Chicken tortilla soup

Thank goodness, a recipe that turned out yummy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cook 3 chicken breasts in olive oil

Add 1 medium diced onion

Add:

1 tbsp. chili powder

2 tbsp. oil

1/2 packet taco seasoning

3 cups chicken broth

1-15 ounce can of tomatoes

2 cans black beans

1 small can diced chili peppers

Serve with:

Sliced avocados

Shredded cheese

Flour tortillas

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Reflection on a first-year garden

Seed catalogs began coming in the mail again... it's hard to believe that it's time to begin thinking about gardening. Especially when it was 5 degrees with a foot of snow.

(Do you like my hardcore house slippers?)

But, it's time to begin planning our second year garden. Which means we should review our first year of gardening. Better late than never. =)

(This will be a long post, but bear with me. Or just come back tomorrow.)

Vegetables

This was our initial layout for the vegetable garden in 2009.

(it did change a little - we added strawberries and pumpkins and deducted the peas and beans)

Here is the progress of the garden throughout the summer:
May 2009
Built the garden beds

Planted the first seedlings

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

These pictures make me long for spring. Even weeding sounds better than trudging through the snow.

What grew well:

• Tomatoes - esp. the cherry tomatoes
• Leaf lettuce
• Radishes
• Eggplant - went crazy
• All the peppers did fab, they love the full sun
• Pumpkins - these took up a lot of space, but I loved having the small pumpkins from the garden
• Cucumbers
• Marigolds - while these were more for looks, they just thrived and really brought extra color to the garden

What grew moderately well:

• Broccoli - tasted great, but took too long and too much space for a small garden (do not plant in 2010)
• Cauliflower - tasted great, but took too long and too much space for a small garden (do not plant in 2010)
• Strawberries - we got most of these plants for free from the neighbors. They didn't produce a lot, but I think they will do better this year.

What grew poorly:

• Iceberg lettuce - did really well until they started to form heads, they they got gooey
• Onions - I planted these from seeds, and they didn't have enough time to grow
• Carrots - just didn't grow

We will double the garden space for 2010 (most of this will be Ryan's corn).

2010 garden plans should include:

• Tomato (4 plants/square feet, vining)
• Leaf lettuce (1 square foot + window boxes, staggered)
• Radishes (2 square feet, staggered)
• Peppers (jalapeno, banana, sweet bell) (8 plants/square feet)
• Eggplant (1 plant/square foot)
• Cucumber (3 plants/square feet, vining)
• Small pumpkins (1 plant/square feet, vining)
• Strawberries (3 square feet)
• Marigolds (4 square feet)
• New: Garlic (fall)
• New: Onion sets (2 square feet)
• New: Zucchini (1 square foot, vining)
• New: Pole beans (up the corn, vining)
• New: CORN!!! (Ryan is very excited about this one)

Herbs

We planted a TON of herbs in 2009. We put them in window boxes on the deck. To be honest, some of them went to waste. So, I'm just sticking to the best this year - those that we use regularly and those that smell darn good.

2010 herbs plans should include:

• Basil
• Cilantro (in the ground)
• Lemon balm
• Oregano
• Mint
• Thyme
• Sage
• Parsley

Starting seeds

Here's how starting seeds indoor went for us in 2009. (so-so)

In 2010, I'll start eggplant, tomatoes and peppers from seed in the house. I'll start most of the herbs, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, zucchini, pumpkins, and beans from seed outside. (More on the exact varieties later.)

Summary

Overall, our first year gardening was a roaring success. We really just jumped into it, and it worked out just fine. We learned so much, and it's just plain rewarding to grow your own food. Plus, all the produce just tasted awesome. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it.)

We were able to make it through the season without using any chemicals, and that translates into healthier foods for us. The garden also allowed us to try new recipes and get to know neighbors (from being outside more often and sharing our bounty).

This year, I hope we can freeze or preserve more of the produce for the winter. This is the one thing that we didn't do well in 2009.

Spring cannot come soon enough.

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Harry Potter

Why did I wait so long to read the Harry Potter series?

I decided that 2010 would be the year, so I picked up the first book on Jan. 2. I battled a cold for the first two weeks of the month, which make snuggling in my chair and reading at night all the more appealing.

