Monday, April 2, 2012
Half power
If I'd written about this yesterday, y'all would've thought I was kidding around, and I wish I were. But yesterday half the electrical wiring in our house decided to die. The fourth bedroom, Ike's room, and almost all of the living room is without power. I think it had something to do with the power outage + power surge that happened really early Sunday morning. Then I was plugging my computer setup back in later Sunday and heard some crackling. Then nothing in that room (the fourth bedroom) would turn on. And none of the circuit breakers were tripped either, which seems odd to me, since they're supposed to protect from surges, right? So anyway, we've got to get an electrician in here sometime. We've wanted to rewire this place pretty much since we first decided to buy it, but it's one of those things you want to choose to do, not need to do because half your wiring kicks the bucket.
Monday, March 26, 2012
The not-recipe things that happen around here
It might seem like all that happens is Marth is in the kitchen cooking and eating things. And while that happens a lot, the reason other things aren't up here more often is that Marth usually gets inspired to write about food, and that's all she makes time to write about. Today is an odd day in which there will be a post with a recipe (to come later) and this one about not-recipes.
Some things that have happened around here recently:
1. We built a second planter and Ike planted spinach, potatoes, carrots, arugula, and broccoli in it.
2. Ike planted blueberry bushes/plants.
3. The front of the house looks nicer. I trimmed back the blackberries and roses, and Ike removed the tree that was growing against the house.
4. We got an orange from the orange tree that was here when we moved in! Also, we didn't know what kind of citrus tree it was until we saw the orange, so that was quite helpful. The orange was a little tart, so it might not be a commercial variety, but it was still tasty.
5. The snow peas really took off. Ike planted three seeds, ALL OF THEM SPROUTED, and they're growing all over the little wire guide and grabbing onto the netting that protects everything in the big planter. The peas are tasty! Super crunchy and great in stir fry.
6. A sizable branch fell off one of the jade plants, so I took it and put it in a pot to try to grow it on its own. The pot is in the kitchen where it gets some afternoon sunlight. So far it looks good. It's a cute plant; it looks like a little tree!
Some things that have happened around here recently:
1. We built a second planter and Ike planted spinach, potatoes, carrots, arugula, and broccoli in it.
2. Ike planted blueberry bushes/plants.
3. The front of the house looks nicer. I trimmed back the blackberries and roses, and Ike removed the tree that was growing against the house.
4. We got an orange from the orange tree that was here when we moved in! Also, we didn't know what kind of citrus tree it was until we saw the orange, so that was quite helpful. The orange was a little tart, so it might not be a commercial variety, but it was still tasty.
5. The snow peas really took off. Ike planted three seeds, ALL OF THEM SPROUTED, and they're growing all over the little wire guide and grabbing onto the netting that protects everything in the big planter. The peas are tasty! Super crunchy and great in stir fry.
6. A sizable branch fell off one of the jade plants, so I took it and put it in a pot to try to grow it on its own. The pot is in the kitchen where it gets some afternoon sunlight. So far it looks good. It's a cute plant; it looks like a little tree!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Pumpkin Butter Oatmeal
Have you ever tried making pumpkin butter oatmeal? I assure you, it's delicious.
So this morning I tried something different. I added about half a cup of pumpkin (canned pure pumpkin) to the oats along with cinnamon, allspice, and a good shaking of salt (I often make pumpkin oatmeal but I used to add sugar and just a tad of salt). Then I stirred in some water and microwaved it for six minutes (our microwave is a weakling; it might take yours three minutes). Once it was hot and ready, I put a pat of butter (< 1 Tbsp) on top of the oatmeal and let it melt. I stirred in the butter and tried it. Heavenly! Creamy and a little salty. I'm not sure if I'd like it every day, and I'm not sure what to do if I don't put pumpkin in it (perhaps a banana?), but I'm certainly adding pumpkin butter oatmeal to my breakfast repertoire.
Friday, February 17, 2012
How to Make an Amazing Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Start with the right ingredients, blah blah. You know the deal. Good bread. Good cheese. Butter in a frying pan or spread on the bread (I prefer to have it in the pan). I use Monterrey Jack cheese and I sprinkle some dried red pepper flakes in there. So I guess it's like pepper Jack.
Anyway, the Amazing Part is using a lid while pan-frying at low heat (on my gas stove I set it between 2 and 3 on the dial which goes from lo to 1-6 to hi). I use a glass lid so I can see what's going on in there and because all the lids I have are glass.
Why use a lid? The lid will keep in the heat and moisture, which means the entire under-lid area (i.e. not just the bread-pan interface) will get pretty hot and humid and stay that way while you cook. Why is this good? The cheese will melt faster and more evenly. The bread won't dry out as much, so you'll be more likely to get the fried-on-the-outside, fresh-on-the-inside bread texture that is so good. In other words, it makes both parts of the grilled cheese sandwich (the bread and the cheese) even better. So just do it, unless you like dry, crispy grilled cheese sandwiches with chewy cheese in the middle.
