tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47901215103393999732024-03-13T11:21:02.166-05:00The Kiefer CottageUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-74166978807961502252014-08-08T09:05:00.000-05:002014-08-08T09:05:45.756-05:00Another summer bites the dustSummer break has flown by, and almost every good intention I had for this free time has blown away with the Kansas winds. For the first time in my life, however, I can honestly say that I love summer. <br />
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It's been 30 seconds since I typed that, and I was not struck down by the gods for telling a lie. Because this time, it was the truth. To be fair, I still hate hot weather, and humidity can go eat fat-free cream cheese (a punishment that is borderline torture), but I've really liked sleeping in, having lazy days outside, vacationing a little, eating great tomatoes, even driving Katie to day camp for a couple of weeks. The relatively mild weather has helped--remember our first couple of summers had loads of 100+ degree days--as well as a fully functioning air conditioner, the first summer in KC we've actually enjoyed that. And we joined the city pool! If that isn't a reason for me to get a mental health check, I don't know what is. <br />
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Don't worry, though. I'm still me. While I've been working out more consistently over the past 9 months than I ever have in addition to all these traditional, borderline boring, summer activities, I haven't been replaced by Stepford Starr. I'm still loud, presumptuous, tacky, annoying, and know-it-all. You can all breathe a sigh of relief.<br />
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Anyway, forget words, more pictures, right?<br />
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Field trips galore, including to the City Market, where we ate the smallest, most expensive lunch I've ever purchased, at Bloom Bakery. Still delicious, but I think that bottle of water must've cost $5.</div>
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We abandoned our beautiful kitchen table for the summer since the AC, while glorious throughout most of the house, can't keep up if I'm cooking. So, SURPRISE! We've used the dining room. It's felt vaguely old-fashioned and quite comforting to eat family style with a well-set table and flowers as a centerpiece. Side note: those purple balls are Black Velvet Apriums (apricots + plums), and they are spectacularly delicious.</div>
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This year's been my laziest vegetable gardening season on record, but we've still managed to get dozens and dozens of these lovely Indigo Rose large cherry tomatoes. The squirrels seem confused by them, which is a blessing since they've been particularly aggressive about eating my food. <br />
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When we were at the beach, I allowed one photo to be taken of me, and I also enjoyed myself immensely. Just so you know, if I could find a full-body beach cover that wasn't too hot or hideous, I'd go for it. Me + Sun = Bloated Lobster.<br />
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Anyway, school starts next week for Katie, and since I fooled the PTA into asking me onto the executive board, I've been busier than usual. Oh, and as a quick update on Katie's "so scary we only have cubbies not lockers" school , it's been a great fit for us so far since the school's mixed bag reputation seems to be predicated on rumors and little else. The PTA is full of down-to-earth go-getters who love books and fun, the teachers have been wonderful, and Katie has blossomed into a much more confident little girl (yes, she is still little and will be forever, okay?). And being 2 blocks away has been awesome. So if you've ended up on this site because you were searching for feedback on Roesland Elementary, please consider this a 5 star review.<br />
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So there's our summer for you.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-18052900613623477122014-06-01T19:47:00.000-05:002014-06-01T19:47:13.666-05:00Update on The Year of Why Not!?It's been a busy few months for me. Many of you would laugh at what I consider "busy", but still, I've had a lot less time to myself to update my thousands of fans.<br />
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Back in January, I declared 2014 to be the <a href="http://www.thekiefercottage.com/2014/01/2014-why-not.html" target="_blank">Year of Why Not!?</a> And un-true to form, I've actually followed through.<br />
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First off, Ryan and I joined a church. I KNOW. That's no big deal for some of my friends, but others are probably wondering why. I'm going to completely bypass that question and ask instead, "Why is an upside-down pie called a tart?" Or maybe I mean, "WHY NOT!?". We were looking for some community as a couple. I already have my <a href="http://www.thekiefercottage.com/2014/01/2014-why-not.html" target="_blank">Bitches That Read</a> clubs (three, in fact--man I love reading), and Ryan has work buddies and a whole Google+ life I know very little about, but we have nothing specifically for the two of us beyond a rare dinner date. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for church, and looking way too grown up.</td></tr>
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It just so happened that a friend posted a sermon podcast from her church around January, and I clicked on the link out of curiosity. Here was <a href="http://www.kcrevolution.org/" target="_blank">a church in the middle of the city</a> that welcomes everyone. And I actually mean everyone. Service to others is at the heart of the church's mission, and we're loving the motley congregation. We're already teaching Sunday School once a month for the kids and have enjoyed several events, including a fun Easter Egg hunt. I will say the rock band isn't exactly my cup of tea--I much prefer a stodgy ol' organ and choir full of blue hairs--but I'm giving it a chance and trying to learn music without actual sheet music in front of me. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass, be gone.</td></tr>
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What else have we been up to? Tearing up the front yard. After several years of drought, I decided fussy grass was for fussy people. So we smothered most of the yard and have been planting seeds and more mature plants. Some of the seeds washed away in a rain storm, ironically, and some failed to germinate, but we're getting there. I will have my contained chaos garden eventually, maybe a couple years down the road as everything grows in. For now, though, I'm enjoying these beautiful hydrangeas that love all the shade this house has to give. <br />
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I've also decided to let most of the weeds bloom this year. Of course, if they're choking plants, forget about it, but if it comes up and wants to flower, so be it. I read the dandelions are good for bees, and some of the un-identified thingies around here are kind of pretty. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think I planted those pink plants, but not the rest!</td></tr>
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A third WHY NOT!? A second car. We've been a one car family off and on the past few years, but it was getting trickier having a social life with only one vehicle that could carry everyone. So we scoured Craigslist for either an extended cab truck or a diesel car, honing in on 80s Mercedes. Et Voila! We found this beautiful SD that's comfortable even with three rather large car seats spanning the back seat. It's got that comforting roar that goes along with a diesel engine, the kids love it, and even better, since it was not expensive at all, it's paid for (car notes make me itch in bad places). </div>
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I'll have more updates on our yard soon. Still need to mulch some more and figure out what to do with a couple of empty spots. Thankfully the neighbors have been patient and haven't egged our house yet due to the work-in-progress. And thankfully Ryan has been a great sport and done most of the back breaking work. I'm a lucky gal!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-42858929781278206392014-04-04T15:42:00.001-05:002014-04-04T16:02:36.930-05:00Snobby food made easyIt's been awhile. I've had a few new things on my plate since January, so I've spent more time consuming than producing on the internet. If you're a fan, I'm sorry. If not, well, then, I'm sorry I'm back <br />
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Anyway, I found a NYTimes recipe for <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/1016159/beet-greens-and-cheddar-crumble.html?smid=pl-share" target="_blank">beet casserole</a> recently, and vowed to make it come hell or high water. The major downsides are that there were lots of steps, beets are kind of messy, and I wanted a shortcut or two. The problem with shortcuts, though, is that folks tend to think adding a can of MSG-laden soup is the way to go, and food snobs cannot tolerate that at all. In fact, there is no way any food snob has ever enjoyed a Veg-All and canned soup casserole with her food-snobbing mother for Thanksgiving. Yup, no way in hell that happened last year.<br />
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Moving on. I made different substitutions and solemnly swear there is no soup to be found here.<br />
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Thank you, Costco, for having organic, precooked beets ready to go. They're cute, albeit still a bit messy, and if you look at the package after a drink or two, you might laugh like a 13 year old at all the red balls in the fridge.<br />
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The recipe also calls for beet greens, but I decided on this bag of other greens, including kale, chard, and spinach. I'm actually not a huge kale fan, but baby kale is not unpleasantly chewy like elderly kale can be.</div>
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The final change I made could be considered sacrilege. The original recipe calls for a hazelnut oat topping that seemed fussy, although I'm sure it's fantastic. So I pulled out an old favorite for casserole topping: Ritz crackers. </div>
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I know! It's just wrong for food snobs to eat such things. I should've at least gone to Trader Joe's for the "healthier" version, but that's 20 minutes away, while I could get the Ritz goodness at the Price Chopper mere blocks away. And I made the crackers a better choice for our hearts by adding a super food: melted butter (grass-fed!!!). </div>