I just finished the last book. Couldn't put them down. (The best part about waiting so long to read them is that I could get them all from the library and I could read the next book immediately after finishing a book.)

Such beautiful stories and characters throughout, with so much action and so much good. I'm definitely going to have to buy the set now.

Have you read the series? What did you think?

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I am not The Pioneer Woman

So, listen - I know we all love The Pioneer Woman.

(And, as an aside - I think the "The" should always be capitalized when referring to her. Because, let's be honest, no one can touch the woman.) She's funny, lovely and incredibly talented in about a million different things. (I mean, really? She's an exceptional writer, cook, photographer, blogger, decorator. And homeschools her kids. And gets up early. It's disgusting. And, I mean that in in the best way possible. PW - call me.)

So, for Christmas, I asked for her new cookbook.

I was not deterred by my only prior experience with a recipe by The Pioneer Woman. Which was not a good experience, by the way. I tried a recipe this summer that took FOR-EV-ER, was incredibly messy, took 122 pots and pans and then ended up being just mediocre.

I never spoke of it on the blog. It would be like I was against The Pioneer Woman. Cause, if you aren't for her, you're against her. And, I'm not. She's just too awesome. I was sure it was just my poor recipe execution.

For Christmas, I received her cookbook from my in-laws. A wonderful gift. I was very excited. I devoured every page, looking at all the photos of her family and friends, reading her anecdotes, and marking pages of recipes that I wanted to try.

But, now it's quite clear. The Pioneer Woman is singlehandedly trying to make me feel bad about my cooking skills. It's really quite rude.

My first stab at a recipe from the book was Chicken Spaghetti (the recipe is also on her blog). I had very high hopes. The Pioneer Woman says this is the only casserole Marlboro Man will eat. And, since my husband also has an (unhealthy) aversion to casseroles, I thought it was perfect.

It wasn't. It was a weeknight and it took a long time to boil the chicken, wait for it to cool and pick it off the bone (The Pioneer Woman - 1, Kim - 0). I ended up trying to pick off the meat too soon, which meant I felt like my hands were burning on boiling chicken (The Pioneer Woman - 2, Kim - 0). Plus, it was really messy. Like, really, really messy (The Pioneer Woman - 3, Kim - 0).

(This isn't even looking at the overflowing sink. See that bowl of pasta? Most of that mixture ended up on the floor.) (The Pioneer Woman - 4, Kim - 0)


Luckily, Lola helped me clean up (The Pioneer Woman - 4, Kim - 1). See that cheese on her back?

By the time we ate, Ryan and I were both STAHHHHVING. And, it ended up just being "okay." I could tell Ryan wasn't loving it, and even I thought it was a little blah. I don't think I missed anything on the recipe. Maybe it was just that we were so hungry and the kitchen was so messy. (Messy kitchens stress me out.) (The Pioneer Woman - 5, Kim - 1). 

The Pioneer Woman definitely dominated me this round. But, don't you fear. I'm not throwing in the towel yet. I'll be trying more recipes out of the cookbook before I give up. And, if nothing else, that cookbook will make people THINK I'm a great cook. Right?

Have you ever had a kitchen disaster? (Or a famous blogger try to dominate you in your own kitchen?)

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DIY: Tote bags with a twist

Here's another DIY idea that makes a great gift: Tote bags. Patterns for these babies are all over the Internet. I started with this tutorial at Sew Mama Sew, but decided to make some changes based on the shopping bag tutorial in One Yard Wonders (which you must buy, if you haven't already).  

(If you care at all about the dimensions of the bag, here's a quick and dirty overview. Figuring out how big I wanted to make the bag was the most difficult part of this process. I ended up cutting the main body of the bag based on the pattern in One Yard Wonders - 19 inches by 36 inches. Then, I folded it  in half - making the bag 19 inches by 18 inches - and cut a 3 inch square at the base. This made it really simple to make a box bottom. Please see One Yard Wonders for complete details. However, unlike the book, I just did a basic seam on the inside of the bag. For the pocket and the handles, I just used what I had. I found that having at least 5 inches width for the handles was best.)

While you can make this out of any fabric, I got attached quite attached to quilted fabric, pre-made at the fabric store. I originally found small pieces in the remnant bin at Joann's. They were less than a yard each - around 5/8 yard each - and I picked them up. I thought it would make a good bag for a trip to the gym or a nice shopping bag, and the thick fabric makes it retain its shape and stay pretty sturdy. The quilting also gives a good guide for cutting straight lines and looks nice from the inside and outside.

