#tbt - Frosh Formal

Stanford graduation was a week and a half ago. 

This fact has left me feeling a little old.  I have officially been out of college for over a year.

This picture is a classic from my freshman year at Stanford - dancing down the hallway of my frosh dorm (Roble!) before Frosh Formal.

Protein bites

This was one of my most adventurous concoctions so far, and it was so fun and such a success!  I had been seeing recipes for months for "energy bites" and "oat balls" and "pregnancy cookie dough" and liked parts of them all, but thought this was a great opportunity to make something perfectly me.

I could not have been happier with how these turned out!  They tasted like a cross between a peanut butter and honey sandwich - one of my childhood favorites - and oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough.  How could I not love these?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 3 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Run oats and chia seeds through blender or food processor until smooth and floury.  Add cashews and blend until the large chunks are broken up.
Add to medium bowl with all other ingredients.  Combine well.
Roll into bite-size balls.  Place in waxed paper-lined container.  Refrigerate or freeze.

Adapted from Smashed Peas and Carrots, Sunday Baker, and Super Healthy Kids.

My first adventure in Yosemite

It's been hard for everyone around me to believe that I had lived in the Bay Area almost five years and hadn't made it to Yosemite National Park yet. 

I started having a hard time believing it, too, after awhile!  Luckily, I got the opportunity to experience Yosemite for the first time a couple weeks ago, thanks to TDN - of course.

TDN's aunt and uncle were in town and wanted to see it, so we were excited to be able to show it to them.  We had a beautiful drive in and saw some great scenery, like Mono Lake - a really cool salt lake on the way in.

There was also a waterfall on the way into the park that apparently makes for good winter ice climbing...not sure if I'll be trying that!

 

Once we were in the park, we checked out the view from Olmsted Point and got our first glimpse of Half Dome. 

TDN and I also got to goof around a little bit together climbing up and down the point on what looked like a huge staircase!

 

My little buddy Max was with me most of the day, and took multiple car naps on my feet.  I just love him.

Bridal Veil Falls...with a lot of wind blowing near the top.  I love waterfalls, and this one did not disappoint!

Our first view of Yosemite Falls while standing on the banks of the Merced River.

Yosemite Falls from the Valley.  It was mid-afternoon and the thunderstorms were starting to roll in on top of the mountains while it was a beautiful June day down here.

 Looking back across the Valley.  It was so lush and green and beautiful!

I told TDN that we should probably take a picture in front of something at some point in the day - you know, do that couple-y thing - to appease my Grams, since she thinks he is great and loves seeing pictures of us together.

We made it to the most well-known view of Yosemite - Tunnel View.  This view starred in Ansel Adams's work, and it is breathtaking.  El Capitan is on the far left, Half Dome is to its right in the back, and Bridal Veil Falls is in the middle of the photo. 

Our last stop in the park was Mariposa Grove - the home of some of California's majestic Giant Sequoias.  This particular tree is named the Grizzly Giant...both words are very fitting!

Tall Dark and Nerdy and I went a little farther into the grove after his aunt and uncle headed back to the car.  It was a beautiful little late-afternoon hike together, and I had so much energy that we decided to turn the last of the trail into a nice run - now that my knee is healed and I can do that again!  The last named tree(s) we saw was the Faithful Couple - two trees that grew together in the coolest way.

 

I can't believe I waited this long to experience Yosemite!  It is so beautiful, and now I can't wait until I can go on a backpacking trip there!

#tbt - Baby sister way back when

This throwback features two of my favorite people in the world:  Papa Rist and baby sister.  This picture is from the same family reunion-type event that last week's beautiful picture of my cousin Les came from.

She was such a cute little peanut!  This girl means so much to me and I don't know what I would do without her!  Although I haven't always showed it in a "normal" way - I did encourage her to eat a mud pie once upon a time - I couldn't have made it through a lot of the challenges in my life without her constant support.

10 Years

It's hard to keep the tears from my eyes while writing this or even thinking about it.  Ten years ago, I lost my best friend.  A man many loved and admired and depended on, but to me, he was so much more.

 

I was incredibly blessed as a child, because when my parents were at work, my sisters and I didn't spend our days in a daycare center or with a babysitter or nanny.  We got to spend them at the family farm with Grams and Grandpa.

 

My grandpa was the epitome of the strong, silent type.  He didn't say much, but when he did, everyone listened.  I was one of the few people that got to see another side of him. 

