{28 before 29} January Check-in

A few of the items on my 28 before 29 list 

require monthly check-ins. 

I posted about December and now it's time for January!  

3. Blog at least four times a month. 

Check! I've been pretty consistent. Pat on the back.  

8. Make a new recipe from my cookbook collection twice a month. 

I made quite a few this month:  

A few sourdough recipes from my Bob's Red Mill Baking Book, 

the mushroom lasagne from my new book Plenty, 

and the gnocci from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook (also on her blog). 

16. Complete one craft project every month.

I started scrapbooking, which is a separate goal, 

but I'm going to count that for this month only. 

I haven't scrapbooked in six years so this was a pretty big deal. 

I have a post about it planned but I need to 
remember to take photos during daylight hours. 
Here's a peek from Instagram: 

21. Read two books per month.

I'm still a little off on this. 
Cutting for Stone was amazing but it took a while 
to finish and ran into this month. 
I have since read The Wednesday Letters for 
book club (didn't like it, sorry) 
and now I'm reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  
Really enjoying this one! 

I am finding that setting these goals has really helped 
me plan to set aside time to do things I enjoy. 

Portland Weekend

 Kelly, Lauren and I planned a weekend trip to Portland earlier this month. 

Little did we know we would all be in various stages of sickness and recovery. 

But the hotel was already paid for and we had to go for it... 

The majority of our time was spent eating, drinking, shopping, and chatting. 

 We had lunch (and cocktails) at my favorite vegan bar, The Bye and Bye. 

 Later that night Jason joined us for a delicious dinner 

at Besaw's and then drinks at Sidecar 11. 

I only have pictures of the light fixtures. 

This is not because I was drunk. 

It was dark, that's all. 

After a wonderful nights sleep on a foldout hotel couch 

meant for a person just over five feet tall (seriously perfect for me) 

we met up with Jason for lattes at Albina Press. 

Then we waited an hour and a half for brunch at Tasty n Sons. 

Totally worth the wait, though. Even though they didn't have 

marionberry pancakes (Portlandia, anyone?) 

 I realize taking photos of your food is obnoxious and weird. 

I don't care. It helps me remember what I liked 

and where I ate it (thanks to tagging locations on Pinterest). 

Plus it's just so pretty! 

Eating is pretty much the best. 

Even though this was my second trip to Portland in my adult life 

there is still so much I haven't seen. I think all my time 

has been spent in northeast and southeast neighborhoods. 

My favorite shops we stumbled upon were: 

Land - Cute comfy screenprinted shirts (I bought two) and amazing art.  

Noun - Everything is beautifully handpicked. I bought a print and a card. 

Frock - A cute boutique that had everything 25% off. I bought a necklace. 

Next time I need to actually venture downtown. 

If you have any recommendations let me know! 

Taking a girls trip to Portland was on my 28 before 29 list (check!). 

last week

A little update on recent events: 

Last Monday I finally made it over to see Kate's house they bought. 

We walked around their (huge) property and saw lots of frozen things. 

Then we made gnocci (Smitten Kitchen recipe!) 

and hung out with Merle the cat who is a total sweetie. 

It was nice to catch up! I don't see her enough. 

On Tuesday Joe and I got Thai food and watched a movie. 

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was sick again. 

That is my favorite date when I'm sick. 

Then the sickness went from bad to worse.  

I left work early Thursday and stayed home Friday. 

I slept for 13 hours that night. 

It was glorious. 

Except for feeling like crap. 

I spent lots of time on the couch with the kitties. 

Dean even held my hand. 

I went on a little trip this weekend with some other sickos. 

That shall be my next post. 

Happy to report I am on the mend and back at work! 

recap and updates

Here's a little recap of what's been happening around here: 

 

Cat naps, mushroom lasagna from one of my newest cookbooks, 

pretty sunsets, whole wheat sourdough pancakes with huckleberries. 

Bowling with coworkers, Husky basketball, 

the Amazon holiday party (food, drinks, live music, gambling for charity). 

Lots of couch time with the kittehs. 

