Weekend Wars

My photography classes ended about 2 weeks ago. Taking the class was sooo incredibly helpful. I've been envisioning how I wanted my pictures to look for a while, but I was never getting the end results I really wanted. Take for example these two pictures I took of Kraut cooking hot wings last summer (which by the way...he has THE BEST recipe). The pictures are just OK:



He recently made them again and I took this picture below. Its a completely different setting, but I am so much happier with this image:



Mmmm....same awesome wings but upgraded marketing. I want to share some of the other photos that I've recently taken that I think have come out well. You can be the real judge of my progress......






















I think I'm getting better, and I tried to pass along some of the things I learned in class to Kraut. He has been doing a little experimenting himself, and while I was teaching him an MGMT song came on our stereo and he took the picture below and asked that I make "Weekend Wars" my next song on the "Soundtrack of Life." Since I kicked his booty in Monopoly right afterwards I was more than happy to oblige...

"Weekend Wars" MGMT

~Crawfish

I Can't Stand the Rain

Today's ditty on the soundtrack of life is Ann Peebles "I Can't Stand the Rain". There are a couple of reasons. First off its just a great song that makes me want to belt out like I had an amazing voice. Secondly, last night we had some crazy thunderstorms. Very LOUD thunderstorms. Thunderstorms that kept me from falling asleep at a decent hour last night. Thunderstorms that have me too tired to write the blog that I intended to write tonight.

This morning Kraut had to get up uber early to catch a flight to Dallas for work, and inadvertently woke me up in the process. So not only did I go to sleep late, I got up early. Then I went to work, and got a billion calls that had my head spinning. Then I came home and took J.J. for a much needed walk (for both of us) and then ran like 5 errands, cooked myself some dinner, and finished my homework for photography class. Now I think its bedtime and I need to say good night. Thanks for understanding!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Rjo_imHDE

Crawfish

2012 Resolutions

Since ringing in the New Year, I have been doing a little reflecting on what Kraut and I accomplished and didn't accomplish in 2011. Kraut and I made a list in January of 2011 of house projects we wanted to complete before the year was up, and though it was a photo finish at the end we managed to get our list done just in time. I don't think I've shared with you yet that right before Thanksgiving we began to paint the hallway, master bedroom, and master bath. Then after Thanksgiving we ripped up carpet and had the floors refinished, we painted trim, and then we moved in new bedroom furniture. Its amazing how much better it looks when everything matches! There were several other projects mixed in as well, but that was the big one. Check out the before and after:

Hallway midway through priming

Hallway midway through painting....you can see the pretty new color. Its called porpoise!

Here is the big change. Notice the hideous mustard color on the wall and the ugly Berber carpet that was stained and very messed up thanks to J.J.

Yay! The after! We painted three walls a very light color called snow ballet and the back wall is just a tad darker shade called hyacinth tint. We used the hyacinth tint in the bathroom as well. Before Kraut and I each had a night stand but neither matched each other or the bed and we didn't have bedside lamps. Also, check out the pretty floors. Why in the world would someone cover that with Berber?

I took a picture with the lamps off so you could see them too. We picked them out on Overstock, but my parents bought them for us for Christmas. We love them (my parents and the lamps)!

Here is the new dresser we got at a close out sale at Samuel's along with the night stands. We have so much more space now! Also, check out the new TV we got on black Friday. Before we had an old tube TV mounted on one of those wall stands you would see at a hospital. ick! We are so happy to have a much more adult room.

Anyway, so its the start of 2012 and we are all looking forward to a clean slate and a fresh start. I've made a mental list of some resolutions I have this year. It occurred to me that maybe I should share them with the online community to keep me honest! Here is my list:

1- Take more pictures- I love to have pictures of all the fun people we've hung out with, places we've been, and food we've eaten, but a lot of times I bring my camera places and never even take it out of the case.

2-Learn to use my camera better- I realize that maybe these two items seem as though they should be in reverse, but here is why it's #2 instead of #1. Kraut just got me my first digital SLR for Christmas. I'm very excited to be leaving the old point and shoot behind because now I can post better pictures for you to look at. I've even enrolled in a photography class at the Memphis College of Art, so I'll be sure to give you some updates on my progress with this new baby:

3-Blog MORE- Kraut and I started this blog with the intention of sharing lots of our adventures with you, but we have missed out on a lot of opportunities to share some fun stories. I made good on my goal to jump in and get started, now its time for me to be more consistent.

