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Michigan Bound
Tonight is Chris’s last day of school for the semester, and I get him for a whole three weeks! Eeek! I can’t wait. Gonna put him to some designing work that’s for sure. But, when he finishes that last exam you better believe he will deserve a nice cold beer after that, on me. Fiancé points for me
Thoughts On A Cloudy Day
I am so happy that today is cloudy and looking like any minute it will just storm down. I always feel like I can be the most productive on those days because I don’t feel guilty being inside on my computer. We have a potential big wedding decision to make, and it feels so good. Earlier this week we found a place to hold the reception that, shocks of shocks, would suit everyone’s needs and taste. Also, would suit our tiny budget. Bonus, we love it. Love the location, and most of all the feel. I always said I wanted all of our guests to feel comfortable, because that is what Chris and I are like. Neither of us wanted some stuffy party that none of our friends are like, that we don’t usually do, in a place that is so far removed from our personality. Well, this is anything but that. And, I’m pretty sure everyone is going to have a great time. Music, drinks, delicious food, and love.
Yeah, in three months there is gonna be a good day.
With that I can now finally start the fun crafts that everyone has been getting on me about… Well, once we figure out food, which we have an idea, just need to put it in action. But, now inspiration, mood, colors, all of that is starting to hit. Things will be moving fast but I don’t care. It’s gonna be good. Especially since I’ll finally be able to do some of this stuff with my mom next week since I’m going up to Michigan. This will be the first time that we can actually talk about the wedding, shop, and do… whatever, together. I couldn’t be more happy about it. Plus, I might find a dress? I doubt it, but, at least I’ll try one or two on and hope to not sit in cake with it, or spill champagne on myself… Damn, I just know both of those are defiantly going to happen.
Special Turkey Sandwich
Yummy.
That’s all I’m going to say about that sandwich.
But, as an “around here” ramble, here it is. Sorry, I know I don’t do this often, but I want this blog to represent my life, and, to be fair that includes a lot of bread, a lot of thinking about bread and food to feed that overworked fiancé of mine. So, yes, that is a pretty accurate description of the life around here. And, to be honest, talking about how I was on the phone with a client talking about the importance and impact of adding a “the” or not… And, should we decide to elaborate that sentence just a little bit more makes my heart go aflutter. But, is it all that interesting, or noteworthy? Or, memorable? No, not really. But, I am thankful I get those conversations.
Anyway, around here. Life has been quiet but full. The realization that a wedding is happening in about three months is making me all giddy and nauseous inside. Mainly because of how we are planning it(or the lack thereof to the outside world) is making a lot of people I care about stressed, frustrated, and I think, hurt. That makes me heartbroken. That is always the last thing I wanted out of a wedding, and yet, I am learning you really can’t please everyone and so some people may feel a little bad, or frustrated by the whole affair, because it is an affair. A good one, but an affair, in the description of the word it also has; public, anxiety, and controversy. They all make an appearance. I am trying to let it roll off my back and charge forward! I am giving myself deadlines to complete certain tasks, and not just the deadline of August 10th. And, I am damn sure not going to get stressed about ANY of it and have that rub off to Chris who is soclose to finishing this very difficult semester.
Yes, I guess not a lot is happening, but like life, it is never nothing. There is always something, it just usually isn’t ever the cosmic life-is-going-to-end kind of anything. But, I really believe that that usually never happens, but it doesn’t mean that just because you don’t have earth shattering doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to share, to note, and to express, especially with such gratitude. I am so thankful that we have so many people that want to be as invested in our day that they have more emotions than just ambivalence and apathy. So, though I hope it isn’t hurt, frustration? Yeah, I can take all the frustration and stress you give me, that stuff is all made out of love anyway.
The Special Turkey Sandwich
Preheat your broiler
2 thick slices of bread. (I used the 7-grain whole wheat bread I made. But anything hearty and thick will do.)
2 slices Honey Maple Turkey, sliced thin
1 1/2 slices Provolone cheese
Mixed greens
Fresh basil
Chopped red onion
Butter
Olive Oil
Chutney (I used apple cranberry, really gives it a smokey taste)
Directions:
All fairly simple, but some things that made it just over the top. First, make sure that your broiler is FULLY heated(I did not, and it took forever to brown). While oven is heating up, heat up a skillet with a generous amount of oil. Then, butter generously both sides of your toast.
Place your toast in the broiler, on the highest rung your oven shelf will go. I place my toast on our pizza stone and it worked easy, and no clean up. About 2 minutes each side. Flip keep in until desired brown.
When skillet is hot place your turkey in the oil and brown like you would ham or bacon. About 2 minutes each side, or until the edges get crispy. When done place slices on a paper towel and pat off excess oil.
Right before you are ready to take the bread out of the broiler place cheese slices until just slightly melted.
Assemble your sandwich in the desired order(always a picky thing. I like my greens right on the cheese so it stick and has less of a chance of all falling out after the first bite… But some people have a “problem” with warm lettuce… I don’t get those people.
If it’s on a week(end) I give you permission to have a beer with it. See what I did there?
7-Grain Whole Wheat Bread
21/52
This bread. Wow. I need to stop saying that, but honestly, as I listened to Viva-radio (so gooood) there was bluegrass then motown soul playing and I was kneading away, dancing up a storm and Yoshi was sleeping so CUTELY I was filled with such fun. So, this bread, well I am surprised as how good homemade bread is. Especially since I hadn’t made any bread in TWO WEEKS! That is insane for me.
Bread break gone. Here is the BEST sandwich bread evahh.
And, tomorrow I am going to tell you about that blurry sandwich… Blew me away.
