Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Cooking with Lemons
Our lemon tree was drooping with ripe lemons last week, and after Scott did a little garden pruning, their were about 25 lemons in the ground. Not wanting to see them go bad, we spent the rest of the day cooking with lemons. Here is our lemon menu (not really a menu since we didn't eat all these dishes at one meal):
Holly's lemon chicken
Scott's lemon sorbet
Holly's lemon meringue pie
Scott's perserved lemons
Here is a quick overview of the dishes:
Lemon chicken: I pounded out 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts and dredged them in flour. Next, I browned them on the stove and removed from the pan. I added chicken broth, lemon juice,lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and a little onion to the pan. I simmered the sauce to thicken it, then added the chicken back into the sauce to coat and serve. It was very lemony tasty!
Lemon sorbet: Scott mixed lemon juice, sugar, water and lemon zest until dissolved. Then he whisked in 2 egg whites and poured it all in the ice cream maker. Easy! The egg whites add air to the mixture so it doesn't freeze solid like ice. Mmmm, I am still enjoying this in the freezer.
Lemon Meringue Pie: If you want to make it, look it up in Joy of Cooking, that is what I used =)
Preserved Lemons: This is like salt-curing a lemon, which mellows the acidity of the lemon. It takes about 2 weeks to make these. Scott halved the lemons (skin stays on), and filled a mason jar with them. Next he mixed equal parts salt and sugar and filled the space between the lemons in the jar. Finally, he poured in lemon juice, and shook the jar until everything was combined. It is sitting in the fridge now, we can try them next week. Preserved lemons are great with chicken, salads, fish, in rice, and is popular in Moroccan and Meditterean dishes.
Here's the pie and preserved lemons.
Holly's lemon chicken
Scott's lemon sorbet
Holly's lemon meringue pie
Scott's perserved lemons
Here is a quick overview of the dishes:
Lemon chicken: I pounded out 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts and dredged them in flour. Next, I browned them on the stove and removed from the pan. I added chicken broth, lemon juice,lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and a little onion to the pan. I simmered the sauce to thicken it, then added the chicken back into the sauce to coat and serve. It was very lemony tasty!
Lemon sorbet: Scott mixed lemon juice, sugar, water and lemon zest until dissolved. Then he whisked in 2 egg whites and poured it all in the ice cream maker. Easy! The egg whites add air to the mixture so it doesn't freeze solid like ice. Mmmm, I am still enjoying this in the freezer.
Lemon Meringue Pie: If you want to make it, look it up in Joy of Cooking, that is what I used =)
Preserved Lemons: This is like salt-curing a lemon, which mellows the acidity of the lemon. It takes about 2 weeks to make these. Scott halved the lemons (skin stays on), and filled a mason jar with them. Next he mixed equal parts salt and sugar and filled the space between the lemons in the jar. Finally, he poured in lemon juice, and shook the jar until everything was combined. It is sitting in the fridge now, we can try them next week. Preserved lemons are great with chicken, salads, fish, in rice, and is popular in Moroccan and Meditterean dishes.
Here's the pie and preserved lemons.
Monday, October 22, 2007
SoCal on FIRE!!!
The whole southern CA is on fire!!!! There are fires in: Malibu, Canyon Country, Irvine, Devore, Lake Arrowhead, Green Valley Lake, and several in San Diego. The Santa Anas are really STRONG, and trees are falling all over the place too. The winds are mostly blowing toward the ocean, so all the smoke from the Irvine fire (directly east of me) is blowing directly over my apartment. To make matters worse, it is about 90 degrees today, but we have to keep all the doors and windows closed due to smoke. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for the safety of Brian and Nichole's lake house in Arrowhead. I'll keep everyone updated...
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Saturday bike(less) ride
The weather in southern CA is beautiful this weekend...clear, sunny and warm. It is perfect fall bike riding weather. With that in mind, Scott and I awoke this morning..only to find our bikes STOLEN! 
We have been keeping our bikes locked on our front patio, but this morning only the cut lock was there =( We called the police and filed a report, and found out we were the 3rd bike theft that week in our apartment complex. So now we are bikeless until atleast next summer...maybe we should register for new bikes for our wedding =)
Because we were bikeless, we DROVE to the swap meet this morning at the fairgrounds with our friend Chris. The OC Swap Meet is quite a scene. Only here can you find slews of knock-off Marc Jacobs bags, Playboy clothes for your dog, triple habanero flavored beef jerky, and a $90,999 Maserati. They even sell a gas-powered blender that is controlled by a Harley handlebar. We thought we might be able to find our stolen bikes for sale here, but had no luck.
Scott and Chris tasting the habanero beef jerky.
This cracked me up...the name of the shop is D cups and DD's! I guess there is a demand for this in the OC with all the plastic surgery. You really can't go wrong spending a Saturday morning at the swap meet.
