A Holiday Post in Three Parts

Saturday: Excavating with Bones

I'm a little squeamish when it comes to blood and I hate hospitals, but how many people can say they've discovered remains with a real-life forensic anthropologist? Okay, so maybe it was a dead bird we found in the wall while remodeling my friend's kitchen. Her mom really is a forensic anthropologist, and I helped her clean up the mess. She then let me patch the wall.

While Ty Pennington won't be asking me to help on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition any time soon, this is where the washer/dryer is going, so it was a good spot to perform my first spackling job. However, I can rock a paint roller. My new friend McKenzie and I primed and painted the living room while the pros got to work hanging cabinets.

Did I say pros? I meant brave souls.

Sunday: Channeling Betty Crocker

And what would a holiday weekend be without a baking adventure. I tried three new cookie recipes: peanut butter (I know, I've never made peanut butter cookies before), pudding chocolate chip and oatmeal applesauce. They looked really good.

They also tasted good enough for me to give them to a few friends. In fact, they tasted good enough that I ate far too many of them to admit.

Monday: Cataloging Books

I apologize to all my GoodReads friends who opened up their emails to find 500 updates from me this weekend, but I promise it was for a good cause. I now have a record of all the books that I own, including edition and genre. My nonfiction shelves are still a little disorganized, but at least I know what's there now.

I had a little bit of a surprise when I discovered I had a first-edition copy of the first Newbery Award book, The Story of Mankind by Hendrik van Loon. While I hate the thought of a book not being regularly read, I might not be letting any more kids barrow this book. I still can't believe that I've read a first-edition copy of this book let alone that I own one for myself.

No, really, it's just herbs

I love living in a big city, but the thing I hate the most is not having room for a garden. At my current apartment, we don't even have a window box let alone a stoop or balcony where we can grow plants. Instead we have a big table under our living room windows where our little pot garden flourished.

We've been growing houseplants there for almost two years, but I miss the edible plants I used to be able to grow in my vegetable garden. Last year I bought a box planter with the intention of making a kitchen herb garden, but I never did anything with it. Until now.

A few months ago I did some research about what herbs grow well indoors, what can be planted in the same space and what needs its own pots. I also thought a lot about what herbs I use most often, what I'd like to use more and what would make our apartment smell good. I then plotted my little garden.

I prepped the soil and started some seeds in mini-pots. I thought about doing everything from seeds, but I don't have such a green thumb that I felt I could pull that off. So I only used seeds that I've either grown before or are hardy enough they should take off with little effort on my part.

I made a trip to a local nursery and bought the remaining seedlings I needed to fill out my garden. Although it's not quite the same as digging my hands into the damp earth of sunny plot of land, I loved the smell of damp potting soil and the black dirt that embedded itself under my fingernails.

After a week, I had lovely surprises popping up in my seed pots. Every day there were new little seedlings pushing through the soil.

This week I used my first clippings from my little garden. I don't know if an omelet has ever tasted so good.

I'm not one of those Midwest farmer's daughters the Beach Boys sing about, but I do understand the appeal of having your only piece of land to grow something that provides for yourself and your family.

He Is Risen

It's been a beautiful start to spring in DC. Even all the rain we've been getting can't dampen the mood the cherry blossoms bring. One of my favorite things about spring is Easter. I pretty much love any holiday, but I especially love this one that allows me to reflect upon my faith and new beginnings and forgiveness.

Although I didn't have a basket full of sweets waiting for my this morning, I received a special treat during the Easter service at church when my friend Lisa spoke about her faith in Christ and shared a beautiful message of hope with the congregation.

After the service, Lisa and our friend Dave came to my place to enjoy Easter dinner with all the trimmings. None of us have family in the area, so we made everything ourselves.

While I've made deviled eggs a few times, I tried a new baked ham recipe with rosemary and pineapple, which turned out really well. There was a couple minutes of panic when I realized I had no salad dressing, but thanks to the internet, I found a rosemary-dijon dressing I happened to have all the ingredients for.

And lisa made an incredible mince meat pie. This was the first time I've even had mince meat, but I'm a fan.

