Batter Blaster

We got this as a promo with our last AmazonFresh.com order - Batter
Blaster! Not only can you spray premade pancake batter easily from a
can, but every ingrediant is organic, too!

Creighton had fun making mini pancakes, and I wrote our initials. :-)

The taste? Pretty good for coming out of a can, though I can't say I'd
ever buy this stuff on my own.

Summer in Seattle makes everything feel just a little bit slower.

Hope At Last

It's been a long, hard winter.


The sun is finally starting to come out, and a feeling of new beginnings has arrived. Oh, how we've been waiting a long time for this!

My container garden was looking pretty sad after getting blasted with snow, wind, and night after night of freezing temperatures. I went out there today to clean it up a bit, and look what I found!


Soon, this little ray of hope will look like this, again:


I can't wait for summer! We really earned it this time.

Snow Day!

I've been pretty busy these days, but a blanket of snow and ice today put the brakes on any plans I had for rushing around to do Christmas shopping and running errands. Creighton and I had fun playing in the snow and walking up to the Junction for some food and people watching. We ended up getting a lot of Christmas shopping done there, but it never felt like a chore since we didn't have to step foot into a car. It really felt like one of those fun and light Christmas shopping movie scenes where everyone is smiling and saying hello while walking through the snow carrying their packages...

Here's Creighton enjoying the ice.


Isis enjoyed the snow today, too.

It's Stew Season

Summer took a decidedly long time to show up this year, and we all complained about the dreary weather that was lingering well into June. Well, we finally got our payback - the most stunning fall I've ever seen. The city has been alive with rich hues of deep reds, warm oranges and bright yellows. Crisp air and actual sun made the season even better.

But, alas, the rain has finally come to Seattle, and I'm secretly happy it's here. I'm sure I'll sing a different tune in April, but I'm still able to appreciate the contrast of seasons at this point. With the emergence of the rainy season, I pulled out my spiffy new dutch oven and made a favorite stew recipe, with one new substitution. Even though this stew is based on Italian spices, I picked up some bok choy at the West Seattle farmer's market this morning when Creighton and I walked up to the Junction for Sunday lattes and light errands. I usually add celery, but thought that bok choy could add the needed greenery I was looking for. My new "fusion" dish (ha):

Tuscan Beef Stew

1 can condensed tomato soup
1 & 1/4 cup beef broth
1/2 cup water
2 lbs. beef for stew, cut into 1" pieces
1 can diced Italian style tomatoes
2 large carrots, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium bok choy, roughly chopped
2 cans white kidney beans (cannellini), drained

Mix soup, broth, water, beef, tomatoes, carrots, seasoning and garlic in dutch oven, and cook on a low heat for around 2 hours. Stir in beans and bok choy, cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, until bok choy is tender.

(Note: "Italian seasoning" is a combination of marjoran, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil for those that already have a good selection of this stuff in your pantry, and want to play around with the balance.)

While I'm on a culinary kick, I have to share a new subsitution I learned last week. I was making beans and cornbread for dinner (my favorite simple meal to make when Creighton's out of town since he's not a fan). It was late, I was hungry - it was then that I realized I didn't have any eggs to finish the cornbread mix. Shoot! A super quick internet search helped me realize that I could add two tablespoons cornstarch for the missing egg. I added the cornstarch with a pinch of sugar, and it worked perfectly!

Here it Comes!

A trip to Target last week for Halloween supplies landed us in the pre-Christmas aisle. This picture is a week old, so there are even less days till Christmas! This is my favorite season of the year - beautiful fall weather with anticipation of the holidays. Love it!

Seattle Fall and Football

Momix came through town this weekend, and Creighton and I decided to check out this year's show. Momix has toured a lot through the years, but I always enjoy seeing an evening of accessible modern dance that everyone can enjoy. Specifically, I think that Momix is the "illusionist" (prop-heavy, I say) company that develops good ideas for each dance. Many of the other companies (Diavolo, for example) tends to rely heavily on the prop itself, with each dance looking more like a workshop instead of a final product with a well-developed idea.

The concert was on the University of Washington campus, and we happened to stumble upon the homecoming rally before and after the Momix show.


For two people that only attended arts schools, Creighton and I were fascinated by the show of school spirit, enthusiastic band members, and even....cheerleaders. We walked through the nearby streets of fraternity and sorority houses with crunchy leaves on the sidewalk in the crisp, fall air. The UW campus is old and stately and has the feeling of a real-live, vibrant community. A community that didn't quite feel like KCAI or CalArts. We're both grateful for our unique experiences we had in college, but sometimes feel like we missed out on a classic experience that many others get to be a part of.