Greek chicken penne with artichokes and feta

There are few ingredients I love more than artichokes and feta cheese. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. If there is an item on a restaurant menu with one or, Lord help me, both ingredients, you can nearly guarantee I will order it. Then wolf it down. With little regard for the small children frightened by my groans of delight.

So, when I saw this recipe on Cooking on Clover Lane, we made it within a few days. And, I must say, it was simple and tasty. If you like artichokes and feta, I'm fairly positive you will like this recipe. I did make some modifications based on our taste and what I had on-hand. And, part of that was adding chicken. Ryan has no taste right now, because he has (another) cold. But, he said that he's sure it's good, too, regardless of not being able to judge the dish properly.

Greek chicken penne with artichokes and feta
1 box (16 oz.) of penne pasta (whole wheat)
Olive oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced and diced into smaller, bite-sized pieces
1 chopped red onion
4 cloves garlic minced
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tbsp. fresh parsley
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried oregano

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain.

At the same time, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and cook onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Add and cook chicken until no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and drained pasta.

Cook until heated through, 3-4 minutes.

Serve warm. And, please serve with garlic bread and a greek salad with olives, tomatoes, feta and artichoke. Otherwise, it's hardly worth making. ;)

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Crocheting and the woes of a double chin

So, I've been learning to crochet for about a month. Slow and steady wins the race, I always say. (I'm seriously containing my laughter at typing that, because I am so far from ever saying or following through with that mantra.)

I took my first crochet class in January at a lovely local yarn shop. I learned to begin and the double crochet. I've been back once to refresh and get more help and my next class is next weekend to learn more.

I love the color of the yarn I chose.

This is the start of my second scarf. Which I'm actually thinking I may make short and with a toggle button. But, I'm trying to be very careful that it's even. Which so far, has proven successful. My first scarf didn't turn out well, it was very uneven. But, it's all for practice, right?

Anyhow, I thought you may be interested in my progress. Especially for those who have crocheted or knitted or would like to learn.

If anyone is interested, the two books that my teacher recommended for picking up crochet are Stitch 'n Bitch: The Happy Hooker and Crocheting: In Plain English. I'm planning to get both after checking them out in person.

So far, I've found crocheting to be much easier than knitting, which I learned briefly but never stuck with for a longer period. I've been attempting to practice at least 3 times each week, which hasn't been a problem. Even 15 or 20 minutes helps. I find crocheting much more relaxing than knitting and it was easier to pick up (which my teacher told me is probably because I have knitted and done needlepoint).

(Ryan took the photo above. After snapping the first shot, he said, "That one was perfect. We make a great team." That boy makes me laugh. I would have taken 150 photos before deciding one was perfect.)

And, for kicks, let's show the picture of Lola giving me the STARE DOWN while I crochet. Stare.down. If she were a human, she'd be that creepy guy who doesn't understand that you should break eye contact. It's like she thinks it's a staring contest. And, she has definitely won that contest.

(And, let's all pretend that Kim actually does not have a double chin in this photo, mmmkay? Unfortunately, my non-existent photo editing skills do not extend to removing double chins. Which is a shame. A crying shame.)

(And, if you are wondering where one can find such a hip and happening fleece sweatshirt from Old Navy, which is my second favorite behind my Woodward University sweatshirt, I'm afraid you are out of luck. I got this sweatshirt when I was in 7th grade. And worn it regularly since then. It's practically vintage and no one would ever give it to Goodwill. So, sorry about that friends. Some looks are just unattainable.)

If you'd like to meet my friend who is an pro crocheter, go see Kellie.  She's one who inspired me to take up the art.

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Dog walkers

Lola does not understand walking. She just gets so silly and excited, it's hilarious. Then, she stops constantly and makes like a hound dog with her nose to the ground. (In this picture, she would not move on past the middle of the road.)

And, Franco wants nothing to do with Lola's slowness. (And, he's already ticked at me for making him wear a girly collar.)

It's just amazing that even walking the dogs can be entertaining.

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Dear Winter:

You seem to be getting to everyone. I've noticed it. All the world is begging for a tulip, a blade of green grass, a little sunshine and warmth.

But, don't think you are getting to me. No siree, bob. Do I want more snow? No, I most certainly do not. But, since this is something I cannot control (yet), I've decided to direct my attention elsewhere.

I decided to flip you the hypothetical finger and make my table look like springtime.

I pulled out some Easter decorations and picked up some $3 springtime flowers at the grocery store.

I had almost forgotten about these lovely little nests that I picked up last summer on clearance at Marshall's. (Remember my penchant for buying out-of-season items as a gift to myself for the next year?)

And I had completely forgotten about the set of bunny napkin holders. Which I was given by a neighbor.

It's beginning to feel like.... dare I say it? Springtime. Regardless of the 4 more inches of snow you just put outside my window. (Jerk.)

So, how do you like that, master of the ice? Keeper of the snow? Lover of the freeze?

(silence)

That's what I thought.

XOXO-
Kim

(Pssst: Check out what I had to say to winter back in '08.)

