April 24, 2013

Still

We're moving.

Still.

It's been three weeks and even with all the stuff we've gotten rid of, and hiring some moving guys, we're moving crap.

Still.

I teased Jamison the last time we moved and told him if we were moving again he'd have to have get people to come in and have everything packed, moved and cleaned. Granted we did have some moving help, both the hired guys and some very wonderful friends, and the cleaning service is going to clean the other house, but I'm exhausted. I started packing and going through stuff more than 2 months ago. So in moving math that's almost 3 months of moving.

Moving.

Still.

This time I'm not so much joking...if we move again there will be complete packing and moving service. Heck, I might even have them unpack on the other end. If we move again. And quite frankly folks, that's a big IF as far as I am concerned, because did I mention we're moving?

Still.

I finally got to cook a meal in this house on Monday. I had baked Jamison his gluten free peanut butter muffins he eats for breakfast, but we've been shuffling back and forth between this house and the old one when he gets off work a lot, and considering he doesn't get home until 7, there hasn't been a whole lot of cooking.

I even went wild yesterday and baked banana bread. I swear the banana's made me do it...they kept whispering, "We're perfect for banana bread!" and "You really should make some banana bread!" How could I not listen?

On top of all of this I've fallen behind in school because there just aren't enough hours in the day to get things done, because...you guess it...we're moving.

Still.

But all in all I love the new house. I love my view. I love that my desk is set up to look out over the water. It's calming to me. Alexis loves it too. Having a lake in the backyard is a novelty that isn't fading with her. She's a water child, just like me.

With all of the boxes still here and there, and the unpacked things, and the general chaos, I have moments of complete despair. I don't function well when things aren't ordered, and I can't get it ordered fast enough. We'll return to regularly scheduled programming soon. I have to find my kitchen in all the boxes and moving minutia. Despite all of that though, I really do love it here.

Still.

Posted by Dianne at 3:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

April 9, 2013

Pardon the Prolonged Absence...We're Moving!

Pardon the prolonged absence...we're in the process of moving and I haven't had time to sit down, let alone blog. Believe me this process seems as if it takes a billion and two years, instead of just a few weeks or months. The clutter and chaos that are synonymous with a move are really wearing on me. I don't like disorder, it makes me grumpy and nervous.

Anyway...that's neither here nor there. Where we we?

We're moving from one mountain, over to another, this time with a lake in our backyard. I've always wanted to live next to a lake (or an ocean) as I really am a water girl at heart, so this is a huge thing for me. I'm beyond excited.

The house we're moving to is much smaller than the one we are in now, but it has an open, old world cottage feel to the house, and it's just perfect. It also gave us the perfect, much needed, excuse to evaluate what we had, what we actually need, and what we could get rid of. Goodwill has loved us the past few weeks, the things that weren't worth keeping were handled by renting a large dumpster. I'm really looking forward to a much smaller, less cluttered existence, and of course a lake in our backyard!

I'll be back soon with recipes, or food in general, I'm not sure, but soon. Jamison and I have also been discussing a complete revamp of Dianne's Dishes, so we'll see what the future holds. Until then, I wish you all hope and light.

Did I mention the lake?

I see a canoe in my near future. I might just have one all picked out on my Amazon Wishlist. Maybe, just maybe. ;)

Posted by Dianne at 3:50 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

March 6, 2013

Lemon Curd, Where Have You Been All My Life?

Last week I was in Virginia with Katherine to help out after her second chemo treatment. I'm not sure I was much help, she likes to do things on her own, but it was nice to spend time with her and her family. One morning for a snack, she pulled out a jar of Trader Joe's Lemon Curd, and we added some to a toasted bagel half with a little cream cheese smeared on first. Result? To. Die. For!

I thought I had had lemon curd before, but it turns out I had it confused with lemon custard. My brain isn't what it used to be. But I was very pleasantly surprised by the difference. I posted a query for a recipe on Facebook and Rosa from The Rambling Epicure posted her recipe and it looks fabulous! The only problem came when I got home and realized as I started to make the curd, I had already packed my kitchen scale for the big move. Drat! So I did a little research to see what I can find online and ended up following this recipe to an extent and kind of incorporated other techniques I thought were neat in to my finished product.

I did a few things differently, I used the zest of two lemons, which was more than what the Gourmet recipe called for, and I used the juice of 4 lemons, which was just a bit more than 1 cup. Otherwise it was the same. Also after it had thickened I whipped it on high speed with my mixer for a minute or two, a method I had seen on another lemon curd recipe. I ended up with a light, lemony little bite of goodness, or more like almost a quart of lemon curd fabulosity. Yum!

I've always said I was born on the wrong continent...I drink tea, I like scones, I like old world style, and now I like lemon curd. I think I'm more convinced now that I was. Oh to dream. I spread a little lemon curd on some girl scout Trefoil shortbread cookies, and it was really, really good. Grab a shortbread cookie of your own and try it...you'll like it if you're a lemon lover I promise. Go. Go now. You won't be sorry.

Posted by Dianne at 1:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

February 10, 2013

Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

Chocolate. Dear, dear, chocolate. How I love thee, let me count the ways...

Of course I won't count the ways, not here, I could wax philosophical for hours about chocolate itself, and right now you need to make this frosting!

This frosting is completely easy, yet it makes a sinfully good topping that you can use to top any cake you like. You could even use this as a spread on a bagel, or to dip strawberries in for a decadent little treat. However you use it though, if you're a chocolate lover, and many of us are, you're going to love this fabulous little frosting.

What You'll Need:
1 pound of cream cheese, softened
2 sticks of butter, softened
1 jar of marshmallow cream
1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups of powdered sugar
Half and half, if needed to smooth out the frosting

Cream together cream cheese, butter and marshmallow cream until smooth. Slowly add cocoa to the cream cheese mixture until completely blended. Add sugar and beat until smooth.

If the mixture seems stiff add a tablespoon of half and half and beat again to help smooth out the frosting. You can keep adding half and half in this manner if needed until the frosting is smooth, but not runny.

Notes: If you wanted to make a vanilla version you could leave out the cocoa powder and add another cup of powdered sugar to the amount listed above as well as a tablespoon of vanilla extract. When the humidity is higher or it's warm you most likely won't need any half and half at all, when the humidity is lower or it's cold you might need more.

Posted by Dianne at 12:54 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)