Happy Birthday Brother

It seems sort of cruel, Mom & Dad, and I are out in California on vacation and you are in vet school, however I feel it all too appropriate to still write an ode to you while we are gone. Cubby and I have always gotten along fairly well but over time we have really gotten to be much better friends. Junior high wasn't the best of years for either of us (although is junior high ever good for anyone). Either way Happy Birthday baby brother! Love from California to you!

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins - Review

This past week I made some delightful pumpkin streusel muffins that I found on pintrest (I LOVE pintrest). Here is the pin.

I followed the recipe exactly as it is written. It made 12 muffins although I think there was a ton of dough and could have easily made 18 muffins just as easily. If you make 12 know that your muffin cups will be super full, but it does still work out fine. This was a super easy recipe to make. I made them for our all board retreat at church, they were gone fast. I am making them again this week (I think I am going to take them down to my brother & his girlfriend).

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the cinnamon streusel topping:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

To make the streusel topping, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add cold butter and toss to coat, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, butter, eggs and vanilla.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.

Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. Sprinkle with reserved topping, using your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Place into oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make the glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar, butter and milk. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar as needed.

When the muffins are done, cool for 10 minutes and drizzle the glaze on each muffin.

Allow glaze to set before serving.

Kitchen Remodel - It is finished

It is finished (or nearly - I still want to replace the light fixture, but other than that I may be at the point that the kitchen is finished).

Last week while I was up in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) my brother and fiance (still fun to say), finished my kitchen. They worked and worked and worked I imagine while I sat and swam and paddled and relaxed (I sort of feel guilty now but am MASSIVELY appreciative of them) - Cubby and Marc put up the tile in my kitchen! I came home and my kitchen looks like a million bucks! Literally I was floored! It looks awesome and I now have the desire to have lots and lots of people over.

Changes made to the kitchen since buying the house June 21, 2011:

• take down ugly lace-ish curtains
• replace window screens so I can open windows without bugs attacking
• paint all of the walls
• paint the ceiling
• change the light cover thingys (technical term for sure) on the light fixture
• remove gross old tile and put up new tile
• paint baseboards
• paint cupboards
• paint hardware for cupboards
• replace dishwasher
• replace counter tops
• put up new window trim

This is not the most amazing picture becuase it came off my phone while making
breakfast this morning but does give you a glimpse at a lot of what has been done
since moving into the house! YAY for a 99% completed project!

Prevacation Brain

   Sunday, Sunday I leave for vacation and couldn't be more excited, I am headed up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area [BWCA] with a few good friends! We all are rejoicing that we have survived the summer grind (we all serve in churches and work closely alongside youth, meaning our summers are nuts). I haven't been on vacation all summer and am thrilled to be going. However, there is work to be done today (tomorrow is my regular day off) and Sunday I still get to preach and lead worship and then we are off!
   I have a list that is sitting in front of me structuring exactly what needs to be done before I leave for vacation, and a sermon that needs to be finished (it is getting close) but my brain is in the boundary waters, with thoughts of sitting in my hammock and reading a good book or going for an afternoon swim and even on brownies made over the fire. Yes it will be good and long overdue. I am excited that there is absolutely no cell phone reception. I am excited that we won't have internet connection and no one is hauling a computer (there will be no blog updates). Although there are certain people I will miss talking to and hear from but it will be a marvelous week!
   I.Must.Try.To.Focus. on things other than BWCA. In fun between now and then I am running the Dru Sjodin Purple Elephant Run in Pequot Lakes on Saturday. Saturday evening another group of friends and I are having what we have dubbed "bacon fest" - we all are bringing some type of bacon related item. I am bringing bacon wrapped water chestnuts. I hear another friend is making bacon bowls to put salads in and what not. The last exciting piece is my brother is coming up at some point, he is going to stay with Dakota for the week while I am up in BWCA and he is going to putz with my house (YAY!). It will be wonderful to see him again. Although when he leaves he is taking Nala with him and I am certain Dakota isn't going to know what to do with herself as Nala has been around all summer and we have gotten up to 6 dogs in the house this past week. She will be one lonely puppy - we'll have to spend lots of time with her best friends Gus and Luther to help her cope. I am thrilled to be going back down to a one dog house!
  Now I must go back to work and attempt to focus on work not all the excitement coming up shortly.

Unusual January

 This is my photo from January 7th, I wonder where our January weather is hiding. I have been slightly disappointed by October, November, December, and January so far, I want snow, feet upon feet of snow. I am ready to dust off my snowshoes that have been sitting by my back door just taunting me daily. I went to Crow Wing State Park with my brother, Marc, Dakota, and Nala (my brother's dog) and we walked around for a good couple hours, we had the park to ourselves. As we were walking along the banks of the Mississippi river we happened upon these beautiful birds and I was able to quick snap this picture. The birds in flight look pretty sweet in my opinion, although I am slightly frustrated that I didn't notice the grass in my shot until the photos were upload on my computer.