small things...

#34–Learn how to roast a chicken…and not freak out

Well….I didn’t freak out, but there was a considerable amount of *shuddering*.  Enough that I should probably seriously consider veganism. 

I have actually tried roasting a chicken before – this wasn’t the very first time – but I couldn’t eat it because the prepping of the chicken was so disturbing to me.  That was the ‘freaking out’ I was trying to avoid.  This time was slightly better.  But only slightly.

I had forgotten, or successfully blocked out, the removal-of-the-innards part.  Ugh. it is awful and gross.  I was smart-ish enough to remove that stuff while the chicken was still only partially thawed so it was actually easy to remove and not…well, not…it just wasn’t as gross as last time.

I decided that if was going to make a whole chicken I was going to make an awesome recipe.  After reading several chose The Standard Grill’s Million Dollar Chicken.  It was easy and straightforward.  And it included a lovely lemony crème fraiche glaze to help the chicken brown up nicely

So…I’ve done it.  If pressed I could do it again.  The chicken turned out very nicely and I’ll be eating it for the rest of the week because even a relatively small chicken still makes a lotta meat

The thing is – I eat meat.  I like to eat meat and my body feels pretty decent eating meat, but man, I do not like to cook it myself.  I know I’m not alone in this, but I was feeling like – if I want to eat it, I need to be willing to prepare it myself.  Can I get away with being wiling without actually doing it again?  I’m not sure.

Happy roasters of chicken, I salute you.  I am not one of you, but I am glad you exist.

visiting my happy place, with my happy people

I spent the last week in Harbor country in Michigan with a few good old friends.  I have written about the other side of the lake many times (here, here, here, here, here, here, here and the very first time here) and it never fails to be a trip that makes me feel good about life itself.  A couple of years ago I had a mini-reunion with some of my very favorite people from when I lived in Boulder.  At the end of that trip we promised to try to get together every other year for another trip.  We weren’t all able to make it this time (we missed you R & R), but I was so happy to get to share this place with the lovelies who could.  (they also were totally game with helping me cross off a few items off my list…huzzah!)

A recap.

Tuesday

I packed my car, overfed my cat and headed out for Michigan late morning.  It’s only about a 1.5-2 hour drive to get to the town we’d be staying in so I was there by lunch time.  I was going to be there by myself for the first night and got the opportunity to check out the house a bit on my own before anyone else arrived

The place was a cozy, cabin-y place with 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a deck and a screened in porch.  It was perched on a hill with a great view of the lake.  I spent that first day unpacking and laying about reading the book I brought.

Wednesday

The day Beth was to arrive!  I woke up a little out of sorts having not slept that well (I get a little nervous sleeping alone in cabins in the woods).  I was so out of sorts that I basically hit a tree when I tried to back my way out of the very steep driveway.  I had an audience in the neighbors across the street who just kind of watched me all judgmental like (I think).  My car and the tree lost just about the same amount of bark.  meh.

Thankfully, Beth arrived late afternoon bearing contraband from Canada!

 

#3 - eat or drink 10 things I’ve never tried before (8 of 10 complete)

Ketchup chips!  The taste like ketchup, for real. 

Beth and I ate dinner, went for a swim and watched a movie before snuggling in to our rooms for the night.

Thursday

The rest of the ladies arrive!  They got in late afternoon as well and after bringing up their bags also headed down to the beach

while I went out to buy BOOGIE BOARDS and got dinner ready. yes. boogie boards.

#7 Have 4 seasonal dinner parties. (Winter, Spring, Summer – complete)

I have been making this Black Bean enchilada recipe since I was about 23 – when I bought my first cookbook.  The book is now coming apart at the binding and is filled with food stains and love

It is my fail-safe meal for a crowd.  We ate it up.

We were lucky enough to eat every meal out here on the porch.

Friday

Every time I drive up to this spot in Michigan I pass a sign beckoning me to pick blueberries.  But I hadn’t answered the call until this weekend.  We piled into the car, got some buckets and headed into the blueberry patch

And this is what 12 lbs of blueberries looks like. 

