Weather Wackiness

The past few days have been so warm that while walking to my car after school on Tuesday, I honestly could not remember if we had already had winter and it was spring or if it was fall and we were about to have winter. After several moments of deep puzzlement (as I trudged through a lot of fallen leaves, I might add, which might have been a good hint), I remembered that I was excited about putting up the Christmas decorations this week, and the problem was solved. However, the weather truly has been very unusual. Yesterday morning was practically balmy, and the just-washed pale blue sky and watercolor-soft clouds looked definitely more springlike than fallish. Even the daffodils have been tricked and are starting to come up (aghhhh!).

But last night winter came down like the Assyrians upon the fold in purple and gold or however that poem goes, and the Hildebrandt Tree-Picking Committee found themselves nearly freezing to death in the cold corners of the Lowe's garden center as we decided which hapless evergreen to carry off. Now it will be easier to remember it's Christmas, at least. :)

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - Day 30

Yesterday was Day 30.

I was thankful for the chance to get up early on a perfect, grey November day (the best sort of day for being indoors with friends and family, stuffing yourself with good food). I was thankful for the chance to watch a bit of the Macy's Day Parade (it's not Thanksgiving at the Hildebrandt house unless you've watched at least one float), the quiet drive, preparing dinner with family and good friends, FOOD (glorious food!), bananagrams, laughs, fellowship, hugs, a crackling fire, hot cider, curling up with family for a movie, and finally sleep.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

"Oh give thanks to the LORD for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!" - Psalm 107:1

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - Days 11-29

Wow. So... someone wasn't very good at keeping up with their blog. *ahem* Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I think it's time for an all-out recap, which I'll attempt to make short and sweet.

Day 11: Kick-starting the Christmas spirit at our town's Holiday Fair with friends, and an evening of sweet fellowship and fun with Laura making homemade pot pies (and probably gaining 5 pounds after eating them). ;)
Day 12: The freedom to go to church and worship the Lord with our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.
Day 13: Online Scrabble games with Karyn.
Day 14: The opportunity to go to college, and the blessing of learning from good teachers.
Day 15: My cat, who, though clearly psychotic, is still a source of constant entertainment and comfort (especially on cold winter nights).
Day 16: Our veterans and all the brave men serving in our armed forces today. May God bless and protect them.
Day 17: Wandering public libraries full of good books.
Day 18: Warm, clean pajamas straight out of the dryer.
Day 19: Jigsaw puzzles and books on tape.
Day 20: Gas logs, especially if curled up beside them with a good book and a warm cat.
Day 21: Grey, rainy November days when the leaves shine jewel-bright and form a scarlet canopy against the dark sky, a golden carpet glowing on wet earth and pavement; a day for rain coats and umbrellas and first Starbuck's holiday drink of the year (gingerbread latte.. mmm).
Day 22: Bright, clear, brisk days of blue sky and green grass and riotous color as the trees shed their bright cloaks in golden showers.
Day 23: The Psalms.
Day 24: Hand-written letters.
Day 25: Sean coming home for Thanksgiving break! :D And of course his hugs.
Day 26: Old friends, beautiful weather, my Dad and brother safely finishing their mountain bike race, neighbors dropping by for marshmallow-roasting in the backyard, a bright full moon, home.
Day 27: Watching Harry Potter 7 in the theaters during the middle of a weekday. :)
Day 28: Last day of classes for the week and the start of Thanksgiving break! Being able to cook for friends and family. And more s'more-making around the fire with family and old friends. (we're pyromaniacs I guess)

And today, Day 29 if my calculations are correct, I am thankful for Dad having the day off from work; for being able to make a big family breakfast together; for the opportunity to bake all afternoon (an Appalachian layer cake and two cheddar-apple pies - I might share the pie recipe another day); for going off on an excursion in the old Volvo with just Dad and have adventures successfully hunting down discount candles, getting coffee and sitting down for a chat at B&N, just us; for pizza and the aforementioned cake at the Poppes; for a bonfire on the edge of the fields throwing sparks into a cold night pricked with stars; for songs around the fire, and laughter, and stickiness; for life; for love; for joy; for God. Thank you.

