All I want for Christmas is...a black eye

Look beyond the bushy eyebrows and acne, people. Personal hygiene flies out the window when your eye is the size of a tennis ball.

The culprit? Skiing accident. 'Bow to the face during a gnarly noontime pick-up game. Tae bo class gone wild.

...

Laundry.

Laundry, people. I was rushing around and swung the dryer door open a little too close to my face (the washer and dryer are stacked at our house) Monday morning. It hit me and my eye immediately puffed up like you see in cartoons. Except in real life. I've seen that happen only once before in college hoops. Unreal. The best part? I had a doctor's appointment the next day for severe dryness on my left eyelid. The same lid. "Sorry, doctor. Can you please look through the bruise?" I should also mention I sound like a man with my seasonal cough and cold and could be having an allergic reaction to something I ate...or maybe it's bed bugs? Why not, huh? I asked the nurse to write, "General Basket-case" under Reason for Visit.

And, if my clumsy injuries weren't enough...poor Taylor did a doozy on his ankle about two weeks ago.

We're quite the pair. Move over silver and gold. This year's hot holiday colors are black and blue.  

Oh the weather outside is...weather

For some reason, Taylor's buddy Cheddar kept singing this all weekend long. It made me chuckle every time he sang it. "Oh the weather outside is...weather." 

We spent the weekend up at Swift Lake for our friend Mike's annual birthday getaway. This is my second year of attending, but Taylor's been celebrating Mike's birthday at some sort of cabin for several years. The stories are epic. And sometimes embarrassing. OK. MOST of the time embarrassing.  

This year, the mood was a bit tamer as Mike was a smidge under the weather, and the crew included two pregnant ladies, Mike's wife Kathleen, and my nearest and dearest Allison. The rest of us (Taylor, me, Kat's bro Bobby, their bro-in-law Shon, Al's hubby Andy, and the aforementioned Cheddar) tried to hold down the fort while indulging in holiday bevvies and plenty of merriment. 

We took Ranger rides (please don't call it a Rhino!) around the property and down to the lake for happy hour, ventured out for a little excursion to find snow (only to return to the cabin and find plenty of snow falling there, too), stayed warm by the bonfire, barbecued brats, sang happy birthday to the guest of honor, and lounged around catching up with a fun group of friends.  

It'll be interesting to see if the birthday weekend continues its traditional run now that the Greenbergs will have a baby boy in the mix. They swear we will be back next year, and we're certainly crossing our fingers for more wintry memories in December 2013. 

Man and dog.

Look closely and note Bear's special shoes for the trails. He's the most spoiled dog ever, but we love him. 

The view from the deck of the cabin pre-snow.

On a hunt to find some waterfalls. 

Found!

Oh you should have seen Taylor. Jonse-ing for his fly rod.

Next, we drove to higher elevation to find some snow.
Take One on the couples photo.

Take Two.

We had some trouble with the sideways snow flying in our eyes.

View from the deck post-snow.

Saying our goodbyes. Wish I had a better shot of the whole gang.

We stopped on the side of the rod en route home to watch a herd of elk. They were bugling. It was pretty unreal.

Holiday hurrah catch-up

Well, I haven't written a word since before Thanksgiving. I'd say I'm a bit behind on the recaps. 

Highlights form the last month include (but are not limited to) the following: 

• "Thanksgiving for Two" cooking class at In Good Taste with Mariel.
• Receiving word my friend Matea and her hubby had a baby BOY! The suspense of not knowing whether the baby was a he or she made it so much fun. He and mama are happy and healthy, and my (VC) high school friends and I couldn't be more excited to be first-time aunties to baby Sebastian. I wonder who will be next?!
• Starting a minor inferno in the kitchen while attempting to make whiskey-glazed carrots for Turkey Day.
• The Turkey Trot in Albany with Taylor and his sister, Whitney. Gobble gobble! 
• Thanksgiving dinner at Taylor's grandparents' house. Everybody had to bring something "new" to the table this year. I must say, despite the fact that Taylor was upset broccoli corn casserole didn't make an appearance, everyone got super creative. Mmm. I'm licking my lips just thinking about it! 
• Decorating not one...not two...but three trees in the condo.
• Interviewing for two jobs, receiving two more interview requests, accepting one job, and turning down the other. I'm going to need to write a separate post for this one. It's been a whirlwind on the employment front. I couldn't be happier or more thankful to have a job, but it's been quite a journey. I've been working for just a pinch more than a month now. It is nice to have that extra income, especially at Christmastime.  
• Sending out our combo Christmas/save the date card! Things are getting official here, people! 
• Prepping for our first holiday as an engaged couple. It's the little things, I tell ya. 

