alex and andrea

seriously, my jaw just dropped

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:02:00 +0000

In my last post I mentioned that Alex and I were heading back to Dr. Erickson at the Center for Reproduction and we were very excited to start “trying” for a baby again.

I have to update this here because I can still hardly believe it. I am NOT pregnant…yet. Just thought I’d get that out of the way in case you were anxiously awaiting that news.

On our other blog I wrote about a drug that I’ve been on for the past 3 months called Metformin. You can read about that here. Well today, because I’ve been patiently waiting for my period to come again and it’s currently day 40, I went in per my Doctor’s instructions to have a pregnancy test done and for them to check my progesterone levels. Basically your progesterone level shows whether you ovulated or not. If I didn’t ovulate and my pregnancy test was negative, they would start me on Provera to basically induce a period so we could start our next Femara cycle.

The pregnancy test was negative which I was 99% sure would be right. I’ve been charting on and off and didn’t think I ovulated so when I listened to the message and heard the nurse say…”You’re progesterone levels were 14 which means you DID OVULATE” I nearly fell off my chair.

In fact my eyes welled up with tears and I texted Alex a shortened version of all that while he sits in his Real Estate class and I said thank you Lord. He said “CRAZY!”

I don’t know the last time that ever happened on its own. I’m so thankful. Just thought you might want to know.

Funny the things that bring a smile to our faces these days!

ugh.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:51:00 +0000

Been awhile since I've posted over here! Oops!

This March we've been busy doing these things:

1. Scouting out potential neighborhoods for foreclosures. Though we signed another 10 month lease we are hoping to buy a house by the time our next lease runs out or right before. So far we've narrowed it down to somewhere near a body of water I can walk around, ideally right around where we are now...unfortunately all the houses are out of our price range. It feels horrible to wish for a foreclosure to pop up.

2. Going to Movies. These in particular: Lincoln Lawyer, King's Speech, Unknown, The Fighter, & True Grit. There are still so many I want to see.

3. Dreaming of babies. We're headed back to the Dr. in April after seeing some progress with the help of Metformin. This is a pretty big leap for us.

4. Running. Well I have. Alex *hates* running, loathes is probably a better description. It's been good. I'm up to 4 miles which is pretty good for this point and I'm signed up for a half marathon in July.

5. Meeting with my Grad School advisor at the UofMN. I'll be enrolling in a class for May session to slowly but surely attempt to complete my degree. Not sure what will happen but excited to take some steps of faith here.

6. Jumping up and Down. After seeing South Face on the cover of this month's remodel section of Mpls/St. Paul Magazine. We are pretty excited and just launched a small scale marketing campaign sending out the mag to get friends, family, and past clients hopefully excited to pass on our name!

7. Dreaming of Golf. This is what Alex has been doing. He's hoping in less than 2 weeks that he will be able to play somewhere in MN. I'm thinking he will be able to but until then the Golf channel has been on in full force getting his mind focused.

8. Spending time with family. My parents came up last weekend and my nephews and niece are coming this weekend with my mom and sister-in-law. So excited for them to come!

9. Massages and Haircuts. 2 weeks ago we spent the day getting pampered and most of you saw the results of that day. Almost 6 inches getting cut off my hair. Quite a new experience.

10. Craigslist selling/Home sprucing. Alex has been on a rampage to try and rid our home of things we don't need. In all of our selling we were able to downsize our storage unit not only saving us money but decreasing the amount of work it will take to move everything next year. Sounds good to me!

That's it. Not much, but busy it seems.

What have you been up to?

friday funny

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Can I just share with you a cute story regarding Alex.

As we speak he is off skiing Steamboat. Yup, he’s off in Colorado living it up with his buddies on the annual all-boy trip. I don’t mind at all. In fact, I actually encourage it. I love spending time with my girlfriends and we chat, go deeper, talk about life, etc. Guys on the other hand, it’s more shoulder to shoulder. So if I can encourage my husband to go off somewhere where maybe the conversation in the hot tub might get past the latest sports phenomenon and youTube video, then I’m all for it.

Also, I should probably mention that I am also a wife that doesn’t mind not hearing from her husband while he is away. I love him more than ever, but I don’t fret if we don’t chat every day or multiple times a day. The second year we were married I realized just what that was like when I headed to Duluth with another one of the wives. Her husband texted her multiple times a day, in fact I learned more about the trip through her than through Alex. But that’s ok. I figure if I don’t hear from him, he’s having fun. Even if he gets hurt. Yup, that was a different year. I found out he injured his heels quite badly and had to be pushed through the airport in a wheelchair when I picked him up at the airport and he mentioned…”we may have to head to the ER right now.” Yum, yeah.

