Dear Diary...Packing Up

Dear Diary,

This past Saturday was the Solar Eclipse! Unfortunately, I missed it. My dang location kept me from seeing the awesome spectacle. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to be in Texas if I want to see the next one in 2024!

Photo Cred: Steven Hausler

There has been a whole lot of packing in my apartment. First it was Denise and all of her shtuff. 

 Instead of throwing stuff out, we found good use for it.

 Packing is an energy draining process...

and sugar infused baklava is the perfect fix of course :)

Later, I began working on my stuff, but still have a ways to go.

Thank goodness for awesome friends with legit packing skills!

Relearning the art of compact packing,

Several Packing Boxes Short

P.S. Do you have a go-to snack when packing for extended periods of time? Baked goods seem to be a excellent bribe when needing extra hands for help :)

Lace Earring Frame

I found a few variations of this Lace Earring Frame project on Pinterest and thought I'd give it a go. It's super cute, ridiculously easy and an awesome present for your girlfriends. 

You will Need:

- 1 picture frame

- Lace

- Crafter's Glue

1) Begin by removing the glass and backing from your frame (I found my frame at Hobby Lobby for only $4.99).

2) Measure out your lace to fit your frame, then cut. Choose how far apart you want your lace, then begin gluing each end to the inside of the frame. 

3) Let dry for about an hour, and hang your earrings!

amy

μπακλαβάς (Baklava)

Denise's favorite dessert is Baklava. I'm not entirely sure why she chose this as her favorite (brownies are obviously the superior of all desserts), but it was her birthday and graduation and I wanted to surprise her with something she wouldn't expect me to make.

While it was a bit time consuming, it wasn't difficult.

And the end product was totally worth it :)

μπακλαβάς (Baklava)
Adapted from allrecipes
Makes: 3 dozen

Sauce:
- 1-1/2 cup water
- 1-1/2 cup sugar, separated
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup honey
Baklava:
- 1 lb walnuts
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1 (16 oz) package phyllo dough, thawed

1) For sauce: In pan, boil water and sugar until sugar is completely melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Take off burner and let cool.
2) For baklava: Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter bottom and sides of 9x13 pan.
3) Prepare baking sheet with foil and cooking spray. Finely chop walnuts and toss with cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar. Spread out on baking sheet and toast in oven for 7-10 minutes or until nuts are fragrant.
4) Unroll phyllo dough. Cut stack in half to fit in pan. Lay out and cover phyllo with plastic wrap and then a damp towel (to keep from drying out).
5) a. Place two sheets of dough in pan. Using pastry brush, brush on thin layer of melted butter. Repeat until you have 10 layers of phyllo sheets.
b. Scrunch up 12 sheets of phyllo and lay them on top (this will create a "filler").

Then generously brush on butter. Lay down 2 more sheets of phyllo and lightly brush with butter.
c. Next, evenly spread out a 1-1/2 cups of walnut mixture on top of "filler".
d. Add two sheets of dough, lightly brush on butter, and sprinkle rest of nuts on top.
e. Place two sheet of dough down, brush lightly with butter and repeat until you have 12 layers of phyllo dough.
6) Using sharp knife, cut baklava about 1/2 inch from bottom of pan in diamond or square shapes. Bake for about 50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top.
7) Immediately pour half of sauce in between all the creases of the cut-up baklava (you want the top to remain crispy) and let cool completely (do not cover!).*
8) Once completely cooled, finish cutting baklava diamond/square shapes all the way through. Store in fridge until ready to serve.**

* For the perfect amount of sweetness, use only half of the sauce. If you like overly sweet desserts, use all of the sauce.
**Technically, you can store the baklava in an airtight container in the freezer, but when you defrost it, the dough becomes soggy and yuck. It's best to share it with a big group of friends soon after making!


amy 

Sunday's Songs: Country Love....