I ended up making six bags, and I have fabric to make a few more for myself. I think they'll make particularly nice shopping bags for the mall. Do you ever go to the mall or Target and not want to lug in those ugly grocery bags?

When I had extra fabric, I made sunglasses cases or small velcro pouches (perfect for jewelry at the gym or a cell phone in your purse).

I embroidered each of the bags with the person's initial. (My new sewing machine has embroidery function.)

So, I was really happy with how they turned out. And, they really only each took a few hours to make (probably a lot less if you are any good at cutting and pinning fabric, I'm terrible). You could easily make three totes and a few small bags out of 2 yards.

Isn't the inside cute with the polka dots?

Because I do not have the skill or patience to create tutorials, here are a links for tote bag tutorials that I enjoyed/found helpful:

Market Bag Tutorial at Film in the Fridge

Mini Market Tote at Chubby*Hobby (I really wanna try this pattern out)

Classic Tote at Sew Mama Sew

Have you made your own tote bags? Tell me what patterns you use!

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Dogs are people, too

Since we spotted this sign in Galena, we have repeated this sentiment countless times.

Franco knocks over a tree - "Dogs are people, too"
Lola bites Ryan's ear - "Dogs are people, too"

I may have to try to recreate this sign for the Woodwards' House o' Demon Dogs.

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Custom stationary WINNER!

Thanks for all your entries! I knew you all would love Lauren's stationary as much as I did!

We had 96 entries in the giveaway - a record for NewlyWoodwards! Thanks to everyone for entering.

The winner is (by random number generator):
Kristen from

Congrats, Kristen! Email me at newlywoodwards at gmail dot com to claim your prize.

If you didn't win, head over to Lauren Makes to pick up your own custom notecards or cupcake flags, perfect for you or to give as a gift.

Please help me thank Lauren for the wonderful giveaway!

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DIY: Simple & personalized shirts

Today, I'm going to share another fun and simple, DIY project or gift for any time of the year. (Check out the DIY hot/cold bags, too.)

This was a small Christmas gift I made for my cousin's daughter, Karis.

I've seen these shirts all over the Internet, but when I spotted these adorable long-sleeve tees at Old Navy, I knew they'd be adorable for personalized shirts.

This is a quick and dirty project. I used a hot pink napkin for the "K". Attached Wonder Under and stitched around it with a zig zag stitch. It frayed a little (and will fray more, I suspect), but I kinda liked that look.

I used leftover fabric from the apron project for the Christmas trees shirt. I seriously considered making myself another shirt with this freehanded tree, but decided the look may not suit a 25-year-old.

I also added a few small trees to the back shoulder of the shirt.

In addition to Christmas, this is a fun project for a baby shower (and I actually made "1" and "2" onesies for the Thing One, Thing Two shower as well).

I think I originally found the idea from Emily at Imperfect,
who found it from Meg at Whatever,

and I also covet the look that Cheryl at a Pretty Cool Life achieves.

Could you keep up with that?

Essentially, I just copy off the Internet.

Don't sue me.

(Don't forget to get signed up for the custom stationary from Lauren Makes. Record number of comments.... I knew you'd love them, too!)

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Giveaway: Custom stationary by Lauren Makes

Meet my good friend, Lauren, of Lauren Makes.

I've known Lauren since we were planning our weddings (we are both December 2007 brides - boo yah!).

Anyhoo, my friend Lauren is also a very talented crafter. She was the braniac who designed our housewarming invitation.

(Don't you love this?)

And, she has a great Etsy shop with stationary and other goodies (including her famous cupcake flags).

All-in-all, Lauren kinda rocks the house. (Good lordie, go check out her kitchen.)

So, when she emailed me asking if I'd be up for a giveaway, I said yes quicker than I could eat those three cupcakes pictured above. (Less than 4 seconds, conservatively.)

Lauren's graciously offered up a personalized set of 12 cards in one of these three designs.

Umm.... yeah. They are adorable.


The winner of the giveaway will choose from:
Green dream

Chevy love

Little flowers

Lauren will ship you out your own set, with your name. Perfect for love notes at Valentine's Day, right? 