4- Send birthday cards- This has been a resolution on my list for the past 2 years. I've done OK, but I still need to do better. If you are reading this and are thinking, how come I didn't get a card on my birthday? Please don't hold it against me, I've only done OK, that's why this continues to be on my list of resolutions for the 3rd year in a row.

5- Send 2012 Christmas cards- In 2010 I was on the ball and sent out some cards (again please don't hold it against me if you didn't get one, I started small and sent a few). In 2011 I sent zero Christmas cards. This goes back to #1, take more pictures. Despite all of our travels, I really didn't have a picture this year that I was crazy enough about to put on a card. Also, as I mentioned, we had home projects going in November and December, which killed a lot of my aspirations for Christmastime projects like baking, card writing, and blogging about all the good food!

6- Toning up- Now I know everyone and their brother makes a goal to lose weight. I would like to clarify that this is NOT a weight loss goal. This a very specific goal of building up arm strength (side note: I typed improving arm strength and then realized I had none so switched to building up). I started doing some circuit training in October. My goal is to be able to do 30 real push ups. Right now I can only do girly push ups and I think its high time I graduated to grown up push ups.

7-Get up 15 minutes earlier on work days. I feel like I'm always rushing around like a crazy person in the mornings. I'm a morning person in that I do my best work in the morning once I'm at the office, but its that whole getting out of bed thing that is a daily struggle.

8-Read more- This is on my list every year. I think I could read 50 books in a year and still feel like I needed to do better. I think reading makes us all more well rounded. I need to come up with a good list of books to tackle this year, any suggestions are definitely appreciated!

Happy 2012!!!!
Crawfish

Soup and a Song

I have a new kitchen toy. Its fantastic, and I have my mom and dad to thank for it! My parents came to visit Kraut and I back in October, and I cooked a comforting fall meal for us. I made a celery, pear bisque (from Bon Appetit magazine) and also some spaghetti squash with bolognese sauce. When I made the soup, I sauteed all the veggies until soft and then put them in the blender to puree them. My parents commented that I needed an immersion blender and I agreed, but its one of those things I've just not gone out and purchased. A few days after they left, I got a surprise package from Amazon containing my new Cuisinart stick blender. Kraut and I tried it right away and made some potato leek soup.

Today in Memphis it is rainy and cold, and I wasn't really feeling up to visiting the gym like I'd planned. It seemed more like a comfort food kind of night. Soup is my favorite comfort food....well aside from pizza, oh and lasagna, or a big bowl of pasta, or a loaf of french bread (did I say loaf?), or...oh never mind! Soup is probably on the top 10 list of comfort foods for me. On nights like tonight when its cold, soup just seems to warm me from the inside out. It also seemed like a perfect opportunity to utilize my stick blender.

Quick Side Note: For those of you who read my post where I explained the soundtrack of life, tonight's feature is a throwback to 1990. Anyone remember Snap!, "The Power"???? If desired you can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rO1n8-SuNM

Tonight I was thinking of all my favorite pureed soups but eventually decided on curried carrot soup. I often like to read several recipes looking for new twists or ideas, and tonight was no exception. A quick Google search led me to curried carrot and sweet potato soup. Honestly, I didn't read the recipe, only the title and I liked the sound of adding sweet potatoes to curried carrot soup. Plus I could use my blender (cue "I got the power"). I figured I'd just throw some stuff together and see what I got. Here is the finished product and the run down on how I prepared it:

Spicy Curry Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup:

2 large sweet potatoes, cubed (skin on)
6 or 7 carrots, cut in chunks (mine were size of baby carrots)
1 quart unsalted vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1.5 tablespoons sweet curry powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

After you've sliced your carrots and sweet potatoes, let them simmer in a pot with water, vegetable stock, and spices until soft, about 20-3o minutes. Then you use your stick blender to puree until smooth. You could add salt, cream, ginger, or whatever else floats your boat, but it was good as is. Also, if your mom hasn't gotten you a stick blender yet, you can settle for a regular blender. Either way you can still jam out to today's song on the soundtrack of life!