Overall I'd call it a good week and weekend. 

Other things that are new: 

Joe and I have been dating for six months! 

I am sick. Again. 

Somehow I've developed a gnarly cough. 

I do not believe this is related to my bout with mono in the fall. 

I have recently become obsessed with reading the newspaper. 

Which is why I haven't graded anything this weekend. 

Ok let's be real, I wouldn't have graded anything anyway. 

At least I got my homework done that was due last night. 

I think that is all. Thanks for stopping by. 

adventures with sourdough

One of the items on my 28 before 29 list 

is to keep and use a sourdough starter. 

Joe gave me some starter that he got from his dad. 

I have been using it for a couple months now 

and I am loving the results. 

I keep it in a crock in the fridge and pull it out a few days 
before I plan to use it, feeding it daily as it sits at room temperature. 

So far all of the recipes I've tried have come 
from a book that's been on my shelf for years: 

This book has several sourdough recipes. 
So far I have tried three: 

 The first was a classic sourdough, "Bob's Red Mill Sourdough Bread". 
I altered the baking instructions in order to use my dutch oven. 
This recipe made a big loaf and stayed good in the fridge all week. 
I want to continue to work with this recipe in hopes of getting larger air pockets. 
If my experiments yield positive results I will post my own recipe. 
But I really liked this one just fine and would recommend the book. 

 Next I tried the "Sourdough Rye Beer Bread" using Pike's Place Stout. 
This recipe made two loaves and while they were brick heavy, 
the bread itself was really tasty. There are a lot of heavy flours 
in this recipe so it makes a dense and hearty bread. 
Next time I make this I will see what happens if I give it a longer rise time. 

 This morning I made the Sourdough Pancakes from the book.  
These use only whole wheat flours and I added huckleberries. 
The pancakes come out super thick with a somewhat crispy outer layer. 
Not your typical light and fluffy buttermilk variety 
but I really enjoyed the hearty texture and I have been full ever since. 

I will be checking this goal off my list 
but I do not see this hobby ending anytime soon... 
If you have any sourdough recipes you love please send them my way! 

week at-a-glance

Here's a little review of my week/weekend:

1. On Monday my little sister came over and we made 

and decorated sugar cookies while watching Matilda. 

2. Trivia night at the Beveridge Pub in West Seattle. 

3. I started scrapbooking again! More on that later. 

4. My drive home on Friday. Sunshine for days! 

 1. Dean being handsome. 

2. and 3. LOTR, crafts and yummy 

snacks/drinks with two of my besties. 

4. Sunset after a Sunday full of football. 

*not pictured: Polish food on Friday for the second week in a row 

Joe made this amazing breakfast this morning. 

The vegetarian sausages were my idea and he did not eat any. 

And I got crap for it all day long. 

But it was delicious and therefore worth it! 

The weekend went really fast and I am not ready 

to go back to work tomorrow! 

Lots of fun things happening this week, though :) 

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. 

a Puget Sound farewell

Yesterday we laid my grandma Hadley's ashes to rest in Puget Sound. 

We set out on an early ferry from Edmonds to Kingston 

and left a trail of white roses behind us. 

I got to see my cousins and one of my 

aunts whom I had not seen in years. 

It was a gorgeous day and a perfect way to say goodbye. 

This is a photo of my grandma with Spencer from Christmas in 2010. 

family nights

My brother is moving to San Francisco this week.
I have a small family and we have always lived close together.
I am excited for him (totally going to visit)
but it will be so weird not to have him living a couple miles away.
Thursday last week he and Kara had Joe and I and my parents
over for pizza and game night.
We played "Telestrations", which is my new favorite game.

This is my brother's drawing representing "brother in law".

See the two brothers with the law around them? I laughed so hard.



This one was by my dad. This represented "brother in law" or "best man".



This was my favorite - my brother's illustration of "Thanksgiving".

I was laughing so hard the entire game.

It was so fun to spend a night with my family!

Then on Friday night we all went out for Polish food.
Check out that plate of pieroski!

Family nights are fun :)