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I believe in:

• the love of a pet
• the power of a coat of paint
• the talents, skills and intelligence of my husband 
• the need for quiet time

• to-do lists on top of to-do lists
• Yankee candles
• making things myself, even if they aren't as perfect (or cheap) as something purchased

• learning, whether it be an advanced degree, a gardening book or a crochet class
• the mood-enhancing properties of singing loud in the car with the radio
• trash to treasure
• the Chicago Bears - they have to win someday (mark my words)

• spell check
• the calming effect of a cup of hot tea
• heated blankets
• saving instead of spending (usually)

What do you believe in?

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Let there be light (fixtures)

I save lots of photos of beautiful homes for inspiration. Lately, I've been very attracted to unusual light fixtures. Or at least what I would classify as unusual. Not something I see at Home Depot. ;) (I may need to get out more.)

I'm obsessed with these lantern-like fixtures. Ryan doesn't love them.

Maybe these aren't as much unusual as unexpected. 

What do you think?

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The Internet makes me feel inadequate

I have a list of things I want to make that I find on the Internet (mostly crafts). I made a spreadsheet to keep track. That's what NORMAL people do, right?

I just looked at it. It has 153 projects on it. Is that normal?

So far, I've recreated 8. Maybe 9. The problem is that spending time on the Internet discovering new projects takes time away from completing copycat projects.

It's quite a quandary. (The word quandary makes me thankful that my Mac has built-in spell check.)

So. Let's just get it out in the open. It will make me feel better. I don't think that I will be able to finish those 153 projects. (Or the 3,054 more that I will find and add to it.) Ever. And, that's probably okay.

But, for kicks, here are a few projects that I do really hope to try to recreate. Let's call this the scaled down list:

Box cosmetic bag

DragoKnit

Crate covers

Paint in my hair

The Buttercup Bag

Made by Rae

Buttons canvas

Cluck Cluck Sew

Bike Bag

Mint Design

Pom pom garland

One Pearl Button

Home embroidery

Patchwork Posse

Receipt Wallet

Skip to my Lou

Sometimes, the Internet just overwhelms me. Do you ever feel that way?

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Kitchen silver sage refresh

When we moved in to our home, we painted every room in the house. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, hallways, closets, living and dining rooms and the kitchen. Plus all the trim and doors. And don't forget the ceilings. That was a lot of painting. My shoulders hurt just thinking about it. My mother-in-law helped me paint, and I informed her that I wouldn't be painting the rooms, ever again.

I made it 2 1/2 years on the promise (with the exception of touching up).

Last weekend, I repainted the kitchen. And, now I'm wondering why I waited so long.

Because it makes it more climactic, this is where we started with the kitchen:

And this is our original paint job. (We chose to sponge paint because the walls are very old and the texture is terribly uneven in some places. However, I hated the sponge painting from the beginning. I thought it looked like dirty hand prints. But, Ryan liked it - he said. And, I had no desire to repaint.)

And after ONE COAT OF PAINT *

(The clock was a hand-me-down from my mom. The birds on the window are vinyl.)

A few notes:

• *Easiest paint job ever. One coat and 15 minutes of touch up. I first saw this paint at Bryn's last week. The paint had built-in primer, but I was still skeptical. I thought it would take at least 2 coats to cover the brown, but not so. It didn't drip, dried beautifully and even and was low VOC so it didn't gag me with its smell. When it covered so well, I thought it was dry and show the sponge marks through it. But, no. I was shocked and thrilled. If you are painting, RUN, do not walk, do not pass go.... RUN to Home Depot and buy Behr Premium Plus Ultra. (And, Mrs. Behr, call me. I will be your spokesperson. Please, and thank you.) 
• The rooms I like best in the house are blues or greens. Isn't that funny? So, that's why I chose this color. I wanted to kitchen to be my favorite room in the house.
• The color is color matched to Restoration Hardware's Silver Sage. I've liked this color since seeing it in plenty of blog homes. A good mix of grey and blue and green. And, somehow quite neutral. So, when I was in Kansas City in January, I picked up a sample. Home Depot color matched it in satin finish. I wanted it to be wipeable, but I didn't want it to be shiny, since the color is somewhat innately reflective. One blogger who has used this color all over her lovely home is Linda at Restyled Home. And, if it's good enough for Linda, it's good enough for me. Take a look at her living room and bedroom.
• Having lovely painted walls makes me realize that I need to touch up the white trim. It hasn't happened (and probably won't for a while).
• I didn't tape it off with painter's tape. I was too impatient and I never use tape. I find it more of a hassle than it's worth. Especially with light colors that easily wipe off trim. I find Clorox wipes to be perfect to wipe off paint, better than paper towels. I use an angled brush to cut-in around trim and the ceiling.
• The texture on the walls is more visible, which makes Ryan iffy about the paint. He loves the color but fears that the imperfections are more noticeable. I've decided that it's an old home, and it's okay to have the plaster walls look less than perfect. Ryan's still on the fence.
• The reason I held off painting for so long (I've been considering this for more than a year) is that I was afraid that the countertops would clash with the blue-grey. But, I think that the wall colors actually looks better with the browns, and really brings out the maple in the cabinets and the bright colors of the Fiestaware . 