 

I spent countless days riding on the fender of his tractor going back and forth between the farm and fields.  We took many trips to market in the old blue pickup - usually stopping for ice cream on the way home!  And we enjoyed many "lunches" of graham crackers and Ovaltine.

 

I don't know what it was, but there was something about the two of us that just worked.  When we were riding in that pickup together, I heard stories of his childhood on the farm, adventures with his brothers, and humorous moments of his early courtship with Grams.  I didn't know until many years after his death, that these were rare experiences.  He and I shared stories that he never even shared with my dad, and I still just can't believe it.

Grandpa, I'm so glad I got to spend all the time with you that I did.  There is so much of your life still on the farm and I can feel it every time I'm there.  I still love to watch storms from the porch or sitting inside with the door open, because you taught me how to relax and trust that I'm being watched over.  You were such an amazing man and I'm so glad to have shared so many memories with you, I just wish you had been here for even more of them, like my graduation from Stanford.  I wish that I could have you by my side in the future when I get married and have children of my own, but I know you are still in my heart.  I love you and miss you every day, Grandpa.

Berliner donuts

MB is learning her way around the kitchen, and I'm trying to support that.  So when she came to me saying she wanted to make Berliner donuts - which I had never heard of - I was all for it!  We had fun making these together, and they were delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten lightly
• 3 1/2 cups (1 pound) flour
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Vegetable oil (or other fat) for frying
• Raspberry jam
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

Scald milk in small saucepan.  Heat just until bubbles form around the edges - don't let it boil!  Remove from heat, whisk in butter until melted.  Cool 10 minutes.  Add to bowl of standing mixer with dough hook.

Sprinkle yeast over warm milk mixture.  Add sugar.  Stir gently to dissolve.  Let stand 10 minutes until foam appears.

With mixer on low, add egg yolks.  Gradually add in the flour.

When the dough starts to come together, increase speed to medium.  Add the salt.

Stop mixer as needed to scrape dough off hook.

Mix just until dough is supple and elastic (around 5 minutes).

On lightly floured surface, knead dough gently for 2 minutes.

Place dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour until double in size.

Roll dough into small balls.  Place on greased baking sheet and let rise another 30 minutes.

Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep saucepan.  Slip donuts into the hot oil and fry until golden.  Drain on paper towels.

Using a pastry bag with a small tip, poke a small hole in the side and pipe jam inside.  Dust with powdered sugar while still warm.

 

Adapted from Group Recipes



My faith's new home

I grew up with the expectation that church happened every Sunday, and we would be there every Sunday - except for the week of the Turner County Fair.  Unlike most adolescents, I enjoyed this.  Like my dad, I started to feel that starting my week with church just made everything make more sense.

I was baptized as an infant in my grandparents' Missouri Synod Lutheran church.  During elementary school, we switched to an ELCA church for multiple reasons, and that's where I was confirmed.  After losing my grandfather and moving out to the family farm, we returned to the church of my childhood.  That church felt right when I was missing my grandfather, since he had helped build the pulpit and lectern, and had taken a trip out to the Black Hills to bring back stones for the baptismal font and the alter.  I could feel so much of him there.

While in high school, my community lost two sisters in a car accident, which devastated the town.  Out of that loss came a wonderful youth group, F.R.O.G. (Friends Rejoicing Over God), that helped a lot of us get through the trials of high school with our faith stronger than ever.

After that, however, I left for college.  I loved being a student at Stanford, a private non-religious university.  We also have a gorgeous church on campus - Memorial Church.  However, I struggled to find a home in this church community.  The services I went to were non-denominational or inter-denominational in name, but I found them to essentially be Catholic Mass-type services with some elements of Judaism sprinkled in.

This year, after nearly four and a half years of searching, I have found my faith's new home and my new church community.  One of the first times I visited, the sermon examined Psalm 23 and what the shepherd metaphors mean for us since - the pastor assumed - no one in the congregation was a shepherd.  After telling him where I came from and that I was a shepherd, I was able to laugh and talk to many people after church that day.  Now, they all know my name and look forward to seeing me week after week, and that's a great feeling.

#tbt - Les

I was lucky enough to have a cousin less than 6 months younger than me, Les, so we got to do a lot of growing up together.  Les is now a beautiful woman entering her final year of nursing school and I'm so proud to call her my cousin and friend!

This picture was another find from Grams's piano.  We were all gathered at the Centerville Steakhouse for some sort of large family gathering - maybe a reunion? - where we were all lucky enough to have to sing, dance, or play an instrument during the "show."  Oh, my childhood.