After way too much food, we decided to to take Dave on a tour of the monuments. (Dave's visiting from LA and leaves early tomorrow morning.) Unfortunately, it started pouring as soon as we got down to the Tidal Basin, so we only made it through the FDR Memorial and walked about halfway to the Jefferson Memorial before we were too cold and wet to do the walking tour. So we drove around the city and pointed to distant, rain-obscured buildings.

Overall, it was a great holiday. I missed my family and Aunt Chris' big Easter bash, but I look forward to heading to Chicago for my cousin's wedding next month. I hope your holiday was filled with good memories, good food and good reflections on the season. On to new beginnings and new blessings in the year to come.

A Train Ride through France

I never understood why Meg Ryan made such a big deal about lactose intolerance in the movie French Kiss. I always thought her moaning and stomach clutching was a bit over the top and a poor substitute for the dinner scene in When Harry Met Sally. I thought that, anyway, until I developed lactose intolerance myself. Now drinking milk, eating cheese or indulging in ice cream has become a practice in torture.

It took me awhile to figure out what was going on. One doctor told me I had gallstones (I didn't), another put me on four different medications (which didn't help), and another told me to eat nothing but chicken broth and rice (not going to happen). After a horrible experience involving tomato soup, a cheese sandwich and a trip to urgent care, I figured out I just needed to cut out the dairy in my diet to live in peace. I switched to soy, stopped buying cheese and cut "cream sauce" from my culinary vocabulary.

The only problem is that I find myself dreaming of chocolate milk, cheesecake and heaping bowls of cream-covered, fresh Louisiana strawberries. What I wouldn't do to be able to take that last little sugary sip after finishing my cereal in the morning without the horrible after-taste of soy beans. I want to go to an Italian and order both the Alfredo dish and a cannoli for desert. And to be able to enjoy an ice cream run with my friends without having to suffer the consequences an hour later? I might just sell my soul for that.

I have no self control. I can't help it that ice cream might not solve any problems, but it sure does make the world look like a better place for a little while. Or that yogurt is the fastest, easiest thing to eat in the morning. Or that I don't want to be an osteoporosis nightmare before I hit menopause. I want dairy, dammit!

Five Easter Favorites (a little more than slightly late)

So I've been a little swamped since getting back from Chicago. I finally uploaded my Easter pictures. Here's a recap:

1. The Food—Portillos was great, Gwen's peanut butter brownie thing was fantastic and all the traditional Easter treats were accounted for. Mmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about getting another Italian beef sandwich when I go back this summer.

2. Aunt Chris' Hoppin' Easter Bash—We played sibling rivalry bingo, had a special visit from the Easter Bunny and got to spend time together. My aunt does such a great job putting this all together. Our family is huge, but Aunt Chris makes sure each one of us feels special during the holidays.

3. Beating Tom (at a game, not violently)—Have no fear. I beat Tom. He did manage to win a round or two of Skipo, but I won overall. And I creamed him at Bang. My poor sister got stuck in the middle and refuses to play with us anymore.

4. The Polish Museum of America—Yes, I sacrificed watching the opening game and got a lot of great research done. My mom even came along and helped me go through more than a dozen old books, including one all in French. How cool is it that I got to read Casimir Pulaski's letter to his sister all about having dinner with the Washington's in the original language he wrote it in?

5. Getting Away from Washington—I don't get to spend enough time with my family. Every time I go for a visit, it's hard to leave. Babies are getting so big, cousins are growing up and life is moving on. I love living in Washington, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded of what's really important.

The Friday Five (a day early)

Because I'll be at work, in the air and with my family, I wanted to post a Friday Five on Thursday. I'm really excited to be going to Chicago this weekend, and I just couldn't help but post the five things I'm looking forward to the most.

1. The Food—Portillos, here I come! My sister is also making some peanut butter brownie thing that sounds fantastic, and I'm a fan of those traditional Easter treats deviled eggs and ham. I probably won't have time for Chicago-style pizza, but my digestive system will thank me for that later.
   
2. Aunt Chris' Hoppin' Easter Bash—Every year my aunt goes all out for Easter, but I'm never able to be there. This year, I get to enjoy all the family festivities first-hand and not just hear about it on Facebook. Plus, one of my cousins is having a baby soon, and I can't wait to see her big, pregnant belly, especially since I was away at school when she had her first one.
   