So you might wonder where the story is. Well this morning I received a text:.

.”Did you pack my ski pants?”

Yes, that’s right I pack his bag. Again, I’d rather ensure he have everything than forget something. I had to laugh because I had mentioned multiple times before he left that his pants were in with his skis.

I texted back “they’re in your ski bag.”

No response. So I called. He picked up before the first ring.

"Were they in your ski bag?”

“No, are you sure you packed them?”

“Yes, I put them in with your skis.”

“Oh, there they are. I thought you were talking about my boot bag.”

Yum, yeah. Seriously. Hilarious to me the wife, maybe not to you. So there you go, a cute, quirky, kinda funny moment straight from our house.

So, signing off for the day.

I’m off to live up my “singleness” :)

happy birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:21:00 +0000

Today is my amazing hubby's birthday. He's 32.

I did what any good wife would...allowed him to plan his day and went along with it. So we headed to the club to hit golf balls in the golf simulator, went to lunch, picked up all sorts of sugary candy at the store and headed home for some movie time.

I feel so lucky to be married so such a great man. Not only does he encourage me daily and boost my self esteem, but he often tells me I'm gorgeous, he still loves to hold my hand and be goofy with me, and most of all he makes me a better person, daily. Minute by minute, I'm being sanctified through my marriage and he makes sanctification not so difficult, most of the time!

So here's to my amazing, gorgeous, fun loving, tender hearted, strong and solid, jesus loving, faithful, selfless, leader of a husband.

Happy Birthday Baby!

you're the best blessing I have.

For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:15:00 +0000

Here's the long awaited list of things for sale:

Nathan Waist pack

Kelty Bag

wool jute rug, pottery barn

pottery barn matine toile in sprout green headboard slipcover and bedskirt twin

view of twin bed with slipcover

wicker chest

queen pottery barn plaid comforter cover and 2 shams

chocolate brown Target Home queen quilt and 2 shams

Hurricanes from Target

TV mount

Huge cooler

wicker chest

pic of the jute rug and selling the entertainment center


bedding on king bed (dust ruffle, blanket, gray quilted blanket/shams)

sailing pics

green subway tile

pictures above the couch

drill set

waiders

vhs player

wet suit

also a target dresser in the same coloring as the entertainment center above (in really good condition)

if anything catches your eye just let me know:)

Happy Birthday to this guy...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:06:00 +0000

He turned 9 yesterday...wish I were there.

happy birthday to a sweet, funny and stellar young kid.

Liam, you're my favorite 9 year old.

#14

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:46:00 +0000

You may remember that I christened my 30th year with a list of 30 things I wanted to accomplish. I've been making a bit of progress on the list (head here to see) and I'm very excited to announce that #14 has been crossed off the list.

What's #14? Well, it was to start a new blog. Many reasons behind this. Although I advertise my blog via facebook (amongst "friends") I've never really felt comfortable commenting on many of the blogs out there, though I *REALLY* want too. Something about keeping some of our private life well a little more private.

So I've been dreaming of a new blog. A place to not only share parts of our life, but things on biblical womanhood, DIY projects, food, and my favorite things. I've tried food blogging and I've tried the personal route. The food blog (Blissful Bounty) I will not be posting on anymore. I'm not sure I will delete it until I can archive it somehow, but as far as this blog. This one I will continue to update, although maybe just 1x/week or even less than that. My goal is 2x/month and it will mainly be life things, pictures of family, etc. So please continue to follow along, I love having you here:)

But because I would love to expand my blog to be comfortable with many more people reading it, I chose to start a new one!

Here she is. Please visit:)

Caps for Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:48:00 +0000

Eerrgh. I *WISH* we had caps for sale. That seems easier! Instead we have half of a storage unit up for grabs.

Others may think we are a little hasty or spontaneous about purging our goods, but we happen to think we are just less attached and by the way, purging feels really good. No not that kind of purging, the *getting rid of excess stuff kind of purging!