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Wait, another change: I also didn't use "cloth bound" cheddar, opting for this Cheddar Colby mix that I had 10 pounds of.</div>
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Ahem. I swear it's still an adequate copycat of the original. How could it not be! There are at least three superfoods in there (beets, kale, and butter) as well as CHEESE. You'll be superman after eating it.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LcRcEtTawDg/Uz8MOpGh-WI/AAAAAAAADLI/XCuZFBqxbYM/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LcRcEtTawDg/Uz8MOpGh-WI/AAAAAAAADLI/XCuZFBqxbYM/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Other notes: If I were to make this again tomorrow, I'd make this ONE thin layer. But that's because I love crunchy food. I put chips on almost all my sandwiches and love toppings more than the next guy. I managed to fit 2 layers in my gratin dish and any more than that would've made the bottom too far away from the crackers on top. The original recipe claims to make 3-4 layers.</div>
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Before I finally get to the recipe, let me tell you that it's not labor free. You will be making a béchamel sauce, which sounds fancier than it is. I recommend you have all the ingredients for that ready. And call it all "mise en place" because that solidifies your food snob status.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Puttin' on the Ritz Casserole </span></div>
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(adapted from the NYTimes recipe linked above)</div>
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1 lb cooked beets, sliced </div>
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1.25 lb of greens (that's most of the bag I pictured)</div>
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5 T butter plus more for buttery crackers</div>
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2/3 c flour</div>
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2 c milk</div>
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2 c Cheddar cheese, shredded</div>
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1 T ground mustard (or more to taste)</div>
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A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce</div>
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Hot sauce if you wish</div>
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One sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed</div>
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1. In a large pot, boil a lot of water. Cook the greens in the water for 2 minutes. I had to do it in two batches. Drop the greens into a colander that's sitting in an ice water bath. I do that in the sink. Drain this very well once cooled, and consider squeezing the water out of the greens. It'll keep the casserole from being runny.</div>
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2. (Béchamel Sauce) Melt 5 T of butter in a large pan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Watch the color--it shouldn't brown. Carefully whisk in the milk. It'll thicken pretty quickly. At this point, turn off the heat, stir in the cheese until combined and then add the mustard, the Worcestershire, and the hot sauce. Add salt and pepper if necessary. If the sauce seems too thick, you can add a bit more milk until it's runnier.</div>
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3. Melt some more butter in the microwave (your choice on how much. My mother might have used 1 or 2 sticks on her casserole last year, and we didn't complain. I used half a stick). Add in the crushed crackers and stir.</div>
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4. Assemble the casserole. Pour some béchamel into the bottom of your casserole. Place a layer of beets and then a layer of greens. Season this with salt and pepper. Repeat layers until you run out. Top with buttered crackers. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. If you feel that's too long for the crackers, cover the casserole with foil for the first 20 minutes or so and then take it off for the remaining time.</div>
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When you take this to your next potluck, if anyone asks whether it has cream of mushroom soup in it...just consider your audience. If it's Aunt Hilda who pours the stuff on her morning cereal, say YES. If it's your hipster friend in the skinny jeans and cruelty-free sunglasses, look back in horror and say BECHAMEL YOU FOOL! And those crackers? Home-crushed of course.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-21779883051456722332014-01-16T10:24:00.000-06:002014-01-16T10:28:36.813-06:00Our New Master BedroomA few months ago, we switched bedrooms with the girls. We didn't need 500+ square feet, and I was tired of toys being everywhere in the house, so they've been enjoying loads of space upstairs while we have the tiny bedroom. I wanted our new bedroom to be calm and dark, helpful in inducing sleep, something that we needs loads of.<br />
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Without further ado, here it is:<br />
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You see, the bed isn't on the floor anymore! We bought a short mattress platform since we have relatively low ceilings in this house.</div>
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I found these matching bedside dressers at the vintage markets in West Bottoms. They're kitschy but not overly so. And Ryan likes the nod to cars. Since we have a tiny closet in this room, the dressers provide a little extra space for clothing.<br />
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We finally have a place for the huge mirror I bought four years ago. The dresser my Mother-in-law gave us a few years ago looks great in that space.<br />
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Hasn't this room come a long way?<br />
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<img height="480" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t31/860358_10100456000343579_87070357_o.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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What's next? I'd like larger, more interesting lamps on the bedside dressers, and maybe something on the wall on both sides. And we need window coverings that aren't roller shades (which I removed for this photograph). But this room is close enough to finished that I don't feel much urgency. <br />
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I'm loving the dark color, which is Glidden Duo in Martha Stewart's "Anvil" found at Home Depot. It's a dark grey blue, and it helps keep us asleep in the morning. Sometimes, that ain't good, but I'm not complaining. Upstairs we were awakened by the sun at 545 in the summers, so our love cave is such a nice departure from that.<br />
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This is my favorite room in the house. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-67935071424865146682014-01-12T21:01:00.000-06:002014-01-12T21:01:29.051-06:002014: Why Not!?Shall there be resolutions for this new year? Of course! And they shall be meaningful, specific, and totally unattainable (in most cases). At the end of the year, I'll hope no one remembers my lofty goals, that no one notices my pants are *tighter* rather than looser, that my eyebrows are still blond and invisible and therefore alien-like.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thinking of really good resolutions. </td></tr>
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So here goes. What I've turned my third eye toward for 2014:<br />
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1) I've always been good at asking WHY NOT. I've moved all over the country, going where the wind blew me, forever hurting my earning power but helping me become the very round person I am today. I mean, well-rounded. I'm turning it up a notch, though, this year because asking WHY NOT is harder when you have a husband and three children. Some people forget what that phrase even means after they have kids and turn from the life of the party into the plainest vanilla in the room. I won't be that gal! <br />
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Thankfully, I've already started on this goal. I took a class, for credit, at our excellent local community college just for fun. We painted our family mottos on the living room wall. I bought really big weird glasses that are purple in the sunshine. I slurped down raw oysters for the first time, one of the few foods I had been afraid of. I started using butter on everything. Maybe that last one doesn't count. But I shall stop asking WHY and starting declaring WHY NOT! I will say YES more. I will care even less if someone thinks what I'm doing is weird. In fact, the weirder, the awesomer! <br />
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2) Speaking of awesome, I'm going to start a motorcycle club. Ryan and I have been watching Sons of Anarchy, and I realized, in the fashion of WHY NOT, I needed to head up a group of motorcycle gangsters. What will my group of badasses look like? I do know there will be leather. Oh yes, leather. I'm thinking chaps, low-cut t-shirts, tattoos everywhere. Some brawls in the backyard, a few prospects to torment (wax my floors, pond scum!), and wild raucous parties that end in a happy naked pile. I will tell you what there won't be: motorcycles. I hate the things. But I feel I can't be a gangster without calling my club a motorcycle gang. Maybe I'll put a few photos of motorcycles up on the wall of our "chapel", which will be in the kids' playhouse out back. <br />
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The name? Bitches that Read. I really wanted it to be Bitches That Read, Write, and Cook in a Generally Awesome Way, but that doesn't roll off the tongue too well. I'm not sure when or if we'll ever meet, but know that I'm an official BTR badass and that you had better pay me the respect I (think I) deserve. In fact, if you ever see me, you'd better run up and bump my belly with yours. I've always wanted to greet people that way, and now that I have a motorcycle club, I can do it!<br />
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If you wanna join, send me 500 words on whether I should ever tell my kids that rather than prepare for an essay exam on Virginia Woolf's <u>To the Lighthouse</u> in high school, I watched a Green Acres marathon, showed up to class without having read one word of it (and no Cliffsnotes either), read half of it during the exam, and managed to eek out a B. I mean, that's pretty much the most badass thing I've ever done, and I gotta show my kids I'm more than just a really hot mom. I'm a GANGSTER, dammit!<br />