3. Beating Tom (at a game, not violently)—I love my sister's boyfriend, I really do. But he needs to learn that talking smack and actually winning are two different things. He may talk the talk, but I've got the skills to walk the walk.
   
4. The Polish Museum of America—I get to finish up my research on Casimir Pulaski and talk to the experts at the largest Polish history/culture museum outside Poland. Despite my Polish ancestry, I've never actually been there before, and going somewhere new in the city is always fun. Unfortunately, my appointment at the museum is at the same time as the Sox's opening game so I won't be able to do both. Look at the sacrifice I am making for knowledge!
   
5. Getting Away from Washington—I work for a health care reform organization, and things have been a little nuts lately. I mean, I don't get it, it's not like there's anything really big going on right now. My head is hurting trying to understand the new legislation and help answer questions. Reporters have been getting way too much of my time lately, and now I get to spend it on more important things like my family.

I plan on this being the best weekend ever. Even if it's 50 degrees out and they lose my luggage, nothing is going to stop me from having a blast. I just hope you weekend will be as good as mine.

Snow Baked

It's official. When it looks like this outside...


...it looks like this inside.


Want one?


I made them to look like the cars outside my window.

I'm probably going to be home again tomorrow as the snow I finally freed my car from yesterday magically reappeared today. I'm not sure what I'm going to make tomorrow as I'm out of powdered sugar. I did just get more peanut butter, so maybe I'll make cookies.

I just hope I can get to the store tomorrow so I can buy supplies for the dinner I'm having for an old friend who's coming into town. Keep your fingers crossed the airport will be open for her! Oh yeah, and keep them crossed that they'll be able to get back out again on Monday night because the weather man is calling for more snow.

Snow Bound

This snow is driving me crazy! Being cooped up in the house, you'd think I'd be productive and, I don't know, read one of the 50 books I have sitting next to my bed or finish my SCBWI WIP Grant application or get some homework done for my web design class. The least I could do is barrow a shovel and dig my car out of the two feet of snow it is buried under.


I made some progress, but then the bucket I was using shattered (yes, shattered) and I was left with no way to clear the snow. A walk to the store also proved futile as they were out of shovels.

But it's like in school when they tell you you have to read a book and it looks like a good book by an author you've liked in the past and you actually really wanted to read that book. But just because you now HAVE to read it, you have suddenly lost all desire to read it. That has been my life for the past week.

So instead I spent my time doing things like this:


baking Valentine's Day cookies to give to friends once the snow melts.


making cream cheese brownies for a movie night that gets cancelled because of the snow only to be forced to eat all the brownies with my roommate because it's really not the brownies' fault it snowed.


starting a new fashion trend of wearing boots from my good ol' college days in Idaho that I swore I would never wear again and pairing them with the same pair of jeans from yesterday because I really don't want to bother getting another pair of jeans all slushy.


watching episode after episode with the popular Australian television drama McLeod's Daughters on Netflix and seeing how many budding stars I can spot that now sport American accents on shows like Legend of the Seeker and Fringe.

Any ideas how I can waste time tomorrow and probably Wednesday as well? We're supposed to get another six inches, so Washington might be closed down for a few more days. At least I have internet access and can check my work email at home. So I have been able to get SOME work done.

Thanksgiving Food Recipes

After days of writing about all the food prep, the dinner really came together. I thought I'd post some of the recipes I used for this Thanksgiving dinner. I tend not to use any one source to create my culinary masterpieces, which as many friends can tell you either turns out horribly wrong or somehow manages to come out wonderfully right.

My first foray into turkey making was a hit--and let me tell you, I have never felt more pressure to get something right than in preparing the main dish of a big holiday meal.

• 8 lb turkey breast
• 1 cup sea salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 large onion
• 2 carrot sticks
• 3 stocks green onion
• 1/4 cup pepper corns
• 1 gallon water
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 3 tsp poultry seasoning

1. Thaw turkey in fridge overnight. Remove any entrails and place in large oven bag in a deep roasting dish.
2. Boil water, salt, brown sugar, onion, carrots, green onions, pepper in a large pot for half an hour. Let cool.
3. Pour brine over turkey and chill in fridge for 24 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse turkey well and pat dry. Place turkey in a fresh, flour-coated oven bag.
5. Mix oil, garlic and seasoning in a small bowl and coat turkey. Stuff with generous amounts of bread stuffing.
6. Roast for 3 hours. Save juices for gravy. Cool, carve and serve.