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - Day 10

Today I was thankful that's it's FRIDAY! TGIF. Every week. :)

I'm also thankful for the song below. My Dad introduced me to it one of the first times we moved away, and it's always spoken home to me (we used to sing it as we drove over the border whenever we came back to visit ;D). I am so very thankful to live in North Carolina. Throughout all our moves, I've always had NC to hang on to, and we've always come back. Whenever I hear this song, it makes my heart long for my homestate, and I am so grateful to have been born in such a beautiful place, to have this land in my bones, my roots running deep through sandy soil of cotton fields and wind-swept sand bars of the Outer Banks and among the thick green forests down to the Appalachians' stony heart. I think everyone has a special place that they are bound to, no matter how often or far they roam... and this is mine.

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - Days 8 & 9

Wow, I am not good about posting every day. But I was still thankful! Really, I promise.

Yesterday I was thankful for, after nannying, an almost entire afternoon to sew and read things that did not pertain to chemistry (not that they weren't there, waiting to be read... er... but I gave myself a day off). Also hot tea. And cold November rain. And scarves to bundle up in. It was delicious.

Today I was thankful for a family friend who came over to share dinner and conversation with us, after a long rainy day at school. Home is always merrier when the path to the door is well-trodden, when elbows jostle at the table, when quiet, loving voices fill the rooms, or riotous laughter rings about the halls. :)

"How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light do we see light." - Psalm 36:7-9

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - Day 7

Today I am thankful for many things.

I am thankful for my dear, beautiful mother, who kept me company while I worked into the wee hours of the morning on a nutrition project. It's peaceful to have someone dozing nearby, and comforting to know that there is a creature still alive at that dark hour, and the world is not quite so still and lonely as it seems. My mom is my confidant of secrets, my picture of hunger for Christ, the Mary to my Martha. She prods me forward, and helps me up when I fall, tests me, instructs me, loves me at my best and worst (that surely takes a rare person). I give thanks continually for her.

I'm thankful for the freedom and privilege to vote.

I am thankful for Fresh Market - that they play classical music, stock their beautiful store with exotic, beautiful foods, and serve hot cider at the door (oh happy day!). 

And I am even thankful for this shockingly cold weather we are having (in NC? Inconceivable!), because besides frozen hands it also means cozy sweaters, hot spiced drinks, piles of blankets, and all things warm and delicious to keep the chill away. :)

"Praise the LORD! Oh, give the thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." - Psalm 106:1

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - Day 6

This one is for yesterday, which also happened to be the first day of November - which of course means I am thankful that I can now officially start singing Christmas songs! Unfortunately, this official rule is only observed by a few (we happy few, we band of brothers), and I haven't really discovered who those other few are, so I'll have to be a bit furtive and bide my time until the day after Thanksgiving to really belt them out. In any case, I thought I'd celebrate by sharing the Christmas song below, which is appropriate enough for the season that hopefully it can be excused. :)

"Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises on the harp to our God,who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food and to the young ravens that cry." - Psalm 147:7-9

30 Days (or so) of Thankfulness - October Recap

Modesty is Next to Beauty is hosting a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge, which started October 27 and ends on November 25 (Thanksgiving Day). I was invited to participate by the lovely Emily of Practically Pink, and so although I'm hopping on the bandwagon a bit late, I will try to make up for lost time by giving a little recap of October thankfulness in this post. :) God pours out more blessings on us than we can count, and what a good reminder to be grateful and give Him praise and thanks for His goodness that we so often overlook or choose to ignore (on bad days, I know sometimes I certainly don't want to be happy... leave me alone to wallow in my misery!) - hopefully this practice will help form good habits to be thankful in all things. I encourage anyone else who may read this to join in too (you can click on the picture above to get started) and take time to thank God for His blessings each day, even if you don't blog them. Now, down to business.


