Thursday Thoughts

ONE- See those three pretty girls up there with me? I was so privileged to have my three younger sisters come and stay with me for a whole week last week! Hubby and I went to a pastor's conference near where my family lives, so we brought the girls home with us! We all look pretty tired in the picture above (at the airport) because we got up around 5 am to take them to the airport after staying up till almost 2 am...not smart, I'm aware, but what can we say? You can sleep any old time. This sister get-together has been an annual occurrence since Hubby and I got married and we just love it! We spent most of our time chatting, baking up a storm (to see past posts about our baking fun, click here), and catching up on Downton Abbey. I gained about a pound from all the delicious food, but I'm pretty sure it was worth it. I feel so absolutely blessed to have three gorgeous sisters who are godly, mature and FUN and doubly blessed that we all get along so well!

TWO- I haven't written in awhile, so if you're not aware, Hubby and I have begun the journey of adoption! Rather than give you a whole explanation here, head on over to my other blog, Power Meets Intimacy, for the whole story (and some fun pictures)!

THREE- You know when you find something in the store that you think you just love and then you buy it and never use/wear it? Sort of that buyer's remorse? Well, that's kind of happened to me in reverse. I was shopping at Old Navy when I really didn't have any money (my first mistake) and I tried on this pretty coral top (my second mistake). I fell in love with it, but made myself be good and didn't buy it (my third mistake?). Now I can't stop thinking about it! What should I do??

FOUR- I know I'm not the only one, but I've just got to say it loud----- I CAN'T WAIT FOR SPRING!! It's been in the 40-50 degree range the last couple of days here and SUNNY and I'm just thrilled. The snow is mostly melted, the sun feels amazing on my winter weary skin, and it's so nice to only have to wear a light jacket or sweater. I just can't wait till the tulips start poking their heads out of the ground and the grass starts turning green again. Some of the birds are already back, but I'm watching for the swallows. We almost always see them first on Easter Sunday.

FIVE- I've promised myself a full mani-pedi (I don't think I've had one in over two years) once I've reached my weight-loss goal and I'm almost there! 4 lbs. to go! I seriously can't wait for flip-flop weather- my toes will be ready!

Thursday Thoughts

ONE- IT IS COLD. Very. See that temperature up there? See the "Feels Like" part??? That is not even as cold as it has gotten this week. Add windchill onto that and you have some serious cold. As a result I've hardly been outside this week.

TWO- I have a cold. It finally caught up with me. I feel like it's been trying to catch me for a week and finally it has. It's not too bad though. Just a sore throat and stuffy nose mainly. You know, secretly I kind of like being sick (if it's not too serious). It makes me slow down and take a break.

THREE- We're just catching up on the new Sherlock episodes- oh my goodness! I won't give anything away, but B. Cumberbatch is in fine form playing the witty and brainy super-sleuth. The episode kept us on the edge of our seats for an hour and half and our brains felt tired afterwards. Between that and The West Wing, I'm pretty sure I'm not vegging out- I'm getting my brain exercise. Both shows have the effect of either making me feel smarter because I watched them or dumber because I didn't understand half of it. By the way, if you haven't seen this clip of Cumberbatch on Sesame Street, you should.

FOUR- I know pretty much absolutely zero about football (I thought I knew a couple of things, but then Hubby was like, no...not really at all), but I'm still pretty excited about the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl. I'm a Washingtonian now so hey! They're my team! Also I love the fact the Russell Wilson is an outspoken Christian. That's pretty cool. Go Hawks!

FIVE- Flappy Bird. Oh my gosh. That game is ridiculous. My friend told me about it during the Super Bowl, so I downloaded it and died. And died again. And again. And again. This game seriously makes me feel stupid. It shouldn't be that hard to make a little bird fly through stuff by tapping your fingers!! It's ridiculously simple and ridiculously aggravating and ridiculously addicting and now I can't type ridiculously anymore. It would be ridicuouls. See? Now I can't even spell it.