We’ve been thinking over our future lately, how long we will rent, when we will purchase our next home, and the absurd amount of money we pay to keep our things locked up across the highway. It’s actually not that absurd, but still if we can save a little by downsizing our unit, then it’s cash in hand.

So this past weekend we put our thoughts into action. Only problem we didn’t have a plan in place. We just sauntered over to our unit, gasped in horror as to how much was actually in there, took almost everything out and then stared at each other. Um…we need a plan.

We had furniture and goods for Goodwill, we had boxes to sort through, and plenty of tools to open a small hardware store. So we rented a truck right there on the spot and got to moving. Oh, and it felt so good to rid ourselves of so much stuff.

Our plan by the way was focused around the future. We don’t know where we will end up but we are certain, in our frugal minds, that we will end up in a smaller starter home sometime in the next 5 years. At the end of the day, we’d rather save and save until we can BUILD the house we really want. That or renovate the perfect house. Whichever one comes first. To be honest, we're just really waiting until we can attain a mortgage for the same amount we are spending on rent and we spend peanuts on rent. We'd also like to have money to run the company and invest in rental property. We could be in a house now, but wouldn't as easily be able to BOTH of the other things. Right now, we want the other things more, that and Alex has a view on when the housing market will hit bottom and his estimation is not for awhile.

So back to the caps or in our case stuff. I’ll post a list later today with all the items and their cost before everything goes on craigslist in case anyone is interested.

One valuable lesson we learned, it doesn’t take a lot to make us happy and content and for that we are eternally grateful.

Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:46:00 +0000

OH my! These are so yummy.

This year for Christmas day we did something a little different. We had an appetizer party, meaning everyone brought appetizers and then we just ate all afternoon. My kind of party!

In the past I have made pretzel rolls, which are amazing as well, because Alex loves soft baked pretzels. In fact, our freezer is rarely without Soft Pretzels…the ones in the freezer section of the grocery, Superpretzel brand. So this year I decided to try these, not only because we had everything to make them but also because I was sure they would be a hit. In the end I filled about 2/3 with ham and cheese and then left the other 1/3 filling free.

Again they were delicious and what’s even better it was probably one of the easiest bread dough’s to work with. And the biggest bonus, all 3 kids gobbled them up!

Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites
(yields at least 48)

Ingredients:
For the dough:
1½ tsp. instant yeast
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
¼ cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
2½-3 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
½ cup small diced ham
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

To finish:
6 cups water
4 tsp. baking soda
Kosher salt (or pretzel salt), for topping

Directions:
To make the dough, combine the yeast, brown sugar, water, milk, and 2½ cups of flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until a dough has formed. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until a soft, elastic dough forms. Add the remaining flour a 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the dough is tacky but not sticky.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, until the dough has doubled in size and bubbles on the surface, about 1½ to 2 hours.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Stretch or roll one piece of the dough into a 12 x 4-inch rectangle. Sprinkle some of the diced ham and the shredded cheese over one third of the dough closest to an edge, lengthwise. Roll up tightly, filling edge first, so that the filling is tightly sealed inside. Slice the log into 12 pieces and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Repeat with the remaining 3 portions of dough, and the remaining filling.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Bring the 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Boil the pretzels in batches, cooking for about 20 seconds and turning once. They should be slightly puffed. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to transfer them back to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.

Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Source: adapted from Annies Eats, originally from Gourmet, October 2009

Afraid much?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:47:00 +0000

How do you combat fear?

Homemade Bagels

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Sometimes we run out of things to eat.

That’s what happened over the past week. With the cereal gone and oatmeal growing all the more mundane, it was time for something new.

And I really didn’t want to go grocery shopping. Sometimes I look in our pantry and I’m overwhelmed with all the food that is in there. But there is a problem. Alex would say all the food is not really food, but ingredients that must be made into some sort of edible goodness.

So I made bagels. I’ve never made them before and yes, they can be a little time consuming. But I had the time. As well as loads of flour and dried cranberries, thanks to Costco. So bagels became reality.

I know many won’t want to take on this endeavor. But if you do, I can tell you it is so worth it. These are so delicious and made for a very yummy New Year’s eve breakfast.