We spent the rest of the day at the beach: swimming, sunning, reading magazines, trying out the boogie boards on the nearly still water. 

#31 – Learn how to swim with my face in the water COMPLETE

Beth is a good swimmer.  She is training for a triathlon.  She walked me through swimming with my face in the water.  I’m not super comfortable still, but I think I’ve figured out the secret: stop thinking so much about it and just let the breath out.  The trick, she said, was to slowly exhale through your nose when your face was underwater.  I found it hard to stop holding my breath and force out an exhale, but when I stopped thinking so much about it it started to work.  It’ll take some practice, but I‘ve got the technique. 

Late in the afternoon I had a middle of the lake pow-wow with some Michigan friends who live/stay down the road

During this pow-wow the chance to borrow a paddleboard was offered and accepted. 

#1 – Try paddleboarding* COMPLETE

#40 – Help someone else reach a goal COMPLETE

Okay.  Let me explain the asterisk.  The “paddleboard” we tried was actually an abandoned windsurfer without the sail.  But they did have a paddle and had been successfully using it as a paddleboard.  The second reason for the asterisk?  I could barely get up on the thing.  It took all 3 of my friends, plus one 10 year old to either hold the board still or coach me while I tried to climb up on to the thing.  Inevitably I’d get up on my knees, shoo them all away, paddle once or twice and promptly fall off into the water.  I think I tried 3-4 times to get going to no avail.  Ah well.  I TRIED.  The experience did not fulfill my fantasy of paddling around Lake Michigan, but I tried which was the goal.  And I’ll try again.  And next time I’ll use an actual paddleboard which might be a bit easier.  Side note:  my friends were all successful in getting up and paddling around!  This ended up being a two-fer for the list as Beth trying paddleboarding was a goal of Beth’s.  And she got up and paddled!  yay!

Saturday

Our last day of vacation.  Amy took the kids down to the beach while Anna, Beth and I headed over to help braid the tail of a dragon.  Turns out I don’t have pictures of this exciting event, but you can take my word for it that the dragon was long and fierce and made of bushes.  He will be named ABE.

I spent the rest of the day doing a little shopping.  All along the red arrow highway you’ll find little outposts of antique shops, flea markets and unique home stores.  I go to see if I can find a gem and to get a little inspiration.  My favorite place to stop by is Sojourn in Sawyer.  I also usually stop by Lakeside Antiques in Lakeside.  That is where I found this lovely lady

She is soon to be reframed and hung with care.

FIND OF THE TRIP: Nani’s Café and Beach Shop.  Hells yes. They make amazing hot dogs and root beer floats.  I had the BLT dog.  oh my sausage-god.

  

garlic mayo, gourmet dog, bacon, arugula and tomato. amen.

The last night of the trip was spent down on the beach. 

I had two more items from the list to check off and there was possibly a meteor shower to witness (too cloudy).  Just as the sun began to dip below the horizon Amy, Sadie, Beth and I stripped down to our bathing suits, grabbed the boogie boards and jumped into the water to

#11 – Kayak or paddleboard BOOGIE BOARD in Lake Michigan at sunset

It was beautiful and peaceful and just wanted I wanted it to be.  After riding a few waves we got out and took our seats on the beach to watch the sun make it’s colorful exit for the night. 

#35 – Go Swimming at night

There are no photos of our nightswim and I’m kind of glad.  it was magical.  It made me feel alive and in love with my friends. It was more than I could have hoped for and I wish all vacations have a moment like that one.

So that was our trip.  It was one of the best.

this is for you Anna, Nadya, Beth, Amy and Sadie (and the Toomey’s for introducing this part of Michigan to me).  xoxo

#14–Take A cooking Class

I really like cooking.  I like the chopping part, the mixing part, the cooking it part and especially the eating it part.  It’s good stuff and good times. the end.

But wait there’s more!

