Master Bath Remodel, 10:00 AM

My master bath has been in a state of suspended remodel for almost 4 months. I know, I should be ashamed to admit that. But it didn't seem like that much time had gone by......really, it didn't. Although I'm getting a slightly later start than I'd anticipated, the plan today is to wrap this baby up. What's already been done: Cabinetry painted, flowered wallpaper removed, and, uhm, I guess that's it. (But that was a really big job. Note to self: If I ever wallpaper again, I will not use wallpaper primer, which claims to make removal easier down the road. It doesn't. Instead, it makes the wallpaper tear off in tiny little pieces. Arg.) Oh, and the old light fixture has been partially removed. Here are my starting photos: What's left to be done today: Prep walls, paint, install new light fixture, medicine cabinet, and towel rack. (Oops, I forgot to include the light fixture in that last photo. Well, now you'll just be surprised when you see it installed.) So hopefully this evening (or at this rate, maybe tomorrow....) I'll have pictures up of a lovely completely transformed bathroom.

Picnicking in the Park

Last night we went to the first show of the summer season in San Dimas' little concert in the park series. Yay for us for being community supporters! On the Menu: Chicken pesto sandwiches, potato salad, baby carrots, roasted garlic and 3 cheese gourmet potato chips, sparkling lemonade, and gingersnaps for dessert. YUM. Tunes: Classic blues covers Ambience: Small town relaxed

Donut Man(ia)

I've spent 27 of my 33 years living in this area, so you'd think I'd be pretty familiar with all the best local haunts. (Like La Tolteca in Azusa, which looks like nothing special from the outside but serves the best tacos and homemade chips and salsa I've ever had.) Doesn't every town have a handful of those scary-looking, hole-in-the-wall type places that look like a health inspector's worst nightmare but which, in reality, serve some of the best food imaginable and have served longstanding and loyal customers for generations? Well, Donut Man is one of those places, and it's literally just down the road from our house. Yet in all these years I've never once eaten one of their doughnuts--even though I've heard friends talk about it here and there over the years. Then a few years ago my friend Christy (who is from Texas, lives in Virginia, and works in Washington, D.C.) asked me out of nowhere: "Have you, by chance, ever heard of this place called....'Donut Man'?" I was floored. As it turns out, Christy's fiance, Del, who is originally from Tennessee, went to CalTech in Pasadena. Somehow he and his friends got hooked on Donut Man's famous strawberry doughnuts and would go on regular midnight doughnut runs out to Glendora (20 miles away) just to get them. Christy wanted me to try and send her some so that she could surprise Del for his birthday, but it just didn't work out. Del's birthday is coming around again, and when Christy was here last week we hatched a plan: I'd get some of the doughnuts and try to figure out how she could recreate them at home. So here's what it looks like: As you can see, all it is is a round glazed doughnut, sliced through the middle, and stuffed to bursting with large fresh strawberries covered in a glaze. Easy to make yourself, Christy! However, I'm hoping some of you more culinary-minded blog readers out there might be able to help Christy out on the glaze on these strawberries. It's a thin glaze--definitely not as thick as pie filling--but it's not watery, either. And while it's slightly sweeter than the actual strawberries, it's not terribly so. The overwhelming flavor of the glaze is of strawberries--not sugar. My best guess would be that the strawberries have just been sprinkled with, say, a little fine granulated sugar and left to set in their own juices. But there's got to be something added (tapioca? cornstarch? gelatin?) to give it a little bit of the glaze-like consistency. I just don't know what. Any suggestions?

Angels vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Sunday afternoon we joined Tim and Careth for a day at the ballpark. We're not big baseball fans, but the weather has been beautiful and we were eager to spend some time outside and enjoy the company of these good friends. Unfortunately, the day ended on a sad note, as Careth received a phone call during the 8th inning notifying her that a friend who has been suffering from cancer had taken a turn for the worst and was asking for Careth to be with her at the hospital. (Sadly, the young woman [only 28 and a newlywed] passed away a short while later. So if it crosses your mind, say a prayer for her husband, family, and for Careth.)

Old Friends

My freshman college dorm came with many unpleasantries--communal bathrooms, institutional cement block walls and speckled linoleum floors, neighbors who lounged around all day and night in ratty barely-decent bathrobes.... Yes, North Russell women's dormitory at Baylor U. was an experience. On the other hand, there were some obvious highlights. For instance, my lovely roommate of 4 years and friend for life who 7 years ago introduced me to my now husband.

And then there was the petite, spry, witty, and undeniably sassy sophomore down the hall who, for some reason I can't recall completely, decided to stay in the freshman dorm for a second year. Christy had a laugh that was half giggle and half cackle--I'd never heard anything quite like it before or since--that was especially endearing. And she frequently experimented with various shades of red hair dye, had a closet full of satin print blouses and polyester blend pantsuits from her goodwill shopping sprees, and was fanatical about movie trivia and all things Oscars, Julia Roberts, and Tim Robbins.