Homemade Bagels
Yield: 14

Ingredients:
For the sponge:
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
4 cups (18 ounces) bread flour
2 ½ cups (20 ounces) water, at room temperature

For the dough:
½ teaspoon (.055 ounces) instant yeast
3 ¾ cups (17 ounces)bread flour
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
5 tbsp. sugar
2 ¾ teaspoons (.7 ounce) salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups loosely packed dried cranberries

To finish:
1 tablespoon baking soda
cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting

Directions:
1. To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the water, whisking or stirring only until it forms a smooth, sticky batter (like pancake batter). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the mixture becomes very foamy and bubbly. It should swell to nearly double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop.

2. To make the dough, in the same mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), add the additional yeast to the sponge and stir. Then add 3 cups of the flour, cinnamon, sugar, salt and malt. Stir (or mix on low speed with the dough hook) until the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining ¾ cup flour to stiffen the dough. In the last couple minutes of mixing, add the raisins. You may need to add a bit more flour at this point, due to any extra moisture that was added with the raisins.

3. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for at least 10 minutes (or for 6 minutes by machine). The dough should be firm, stiffer than French bread dough, but still pliable and smooth. There should be no raw flour – all the ingredients should be hydrated. The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 81 degrees F. If the dough seems dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading. If the dough seems tacky or sticky, add more flour to achiever the stiffness required. The kneaded dough should feels satiny and pliable but not be tacky.

4. Immediately divide the dough into equal sized, 4 ½-ounce pieces for standard bagels, or smaller if desired. Form the pieces into rolls.

5. Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for approximately 20 minutes.

6. Line two sheet pans with baking parchment and mist lightly with spray oil. Proceed with shaping the bagels by pushing a hole through the center and stretching out the hole to 2 ½ inches in diameter.

7. Place each of the shaped pieces 2 inches apart on the pan. Mist the bagels very lightly with the spray oil and slip each pan into a food-grade plastic bag, or cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the pans sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

8. Check to see if the bagels are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator by using the “float test”. Fill a small bowl with cool or room-temperature water. The bagels are ready to be retarded when they float within 10 seconds of being dropped into the water. Take one bagel and test it. If it floats, immediately return the tester bagel to the pan, pat it dry, cover the pan, and place it in the refrigerator overnight (it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days). If the bagel does not float, return it to the pan and continue to proof the dough at room temperature, checking back every 10 to 20 minutes or so until a tester floats. The time needed to accomplish the float will vary, depending on the ambient temperature and the stiffness of the dough.

9. The following day (or when you are ready to bake the bagels), preheat the oven to 500° F with the two racks set in the middle of the oven. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (the wider the pot the better), and add the baking soda. Have a slotted spoon or skimmer nearby.

10. Remove the bagels from the refrigerator and gently drop them into the water, boiling only as many comfortably fit (they should float within 10 seconds). After 1 minute flip them over and boil another minute. If you like very chewy bagels, you can extend the boiling to 2 minutes per side. While the bagels are boiling, sprinkle the same parchment-line sheet pans with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you decided to replace the paper, be sure to spray the new paper lightly with spray oil to prevent the bagels from sticking to the surface.)

11. When all the bagels have been boiled, place the pans on the 2 middle shelves in the oven. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, then rotate the pans, switching shelves and giving the pans a 180-degree rotation. (If you are baking only 1 pan, keep it on the center shelf but still rotate 180 degrees.) After the rotation, lower the oven setting to 450° F and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until the bagels turn light golden brown. You may bake them darker if you prefer.

12. Remove the pans from the oven and let the bagels cool on a rack for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

Source: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart, 10 Speed Press, 2001, as seen on Annie’s Eats

New look, New year

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:45:00 +0000

I’ve been playing around with our blog lately and making some changes. Here’s what the new header looks like in case you read our blog through google reader.

I’m happy with the change and being able to use our wedding pictures. The tagline fits us:

a decidedly simple & wonderful life

Looking forward to blogging more in 2011!

Highlights of 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 04:41:00 +0000

Another year gone and a new year has just begun, well almost.

I can’t say with honesty that 2010 has been a favorite year of mine. I can’t say that there were many highlights from my skewed point of view. And I can’t say it was the best or the worst of times.

But I can say that I have seen the Lord move. I have seen suffering in my life and around me. And if I look closely enough, I have seen the scales pulled back and my life transformed for the better, I’ve stared sanctification in the face and if 2010 has done one thing, it has drawn me to the feet of Jesus.

I’d be lying if I said this year wasn’t hard. I’d be lying if I said everything is okay and that it’s back to normal. I’d be lying if there still were not tears and heartache and confusion over what to do next, what 2011 will hold.