~Crawfish

Gumbo Season

When football season arrives and the weather starts to turn cool, I immediately begin to crave gumbo. I like to make my first batch in September and by the time its truly cold outside, my roux making skills have been fully restored. The interesting thing about gumbo is that everyone makes it differently, very much like spaghetti or chili. Everyone has their preferences and their family traditions that are very special and personal to them. My favorite is chicken and sausage gumbo and I like it SPICY!!!! I also like it the true Cajun way with a little potato salad in it. I know, I know, sounds crazy but don't mock it 'til you try it! I've made believers out of many and my goal is to make believers out of you today!

Gumbo is the traditional Christmas Eve meal at my parent's house, and my sister and I really look forward to it every year. Our parent's have talked about changing the menu a couple times and realized that it just wasn't an option without starting a household debate. What can I say aside from the fact that I'm just too much of a creature of habit, and food sparks warm happy memories for me. So give this a try soon (it makes a great Sunday football meal), and maybe you will have it perfected in time for Christmas Eve too!!!!

Mom and Dad's Gumbo recipe (enhanced by me cause I never follow directions closely):

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 onion whole, for stock

2 stalks celery chopped

3 stalks celery, with leaves for stock
1 bell pepper chopped
4+ garlic cloves (you can never have enough garlic!)
1 jalapeno or habanero depending on your spice preference
4 quarts chicken stock (instructions on making your own below)
1 large chicken or turkey
1.5 lbs of sausage
1-2 bay leaves
hot sauce to taste
gumbo file to taste
2 cups flour
1 cup olive oil

Boil chicken or turkey in water with 1 whole onion and celery stalks (onion with skins, and celery with leaves for color). Add salt and pepper, and thyme (I also recommend trying Morton's Nature's Seasoning which has onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, etc). Boil for 1 hour, then strain, reserve stock, de-bone chicken, and set aside.

In a clean dry pot make your roux. Put flour in pot and turn heat on medium-high. Brown flour, stirring continuously until flour is dark brown. Turn down heat if necessary, do NOT burn! Add oil to flour and stir, should be a chocolaty color. Add in chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute until soft.

Add 4 quarts of reserved stock and bay leaves, then stir. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add sausage and chicken and simmer for 15-20 minutes longer. Add seasoning, hot sauce, and gumbo file to taste. Serve over rice and with a dollop of potato salad if you are adventurous!

Song of the Day

Kraut and I are pretty into music, and we listen to just about everything. I love to sing all the time and I can carry a tune, but I was not blessed with impressive skills by any means. However, that has never stopped me. In fact, if you are ever next to a red head in a 2011 blue Ford Fiesta that looks like she is jamming out, its quite possibly me! I also sing a lot to our dog JJ because he never judges me...in fact he actually likes my singing (of course I usually change the words and make the songs about him). In regular conversation with Kraut or close friends (people that know me and won't think I'm totally nutty), I often burst out into song when it somehow applies to the conversation. Kraut and I have termed it my "soundtrack of life".

We do a lot of road biking and usually there is a song that pops to mind while I'm out riding. It usually comes to me when I'm really trying to push myself to speed up or make it up a tough hill and need some inspiration. The other day it was a gorgeous day for a ride, so Kraut and I went out with a group of about 6 or 7 people. It was pretty windy and it had been a while since I'd been out on my bike, so it slowed me down a bit. I was trying not to lag behind the group and Kraut was being sweet about sticking with me. At one point he asked me how I was doing, and I said I'm fine...today's song on the soundtrack of life is "Hot Blooded" and I started singing the chorus. It was a great song of the day, so I thought I'd share with you and I would just like to thank the band Foreigner for me getting me through my 30 mile ride!!

~Crawfish


P.S. I've been doing lots of cooking and taking lots of pictures lately. I've made some great Cajun dishes, so I promise to share my gumbo recipe asap!

Why I'm Sad Summer is Over

There is this fantastic beer that I found in the grocery store during July and I've been dying to share it with you. It was a Shiner beer called Ruby Redbird with ginger and grapefruit flavoring but it wasn't overly sweet. When I went back a couple days later to get more, it was gone!!! There was none left, and now all the Oktoberfest beers are out. I like Oktoberfest beers, but Kraut and I really really liked this beer and we haven't had our fill yet. If you happen upon it anywhere you'd better snatch it up before its gone! Shiner makes some of the best seasonal beers I've ever tried; when Christmas time gets close I'm hoping they have Shiner Cheer again. That will at least make up for the fact that I have to wait a year to get more Shiner Ruby Redbird! Be on the lookout: