Sewing Patterns

Of all the things I could post about right now (this awesome movie, my new favorite recipe, the start of my maternity leave and the countdown until the baby comes, my comprehensive research of baby carriers, my day dream of a vacation to the Appalachian Mountains & then on over to the Outer Banks, our grumpy neighbor...) I have sewing patterns on my mind.

More specifically, apparel sewing patterns for grown-ups, as opposed to sewing patterns for babies (burp clothes, big butt pants, baby quilts, bibs - I have had enough!).  Inspired by my very talented friends Abby & Danielle, who have both had success making beautiful, tailored, professional-looking clothes for themselves, I've been compelled to at least start compiling a list of pattern makers I want to remember.  Some baby stuff might sneak in.  And some domestic stuff.  Because, you know. 

New list at the right, 'Sewing patterns for her'.  Feel free to leave a comment here if you have other favorites.

And we're back...sort of

Where in the name of Sam Hill have we been!?

Well, let's see. Ryan returned home from another two-month stint at sea and has been getting his land-legs back. We have moved. And I am growing possibly the world's largest baby boy. Not really. But that's what it feels like. His due date is less than three weeks away now and we are both processing this inevitability in our own ways, which tends to take up a lot of time and make us busy and distracted people.

Fortunately we are mostly settled into our new home and his little baby things are mostly procured & put away in the right places. Now we just have to wait and distract ourselves with football (I don't know how he manages to find things to say and watch about a sport not currently in season) and sewing (curtains! burp cloths! a quilt! and more!).

The picture above is from a recent photo session we had to document this landmark event in our lives. More blogging to come soon, but maybe not until after the baby is born. Because, you know, we are preoccupied people these days.

Laughs

...because every girl needs a laugh when her husband is half way around the world, her belly and, well lets face it, whole hip region is growing exponentially, she has heart burn that ranks startling high on the pain factor scale, and her vacuum cleaner sucks (but not in the good way):

Porn for Pregnant Ladies

Pro Tip: how to throw yourself a pity party

Love Liz Lemon

and this, this cracks me up every time.

How 'bout I make some of these this weekend and enjoy the Superbowl? Go G Men.

Bound

These are the things one notices on quiet, cold mornings after a drop-off at the airport, another at Goodwill, an hour-long sit in Starbucks where you bump into an old friend and a slew of police officers enjoying hot cuppas, and a trip to the grocery store to stock up on treats, all before 8am.

My sweet man is bound for Lisbon, where he will meet his crew and stay for a while. Their ship is dry docked for some repair work and there are currently active protests on the docks (unrelated to his work). January in Lisbon should be stimulating.

I am bound for a three-day weekend of crafting and food with friends. On the horizon there is a snow forecast and the prospect of our move into a larger apartment as we prepare for the baby. I am looking forward to the quiet weeks ahead to purge and organize and scheme over our new place.

I am also counting the days until he is home again.

Life is...full.

Bam! And just like that...2012!

Hello and Happy New Year!

I spy with my little eye a kitty cat under the tree

My my my, what a year we have had and what a year it will be. In the spirit of acknowledging the good in life, here are the top highlights of 2011:

01) Ryan successfully defended and completed his graduate degree. Anyone looking for a top-notch paleontologist? (see #2 & #4 below)

02) He landed a one-of-a-kind job on a deep-sea drilling ship for the National Science Foundation running a thin-section lab. The pros: its in his field, the crew is international and they are good people, he travels all over the world (hello Barbados, Portugal, the Caribbean, Newfoundland, Panama...). The con, he is away from home about six months of the year.

03) I scored my own new gig at Nike WHQ as a space planner and love love love it. The departure from architecture was a bit scary but I've both adjusted just fine and have found myself working on a few fun construction projects here & there.

04) We have a baby on the way and boy howdy are we excited! What I've made so far: big butt baby pants, burp cloths, and bibs. What I'd like to make soon: fitted crib sheets, a sun hat, and a quilt of some sort (I'm inspired by this one & this one).

our boy

Now, picking up where we left off, our end-of-year in review:

Birthday Boy Beer Tasting 2011
Top Hits (2008, 2009, 2010 picks):
1. Southern Tier Brewing Company's Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout
2. Redhook's Winterhook Winter Ale
3. Bridgeport's Ebenezer Ale

Bonus: Braunsten's looser gift, which he wore like a good sport while singing Christmas carols and explaining the ins & outs of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Christmas Eve with Matt, Adam, Michelle, & Sam. Love me a happy chubby baby and marinated tri-tip!

Christmas in Las Vegas. Highlights: spending Christmas in Mom's new house and a sunset hike at Red Rock.

only a ginormous intersection in my hometown

New Year's Eve at the Columbia River Gorge...

Because I love trains...

...and this guy to boot

Here's to a top-notch, bright new year!

New Year's Day Brunch of Champions

On New Year's day we fixed a simple breakfast consisting of Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Baked French Toast and green smoothies (for detox control, you know). The french toast was fantastic and it got me thinking...

Wouldn't it be nice to host a New Year's Day brunch one year? Yes it would. The menu? A sweet Cinnamon & Sugar Breakfast Bread Pudding (recipe below) and a savory & cheesy bread pudding, both of which could be prepared the day before, along side some good quality bacon/sausage, fresh fruit, and mimosas & bloody marys. Because, well, you know.

Cinnamon & Sugar Breakfast Bread Pudding
adapted slightly from Pioneer Woman
Serves 8-12; recipe can easily be halved

Bread Pudding:
- 1 loaf crusty Sourdough or French Bread, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 whole Eggs
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
- 3/4 cup packed Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract

Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 stick Cold Butter, cut into pieces
- Fruit (thinly sliced peaches, apples, or pears or canned crushed pineapple) - optional

Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter.

Mix together eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from fridge, place fruit on top if using, and sprinkle crumb mixture over the whole thing. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Cranberry Relish, two ways

Lately I've been getting a lot of mileage out of NPR on my now longer commute to & from work. Yesterday morning I tuned in just in time to hear the annual broadcast of Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish. When I looked it up this morning I came across two recipes, the recipe shared yesterday plus a bonus (and very different) one, also featuring cranberries. Now I just need to decide which one to make for Thanksgiving this year!

Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish

Makes 1 1/2 pints

2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed

1 small onion

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar ("red is a bit milder than white")

Grind the raw berries and onion together. ("I use an old-fashioned meat grinder," says Stamberg. "I'm sure there's a setting on the food processor that will give you a chunky grind — not a puree.")

Add everything else and mix. Put in a plastic container and freeze.

Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw. ("It should still have some little icy slivers left.")

The relish will be thick, creamy, and shocking pink. ("OK, Pepto Bismol pink. It has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. Its also good on next-day turkey sandwiches, and with roast beef.")

Garlicky Cranberry Chutney

Susan Stamberg calls this recipe "my truly favorite cranberry side dish." It's from Madhur Jaffrey's cookbook East/West Menus for Family and Friends (Harper & Row, 1987).

1-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into thin slivers or minced

3 cloves finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1-pound can cranberry sauce with berries

1/2 teaspoon salt (or less)

ground black pepper

Combine ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar and cayenne in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, simmer on medium flame about 15 minutes or until there are about four tablespoons of liquid left.

Add can of cranberry sauce, salt and pepper. Mix and bring to a simmer. Lumps are ok. Simmer on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes.

Cool, store and refrigerate. ("It will keep for several days, if you don't finish it all after first taste!")