But I can say with faith that He has been good to me. That this year was a blessing and not a curse. Though it has been hard I’m a better woman and a better wife because of it and our marriage is better than ever. I’m hoping I find myself again this next year, find joy in the ordinary and remain content.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” James 1:2-4

It’s hard to believe the year is already over. I’m not sure I remember most of it and for that reason alone I’m glad I blog. But for my own sake, let’s take a look back and see what the year had in store.

January

Alex turned 31 and we lived in a hotel for 30 days.

February

Dealt with the fertility stuff and heard Paul Tripp at the Marriage Retreat

March

Bought a house

April

Spent Easter with my Grandpa and heart wrenchingly decided to leave our small group of over 2 years.

May

Reminisced about my stepfather Jim and wondered how 5 years could go by so quickly and enjoyed the annual women’s retreat at our church

June

Spruced up our little patio

July

Mourned the passing of our last grandparent, my grandpa, spent a weekend up north, and joined our first CSA

August

Revamped our bathrooms, drank green monsters, and found hope in the cross

September

Celebrated our 4th anniversary, made some very difficult decisions, sold the house and found hope through Andree Seu

October

We witnessed God’s goodness through Asher, and we went on a much needed, mind clearing, relaxing vacation.

November

Vacation, turning 30, and retuning back to reality

December

Got back into cooking, celebrated the holidays with family, and enjoyed just being at home

that’s it 2010 in a nutshell. what were your highlights?

Were you there?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:02:00 +0000

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!”

Job 38 4-5a

This morning I opened the Word. He did not disappoint. Have you read the account of Job lately? Chapters 38-40 were my favorite. When the Lord clears the air and communicates just who He is. He is almighty God, Creator, Just, and Powerful.

Believe me, this morning I was humbled as my sinful, prideful heart always gets in the way. It was good to be reminded of just who God is and what He has done. And what I cannot do.

After months of snow, I’m glad I know who keeps the storehouses and gives orders to let it loose. Read it again, stand in awe of our creator God who awakens the day by ordering in the morning and showing the dawn it’s place.

I can trust him. And so can you.

For His wrath is but for a moment. His tender mercies are new every day. He loves me just as I am. He is incredibly good.

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name.”

Psalm 9:1-2

Christmas 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:18:00 +0000

In mid-December we headed back to WI for a triplet birthday party and to have Christmas with my family. Jack, Luke, and Kate are 3 of my favorite kiddos and it was precious time spent with the fam.

Then on Christmas eve due to too many people feeling under the weather we headed to an early church service with Alex’s parents following lunch at Olive Garden. We enjoyed a very relaxing morning on Christmas day and then headed to Alex’s brothers’ house for appetizers and family time. Hanging out with 3 of my other favorite little people Macayla, Lauren, and Jack was so much fun. I included Lauren’s Grinch video in which she is trying to convey one of her favorite parts of the movie:)

Also this Christmas we have seen multiple movies, ate lots of yummy food, caught up on sleep, received many great gifts and even made some really fun purchases! Hope you had a very enjoyable holiday!

Lauren retells her favorite part of the Grinch

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 03:53:00 +0000

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall beuponhis shoulder,
and his name shall be called

WonderfulCounselor,Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Wherever this Christmas season may have you, whether rejoicing or in sorrow, with many or with few, surrounded by love or pain, there is one who was born today to meet your every need. His name is Jesus.

Today I came across this article:

Christmas Is for Those Who Hate It Most

From our house to yours, wishing you a very blessed Christmas!

The Best Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Seriously. It’s the best. I would know.
I’ve been waiting for this accolade for over 4 years. This phrase, “honey, this can be our forever, family recipe, beef stew.” And because of that, this recipe deserves a spot on the blog.
Last night’s menu: Parker’s Beef Stew, Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits, and a small Arugula Orange Salad with Cranberries.
That, my friends, is something we don’t hear a lot around this house. I mean, the food is good, even better than good, more often than not. But never a, “this could be our forever.” Thank you Ina.
Last night I ventured to a place where I have been shot down plenty of times in the past. I have made many beef stew recipes and they have never turned out like this nor have they been as easy. Seriously. But I did tweak it a bit. I’ll note my changes below. But if you even kind of like beef stew or would like to like it, make this. Thick but not too thick. Tender, yummy beef with a delicious sauce. Oh, I want more!
But you have to use the best ingredients you can afford here, it really makes it worth the effort. What you will have in front of you if you do is company worthy Beef Stew, like you could serve it to your boss or someone really important:)
I’ve been trying to get at least 3 recipes a week off my BC Recipe List and last night we accomplished 2, both really good. So I will be posting them all, if I remember, because it’s fun. And I want too!
But back to the stew, like I said I did change some things, actually made it a little easier than it was, which was easy but a little labor intensive. Plus I cut it in half, I’ll post the original recipe with my changes and the 1/2 portions included. But don’t let the work dissuade you, it’s perfect for a day at home, and it’s worth every minute you invest.. And with Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits, it’s even better.
Parker’s Beef Stew (adapted Ina Garten Back to Basics) Serves 6 (or 3 if you halve it, measurements noted below)