Now that we're both believers in the lid method, here's how to make it work for you. Watch the sandwich and peek at the down-side of the bread every couple minutes. During one of the times you're peeking (before it's done!), smear some butter on that top piece of bread. It's okay if it's in chunks or pats or whatever. Just put some on there and cover the pan with the lid again. Let that butter soften, then lift the lid and smear it around the top piece of bread with a knife or spatula. Make sure it gets near the edges so they don't crisp too quickly.
Once you've got a good golden/golden brown thing going on with the bottom piece of bread, flip it and do the same wait-and-peek thing on the other side. The second side will not take as long to cook. THE SECOND SIDE WILL NOT TAKE AS LONG TO COOK. Really. It won't. Unless you turn the heat down, that is. But don't. Just leave the heat the same. It's low, right? Right. The cheese inside should already be melty and you're just trying to toast the outside of that second piece of bread and push the cheese into gooey territory. So keep an eye on it. I can't tell you how many potentially perfect grilled cheese sandwiches I've screwed up by near-burning the second side because I forgot it'd cook faster than the first side (okay it's probably like four sandwiches), but each failed sandwich attempt was pretty disheartening.
You probably already knew that the second side will not take as long to cook, so let's conclude. The whole point of this post was the use a lid part. So as long as you got that part down, you're golden. Enjoy!
Anyway, the Amazing Part is using a lid while pan-frying at low heat (on my gas stove I set it between 2 and 3 on the dial which goes from lo to 1-6 to hi). I use a glass lid so I can see what's going on in there and because all the lids I have are glass.
Why use a lid? The lid will keep in the heat and moisture, which means the entire under-lid area (i.e. not just the bread-pan interface) will get pretty hot and humid and stay that way while you cook. Why is this good? The cheese will melt faster and more evenly. The bread won't dry out as much, so you'll be more likely to get the fried-on-the-outside, fresh-on-the-inside bread texture that is so good. In other words, it makes both parts of the grilled cheese sandwich (the bread and the cheese) even better. So just do it, unless you like dry, crispy grilled cheese sandwiches with chewy cheese in the middle.
Now that we're both believers in the lid method, here's how to make it work for you. Watch the sandwich and peek at the down-side of the bread every couple minutes. During one of the times you're peeking (before it's done!), smear some butter on that top piece of bread. It's okay if it's in chunks or pats or whatever. Just put some on there and cover the pan with the lid again. Let that butter soften, then lift the lid and smear it around the top piece of bread with a knife or spatula. Make sure it gets near the edges so they don't crisp too quickly.
Once you've got a good golden/golden brown thing going on with the bottom piece of bread, flip it and do the same wait-and-peek thing on the other side. The second side will not take as long to cook. THE SECOND SIDE WILL NOT TAKE AS LONG TO COOK. Really. It won't. Unless you turn the heat down, that is. But don't. Just leave the heat the same. It's low, right? Right. The cheese inside should already be melty and you're just trying to toast the outside of that second piece of bread and push the cheese into gooey territory. So keep an eye on it. I can't tell you how many potentially perfect grilled cheese sandwiches I've screwed up by near-burning the second side because I forgot it'd cook faster than the first side (okay it's probably like four sandwiches), but each failed sandwich attempt was pretty disheartening.
You probably already knew that the second side will not take as long to cook, so let's conclude. The whole point of this post was the use a lid part. So as long as you got that part down, you're golden. Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a thick, yogurt-based dip that pairs well with pita bread or vegetables. It's creamy, cool, and hearty, and it's a tasty way to include some yogurt in your diet (protein + probiotics!).
There are a ton of recipes available, and they all have some basic ingredients in common: Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and dill. Then there is a group of folks who add lemon juice to the tzatziki, and a second group of folks who add vinegar instead. Some recipes even call for some of both. I used fresh lemon juice (about half of the lemon) and I liked the flavor. My first batch of tzatziki turned out well, except for one thing: I added too much garlic. I can't remember the last time I added too much garlic to a dish, but I really knocked it out of the park with this stuff. I think it's because I'm used to adding fresh garlic to dishes that will be sauteed/cooked, and I forgot how much kick uncooked garlic has. Kapow! So I'd recommend two small cloves or even just one medium sized clove per one cup of yogurt in your tzatziki recipe.
I didn't use a specific recipe to make tzatziki. I read four or five recipes, drew some conclusions, and filled in the gaps with intuition. All of the recipes I used were for a chunky tzatziki, meaning the cucumbers were chopped/diced by hand, not pureed in a food processor. The volume of yogurt and chopped cucumbers should be about the same. Here's what I used to make my batch:
Just over 1 cup Greek yogurt
Just over 1 cup diced cucumber (peeled, seeded, diced, then measured)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 small garlic cloves, minced (I used more and regretted it! I recommend mixing in one minced clove; you can always add more!)
3/4 tsp dried dill (from a spice jar; all the recipes call for fresh dill and I don't have any)
Dash of salt
Also, since the yogurt "leaks" water and the cucumbers have a lot of water in them, tzatziki gets a little watery if you don't prepare for it. I poured off all the water in the yogurt container before scooping out the yogurt. After dicing the cucumber, I wrapped the diced pieces in paper towels to let the excess moisture soak out while I prepped other stuff. The next day, the tzatziki had leaked a little water but was still pretty thick. This recipe made 4-6 good-sized servings. It wasn't enough for a huge party bowl but it's plenty for a small gathering, or in my case, snacks for a few days. Enjoy!