Thursday Thoughts

ONE- Obviously, blogging has been taking a back seat lately. I do love doing it, but I think I've realized that, for me, it's just going to have to be a no-pressure, do-it-when-I'm-struck-with-inspiration thing. I can't always work my meals and schedules around blog posts, and honestly, sometimes there are hobbies I choose to do over writing a post. Maybe I'm not a naturally gifted writer, because unless I feel inspired, it's hard to sit down and write anything. I still love to share stuff with you (especially delicious recipe finds!!), but I'll just be honest that it doesn't always make the top of my list of things I need/want to do. :)

TWO- One thing that is topping my list of things I want to do is THIS.I'm just kind of in love with it. Trying to work in a trip to the yarn store to pick out the perfect yarn for it. I'm thinking coral. Wouldn't that just be a lovely early spring accessory??

THREE- I recently took advantage of Shutterfly's offer of 101 free prints (although I only printed about 60 I think) and got prints made of pictures from Fall/Christmas. I couldn't wait to get the pictures in the mail and hang them up! Now I can't stop looking at all the beautiful photos all over my house! I just love having lots of pictures. I don't live close to my family or best friends, so having them all over the house just makes me feel close to them somehow, and I can always look at their sweet faces (well, most of them are sweet).

FOUR- You know those Page-a-Day calendars? Ugh, we are so bad at those!! Hubby got one for his birthday and I think we stayed on top of it for a week. If that. I'm pretty sure we're at least two weeks behind. And when you're that far behind it just takes too much work to catch up!! Ours is a Bible Crossword calendar. What's yours? Do you do it faithfully?

FIVE- Speaking of gifts, I got Hubby tickets to a hockey game for Christmas and we're going tomorrow! Last I heard, the team had only scored 3 goals in the last 4 games (ouch!), so here's hoping they're in better form tomorrow!! I want to see a win!! Oh, and speaking of sports (which I am general NOT into), we (haha) are pretty excited about the Seahawks victory last weekend. I normally take absolutely NO interest whatsoever in football, but this video made me really interested to watch these players (not like I actually watched more that 2 min. of the games, but hey- I was present!) handle glory. Whatever you think of Sherman's post-game interview (yeah, not the best), you gotta admit there are some guys with character on the team. Okay, that's all. Take my uneducated opinion or leave it. :)

Thursday Thoughts

ONE- This past week something really big happened in our small county- we sent a tree to the U.S. Capitol! Every year, a national forest is chosen to supply a live tree for the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and this year the Colville National Forest was chosen! The tree they selected is an 88 foot Engleman Spruce, over 75 years old, and grew just a few miles from where we live in the county! Hubby and I joined in the festivities as our community celebrated the cutting of the tree and its send-off on the journey it will take around the country before finally making its way to D.C. in early Dec. At the send-off there were carolers, street performers, food vendors, and LOTS of people- it made me feel so patriotic, Christmasy, and proud of our community! What an honor to have a tree from our local forest grace the lawn of the Capitol for Christmas! You can see the top of the tree in the background of the above photo.

TWO- Speaking of Christmas, we had our first snowfall of the season this week! It was only a dusting, and it lasted only a few hours before it melted, but it was lovely! I'm not generally one to hurry in the snow season because, well, once it arrives, it stays. For a long time. So I'm in no rush. But I have to admit, I love the way it looks and it does make the house feel snug and cozy.

THREE- Speaking of cozy, I am in love with my new fleece pajamas!! Hubby got me an adorable set for my birthday and I practically live in them (as much as I can respectably get away with). They are so soft and warm- perfect for these nights that are now dropping frequently into the 20s. Do you have a favorite pair of winter PJs?

FOUR- Speaking of PJs, one of my favorite things to do in my PJs is drink tea!! We have really been into drinking tea lately- which was encouraged by several birthday gifts- new mugs, a new teapot, a gorgeous wooden "tea box", tea, a tea bag holder- you get the idea! There is something so comforting and snug about a steaming cup of tea wafting a soothing aroma. What's your favorite tea variety?

FIVE- Speaking of tea, I just saw a trailer for Downton Abbey Season 4. I'm probably a bit late on that, but oh well. We are working our way through Season 3 again an it is not any easier the second time. I cried for Lady Sibyl again and I am dreading the finale. The first time I watched it I think I grieved for a week! Sad, but true. Anyhow, Season 4 looks no less dramatic. Less death, hopefully, but wow. I've seen some pictures of Mary in black (*heart breaks*) and Mary and Tom with their respective babies (*heart breaks again*). Sigh. Do we seriously have to wait till January??? If you happen to be from the UK, NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!

Thursday Thoughts

ONE-

LEAVES.