Gravy has to be the easiest thing I made. And it was the only thing I had ever made before.

• turkey juice
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper

1. Strain turkey juice into a medium sauce pan. Add broth and bring to a boil.
2. Mix flour and water in a small bowl until a smooth, pasty consistency. Slowly add to boiling stock. Reduce heat.
3. Boil and stir continually until gravy begins to thicken.
4. Salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for at least five minutes.

Honestly, for how much effort it took to make this alternative to green bean casserole, this wasn't really worth it. But it looked good.

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 2 stocks green onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 lb fresh green beans
• salt and pepper

1. Toast almonds in large frying pan over medium heat. Remove and set aside.
2. Melt butter and saute beans and onions for five minutes. Add wine and steam covered for 10 minutes. Remove beans and onions.
3. Bring sauce to boil and reduce by half.
4. Pour sauce over beans, salt and pepper to taste, and toss to coat.
5. Add almonds right before serving.

There might have been leftover, but let me tell you, now that everyone is gone, that fridge is totally empty. I'll have to do some major shopping tomorrow if I want to eat this week.

Twelve Days of Thanksgiving: Day 12

Happy Thanksgiving! There are too many things I'm grateful for that I haven't been able to mention, so I'll list as many of them as I can.

I'm grateful for:

• All the little things, like paperclips and pennies and four-leaf clovers.


• The books I've read. From the classics I was "forced" to read in school to the books I'm given to review, reading is a joy I never want to be without.


• My teachers. There are many teachers, both in school and out, who have taught me lessons I will never forget and encouraged me is ways they will never know.


• Talents. So many people have been given so many gifts, and my life is better for all those who have shared their talents with me.


• Time. Time to do more, be better, learn something new. Time to say "I'm sorry" or "I love you" or "Good luck today." Time to enjoy life and live it to the fullest.


• The places I have lived. I am a cheese-head by birth, a city-girl by circumstance, a Cajun by adoption and a lover by location. I have been infected with wanderlust, and I've loved every place I have been blessed enough to live.


• Chocolate and ice cream. I think sugar is a far overlooked food group. Dietitians everywhere are cringing, but chocolate and ice cream have gotten me through a lot of very trying times.


• Friends who know how to listen. This is not a talent of mine--I talk way too much--but I have been the beneficiary of wise friends who know when to close their mouths and open their ears.


• Sisters, both by birth and by choice. I have an older sister who is one of my dearest friends, even if I didn't know it until after high school. And I have three of the best sisters in the world thanks to The Scroll, a children's lit class and a little thing called love.

This list could honestly go on forever. How blessed my life is!

Speaking of blessings, the turkey is now in the oven.


We have people traveling from Michigan and North Carolina, so we're having an early dinner rather than a late lunch. We'll really have a full house with kids and friends and maybe a random stranger or two as well.


I love the holidays!

Twelve Days of Thanksgiving: Day 10

What would my life be like without the many students I have worked with?

From the kids at BSTA to the DC students I tutor to the kids I went to high school with who have never managed to grow up, I have discovered that you are never too old to learn something new from the most unexpected places.

May I meet many more of you and continue to be edified by your vast wisdom.

The food preparation has begun. Because my parents are visiting my little brother in Hawaii for Thanksgiving (it's a tough job, but they're selfless like that), I'm hosting Thanksgiving with my roommate. Two of her brothers, their families and a few friends are coming over, which means plenty of shopping and cooking.

Today I started on the turkey with a brine.

I also made that old Thanksgiving classic with a twist: cranberry sauce with a handful of blueberries and some orange zest.

This year I am making a bunch of traditional foods I have never made before, so we'll see how it all turns out.

This reminds me of one Thanksgiving up in Idaho when a couple of friends and I decided to get a fresh pumpkin and make a bunch of pumpkin-themed sides from scratch. Of course we did the traditional pumpkin pie, but we also made pumpkin bread, pumpkin butter, pumpkin cake, pumpkin roll and a couple other things. We had never made any of it before, but it was so much fun I think we convinced ourselves the food tasted better than it really did.

Good memories.