Great weekend

Wow Mike and I had another great weekend!  Mom and Dad got here around 1 on Friday.  And got right to work.

On Friday Dad and Mike installed a new water heater and started to replace the 2 prong outlets with 3 prong outlets on the main level. The water heater went in fast... the outlets were a bit more challenging and were left half done.  When they were done we had Alaskan Halibut and Asparagus for dinner.  Then sat in the red bathroom for over an hour trying to decide on how best to redo it.

Saturday morning we ate the Berry Good French Toast Bake Mom and I had made Friday.   (http://lonesomehollow.com/recipes/dish/berry-good-french-toast-bake/)  It was really really yummy.  Then Dad and Mike got to work again!  They installed the new chandelier in the dinning room.  Then installed 3 new ceiling fans up stairs, one in each bedroom.  The boys also finished the electrical work on the first floor.  Mom and I went to the few garage sales there were around town.  We did not find much but we did find a glider for the nursery for only $30!!  I was not planning on getting a glider but for $30 vs $500 at the furniture store, I could not say no and it will look good in the nursery.  We also went to Ashley Furniture and Mom and Dad bought us (Mike, Me and Blueberry)  a new recliner as their shower gift for blueberry.  It should be to town in about 2 weeks.  It is soooo comfy.  Saturday night we had Grandma O over for dinner.  And then watched How to Train Your Dragon.  Well mom and dad did, Mike and I slept though most of it.

Sunday we got up and went to the 9:30 church service.  Then came home and got to work...again.  Dad sealed some opening on the outside of the house, they put up a new light in the back yard, put a new lock on the shed, brought our kayak over from Grandma O's, snaked out a couple of drains in the basement and by the laundry and tried to fix our basement shower.   The basement shower just needs to but ripped out and redone, well the whole bathroom does but it will work until the red bath is redone in November.

Today we got up had a few muffins talked a bit.  Then made a list of things both Dad and Mike need to get or get done befroe November so we are ready for the bathroom redo. Dad and Mike hung a shelf up in our bedroom and I moved a picture.  Then it was time to say good bye.  I think Cora and Willow were the saddest to say good bye.  They play so well together and wear each other out for the most part.

I can't wait for Mom, Dad and Willow to come back in November!           

Happy Birthday Mike

Happy 25th Birthday Mike!
I am so so glad that I have been married to you for 2.5 years! 
Have celebrated 9 Birthdays with you and we have many more to come.

Tonight we  are going out to dinner at the Snow Goose, and Mike will trying out some new beers.  I will be hoping there is cream soda... because I LOVE cream soda.  Not to much is new up here in Alaska... at least that I can share with you yet.  Cora is doing really well.  She is super calm, as long as she gets her walks.  She is also eating much much better, there are still times where she seems un-hunry but most times she eventually eats all her food.  I have been cooking lately, last night we made Halibut a la Barigoule from Martha Stewart (http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/halibut-a-la-barigoule) It was so yummy with some white wine from Denali Winery! 

I will post some pictures tomorrow 

Baking week

This is the way the week has started out. 
Monday night I made Rhubarb Muffins (http://thelocalcook.com/2010/05/07/rhubarb-muffins/) to put in the new cookie jar, or as I have called it now the Muffin Jar. And then decided to make an Apple Crisp with some apples that have been sitting around for a while.  The Muffins turned out Awesome!  The Apples Crisp is so so but the Apples used in it were not the best so what can you expect.

Tonight, Tuesday, after a walk at Kincaid Park where we saw a mama and a baby moose. 

And took some fall photos.

  We came home and I made egg plant, for the first time.  I do not like egg plant the way I made it tonight.   I breaded it with wheat flour, milk & mustard, and then bread crumbs.  Then baked it for 20 minutes.  The outside was crispy and yummy, however the inside was yucky, it made me gag.  Mike thought it was OK, but did not request I make it again.  As the egg plant was cooking I whipped up a batch of Chocolate chip zucchini bread and muffins, 4 mini loafs and 6 muffins.  After I cleaned up the kitchen I decided to make some Baked Kale Chips I have been meaning to make for a while.  http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/  The Kale Chips are a success! Mike looked at them with some scepticism but after the 1st one he wanted the entire bowl! I wish I had made these  a lot sooner because they were super easy and super yummy.

Tomorrow we are having Steak with baby bok choy.  And then we have youth group and then the gym so no time to cook.  bummer.  Cooking makes me happy and my tummy full!