We have been keeping our bikes locked on our front patio, but this morning only the cut lock was there =( We called the police and filed a report, and found out we were the 3rd bike theft that week in our apartment complex. So now we are bikeless until atleast next summer...maybe we should register for new bikes for our wedding =)Because we were bikeless, we DROVE to the swap meet this morning at the fairgrounds with our friend Chris. The OC Swap Meet is quite a scene. Only here can you find slews of knock-off Marc Jacobs bags, Playboy clothes for your dog, triple habanero flavored beef jerky, and a $90,999 Maserati. They even sell a gas-powered blender that is controlled by a Harley handlebar. We thought we might be able to find our stolen bikes for sale here, but had no luck.
Scott and Chris tasting the habanero beef jerky.
This cracked me up...the name of the shop is D cups and DD's! I guess there is a demand for this in the OC with all the plastic surgery. You really can't go wrong spending a Saturday morning at the swap meet.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Arizona
Scott and I took off again on another weekend road trip (I'm getting tired of these now, I can't wait until this weekend with no plans). This time we traveled to Flagstaff, Arizona for Jamie & Renata's wedding (these are Scott's friends). I have never been to Arizona, so I was excited for this trip. We went with our friends Brain, Nichole, and Chris. There were 5 of us, and I was lucky enough to get the middle seat in the backseat for the whole 7 hour drive =) 
Nicole and I say hi to Bob Big Boy in Barstow!
The drive was beautiful and took us through the desert, and then up the mountain to Flagstaff. Flagstaff is at 7000 ft (I think), so it is not hot there like the rest of Arizona. The town is a small mountain/college town, home to Northern Arizona University. Alumnae Chris Wilson gave us a lovely walking tour of the campus and downtown. The Aspen trees were changing colors, something us Cali people don't get to witness.
The first night in town, we attended Jamie & Renata's rehearsal dinner, a very fancy sit-down dinner at a country club. Then we hit a bar with a band downtown. The next morning we walked all around Flagstaff, then went to the wedding. The wedding was on top of a mountain at a ski resort lodge.
Scott and I lookin' good in our jackets...it was freezing!!
It was so cold up there it started snowing before the ceremony! I was wearing a dress and black sandals...not ready for the weather! The weather cleared and the sun shone for the ceremony, and then we scrambled inside for warmth in the reception room.
At the reception: Me, Nicole, Brian & Chris
There was a rustic charm to the room, and it was decorated with twigs, single stems of red flowers (don't know what they're called) and hand blown glass vases on each table. The favors were Native American dream catchers at each place. I got a blue on and Scott's was orange. During the party, the bride and groom came around to each table and announced that the person who has the orange dream catcher gets to take home the hand blown vase in the centerpiece...how fun! I feel like we won something, these things sell for big bucks at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach.
The next morning the 5 of us loaded into the car and made the 7 hour trip home, where I get to stay now =)
***Pictures coming soon...blogger won't let me load them right now
Nicole and I say hi to Bob Big Boy in Barstow! The drive was beautiful and took us through the desert, and then up the mountain to Flagstaff. Flagstaff is at 7000 ft (I think), so it is not hot there like the rest of Arizona. The town is a small mountain/college town, home to Northern Arizona University. Alumnae Chris Wilson gave us a lovely walking tour of the campus and downtown. The Aspen trees were changing colors, something us Cali people don't get to witness.
The first night in town, we attended Jamie & Renata's rehearsal dinner, a very fancy sit-down dinner at a country club. Then we hit a bar with a band downtown. The next morning we walked all around Flagstaff, then went to the wedding. The wedding was on top of a mountain at a ski resort lodge.
Scott and I lookin' good in our jackets...it was freezing!!It was so cold up there it started snowing before the ceremony! I was wearing a dress and black sandals...not ready for the weather! The weather cleared and the sun shone for the ceremony, and then we scrambled inside for warmth in the reception room.
At the reception: Me, Nicole, Brian & ChrisThere was a rustic charm to the room, and it was decorated with twigs, single stems of red flowers (don't know what they're called) and hand blown glass vases on each table. The favors were Native American dream catchers at each place. I got a blue on and Scott's was orange. During the party, the bride and groom came around to each table and announced that the person who has the orange dream catcher gets to take home the hand blown vase in the centerpiece...how fun! I feel like we won something, these things sell for big bucks at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach.
The next morning the 5 of us loaded into the car and made the 7 hour trip home, where I get to stay now =)
***Pictures coming soon...blogger won't let me load them right now
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Northern CA
Scott and I traveled up to my hometown of Walnut Creek in Northern CA this past weekend to visit my parents, see family, and attend to wedding things. On our drive up north, we stopped by Murrieta's Well Winery in Livermore (our wedding venue) for a quick wine tasting pit stop, before our grand arrival in Walnut Creek.