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3) I'm going to practice the art of brevity.<br />
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I'm out, y'all. I gotta go shine my van and oil the stand mixer. Happy New Year!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-34412329977810834722013-12-24T09:27:00.000-06:002013-12-24T09:27:05.311-06:00Our 2013 Christmas LetterDear friends, enemies, and borderline apathetic observers,<br />
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It's Christmas time again, so let's take a look at the past year. Be prepared for loads of humble bragging and inappropriately intimate confessions, especially concerning our digestive health.<br />
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First, I'd like to let you in on a free secret, mainly because I read that offering something free will someday lead to you paying me and I only do things on here for money. Next time you make meatloaf, consider eliminating the ketchup and putting in parmesan cheese and finely chopped nuts (I've use walnuts, pecans, or almonds). Damn, it's good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're starting to like jewelry around here.</td></tr>
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But let's get to the meaty stuff, none of which you've heard before, I promise. Ryan started a new job as well as grad school, Katie began kindergarten at the "poor, scary school", Winslow has begun indoctrination at preschool, Drew still hates school, and I took a chemistry class for no good reason. We got new windows and siding thanks to a HUD program, gave the girls our big bedroom, made the bathroom better than terrible, painted the kitchen cabinets, resurfaced our driveway, and upgraded our electrical panel for the second time in 2 years. The basement flooded, the pipes froze, the main breaker overheated several times, and a big branch dented our van's hood. Speaking of trees, we cut down five more trees and harvested 6 whole Rainier cherries. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look, I got paper for Christmas!</td></tr>
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We binge-viewed The West Wing, Fringe, Sherlock, House of Cards, and Orange is the New Black, among other shows, and Ryan's netbook finally gave up. The kids spent over 4 weeks in Georgia, some with me, some without, we all made it down to New Orleans, and Ryan and I had a great vacation to the Caribbean. We grew loads of tomatoes and even a few watermelons. And to top that off, the cat did his job and recently caught a mouse. <br />
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We're still pretty broke (see: tree removal), I still have a book I wrote sitting in a drawer (possibly for eternity), and Ryan still doesn't trim his beard often enough, but I'd say it's been a pretty good year. Low expectations, people, make all the difference!<br />
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Merry Christmas and everything else so you're not offended,<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Kiefers</b></span><br />
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P.S. And here's a bonus! Because I love you!<br />
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Have you always wanted to know how to eat Brussels sprouts with gagging? Well, have I got a recipe for you.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the sprouts in half and toss in olive oil and lots of salt. Roast for 15-20 minutes depending on your taste for brown goodness. If you really want a religious experience, brown some butter on the stove, add a little balsamic, and then pour the mixture over the roasted sprouts. Eat them all. <br />
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Merry Christmas!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-37133598237753888002013-12-06T08:38:00.000-06:002013-12-06T08:38:07.072-06:00Cold RemediesIt's cold around here these days. Unseasonably cold, actually. And I don't know about you, but my insides are screaming two things: 1) Warm me up and 2) Please feed me vegetable matter. No, not that ice cream, which is a vegetable in your little fantasy world, but real, fiber-laden vegetables.<br />
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So I gathered all the vegetables in the house and got to work.<br />
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I had three shades of bell pepper (although not green, thankfully), onions, carrots, and kale. I sauteed them with salt and pepper until soft. I threw in some leftover homemade salsa and some canned tomato sauce (crushed tomatoes would've been great, as would fresh). Lots of chili powder and some paprika. This whole process took 45 minutes, although most of that was unsupervised time while I cracked open a bottle of sparkling wine.</div>
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I poured the mixture into a 9x13 casserole and made 6 divots in the sauce with a spoon. I cracked an egg into each divot, sprinkled Parmesan as well as cheddar cheese over the eggs, and popped the dish into a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. You could do more or less depending on your oven and your taste for runny yolks.</div>
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Served with Kansas City's Farm to Market Sesame Seed Bread (that's slathered in butter), this dish is delicious and soul-satisfying.<br />
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Other variations: 1) use Cumin, skip the peppers, and serve with feta 2) plop dollops of ricotta into each divot before cracking the eggs* 3) Eat your fiber rich cereal and regret it later with some serious toots<br />
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That dinner gave us the energy to put up the tree. All three chirrens helped this year, so the ornament placement is...interesting, but I prefer interesting to uniform and boring!<br />
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Hope y'all are staying warm.<br />
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*If you want a more precise recipe, start with <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/portuguese-baked-eggs" target="_blank">this one</a> from Bon Appetit. Or <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Eggs-Poached-in-Tomato-Sauce" target="_blank">this Middle Eastern version</a>. We love both.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-1327242994474668602013-12-03T10:04:00.001-06:002013-12-03T10:04:48.170-06:00Food, Family, and more Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last week was a whirlwind of travel as we drove down to New Orleans (14.5 hours in the car), stuffed our faces, did a little sightseeing, and then drove back home (16 hours due to traffic). </div>
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We started Tuesday with a <a href="http://mamasminutia.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-cereal-for-breakfast.html" target="_blank">giant popover</a> that is easy and delicious.<br />
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Then Wednesday we got in the van for the long trek to New Orleans. No changing table at one stop combined with very cold conditions led to this hilarious situation along the way.<br />
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Thanksgiving day, we enjoyed Turducken (which is apparently spelled "Turduchen" by many) with shrimp, mirliton, and ham dressing. Y'all know how I feel about turkey (read: I hate it), but this was delicious. They're a local treat in New Orleans, so you can get them fresh.<br />
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We served the bird(s) with the finest side dish known to man: Le Sueur peas straight out the can. With super buttery mashed potatoes and Sister Schubert rolls, we had a meal meant for kings.<br />
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Sparkling wine to make everyone cheery.<br />
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Ending with <a href="http://www.angelobrocatoicecream.com/products.shtm" target="_blank">Brocato's Spumoni</a>, which is my favoritest ice cream in the whole wide world.<br />
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We pulled a tourist maneuver at <a href="http://www.pecherestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Peche</a> and photographed our beautiful oysters.</div>
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The whole red snapper was delightful. If you go to this new restaurant, which I highly recommend, order the whole fish, which changes daily. You might think, "What the hell do I do with the head?". My friend, you dig around to search for the meat. You don't have to stick the whole head in your mouth, I promise. We picked that baby clean. Anyway, don't go to a seafood restaurant and order the only beef dish on the menu. Pretty please with butter on top.<br />
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Ryan finally got to see the French Quarter, and we got pralines at <a href="http://www.southerncandymakers.com/" target="_blank">Southern Candymakers</a>. The store ain't the prettiest around, but we love the candy. Try the sweet potato variety--it's really spectacular.<br />
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We ended the trip with Ryan looking for PBS. This was his main workout for the trip.<br />
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And this is what we've watched happen over the last 24 hours. Our house is getting there, minute by minute!<br />
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I hope y'all are enjoying the holiday season and avoiding the stampedes at the local Walmarts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-22159863411572310902013-11-23T14:04:00.000-06:002013-11-23T14:04:46.863-06:00Our curb might be more appealing soonFirst, I'd like you to close your eyes. Picture criminally beautiful children wearing faux boho clothing with just the right amount of gray-toned reds and greens. They're doing ironic things like admiring themselves in the mirror or petting chickens (despite the fact their dresses cost at least $200 each). I've taken gorgeous photos of them and posted them for all to see. And tens of thousands of people come to see them.<br />
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Okay, you can open your eyes now. I'm not sure I could build up a huge fan base solely with photos of my chirrens, even though I've seen it done. I would need to lose some weight, dye my hair a brighter color, and wear chic vintage housewifey dresses. And find the beauty in simple things. Of course, I do find beauty in butter, which isn't that complicated, but that genre is filled, too, with pioneering ladies in Oklahoma.<br />
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So what're you left with? Something else awesome! But not quite beautiful...yet.<br />