I love it. Dying of adoration. I've walked into the kitchen every 15 minutes since painting to smile and pat myself on the back. And sing, "Go Kim, go Kim, it's your birthday. Paint the kitchen." (I swear, I sing that song.)

Who says modesty is the best policy? Not Mrs. Woodward, that's for sure.

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Valentine's PSA from Lola

Valentine idea courtesy of 24-7-365. She used children in her Valentine's. I used Lola. Everyone loves a Blow Pop and everyone loves Lola. (Franco doesn't hold still enough to get a good photo.)

Hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day.

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Chickadees

You may not know this, but sometimes I'm a little random. Out there. Strrrrrange...


You didn't notice? Well, take my word for it.

I do have many random thoughts and ideas - things I want to do or accomplish. Ryan totally gets it. He goes with it.

For example, I'd like to own a pumpkin patch. Pick your own. It will be a hit. I'll sell cider. I'd like to build some bookshelves, you know, all by myself. And don't even get me started on the Christmas quilt for which I already have the fabric and think I'll be able to make. Someday. Before I die.

Recently, I've also had an unusual interest in chickens. As in, I really want chickens. That lay eggs. I will go out to gather the eggs and bond with the little ladies and cook a from-scratch breakfast. Every morning.

For real. I dream about these things.

Wouldn't it be fun to take care of your very own chickens? And not only because they are totally adorable. (Although that's part of the appeal.)

Then, this post about raising chickens at Lavender and Limes just added fuel to the fire. So, I emailed it to my husband with this message:
Can I have chickens?


And, lo and behold, I received this response a short time later:
Sure.


This man's a keeper. He doesn't even question the craziness. He knows it's just easier to roll with it.

(Photo courtesy of Lavender and Limes.)

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House Hunters

I know you all love houses as much as we do. So, we couldn't hold out on you. Ryan and I have been leisurely looking for another home. As in, our next home.

((collective gasp))

It's really nothing personal against our current home. Actually, we love our home. When we moved in, I swore we'd live here forever. My parents just laughed and rolled their eyes.

Aside: Have I mentioned my parents lived in 9 homes from birth to college graduation? That would be an average of 2.5 years/house. So, we moved a lot. And, it wasn't because they were fugitives of the law or anything.... my dad just liked houses, I guess. They were all within a 30-mile radius. And, while my mom disputes this (I swear it's true)... I once came home for college and had to call from the Interstate exit... BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE OUR HOUSE WAS. They had literally moved and I didn't know where they lived. It was actually kind of hilarious.

The reason we are looking is that our house is in town, and we would both prefer to have something a little more peaceful with a little more land. Less traffic, less noise, more green grass and more trees and more sky. Did I mention less noise?

So, we've been looking, like I said, leisurely. No rush... We're actually considering existing homes or building, if we find the right land. This process is so different than how we looked for our current home. So different. It's not really been stressful. Or quick. Anyhoo... I thought you may also enjoy following our progress. But, don't expect this to go super fast..

This is one house that we both liked, but it just doesn't work for us. (I'll explain why.)

It's a fixer-upper\. We love fixer-uppers. Makes my heart beat a little faster, cause this could be gorgeous. And, it's on 9 acres of land, right outside of town. 9 acres.... that's pretty great, right?

It's really quite huge. Probably bigger than we want. But, gorgeous, right? Great wraparound porch. Built in 1907.

And, oh, dear Lord.... the woodwork. The leaded glass. The built-ins.

Hello, gorgeous. Ryan and I have already had lengthy discussions about the sin of painting this woodwork. As in, he wouldn't paint it and I would. I would paint it white with grey in the middle panels,  in case you are wondering. I know you are.

The parlor, living room and dining room all had this lovely detail on the floors. This is unique, don't you think? It would look awesome refinished. It looked like the floors are still thick enough to sand and refinish.

And, the woodwork was actually in pretty great shape. Much better than when we purchased our home.

I have a thing for leaded windows. As in, I really want leaded glass windows in a home someday.

It also needed a lot of work (which you could probably tell). This actually didn't scare us off, as most of it was similar to what we did in our home, but it's worth noting.

Windows

Walls, ceilings, floors, lighting (This was the master bedroom - don't you love it? The size and shape was lovely.)

And.... the kitchen? 

It needed a little work, me thinks.

Don't forget the bathroom.

It looked like someone had started gutting the house, but didn't get too far. The plus side is that the buyers won't have to do all of the demolition and clean-out. 

So, if it wasn't the work, what kept us from putting an offer in on this house?

While this home sits on 9 acres, it is right next to another house. (The house was right on the other side of the left tree.) It looks like the owner sold part of the acreage to someone, which means we'd be living as close to a neighbor as we are now. It was also relatively close to a main highway/road. While it didn't seem extra loud, there was the potential of noise. 

So, that kinda defeated our purposes - more quiet and less traffic. Even though we both actually like the house, and even found ourselves talking ourselves into it, and thinking of all we could do, we finally got to the bottom line.

It wasn't perfect for us.

And, we moved on.

Which, is kinda a bummer. But, also kinda exciting. Like... we know that something perfect will come.

What were/are your non-negotiables for a home?

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