...or lack thereof. I think that's what all country music is based on. Despite the sappiness of many country artists, I hold a special place in my heart for them. More specifically, Lady Antebellum. This group is one of my favorites. Just wait though, it won't be long before a few other country artists are thrown your way :)

I Run to You

American Honey

We Owned the Night

Dancing Away with my Heart

amy

Dear Diary...A week of Celebrations

Dear Diary,

As you know, this past Sunday was Mother's Day and what a gorgeous day it was! We decided to celebrate mom with a fun and tasty backyard dinner and a jump in the hot tub (the pool was surprisingly still too cold!).

My friend indirectly proposed to Adam last weekend and this was his reaction:

(Unfortunately, she was turned down in sweet Adam fashion, "I kinda want to marry someone my own age." Ahhh rejected! haha)

Last but not least, we celebrated Denise's birthday and graduation from Medical School. 

Her party was complete with friends...

Tons of food.

Deep conversation. 

And one intense (and slightly confusing) game of Duck, Duck, Goose.

Yay for an awesome night of celebration and fellowship!

Denise: Whoop for getting through 21 years of schooling. I am so stinking proud of you and what you have accomplished. Girl, you are now a DOCTOR. Say shwatt?? I love you so much and am blessed beyond words in calling you one of my closest friends. Go get 'em Love :)

Proverbs 3:5-6

Bittersweet signing off, 

Sans Roommate :(

P.S. What is one of the memorable celebrations you have ever been to? Sorry, that's kind of an unfair question. If you're like me, every celebration I've gone to has been uniquely awesome in its own way...so I wouldn't be able to answer that very well!

Egg Drop Soup

I have a theory that everything tastes better in a bowl.
Actually, it's not a theory. I'm quite convinced it's fact.
Boring salad? Transfer it to a bowl...then add Craisins (Craisins are happiness in dried fruit form). Immediately, your salad will become the Rockstar of all salads.
Same old Spaghetti and Meatballs? Stick it in a bowl. Not only does it now become more appetizing, it also becomes twenty times more manageable!

Because soup can only be eaten from a bowl, it makes sense for it to be one of my favorite food genres. 

But let me tell ya, this Egg Drop Soup would probably still be as delicious on a plate...if it weren't so liquidy.

Egg Drop Soup
Adapted from Budget Bytes
Serves: 6

- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 inches ginger, grated
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper
- 6 cups water
- 2 chicken Bouillon cubes
- 1 tbs soy sauce
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- 3 cups bok choy, chopped
- 2 large eggs

1) Over medium heat, saute ginger, onions, mushrooms and red pepper in olive oil until fragrant.
2) Add in water, Bouillon cubes and soy sauce. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.
3) In small bowl, make a thickening mixture of cornstarch and about 2 tablespoons of water (or until cornstarch dissolves). When soup begins to boil, stir in mixture. Turn the heat off, add bok choy and wait for soup to stop boiling.
4) In small bowl, whisk eggs together with about 2 tablespoons of water. Once soup has stopped boiling, begin stirring soup with a spoon and slowly drizzle egg mixture in. Allow eggs to set for about a minute (don't stir anymore!).
5) Serve in bowls while hot.

amy

Sunday's Songs: Mother's Day Dedication

Happy Mother's Day to all you mother's out there :)
More importantly, Happy Mother's Day to my own beautiful mom.

For as long as I can remember, James Taylor would play in the background when my mom cooked dinner. I really disliked him. He sounded old and weird and I cringed every time he would come on. Yet, he has always been a very prominent part of my childhood memories. Mom loved him.

So this is for the woman who raised me.
The woman who pushed me to surpass expectations. Who endured so much for my sake.
The woman who prayed me into her family and trusted God to follow through on His promises.
This is for the woman who has and continues to love me through everything.
I love you mom.

Your Smiling Face

Shed a Little Light

How Sweet it is

Mexico

 amy


P.S. I think I like James Taylor a little more now...