C25K progress

I am officially farther into the C25k Program than I have ever been before! I did workout 6.1 tonight. I ran for 20 minutes on Saturday for the first time since February 13th. It was a little difficult the last 5 minutes especially but I did it, only stopping for like 10 second to stretch out my right cafe that was cramping up.

Not much else exciting is going on up here. Saturday night I went to a scrapbooking crop and got a few pages done. It snowed a bit yesterday. Nothing stuck to the ground in town but the tops of the mountains still had some on then today. Sunday afternoon I went to a local drum circle... lets just say that Callen got all the rhythm and I got none. It was fun and gave me something to do but it is going to take A LOT of practice for me to sound ok. Mike is working nights, which equals a bored and lazy me until Thursday.

I did do some baking tonight. I made Donut Muffins... and ate two. They are so so yummy. I got the recipe here http://jennifer-elise.blogspot.com/2010/09/donut-muffins.html. I started them at 8:15 and they were eaten before 9:00. I think this is going to be a go to recipe from now on.

Happy 4th of July

While most people are enjoying the day with friends and family, I spent yesterday and today making food that is red, white and blue. (Rice Crispy Bars with red and blue M&M's and pancakes with blueberries and strawberries). I cannot wait to be back in Anchorage, only 4 more days.

Zucchihi Bread

Chocolate chip and Hazelnut Zucchini Bread mmmm
I used this recipe except switched Hazelnuts for pecans.
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paulas-home-cooking/chocolate-chip-zucchini-bread-recipe/index.html

Veggies

Mike and I have been trying to eat healthier these days. I guess Callen had an influence on us as he was planning to be vegan beginning this summer. (Vegan=not eating any meat or dairy) I have been following a blog called The Clean Eating Mama for a while now and have tried a few of her mostly vegan recipes, all which have been tasty. Any who The Clean Eating Mama, Tasha, is having an awesome give away on her blog. www.thecleaneatingmama.com/2010/04/nourish-your-inner-goddess-giveaway.html It includes a home spa package and a couple coupons for free yogurt.

Mike and I are also getting our veggie box from Full Circle Farm today. We will be getting:
0.33 pounds Braising Mix
1 pound Zucchini
1 bunch Cilantro
1.5 pounds Jewel Yams
1 celery
1 leek
1 green leaf lettuce
1 bunch carrots
4 pears
4 apples
2 mango's
2 avocados
Yeah for fresh organic veggies and fruit!
Does anyone have a good recipe for Zucchini Bread??

MMM...Dinner...MMM

(Recipe from http://brooke-cookiejar.blogspot.com/2010/02/caprese-salad.html)

Yummy!

Mike and I do not go out to eat all that often. However lately I have been going to one spot almost 2x a month... because I love love love it! Where you may ask?

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Great Harvest Bread Company... not only do they have fresh baked bread and goodies but they also make Fantastic sandwiches. My favorite strangely is Harvest Veggie it has Provolone & cheddar cheese, red onions, lettuce, sprouts, sliced tomato, cucumber, bell pepper rings, salt, pepper, and homemade roasted red pepper garlic on Honey Wheat Bread. Yes it is an all veggie and cheese sandwich but it is so yummy!

Why is it when someone else makes your sandwich it turns out so so good, but when I try to replica it it turns out not so yummy?

Busy Weekend

Mike and I have had a super busy weekend. Friday we went out to dinner with our dinner for nine group at church. We went to the restaurant at the end of our street called Rays Place, it serves Vietnamese food. I had vegetable fried rice and Mike Teriyaki Steak. After dinner we went to the Aces game. It was a good game but we lost 3 to 2 in Over Time. Then we went to Kohl's since they were open until midnight. We spent $65 and saved $175. We got a heating mattress pad for our bed... it is so nice.

Saturday we went to an Open House for a my coworker. It is a beautiful house in south Anchorage with an amazing kitchen. Then I had FLL where the girls did an awesome job programing the robot! Saturday night Mike and I went to the Aces game again. They won 7-1! It was a good game with 6 of the goals scored in the first period. We had to leave 1/2 way through the 2nd to go and pick up Samantha, Hans, and Jacob from the Airport. They came back from the sun and the fun in Arizona and Nevada.

