Monday, October 27, 2008

Cooking


I have a new resolution to try at least one new recipe every week. It gets pretty boring making the same things all the time, so at the risk of making some truly bad tasting new things, I am experimenting in the hopes of discovering some new gems. A few weeks ago I made classic lemon loaf. It turned out well, especially the second time when I added extra lemon icing. Yum. This past weekend, I tried to make eggs benedict. Not so yummy. They weren't exactly bad, but they sure weren't my new favourite either :(
The reason I decided to start this recipe experimentation (besides the rote repetitiveness of always making the same things) was that I have a bad habit of ripping recipes out of magazines and adding them to my pile. I have one kitchen drawer FULL of untested recipes. So, I developed a system. I choose a recipe to try. After I have made it, if we both agree that it's terrible, the recipe goes in the garbage, and my pile is one recipe lighter. If the recipe is okay, but not stellar, I give it another try, perhaps tweaking something (like adding extra lemon icing on the loaf). After the second try (if a recipe gets a second chance), the recipe either goes in the garbage (if it still isn't great), or then I copy it into my "black book" of recipes, which holds only my tried and true recipes. Of course recipes that are awesome from the start go straight into my black book. Unfortunately, the eggs benedict did not even warrant a second try, that recipe is now in the trash.
PS. The lemon loaf actually turned out exactly like the picture, which is definitely something to consider when rating new recipes.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Ugh.


A few months ago, I wrote about what a "good" baby Joonas was. Well, I have changed my mind. The last few weeks (months) have been horrible and continue to get progressively worse! First of all, he is teething. Three teeth are either partially out or on their way. Second, he absolutely hates his crib. When you take him NEAR the crib, he starts screaming. We've tried everything. Maybe he's cold. Maybe he's hot. Maybe he needs music. Maybe white noise would help. Maybe he's hungry. But nothing helps. Crying it out is not an option since he is not just quietly crying, he is crying so hard that he starts to puke. Nice, huh?! Anyway, I am sure (?) that it's just a phase that will pass, but until then, I am exhausted.
ps. Angelic picture with the big blue eyes, eh?! DO NOT BE FOOLED.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Autumn


This is the view from my kitchen window. I love the fall. Even though there are things that I like about the summer, I am never sorry when fall shows up. I love the changing colours of the leaves and the crisp air. I love the darkness and the rain (guess I live in the right place...). I love being inside snuggled up with a good book and a cup of tea. I love pulling out my sweaters and being able to wear tweed/wool again. I love pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving. I love burning candles. To me, fall signifies new beginnings more than January and the new year. I guess that could be related to my profession....lol.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

The Shack

I recently read The Shack by William P. Young. What a fantastic book! Basically, its about a guy named Mack who experiences a horrible family tragedy (the first 80 pages of the book). Three years later, he gets a letter from God to come meet him at the shack (which is where the tragedy occurred). Mack goes because he can't help himself. The ensuing conversations that take place at the shack are intense, thought-provoking, shocking and incredibly healing. There's a fair bit of controversy surrounding this book and some of its theology may be a bit off. But it definitely makes you think and its definitely worth reading. One of the best books I have read in a long time.