tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39697388220583879232024-03-05T19:57:47.568-05:00The Deviant DomesticMeghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-81349818258809078362015-06-08T21:02:00.000-04:002015-06-08T21:06:00.369-04:00Wolves, Bears, Eagles, and on<i>"...by the time they hit adolescence, those same youngsters will have "grown out" of this animal phase, and...We consider this a sign of maturity, with the unspoken assumption that a child's emotional attachment to wild creatures, and to nature as a whole, are juvenile and somehow delusional."</i> -Scott D. Sampson <u>How to Raise a Wild Child</u><br />
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I can not personally imagine a life lacking a fascination with nature and the natural world. However, I can attest to the scenario depicted by Dr. Sampson, wherein anyone, male or female, over the age of about thirteen is looked at askance for professing a love of any animal beyond cats or dogs. Goodness help you if you have a preference for more out-of-the-ordinary domestics, or worse yet, wild animals! The concept of spirit animals and nature connection is dismissed as edgy and laughable and the stuff of cults and hermits by much of polite society.<br />
I hope that as the ever so slightly deviant mother of a young child, I can provide a world in which a love of nature and a connection to non-human beings is welcomed and celebrated.Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-17791273423201483542010-07-28T12:24:00.009-04:002010-07-28T16:22:32.541-04:00Things I Like Episode 1The Cleanse was derailed by my intervening life... fear not, it will return once I have sorted things out with said life. In the interim I am starting this series of pictures posts chronicling things I like about my home and everyday habits, things that ground me and make me smile. Enjoy!<div><br /></div>1) Hot biscuit cinnamon buns, with orange drippy glaze...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymuIv_Id0Fjnedii2PUWxpD438dh6GKRpUzeekds985xS4Kacb044BdKjB5_OUD1pt8ScVXEamFDXn-145ErM3WRthJZxCFvIVfo5_sQNVRNVEJ62M4TQGytdrM4oQpv-8ihGLv2gdu8/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymuIv_Id0Fjnedii2PUWxpD438dh6GKRpUzeekds985xS4Kacb044BdKjB5_OUD1pt8ScVXEamFDXn-145ErM3WRthJZxCFvIVfo5_sQNVRNVEJ62M4TQGytdrM4oQpv-8ihGLv2gdu8/s320/IMG_1547.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498995089678140818" /></a><br /><br /><div>2) The weekly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Famer's</span> Market haul arranged on my table...</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAnHyIrTNbp8NEh-bnuLgKjsoex_56hNCnZLS_He9S7MvMWAbZhzVnOzHgEkleDqdH6KjJPgHgOoVihgkObPp_x3hLuJ1yr8mIQ0WI6hVLxQDumLk7CtfjnZXkKmbMfBXHyCAdRqZnjM/s1600/IMG_1549.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAnHyIrTNbp8NEh-bnuLgKjsoex_56hNCnZLS_He9S7MvMWAbZhzVnOzHgEkleDqdH6KjJPgHgOoVihgkObPp_x3hLuJ1yr8mIQ0WI6hVLxQDumLk7CtfjnZXkKmbMfBXHyCAdRqZnjM/s320/IMG_1549.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498995539025390354" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAnHyIrTNbp8NEh-bnuLgKjsoex_56hNCnZLS_He9S7MvMWAbZhzVnOzHgEkleDqdH6KjJPgHgOoVihgkObPp_x3hLuJ1yr8mIQ0WI6hVLxQDumLk7CtfjnZXkKmbMfBXHyCAdRqZnjM/s1600/IMG_1549.JPG"></a>3) Sunny heirloom cherry tomatoes in my (invisible) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pyrex</span> mixing bowls...</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdW6MZXCzxhVQsZLU7lzjyLVDYLZOLTIEdRZ3t9mUG9lYjgT8jLIZVnILo1Oq3SrLE8mj6cjGSg-4cUtL5XPO_KiYUvrjC6M0h4Nl3Ac3Sc2oqVUROMZMM5SB91zYzHPNzQl1odVKtS8/s1600/IMG_1552.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdW6MZXCzxhVQsZLU7lzjyLVDYLZOLTIEdRZ3t9mUG9lYjgT8jLIZVnILo1Oq3SrLE8mj6cjGSg-4cUtL5XPO_KiYUvrjC6M0h4Nl3Ac3Sc2oqVUROMZMM5SB91zYzHPNzQl1odVKtS8/s320/IMG_1552.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498995729820109890" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdW6MZXCzxhVQsZLU7lzjyLVDYLZOLTIEdRZ3t9mUG9lYjgT8jLIZVnILo1Oq3SrLE8mj6cjGSg-4cUtL5XPO_KiYUvrjC6M0h4Nl3Ac3Sc2oqVUROMZMM5SB91zYzHPNzQl1odVKtS8/s1600/IMG_1552.JPG"></a>4) The prism that fills my kitchen with rainbows...