There are a ton of recipes available, and they all have some basic ingredients in common: Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and dill. Then there is a group of folks who add lemon juice to the tzatziki, and a second group of folks who add vinegar instead. Some recipes even call for some of both. I used fresh lemon juice (about half of the lemon) and I liked the flavor. My first batch of tzatziki turned out well, except for one thing: I added too much garlic. I can't remember the last time I added too much garlic to a dish, but I really knocked it out of the park with this stuff. I think it's because I'm used to adding fresh garlic to dishes that will be sauteed/cooked, and I forgot how much kick uncooked garlic has. Kapow! So I'd recommend two small cloves or even just one medium sized clove per one cup of yogurt in your tzatziki recipe.
I didn't use a specific recipe to make tzatziki. I read four or five recipes, drew some conclusions, and filled in the gaps with intuition. All of the recipes I used were for a chunky tzatziki, meaning the cucumbers were chopped/diced by hand, not pureed in a food processor. The volume of yogurt and chopped cucumbers should be about the same. Here's what I used to make my batch:
Just over 1 cup Greek yogurt
Just over 1 cup diced cucumber (peeled, seeded, diced, then measured)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 small garlic cloves, minced (I used more and regretted it! I recommend mixing in one minced clove; you can always add more!)
3/4 tsp dried dill (from a spice jar; all the recipes call for fresh dill and I don't have any)
Dash of salt
Also, since the yogurt "leaks" water and the cucumbers have a lot of water in them, tzatziki gets a little watery if you don't prepare for it. I poured off all the water in the yogurt container before scooping out the yogurt. After dicing the cucumber, I wrapped the diced pieces in paper towels to let the excess moisture soak out while I prepped other stuff. The next day, the tzatziki had leaked a little water but was still pretty thick. This recipe made 4-6 good-sized servings. It wasn't enough for a huge party bowl but it's plenty for a small gathering, or in my case, snacks for a few days. Enjoy!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Buttery delicious
On Saturday night we went to a potluck / movie night party at a friend's house. That afternoon we were preparing dishes to bring. I made a chocolate chip cookie pie (I'll post the recipe soon, it's a knockout) and Ike made some mashed yams. As he was preparing the yams, he spooned some out of the dish and let me sample it. It was so good, and it tasted like he'd put butter in it.
"How much butter did you put in these?" I asked him. They tasted so buttery.
He looked at me and smiled guiltily.
"Really, how much? I bet my cookie pie has more butter in it than the yams, come on, that recipe calls for six tablespoons," I said.
He just kept staring, shifting his eyes. So I looked in the fridge. When I'd finished prepping the pie, there was a stick of almost six tablespoons (I'd left that one because I needed six) and a stick of two tablespoons (I'd taken six from that stick). Neither of those partial sticks were anywhere to be seen.
I looked over at him. "You added both of them? That's almost eight tablespoons of butter! You put a whole damn stick of butter in there?" A whole stick of butter for four yams in a little glass dish. Dayum.
We both started laughing at this point. "Well, it's delicious!" I said. Buttery delicious.
"How much butter did you put in these?" I asked him. They tasted so buttery.
He looked at me and smiled guiltily.
"Really, how much? I bet my cookie pie has more butter in it than the yams, come on, that recipe calls for six tablespoons," I said.
He just kept staring, shifting his eyes. So I looked in the fridge. When I'd finished prepping the pie, there was a stick of almost six tablespoons (I'd left that one because I needed six) and a stick of two tablespoons (I'd taken six from that stick). Neither of those partial sticks were anywhere to be seen.
I looked over at him. "You added both of them? That's almost eight tablespoons of butter! You put a whole damn stick of butter in there?" A whole stick of butter for four yams in a little glass dish. Dayum.
We both started laughing at this point. "Well, it's delicious!" I said. Buttery delicious.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
New Stoneware Set
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| Image from Target.com. |
I swear we walked into Target needing only to buy ginger ale or something, but we walked out with ginger ale, the stoneware set you see pictured to the right, and probably six other things we weren't planning to buy.
We got the set on clearance for $35. I think those are the first retail-purchased dishes we have since moving to California. I bought some "College 08" stoneware dishes (guess what year), and they are pretty plain (white with green accents). All of our other dishware has come from Craigslisting or Goodwilling. I've never owned square plates before. They don't really fit in the dish drainer very well, but they look badass so whatever. The mugs are pretty big and the handles are big enough for my whole hand. I usually feel like I have big lumberjack hands (which I kinda do) when I pick up mugs by their handles, but this set makes me feel very little-lady-like. I think the plates will look fantastic with brownies on them or green salads.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Pest-free pants
I'm not exactly sure how, but a spot or two of cat piss got on a pair of my jeans. It wasn't that bad, so I figured I'd just Febreze them and toss 'em in the wash. A few days later, Ike and I were reorganizing the living room and investigating the spot on our new couch that had gotten cat piss on it. Over the past few days, I'd put some baking soda + water paste on the couch a few times and vacuumed it up, and the smell was pretty much gone.