Around Here
Just some photos of our week(end) doing fiesta things. Started with San Antonio Current Best of Party. We had some friends that got number one! Shout out to Nerd Alert Designs. Love these girls, and so happy they won best local seamstress!
Then it was the Fiesta Fandango run. As you can see it’s a fun run. We run the parade route of the Flambeau (night) parade, and people get very creative. Such a fun event. One of my favorite races. After Sarah and I finished we quickly changed at her work downtown and met the rest of our group at our parade seats. So fun, and the floats and “royalty” were so great! Even when it started to pour down, they covered the amazing handmade duchess trains, got their umbrellas and still.kept.going. Loved it!a
We are starting to get another storm tonight, so I am going to go and put on the cliche girl movie I own, fold some laundry, and open my windows to hear that thunder. Enjoy the rest of your Monday.
Thyme Parmesan Focaccia Bread
20/52
Confession time. 
I made this bread during my cooking spree on easter weekend… nearly a month ago! Yikes! Not it’s not that I didn’t want to share it, I just wasn’t too keen on the pictures, they were kind of blah. And, to be honest, I was way more excited to share the sangria recipe I developed. I mean, priorities EmIright??
And, I suppose that is my second confession, the pictures are LAME! No cool angles, no nice lighting… Heck, no nice camera either! I am not professing that I am a photo-snob in that department. No way. I loooooove taking pictures with my iphone, and I love being able to have the space to share them, but, bread is hard. Hard to make look interesting. When you are in the kitchen with it, creating it from water and sugar and yeast, forming it… And, to be real, smelling it. That is awesome! But, being the novice I am, it is hard to try and take a picture of yet another lightly(perfectly) browned loaf and still captivate interest. We all know its not the jumbled words thats for sure.
That particular Saturday all I wanted to do was bake and cook, and listen to music while Chris was working on school work. It was fun, relaxing, and I didn’t want to think about cleaning my counters for pictures. But, the loaf I am making while I type this, I have ideas to make it look pretty. Or, at least take with the DSLR.
Anyway, let’s talk about the focaccia shall we? And for that, we are going back to March. Lets go!
I got the recipe here. Because I was giving it to a friend, I decided to combine the two loaves, meaning, I added the thyme and the parmesan to both loaves, instead of one and the other separately. Loved it.
And, you don’t need a pan either. I did one in my 9×13 and the other just free-formed. They both came out pretty much the same, and, I felt the free-formed one had better coloring (browning?) than the one in the pan. And that’s it. It is actually easily one of those breads that if you want to have it done for a dinner party, you can start it before you start your dinner preparation. Unlike some where you have to wake up at 6am to have it ready for 9pm. Nope, this guy will make your house smell good within 20 minutes! So, start making it. Also, anything would go good in it. Chris wanted Rosemary instead of Thyme, but I said BAH! I just made (at the time) a bread with rosemary so I wanted to try my hand with Thyme.
Of course it was amazing. If you’re like the rest of San Antonio you have the day off because of a parade, yes that’s right, basically the whole city shuts down because of fiesta. It’s awesome. Point being, you now have time to make this bread… So, thank you fiesta!
My Mother’s Birthday
I know it’s late in the day, but, none of that matters, because it was my most favorite person’s birthday yesterday… If you can guess it, it’s my MOM!
So, this post will be all about her
Simply put, she really is the greatest. I am so lucky that I have a woman in my life that I can emulate, love, and laugh with. She is my best friend, and yet, still very mom-like. Whenever I talk about her, not only do people say how wonderful she sounds, and all of San Antonio can’t wait to meet her, but they correctly say how much of a rockstar she sounds like.
They couldn’t have been more right.
Some examples of my mother being such an outstanding person.
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What parent tells you to quit your job and follow your dreams? The best kind.
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A mother who surprises you with a trip to Italy, by yourself, at 19(surprised that happened) to visit your dear friend who was studying abroad.
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Someone that can go shopping, and not dress you in silly non-trendy clothes, and encourages you to love your body and soul and pours a big bucket of confidence on you, even during jean shopping.
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Tells the truth always. Even if it makes her look like the non-perfect parent.
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Finds a way to move mountains constantly. She was a stay-at-home mom and yet the best businesswomen. She has done it all, all at once, all for us. And I couldn’t have been more proud of her.
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Allows me(everyone) to pursue their passions. Even if it doesn’t land you the fancy degree. She taught me that life isn’t a piece of paper, it’s not a test score, it’s not awards, it’s not a gold star. Its about feeling the best about yourself, trying your hardest and making others feel wonderful. I know this because of her. I am so thankful to have been taught, not only academics, but life lessons from her. She is the role model I try to be to the girls I teach.
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All about boys, and why they aren’t the center of the universe.
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That make-up doesn’t make me beautiful. But, it is fun.
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To be myself. And that includes the following: dancing for all things, singing even if it’s out of tune, baking is an appropriate time to make a mess, ice cream is always the answer
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Encourages my coffee addiction
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She taught me about the importance simple ice cream, and trashed up Ben and Jerry’s
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She said if I didn’t have coffee, wine, bread, and gelato from Italy then I shouldn’t come home
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When I didn’t want to come home she bought a panini press to entice me back on the plane. It worked.
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She never broke a promise
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Encouraged me to talk about my feelings, but also that doesn’t mean I have to be a helpless wimp about it.
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Some days suck, but that you can always find ONE thing that makes it beautiful. (usually those days I just have to pick up the phone and call her)
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She told me she was proud of me the day I went skydiving, at 18
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How great a good hamburger is
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That dogs can be your best friend, and they are apart of the family
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She is the reason that I can say I am a powerful woman, because my mom is superwoman.