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Here's some more progress, this time on the back porch. We removed a window and put a coat of paint on the door (with more to come, fyi. You can tell it's not done).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The door is Sherwin Williams "Refuge".</td></tr>
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Here's how it looked before. We had 29 windows in this house, and this north facing one wasn't actually adding much light, so we eliminated it.</div>
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And remember that living room window? </div>
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The awning is now gone, the windows are shiny and wrapped, and the siding...well, it ain't the same either.</div>
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And a little bonus view of the south side of the house. The icy weather has slowed the installation. But I'm loving the new look. Such an improvement! I've had a couple of neighbors thank me. One reminded me they'd been looking at the flaking beige paint on our house for over 20 years.<br />
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I have more to tell you, specifically about what's being done and why (like, why new siding rather than a coat of paint?), but that's for another post. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-32849638368398828632013-11-14T10:16:00.000-06:002013-11-14T10:16:44.037-06:00Magical TransformationsRemember how I said change is a-comin' to The Kiefer Cottage? Well, it's finally underway. Take a look at the wondrous work that's been taking place here. You'll be more amazed if you look at the photos and read along. Out loud. At your desk at high volume.<br />
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BAM!<br />
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We now have a 200 amp, totally up to snuff electrical box. There are no frightening illegal fixtures or junctions anymore. I have been sleeping a lot better since this was done, especially after two electricians who don't know each other told us our box was the worst they had ever seen. These guys aren't 20 year old apprentices, either, so I assume it really was that bad.<br />
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SHAZAAM! <br />
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We have a new front stoop that isn't falling down!<br />
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BOOM SHA BOOM!<br />
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Shiny new windows that operate correctly and actually lock. <br />
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ABRACADABRA! <br />
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A lovely new garage door that isn't rotting!<br />
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ALAKAZAM!<br />
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The awnings are on their way out. The light has been amazing. See how our living room is no longer a cave.<br />
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The only sad thing about this is our pumpkin who just couldn't keep his head up any longer. He'll soon be getting warm in the compost pile and his soul will live on in the garden.<br />
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This is where we started. The siding is getting a face lift in the next week, so more to come!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-89956104146781489602013-10-31T12:56:00.001-05:002013-10-31T13:04:49.411-05:00Bathroom UpdateWe finished this work awhile back, but I kept saying to myself, "Wesley, I'll most likely kill you in the morning" and then the blog post wouldn't get done. <br />
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Our bathroom, when this house was built, was probably quaint and had colored tile midway up the wall. That all changed in the 80s when an oversized jacuzzi tub was put in along with brown flooring, brown 4x4 tiles on the wall, and a vanity that only allowed tiny hineys past it.<br />
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Last year, we switched the vanity out for a small sink, and that worked for awhile. But there was limited storage. We knew we'd be moving the master bedroom downstairs and turning upstairs into a grand bedroom/playroom for the girls eventually...and that time came more quickly than expected. So we needed a tad more storage in the bathroom, just enough to hold my limited toiletries and hairdryer. That meant figuring out a solution right now that wouldn't break the bank of Kiefer.</div>
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Voila!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CYv2G15_dl0/UnKX_3WWD7I/AAAAAAAADBQ/brwpetpRWWc/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CYv2G15_dl0/UnKX_3WWD7I/AAAAAAAADBQ/brwpetpRWWc/s640/IMG_0013.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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There are few vanities small enough for our bathroom, at least in the affordable non-custom price range. It was pretty much this one or another pedestal sink with a shelf. I like hidden storage, so this vanity was it. We bought a darker one and painted it, mainly because I like painted surfaces, the irregularity, the character.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dollhouse toilet adds a great touch, dontcha think?</td></tr>
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We tore out the tub doors and hid everything behind a tall shower curtain.</div>
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It's still kind of stuck in the 80s in this bathroom, but everything's lighter and fresher feeling, I get a little storage, and I don't have to look at those awful tub doors anymore. In a few years, we'll hopefully be able to remodel. This'll do for now.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-81796329411978891542013-10-08T19:00:00.000-05:002013-10-08T19:00:04.913-05:00The Rules of CookingIt's finally cooler, so I can get back into the kitchen and actually use heat without roasting the family. The past few weeks I've been bored and unmotivated, and I figured out that part of my problem was that I hadn't been cooking anything. Too many crockpot meals, cold salads, and tomato sandwiches (what a problem to have, though...everything was delicious). I was missing those hours of simmering, stirring, watching. I even miss the achy back that comes from hours of standing in front of a stove.<br />
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My father has recently become more interested in cooking, and I sent him a copy of one of my favorite cookbooks, Bride and Groom: First and Forever Cookbook. It's basic, has quite a few useful shortcuts, and everything I've made has been delicious. But I've also been thinking about what it takes to become comfortable in the kitchen. How does someone become a good cook? So here are some rules I've devised. <br />
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1) There are very few difficult recipes out there. Souffles and other items that demand a certain texture, maybe. But most dishes, even ones that require lots of time, are just a combination of simple steps. Don't be afraid to try a complex dish.<br />
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2) The first time you make something, it might take double the time estimate. Or triple. Or all day and night.<br />
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3) If you cut the fat, you have to figure out how to make up for it. Apple sauce is just another demon in the form of fructose, so choose your substitutions wisely. On the other hand, most recipes can handle changes, so don't be afraid to try one where you don't have all the ingredients.<br />
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4) If you want your food to taste like a restaurant's, expect to use more seasoning and possibly more fat than usual.<br />
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5) Expect to taste your food so much that you're eating a second dinner during preparation. You can lay off the tasting later, when you're more sure of yourself.<br />
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6) Be prepared for major failures. Always have a backup plan for dinner. Like takeout.<br />
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7) Have a partner in crime, if possible. Chopping onions is the worst for me, so I ask Ryan to do it for me. Because he loves me, he does it, even though it makes him cry, too. A partner is also good for holding heavy pots, stirring risotto, and dishwashing.<br />
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8) Speaking of dishes, try to clean while you cook. This gets easier as you get more experienced. The alternative is to make sure there is always someone else to clean up after you. <br />
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9) Have a few dishes up your sleeve for potlucks or parties. Memorize a couple of recipes for things like chocolate chip cookies or banana bread.<br />
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10) Share recipes. It's a crying shame when someone dies and their recipes die with them. And it's honestly kind of dumb--it's unlikely that the person you share with is going to become world famous for making that chocolate cream pie of yours. Don't hoard joy, y'all. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MAIp1b8_qcs/UlGqTSX8T2I/AAAAAAAAC_8/oxcwqkPZtGs/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MAIp1b8_qcs/UlGqTSX8T2I/AAAAAAAAC_8/oxcwqkPZtGs/s640/IMG_0015.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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11) Realize that the only person you need to please is yourself. There will be people who hate your cooking, no matter how good you think it is. They might even tell you they love it and then run to the bathroom to spit out that last bite while throwing the rest of the dish out the window. Think that's not true? I've seen it happen to other cooks**, so I'm sure it's happened to me. But that's okay. Also expect people to develop sudden allergies and aversions two seconds before you serve them something, and don't be surprised when you see those same people later order a dish similar to what you made before and the aversion has disappeared (this has nothing to do with people who suffer from real allergies, so don't be offended). <br />
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12) Forget the rules. There are none. Except for #11. Anyone who says otherwise is full of malarkey.<br />
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13) One more: Champagne makes almost anything taste better. Oh, bother, I could go on with the rules all day. Guess I'm full of malarkey, too.<br />
