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Category: spring

my husband’s day off

my husband’s day off

As of 2:00 pm yesterday, I am officially Elizabeth Ruth Smillie. Mhmm. Not only am I married to John (which I have been for just over a month now!), I also legally share his name (!).
All because we downloaded a form from the Social Security website, found their office, took a number, and waited for close to two hours (and were treated to Access Hollywood and Days of Our Lives). The people watching aspect was quite entertaining. So were the commercials in between the agonizing instalments of “Days”. Did you know that SunnyD has orange-strawberry juice now? Looks yummy. Also, just so you know, good mothers buy their children Juicy Juice boxes. I think I’ll be a good mother, but what if I run out of Juicy Juice? Oh dear.
Then our number was called. “Would number F44 please come to window 4? Number F44 please.”
The actual process only took about 7 minutes.
The man was rather friendly (he even told us where to go to get an Ohio driver’s license!).
And then we left.

We had our dinner in Eden park. It was a gorgeous evening, just the right mixture of warmth and wind. As the sun was setting there was a rainbow in the cloud directly above us. After the sun went down it got a bit chilly, so we enjoyed it for awhile …. then home and early to bed!

2008-05-13 picnic in Eden park
dinner guests

dinner guests

Evan, Sarah, Leah, Elizabeth and Esther stopped by for the evening yesterday. It was awesome to have people over!
We took them to church with us (we went last night because John had to work today) and stopped to pick up groceries on the way home. John BBQed some burgers and hot dogs (he is really starting to enjoy the charcoal grill!), and I made up some guacamole. John and I decided that we really enjoy having our family over. Mhmm.
The girls gave us a housewarming gift!

Oh, as they were about to leave I remembered that I had a cheesecake in the refrigerator that I had made up the day before (just because I felt like it). So they decided to stay a moment longer to partake. The recipe looked rather mundane, and the cheesecake itself rather resembled a wheel of Brie cheese, but once you bit into it (with some blueberry coulis on top), it was heavenly!
Sour Cream Cheesecake
Joy of Cooking
Crush or grind fine:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers
Stir into the crumbs until well blended:
1/4 to 1/2 cups powdered sugar (if substituting granulated, use 1/4 cup)
6 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
Pat into a 9″ springform pan. Chill.
Mix well, then pour into the crust:
2 well beaten eggs
3/4 lb. soft cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice or 1/2 tsp vanilla (I used vanilla)
1/2 tsp salt
Bake about 20 minutes in a preheated 375 oven. Remove from oven and dust the top with cinnamon.
Let cool to room temperature.
Mix well and pour over the cake:
1 1/2 cups thick cultured sour cream
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Bake about 5 minutes in a 425 oven to glaze the cheesecake. Let it cool, then refrigerate from 6 to 12 hours before serving.
Blueberry Coulis
Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2003
12 oz fresh or frozen thawed blueberries
5 (scant) tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
In a medium saucepan, bring berries, 1/4 cup water, sugar, cinnamon and salt to bare simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook until sugar has dissolved and berries are heated through, about 1 minute longer.
(I skipped this next step) Transfer mixture to blender or food prcessor; puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through a very fine-mesh strainer , pressing and stirring to extract as mush seedless puree as possible.
Stir in lemon juice.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, as least 1 hour.
things I’ve done since I’ve been married

things I’ve done since I’ve been married

  • been called “ma’am – and it was by an adult, too!
  • done 12 loads of laundry
  • met the demo ladies and John’s regional supervisors at Sam’s Club
  • learned to sleep through the night while sharing a bed – it took a week and a half, though.
  • made cookies and bread without a mixer
  • decided I need to get a mixer
  • met the mail lady – her name is Beth
  • watched the director’s commentary on most of my movies – I leave it playing in the background while I do other things (such as laundry) just for the white noise
  • decided that I REALLY do not like the sound of ambulance sirens
  • began looking for a house in a quiet neighborhood
  • unpacked my sewing machine
  • bought thread for the sewing machine
  • found out that the Michael’s in this neighborhood has a pathetic thread selection – Walmart has a better one, but it’s still rather lame
  • used 3 quarts of Coffee Mate creamer
  • bought furniture at Ikea
  • decided we need to find a house near Ikea
  • begun to like Ohio
  • begun to feel at home in Cincinnati
  • watched the River in the rain
  • cut John’s hair
  • blogged in my underwear

*pictures intentionally not provided

tonight

tonight

We had enchiladas tonight, and John made them. He’s a pretty good cook. No, a very good cook. The best part is that he wants to do the dishes afterwards. jk :)

And, I made guacamole. It was really yummy, so yummy that John declared he could eat a bucketful.

1⁄4 cup peeled, finely chopped white onions

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

1 medium hass avocado

1 small tomato, coarsely chopped
1. Combine half the onions, half the jalapeño, and half the cilantro in a mortar or food processor, season with about 1⁄2 tsp. salt, then grind or pulse into a smooth paste. Transfer to a serving bowl.
2. Cut avocado in half lengthwise, then remove and discard pit. Make crosshatch incisions in avocado pulp with a paring knife. Scoop pulp out with a spoon, then combine with onion mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
3. Stir in remaining onions, jalapeño, and cilantro, then gently mix in tomatoes. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately.

I added about a teaspoon of lime juice. And, as I have no blender, food processor or mortar (yet), I did it all on the cutting board. I minced, re-minced, and then minced again. All things considered, it was really good!
lemon curd and other things

lemon curd and other things

I had a craving for lemon curd this afternoon, so I went online, found a recipe that looked yummy, and made it. It’s pretty good, just a bit tart.

my improv double boiler

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked and clothe You? And when did we see You in prison and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even to the least of them, you did it to Me.'” -Matthew 25:37- 40

I have been thinking about this. Who are my “least” right now? It used to be those I saw during the week, my family and so on. Now? Now it is John. The checker at the supermarket. The manager of the apartment complex. And … that’s pretty much it. These are my “least”? Yes. “To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers …”

something

something

“Of the nearly 4,000 species of mammals on Earth, almost one quarter are bats, the only mamals capable of powered flight.”
– Stellaluna by Janell Cannon