Ike: "It's pretty good. I think it might just need to air out. You know, when you put the baking soda water on there, it's still wet and maybe some time left open would finish it off."
Marth: "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. But can I Febreze it? That should dry pretty quickly and might help the residual smell."
Ike: "Sure, I think that'd be fine."
I go grab the bottle of Febreze from the bathroom. Brandishing the bottle, I say to Ike...
Marth: "We really don't have much of this left."
Ike: "That's not Febreze."
Marth: "What?"
Ike: "That's soapy garlic water I use on my plants as a pest repellant."
*pause*
Ike: "Well, those jeans of yours probably don't have any spider mites on them."
Following this conversation, he relabeled the bottle. Now I need to find the actual Febreze.
Ike: "It's pretty good. I think it might just need to air out. You know, when you put the baking soda water on there, it's still wet and maybe some time left open would finish it off."
Marth: "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. But can I Febreze it? That should dry pretty quickly and might help the residual smell."
Ike: "Sure, I think that'd be fine."
I go grab the bottle of Febreze from the bathroom. Brandishing the bottle, I say to Ike...
Marth: "We really don't have much of this left."
Ike: "That's not Febreze."
Marth: "What?"
Ike: "That's soapy garlic water I use on my plants as a pest repellant."
*pause*
Ike: "Well, those jeans of yours probably don't have any spider mites on them."
Following this conversation, he relabeled the bottle. Now I need to find the actual Febreze.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Headaches
Rats
Sometimes I think the things in the attic might be larger than rats. I hear them moving around sometimes and they're louder (heavier) than I expect rats to sound. Other times they make rat-like noises and I'm reassured that our traps will catch the head of something instead of just the arm of something. We went up in the attic on Friday and our traps were empty. Ike moved them so they'd be against walls; perhaps we will be successful next time we check.
Cats
We've come to expect certain behaviors from Ceri. She is a very shy cat and is severely affected by separation anxiety or something when we go on vacations. So when we came home from traveling a week ago, we weren't surprised that she was freaking out. No, what surprised us was her insistence on hiding behind the stove whenever we left the house or went to sleep. Lucky for us, the stove doesn't have rigid gas pipes attached to it, so we can slide it out from the wall. It's still not fun to move a stove, though. We put a big piece of cardboard between the stove and the wall behind it, but we had to take it off when we bake things, and last night we forgot to replace it. She was back there again this morning, ugh. We've had to move it at least four times since coming back. If she gets back there again, I might just leave her and see what happens.
Drips
The CatGenie was dripping before we left; gotta see if that's still happening. It's had a bunch of other issues since then, so I forgot about the drip. The hall bathroom toilet tank has a leak, and the shower in that bathroom does, too. We know what's causing the shower one, though. The hot water knob is stripped, so it's hard/impossible to shut off completely. We have some new knobs for the hot water and for the bath/shower toggle. That knob hasn't worked properly in over a month, and it'll be nice to be able to use the bath function of the tub (even though I haven't taken a bath since I was was...what, 18?). I guess it'd just be useful for foot-soaking or something. Unrelated to leaks: Ike replaced the shower head, and the new one is huge and rain-like. I really like it.
Sometimes I think the things in the attic might be larger than rats. I hear them moving around sometimes and they're louder (heavier) than I expect rats to sound. Other times they make rat-like noises and I'm reassured that our traps will catch the head of something instead of just the arm of something. We went up in the attic on Friday and our traps were empty. Ike moved them so they'd be against walls; perhaps we will be successful next time we check.
Cats
We've come to expect certain behaviors from Ceri. She is a very shy cat and is severely affected by separation anxiety or something when we go on vacations. So when we came home from traveling a week ago, we weren't surprised that she was freaking out. No, what surprised us was her insistence on hiding behind the stove whenever we left the house or went to sleep. Lucky for us, the stove doesn't have rigid gas pipes attached to it, so we can slide it out from the wall. It's still not fun to move a stove, though. We put a big piece of cardboard between the stove and the wall behind it, but we had to take it off when we bake things, and last night we forgot to replace it. She was back there again this morning, ugh. We've had to move it at least four times since coming back. If she gets back there again, I might just leave her and see what happens.
Drips
The CatGenie was dripping before we left; gotta see if that's still happening. It's had a bunch of other issues since then, so I forgot about the drip. The hall bathroom toilet tank has a leak, and the shower in that bathroom does, too. We know what's causing the shower one, though. The hot water knob is stripped, so it's hard/impossible to shut off completely. We have some new knobs for the hot water and for the bath/shower toggle. That knob hasn't worked properly in over a month, and it'll be nice to be able to use the bath function of the tub (even though I haven't taken a bath since I was was...what, 18?). I guess it'd just be useful for foot-soaking or something. Unrelated to leaks: Ike replaced the shower head, and the new one is huge and rain-like. I really like it.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tasty greenery
How do you make a nature-loving, mostly vegetarian girl happy? Grow her a salad. This was actually a joint project but Ike did most of the work. Spinach and all kinds of lettuce! Nom!