<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9tijvZbUMDyGkggJ93zvaTg0k9Kct0f_d0ki3bAmbRQ7kwx_TP2NLMH9gOxJBgE3BCPp0ApwWaZrnipZNmtBKDbeCIjcxUf2uYWAIRRRc71ufqE-zJ5bL_SF4k19OBhR9vOemReAY3c/s1600/IMG_1557.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9tijvZbUMDyGkggJ93zvaTg0k9Kct0f_d0ki3bAmbRQ7kwx_TP2NLMH9gOxJBgE3BCPp0ApwWaZrnipZNmtBKDbeCIjcxUf2uYWAIRRRc71ufqE-zJ5bL_SF4k19OBhR9vOemReAY3c/s320/IMG_1557.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498995912633556322" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>5) My husbands shoes, recently returned from the shop and smelling like shoe polish...</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziFn5Qls0nIvlCYPp6AXEtiX62ZIbwJ3sEiYawpXKjlHdUTT_gUIr8MjB9XE4EgmcXWjtryr8tbHwi6Mnj8L-0-owQtcgNIFh9_yYKvpuT5PAYWFIoW6p7MUpdzVBuREey3PzrE-uFbE/s1600/IMG_1562.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziFn5Qls0nIvlCYPp6AXEtiX62ZIbwJ3sEiYawpXKjlHdUTT_gUIr8MjB9XE4EgmcXWjtryr8tbHwi6Mnj8L-0-owQtcgNIFh9_yYKvpuT5PAYWFIoW6p7MUpdzVBuREey3PzrE-uFbE/s320/IMG_1562.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498996206154906722" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>7) My wonderful husband, happily eating pancakes with applesauce on them... *grin*</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst1YRhnXC4PbCNCsflV-u5hNWwp5MdVLLp3FllrP9XHiFqR-6OsSWOXOqbI6M5ct6KTfS8Sq_siwjUu4X-W0Ydh1k_0BpL3C7pxkEeV3l7x5R7FTD6mUdmUZh_LAfAaYG3zUMWSoNyYk/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst1YRhnXC4PbCNCsflV-u5hNWwp5MdVLLp3FllrP9XHiFqR-6OsSWOXOqbI6M5ct6KTfS8Sq_siwjUu4X-W0Ydh1k_0BpL3C7pxkEeV3l7x5R7FTD6mUdmUZh_LAfAaYG3zUMWSoNyYk/s320/IMG_1561.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498996057923166002" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>That's all for today, more to come in the next week!</div><div><br /></div><div>Yours,</div><div>DD</div></div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-78425028053264964112010-07-08T15:24:00.003-04:002010-07-08T15:36:22.399-04:00The Cleanse: Day OneSo,<div><br /></div><div>One a scale of 1-5 stars for accomplishment in house cleaning, I'd say today is about a 2. I did manage to keep the kitchen straight, thus far, the living room is somewhat less cluttered, and the upstairs bathroom has been mostly cleaned. However, if I am going to get this house in order anytime soon, I'll have to do better than that each day.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the other hand, I did accomplish the canning of peaches this morning! It is the start of the very brief peach season here in Cbus, so BW and I buy them when they are available. We can only eat so many peaches before they rot, so canning it is! I canned these peach halves using the hot pack method in a medium syrup (my 50's cookbooks say that's sirup, with an i) and then a water bath. They look lovely sitting on my counter cooling. I hope they will taste just as lovely when we go to eat them!</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow's Cleanse quest: Master Bedroom...</div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-32303178813479080332010-07-07T15:25:00.002-04:002010-07-07T15:30:41.405-04:00Starting Over: The CleanseWell,<div><br /></div><div>It's been just over a year since I wrote anything here. In the intervening year I have gotten married, been working harder as a freelance choreographer and dancer, and have officially quit my day job, thanks to my wonderful and supportive husband. So, let's start over shall we?</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a unique opportunity to be exactly what I want to be: a housewife with real career to back it up. My choreography doesn't take up nearly all of my time, so when I am home the natural thing to do it keep house. Our apartment has suffered form our busy schedules, when I was working close to 60 hrs a week and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">BW</span> was working 40, there wasn't much time to make the apartment ours. My first mission as a true Deviant Domestic is to get the house functioning, one space at a time.</div><div><br /></div><div>First stop: upstairs!...