Last Monday brought a treat: Christy was in town on business for a couple of days, so we met for dinner and had a great time catching up, talking about weddings (mine just past and hers coming up in October), and enjoying the fine Italian cuisine at The Kitchen in Pasadena. It must have been kismet that the hotel where she was staying boasted a....ahem....memorable wedding-themed display in the lobby. We spent a good deal of time examining the decor for possible implementation on Christy and Del's big day. Thanks to Christy for pointing out that the bride and groom in this display "are eight."

Snipped

Well, 7 inches of hair are gone, hoorah! I went with cut #3 from my last post, but I wanted a bit more length so it had to be modified a little. I'm happy with it and feel so much lighter and summery, but I'm already thinking I might go shorter and more true to the original picture next time. (Unfortunately, the shot that best shows the haircut has terrible lighting--sorry.) In reponse to B and Kell's comments to the last post about European vs. American cutting, I know exactly what you're talking about and I agree completely. Something about American cutting is so......rounded, bowl-like, pageboy-edge-like. Today I told Connie that I wanted the ends to be "weightless" and "flippy-outty without being cutesy Doris Day flip." I think she got the cut pretty close, but she did style me in the salon with a total '50s flip all around. I came home and straight ironed out the curl and was much happier.

The Psychic Hair Phenomenon

Why is it that whenever I've just about made up my mind to make a drastic change to my hair, it all of a sudden starts looking super cute--as if it knows that it's in jeopardy of being hacked off, and therefore starts acting on its best behavior in hopes of being spared? Am I the only one familiar with this phenomenon, or does it happen to you too? Well, despite my hair's casual cuteness today, I'm still seriously considering making the big cut at my appointment tomorrow morning. I've looked around and have found a few other (yet still similar to each other as well as to the JS photo I posted a few days ago) cuts. This first one has more layers than I think I'd want, but it's so soft and feminine, I couldn't resist posting it. It would also require daily use of a curling iron to get it to look like this, which would be a pain. (By the way, it goes without saying that regardless of what style I choose, I'll be keeping bangs. You could print the Gettysburg Address in 12-pt type on my forehead, making it waaaay too big to go uncovered.) Then there are a couple more that are almost identical to the Jessica Simpson shot. I think my favorite is this last one, only I'd want it a bit longer so it's just past my shoulders. I like how it's flippy-outty without being too cutesy. But I also suspect there's a bit of the "nude nail polish effect" going on, and that what I really want is to look exactly like this model--hair and eyes and narrow nose and defined jaw and all--which is not going to be accomplished with hair scissors. What say you all?

Empty Nest

Saturday morning all five of our birds abandoned the nest. Matt was the first to notice that we were down to four birds, and when I checked on them myself they were standing on the edge of the wreath looking eager to take off. As soon as I shut the door I heard a swoosh, and it was done--the remaining four had flown off. Thank God. I couldn't wait to throw away that wreath and clean off the door. One of the birds wasn't quite ready to leave the safety of the porch, and so took refuge in our ficus tree for a couple of days.

But now he's gone, too, and we can again use our front door. While it was a unique experience to witness nature running its course, the miracle of life, blah, blah, blah, we will not be allowing critters of any kind to be making nests, dens, etc. on our porch next spring.

Haircut Poll

So, I have a haircut appointment this Friday, and I think I might be ready to cut off my hair. Might. I like the length and blunt edges of this cut, but I'm just not sure.... Try to ignore the fact that it's Jessica Simpson and give me your thoughts. Links to other photos of cute cuts are welcomed, too!

See Me Covet

I discovered a new shopping site over which to drool: www.seejanework.com. It's all organization, office, and desk accesories. Some of my favorites were this cute to-do notepad/mouse pad...
these fun journals....
and this fab computer tote.

Recipe Review: Smoky Chipotle-Chicken Corn Chowder with Salsa Salad

Here's another recipe from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals. This one I made on Sunday night, despite the fact that it was in the mid-80s and not exactly the ideal weather for soup. Also, for this one I definitely could not use the express lane, as I had to buy almost everything at the market. But some of you may keep a better-stocked kitchen than I....

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and black pepper

20-30 white or yellow corn chips, ground in food processor to yield 1 cup

1 quart chicken stock

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-size pieces

2 10-ounce boxes frozen corn kernels

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 ripe Hass avocados

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1 small head romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Chowder: Preheat a soup pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the onions, garlic, chipotle, celery, coriander, cumin, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions are slightly tender, stirring frequently. Add the ground chips to the onion; stir to combine. Add the chicken stock, bring it up to a bubble, then simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and frozen corn and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. To serve, sprinkle with a generous helping of the Italian parsley and garnish with tortilla chips.