 

Creamy quinoa

One day MB and I were both milling around the house, and we started talking about what we were each thinking about making for dinner that night.  We had this crazy idea to actually make dinner together - crazy, I know!

 

We decided quinoa was necessary since she liked it when I made quinoa dishes and let her have leftovers.  We flipped open Betty, and she only really had one quinoa recipe, so we went with it!

 

There were so many vegetables in this dish, I know Tall Dark and Nerdy would have been proud if he had been around to see it (instead of in India).

Look at all those veggies!



This will be a great dish for summertime when I'm wanting something a little lighter, yet still filling and delicious.

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
• 3 cups water
• chicken bouillon
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
• 5 cups thinly-sliced, bite-size pieces of assorted raw vegetables - I used carrots, zucchini, squash, bell pepper, asparagus
• grated Romano cheese

Directions:

Combine bouillon and water in saucepan (to make chicken broth), add the quinoa.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

Stir in cream cheese and basil.

Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet.  Cook garlic in butter about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until golden.  Add vegetables.  Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

 

Combine quinoa mixture and vegetables.  Sprinkle with Romano cheese. 

Spring Break in SoDak

It's always great to go back home.  The place I grew up couldn't be more different than where I live now, but I love both places and the people in them that make my life whole.  I thought I'd share some pictures of my "spring break" vacation in SoDak this year with family and friends.

Lambing season on the farm, and shooting lessons with baby sister and Les.

Jon Pardi, Dustin Lynch, and Jon Pardi concert in Brookings with old friends!

Lola came to wake me up after spending the night at Ash's new house.

Baby sister was wishing we were back in Tahoe, so she tried on her
snowboard coat, one mitten, and MY hat...with her shorts.

A big reason why I made sure to go home in March was to meet baby Rig.

He was a month old and so precious.  And his mama KT was doing great too!

Papa Rist and I leaving the farm together one morning.  Yes, that's fresh snow.

It had been YEARS since I had scraped a windshield.  Not sure I liked it.

Mom's greenhouse got a couple thousand new plants for her students to practice growing!

South Dakota sunset between my farm and my hometown.  What a sight!

I love this girl to death!  My cousin Les, baby sister, and I had a "cousin night" together.

Dinner and drinks, then home for sweats, cookie dough, and Magic Mike.

#tbt - Cousins

My family has always been very close, especially the "cousins." 

 

My Grams always loved to tell people that she waited a long time for grandkids to come along, then she got 7 in 7 years.  Maybe it was because we were all so close in age, or because we all lived within 3-1/2 hours of each other, or maybe it was because of our Grams, but I still know that I can count on my cousins for anything.

 

This picture is from the morning after my cousin Les's graduation party less than a week after I finished my freshman year at Stanford.  Six of the seven of us were there - #7 was at Army basic training - and we snapped a picture with Grams before the first family left for home in the morning.

Chocolate peanut butter cookies

In my opinion, there is no better combination than chocolate and peanut butter.  And I love cake...and cookies...and cake cookies, so these chocolate peanut butter cake mix cookies were a winner.

Directions:

• 1 box Devil's food cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl.  You can start with an electric mixer, but be warned it will probably be too thick and sticky to continue at a certain point, so switch to a strong spoon.
Stir in peanut butter chips.
Spoon 2 Tablespoons of dough onto parchment for each cookie.
Bake 12 minutes.  They will be soft - that's the cake part - but they are done after 12 minutes.

Barely adapted from Mix and Match Mama

Tal E. Whacker

I'll be the first to admit that rodents totally freak me out. Yet, I think hedgehogs are super cute.

For a short period of time during college I had decided I wanted a pet hedgehog because I found them so adorable. My wonderful roommate of all four years of college, knowing my fear of rodents, set out to change my mind and save me discomfort when I realized they are rodents on my own. She sat me down and made me watch hedgehog videos with her on Youtube until I realized their rodent-ness and decided a hedgehog wasn't the right pet for me.

Fast forward most of a year. Tall Dark and Nerdy and I somehow get on the subject of hedgehogs and how absolutely awesome we both find them. We both talk a little bit about how they could be a really fun pet.

The next day, I get a text from my mom with a picture of her classroom's new pet, Tal E. Whacker (the name is a play on the word "tallywacker," which FFA members use to refer to the zipper pull on official dress jackets).

I had to wait several months to meet this little guy, until I went back to SD to visit my family. He was pretty cute. Although, when he curls up on his side and I can see his little belly and feet, he's a little too rodent-y for my taste. Just keep him on his feet, though, and he's the best!