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**<span style="font-size: x-small;">I'll never forget watching one of my favorite people politely declare a cupcake was the best ever made and then toss the rest of it in the trash ten seconds later. And that cupcake was made by someone who prided herself on excellent baking skills. In all honesty, that cupcake was terrible.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-60598202693813615152013-10-06T13:17:00.000-05:002013-10-06T13:17:07.281-05:00Kitchen BacksplashYou know how we took out our old kitchen hood and ended up with a hole in the wall? And you know how it's been like that for nigh unto 18 months?<br />
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We've finally remedied that.<br />
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Here's a little progression of our stove area:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Up9d_tY_ZUs/T1Ox2HDqRQI/AAAAAAAAAzM/by-uvSbPc-k/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Up9d_tY_ZUs/T1Ox2HDqRQI/AAAAAAAAAzM/by-uvSbPc-k/s640/IMG_1657.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original Kenmore range circa 1983.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xaovOl_rc2U/T322nmoafGI/AAAAAAAAA5U/mC5_N3ubBpQ/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xaovOl_rc2U/T322nmoafGI/AAAAAAAAA5U/mC5_N3ubBpQ/s640/IMG_2550.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post new range installation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XzWYpGMkmAM/UjXf0R1ZHlI/AAAAAAAAC_I/RS6Q4Kd37qo/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XzWYpGMkmAM/UjXf0R1ZHlI/AAAAAAAAC_I/RS6Q4Kd37qo/s640/IMG_0023.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally! The hole is covered!</td></tr>
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We have spent two years debating what to do about this laminate backsplash. And by we, I mean that *I* have been arguing with myself. Should I demolish it? Should I paint? Tile? </div>
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All three options were problematic. Taking the laminate down would result in having to redo the wall behind it. Our budget doesn't allow for that right now. Painting it would present other challenges, and tile might not stick that well. Plus, I didn't want to labor that hard over this small project, mainly because there shall come a day when we renovate the entire kitchen. </div>
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I had seen this faux tin tile at Home Depot and fixated on it. It's glued onto the wall and costs $20 a sheet. I looked into vintage (and real) tin, but the cost was often exorbitant, and the pieces looked difficult to work with. So faux we went. And I'm very pleased.</div>
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Our biggest challenge was that nothing was square about this space (really? our house is kind of out of whack? who knew??), so there's a bit of stretching and fussing with the trim on the right side of the stove to make up for it. From most angles, though, it looks perfect.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-7075064286831126482013-09-12T13:22:00.003-05:002013-09-12T13:52:13.842-05:00Strawberry Sherbet or The Best Thing I've Made All YearEarlier this year, we bought the ice cream maker attachment for our KitchenAid Mixer.* I had read that many of the cold desserts sold at the grocery store don't qualify as ice cream anymore; they are now labeled "frozen dairy desserts" or something like that. So I decided we could just make our own to avoid additives and weird stuff (FYI: the extra ingredients make it all creamier...ice cream tends to be kind of icy--ironic, huh?--and apparently, the American public demanded a creamy product, so Breyer's and other ice cream makers changed many of their recipes).<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P8TSNmVGuhk/UhAcyl2KYqI/AAAAAAAAC-M/P_-ooCYUAUE/s1600/IMG_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P8TSNmVGuhk/UhAcyl2KYqI/AAAAAAAAC-M/P_-ooCYUAUE/s640/IMG_0245.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bon Appetit magazine had this delightful recipe this summer. It tastes like the season, aided by tart buttermilk.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BnAtsCPmiSU/UhAcy4zFlLI/AAAAAAAAC-Q/_nZqhP7SilE/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BnAtsCPmiSU/UhAcy4zFlLI/AAAAAAAAC-Q/_nZqhP7SilE/s640/IMG_0246.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Roasted Strawberry Sherbet</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 cups strawberries (about 1 lb), cut into pieces</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup sugar</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A dash of vanilla</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1.5 cups buttermilk (the secret ingredient)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/3 cup sour cream</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Pinch of salt</div>
<br />
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine strawberries and sugar in a baking pan (13x9--make sure it has a lip or there'll be a mess). Roast for 20 minutes, until bubbly.**<br />
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Put the strawberry mixture, and the remaining ingredients into a blender, and blend blend blend. Chill the mixture until cold.<br />
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Process the mixture in the ice cream maker according to the directions for your machine. Freeze it afterward to harden it up a bit more. Or eat it soft! It's fabulous.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Worth the money. We bought ours on ebay as a refurb.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">**One note: Because of all the sugar, the roasted mixture will be ultra juicy, not dry like many other roasted foods. Just want to warn you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-90914296793948177632013-08-18T19:00:00.000-05:002013-08-18T19:00:05.303-05:00That's Enough 'Sketti {Homemade Salsa}It's August. That means we have tomatoes that need pickin' every day. It takes me about 10 minutes to dig through all the vines to make sure I didn't miss any hidden fruit, but other than that, the only work this month in the garden requires is figuring out how to actually consume all this tasty goodness. The first few tomatoes of the summer are savored; those picked in the midst of bounty build up in a huge pile until I start giving them away because there is only so much red sauce a family can consume, only so many salads we can enjoy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9NuhtEaHSro/UhAQqoZhDKI/AAAAAAAAC9c/wKMZRPLsq6s/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9NuhtEaHSro/UhAQqoZhDKI/AAAAAAAAC9c/wKMZRPLsq6s/s640/IMG_0236.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Stripey slicing tomatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Last year, I froze about six months worth of tomato sauce. This year, I vowed to try something new. So I ventured into a world of mystery, a rarely trodden path, the previously unknown glory of...salsa. I know, you're shocked, worried, and confused about this. WHY WOULD I MAKE SUCH A THING AS SALSA, which is only good on just about everything, including chips, Americanized Mexican cuisine, breakfast quiche, and almost anything else you can think of (although chocolate pie might be an exception)?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eat me, they called.</td></tr>
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Ryan had tried some homemade salsa at his mother's house this past spring, so we asked for the recipe. We made a few changes. So you don't sue me or hold me responsible for some problem: Make changes at your own risk. If you're doing this for shelf-stable canning, process this recipe appropriately (with enough acid, for instance). Botulism is dangerous and real, so everything should be immaculate and carefully handled.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qh5WhcJBHrc/UhAQq2S-WMI/AAAAAAAAC9k/1fzmpwiQi5c/s1600/IMG_0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qh5WhcJBHrc/UhAQq2S-WMI/AAAAAAAAC9k/1fzmpwiQi5c/s640/IMG_0239.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Okay, that said, we didn't make this for canning. I figured we'd eat a hell of a whole lot of it and freeze some, too. If freezing changes the texture for the worse, we can always throw the sauce into soup or chili or something. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjsTPeEZLg8/UhAQq8pmSqI/AAAAAAAAC9g/RgID2wt9dEQ/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjsTPeEZLg8/UhAQq8pmSqI/AAAAAAAAC9g/RgID2wt9dEQ/s640/IMG_0238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We calculated that it cost us $5 to make ten cups or so of salsa. A bargain for deliciousness!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure there's a great way to photograph salsa, but this'll have to do.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Wonderful Salsa</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped, and drained (peeling optional. I didn't do this)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2.5 cups chopped onions</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1.5 cups green peppers</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup chopped jalapeno</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 chopped garlic cloves</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 tsp cumin</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 tsp pepper</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/8 cup sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/3 c vinegar </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 15oz can tomato sauce</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 12oz can tomato paste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cilantro (optional)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Juice of 1 lime (optional)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Salt to taste</div>
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1. Mix all the ingredients in the pot (wait on the salt, cilantro, and lime juice if you like). Bring to a slow boil and cook for 20 minutes.<br />
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2. Season to taste. This is where I added the salt, cilantro, and lime juice until I was happy. You can stop here if you like chunky salsa.<br />
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3. Let the salsa cool a little and then puree in the blender. Be careful if it's hot--it could make a serious mess! I put a towel over the lid of the blender and held it down.<br />
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4. Eat it. Share it. Enjoy it. Refrigerate leftovers. I'm freezing some, too.<br />