SO.

MANY.

LEAVES.

As you can see in the above photo, my yard is having a leaf convention. We have two beautiful trees in our yard (I'm not sure what they are), but once a cold snap hits, they drop their leaves like hot potatoes. On the other hand, our huge old oak waits till the last possible second to drop its leaves- generally once we've had a snow and its difficult to rake. And since we don't have a fancy mower with a bag, we do (or I should say, he does) it the old fashioned way.

TWO- Speaking of leaves and fallish things... Hubby and I went up to Greenbluff on Monday to get some pumpkins and apples! One farm had giant honeycrisp apples (YUM) for only $1 per lb.! What a steal! We also had an amazing cinnamon roll paired with oh-so-delicious caramel apple cider- not the Starbucks variety, mind you, but serious, fresh apple cider! Wow, was that good! Now I just need to find some time to roast/puree my pie pumpkins and get a batch of applesauce going in the crock pot.  What's your favorite fall drink? That cider pretty much topped the list for me...unless I was able to go back to Joseph, OR and get a Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate made with fresh chocolate from Arrowhead Chocolates where you get a salted caramel dark chocolate spoon to suck on while you're waiting. THAT was some serious heaven in a cup. And on a spoon. But I digress...favorite drink?

THREE- I found my Halloween costume! I wouldn't dress up for Halloween at all, except our church puts on a harvest carnival for the kids in the community that night. A lot of them stop by to play games and get candy as they are trick-or-treating through the neighborhood. And they love it when Hubby and I dress up. I found this cute little homemade bumblebee costume at Value Village and I think, paired with my black leggings and a springy antenna headband thing I found, it'll be quite fun! Hubby found a great beard, so he's going to be a Bible character- he hasn't decided which one.
By the way, while we're on the subject, it just irritates me to no end that practically all you can find in costumes for women is slinky, "sexy" costumes or absolutely disgusting ones. *sigh*

FOUR- Speaking of the Bible, as of right now my dining room table is completely covered in paper. Stacks of paper. We are starting our men's and women's Bible studies next week and I am in the midst of the copying, sorting, hole punching process! As I type the copier is whirring and every few minutes I get up to sort a few more pages. Whew! I think I'm a little over halfway through. I think God prepared me for this side of pastoral ministry through my job at The UPS Store- I certainly did my fair share of copying, sorting, stacking and hole punching there!! Sometimes I really miss it, and it feels good to smell fresh ink and feel the paper hot off the copier again. I can't say that I've missed the dry hands and paper cuts though...

FIVE- So the government shutdown is over. Well, that's about all I'm going to say about that, since I don't really want to start a political war over here...
However, if you like Fox News, politics, and watching videos online, there's a show we love and would definitely recommend- Power Play with Chris Stirewalt. Chris is informative, funny, concise, and has the craziest and most creative vocabulary of anyone I know. We always find ourselves laughing out loud (which isn't something I can say for most news shows!) and understanding the issues better. Power Play is strictly for the internet crowd, and provides great discussion panels on current political issues while remaining clear, understandable, interesting, and, dare I say, entertaining! The guests are always enjoyable and informative and the topics relevant. Check it out- you just might become a groupie like us...

Thursday Thoughts

ONE- Yes, that gorgeous picture up there is where we live. One "block" from our house is that lovely river- I'm so blessed! I just love this time of year where we live- everything is getting gilded! Other than food, the main thing that lures me away from my depression about summer ending is the way the Creator paints everything golden. What a gorgeous interlude between summer and winter! Hubby and I were talking last night about how nice it is that we have fall. Aren't you glad we aren't sweating and eating popsicles one day, then wake up to three feet of snow the next? I for one am glad for the somewhat gradual transition!

TWO- I took my second cooking class this week! Monday I learned how to make croissants at The Kitchen Engine in Spokane! Local pastry chef Amy taught us how to make classic butter croissant dough, then showed us how to mix it up with rum-soaked raisin and chocolate versions! The class was very hands-on (I got to wear an apron and get my hands in the dough!) and fun! I learned lots of new terminology and some new techniques that I will {hopefully} be sharing with you soon if I can recreate the process myself at home! Fun fact: when you have made all the turns on your croissant dough there should be 81 layers of dough and butter! Crazy, right? That explains that flaky, airy texture!!