</div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-21949461702629665122009-06-17T17:39:00.002-04:002009-06-17T17:49:07.286-04:00Failures and Successes(???)So this is a quick little mid-week deal. I wanted to document my utter failure yesterday and then add some hopefulness for today's project.<div><br /></div><div>Yesterday I set out to make my first puff pastry! It didn't seem like it could be that hard, and armed with my 1952 copy of "the American Woman's Cook Book" (complete with pictures and catchy phrases about how to be the perfect housewife*) I dug in. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>*Now, I do have to say this about my book: It is extremely weird, but VERY useful. I bought <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>it on a whim in an antique store mostly because it was funny. I have since used it to learn <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>how to preserve, as well as doing other things most current cookbooks ignore entirely.</div><div>I was very excited as the work progressed, "wheee this is great! I can make fancy pastries!"I thought. Unfortunately that excitement lasted right up until I pulled my shiny spinach puff pastry dinner out of the oven...</div><div><br /></div><div>Ladies and Gentlemen, I created a cracker! A light and flaky cracker, but a cracker nonetheless. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh well...I am going to blame my flour for the resulting failures. I have had a lot of trouble getting things to rise properly with the new bulk flour at our co-op. It was tasty in any event, and we ate it like a pizza. :-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Today's cooking foray is a Banana Creme Pie. I'm very hopeful about it so far, and keeping the fingers crossed!</div><div><br /></div><div>DD </div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-27033439658673240282009-06-10T19:38:00.012-04:002009-06-10T20:02:54.258-04:00I Made This! (spring cooking adventures)<div>Hello there!<div><br /></div><div>It's Market season, which means it's cooking season! We've been busy around the house the last few weeks and here are some of the results...</div></div><div><br /></div>Fresh Strawberry Creme Cake <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPy2Yh9DBJPX6gZfgCYKbSk-KddZDHJ40UcW0zey6QovXatKkR8twI9Vo30kRuvQzez3ASJRh6BJagM17oNjtBfZ24vRaIV4ZQBdSHQC65la11Ep1kLxxLuLO6giHn_GhVUMGiJ5TIRM/s1600-h/IMG_0315.JPG"></a><div>Strawberry cake with a fruit reduction swirl!<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPy2Yh9DBJPX6gZfgCYKbSk-KddZDHJ40UcW0zey6QovXatKkR8twI9Vo30kRuvQzez3ASJRh6BJagM17oNjtBfZ24vRaIV4ZQBdSHQC65la11Ep1kLxxLuLO6giHn_GhVUMGiJ5TIRM/s1600-h/IMG_0315.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPy2Yh9DBJPX6gZfgCYKbSk-KddZDHJ40UcW0zey6QovXatKkR8twI9Vo30kRuvQzez3ASJRh6BJagM17oNjtBfZ24vRaIV4ZQBdSHQC65la11Ep1kLxxLuLO6giHn_GhVUMGiJ5TIRM/s320/IMG_0315.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345850750994778898" /></a><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Coco Keylime Cupcakes</div><div>Coconut cupcakes with Keylime royal icing!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3tY9bnAZPj1S1rT1e6U0O2lD7x5QR1c0MC_Qms7TUScSJLkN6p_AD_fXHrLXbXZVmvkQbBNbR3BFNvr1GGBw1VFFVVtXhcjQEIO3Y_CPXjxA40fzL2ZcEVvKVRQK08Xh6t_MPSxTRb4/s1600-h/IMG_0322.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3tY9bnAZPj1S1rT1e6U0O2lD7x5QR1c0MC_Qms7TUScSJLkN6p_AD_fXHrLXbXZVmvkQbBNbR3BFNvr1GGBw1VFFVVtXhcjQEIO3Y_CPXjxA40fzL2ZcEVvKVRQK08Xh6t_MPSxTRb4/s320/IMG_0322.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345850254912464194" /></a><div><br /></div><br />Spring Market Sauté:</div><div><div>Rainbow chard and french breakfast radishes from the farmer's market sautéed with red onion and garlic, white beans and rice. I tossed in a dash of keylime juice and soy sauce, as well as salt and pepper to bring out the flavors.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELUOx0pZh-2Ubg_dz5-_iL1zO06h4qmdUozrt4YytU6J7jvrwP30Mn58yUFIhiOae4YhZpOpss9CHYIRsmAxKw895ODNAYtVTTpFrU_PuVMpBznMUbYvVbA33Fac3gV07z9Pr-9RUXEI/s1600-h/IMG_0324.