We have heat!
I think I'll leave it to Ike if he'd like to recount all of the mishaps, delays, and headaches that went along with this task because I got to experience most of them first-hand and I'm tired of talking about them. Yelp will hear about it, though!
Today was the last step of the heating installation process: pressure testing. A dude came by today and taped up all of the registers and ran some tests to see how the system was working. It passed! He laughed somewhat nervously while telling me all of the results; I think he either thought I was cute or felt bad for being done right at the climax of V for Vendetta. Either way, teehee.
So that's done. We have heat. We've got to put the register vents back in there (not sure why they didn't replace them, but whatever) and we'll be set. It's wonderful having an ambient temperature of >60°F. Just wonderful.
Today was the last step of the heating installation process: pressure testing. A dude came by today and taped up all of the registers and ran some tests to see how the system was working. It passed! He laughed somewhat nervously while telling me all of the results; I think he either thought I was cute or felt bad for being done right at the climax of V for Vendetta. Either way, teehee.
So that's done. We have heat. We've got to put the register vents back in there (not sure why they didn't replace them, but whatever) and we'll be set. It's wonderful having an ambient temperature of >60°F. Just wonderful.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
A lot is going on in the attic
As you may have heard, there are a couple of rats in the attic, and we need heat ducting installed in the attic. The house needs to be rewired, and I'd like to drop down ethernet cables. Not too long ago we had our old asbestos-y insulated ducting removed from the attic. We have all kinds of reasons for needing access to our attic as of late. There are a couple of ways in to the attic. I think you could climb up there if you could make your way around the false ceiling in the garage. (I'm going to tear that bullshit down someday.) There's a tiny attic entrance in the closet of the 4th bedroom (the add-on room). This thing is probably 12" x 12". You couldn't really get in through there. I don't know what's up with that thing. Finally there is a door in the siding of the house outside of the 4th bedroom.
See the outline in the upper portion of the siding above the window? That's the attic door. Real handy, huh? Observant readers will have noticed that the roof wasn't installed properly on the add-on. There isn't any overhang or gutter. Water seems to have found its way into the attic door. It's not too bad, but there is enough water damage that the hinges are useless. There is at least a small amount of water damage to the door frame, but it mostly seems to be to the door itself. The siding seems to be okay mostly. The attic door frame is made of 2" x 4" pieces, and it's decently damaged.
So, to recap, the hinges are useless. To get in to the attic, you need to climb a ladder, pull the door out of the wall like it's a plug, and either hand it to a nice person standing by on the ground, or walk yourself back down the ladder with it. This is a dangerous and difficult situation. So, before we have ducting work under way, I'm going to rebuild this door. This is a very simple project, but I'm excited because it's my first woodworking project. So, the door is simply a 2x4 rectangular frame with a diagonal crosspiece. The hinges are mounted on the frame. The siding is nailed to the front face, and there's a latch attached to one side of the siding. I purchased a circular saw to cut my wood. I have a large heavy desk in the garage that I used as a workbench. It worked so well that I'll probably keep it out there for that purpose. Here's my new door frame:
My grandfather used to build furniture as a hobby. He would make us little wooden toys for Christmas. He made such beautiful pieces. A part of me has always wanted to be like him and be able to make woodwork. So here's my first small step. I'm mostly finished with my door. I just need to install the hinges and nail on the siding and the latch (I'm reusing the siding from the old frame). My next woodworking project will be to build raised redwood garden beds. After that, I'm going for something a little more ambitious. Marth and I want to get chickens, so I'm going to build a chicken coop for them. Now that will be quite a project! I intend to post many pictures as I progress through that endeavor. I'll be sure to post some before and after pictures of the planter boxes. I don't think there are any garden pictures up yet.
See the outline in the upper portion of the siding above the window? That's the attic door. Real handy, huh? Observant readers will have noticed that the roof wasn't installed properly on the add-on. There isn't any overhang or gutter. Water seems to have found its way into the attic door. It's not too bad, but there is enough water damage that the hinges are useless. There is at least a small amount of water damage to the door frame, but it mostly seems to be to the door itself. The siding seems to be okay mostly. The attic door frame is made of 2" x 4" pieces, and it's decently damaged.So, to recap, the hinges are useless. To get in to the attic, you need to climb a ladder, pull the door out of the wall like it's a plug, and either hand it to a nice person standing by on the ground, or walk yourself back down the ladder with it. This is a dangerous and difficult situation. So, before we have ducting work under way, I'm going to rebuild this door. This is a very simple project, but I'm excited because it's my first woodworking project. So, the door is simply a 2x4 rectangular frame with a diagonal crosspiece. The hinges are mounted on the frame. The siding is nailed to the front face, and there's a latch attached to one side of the siding. I purchased a circular saw to cut my wood. I have a large heavy desk in the garage that I used as a workbench. It worked so well that I'll probably keep it out there for that purpose. Here's my new door frame:
On traveling
When I'm traveling...
I'm always surprised at how everyone arranges stuff in their refrigerator.
I'm amused at how other people's towels match.