THREE- I really enjoy classic books. I've been reading Ivanhoe lately and something was puzzling me. Familiar characters and events kept popping up, although I've never read the book before! So many things (a jolly friar, Allan-a-Dale, guys in lincoln green, etc) reminded me of Robin Hood! I was confused because the Robin Hood I read was by Howard Pyle, not Sir Walter Scott (the author of Ivanhoe). So who really came up with Robin Hood? Who gets the credit? Where did I go for answers but, of course, to Wikipedia. Aha! Neither one! Robin Hood is an old legend, dating back to the medieval times, so both men drew from that, as did many others. Their literature helped shape what the modern view of Robin Hood is today, but neither can be credited with inventing him. Problem solved.Thank you, Wikipedia.

FOUR- I went to Burlington Coat Factory for the first time in my life (that I know of) this week! I was astounded to find out that they have more than just coats! I feel sure that I should have known that somehow, but I truly thought they just sold coats. I mean, the NAME is Burlington COAT factory. Right? So anyway, now I'm hooked. For a girl who loves Ross, Burlington Coat Factory is a thing to behold! It's like a bigger, more organized Ross! Sort of. Anyway, I did go there initially to buy a coat, and found one I love for a great price! But now I'm itching to go back- maybe for Christmas shopping? Am I the only one who thought they sold only coats? Please say no.

FIVE- Hubby and I are trying to decide which streaming service to go with. We are thinking of getting a Roku thingy for our TV, but we can't settle on a service. So, if you've got a preference, give them a shout out (and reasons, please!)! We like classic movies, family friendly stuff, British drama, romantic comedies and very select TV shows- mostly classics, cooking stuff and PBS drama. Our main two choices at present are Amazon Prime and Netflix. What do you think? Go!

ONE- Return of the Soup Night!!! With the advent of October and our Awana program starting up again, we officially began Soup Nights yesterday!! As much as I love summer, as soon as the weather starts to get chilly, I can't wait to start our Soup Nights. Every Wednesday I make soup in the crock pot so when we get home from our church activities the house smells heavenly and there's a crock pot full of hot soup ready to fill our hungry tummies. :) We kicked off this year with a smooth and delicious Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup (look for it on the blog soon!)- full of flavor but astoundingly low on calories, which is perfect for my "diet" of sorts. Yay! The butternut squash is seriously one of my favorite things about fall. Its mellow, nutty flavor and smooth, buttery consistency is perfect in so many dishes!

TWO- Like I said, we started Awana last night and surprise! I have a Cubbie after all! Only one so far, but she's a cutie! I'm excited to teach, but it will definitely be a challenge to adapt the class to just one child. I don't think she minded all the undivided attention though. :)

THREE- We went to a wedding on Saturday and it was lovely!! Of course, as weddings usually do, it made us reminisce about our own wedding a little over four years ago! When we got home, Hubby dug up the song we danced to for our "first dance"- a totally obscure song I found on a random Christian compilation album called "Dream Alive" (go ahead and google it- you won't find it). We danced in the kitchen and for the first time I felt like when I closed my eyes I was actually there- back in that special moment when we took our first dance steps as husband and wife. The wedding day always feels like such a blur to me when I look back on it, so finally being able to recall something so clearly was really special! Do you have any stand out memories of your wedding day, or does it all jumble together?

FOUR- Speaking of getting married, I just realized today that I have never updated my PayPal account with my married name. I also have a debit card that still has my maiden name on it. Seriously how long does it take to get everything finally changed over??! You'd think after four years I would have squared it all away! Now PayPal wants me to fax them a copy of my driver's license and marriage certificate!! Ugh. Too much hassle for something I rarely use, I tell you!

FIVE- In preparation for Season 4 of Downton Abbey, Hubby and I have been rewatching the previous three seasons, and it's every bit as delightful and suspenseful as the first time. We are in the middle of Season 2 right now and I am already dreading living through Season 3 again. Too. Much. Grief. If you haven't seen it yet, and somehow managed to escape everyone talking about it, I won't give anything away, but it's almost enough to make you want to boycott Season 4. Almost. Speaking of Season 4, why on earth can we not watch DA at the same time as the UK???! I'm so frustrated that they get it now, but we have to wait till January!!! It seems very unfair. There, I've had my say!!!