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELUOx0pZh-2Ubg_dz5-_iL1zO06h4qmdUozrt4YytU6J7jvrwP30Mn58yUFIhiOae4YhZpOpss9CHYIRsmAxKw895ODNAYtVTTpFrU_PuVMpBznMUbYvVbA33Fac3gV07z9Pr-9RUXEI/s320/IMG_0324.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345849418497519538" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiA8oX93OmWjQglf1fKZ0Teo8xwnUk38FUJ7rSH68L2DYU6nfuzkmpH-JiZxXAfUt2WbILpjgeEBpSd_TLrP6sNqZss1ReIMiPAU7Ua7-YAQAZ97tybnxUxH5gJGg1Xi-a6LH4GF03Emk/s1600-h/IMG_0332.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiA8oX93OmWjQglf1fKZ0Teo8xwnUk38FUJ7rSH68L2DYU6nfuzkmpH-JiZxXAfUt2WbILpjgeEBpSd_TLrP6sNqZss1ReIMiPAU7Ua7-YAQAZ97tybnxUxH5gJGg1Xi-a6LH4GF03Emk/s320/IMG_0332.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345853231071759730" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /><br /><div>That's it for now, enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div>DD</div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-87402040730900906752009-02-28T17:31:00.007-05:002009-02-28T17:49:30.708-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8G53vXxULyPHP94l5c1dBWsFXlveIUjC1_S40vIHprIFrqU5O_mRkwTsE9HZpi8hdInRtZkYXeobw62ZsQK9Nq-kmfUgkBn8h-Vp6GulqbKLIu8xPbEpZdmZaidZjwk2_gp6o6SSKO0A/s1600-h/IMG_0233.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8G53vXxULyPHP94l5c1dBWsFXlveIUjC1_S40vIHprIFrqU5O_mRkwTsE9HZpi8hdInRtZkYXeobw62ZsQK9Nq-kmfUgkBn8h-Vp6GulqbKLIu8xPbEpZdmZaidZjwk2_gp6o6SSKO0A/s320/IMG_0233.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307981169529032530" /></a><br />Hello again, and welcome back to the Deviant Domestic!<div><br /></div><div>It seems I will be becoming more domestic in the near future (though still fairly deviant), so I thought I ought to at least attempt to start posting again. Thank you for bearing with me!</div><div><br /></div><div>Today was a lazy day off. As such, it is baking day. BW (his first initials, but I am using them to signify "bread-winner" I think, given my new lower work load.) requested a loaf of fresh bread and "something with pumpkin" today. Here, we have a fresh loaf of wheat bread, next to it's new best friend, pumpkin bread. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know... I really ought to leave them whole to take the pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the pumpkin bread recipe:</div><div><br /></div><div>1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3/4</span> C flour</div><div>1 tsp baking soda</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3/4 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">tsp salt</span></div><div>1 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1/2</span> tsp cinnamon</div><div>1 tsp nutmeg</div><div>1 C sugar</div><div><br /></div><div>2 eggs beaten</div><div>1 C fresh pumpkin purée</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/4 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">C water</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">C veg oil (or applesauce*)</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Heat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, soda, salt, spices, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add water, eggs, oil*, and pumpkin. Stir until well blended. Pour into one well greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hr, then cool completely on a wire rack. Wrapping the bread in plastic once cooled, and allowing it to sit overnight will increase the melding of flavors! ...oops...</div><div><br /></div><div>*applesauce will change the consistency, but not the flavor, of the finished product!</div><div><br /></div><div>That's all I've got for now, see you again soon!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-55550764962880333652008-12-17T16:57:00.002-05:002008-12-17T17:07:20.490-05:00Cookies!Good Afternoon,<div><br /></div><div>Well, the winter blah is out in force around Columbus today. The entire DD household is down for the count with flu-like symptoms. However, this has not stopped the production of....