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The recipe reminds me very much of restaurant salsa--fresh tasting, but heavier and, to me, more flavorful than raw salsa. Tastes a lot like Ponak's (the home of the glorious Sonoran Taco and the best margarita ever made), which is one of my favorites. <br />
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Next year, I might try drying tomatoes or making tomato leather or poaching them in oil! But that's a bit too adventurous for 2013. Salsa'll do.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-13262965594170772392013-08-14T14:35:00.000-05:002013-08-14T14:35:15.763-05:00August This and That<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Summer is over. The vacation part, at least.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-btQdpNFxfSM/UgvZgqdvhSI/AAAAAAAAC8s/GhYPxunAnhw/s1600/IMG_0229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-btQdpNFxfSM/UgvZgqdvhSI/AAAAAAAAC8s/GhYPxunAnhw/s640/IMG_0229.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German Johnson Heirloom.</td></tr>
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The tomatoes have arrived in droves, with all their colorful variations.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OHBZy0E_SBQ/UgvZN-dp-QI/AAAAAAAAC8k/W77ugJdCcNg/s1600/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OHBZy0E_SBQ/UgvZN-dp-QI/AAAAAAAAC8k/W77ugJdCcNg/s640/IMG_0231.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Katie has started kindergarten.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3r7KVAQiK2g/UgvZN-BB88I/AAAAAAAAC8c/IFciMtwgxkc/s1600/IMG_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3r7KVAQiK2g/UgvZN-BB88I/AAAAAAAAC8c/IFciMtwgxkc/s640/IMG_0233.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The kitchen cabinets are about 60% finished.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itBpwD9-XUY/Ugvacy2b5jI/AAAAAAAAC9E/EPDvqD75m2c/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itBpwD9-XUY/Ugvacy2b5jI/AAAAAAAAC9E/EPDvqD75m2c/s640/IMG_0234.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Our experimental tomato patch is hugging the makeshift tower.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9YbzTMK22PI/UgvactvnX2I/AAAAAAAAC88/T9lHHC_WJ9w/s1600/IMG_0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9YbzTMK22PI/UgvactvnX2I/AAAAAAAAC88/T9lHHC_WJ9w/s640/IMG_0235.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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And the late bloomers are finally getting started on their fruit.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2UfCD6OH3Yo/UgvbDrIu3EI/AAAAAAAAC9M/8Jk5-zftWWk/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2UfCD6OH3Yo/UgvbDrIu3EI/AAAAAAAAC9M/8Jk5-zftWWk/s640/IMG_0215.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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We still have loads of beer left over from our neighborhood happy hour. Stop by and enjoy one with us (although they're not on ice anymore).<br />
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We're finishing the cabinetry in the next week. It's been a slow process, but the results have been satisfying.<br />
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The weather's been cool, unlike any other August in my memory. How's the end of summer treating you?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-31510243220030258292013-08-04T09:51:00.000-05:002013-08-04T09:51:09.387-05:00The Kitchen, again.We've been painting the kitchen cabinets for two weeks. No, it hasn't been non-stop painting. We're doing it in parts, mainly because we don't have the space to pull all the cabinet doors off at once. If you think that's the wrong way to do it, well, I've never liked your haircut. Ever. So there.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c4IRgHhXbAg/Uf5oLfeVWAI/AAAAAAAAC7w/uNm7nglU1uE/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c4IRgHhXbAg/Uf5oLfeVWAI/AAAAAAAAC7w/uNm7nglU1uE/s640/IMG_0222.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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We've been eating dinner in our cramped dining room...as well as on the living room ottoman. I miss my kitchen table.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cLBhGsHdIbw/Uf5oLcjRZZI/AAAAAAAAC70/nxEE9TLSLH0/s1600/IMG_0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cLBhGsHdIbw/Uf5oLcjRZZI/AAAAAAAAC70/nxEE9TLSLH0/s640/IMG_0223.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The tall piece is finished: painted and waxed. We'll hopefully finish this set of white doors in the next couple of days. Then maybe we'll get to the rest of it, if we haven't died of exhaustion first. And what'll we do about that weird space above the cabinetry? Don't ask. I have no clue. Maybe some fake greenery and some roosters? No? Too out there and never done? I'm up for suggestions.<br />
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By the way, we had a great time at our neighborhood happy hour. Even met a few folks we'd never seen before. We also might have tried to flag down people driving by, but for some reason, they wouldn't stop. I also shouted that it was drankin' time and invited anyone who could hear me...called over the guy walking his dog (but he had volleyball practice to get to?? Who the hell plays volleyball in Kansas City?)...tried to send Ryan down the street with a couple of beers to recruit the folks moving in...Anyway, my neighborhood of Neighborville apparently has some folks who don't like being neighborly, but the twenty or so people who came were worth meeting and drinking with, and I'm so glad they took a chance on the weirdo Kiefers. Hopefully we can do it again. Next time, with jugglers, contortionists, elephants, and that guy who sang "Pants on the Ground".</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-31873115164525090852013-07-25T12:52:00.001-05:002013-07-25T12:52:43.652-05:00Neighborhood Happy HourRemember how <a href="http://www.thekiefercottage.com/2012/12/its-that-time-again-2013-resolutions.html" target="_blank">I said I was going to start reaching out</a> to my neighbors more, especially the ones I don't know? Yeah, I've been a bit behind on that. I had great intentions this spring, but the weather was rainy every weekend.<br />
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But this weekend, it's supposed to be a bit cooler than usual, so we're doing it. Invites go out today. We'll have beer and snacks. Maybe some punch because I just love sherbet and ginger ale. If you're a friend in KC, drop by if you'd like! <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 48.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Neighborville</span><span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 72.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sunday
Happy Hour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Let’s be neighborly
this weekend!<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 72.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sunday
July 28, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4pm-6pm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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On the parched front
lawn of Starr and Ryan Kiefer (plus kids Katie, Winslow, and Drew)<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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FAQs:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i>1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;"> </span></i><!--[endif]--><i>But I don’t know my neighbors! Why should I
attend?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Wouldn’t you like to meet more of your
neighbors? We live in Neighborville,
not Everyman-for-himself-ville!<o:p></o:p></div>
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What if you’ve fallen and you can’t get
up? You can’t always call cousin Wilbur
over in Independence to come help—why not call your neighbor instead? <o:p></o:p></div>
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What if you need an extra loaf of tofu, but
your deadbeat friend recently borrowed your car and wrecked it so you can’t get
to the store? Your neighbor might have
tofu!<o:p></o:p></div>
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What if you’ve had a hard day and need
someone to listen to your travails, and your partner doesn’t want to hear one
more gripe about it? Go unload on your
newly befriended neighbor!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i>2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;"> </span></i><!--[endif]--><i>I still don’t understand why I should come.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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There will be food and drink. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><i>3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal;"> </span></i><!--[endif]--><i>Did you invite me so you can sell Amway
products? <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I solemnly swear this is not a sales party
disguised as pure fun. It’s just fun, y’all.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-71858755079461477382013-07-17T07:49:00.000-05:002013-07-17T07:49:29.580-05:00How to Have It All At the Same TimeI'm going to share a huge DIY secret today. And it is going to blow your mind, infinity times infinity style.<br />
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Do you wanna get it all done? And by all, I actually mean *everything*!? Here's a step-by-step tutorial:<br />
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1) Plan a trip to visit family. Tell hubby he's staying at home rather than joining you.<br />
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2) Go enjoy your time in Georgia, savoring the cuddles with cousins, field trips to the <a href="http://www.therockranch.com/" target="_blank">Rock Ranch</a>, sessions at the Chuck E. Cheese, happy hours with old friends, trips to the ER for your poor son, momentarily forgetting that you have a loved one 850 miles away...<br />
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3) Make it home in one piece (despite the injured son).<br />
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4) Realize that YES, you do have it all. Be inspired by the awesomeness!<br />
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A clean side yard, less lots of junk and one dying cherry tree!<br />
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A new black-top on the driveway!<br />
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(Free) Granite staged for a patio!</div>
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More wild flowers in bloom!</div>
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Finally, a squash on the mystery vine!</div>
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Sunflowers ready to bloom!</div>