Every morning I wake up and wonder where the hell I am.
It's so easy to get dressed because all my clothes are all together and there are so few options.
I like doing everyday things with people like going to the grocery store.
I never know how other people's stoves work so it's easier to make mistakes when cooking.
I get to sit on full-sized couches! We don't have one in the house yet, so it's a novelty.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Rats
We've all heard the rats. I've seen one. It was dead. I found it when I was investigating our attic. I need to retrieve it at some point.
We hear them in the walls. It's time for them to go.
I think we're going to get some traps for them instead of poison. I read some message boards about getting rid of rats, and traps seem better than poison since they die at the trap instead of wherever they choose, so disposing of the bodies is easier.
I'm not looking forward to checking on the traps, but we don't want our new insulation being disturbed, and we don't need any more rat droppings in our attic. Ew.
We hear them in the walls. It's time for them to go.
I think we're going to get some traps for them instead of poison. I read some message boards about getting rid of rats, and traps seem better than poison since they die at the trap instead of wherever they choose, so disposing of the bodies is easier.
I'm not looking forward to checking on the traps, but we don't want our new insulation being disturbed, and we don't need any more rat droppings in our attic. Ew.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
I know what 4 is
In the two apartments we lived in from 2008-2011, we had gas stoves. Each of them had dials for the burners that had at most 45 degrees of useful flame-adjustment range. In the house, our stove has dials that go from Lo to Hi, with six numbers in between them. The whole range stretches around probably 270 degrees of the dial. The numbers actually mean something. If I want to cook something quickly without burning it, I cook it on 4. It means something. And it makes cooking sooooooo much easier.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Quesadillas with black beans and avocado
Yield: Two dinner portions and some leftover quesadilla filling for one or two smaller quesadillas
Quesadillas
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 sweet onion, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped or diced
~2 cups fresh mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 can ready-cut tomatoes, thoroughly drained
Cumin, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese (we like to use mozzarella or Monterrey Jack)
Pour a bit of oil into a medium nonstick frying pan, and saute the garlic and onions until the onions start to look translucent. Add the lime juice. Throw in the green pepper and saute until they start getting tender. Then add the mushrooms, and finally add the tomatoes. There might be a lot of liquid by this point. If you haven't already added your spices, stir them in and taste if things are spicy enough/balanced well. When things are hot, transfer the veggies into a glass container so you can store the leftovers (or just into a bowl if everything will be eaten in one serving). Turn off the eye. Add a bit of oil to the pan and add two flour tortillas, so that they make a sort of upside down T shape with the inside halves sticking up vertically from the pan. Add cheese to the horizontal halves, scoop some veggies onto the cheese, then add more cheese on top. Fold down the tortilla halves and turn the heat up to medium and fry to your desired shade of gold/brown. Gently smoosh the ends down with a spatula so the cheese acts as a glue. Then flip the quesadillas over (I like going side-over-side, not open-over-closed) and fry the other side.
Black beans
We use canned black beans, but this recipe should work fine with dry black beans if you hydrate/soak them first. Drain the canned black beans and pour them into a colander. Rinse water over them until all of that salty soupy stuff is gone. Add a bit of oil to a small saucepan/pot, then pour in the beans. Add the juice from the other half of the lime. Add garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and parsley (or cilantro if you prefer). Stir and let sit until you're frying the quesadillas. The beans hardly take any time at all to heat up and it's best if you don't overcook them. Turn the heat on medium low and stir occasionally until they're hot enough for you.
Avocado
While quesadillas and beans are cooking, wash and halve a ripe, medium avocado. Remove the pit with a sharp knife or a spoon, then use a butter knife or spoon to take out the avocado flesh in big chunks. Divide the chunks into two portions.
Serve and enjoy!
Quesadillas
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 sweet onion, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped or diced
~2 cups fresh mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 can ready-cut tomatoes, thoroughly drained
Cumin, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese (we like to use mozzarella or Monterrey Jack)
Pour a bit of oil into a medium nonstick frying pan, and saute the garlic and onions until the onions start to look translucent. Add the lime juice. Throw in the green pepper and saute until they start getting tender. Then add the mushrooms, and finally add the tomatoes. There might be a lot of liquid by this point. If you haven't already added your spices, stir them in and taste if things are spicy enough/balanced well. When things are hot, transfer the veggies into a glass container so you can store the leftovers (or just into a bowl if everything will be eaten in one serving). Turn off the eye. Add a bit of oil to the pan and add two flour tortillas, so that they make a sort of upside down T shape with the inside halves sticking up vertically from the pan. Add cheese to the horizontal halves, scoop some veggies onto the cheese, then add more cheese on top. Fold down the tortilla halves and turn the heat up to medium and fry to your desired shade of gold/brown. Gently smoosh the ends down with a spatula so the cheese acts as a glue. Then flip the quesadillas over (I like going side-over-side, not open-over-closed) and fry the other side.