Overnight Sourdough Pancakes {+ my first cooking class}

So a couple of weeks ago I went to my very first cooking class! It was in our local kitchen shop and was a great experience! Our instructor, Sue, was very relaxed and methodical, taking time to demonstrate proper technique and answer any questions- and there were many! We not only learned how to bake sourdough bread in the form of sliders and buns, but also got a lesson on how to feed and maintain our very own sourdough starter! I really enjoy sourdough bread, so was excited to get to take home my own sourdough "baby"- and feed it and watch it grow!

Sue informed us that sourdough is infinitely variable- the yeast takes on different flavors depending on the air where you live! So while the sourdough in San Fran is quite sour, ours here in the NW may not be. Rather it will be a very flavorful artisan bread. In the class, we made farmstead sourdough buns (which I'd love to recreate) and they were delicious! Fluffy, soft and- while not particularly sour- bursting with flavor.

After tending and feeding my starter for a little over a week, I decided to try one of the recipes we were sent home with- sourdough pancakes!

Rule of thumb- don't deplete your store of starter! You want to have at least half a cup left to continue to feed!

The pancakes are fantastic! The sourdough gives them a hearty, yeasty flavor and a light, airy texture. They are relatively easy to prepare, too, because you prep the starter the night before (unless you want to have them for dinner, in that case you could prep it in the morning).

If you don't have your own starter, but would like to, check your local kitchen shop or order it online! Your starter should come with instructions on how to reconstitute and care for your starter.

Overnight Sourdough Pancakes

(printable version)

makes about 2 dozen pancakes

1 c. sourdough starter

2 c. warm water

3 1/2 c. flour

3 eggs

4 TB sugar, maple syrup, or honey

1/4 c. oil or melted butter

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

The night before you want to eat, combine in a large bowl the starter, water, and flour (make sure it has plenty of room to rise). Cover.

In the morning, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Add more water if thinner pancakes are desired.

Heat a large pan over medium/high heat and grease with oil or butter. Spoon about 1/4 c. of batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook 1-2 min. per side, or until golden. Keep hot in a warm oven while repeating with the rest of the batter if desired. 

Serve with butter and syrup, berries, or other desired toppings.

ONE- It's officially been fall now for what? 5 days? Our September weather is certainly cooperating. The photo above shows the beautiful dark clouds we've been seeing a lot of lately. I don't think we've had a sunny day this week and the high temps have been under 60 for several of them! I finally broke down and turned on the heat just a wee bit in the house and I'm wearing my slippers & bathrobe again. I am in no hurry to lose our summer sunshine, but I have to admit there's something I just can't resist about blankets, jeans, soup, tea, cozy sweaters and cuddling with my hubby. Maybe fall isn't so bad. ;)

TWO- I took a cooking class on Monday! Hubby gave me a certificate to take a cooking class as a birthday gift almost a year ago and I finally registered for not one but two! The first was a local class that cost me only $10 and not only did I come away with some great knowledge, we even got to take home our very own sourdough starter! We made farmstead sourdough sliders and rolls (which were AMAZING by the way) and learned a lot about the scientific process that is sourdough. One cool fact: yeast takes on a different flavor in different regions, so sourdough bread is a true art- nobody's tastes the same! I have been feeding my starter and hope to be able to use it soon. We got to take home a few recipes, one of which is a mouthwatering sourdough pancake recipe!! I'll be taking the second class (croissants- can't wait!) in Spokane next week.

THREE- I get to see my brother twice this week! He's in Spokane doing some training for his new position as Treasury Solutions Analyst with Bank of America; we got to have dinner with him Monday night at the Onion (had me a yummy chicken, brie & apple sandwich!) and we're hoping to have dinner with him again tomorrow night! I wish my sis-in-love and the kids could have come too, but it sure is a treat to see my brother's face! If he were closer I'd fix him up some good home cooking so he didn't have to eat out every night, but oh, well.

FOUR- Next week we start Awana, the kid's program at our church, and I usually teach the Cubbies class (preschool). However, as it stand right now I have no Cubbies! If none show up, I'm planning on helping Hubby with his class, which is 3-6 grade. It may turn out to be a very different year for me! I'm excited and a little nervous. I haven't worked with the older age groups in a long time.