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Peppers, tomatoes, melons!* </div>
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And who made it all happen? Was it me, the mom who has it all? Nope, it was Ryan.<br />
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See? It's easy to have it all! Leave for awhile, and it all magically happens! <br />
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*<span style="font-size: x-small;">Having it all also means you can use exclamation points with abandon.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-92226708183194467282013-07-11T16:05:00.002-05:002013-07-11T16:05:35.095-05:00The Truth about 7-11Today is my 33rd birthday. I forgive you for not making a note about it last year so you could send me an awesome present. Just make sure you don't forget in 2014 or else I'll hold a grudge forever. But the only present on my list is <a href="http://www.authenticireland.com/ireland-travel-packages/" target="_blank">this</a>. Anything less will be rejected, 'k?<br />
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I'm still in Georgia visiting family with the kids. I'm five pounds heavier than 10 days ago, and I might be eating a cookie right now (obviously those two things are not related). And since I'm letting you in on all these secrets, I might as well bust a few myths about The Kiefer Cottage. Things that have been keeping you up at night.<br />
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Myth #1: We are a very busy family.<br />
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Truth: We are a very un-busy family. I may be loud and opinionated and seem to be high energy, but I really like my down time. Leaving the house at 8am to cart the kids from activity to activity only to return home at 8pm is not my idea of fulfillment. It's not because I'm a simpleminded fool who doesn't crave intellectual stimulation, but because I can get what I need without being out and about all the time. I really prefer high quality fun (fine dining, for instance) with plenty of recovery time in between. I love reading, which, ahem, is a real hobby, people, but I can stay home for that. And you know how much crafting I do (none).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Busy" loving baby cousins, perhaps.</td></tr>
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Katie did take ballet once per week this past spring, but you won't see us at sports activities, kiddie gym, art class, baby meditation, youngster's origami, or advanced potty training coaching sessions. As the children enter school, you might think the calendar will fill up, but I am an ace at saying No. Anyway, since being a know-it-all doesn't pay very well, we can afford to try everything, just not all at once. Well, maybe not everything. I'm okay with the kids forgoing pilot training, although I would absolutely adore it if they took up kitchen remodeling or roofing or plumbing or electrician-ing or lawyering. If those classes aren't offered, they should be! And I'm not necessarily talking about 9 to 5 type "work" training--there's plenty of time for that later (in fact, way too much time is devoted to working), but learning a few real skills sounds pretty good to me. The sports field ain't the only place to do it. But that's a whole other myth to bust one day. And if I sign up the kids for those things, I'll just be making us busy, which is the exact opposite of what I want to do. So forget it, enrichment planners, please don't start a kiddie roofing class or else I'll feel inclined to enroll Drew, who is definitely old enough to install shingles.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't swim, and I still poop my pants, but I can re-wire the house, Mom!</td></tr>
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Myth #2: We are insanely attractive.<br />
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Truth: We actually are insanely attractive.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So cute she's almost edible.</td></tr>
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So really, I only had one myth to bust. Happy Birthday to me.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-16653786363815119912013-07-02T12:34:00.000-05:002013-07-02T12:34:10.331-05:00Plane from the Plains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yesterday, the kids and I flew to Georgia to visit family.</div>
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Do not be fooled by that little boy's smile. Only moments earlier, during takeoff, the child was quaking with fear, begging me to tell the plane to land. It's not that he didn't understand what was going on. He actually understood it too well and refused to look out the window. Minutes later, though, he was yelling with joy, "I'm flying, Mommy! Don't tell me to shush! I'm flying!". The poor guys in front of us all ordered cocktails.</div>
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Winslow ate her weight in fruit snacks, but was otherwise well-behaved.<br />
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And Katie was a total angel. I'm sure the guy sitting next to her didn't love having a 5 year old row-mate, but I'm not sure you could ask for better--she's tiny, made no noise, and didn't try to sleep on him. Plus, she had even had a bath the night before! I've had plenty of adults slobber on me and rub their never-been-bathed stench on me. I've wondered if I have a tattoo on my forehead that's visible only to the worst offenders: Please sit next to me. I love stinky pits and death breath!<br />
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The kids are with Ryan's parents right now, so I'm taking the day off at my dad's house, catching up on years of cable television. Sadly, there's a Property Virgins marathon on HGTV, and I've already seen the majority of the episodes, despite the fact I haven't had cable in over two years. Why is it always like that? Only thing worse I can think of would be a House Hunters marathon. Where's Sarah Richardson??? At least the house is stocked with ice cream sandwiches and hard cider. <br />
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Anyway, Happy Fourth of July, people of America. Take full advantage of your God given right to cheap beer, grilled meat, and illegal fireworks. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-30032296790595641922013-06-28T13:16:00.000-05:002013-06-28T13:20:17.477-05:00The School Around the CornerKatie is starting kindergarten in the fall, and she'll be attending the school two blocks from our home. You'd think that wouldn't be a big deal. We live in a swanky school district in one of the wealthiest counties in the country. Median income is very high. We're not in a food desert, but food oasis. Folks are very well educated. Crime is low. And we have great snow removal**! <br />
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But this particular school has a bit of a bad reputation, and many of my neighbors choose not to send their kids there. There are lots of children who qualify for reduced or free lunch, and many are English language learners. The school is Title 1. The police are there all the time. Public beatings? Par for the course. There are drugs put in the food to subdue the riotous population. Test scores are frighteningly terrible. It feeds into an even scarier middle school (our area was gerrymandered into its zone despite the fact we live much closer to a wealthier school).<br />
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Okay, I *might* be exaggerating about a few of those items, but I did hear rumors about the police and drugs. What's funny, though, is that except for one person whose child really did have a hard time, none of the statements were made by people whose kids attend the school, have attended the school, or will ever attend the school. It was mostly "friend of a friend" type stuff, like the kid named Shithead (shuh-theed) everyone seems to know but no one has ever met.<br />
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Rumors in hand, I contacted the PTA co-presidents to hear another side of the story. Both ladies told me how great their experiences have been and welcomed me into the circle of involved parents at the school. I left that encounter resolved to at least give the school a shot, especially since all I saw at the Kindergarten Round-up were parents who were thirsty to dig right in and participate actively in their kids' educations. I mean, I could hear them revving up their helicopter engines and mentally preparing their mile-long lists of sports and activities for their kids (competitive meatball rolling? Check!). If those aren't signs of a great school, I don't know what is.<br />
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Everyone has their own sore points on schooling. Some prefer homogeneity (white, rich, whatever, although many would never admit to that), others want strict academics even for the youngest children, high test scores, award winning sports teams, longer school days, exclusivity, legacy, yoga programs, organic food, language immersion, religious instruction, high hipster quotient, yaddah yaddah yaddah. I only have three main desires: safety, proximity, and mandated recess and free play. Yeah, I said proximity and did not mention achievement. Walking to school has been a fantasy of mine for years, and I love that we're so close, in part to avoid the dreaded carpool line. That might even be the primary reason we're choosing Roesland over the "better" schools further south. If that sounds silly, well, there's a blogger who recently said she limited her family size to two kids in part because it's easier to seat a party of four in a restaurant. Odd reasoning to me, but it works for her, and I don't really think she was joking. Anyway, another thing that I keep thinking about is that our part of the county is hemorrhaging young families--we're at risk of losing our public library branch, city revenue is down due to a large business moving down the street to a different town. We moved here to stay, not to move out after a few years, and I'd like to put some faith in what my city has to offer, including its school.<br />