Day 1
On Wednesday, we celebrated my good friend Brianne's 20th birthday at our families' weekly fellowship meeting at our house. I am so grateful for such a delightful, kind, loyal, and creative friend. :)

  "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest council." - Proverbs 27:13

Day 2
On Thursday I was very thankful for soup. Like Despereaux of the story book, I can't get enough soup. On the day in question, I found this delicious recipe for Golden Lentil Stew (I used regular lentils, but it still turned out very nice) that I highly recommend for a very autumnal, spice-laden soup.

Not my picture. ;)

"There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God." - Ecclesiastes 2:24


Day 3
I am so thankful for my father. On Friday night he rented Karate Kid, and we made a big bowl of popcorn and watched it together. I treasure our little times together, just me and him, even doing simple things. He is the most gentle, patient, uncomplaining, thoughtful, funny, hard-working, and kind person I know, and more than anything I would like to be more like my father... I could have no better person to learn  a servant's heart from than him.

"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him." - Psalm 103:13


Day 4
Saturday I was thankful for hot chocolate with whipped cream from Starbucks, and book browsing with Mom and friends at Barnes & Nobles, and especially both together. :) What bountiful, unnecessary goodness God delights to give!

Not my picture. Again.

"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." - Psalm 16:6

Day 5
I am thankful for dear friends and family to celebrate autumn with, for a celebratory dinner of hot dogs, for a backyard bonfire at the edge of the fields, for a cold, clear sky so thickly netted with stars, singing psalms and hymns around the fire, and ending it all with marshmallow toasting and much stickiness.

  "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew from Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing - life forever more." - Psalm 133

Martha Stewart: Chicken Parmigiana & Baked Ziti

Alternatively, this post could also be called "Cheese Overload" or "How To Gain Ten Pounds in One Sitting."

I don't think I've mentioned this here before, but my Mom's been suffering from severe depression and panic attacks the past few months which is why I've been doing the cooking (she's on complete rest)... and connected to that, she's been losing a worrisome amount of weight due to lack of appetite, so I'm always on the lookout for weighty yet tempting recipes. I had a chemistry lab midterm today so my meal planning was minimal, but shortly after dumping my books in my room I found what is probably the grand pooh-bah of fattening meals: homemade tomato sauce and Chicken Parmigiana. In my mind, the picture with the recipe looks kind of gross, but the real thing was all golden brown crumbs, tender white chicken, and cheese ad infinitum nestled in a bed of bubbling basil-laced sauce. The sauce doesn't originally call for basil, but I'm a wild and crazy gal and so I add it to everything. This recipe was definitely 4 stars. Go for it!

Easy Chunky Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Martha Stewart.com
Makes 6 cups

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cans (28 oz each) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp thyme or Italian seasoning (I used 1/4 tsp each)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed basil - if you have fresh, I'm sure that would be even better

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes with their juice and the thyme (and/or other spices); simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened (20-25 minutes). Sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Chicken Parmigiana
Adapted from Martha Stewart.com
Serves 4-6

• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 to 4 boneless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally, or 6 to 8 chicken cutlets
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups jarred tomato sauce or Easy Chunky Tomato Sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella  cheese (or a big bag of shredded mozzarella, which is what I happened to have on hand)

Heat broiler. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a shallow bowl. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in beaten egg, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides.
Spread tomato sauce onto the bottom of a 10-by-15 inch baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place 3 or 4 chicken pieces in skillet; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes each side. Transfer cooked cutlets to baking dish, resting them on the bed of tomato sauce. Repeat with remaining oil and cutlets. Top each cutlet with mozzarella and broil until sauce is hot and cheese is melted and lightly brown in spots (this only takes a few minutes - constant vigilance!). Serve immediately.