Today we went to church this morning. It was youth Sunday. They did a great job leading the service. For the Sermon we had a Nooma video that we have seen with the youth before. Mike and I highly suggest watching some here is the web address Nooma.com, you can also find some on Youtube. This afternoon I made Cream of Mushroom soup, a red kale/ bean soup and prepped the Brussel Sprouts for dinner. Then I went to Bible study. When I got home we had Steak and Brussel Sprouts. They were very yummy. Here are links for the recipes that I used for the soups.
Cream of Mushroom

http://homecooking.about.com/od/soups/r/blss2.htm

Red Kale and White Bean Soup

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/02/rustic-red-kale-and-white-bean-soup.html

and the Brussel Sprouts

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/goldencrusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html

Raspberry Chicken

Recipe for Raspberry Chicken from Frozen Assets

6 servings

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

1/2 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 T rice Wine vinegar

1/2 t chili powder

1 1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 cup fresh raspberries mashed

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast

Serving day

1/4 cup fresh Raspberries

Cooking Day

Combine all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze

Serving Day

thaw chicken completely and place sauce and chicken in large baking dish,

cover at 350 for 30-40 minutes,

Remove from oven and transfer chicken to serving platter, top with fresh raspberries.

November Meal Plan

2. Pot Stickers
3. Salmon
4. Ravioli
5. Breakfast
6. Out for Mikes Graduation for the Academy
7. Raspberry chicken
8. Spaghetti
9. Tater tot hot dish
10. Halibut
11. Baked potatoes
12. Chicken w/ squash
13. Dinner for 9 at rays
14. Hockey
15. Steak with Brussels sprouts
16. Turkey burgers with grilled beets
17. Parsnip soup
18. Pork chops in crock pot
19. Grilled Chicken
20. Salads
21. Scrapbooking/ left over’s
22. Pasta bake
23. ???
24. Salmon
25. Chili
26. Turkey Day
27. Leftover turkey
28. Halibut
29. Out some where
30. BBQ Chicken Pizza

Whats in the Box?

Just got an email for Glacier Valley CSA. For the box I ordered here is what we will be getting
11 and 12 November 2009
From Alaska’s Glacier Valley Farm, VanderWeele Farm:
Alaskan beets ***
Alaskan Brussels sprouts ***
Alaskan onions
Alaskan parsnips ***
Alaskan carrots

From Outside:
certified organic Red Canal pears
certified organic cremini mushrooms
certified organic red kale
certified organic Honeyboat delicata squash
certified organic parsley

If anyone has some good recipes for the ones with *** next to them please let me know. Some I have never cooked before.

I already plan on making cream of mushroom soup with the Mushrooms, since that is the only way Mike and I will eat them!

Community-Supported Agriculture!

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a "green" or some could say a "Granola" concept.

According to Glacier Valley Farm (GVF) CSA (http://glaciervalleycsa.com/) a CSA is
"a community of people who pledge support to a farm operation so that the community feels a sense of ownership of and responsibility for the farm. The growers and consumers support each other and share the risks and benefits of food production. Subscribers to the CSA program pledge some amount in advance to cover some of the anticipated costs of the farm’s operation. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from connecting with the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By selling directly to community members rather than selling their produce wholesale, the growers receive better prices for their crops and gain financial security, because they have a guaranteed market for their vegetables."

I have been researching this for a while. Most CSA you have to buy a "share" for $500 for the summer and you get a bag/box of veggies every week. However I love the GVF concept where you can decide when you want to buy a box and that the program is mostly year round. It only Costs $35. Another cool thing about GVF is that they deliver to a ton of places around Anchorage. So you choose the drop off location and then each week or whenever you order you just go pick it up at a convenient location. Here is the list of food that will be in the boxes delivered on this week:

From Alaska’s Glacier Valley Farm, VanderWeele Farm: Alaskan potatoes (these will be a colorful combination of purple, red, and yellow!) Alaskan Brussels sprouts Alaskan onions Alaskan garlic

From Outside: certified organic Red Delicious apples certified organic Bartlett pears certified organic pomegranate certified organic Romaine lettuce certified organic radishes certified organic Fuyu persimmons

As you can see everything is also organic, which is a huge plus, especially here in Alaska. The grocery stores do not have a good selection of organic fruits and veggies if you ask me. GVF also supplies recipes on how to bake some of the more "foreign" vegetables

The next pick up date is on November 11th. I think we are going to try it. I will report back on how we like it.

To find one in your area look at this web page http://www.localharvest.org/

Edit: After writing the post I emailed GVF asking how much you get. Nancy with Customer Service has already emailed me back ( less than a 1/2 day) saying that the box averages between 18 to 20 pounds. So it costs 35 dollars for 20 pounds of organic fruits and veggies, that is less than $1.75 a pound!! CRAZINESS!!! I cannot wait until November 11th now!!!

