Grownup Realizations

First, I would like to start this post by saying I was not a clueless teenager. I knew I had it good despite all the high school drama, and I was in no hurry to grow up anytime soon. During the first year of college I was absolutely terrified of getting my diploma. What would happen after the crowd of congratulations carried me out of college comfort and into the real world? Luckily, the anxiety waned as I picked a major, worked a few jobs, and moved into an apartment with my best friend. By taking those small steps during school, I got a picture of how everything could come together.

That being said, I of course had much more to learn. One of the reasons behind starting this blog was to have an outlet where I could write all about all these transitions and life lessons. However, those topics can get a little deep and scary, where desserts or craft projects are non-threatening and make everyone smile. But it is time to embrace the growth. Here are 5 grownup lessons I have learned thus far.

1. There are always dirty dishes. It's crazy! I know I make more messes when I cook food, but I still don't understand how there are so many dirty bowls and utensils. I wish I had been a bigger dish-washing help when I lived at home. Now I make a solid effort to cook and clean the kitchen when I visit my mom because she deserves it. Thanks for feeding me!

2.You finally own more than a bedroom. Congratulations. The task of cleaning it all also falls to you.  This is another no-brainer that has taken me by surprise especially now that E and I are both working full-time. As the responsibilities are piling up, I feel an intense need to get the clutter under control. The best advice I have for tackling this comes courtesy of my grandmother: clean for 15 minutes when you get home- before you sit down.

3. The government takes out a lot of money in taxes. Until recently I have not made all that much money working part-time jobs, so taxes were more of a pesky annoyance. Filled with glee about receiving my first real paycheck, my hopes were quickly dashed when I saw the "minus xxx" amount from my income. Ouch. It is still a job where I am doing what I love and earning money to support myself while advancing my career goals, so I am very grateful for that. Although, it would be really nice to get a big refund check. Just saying.

4. Months fly by very quickly. I also use the expression "Oh, I can't believe how big you are!" when I see younger relatives. Yup, it's weird. In college I had the experience of time moving both slowly and quickly. It has shifted significantly towards faster post-graduation. I would be interested to hear when this phenomenon affected you. Slow it down! Put more exciting things in your schedule to punctuate the blur. Then relive those special memories through the medium that intrigues you most. Just take time to enjoy all the good things going on around you no matter how big or small. Also, keep in touch with family regularly to head off such overwhelming reunions.

5. No one really knows what they're doing. This one scares the heck out of me. Interview an adult or few. I dare you. Ask if they know what they're doing with their lives. I have received an overwhelming number of "no" responses and "I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up." I am not entirely sure how to combat this one, but for now I have two suggestions- take control of your financial future and create personal goals. Having a handle on your finances from a young age will help you build a good credit score, stash money for an emergency fund, save for retirement, and relieve a lot of stress. Setting goals will encourage you to keep what is important to you in focus. It is easy to get distracted by the cares of day-to-day life, but you want to make sure you are taking thoughtful steps that will help you accomplish personal and professional goals. Review the list more than once every ten years. I feel very little sympathy for movie characters who realize they are nearly xx years old and have not accomplished anything on their list. You should examine those big life lists frequently so you stay motivated, happy, and fulfilled. Realize that some goals might change as you develop as a person. That is not a failure to achieve that item; it just doesn't suit who you are anymore. 

My last bit of advice to combat grownup woes:

Take time to dance it out. Figure out what helps you manage stress and clear some room in your schedule. Try not to let these details bog you down; Acknowledge their existence, develop a strategy, and carry on.

Best of luck!

Sarah

Crocheted Flower Potholders

I thought I would rekindle my love of yarn by sharing one of my favorite patterns: Fanciful Flower Potholders. This is a relatively easy project and it is a nice, portable size so you can bring it with you and work just about anywhere. Also, it looks insanely awesome and attracts plenty of oooh's and aaah's from lookers-on. To simplify this pattern further, I like to work with just one variegated Lily Sugar'n Cream yarn for the petals. Butter Cream and Countryside Ombre are two of my favorite options. These potholders make great gifts and you can customize them to match any kitchen. Here is the finished product!

How to Start a Book Club

So you want to start a book club... that's great! Do it. : ) Book clubs are a fabulous way to expand your reading list while trying new genres or authors. Also, there is a great opportunity to socialize and share your thoughts with other readers. This summer my mom and I both started different book clubs, so I thought I would write a post to encourage other bibliophiles who have been considering forming a group of their own.