And here are some photos to do the rest of the talking...

The infamous whiskey-glazed carrots. Taylor's dad has been distilling his own whiskey, so I thought it would be creative to use that in the recipe. Let's just say it's pretty potent! Lesson learned!

My mom made these...almost too cute to eat.

Forgot to mention we headed to Taylor's alma mater, Linfield College, for a D3 football playoff game. Here we are on the campus tour. Do you like the finger on the lens? Oh yes. Now I'm using my camera phone, and I still can't figure out how to take a solid picture.  

How adorable is this? Leslee and her mom made this special wreath for us. I don't want Christmas to come and go, because it is so fun seeing it every time we walk up the stairs to come home. 

It's not quite Griswald status, but I've certainly enjoyed decorating the condo. Since we compromised with white lights on the tree, I had to put up my favorite old-fashioned big lights outside. 

This tree has a sweet backstory, as we hauled it home from Albany after last Thanksgiving. It's a fake tree, one of Taylor's grandmother's. We probably won't get a real tree until we have a house, but it is special and perfect for our space. Taylor has a wonderful collection of Christmas ornaments his grandma started him on as a baby. I LOVED unpacking them and hearing about each one. 

Barron the Builder's birthday bash

Just had to share one more cake.

Today is our beloved Barron's third birthday. 

I can't believe it. 

After I made his sister Andee's cake back in September, he asked if Uncle Taylor could make him a cake for his birthday. Well. Sorry, Barron. I hate to break it to you, but Uncle Taylor can't bake.

The little guy requested a red cake with tools and firefighters. But, I couldn't make it to the cake decorating shop in time to get the official cake topper dudes, so I decided to dream big and use "real" fake tools and little firefighters I picked up at the Dollar Tree.

Happy Birthday, Barron. We are so lucky to have lovable you in our lives.  

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming

It just occurred to me the other day, I've been rambling now for weeks.

When I started this blog, it was to chronicle my adventures through life, not necessarily to write about books I'm reading or food I'm eating.

Though interesting (har-dee-har-har), I think it's about time I revert back to my old ways. To my original audience, a handful of friends and family wondering what I've  been up to. Now it's not just me, it's "we," but I think the same sentiment is true.

I'm back to work, and my plate is full yet again. I think I'm going to setup a password on this puppy, too. But, never fear. I know who you are if you read my ramblings, and I'll send you the code.

Here's to the next few weeks ahead, filled with food, family, and finding ways to share our feelings of thankfulness.

The ol' side project

Once upon a time, I met a nice customer while working at Trader Joe's.

She came through my check-out line frequently, and we got to talking. Imagine that.

We struck up a friendship.

She's a mom who's been through culinary instruction and is a serious businesswoman.

We kept in touch, and we reconnected recently.

Now, she's started a business with a partner, and she's letting me join in the fun to do what I love to do...eat and write!

I'm going to be contributing food writing and recipe development for The Heart's Kitchen.

Please! Read more about it!

Reading Challenge: November edition

I went to the local library and picked up three books that have to be returned in two weeks (they're called LUCKY DAY books--love that!).

Taylor doesn't think I can do it, but I'm trying to prove him wrong. It's a big challenge for me as I'm a terribly slowwwww reader, but I'm going to try my hardest to finish all three.

Currently, I'm reading Happier at Home, the sequel to Gretchen Rubin's book The Happiness Project. So far, it's been kind of similar to the first, so I'm anxious to see if there's something new and different. This author shares plenty of research and quotations, which I love, so I'm happy about that aspect.

Updates to follow. Fingers crossed I can do this.

THUN-DAH!

Super sporty weekend over in Benz-Bethell-land (and no, in case you're wondering, I'm not planning to hyphenate my name once we're married). 

We had the exciting pleasure of attending a Portland Winterhawks game (sing it with me...TNT! It's dy-no-mite!) with the Greenbergs Friday night and the OSU football game with Taylor's parents Saturday night. 