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds good quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (I went to Whole Foods for this and it was only 4.99/lb. and for half a recipe use 1 pound, you could use less meat for the original recipe too if you would like and use more)
1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine (I used 1/3 of a bottle of Trader Joes Cabernet; we drank the rest!)
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed (1 1/2)
3 bay leaves (I didn’t have so I omitted)
2 cups all-purpose flour (1 C for the halved recipe)
6 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (use good bacon, we used Nueske’s, and 3 slices)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 onion for halved, I used half red and half yellow…it’s what we had)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered (I bought red potatoes and measured them in the store, 2 medium red potatoes equal 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves) (1T)
2 cups or 1 (14 1/2-ounce can) beef broth (I buy it in the box so I can use it a little at a time, just measured out 7 ounces)
1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary (I used dried, a little over a teaspoon)
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I omitted, we don’t care for them)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (1 T)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (I also omitted)

Directions

Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight. (Unfortunately I read this part right before I wanted to start this, so I let it marinate for about 30 minutes, minus the bay leaves)
The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Brown the bacon in a large saute pan for 5-7 minutes, over medium-low heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a Dutch oven. Do not get rid of the bacon grease!
Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, saving the marinade. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess.
In the same saute pan, brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Place the beef in the Dutch oven with the bacon and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you'll need more oil.) Place all the beef in the Dutch oven.
Lower the heat to the saute pan to medium-low and add the onions, cook for 5 minutes adding olive oil if necessary. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Place all the vegetables in the Dutch oven over the beef. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the saute pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the beef stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. (I did this, but I added the above ingredients stock-pepper to the dutch oven and just poured in the wine marinade later…it’s easier) Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. Cover the pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275 degrees F.
Before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to taste, and serve hot. Also remove the Rosemary branch if you use fresh.

{Grate}-ful

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:50:00 +0000

grate·ful/ˈgrātfəl/

Adjective: Feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful.

That’s what my heart is. It’s bursting inside, feeling the love from others, love for my Savior. My heart is so thankful. As I think of what this year has meant for us, for friends, for family…it’s been hard for so many in so many ways and yet I’m so thankful for my fingers, my toes, my health, my husband, my friends and my family.

But right now, reflecting on the past year, there is one thing I’m really thankful for today and that is Gospel, saturated music. I know some don’t love Christian music, maybe it’s cheesy or over the top, I’m with you on some things. And yet, what keeps me grounded and holds me close to Jesus, is the ever present Gospel in my mind. When the words of How Great Thou Art or I Need Thee or Nothing but the Blood flood my mind in those moments, when Satan creeps in, when He daily attempts to pull me away, those words, rooted in the Gospel turn my mind and heart to Jesus.

So often over the past year I’ve needed that. When my flesh is weak and I’m resistant to being in the word, the music gently reminds me, pulls me in to what really matters. I’m thankful for that today, that as our music choices have turned to Christmas, the message is still the same. It’s all about the Gospel…our lives, we’re here to glorify Christ, no matter the circumstances, and hearing in song the struggle, the joy, the endurance, the gratitude, it’s hard for it not to take root.

If you’re interested in good Gospel music, checkout Praise FM 95.3 or some of our favorite channels on Pandora: Sovereign Grace, Derek Webb, and Downhere (holiday).

Last weekend I headed to our church’s annual Christmas Luncheon for the women. The music, again, aligned my heart to ready itself for this season, to honor Jesus. We’re big fans of Downhere but I had forgotten this song they sang, it’s a favorite, and here's my favorite part of the chorus...

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me

Celebrate Jesus this season...