1. Accept responsibility.

The first thing you need to do is realize that you are essential to making your group happen. Step up and take charge. Email your friends or spread the word among new acquaintances.

2. Decide on the style of your club.

My mother opted for the more traditional format where group members pick one book they will all read before the next meeting. This makes for easy and thorough discussion since members respond to one another's comments and delve deeper into plot or characters. With this setup you can also pick a theme to guide your selection (best sellers, award-winners, books by female authors, mystery, etc.), so consider your options and pitch them to the group. Be receptive to feedback and find out what will work well for your readers.

I chose to do something a little different with my club; we select a genre for each month and individuals pick their own book to read that falls within the chosen category. The goal with this kind of club is to encourage exploration of different types of books. If you read contemporary fiction exclusively and are unsure how to branch out, within this format you can sample a historical text, travel memoir, and
classic work of literature while building a reading list as you go. Meetings for this format are more like informal book reports with a question and answer session from the audience. If you want to research and discuss the genre you have selected, that is a great way to open one of these discussions and find a common link between the different titles.

3. Figure out logistics. When and where will you meet? How often? Will there be snacks? All of these details can be worked out at an interest meeting along with the first book selection (or few). Decide how you want to communicate about upcoming events and share information. Email lists or Facebook groups work well, but you should discuss with everyone to ensure important posts are seen in a timely
manner.

4. Start reading your new book! It is really that easy to get started. As you meet you will get a feel for the group and realize any additional details that need to be considered. Have fun!

Sarah

Greek Stroganoff

Back to my love of Greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute... I bring you Greek Stroganoff, a traditional comfort food with a slight upgrade.

This recipe comes from Pampered Chef's Power Cooking recipe collection.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can of water chestnuts (in place of sliced mushrooms)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup water
1 cup Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream)
fresh parsley to top
egg noodles

Directions:

Saute ground beef with onions and add garlic when the two are finished cooking. Then add in spices and stir thoroughly. Next, add water chestnuts/mushrooms, soup, and water. Just before serving add in the Greek yogurt and parsley. Mix well. Serve over egg noodles.

For freezer meal: Prepare this dish up until you add the Greek yogurt. Let it cool and store in a gallon Ziploc bag. When you are ready to serve this, put the frozen bag in the fridge the night before and let it thaw throughout the day. That evening warm the nearly completed dinner in a stockpot and add Greek yogurt and parsley when ready. Serve over freshly cooked egg noodles. An easy way to keep up with these directions is to write the notes on the bag with a permanent marker. This way, you will be sure to pick up right where you left off. Enjoy!

Fun Ideas for Valentine's Day (or any day)

 This is our first Valentine's Day together, married or otherwise. Between my past work schedule, his study schedule, living apart for a year, etc. we never seem to be in the same place at the right time to celebrate a holiday. We spent our first Christmas together in Germany for our honeymoon followed by New Year's Eve with the family in Alabama, so we are doing this one, too! This will be my year of holidays where I make up for lost time. Then I can go back to not caring quite so much. (Except for Christmas- it's my favorite!)

Here are some ideas for a fun night in:

1. Make a crossword puzzle or word search filled with clues from your relationship.

2. Class it up! Prepare fancy appetizers to munch on while you make dinner or dessert together. You can really dress up a Triscuit.

3. Journal. If there is a commemorative project that you have been putting off, spend time working on it together.

4. Quiz each other. Make your own questions for a DIY Newlyweds game. You can keep questions lighthearted or delve deeper to learn more about one another.

5. Make a mixed tape. Set the tone for your evening together. Is it a walk down memory lane or a night for dancing in the living room?

6. Enjoy craft time as a couple. Try to pick a project that you will both enjoy. I recommend the scrape off animal art for reluctant artists.

7. Watch a movie that is new to you. Here are some of my selections:  Robot & Frank, Amelie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Im Juli, Before Sunrise, Death at a Funeral (2007), Cherish, It Happened One Night

8. Read a book together. Revisit a childhood favorite and take turns reading out loud.

Feel free to share any of your date night ideas below! We ended up stretching Valentine's Day out over several days. It was nice taking time to do things together and squeeze in some quality time before rotation number two kicks off! I hope you all enjoyed the holiday. If your evening didn't go as planned, schedule another. When you celebrate doesn't matter nearly as who you celebrate with.