What's better than sporting events? Sporting events and food! And, we had a nice little happy hour before the hockey game and a delicious meal at a fun restaurant in Albany before the Beavs kicked off. Oh! And I have to mention Taylor's mom introduced me to Dippin' Dots for the first time, and they were just as good as I hoped. 

With my camera resting in peace, all I have is my phone, and photos of people don't seem to turn out that well...but photos of food do? Go figure. 

Blue Steel Kathleen and hubby Mike. 

I'm a big fan of all the songs that accompany the power plays and goals. We've gotta get Taylor's parents back up for a Winterhawks game as we didn't end up going the previous weekend. They're more fun when they're not in playoff mode...lots of fights and lots of action! 

Must-do fall festivities

A Susan Branch newsletter inspired me to cultivate a little list of fall must-do's (is it dos or do's?).

I've got the month of November to check off these bad boys. And, in no particular order...

• Visit a local farm for cider donuts
• Run the Wildwood trail while most of the yellow leaves are fresh on the ground and some still dangle from the massive trees above (can't believe I haven't done this one yet)
• Bake one of those frivolously decadent Thanksgiving desserts out of Southern Living magazine 
• Start a daily devotional 
• Finish. A. Book. Seriously! When did I fall off the reading-actual-books-bandwagon?
• Watch more old movies (thanks to Kelley, I've got a nice head start on this one!)

OK...this is just a start. I'll continue the list tomorrow as I'm sort of falling asleep as a type here, and my brain's just not clicking. I've added to this list mentally for more than a week now, and I know I'm forgetting several. Until then, goodbye October. It's been fun and festive! 

No such thing as pumpkin burnout

I don't know if it's the holiday (Happy Halloween, y'all), the rainy weather, or the fact that I have the time to do it...but I've been on a mission in the kitchen lately.

I busted out a banana bread, pumpkin and maple cookies, and a batch of blondies, all before 8:30 yesterday morning. Pumpkin pancakes were a must this morning, but with all that baking, I ran out of eggs, so I substituted a rotten banana instead (thanks for the tip, Mom). I wanted to make something autumn-y for dinner tonight, too, so I made a squash and black bean enchilada casserole recipe I ripped out of a newspaper ad a couple weeks ago.

See. I'm on a roll. I'm hoping my extra efforts now will translate once I'm working again. (You know, like a workout routine or something?) That's assuming I'll be working again soon. (Fingers crossed.) Otherwise, with said treats and said savories coupled with the rainy weather, I might not be on a roll but rather needing a roll...out the door of my house (ba-dum-ching!). 

These food posts are getting boring, I fear. But I have this sneaking suspicion we'll all wake up tomorrow and be bombarded by "the holidays." Plenty of blogging fodder. 

Gnocchi, sausage, and spinach soup...another great recipe from my friend Whitney's ladies luncheon group.

Cilantro lime chicken in the slow cooker...courtesy of Taylor's sister Whitney's Pinterest board. I don't have an account, but I sure love to look when I have endless time. Not the best photo, but this sure was tasty...and who doesn't love a lack of effort that creates such flavor?!

Tonight's squash and black bean enchilada casserole from New Seasons' weekly newspaper ad. I used butternut squash, and I also added a can of chicken. Isn't cutting up a squash the most irritatingly time-consuming thing ever?! I completely understand why the pre-cut kind is much more expensive.

Happy cooking, friends! 

Bowling with Barron

This past weekend, we joined Team Schady for a trip to the bowling alley.

Les forgot to bring her nice camera, my point-and-shoot kicked the bucket, and I couldn't snap pics on my phone fast enough to capture Barron in action. So...here are the not-so-great shots I managed to capture.

Barron lasted about a total of ten frames, and then he was all about the video games. Who could blame him with all those bells and whistles at Big Al's?

Barron, Uncle Taylor, and Andee. We couldn't get everyone to look and smile at the same time. 

Taylor loves little AG.

There she is, trying to pick up a bowling ball. Wish my finger didn't get in the way here.

Why can't I take a good photo?! Barron and mommy talking strategy. 

Little known fact: Troy is a closet bowling league champion...complete with his own shoes and ball. Watch out for that curve ball, folks. Is that what it's called in bowling?