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I've thought about my own schooling experience, which was a mix of private and public schools. The school I attended for 5th and 6th grade was in Memphis, TN, in a system that has now collapsed (to the horror of the county schools that were forced to merge with it). Urban, kind of poor, ultra diverse, this school was a gem, supported by a very active PTA and some really awesome teachers (including Barbara Knight, who put on the greatest musicals ever. I only remember one "formal" lesson taught by her, and that was when the principal was watching. Otherwise, it was loads of fun. That was the year we also had this crazy substitute teacher who talked a lot about the show All My Children. I have vague memories of this woman also talking about menstruation, and we were all appropriately grossed out and fascinated at the same time). There was a bit of a culture shock, when I showed up on my first day wearing a freshly pressed sailor dress with my hair in braided pigtails--many of my classmates were amazed I didn't own a pair of jeans. The teachers called us by our last names, and the cafeteria food was very different from what I was used to. Despite losing a classmate (5th grade) and a teacher (6th), I count that school as my personal favorite, although the "optional" (similar to "magnet") high school I went to was a close second, both a better match than the private all-girls middle school I attended for the next two years. While our neighborhood school is distinctly suburban, I have a feeling it will be quite similar to the ones I attended (and I really hope there are some fun teachers and even crazy subs). At least, I hope it will be.<br />
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Of course, with the introduction of high stakes testing, school environments are very different from when I was a child. Maybe it'll be a bore for Katie or a social nightmare. Perhaps there will be too much homework assigned or an emphasis on tasks that are a waste of time. I won't know these things until we're there, though. A school is more than its PTA President or its test scores (which are quite good, by the way), and we'll be learning if the culture is a fit. If it's not, there are plenty of other public schools around (although they are a little homogeneous for my taste), and we could try out a private school since we would probably qualify for financial aid. And there's always homeschooling--eeek! Don't give me the usual arguments against it. Some of the weirdest people I know are products of public or private schools, including yours truly. We have a huge secular homeschooling population 'round here, so there's plenty of socialization.<br />
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Whatever happens, we're blessed to live in an area where we're choosing between good and (possibly) better, not scary and struggling. All the schools are accredited, and the facilities are beautifully well-maintained. Even though we have a very tight budget, my family benefits from a lot of privilege and flexibility since I'm at home with the kids. My children will enter school with great vocabularies and full bellies. And their momma is a certified pain in the ass. They will be just fine. Better than fine, in fact.<br />
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**<span style="font-size: x-small;">I didn't appreciate that until I moved to Kansas City, where it does actually snow rather than like in the South, where we had pretend snow, accumulating a centimeter and throwing the entire space-time continuum into a singularity vortex composed of empty bread shelves and hundreds of wrecked 4WD SUVs.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-76061443022800201772013-06-21T10:21:00.000-05:002013-06-21T10:21:51.907-05:00You Rebel, YouI don't follow rules in the garden. I ignore recommendations for spacing, I don't use sprays (organic or not), I water when I feel like it. <br />
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Most of the time it works, like my lovely dead tree planters.</div>
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My willingness to welcome garden volunteers has brought a few nice surprises.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteer from the compost. Maybe a pumpkin? Not sure, but I'm keeping it.</td></tr>
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Appreciation for quirky rather than conventional garden tools.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaning tower of tomatoes. These were 33 cent seedlings I bought late in May, so they're a little behind. Do you like our makeshift support system?</td></tr>
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Planting outside the normal growing seasons...<br />
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The giant sunflower is the result of two seeds Katie planted in January. They popped up and survived a ton of snow and freezing temps, although their growth was stunted until a few weeks ago. The corn and other sunflowers have to catch up.<br />
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But sometimes I take risks that maybe aren't the smartest. </div>
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Yes, I planted tomatoes in the same place as last year. Why? Because the spot I had chosen for 2013 is very close to the house, and we're crossing our fingers for some work to be done there. I'd rather sacrifice the sunflowers than tomatoes.</div>
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What are the risks? Disease and pests might have settled in last season. We've already dealt with blight from all the wet conditions in late spring, so it turns out the "danger" was real. However, I've just harvested a few small tomatoes, so maybe we'll be all right. I made sure to plant both hybrid and heirloom varieties in hopes of tricking the bad bugs of summer.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Our first tomato along with tiny carrots.<br />
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I think the yard keeps getting better and better...and more eclectic despite my urge to buck the rules. Will I have a crop to rival the success of 2012? Who cares?!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-85769234554469520742013-06-20T20:17:00.004-05:002013-06-20T20:17:37.244-05:00Sour Cherry Cobbler: Ask, and You Shall ReceiveI have a neighbor with lovely fruit trees, and this year, her cherry tree has a bumper crop. I walk by each day on the way to the school (they've been serving a hot lunch for the kids there), hoping to build up the courage to knock on the gal's door and ask if I can pick some. <br />
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Today, I got my wish. I walked by and noticed a woman walking her dog--I asked if she lived in the house, and she said her daughter does. I complimented the beautiful tree, and guess what? She said we could pick as many as we'd like, especially since her daughter doesn't really bake. I didn't even have to ask. <br />
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So rather than sweating and wilting in the heat, I sent Ryan over to pick some fruit. I mean, it's really because he's the one who loves sour cherries, not because I'm lazy or anything. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo does not do the cherries justice. They were blood red.</td></tr>
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He requested cobbler. Since I had asked the universe for cherries and I got 'em without much effort at all, it seemed fair that I would make this guy a delicious dessert. Of course, when I say "I", I actually mean, he pitted the cherries and helped me put this together. <br />
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The following recipe is still quite tart--Ryan and I loved it that way because the cherry taste was intoxicating, even if our lips puckered a bit. And it's also kind of runny, but that could be our fault from not drying the cherries enough after washing them. Texture aside, this dish was delicious. The cherriest cherry dessert I've ever eaten. In fact, if you had asked me yesterday if I liked sour cherries, I would've said no. But right-off-the-tree...wow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whipped cream takes this dessert to another plane of yumminess.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cherry Cobbler</span></b></div>
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6 cups pitted tart cherries</div>
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1 cup sugar</div>
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1/4 cup water</div>
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4 tsp corn starch</div>
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<b>Topping</b>:</div>
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1 cup flour</div>
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1/4 cup sugar</div>
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1 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp cinnamon</div>
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3 T butter</div>
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1 egg beaten</div>
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3 T milk</div>
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Cook the cherries and next three ingredients in a sauce pan until bubbly and thickened a bit. While that's cooking, mix up the first four ingredients of the topping. Add in the butter and mix together with your hands (or cut it in). In a separate bowl, mix the milk and egg together. Add that to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. <br />
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Pour the cherries into an 8x8 pan or a round pan close to that size. Spoon the topping onto the cherries. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.<br />
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Cool and serve. Try to hold back from going straight to the neighbor's yard again to pick more cherries.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4790121510339399973.post-75066192466618971172013-06-16T08:40:00.000-05:002013-06-16T08:40:07.872-05:00The Coolest Dad on EarthHappy Father's Day to the few dudes who stop by here. Ryan's off enjoying a motorcycle safety course today, and the kids and I are waiting on the grass to dry off a bit.<br />
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Did you hear Ryan's good news? He'll be starting a new job, I mean, *career* next week. After eight years in technical writing, he's making a move into IT. And he was recently accepted in the Master of Science in IT at University of Kansas, starting in the fall. He's thrilled, I'm thrilled, the kids are unimpressed. Only downside is that explaining his job will be a tad more complex now. Rather than being able to point to an owner's manual as an example of his work, he'll have to make weird Matrix references and throw in a few opaque acronyms that will confound more than explain. Personally, I have no idea what he'll be doing now, although I've heard the word "Linux" thrown in. That'll have to do for now. (As a side note, I've been reading the Hyperion series, and perhaps I'll just tell everyone Ryan's part of the TechnoCore. Or maybe he's a Cybrid? Shoo, at least he's not the Shrike.)<br />
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Anywho...We are proud of you, Ryan! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2