Life

Life goes by way too fast. Not much is really new up here just plugging along.
Mike started the Academy for the DOC on Monday. It lasts until November 6th, when he will get his badge :). So from now until then he is car pooling with 2 other CO's out to Palmer, about 1 hour each way drive time. He said that a lot of the information he already know from his the Academy he had for school, so it should be pretty easy. Another nice thing is that he gets nights and weekends off!

We are still doing the 200 situp challenge. I am on the last day of week 3, and Mike is on the last day of week 5, since he started on week 3. Tonight I have to do 5 sets (24, 34, 23, 23, 32+) and Mike has to do 8 sets ( 26, 26, 30, 30, 26, 26, 30, 67).

I am also still working on the C25K. I am starting week 4 today. I have to jog 3 minutes, walk 1.5, j 5, w 2.5, j3, w 1.5, j 5. Hopefully it goes smoothly, since I did an extra day of week 3.

I have also started on my meal plan for October. We did really well in September. We only ate out twice, at the fair and for our anniversary!

You learn something new everyday. Meal Plans.

You learn something new everyday. Yesterday I learned that you do not go grocery shopping on the 1st of the month. That is when many people in Alaska get their "checks" or deposits or stamps from the state/government and can get food for the month.

Last night after dinner with Mike, I went to the gym and started the C25K again. Hopefully I can finish it this time. I really want to finish it before Thanksgiving.

Then went to the grocery store with my big list. I made a meal plan for the month of September Monday night and decided to go grocery shopping to get most everything for dinner for the month last night, plus lunch stuff for this week. Fred Meyers was a NUT HOUSE! They were out of fresh spinach, so I had to get frozen. (Actually made my green monster yummy and thicker.)

Any who back to the meal plan. I hate not knowing what is for dinner and having to come up with something every night so this month I made a plan for the whole month and got almost everything to make a month of dinners at the store last night. When I got home I assembled 4 dinners. 2 meals worth of a white chicken chili and 2 meal worth of chicken in Raspberry sauce both from the cook book "Don't panic, dinner's in the freezer : great-tasting meals you can make ahead," by Susie Martinez, that I got from the library.

Having a meal plan really helps to combat the going out to dinner. I am determined to only go out to dinner once this month, for our anniversary. Plus spending some money on food when we go to the "big" Alaska State Fair this weekend. It also helps to eat healthier. I have all the meals written on the calendar so I can make sure to take everything out of the freezer a day or 2 before. Some of the things on here twice I will only make once and the freeze 1/2 for the next time.

Here is what I have planned for the month:
1-chicken curry
2- chili
3-tuna casserole
4-hobo packs (camping)
5-fair food
6-marinated chicken (camping)
7-tostada salad
8-raspberry chicken
9-wild rice soup
10-pork chops
11-tater tot hot dish
12-enchiladas
13-manicotti
14-chili
15-salmon
16-hamburger
17-waffles and sausage
18-brats
19-chicken raspberry
20-anniversary
21-enchiladas
22-Manicotti
23- halibut
24-wild rice soup
25-eggs
26-bbq chicken pizza
27- spaghetti

Carmel Rolls

Mike and Grandma R made a batch of Carmel Rolls today using the family recipe. I went home for lunch to get a fresh one... and boy am I glad I did. They were very good. I told Mike He needs to make a batch every Saturday now... ha! Grandma did the instructions and made Mike do all the manual labor like kneading the dough ect. He still needs a little help with the portion sized some of the rolls came out the size of my head!

We do not have too much more planned to do with Grandma R. We are going out to eat tonight, since Mike goes back to work on Thursday Night. Me and Grandma are going to have girls day Friday when Mike sleeps. Saturday night we (Grandma and I) are going to my monthly scrapbooking get together, maybe I will turn Grandma into a scrapper :) It will be fun. The state fair is going on but we will have to see what the weather is like.

Green Monster

So a networking site I am often one. The girls have been talking about the "green monster." Which is a shake type thing, so I decided to try it. It is quite good. And hits all 4 main food groups here is the recipe... please try it before you bash it.

The basic recipe is:

1 cup spinach (hand full) (veggies)

1 frozen banana (fruit)

1 cup milk (dairy)

1 tablespoon peanut butter (protein)

I also added a hand full of blueberries and some chocolate chips

It is healthy (minus the chocolate chips) and I promise you can not taste the spinach.

There is a webpage with more recipes can be found here

http://greenmonstermovement.com/?page_id=39

Happy slurping!