30by30: 2.) New Dinner Dishes - Caveman Pops (Baked Turkey Legs)

Today's new recipe was again from The Pioneer Woman. I loved the idea of these "caveman pops" and decided to try my hand at it. Kevin ate his with a knife and fork, which was very endearing. I ate mine like a true caveman, minus the napkin clutched to my chin to catch the yummy juices. It was very very good.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of Pioneer Woman:

Ingredients

• 10 whole Turkey Legs
• BRINE:
• 4 quarts Water
• 1 cup Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Seasoning Blend (I Used Montreal)
• 1 whole Bay Leaf
• Dry Rub
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder (less If You Don't Like Things Too Spicy!)
• 2 teaspoons Seasoning Blend (I Used Montreal)
• 2 teaspoons Paprika
• 2 teaspoons Onion Salt

Preparation Instructions

In a pot, combine water with the salt, sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons seasoning blend, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Allow to cool, then pour into a large container or bowl filled with ice. When mixture is cold, submerge turkey in the brine. Cover the container and brine in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours, more if you have time.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the dry rub ingredients. Remove the turkey legs from the brine and rinse them under cold water. Pat them dry. Rub the dry rub all over the turkey legs, getting under the skin when you can.

Roast on a baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 and roast for another 15 minutes, or until turkey is cooked through. (Update: larger legs will require longer cooking time.)

Remove them from oven and wrap the bottom of the legs with aluminum foil for serving.

30by30: 2.) New Dinner Dishes - Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili

Today I cooked Ohio Smokehouse Chili for Kevin and I. I had made it for my mom once who wanted me to come over and make chili for her, and I remember eating it with her and bonding over cornbread and chili. This picture isn't the best because Kevin hadn't started eating his chili for the first hour and the cheese got a little, slimy. I ate my chili so quickly that I forgot about the picture completely! But trust me, it's one of the best recipes and very hearty and filling! Adapted from Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition. Post script: If you are a cook book collector like I am, make sure that you have an original copy of Joy where it tells you how to cook possum, etc. It's hard to beat looking at some of those original recipes! Then get yourself a new edition which has this chili recipe and things like gazpacho). Here it is:

Ohio Farmhouse Sausage Chili (4 to 6 servings)
A delicious "warmer-upper" after a fine tramp in the woods on a chilly day.
Brown in a large skillet: 1 pound pork sausage, 1 large onion chopped.
Toward the end of the browning, add: 1 celery stalk, diced.
When the celery is softened, add: 1 can whole tomatoes and 1 can stewed tomatoes [blended separately with an immersion blender] chopped, 2 cups tomato juice or chicken broth, 3 T. maple syrup (the real stuff), 2 t. ground cumin, 1.5 t. powdered sage, .5 t. ground black pepper.
Simmer for 20 minutes, skim off fat if needed, Add:
3.5 to 4 c. cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Simmer for 15 minutes more. Serve with:
Cheddar cheese sprinkled on top and a dollup of sour cream.

Optional for dipping: Corn bread, buttermilk biscuits, crisp toast

30by30: Extra Credit #3: Snowshoeing

To celebrate spring break (and in order to relax from grad school), the hubby and I took an overnight trip at Timberline Lodge. Normally I'm content with sitting by the fire while he snowboards; however, this time I took it upon myself to go snowshoeing. I rented a pair of snowshoes from the ski rental place at Timberline and set off on the West Leg Road snowshoe trail of 2.5 miles. I was pooped by the end but it was gorgeous, as you can see from above scenery! I did get bonked in the head by falling snow, but no damage. It was lovely, crystal clear and you could see for miles and miles when the trees opened up. No skiers or snowboarders ran in to me either. As part of the cost of the rental, you get to take the lift back up to the top and that was really fun too. Snowshoeing... very fun!

30by30: 18.) Flower feature: Zen vase

Zen vase featuring fern, red bunny tail and mystery plant by my pond.

30by30: 2.) Bento Design - Chicks 'n' Bits

Here is my first attempt at designing my own Bento box. I used an ice cream scoop to make balls of mashed red potatoes. Then I sliced some steak thinly and placed that on a piece of lettuce. I put some A1 sauce in my panda sauce pourer (bottom, right side - Sauce pours from panda's mouth when you twist the head). I packed bacon bits in the yellow chick so they stayed crispy. I placed my dessert of a slice of SinDawg and tea ceremony sweet in a yellow cupcake sleeve. All and all, quite adorable for my first time! 29 more to go! >. <

30by30: 30.) Commit time on Rosetta Stone

I've just checked out the Pimsleur language approach for Japanese I. Talking to myself during my hour, 20 minute commute to Sherwood is long, boring and causes me much anxiety. I've downloaded like 30 gigs of audiobooks and I also checked out this Pimsleur CD collection from the library so I can learn how to speak Japanese. I really want to learn how to speak Japanese because right now with my interest in becoming involved with the J.E.T. program at some point, that makes sense. Also, heritage wise I also want to speak German. I think French and Italian are the prettiest languages. And Spanish is the most practical. But for now, I'm just trying to focus on Japanese. I have Rosetta Stone for all of those languages available to me through my husband, so I can start that whenever. I figure I can get ahead on Japanese by trying the Pimsleur approach and see how that fits.

So far, with Lesson 1, I've left feeling sort of offended because it's "an American man speaking with a Japanese woman" at a bar. I mean COME ON! I feel like a liberal feminist all upset about something like that.

30by30: 26.) Repair, furnish and decorate backroom

We have caulked the new door and placed the new floor in the back room. The new floor is a bamboo laminate that we stuck in. It was so difficult to pull up the old 12x12" sticker laminate that was the cracked, weathered oak woodgrain. It took hours to get it up. We still need to repair the ceiling from the leak and put the molding up around the door and around the floor and ceiling, to match the rest of the house. For Christmas, I got my husband two of these Ikea "poang"chairs. They look really nice in the room. We also added a large 3x3ft electric wall heater that is mounted behind one of the chairs. We also moved one of the coffee tables that matched the chairs in to that space. I also hung the Portland Japanese Garden art print on the wall and a Chinese Astrological wall hanging with all 12 of the different animal symbols. It's coming together, slowly.