Homemade Christmas Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:38:00 +0000

I like trying to be crafty.

I usually try to pick things that are easy and inexpensive but don’t look cheap. Sometimes I succeed and other times I fail. But this idea I think was a success.

Yarn Trees.

Yup, I have a thing for trees around the holidays. I just can’t stay away. Last year I acquired all my natural and glitter trees for about a dollar after Christmas and thinking they needed some friends, this year I added some made from yarn.

Wish I could say I came up with the idea but I actually spotted a finished one at Michaels. Which of course led me to the paper mache cone aisle to grab the necessary supplies.

Because I am a knitting failure I have plenty of unused yarn around our house. I chose the gray which I think blends nicely with the rest of the forest! Along with some adhesive we were set to go. This project is extremely easy, would be good for kids, and is really fun.

(plain cone on left/finished on right. I used mod podge for my adhesive.)

Steps:

1. Paint mod podge onto first quarter of cone, repeating as you go farther down the cone.

2. Starting at the top, press one inch of yarn down from the tip and then start winding the yarn around that 1 inch piece to hold the starting line in place and to create a tip at the top.

3. . Continue winding adding more adhesive when you run out of room.

Next project: Coffee Filter Wreath

Meeting my Good Nearby

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:38:00 +0000

"You're going to do something important someday. It may not change the entire world, but it'll change the world of the people around you. You'll be the good nearby....People don't realize good is closer than they think...the good nearby." (excerpt from The Good Nearby by Nancy Moser

I thought this book by Nancy Moser was good, though I can’t fully remember everything about it. But the thing I did remember is how the grandmother spoke of Jesus. She called him the good nearby. Isn’t that the truth. Jesus is the good all around us and he intercedes through people, circumstances, just about everything.

My good nearby over the past 6 months has come over the internet. A “blog” friend, who over the past months has come to be someone I can turn to and hear the Gospel. Someone who’s walking the same road, almost identically. Someone I am absolutely positive is a gift from Jesus. I can’t even describe it very well, besides she beat me to it and anything I write doesn’t even do justice to the way she wrote about it.

And it all started here: http://mollypiper.com/2010/04/i-hope-who-me/

After leaving a comment, another blogger commented and then checked out our blog. I love how things happen like this. She said it so much better when describing what would happen later, quite possible the best birthday present a girl could ask for.

Jackie lives in Ohio, though I had to do a little digging to find that out. Her best friend and her husband just moved to MN to attend Bethlehem Seminary. Jackie is amazing. And I got to meet her in person.

If anyone has ministered to my heart in the past 6 months, she has. Through her own battles, struggles, ponderings, grasping of the Gospel. The Lord has given her a spiritual maturity beyond her years, she’s only in her mid-20’s. (hope you don’t mind me sharing) I’ve been incredibly blessed by her, in so may ways. Seriously, I’m sure Alex got tired a time or two over all the things I’ve shared with him about this other “blogger”. :)

And meeting her was the icing on the cake. She is not only gorgeous but so full of life and love. We never paused for a minute and our time together was far too short. I’m thinking a trip to Ohio is in order:) It’s as if I’ve known her my whole life, that’s one of the reasons I love blogging. Jackie, I’m so thankful the Lord encouraged you to stalk my blog, comment on a post, and contact me about getting together.

Makes me want to blog stalk all the more:)

Thanks Jackie for being my good nearby…I’m so thankful for you!

Ready, Aim, Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:26:00 +0000

For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to shoot a gun.

For my 30th birthday, which by the way still sounds funny to write, I received the best present ever. We went clay pigeon shooting. My problem before now has always been finding a gun to shoot. not a problem when home with the folks…my dad has never failed to come through, especially in this case.

So we bundled up in as much gear as we could and faced the windy and cold day. Earplugs in and ready to go, I ended up doing better than I could have imagined. My dad may have been in shock seeing his daughter shoot so well given I have no real training. He’s mighty proud, I tell you!

For the first time ever shooting a gun and first time clay shooting, I went 14 for 40…not bad for a novice. Though all it did was make me want to go again and again…maybe we should get a gun?

Oh my, oh my

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:02:00 +0000

I received a gift last night. Not just one, but 25. I’ve never been so overwhelmed, excited, patient, and surprised in a long time.