When I put ‘take a cooking class’ on my list for this year it was not because I don’t know how to cook, it’s because I wanted to learn to cook some new things well.  Initially I thought I’d end up combining my “don’t freak out about cooking a chicken” goal with this one, but the chicken still eludes me (or I’m eluding the chicken?  But that would mean the chicken is coming after me…? *shudder*)

Last time I wandered by the new Sur La Table I noticed they have cooking classes.  On a whim I looked up what they were offering and found a Tapas and Paella class for the following Saturday.  I love tapas and I love me some paella – yay Spain!  I texted my friend Leah who also loves cooking and eating (and who is also up for just about anything) and she was game to join me. 

A piece of advice: Sur La Table will give you a nice coffee, water with lemon and/or they’ll make you bubble water.  So you really don’t need to wait all day in line for the Starbucks across the walkway.  ALSO – bring wine with you!  You can totally bring wine and drink it while you cook.  Bring two bottles, dude.

After everyone arrived (read: we were the last to arrive. see Starbucks above) the chef gave us a bit of an introduction to himself and what we’d be doing that day in class.

He showed us how he wanted the herbs and veggies cut for the Sofrito (the flavor base) and then divvied them up among us.  I learned a new way to dice onions – which is good because until now I’ve been a completely unreliable dicer.  No two alike.  But look at this:

I learned!  I pitched in with the garlic smashing and dicing, the herb prep and chopping asparagus

We made one Tapas dish – Sautéed Shrimp with Pimenton and Sherry.  Our class had split up into two groups and I ended up sautéing the shrimp for our group.  Another good thing, because shrimp is also something I have hang-ups about cooking, because I don’t know when it’s done and I really WANT it to be totally done, but usually I end up overcooking it and it’s tough. boo.  Our chef told us that after you flip the shrimp once (and only once) you are looking to see the shrimp curl up tightly and the center of the curl to be no longer greyish, but white.  I added the spices and sherry and our little dish ended up looking like this

It was good!  If I was a better food photographer I would have thought to clean off the plate before taking this photo.  ah well. 

Next up the paella.  Another of our team stepped up to man the paella pan – which apparently is required for making paella.  As in, if you didn’t use the paella pan what you made was not paella.  slowly-lowers-her-raised-hand-when-asked-who’s-made-paella-before.

oooh, fire!  Watch out for a little extra liquid when you add in the artichoke hearts!

We also prepared a little Majorcan Flatbread with caramelized onion, pine nuts and raisins to have with our paella.  A really easy little bread with incredible flavor

Leah getting our bread ready

We had a little break while the paella finished cooking. I spent too much money buying kitchen tools.  Thankfully they didn’t have an ice cream maker because do I really need one?

And then it was time to feast

*drool*

moral of the story: paella is really easy to make and fun to make with friends.  Cooking classes are fun and you should bring wine!

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Month 7 - Wrap up

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Month 7–Wrap up

We had our first really hot days this month…And that’s my excuse for this month’s somewhat of a dud showing in the “List” department.  I'll be making up for it in spades in the next month, but it’s going to make for a quick wrap up.

1. You may recall that I took a tour
2. And I ate a couple new things

What I didn’t tell you is that – Hey, I read/listened to a couple more books!  I am currently at 19 out of 40 books read.  With 5 months left that means I need to average 4 books a month.  gulp.

Creepy, post-apocalyptic type book with vampire-y scary guys and a girl who lives forever.  Also, it was 700 pages.  *note to self: do not read 700  page books when you are trying to read 40 books in a year.

A memoir written by funny blogger, Jenny Lawson.  The book is mostly true, and mostly funny, but also kinda like come-on-already-with-trying-to-be-weird-all-the-time-and-just-tell-me-a-story.  But  mostly it’s still funny and irreverent.

Aaaaaannnnnnnnddddd……that’s it.  That’s all I accomplished this month in full. 

What that means is that I have 28 items to complete in about 21 weeks.  Thankfully, 7 of these I have planned to complete in the next 10 days. Say what???  You heard me.  It’s gonna be a good week. 

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So what’s on tap for August?

I think I’ll let it be a surprise…. But dangit I need to try cooking a chicken already.

 

See you soon!

xo

erin