I had so much sauce left that I decided to make a side of baked ziti to go along with it (I just used the ziti portion of the recipe in the link). I could try to explain the way the tomatoes eased into the creamy ricotta, the mess of hot mozzarella, but you'd really have to just try it.

Baked Ziti
Adapted from MarthaStewart.com
Serves 4

• 7-8 ounces ziti
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 jar (24-26 oz) tomato sauce.. or 2-3 cups Easy Chunky Tomato Sauce.

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees. Cook the pasta according to directions on package. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.

In the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, spread half the tomato sauce. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Place casserole on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

If you want to go the whole 9 yards, I recommend making the sauce first, then starting the ziti, and while it's in the oven, prepare the chicken. When you take out the ziti, pop the chicken in to broil, and everything can be on the table within 5 minutes. Feel free to rub your hands together gleefully and maybe even throw in an evil little chuckle at this point to enjoy the moment (I find this makes cooking even more satisfying). Or.. watch this video.

Martha Stewart: Gingerbread Snacking Cake

All that soup making made me hungry for gingerbread, so since I was on a roll (read: crazed cooking spree) I baked up a batch.

These days I am craving all things fall. I'm breaking out the sweaters and scarves, drinking hot tea, singing Christmas songs (it's going to be a long fall...), and there are few things that say fall quite like warm gingerbread. Strangely, many gingerbread recipes seem to turn out disappointingly bland, but this one actually tastes like ginger and is spicy with nutmeg. As its name implies, it's great for snacking... the only problem being not to eat the whole pan in one sitting while drinking tea, wearing a sweater and singing, "It Feels Like Christmas."

Gingerbread Snacking Cake
Adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

Serves 12
You will need a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses*
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• Powdered sugar for dusting

*I didn't have enough molasses, so I used 3/4 cup molasses and 1/4 cup honey. 


Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the center. Butter and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan, tapping out excess; set aside. In a bowl, combine the boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until light. Beat in brown sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes). On low, beat in molasses, baking soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Pour batter into pan; bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Gingerbread often seems to bake unevenly so that you get a burnt crust and an uncooked center - to avoid this I baked the gingerbread for 30 minutes then took a piece of aluminum foil, cut out a rectangle in the center, and placed the remaining foil "frame" over the top of the gingerbread so that the edges were protected from the heat and the uncovered center could continue to cook for 7 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Sift light dusting of powdered sugar over the top before serving. Gingerbread will keep at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, several days.

Smitten Kitchen: Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons

Today was a nippy, brisk fall day... in fact, let's go all out and say it was cold (in the south, 60 degrees means it's time to break out the sweaters). In any case, I felt justified in making soup.

This soup was introduced to me by Karyn from the amazing Smitten Kitchen website, where the photos are almost as delicious as the food. The soup is rich and has a bite that is pleasantly unexpected from something that looks a little like baby food. The little floating islands of gruyere and thyme "croutons" really top it off, both literally and metaphorically. Ladling out the soup and launching the croutons on their maiden voyages before calling everyone to dinner is the key to getting the wow factor (and disguising the fact that it's glorified squash puree). You can find the original recipe here. This is my version (I only omitted sage from the original recipe because we were out of it, but I'm sure it would be tasty).

Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen adapted from Bon Appétit, December 1996

Serves 8

Soup

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• About 43 ounces chicken broth/stock
• 1 peeled butternut squash cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 peeled acorn squash cut into 1-inch pieces*
• 1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (dried also works in a pinch)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 cup whipping cream

*Peeling an acorn squash is a time-consuming business, so plan accordingly. My method  involves hacking and chipping off the peel with a sharp paring knife, as a vegetable peeler can't get into all the crevices. I imagine there is probably a more sophisticated way to go about this, and if anyone discovers it, please tell me.

Croutons

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

For soup: Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

For croutons: Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme, over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

 Bonus: This salad makes an excellent pairing with the soup. Very autumnal, and thyme makes yet another appearance.