Sarah

About This Blog

I started this blog in August with no real plan other than to start writing. As a combination perfectionist-procrastinator, I love to organize and plan the perfect project to the point where I won't start if I'm not sure I can achieve my vision. This makes it difficult to get things done. I feel the worst for all my empty journals that are waiting for a consistent theme, groundbreaking ideas, or calligraphy lessons to have their pages filled. So I decided to finally take the leap and start a blog (years later) with no theme other than I've graduated! Now what...

You may notice that a large portion of my blog is recipes. That is not the intentional direction of this blog, but it seems unavoidable. I grew up around my mom cooking, and in college I caught the cooking bug myself. I was incredibly picky when I was little, and, now that I no longer turn my nose up at nearly everything, I have a lot of foods and flavors to catch up on! Crafts, travel, and outdoor adventures make up most of my other posts. Some time soon I would like to have weekly featured topics/posts, but for now that is still in the development phase.

E and I on our first Disney getaway. 

Since August: I settled into life in DC/Maryland and married my best friend (He shall now be referred to as E. It was driving me crazy using a pronoun without an antecedent!). Life as a military and medical school spouse has been an exciting change that's brought many wonderful friends my way. My English degree is being put to good use helping kids with reading and writing, and my part-time gig has just turned into a full-time job! These next few months should be interesting as I juggle grownup duties and make time for fun. And if all goes well, I might be traveling outside the country this summer. Stay tuned. : )

Easy and Exotic Fudge

So I was having a serious chocolate craving last week when I stumbled across a new blog -VeggieBelly- and a recipe for Cardamom Fudge. It totally hit the spot. My friends and I were a little confused on how to roll the fudge into balls so we let it sit for a while and ended up using spoons to make blobs we then put on a cookie sheet. This fudge is so decadent I would recommend making fudge dots by putting your mixture into a bag, snipping the corner, and squeezing small amounts of fudge onto a cookie sheet. We split the mixture in half and made both cardamom and Mexican style fudge.

Simple Meals for Busy Schedules

This surgical rotation has been kicking our butts. We both knew it would be a hectic schedule, but after Christmas break it was a shocking jolt back to reality. With E waking up at 3:50am and coming home between 7 and 9 at night, he has almost no time to contribute to chores or meals (fortunately, he seems to enjoy his time at the hospital and finds surgery fascinating), and my responsibilities have been revving up at work as I prepare to move into a full-time position. It is an exciting offer where I get to spend more time teaching and developing workshops while getting hands-on training with the business side of things. However, we are seriously going to have to rethink our schedule.

Having a rotisserie chicken on hand is a great way to minimize kitchen time. If you carve it up to use for meals throughout the week, it is a fast way to add protein without dirtying an extra pan. As I was finishing up my grocery shopping and the commissary was getting ready to close, the loudspeaker announced $3 chicken(!) so I got two to help me out with meals this week. Here are several lunches and dinners I plan to make with it.

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowl
One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf
Spinach and Fontina Quesadilla
Barbeque Chicken Salad
Oven-Baked Nachos
Sandwiches/Wraps
Loaded Baked Potatoes

The first three recipes are vegetarian meals that I would enjoy, but my husband is a meat eater, so adding rotisserie chicken is an easy way to suit both of us. The other four "recipes" are ones I will make up as I go along. I will do my best to document with pictures and upload the results here. This will be my first try with quinoa and I'm excited to see how it turns out!

15 Minute Stovetop Mac & Cheese

stir and let cook until it looks like this : )

Do you ever read the back of the box/bag in search of recipes? Every now and then I'll give it a glance over, but after today's find, I am going to be much more diligent about reading labels for both nutrition information and recipes. 

This recipe came from the back of a Lucerne shredded cheese bag. I was really excited when I found it because it was quick, easy, and didn't call for heavy cream. I ended up using a variety of cheeses I had in the fridge- mostly shredded Colby-Jack with some Fontina and Asiago.The result was fantastic homemade macaroni and cheese that required little effort or time. I will be making this again!

Ingredients:

2 cups hot water
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups elbow noodles
8 oz (1 bag) shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste (I added some paprika, too.)

Directions:

Add water, milk, butter, and noodles to a pan. Stir frequently. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add in cheese. Stir and let cook until pasta is creamy. Add seasonings to taste.