Salad Dressing: In a small mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, mustard, and a little salt and pepper. In a slow, steady stream whisk in 3 tablespoons of EVOO.

Salad: Chop the flesh of the avocados into bite-sized pieces and place in salad bowl. Halve the tomatoes and add those along with the cilantro, chopped romaine, and chopped onion. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

My Thoughts: Matt looooves soup. Me, not so much. But when there is a soup I like, 9 times out of 10 it's a chowder or a creamy, thick soup. So this one went over well for both of us. It was easy to make--nothing complicated or anything, although the kitchen was a disaster by the time I finished. While we did like it, I was a little surprised and disappointed that the flavor was so...uninspired. One-toned. Know what I mean? I expected to taste layers of flavor, but it was pretty straightforward and unexciting. We agreed that next time we'll try throwing in a can of diced green chiles for added color and maybe another flavor dimension. I also think that garnishing with an extra-sharp cheddar and sour cream would be really good.

My Proudest Moment: Successfully emulsifying the salad dressing, which was pretty tasty. Next time I'll add more salt, though. (Poor Matt, he doesn't like it that I keep posting photos of him....)

Rock On, Baby Birds

Our birds now have '80s rocker 'dos. Or really bad bedhead. I've got to say, though, that while they physically may be getting cuter and less alien-like, the filth in which they live is across the board dis-gusting. This photo is cropped so closely in order to spare you the horror. Those of you who know me and the manner in which I'm used to keeping my house can understand the utter torture it is for me to allow my front door to be so defiled.

Patio, Version 2.Nighttime

I couldn't resist taking a photo of our cute little patio as the sunlight faded and the solar lanterns started glowing happily.

Recipe Review: Turkey Burgers with Horseradish and Cheddar Cheese

For the wedding someone gave us the Express Lane Meals cookbook by Rachael Ray, and for the first time Friday night I pulled it out and tried something from it. Now, like a lot of you, I can only handle so much of RR on tv. She's too bright, too excited, too toothy for me to watch for more than about 10 minutes, but usually whatever it is she's making sounds pretty good. The premise of this particular book is that if you keep your pantry, fridge, and freezer pretty well stocked with her list of "staples" presented in the front, then every recipe in the book can be completed by purchasing 10 or less items from the market, qualifying you to use the express lane. Hence the title, get it? Aaah, pretty clever.

This recipe for turkey burgers was pretty basic and simple, so I had most of the ingredients on hand and only had to get 2 items from the market. Yay me! So here it is:

1 package ground turkey

2 rounded tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/3 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, diced or crumbled

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 rounded palmful of grill seasonings (such as McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning)

extra virgin olive oil

spicy brown mustard

4 poppyseed Kaiser rolls

1 tub or can of good quality whole-berry cranberry sauce

Romaine lettuce

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, mix together meat, horseradish, cheddar pieces, scallions, and grill seasoning. Form 4 patties and drizzle them with EVOO. Cook the burgers for 5 to 6 minutes each side. Spread mustard on bun bottoms and cranberry sauce on bun tops. Place the burgers on the buns with lettuce leaves. Serve fancy/gourmet chips alongside.

My Thoughts: I'm a big fan of turkey burgers, Matt loves horseradish, and who doesn't want to marry cheese? This sandwich didn't disappoint, and the leftover patties were even better the next day reheated for lunch. I made one change and that is that I didn't use the cranberry sauce. I know some people are into weird stuff on their sandwiches like that, but I'm not. Matt said he would have liked it, though, so maybe next time I'll get it just for him. Next time, too, I might use a tad less cheese, or at the very least crumble it up into much smaller pieces. My chunks were kind of big, and all of the ones that were exposed to the pan pretty much melted away. But overall this recipe was great--super easy, fast, and tasty.

UPDATE (dated August 5, 2007): I recently made these for the second time, and it's official: They're now one of our favorite foods. But this time I mixed things up a tiny bit, and I think it improved it: 1) I used a little bit less horseradish, like maybe 1 3/4 tablespoons instead of 2 tablespoons. 2) Instead of white cheddar (which was hard to break into small pieces and therefore melted away into the pan), I used a 6-oz package of crumbled gorgonzola. Not only did this not melt away since the pieces were smaller and better distributed, but we thought the flavor was better than the cheddar. 3) While I don't care for cranberry sauce (especially not on a sandwich), Matt expressed interest in trying it. He loved it, so if you're into that sort of weird mix of fruit on your sandwich, more power to ya. If you're not, I put brown mustard on the bottom bun and just a little bit of mayo on the top bun.