FIVE- I'm doing this photo challenge thing with my sister and it's actually pretty fun! She found a random list online and each day for a month we're challenged to take a picture of something different. For instance, today was "something that makes you sad" and I posted a pic of my hummingbird feeder- full, but with no birds on it. I'm so sad that the hummers seem to have migrated already! Their constant presence at my feeder in the summer is incredibly entertaining! Anyway, we post our pics to Instagram and it's fun to see what she comes up with too! We're halfway through the list, but if you want to join us, let me know and I'll send it to you! My Instagram name is joybell1029- feel free to follow!

Happy Mother's Day Mom! {and some brunch ideas}

My mom is a pretty incredible lady. A gifted teacher and writer, she chose to quit her job to stay at home and devote her life to raising her kids when my older brother was born. And not only that, she later chose to put those incredible skills to work and home school all seven of us (a job which is not yet complete!)- quite a feat having so many different ages, grades and skill levels to work with at once. 

She also serves alongside my dad as a compassionate and kind pastor's wife-a role in which she has been an excellent example and inspiration to me as I have taken up that role as well. I am immensely blessed to share this calling with her and draw upon her wisdom and experience as I seek to serve my husband and my church. 

One of the things I am most grateful for in my mom is her insistence on family togetherness. Ever since I can remember, she and my dad have proactively fostered an attitude in our family of wanting to be together. My siblings and I absolutely love nothing better than to be together. We are each other's best friends. Since I was a tiny baby put into the arms of my adoring older brother (not quite two), we have loved being together, and the same has held true with my three sisters and two brothers that arrived in following years. One place we have always loved especially to gather is the kitchen. At my parent's house we often find ourselves laughing at how we all tend to end up there, standing around, chatting, snitching bits of food from the few who are in the kitchen to actually cook! How many mornings I've spent chatting with my dad over cereal at the kitchen counter, how many times I've yakked with Mommy while prepping a salad for dinner, how many Thanksgivings where people and food filled the kitchen to overflowing (and occasionally erupted in flames...but that's a story for another day), how many summer nights where strains from Daddy's radio drifted through the open kitchen window, how many birthday cakes whipped up with little children clamoring around to lick the bowl... and somewhere in the middle of it all, Mommy. Mommy pulling perfectly moist chicken from the oven. Mommy, stirring a pot of "train wreck" meat sauce to fill our hungry guests. Mommy, sneaking a spoonful of cookie dough off to one of us who was outside missing out on all the fun. Mommy, calling to someone not to forget to poke the baked potatoes with a fork! Mommy holding up beaters dripping with cake batter, treating the littlest ones with a lick. Whatever we're doing, Mommy is always there pulling us all together, reminding us that family are our forever friends.

How grateful I am to you, Mommy, for the closeness of our family. My siblings ARE my best friends, just like you said they would be, but so are you. I wish I could spend Mother's Day with you. Thank you for all your hard work and for how much you continue to pull our family together, for creating a beautiful, comfortable environment for us to enjoy each other in, and for always supplying us with delicious food to gather round! You are more of a blessing to us all than we can find words to express. May you know how much you're loved!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whether you're attending a brunch at your church, throwing a lovely party for mom, or just want something a little bit special to serve to your mom in bed or at the table, here are a few of my favorite brunch recipes!

Asparagus, Bacon & Gruyere Frittata

Blueberry-Honey Crumb Muffins

Classic Eggs Benedict with Low-Cal Hollandaise

Daddy's Old Time Waffles with Strawberry Sauce

Huckleberry Ricotta Pancakes with Honey Syrup

Quiche with Ham & Kale

Sweet Potato Breakfast Biscuits with Poached Eggs

Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

Happy Mother's Day!!

Treasure Hunting

Last weekend I went to a big rummage sale with a friend- and scored big! As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure! To my great delight, I stumbled upon a section of great old kitchen gadgets, all priced very low! Some of them I couldn't identify right off the bat, most of which my dear elderly friend helped me with. Here are my bargain finds, with the descriptions of what I think they are...please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong- or if the device has multiple uses!

