January 2014

We're a month into 2014.  January was cold and full of hard work.  As you know, Robert works at a car wash.  He really likes it.  His co-workers are nice to be around, he likes that he gets to move around without it being too physically taxing, and he likes the work.  January has been quite cold, which means driving to work on the scooter at 6:30am isn't really an option.  I've had the honor of driving Robert to work.  I feel like this will be one of those stories we tell our children one day.  "Your dad is so awesome!  He used to go to work before the sun came up and work outside in 30 degree weather for 10 hours straight.  He sure is great!"  He bundles up as much as possible, but his skin and lips still get chapped.  There isn't much to do at 6:30am, and it isn't really worth it to drive back home and then leave for work 30 minutes later, so I usually just mill around Wal-Mart which is both quiet and creepy.  I'm sure the workers are thinking, "Was it really critical that she come in at 6:30 and buy bread flour?"

We got a bit of snow this week.  It is genuinely irritating to watch Southerners experience snow.  I have heard it referred to as a blizzard, snow storm, and snowpocalypse.  Seems like a bit of an exaggeration for 1.5 inches of snow.  I was the only one who made it to work before noon yesterday.  We had two more people straggle in later.  The other 17 never made it in.  I think I should have charged to give people a ride.  Another highlight was seeing the Seminary clear the parking lot with a golf cart that had a shovel attached to the front.  School has been cancelled for three days so far.

Robert conquered another Jan term class.  It was one week long from 8:00-5:00, Monday-Friday.  It was systems of moral philosophy.  He totally loved it and will turn in his last paper tomorrow.

Robert started his final spring semester last week.  This semester he is taking religion and science, Thessalonians, Old Testament, and discipleship and growth.  Two weeks down.  13 to go!  It's kind of hard to believe that we are starting to talk about post-graduation life.  Robert and I have never known each other outside of school.  It will definitely be interesting for both of us to have full-time jobs and not have to do homework.  I know we will still have commitments, but how sweet will it be for Robert to be finished studying for tests and writing research papers?  It's pretty fun to dream about where we will be in 11 short months.

What I've Done - French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup
1/2 stick Butter
2 large Yellow Onions, Halved Root To Tip, And Sliced Thin
4 cups of water mixed with 2 chicken bouillon cubes and 2 beef bouillon cube
1 t garlic powder
A few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
French bread
Grated cheese

Melt the butter in a skillet, add sliced onions, and saute on medium heat for 20 minutes.  Move your onions to a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Put the onions into a stock pot (yes, this is dirtying a few large dishes) and add water with bouillon, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Now your soup is ready for you to eat.  Garnish with some shredded cheese and enjoy with some bread freshly toasted under the broiler.

This soup wins the award for being unbelievably cheap yet surprisingly filling.  That's a winner!

What I've Done - Herb Bread

Do you ever get in the mood to make some homemade bread, but you don't have the time and/or you're scared of working with yeast?  This is the bread recipe for you!  I think you could make it fairly versatile by substituting the 2 teaspoons of thyme for a different herb.  This bread recipe onion take about 5 minutes of prep time, which makes it a winner in my book.  It smells great, and it is husband approved. 

Herb bread
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/4 c grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tsp thyme
2 eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or use 1 1/4 cup less 1 Tbsp fresh milk + 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes before using)

Whisk it all up and pour in a greased bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  

Here is a picture from the original recipe online.  I made the recipe sans olives.

What's one of your favorite bread recipes?