Black beans
We use canned black beans, but this recipe should work fine with dry black beans if you hydrate/soak them first. Drain the canned black beans and pour them into a colander. Rinse water over them until all of that salty soupy stuff is gone. Add a bit of oil to a small saucepan/pot, then pour in the beans. Add the juice from the other half of the lime. Add garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and parsley (or cilantro if you prefer). Stir and let sit until you're frying the quesadillas. The beans hardly take any time at all to heat up and it's best if you don't overcook them. Turn the heat on medium low and stir occasionally until they're hot enough for you.
Avocado
While quesadillas and beans are cooking, wash and halve a ripe, medium avocado. Remove the pit with a sharp knife or a spoon, then use a butter knife or spoon to take out the avocado flesh in big chunks. Divide the chunks into two portions.
Serve and enjoy!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Talking with heating service companies
I call a nearby heating supply/service company to ask if they sell heating system parts. I explain that I need a supply plenum for my gas furnace and he says they make them there. Then he's all:
"And are you going to install this yourself?"
The emphasis on the yourself was priceless. I could almost feel his eyebrows raising through the phone.
I love being talked to like I'm clueless. And (this was later) it's always professional to call someone "lady" over the phone when you're in a business conversation. /sarcasm
Luckily the guy wasn't all bad, and explained that plenums are manufactured and that he needed dimensions for it. And now it makes sense why we couldn't find them at Lowe's. Whoops. And the guy referred me to another heating parts maker/retailer that was closer to me, which was nice of him.
Unfortunately, when I called the place he referred me to, I was told that they don't sell parts; they only do installations and repairs. I asked if I could send them an email but I didn't get to finish my sentence because the woman interrupts me with, "WE DON'T SELL PARTS, MA'AM."
*blink*
What I was going to say was, hey, can I send you an email explaining the situation and ask how much it'd be for you to install the parts we need? But, you know, no need to let me finish. I couldn't have been asking about how to use your services. You wouldn't want my money, right?
After that awkward moment, she tells me how much it'd cost for them to send someone to our house to look at our setup and give us a quote. I told her to have a nice day and I sincerely meant it since anyone with a stick up their butt needs a nice day once in a while.
So now I'm off to read more about heat ducting design. Wheeee...
"And are you going to install this yourself?"
The emphasis on the yourself was priceless. I could almost feel his eyebrows raising through the phone.
I love being talked to like I'm clueless. And (this was later) it's always professional to call someone "lady" over the phone when you're in a business conversation. /sarcasm
Luckily the guy wasn't all bad, and explained that plenums are manufactured and that he needed dimensions for it. And now it makes sense why we couldn't find them at Lowe's. Whoops. And the guy referred me to another heating parts maker/retailer that was closer to me, which was nice of him.
Unfortunately, when I called the place he referred me to, I was told that they don't sell parts; they only do installations and repairs. I asked if I could send them an email but I didn't get to finish my sentence because the woman interrupts me with, "WE DON'T SELL PARTS, MA'AM."
*blink*
What I was going to say was, hey, can I send you an email explaining the situation and ask how much it'd be for you to install the parts we need? But, you know, no need to let me finish. I couldn't have been asking about how to use your services. You wouldn't want my money, right?
After that awkward moment, she tells me how much it'd cost for them to send someone to our house to look at our setup and give us a quote. I told her to have a nice day and I sincerely meant it since anyone with a stick up their butt needs a nice day once in a while.
So now I'm off to read more about heat ducting design. Wheeee...
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wired connection: Complete!
Ahhhh...my own private sanctuary in the fourth bedroom. Today I finished the ethernet wiring project. My sides hurt (from working with zip ties above my head), and I'm sure they'll hurt more tomorrow, but for now, I am a happy panda. I ended up with less CAT 6 left over than I prefer, but I figure I can slap on an extension if it really gets out of hand. For now, my desk is where I want it to be, and everything is working swimmingly.
We bought a masonry bit so I could drill through the stucco, but the bit turned out to be too big for my drill. So I resorted to chipping away at the stucco to widen the hole so both the CAT 6 and coaxial cable could fit through. Who knew a crow bar could fill in for a chisel? I guess it's not that far of a stretch, but it was my first time using a crow bar for that application. After I'd fixed the hole, I found my drill bit set. As it turns out, I already had some masonry bits in my set. *facepalm* Well, at least I know for next time. Ike's been wanting to install a hose holder on the side of the house, so now there's nothing holding him back.
We bought a masonry bit so I could drill through the stucco, but the bit turned out to be too big for my drill. So I resorted to chipping away at the stucco to widen the hole so both the CAT 6 and coaxial cable could fit through. Who knew a crow bar could fill in for a chisel? I guess it's not that far of a stretch, but it was my first time using a crow bar for that application. After I'd fixed the hole, I found my drill bit set. As it turns out, I already had some masonry bits in my set. *facepalm* Well, at least I know for next time. Ike's been wanting to install a hose holder on the side of the house, so now there's nothing holding him back.
Monday, December 5, 2011
In the middle of all the wrongs
When we moved into this house a couple months ago, I put my desk and computer in the living room. The modem and router were stationed there because that's where the cable line comes in and all the Xfinity magic happens. So I set up camp and figured I'd move my station to the fourth bedroom in a week or so once we got the network cables sorted out.