So, here's the scoop:
For one entry, leave a comment below, telling me which of the designs above you would choose.
For a second entry, visit Lauren and leave a comment on her blog. Then, come back and let me know.
For a third and/or fourth entry, blog or tweet this giveaway. Then, come back and let me know.


This giveaway will end on Thursday night at midnight central time. I will announce the winner on Friday.


Good luck! 

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New healthy chicken recipes

Here are a few recipes we've tried in the last month. Pretty simple and yummy. Plus, both are relatively healthy. It's probably good to have a few healthier recipes in my arsenal.

Lemon feta chicken

Gina's Recipes
Discovered via Miss Prissy Paige 
(Quite simple and yummy. Even Ryan liked it.)

Cilantro-lime chicken (2 servings)
Discovered via Woman's Day magazine, January 2010
(This is refreshing and really delicious.)

2 tbsp. olive or canola oil
2 tbsp. honey
Juice of 2 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2-4 oz. chicken breast

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, lime juice and cilantro. Pour this mixture over the chicken breast and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Discard marinade. Broil the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side until cooked through.

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Table runner addiction

I'm sure I'm breaking every rule in the book. I currently have three table runners on our table.

And, I like it.

The striped runner is a new find from Pottery Barn. The yellow is a linen number from Target. The monogramed white runner was from the cake table at our wedding. None of them are ironed. And, I'm okay with that.

And, this is the platter from our rehearsal dinner.

Kind of a nice tribute to the month after our wedding. Not perfect, but pretty nonetheless.

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My next five years

When I was at Pottery Barn in Chicago, I happened upon this:

(THEICEPLANT)

It's a small, 5-year diary. Each page is for one day, with space for 5 years. It's actually the same one that Elise got last year. I liked it then, too. So, I decided to pick it up. I hope it becomes a good exercise for me to reflect on my day before bed. More personal and detailed than the blog. So far, it's been easy to keep up.

It's much more "do-able" than other diaries, because it's just a few lines. Pick the most memorable part of the day and jot it down. It's been two weeks, so far. Some days are less exciting than others, but that's okay.

This diary also attracted me because it reminds me of the diaries that Ryan's Grandma Mellady kept. She kept them for many years and I had the privilege to look through some of them after she passed away. She was one of those people who you just love. I think this is kind of a neat way to connect to her, in a small way.

It looks like you can pick them up at Amazon as well.

Do you keep any kind of a diary?

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Home of the throwed rolls

If your New Year's resolution was to lose weight, you'd better drive right on past Lambert's Cafe.

I kept meaning to post about our little detour to Lambert's, but just never did. I guess that today is the day. We went to the Lambert's in Sikeston, Mo., on our way back from Memphis at Thanksgiving.

They are known for their hot rolls.

But, unlike most places, the waiters throw rolls at Lambert's. Head's up.

And, if you are still stuffed to the brim from Thanksgiving and decide to order a salad, this is what comes. So much for fat free.

(I had to pick all of that pesky bacon off the top. Ick. Did you know that I have a major aversion to bacon? And ham? Hate it. Disgusting. Sorry to you bacon and ham lovers.)

But, what made Lambert's so great in my book was that they gave me this mug for my iced tea (unsweetened, please). I was a happy girl.

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Our First Renovation

The year 2009 brought NewlyWoodwards many more blogging friends, which is exciting. *waves* I thought some of our new and old friends may appreciate a recap of our home renovation, which was the bulk of this blog in its early life. (I call it the first renovation because we finished our second reno on a rental last winter/spring.)

Click on any of the links below for more detailed information about the room/area renovation. I'll also add this to the top bar (under "Our Home Renovation") for easy access and update it as I can.

A recap of our home renovation

The story of our first home

Living room

Wood floors

Window as art
New sofa
Painted television hutch

Dining room

Painting the table

Painting the hutch
Board and batten

Kitchen

Adding an island

Back door trunk

Back door storage
New paint

Downstairs bath

Office

Master bedroom

Making an upholstered headboard

Upstairs hallway

Bedroom to bathroom

Extra bedroom

Garage

The deck and outside 
Staining the deck

Looking at these pictures makes me smile. A lot. You should have seen the looks of shock on the faces of friends and family when they saw this house in June of 2007.

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