1. Hand-held Juicer ($1)

2. Flour Sifter ($2)

3. Pie Crust Crimper (10 cents)

4. (front) Pampered Chef Cut-N-Seal- for sandwiches or hand pies? ($2 I think)

4. (back) Pampered Chef Cut-N-Seal

5. Good Season's Salad Dressing Bottle- has marks for oil, water and vinegar for easy measuring! ($2 I think)

6. Cool Large Glass Pitcher/Vase ($4?)

7. Fancy Pie Crust Cutout Thingy- I assure you, that's the scientific term! ($1?)

8. Awesome Picnic Basket! ($4?)

9. Egg slicer? Avocado Slicer? I need help with this one please! It has little teeth on the cutting blades that you can't see in the picture. ($1)

My 100th Post...Reflections of a Changed Cook

This marks my 100th post in the world of blogging- I can hardly believe it!

It all began with the movie "Julie and Julia" and a little inspiration from my sister-in-law over at Catz in the Kitchen. Just over 2 years has come and gone since I first put my "pen to the page" so to speak as The Rookie Cookie and began my journey of adventurous cooking, pledging to share my experiences with you. Some of you have been with me since the beginning and remember the great triumphs (ex: filleting a salmon for the first time) and the great failures (ex: that horrid crock-pot orange chicken). I have had more "firsts" in the kitchen than I can count since then and have been thrilled to discover new loves (ex: risotto- YUM!) and dispel old notions (ex: that squash is yucky- now I know better!!) as I have become immensely more comfortable in my kitchen. I have changed my name (KitchenJoy now, which seems to better suit me) and acquired new accompaniments as well, the most notable being my beautiful blue KitchenAid mixer, a Christmas present from Hubby.
Speaking of my husband, he is my greatest inspiration when I cook- all along he has encouraged me and is always appreciative of my cooking. He has been more than willing to try new things and never complains- for that I feel so blessed!
To those of you who read and comment faithfully, thank you so much for your encouragement! You have inspired me as I have combined two of my favorite loves (writing and cooking) and I have been surprised over and over again at your willingness to read my ramblings and try new recipes. Thanks for joining me and here's to the next 100 posts!

Amish Friendship Bread

If you have never had the privilege of being handed a bag of friendship bread starter from a friend, I encourage you to be the one to begin it!

Amish Friendship Bread is a delicious tradition much like a chain letter (although infinitely more enjoyable) in which a bag of bread starter is passed on, regrown, divided and passed on again...in a never ending cycle (unless of course you are a sourpuss who takes the bag and throws it away!). It does require a commitment- the directions usually take 10 days to complete (although most of those days all you have to do is "mush the bag", as my directions said!). However, the end result is a fun gift to give away to a friend, and a couple of delicious loaves of moist sweet quick bread to enjoy!

I was given a bag of starter by a dear friend of mine, and I gave away my resulting three bags of starter to my dear sister, special sister-in-law and my best friend. The loaves I baked from the remaining starter were enjoyed immensely by friends, neighbors, and of course, my husband and myself! The recipe I received was sort of like a coffee cake/banana bread type of bread, deliciously coated in crunchy cinnamon-sugar.

 The instructions I received did not come with a recipe for starter, just the finished product (part of the mystery?). However, I found a recipe online that looks similar if you think you'd like to be the first link in a new chain representing the sweetness of friendship!

Find a recipe for starter plus instructions to give to your friends here. To make bread with the cinnamon-sugar coating, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Using half the mixture, coat 2 greased loaf pans. Sprinkle the remaining half evenly over the top of both pans of batter. Bake as directed.

Me and My Mixer

I just want the world to know...
I GOT A KITCHENAID MIXER FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

My dear sweet hubby is so wonderful, he got me just what I was afraid to hope for...a beautiful blue KitchenAid stand mixer. I couldn't wait to get home (we spent Christmas with my family in OR) to whip up something yummy. So the very next day (yesterday), I got it out for a test drive. It is HEAVY. I had to have hubby lift it up to the counter for me! Definitely not going to fall apart any time soon! And the bowl is so shiny! :) I sort of rearranged my kitchen to make just the perfect spot for it. Visible, accessible, and not in the way.

After using it only once so far (with the standard mixing attachment), for pumpkin snickerdoodles, my favorite thing is being able to dump stuff in and walk away or fix another part of the recipe while the machine does all the work. I already love baking and cooking, but I think this beautiful and sturdy machine will make it even more fun!

If any of you, my dear readers, have a stand mixer and have any tips, tricks, quirks or recipes to share that you think would be helpful, please do so in the comments!! I would love your advice as I begin my KitchenAid adventure!