48 hour book challenge kick off!

I will be starting around noon today once I pick up Chris and we're driving to Pittsburgh for his cousin's wedding. I won't be able to read for much of the 48 hours, but so be it. It'll be fun with what I manage. I also won't be in front of a computer to blog until after we get home tomorrow afternoon. Packed in my bag are:

Last Night at the Lobster by: Stewart O'Nan

The World Without Us by: Alan Weisman

The Things We Love

There is little I love more than pita bread and hummus. I even grew up in an unusual family, filled with vegetarians, and many members that were not born in the United States. Therefore, as a first and second grader, I would show up in the school cafeteria with my flat bread, and bean paste, and get made fun of a little bit. When I ran out of both a couple days ago, and we're trying to use up food before we move, what was I supposed to do but make them from scratch? I had all the ingredients... Of course, I had to make tahini from sesame seeds and olive oil (surprisingly easy!), and it was a new adventure, but it all turned out great! Don't know if I'll buy them all from the store again! Quick rundown:

Tahini:

1 cup of sesame seeds

1/3 cup olive oil

-Process together in a food processer until smooth

Hummus:

1 can garbanzo beans

2 Tbl Olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup roasted red peppers

1 1/2 Tbl tahini

1 lemon (skin removed)

-All of these are largely to taste. Again, rev up that food processor!

Pita bread:

1 packet yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 tsp sugar

-Start the yeast in the warm water w/ the sugar, let it froth up (about 15 minutes)

3 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

- Pour yeast into a well in the center of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add 1 cup of warm water, stir together. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and not sticky. Let it rise for 3 hours in a oiled, covered bowl.

- Roll into a rope, tear into 12 balls, cover and let rise for 10 minutes.

- Heat oven and cookie sheets to 500 degrees.

- Roll balls into circles 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 4 minutes until puffed, flip, bake another 2 minutes.

- Remove from oven, smush with spatula, store in bags.

See?!?! SOOOOO easy. And...I'm putting all this down from memory, so don't try this too quick, I might have to check on some measurements.

48 hours to the 48 hour challenge

So, I'm getting excited! I haven't felt like reading much at all recently, though, so this is slightly odd. Anyway, we are officially 48 hours away from the 48 hour book challenge . I decided to just try and read books that have been sitting on my shelf untouched. I know, no theme, I should be ashamed. Hopefully, the fact that I liked them enough to buy them will make them interesting enough!

Bridesmaid dresses

So, my sister-in-law was nice enough to go with my mom and try on bridesmaid dresses when she was in Cbus. She tried on the one we had thought before, as well as the other knee-length dress in the same fabric, that comes in orange. I'm inclined to just let people wear whichever one is more flattering on them. What do you think? (Thanks again, Sara!)

Inspection day

Oh so nervous! I really hope that nothing is wrong with the house, other than the million and one things we've already figured out. Alright, it's not that bad. Mostly, roof, roof, and roof. And...that makes me want a dog even more after saying that! No offense to my bro & SiL, but hopefully we'll get one a little smarter than their "hot dog". Love ya' Brutus.

More house pictures

Kitchen, upstairs bath, side yard

House tour

So, you all have seen the front of the house, but here's the rest of it! It really isn't in too bad of shape. The roof needs to be redone, but most of the rest of the work is cosmetic. So, here we go!