Upon arriving Friday afternoon, we promptly changed into coordinating outfits (dark jeans, black shoes, sand shirts) and headed to the open space in the hills for our engagement photo shooot. I've never done a photo shoot before, and it was so much fun! We did a bunch of poses, and half the time I couldn't stop laughing, especially when we had to pose nose to nose =)
Friday night we enjoyed dinner at home with parents, and brothers Jason and Max. Saturday morning Scott and I met my high school friend Nina for breakfast and then had an appointment to meet with a florist. We talked for 2 hours about wedding flowers! I think I spent about half of that time reminding the florist I do NOT want huge centerpieces that spew flowers up, down and all around.
Saturday night my whole family reunited for my Aunt Janet's 50th birthday celebration.
The Vetterli's know how to announce a party! My grandparents flew up from Claremont, Aunt Janet, boyfriend Judd, and cousins Julianna and Christian flew in from Park City, Utah (and Julianna and Christian's grandparents from the Bay Area); Auntie Anne and cousin Hank from Twaine Hart, Uncle Dick and Kim, my brothers, and parents. 
This is my Uncle Dick, Aunt Kim, and Auntie Anne. Uncle Dick is going to marry us in June. There were 18 of us in all! My grandparents brought Mexican food from a local restaurant and my dad was in charge of margarita preparation. 
This is a very serious job, involving stimutaneous blending in 2 blenders. Once we were all happily satiated with margaritas, we ate a feast of tamales, enchiladas, burritos, beans, rice, and a healthy salad (I'm not sure how the healthy food made it onto the table). It was a fun night, and was repeated in the morning at brunch in Lafayette at a restaurant called Chow (sans margartitas, but the same crowd).
After brunch, Scott and I drove to Berkeley to meet up with Kelly (Scott's sister) and her boyfriend Levi (we were the first in the family to meet him). We wandered around Telegraph Ave, had a few beers and browsed through Ameoba Records.
It was a short visit, since Scott and I had dinner plans with my grandma Marianne that night in Walnut Creek. 
My brothers (Jason and Max) at dinner with grandma Marianne.
Finally, we drove home on Monday, and made it back to the OC in time for kickboxing! Next weekend we take off again, this time to Flagstaff, Arizona for a wedding.
Upon arriving Friday afternoon, we promptly changed into coordinating outfits (dark jeans, black shoes, sand shirts) and headed to the open space in the hills for our engagement photo shooot. I've never done a photo shoot before, and it was so much fun! We did a bunch of poses, and half the time I couldn't stop laughing, especially when we had to pose nose to nose =)
Friday night we enjoyed dinner at home with parents, and brothers Jason and Max. Saturday morning Scott and I met my high school friend Nina for breakfast and then had an appointment to meet with a florist. We talked for 2 hours about wedding flowers! I think I spent about half of that time reminding the florist I do NOT want huge centerpieces that spew flowers up, down and all around.
Saturday night my whole family reunited for my Aunt Janet's 50th birthday celebration.
The Vetterli's know how to announce a party! My grandparents flew up from Claremont, Aunt Janet, boyfriend Judd, and cousins Julianna and Christian flew in from Park City, Utah (and Julianna and Christian's grandparents from the Bay Area); Auntie Anne and cousin Hank from Twaine Hart, Uncle Dick and Kim, my brothers, and parents. 
This is my Uncle Dick, Aunt Kim, and Auntie Anne. Uncle Dick is going to marry us in June. There were 18 of us in all! My grandparents brought Mexican food from a local restaurant and my dad was in charge of margarita preparation. 
This is a very serious job, involving stimutaneous blending in 2 blenders. Once we were all happily satiated with margaritas, we ate a feast of tamales, enchiladas, burritos, beans, rice, and a healthy salad (I'm not sure how the healthy food made it onto the table). It was a fun night, and was repeated in the morning at brunch in Lafayette at a restaurant called Chow (sans margartitas, but the same crowd). After brunch, Scott and I drove to Berkeley to meet up with Kelly (Scott's sister) and her boyfriend Levi (we were the first in the family to meet him). We wandered around Telegraph Ave, had a few beers and browsed through Ameoba Records.
It was a short visit, since Scott and I had dinner plans with my grandma Marianne that night in Walnut Creek. 
My brothers (Jason and Max) at dinner with grandma Marianne.Finally, we drove home on Monday, and made it back to the OC in time for kickboxing! Next weekend we take off again, this time to Flagstaff, Arizona for a wedding.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Speech
I started my speech therapy clinicals last week, and I absolutely love it! Basically, speech clinicals are code name for "working for free because I don't have my certificate yet". Unfortunately, I need 100 clinical hours and another semester of classes before I can offically work for money as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). Actually, the state requires 100 clinical hours, but my program at Orange Coast College requires about 5x that many, so that means I am working for free until May. So now my days consist of speech therapy in the AM, attending classes in the afternoon, and tutoring for $$ in the PM. Oh, and on Thursdays I teach 1st grade at my old school in Santa Ana, AND I have a wedding to plan. Let's see how long I can juggle my crazy schedule. Good thing Scott's schedule is switching back to days next week, maybe he can keep me sane...
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