Pear and Walnut Salad
Adapted from The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook, "Pear and Curly Endive Salad"

Serves 4

Salad

• 1/2-3/4 cup walnuts
• 1 ripe pear
• Lettuce (I used romaine, but a spring mix might be even nicer)

Dressing

• 4 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Whisk vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in oil 2 tbsp at a time. Mix in thyme. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Pop the walnuts in a toaster oven or under the broiler in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until they look toasted but not burnt and smell rather nice; when toasted, coarsely chop. Meanwhile, cut the pear lengthwise into quarters of eighths, core it, and then slice across the width to get little triangles. Combine the lettuce, pear, and walnuts in a salad bowl; add the dressing and toss.

Kitchen Escapades: Martha Stewart's Chicken and Basil Stir Fry

This recipe is always a hit at our house. Fresh basil (I haven't tried using Thai basil yet, but the common variety works fine in a pinch), fresh garlic, and highly peppered chicken (I take "season generously" very seriously) make it nice and flavorful. Best of all, it's uncomplicated. Success!

Check out the recipe here.

America's Test Kitchen - "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie"

It's been one of those dark, incredibly green North Carolina mornings where heavy rain falls ceaselessly and to steal a line from Lemony Snicket, "the world is quiet here." The perfect day for library browsing, comfortable arm chairs, tea with friends, getting projects done, and definitely cookie baking.

I decided to try out a new chocolate chip cookie recipe I found on America's Test Kitchen (which is all around pretty amazing), and it is possibly the best I've ever tried. Maybe even "perfect." But I'll leave that for you to decide. These cookies turn out huge, thick, rich and chewy, and have almost a butterscotch flavor that comes from browning the butter and letting it get cozy with the sugar. Also, they supposedly ship well, which I will be testing since this batch is for Sean as a little pre-exam-week surprise (he doesn't read my blog... I hope).

America’s Test Kitchen – Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

• 14 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 8 ¾ oz (about 1 ¾ cup) flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 cup of chocolate chips (Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips preferable)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Melt 10 tbsp of the butter over medium/medium-high heat until browned; butter will melt, then foam, and eventually brown. Keep swirling pan and do not allow to burn. When butter begins to brown nicely, pour into heat proof bowl and add the remaining 4 tbsp of butter; whisk until all the butter is melted (this also helps cool the brown butter). Next add the white and brown sugars to the butter and whisk until evenly combined and starting to dissolve. Add salt and vanilla extract; whisk. Add egg + egg yolk and whisk until smooth. Let sit 3 minutes, then whisk. Repeat 3x.

In a second bowl whisk together flour and baking soda; add to butter/sugar batter and stir until completely combined. Add chocolate chips; stir.

Scoop dough into 3 tbsp balls and set on parchment-paper-lined baking sheet at least 2 in. apart. Bake one tray at a time on the center rack of the oven, for 11-14 minutes. When edge of cookie can be lifted with your fingers, but is still soft in the middle, cookies are done. Let cool on sheet for 30 minutes before moving.

Eat!

Check out the video here for step-by-step instructions and some helpful tips.

Preface

“The human tendency to devalue what is close at hand and seek to do something extraordinary is precisely what Luther attacked in the medieval understanding of vocational (i.e. religious) vows. People did not want to fulfill mundane God-given tasks such as being a parent, but rather devised their own tasks, such as celibacy, which they thought would please God and make them holy. This goal-orientation led to neglect of the tasks at hand. That is why Luther always chose examples of vocation from daily life: the father washing smelly diapers, the maid sweeping the floor, the brewer making good beer. These activities are concrete forms of serving the neighbor. Luther’s point is that people are not called beyond their talents but only to be faithful to what is given to them.” – Carter Lindberg, The European Reformations

This blog is a record of my small triumphs and disasters as I seek to glorify God in all the tasks at hand; the small adventures of one girl exploring the seemingly-mundane realm of domesticity, and learning joy and delight in offering it as a gift to God.