Red Rock Canyon

Yesterday we drove up to Red Rock Canyon and went for a hike.


Posing for a picture by the little waterfall.




I climbed under this rock and then decided that it might be a good place for snakes to hide.



This is me precariously hanging from a cliff.


Julie had the same encounter with the same cliff.


Julie posing for a picture on the trail.

Ooooo...aaaaaa.......

I noticed as I scrolled through my blog that there's only one picture for that last SEVERAL posts! Ew! It must be super lame to read...and actually, Michael said that he doesn't read posts that don't have pictures. So, this time there're pictures! Yay!

I really want curtains for our sliding glass doors, but that's a bigger project than I am willing to conquer at the moment. This week I started small and made a valence/curtain thingy for my over-the-sink window. Dun dun na naaaa!!!


I really wanted a full length 2 curtain type deal, but as I measured my material I would have had to piece some of it together and that would look stupid. So, I opted for the shorter and simpler.


I got this material out to make cushions for our chairs (yay! we got chairs for our table after 2 years of marriage!). Michael didn't like it--the material, that is. I loved it. And had to use it. So, we compromised. I obviously made a curtain instead. I'm going to make cushions out of the polka dot material I used for the tabs.

Gorgeous, I know.


And those pots in the window sill are for looks...and for my window garden! Here is my cute acorn squash.
One of the gnomes, Daibhi, striking a pose...told you they are all about the women folk. Corley is still MIA. Also got some flat leaf parsley going on in the yellow tea pot.Thanks for visiting my kitchen! Come back any time!

umm...soo...someone kidnapped my gnome...

and I would like to have him back! He went missing last night. Went out to toss a few back but never came home, probably got taken by some hussy girl--he is quite the lady's man. He gets very homesick and likes it when you give him things to put on his hat...so whoever has him, please take good care of him! I miss him! The top of my microwave is now very naked.

p.s. I am on to you Bethany...or Teresa...or Chelsea....(I am giving you the squinty eye)

Does anyone else have this problem?

So, I am a little embarrassed to admit this (and plus I have nothing else to talk to you about)...but today I did the tri-semi-annual cleaning of my belly button. And if you're wondering...that means three times every six months--I made it up. It's not like a lint trap or anything like hairy dudes get, but regular showering does not do it (and yes, I shower daily, thank you). As it turns out I have an abnormally deep belly button. It comes in handy for storing buttons, beads, aspirin, small magnets, quarters...okay not quarters. Q-tips and astringent are the only vehicle to which dirt can be jettisoned--ooo look at that....vocab of the day. Seriously, I have heard of cleaning behind your ears, but who has to do this? If only I had an outtie.

Yours awkwardly with too much information to share,
Julie

Please comment on the contest post...so far Jamie, Teresa, Ashley, and Marianne are getting something handmade from me! And seriously...if I won on your blog, you can comment on mine and then, I will just make you something back!

Let the contest begin!

I win! Hoorah! But that means you can win too! I commented on more than one person's blog when they did this contest or one similar, so I am changing it to eight people that need to comment! (When you repost it you only need to do 3 or 5...depending on how adventurous you feel!) I don't even thing 8 people read this, but I'll give it a try....

1. Be one of the first Eight (8) bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.
2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!
3. The gift that you send to your [8]* Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!
4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love! If you are not one of the Top [whatever]* Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Post it on your blog; start your own 'Pay It Forward' chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! I will leave a list of names who were the first[8] on my blog as soon as I receive them! I have no clue what it is I will make you, let's see who the winners are first.

So don't be lame and avoid making a comment because you don't want to post this on your blog--comment even if you don't have a blog!! You'll get something awesome from me! And if you've already done this...don't hesitate to comment...I won't make you do it again!

Sorry all these posts are about food...

Here's my recipe for Haley. If you want to join in on the blogger style recipe exchange make a comment that you posted a recipe on your blog!

Crispy Orange Beef

Tips: If you like things more saucy...double the sauce recipe. Cutting and frying the meat is a little time consuming, so you can just use the sauce on whatever you want--your fav oven fried chicken, etc...as long as it's crispy....but the beef is really good!

INGREDIENTS
1.5 lb beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 T frozen OJ concentrate
1 tsp salt
1 T soy sauce
1/4 C cornstarch
2 tsp orange zest
3 T grated fresh ginger (I use only 1 tsp...ginger is strong...)
1.5 T minced garlic
2 cups oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Lay out beef strips on baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to dry in fridge for 30 minutes. In a bowl, mix sugar, vinegar, OJ concentrate, salt, and soy sauce. Set aside.

If your going to have rice...you should make it now...

Heat oil over med-high heat (and you really don't need 2 cups). Toss beef in cornstarch. Fry in hot oil until nice and crispy/golden brown. Set aside. Drain oil from pan except 1 tablespoon.

Add orange zest, ginger, and garlic. Cook briefly until fragrant. Add soy sauce mix, bring to a boil, simmer until syrupy (5 min). Add beef, coat with sauce, and heat through. Serve with rice and maybe some broccoli...Yum.

Crust tips

So, I am not going to give away my complete coveted recipe for apple pie, but I will give you my crust recipe...it's actually pretty basic...

2 1/2 C flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 C vegetable shortening
8-10 T ICE COLD water

Directions: Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pebble-like. Pour 6 T of water in and "fluff"/toss lightly with a fork. Add 1 T at a time, pressing to the side of the bowl until the dough is moist--once it sticks together and there's no little pieces at the bottom of the bowl, it's perfect. Gently gather dough and split into 2 lightly flattened balls. Try not to handle the dough a lot--you want to keep it cold...this is what makes it all layer-y and nice. If it gets too warm for any reason pop it in the fridge for a while. Roll out to size of pan and use for whatever. Bake according to individual recipes. Mine was at 425 degrees for 35 minutes--use a foil collar and take it off for the last 10 minutes so the edges don't burn.

Tip #1 Measure out your shortening. **Line your measuring cup with plastic wrap--it doesn't stick to the wrap and EASY clean-up.** Then, put it in the FREEZER for about 10-20 minutes. Don't freeze it completely, but you want it to be really cold.

Tip#2 Measure out flour. Don't pack it in the measuring cup! Loosen up the flour by stirring it up because it tends to settle. Spoon it into cup and level off. I store my flour in a 5 gallon bucket and it has a wooden spoon dedicated to it. Much easier for measuring than from a bag, just my personal preference. If you pack it you will end up with 1/2-1 cup extra!

Tip #3 Don't just use cold water out of the tap...actually add ice cubes. I just fill a cup with cold water, add ice cubes, then measure T from that.

Tip #4 You don't really need to bake this right away if you don't want to. Some days you have time in the morning to make stuff, but you want it hot for dinner. So, just go ahead and make it, cover it, and put it in your fridge until you're ready to bake it. Warning: the apples will release more juice the longer they sit...so be careful taking it out of your fridge--I have spilled apple filling juice on the floor practically every time I pre-make it.

This was the first pie I ever made. Ever. Same crust recipe...although the filling has undergone some altering...even in the last week.