Well, October passed and November came and went, and I was still in the living room. I'm still in the living room, right now, actually. But that's about to change.
For the past few days, I've been thinking about how I could move my desk and computer into the fourth bedroom and still keep my wired internet connection. As lovely as a wireless network can be, I've become spoiled on my wired connection. I have a desktop station, so the portability advantage of wireless isn't appealing. The fourth bedroom is the furthest room from the living room, if you walk it inside. There's a shorter path to it outside, though, and I wanted to capitalize on it. While I have a 50-ft ethernet cable, I'd still rather have some slack on both ends when I'm connected.
Today I decided to see what I could do to make that connection happen. I started looking around the fourth bedroom walls and floors for outlets or other outdoor access ports. I found one outlet in the room that had a mirrored outlet on the outside of the house. I thought I'd see if I could somehow run the ethernet cable in that space without obstructing the electrical outlet.
I don't know much about electrical outlets, but from what I learned today, they're pretty simple. There's a faceplate, which comes off easily. The actual outlets themselves are connected by metal and are housed in a metal casing. Those pieces all come loose when the screws are removed, but they can't just be pulled out of the wall because there are electrical cords running out the back of them. I know that totally makes sense, but I expected way more give from the casings and was sorely disappointed. I'd gotten into the meat of both outlets with a bit of hope, but had to replace everything and start over.
As I was reassembling the parts on the outdoor outlet, I noticed a cable that was running along the ground right up against the house. I brushed some leaves to the side and saw that there were two cables parallel, sort of stuck to each other. Nails pierced through the center and held the cables on the ground. I'm not sure what the cable used to do because it didn't seem to go anywhere. One end was cut and laying in the brush nearby. I pulled that end up and tried to see where the other end led.
I pulled and followed the cord around the corner of the house. After just a few inches it went into the house! At this point, there was a good bit of searching and measuring, which would all be pretty boring to describe. I guess the most fun part was that a shrub was in the way and I had to do some pruning and sawing to get it out, which was a nice stress reliever.
At the end of my searching, I'd discovered a hole in the fourth bedroom wall behind the baseboard that led to the hole outside. After that happy verification, I yanked the cables out and started planning how I'd run the cable along the house.
I haven't set up the ethernet cable yet because I'm working on another hole where the cable will go back into the living room from the outside. But that's not the point here.
I didn't have a realistic idea about how to accomplish this task until I got up and started working on it. I wasn't even headed down the right path, but that wrong path let me see one of the paths that would let me solve the problem. Sitting and contemplating is useful for planning, but getting out there and trying things was so much more helpful. Sometimes the right thing is in the middle of all the wrongs, and I have to fail before I can be successful.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Post-Tipsygiving
Well, it's been a little over a week since Tipsygiving, which really wasn't that tipsy after about noon, and I've got a couple pictures for you.
Here is the turkey with my hand in it, because that turkey rub needed to get on the actual meat, not just on the skin:
And here's the glorious bird before it went into the oven:
Note the tucked-under wings! I struggled to get them under the bird, but the effort was worthwhile; the wings didn't dry out like they usually do. I think we let the thing cook for about five hours, which might seem excessive, but it didn't come with one of the meat thermometers, and I sure don't know where ours are. I mean, I know they're on the property somewhere, but we haven't found them yet.
The turkey turned out pretty well. The flavors really got into the flesh, which surprised me. It's the first time I've put a rub on a turkey before, and now I'm motivated to do it again next year.
The turkey giblets were awesome this year. I think we got more meat from them than usual, so the stuffing was even more loaded with little giblet bits. Mmm...and that heart was delicious. Ike was sweet and let me have most of it. I feel so barbaric eating it, but it's so yummy.
Our other side dishes were mashed potatoes, steamed green beans (!!!), a yam and oatmeal bake, and cranberry sauce, as you saw earlier. There's still a lot of the turkey and some cranberry sauce left, but everything else is gone. Overall, the dinner was a success and I'm glad we tried a couple new things this year.
Here is the turkey with my hand in it, because that turkey rub needed to get on the actual meat, not just on the skin:
And here's the glorious bird before it went into the oven:
Note the tucked-under wings! I struggled to get them under the bird, but the effort was worthwhile; the wings didn't dry out like they usually do. I think we let the thing cook for about five hours, which might seem excessive, but it didn't come with one of the meat thermometers, and I sure don't know where ours are. I mean, I know they're on the property somewhere, but we haven't found them yet.
The turkey turned out pretty well. The flavors really got into the flesh, which surprised me. It's the first time I've put a rub on a turkey before, and now I'm motivated to do it again next year.
The turkey giblets were awesome this year. I think we got more meat from them than usual, so the stuffing was even more loaded with little giblet bits. Mmm...and that heart was delicious. Ike was sweet and let me have most of it. I feel so barbaric eating it, but it's so yummy.
Our other side dishes were mashed potatoes, steamed green beans (!!!), a yam and oatmeal bake, and cranberry sauce, as you saw earlier. There's still a lot of the turkey and some cranberry sauce left, but everything else is gone. Overall, the dinner was a success and I'm glad we tried a couple new things this year.
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