Someone, maybe even a reader, gave me an advent basket. Here’s a link to what an advent basket is:

http://mollypiper.com/2010/10/advent-baskets-start-thinking-about-them-now/

I opened my first gift this morning, the first day of advent, and I received the perfect mug for coffee. I squealed with delight and went right over to the coffeemaker to fill it up. I might just use it every morning until Christmas:)

Seriously, whoever you are, you made my night and my next 25 days. What a blessing. This year hasn’t been easy…it’s been trying. I don’t want to seem contrite, I know plenty of people personally who have been through far more difficult things, but this season of life, as I’ve mentioned on here before, has been harder than others. What a perfect way to walk into this new season of life. Not only do I have 25 gifts to bless my heart daily but I also have 30 great goals. I’m thinking December 2010 through 2011 are going to be months to remember.

Thanks again Advent Basket giver…my heart overflows with gratitude.

ps…my blog friend Jackie revealed her first Advent Basket today too!

The Big 3-0

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:35:00 +0000

Rather than dwelling on the end of an amazing decade…I mean, from 20-30 so many wonderful, trying, difficult, growing, celebratory, grief filled days have passed, I’m going to choose to look forward with anticipation to this next year.

Here’s to 30 things in my 30th year…in no particular order…some things I’ve been dreaming of for years and others are new, and I hope to accomplish or attempt to accomplish them all. The first one I accomplished already on my birthday:)

Meet my “blog” friend Jackie in person (more on this later)
Run another half marathon
Write a book (or at least start it)
Shoot a gun
Interrupt people less
Make more phone calls
Stop biting my nails
Run a marathon
Read my top 5 books again
Learn to sew (again)
Recover our chairs
Learn to cross country ski (again) and go
Take the classes for our new camera
Start a new blog
Watch Food Inc
Make Artisan bread
Make all the Barefoot Contessa recipes that we like
Join the community center and workout consistently
Memorize the fighter verses
Use 1 new seasonal ingredient each month
Revamp or make a piece of furniture
Be a better wife with a better servant heart
Try to be on time :)
Learn to say no and keep life simpler
Get back into sending cards for birthdays
Organize our address book
Spend quality time in prayer and in the word
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Get organized…life, stuff, everything…
Enjoy this year to the fullest with family and friends:)

i miss 3 little faces

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:44:00 +0000

Somehow I have so many pictures of the littlest and the fewest of the oldest. hmmm…I wonder how that happened. all that said, I miss these boys and I am so looking forward to seeing them next weekend for brunch. it’s been 5 1/2 weeks since I have seen them and I am in serious withdrawal.

Going from 4 days a week to not at all…the shock is setting in and I would give my left arm for a hug, a joke, a look, a sassy remark…just about anything from all three of them.

Riley, Liam and Colin, I miss you!

The rest of the trip…

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 01:07:00 +0000

We are now safely home and happy to be here. There’s something to be said of the comforts of home. It was great to get away, relax, see new things and enjoy time together, but being home, I’m not sure I want to leave any time soon. Good thing, because I have way too many projects planned:)

After we left the cape we ventured down to Stamford CT for a few nights so Alex could play golf. We got down to one round of golf this trip, pretty good if you ask me! So while he headed to the golf course I stayed and relaxed in our hotel catching up on my Precept Bible study. Alex was lucky enough to cross a very well known course off of his top 100 list, Winged Foot Golf Club. He was all smiles:)

From Stamford we headed into NYC. This was a really fun part of our trip not only because NYC is fun to explore but it’s even more fun when you get to see friends as well. One of my really good friends Emily and her husband Ernesto have lived in NYC for the past 2 years. We don’t get to see them that often so it was really fun to get dinner and brunch with them. Also our friends Brandon and Becky just moved to NYC from MN so we caught up with them one night too!

We also headed to Ellis Island and it was so interesting. Alex’s grandfather actually immigrated to the US when he was 9 years old, so we were able to look him up and read the ship Manifest. Very Interesting! Other than seeing friends we walked until our feet hurt and ate until our stomachs were full!

Highlights: Eataly, the Doughnut Plant, Magnolia Bakery, Almond, and there were so many more!

From NYC we hopped on the Bolt Bus and headed into Washington DC. For the next 5 days we slowly made our way through all most of the museums and took in loads of history. Highlights included a turn on the Segways, the Spy Museum, lots of Potbelly Sandwiches, and plenty of election coverage.

Like I said, we’re happy to be home but very thankful for the time away!