a lamb. It's cold, very windy, and the sky is dark.  I can hear the wind whistling down the fireplace chimney. Glad I'm in where it's warm and cozy.  

Every year Dan gets me the Mary Engelbreit page a day calendar as part of my Christmas presents.  I love reading each day's new page and looking at the illustration.  Today's picture was an artist before a blank canvas and the words, "Your imagination is your preview to life's coming attractions," and were attributed to Albert Einstein.  I like it!  I need to ponder this little pearl of wisdom.  

Meanwhile, Buddy the Cat has made a big decision.  For years he loved Dan's fabric covered recliner and spent many hours in it.  Last fall we finally were forced to replace it and ended up with a leather recliner.  Buddy did not like it!  You could feel his outrage:  where was the cozy warmth of his beloved fabric?  He wouldn't even get on Dan's lap when he was sitting there.  But this morning around ten, he astounded us by gingerly jumping up, circling around, laying down and curling up in it, where he still is at 12:40.  I guess he decided he'd been stubborn long enough.

In further news, a fun new toy for my kitchen arrived this morning.  I'm anxious to give it a try as soon as I read the instructions and come up with a plan. Intrigued?  My thinking is that as long as cooking is a part of my day the tools used might as well be fun and/or beneficial.  Stay tuned!  ♥

Dayna Update

I have wondered if my readers have wondered how Dayna is doing since I posted a month or so ago, so I decided to do a little update.

When I last wrote about her, she was Seattle where she saw a number of specialists and then took time (due to a number of different treatment options to consider) to decide on her course of action. She came back here over a long weekend to pack up and stock up on love and prayers, and is now back in Seattle where she had her first chemo yesterday.  She has named her tumor Cleatus, and part of her action plan is a strict diet because this type of tumor feeds on certain fats.  She had a port inserted and that enables her to have infusions of vitamins as well as the chemo.  

Already there is good news:  an MRI last week showed that there was minimal growth in the tumor since her surgery, and this is amazing because it is such a fast growing type.  Dayna's, shall we say motto, is Pray. Believe. Fight! and I thought you might enjoy reading part of an update she sent over the weekend:

"Spiritually, I am doing pretty well. I always appreciate prayers, and especially prayers for my healing, specifically. I encourage you to keep praying!

The biggest lesson I have learned from the past six weeks: we are all terminal. We all have an expiration date on our bodies. A few times lately, people I know have come up to me with teary eyes to give me an embrace. An important thing to remember, sweet friends of mine, is that I feel blessed. I appreciate the empathy so deeply, but I feel blessed to have the time that is given to me, regardless of whether God chooses to heal me or not. I don't sit around feeling sad or sorry for myself… life is waiting! I have things to do, appointments to attend, people to see, air to breathe.

Yes, this is 'rocking our world,' so to speak. It is throwing my family and friends and me for a loop. Not one of us expected this, or saw it coming. We have all, in my corner of friends and family, chosen to embrace the trials, as it develops our perseverance (James 1), knowing that perseverance will have its result, that we may be lacking in nothing. We have chosen to love nonetheless, to live nonetheless, knowing that our attitudes and mentality DO make differences."

In addition to her motto, they have come up with this little visual:

And here is a picture of Dayna with her sweet little sprite, Madeleine.

♥

Cozy Days, Part Ten?

I'm certain I've used the title Cozy Days numerous times before, but I'm too lazy to go back and count.  So, we'll just say this is the tenth time.  

It's spring break here, and even though I don't teach any more, I'm still tuned in to the school schedule. And per usual, it's rather rainy and dreary, but that just makes for cozy days, which I love. And cozy days bring me to the kitchen.  And cookbooks.  

King Arthur Flour Company has published a new magazine this spring called Sift and I finally decided to order it.  I've enjoyed slowly reading through it.  I may never make any of the recipes, but it has inspired me and that's a good thing.  After several evenings of poring over it, I checked my cookbook cupboard for similar reading and pulled out A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman.  It's full of information and tempting recipes, and the photographs are absolutely gorgeous.  

I noticed that the Goldman book has a line of type on the bottom of the cover and the middle words are "Bake to Nourish."  I'm sure she meant nourish as in feed, but somehow baking nourishes my soul.  Mucking about in the kitchen, covered in flour, is a soul satisfying time for me.  I'm reminded of Brother Lawrence's (a seventeenth century monk) words:  "The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen. . . I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees. . ."   ♥