Looking back at his strike-in-progress...

Thanks for the good times, Schady and fam!

Fusion Friday

I had the ingredients for these kung pao chicken tacos sitting in the refrigerator for more than a week. I even went to the Asian food market to get the sambal oelek. 

I knew I couldn't let the green onions go another day. They were looking a little limp. 

With Taylor out of town, I didn't want to make this meal because it sounded so good I wanted to share it with him. But, I went for it, and crossed my fingers I'd have some leftovers for him to enjoy today. (I did. Barely. Let's see if they make it till he gets home.)

Oh my gravy, people. I will make this meal again and again and again some more. I can't even describe the whopping Asian flavors that come atcha when you bite into these tacos. You must try it for yourself. It'd be nice to serve some rice on the side, but three tacos were plenty for me. Mmm. Delish! 

• Ingredients 
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (*I used two chicken breasts, but I didn't alter the rest of the recipe as I like a lot of sauce...if I were to make it again and increase the amount of chicken, I'd also increase the proportions for the remainder of the ingredients)
• 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided 
• 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (*I used red wine vinegar because that's what I had)
• 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• 3/4 cup diagonally sliced celery (about 2 stalks)
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 lime wedges (*I didn't go to the trouble on this...)
• 
  
• Preparation
• 1. Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 1/4 cup cornstarch in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Add chicken to cornstarch in dish, and toss chicken to thoroughly coat. Shake off excess cornstarch.

1. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of coated chicken; sauté for 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat the procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and coated chicken. (*I added all of the oil and chicken at this point, and I also threw in the red pepper and green onion)
2. 3. Combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, and next 3 ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring twice. Stir in garlic. Combine soy sauce mixture, chicken, peanuts, and celery; toss to coat chicken.
3. 4. Toast tortillas under broiler or on a griddle until lightly blistered, turning frequently. (*I just heated my tortillas in the micro...I'm lazy!) Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each taco with green onions and bell pepper strips; serve with lime wedges.

The best thing I ever ate

It might not be the best thing EVER, but it's definitely the best macaroni and cheese I've had. No joke.

My good friend Whitney came over last night, and after a soaking (that's putting it lightly) run in the rain, we had a hankering for some comfort food and decided mac 'n' cheese was a must.

Feast your eyes on this:

There's almost TOO much cheese...if there is such a thing. I wanted to sop up the leftover cheese and save it for some soft pretzels...but that would have meant making said soft pretzels. 

The recipe came from a Pinterest board Whit and her co-workers have for their community lunches called Go Girl Luncheon. Isn't that an adorable name for a gab and gobble lunch session?

Here's a link to the recipe, though. My suggestion is to use an entire box of medium size shells. Who'da thought to simmer in milk? Well, I guess this blogger did. Great move. So cheesy. Mmm. Cheese!

In his element

Taylor headed to the coast with his buddy Rob to fish early Sunday morning.

Rob and his wife Erin are spending the whole week down there, so I drove Erin down to meet Rob and decided to see what all the fuss was about in regard to Taylor's mild obsession with Pacific City.

This boy talks about fly-fishing all the time, and he jets off to any flowing river whenever he gets the chance. I love his passion and patience for this leisure activity. I love it even more when he brings home a salmon. (Hint! Hint!)

I sure enjoyed our quick little trip to see the sights. We sure jammed a lot into a day. The photos are a little out-of-order...

Rob, Erin, and Odie! 

Had to jet to the Tillamook Cheese Factory! Sure has changed a lot since I was 13! 

LOOK AT THOSE BIG BLOCKS OF CHEESE!!! YUM!

Photo 1 of 2 (not sure where the second one is!)...this was my favorite clam chowder in town (oh yeah, baby, we ate it twice in one day). I thought the doily would earn points, too, but apparently that's pretty standard in PC. I know someone who would be very proud...ahem...Mom! 

And the camera begins to bite the dust as we approach the dune. 

One of two haystack rocks on the Oregon Coast...the other at Cannon Beach. Love that place, too. 

Photo quality really REALLY starting to suffer. What is that on the lens?! Agh! 

Just a man and the ocean. Perfectly content. 

Happy belated birthday to Rob, and thanks for the tour de Pac City, Perks!