</div><div><br /></div><div>Christmas Cookies! *TADA*</div><div><br /></div><div>Monday brought the creating of sugar cookie dough for some cutouts. I used the basic recipe from the Better Homes and Garden's cookbook, then added a splash of hazelnut extract for fun and depth. The cookies are good, but could use some tweaking in the future. I think maybe adding some spice or candied citrus peel to them would work well. For now they are dusted with cinnamon/clove sugar or red/green crystals.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday I happened upon <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/12/spicy-molasses-cookies-seriously-delicious/">these wonderful ginger cookies</a> and made them immediately. *Ree, I think, is a goddess of the kitchen, and you should read her blog.* I used some butter, which made them a bit crispier than hers look. I just couldn't bring myself to use the shortening... I DID however, put in the fresh ginger and will stand by that decision forever.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't have any original recipes for you today, and I'm sorry. Hopefully the creative gene will come back after the holiday is over. For now, happy eating, and happy holidays!</div><div>DD</div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-32366485083645248772008-12-15T15:30:00.002-05:002008-12-15T15:42:07.169-05:00We Make the Rockin' World Go 'RoundFirst, let me apologize for being conspicuously absent for a MONTH! Admittedly, winter hit here in Ohio, this means gray rainy skies almost every day. Pair that with working and holidays and other madness and you have a very deviant blogger indeed. So, I'm sorry, I'll try to be better in the future!<div><br /></div><div>Today we are feeling very deviant. I want you to picture, for a moment, your own favorite mental image of a housewife. (I tend to picture frilly aprons and crinolines, c. 1950, perfect hair, and that sort of glazed happy look on her face as her children provide background music.) Now let us compare that picture to the reality here in the DD home. Your truly is decked in a band t-shirt, flannel, and a hoodie which would make any 1980s child proud. Also, my background music is Queen, played slightly too loud...</div><div>However! We are accomplishing very domestic things. Meal planning and shopping is completed, and there are ingredients for Christmas Cookies setting out on the table while the butter softens. This batch will be basic sugar cookies, though I'm hoping for a gingerbread house sometime in the next week. More decorations will be added to the existing tree and garlands this evening, and half of the holiday cards are in the mail! (No wonder we need a little classic rock to balance everything out.)</div><div>I promise more recipes and hopefully a few pictures in the near future. For now, hello again, and we'll see you soon!</div><div><br /></div><div>DD</div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-34447179125198954142008-11-17T16:40:00.002-05:002008-11-17T16:55:23.365-05:00Adventures in Brussels Sprouts Pt.1Good afternoon! Welcome to Monday and the third edition of the Deviant Domestic. Today has been a whirlwind day, complete with lounging, exercising, and snow!<div>I would love to say that I accomplished something useful today, but alas I did not. I am reading a surprisingly excellent book (<u>Elantris</u> by Brandon Sanderson) and thus spending a lot of my free time rooted to the couch with book in hand. I did manage to get out to the gym this morning, mainly because I knew it would take me close to my second destination... The Grocery Store. I went in looking for green beans and chicken, forgetting that green beans have decidedly gone out of season here in Ohio. I found instead some nice looking brussels sprouts.</div><div>"Self?" I said. "Do we know how to prepare brussels sprouts?"</div><div>"Well," Self responded "no, but the Internet does!"</div><div>And into the basket they went.</div><div>I consulted a few recipes, glancing briefly at <u>The Flexitarian Table</u> which was dismissed due to time constraints, and coming to rest at <a href="http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2005/11/brussels-sprouts-with-fresh-garlic.html">Coconut & Lime</a> for tonight's recipe. Simple, tasty, and fuss free. I highly recommend this one! The lovely sprouts were paired with roasted sweet potatoes (dressed lightly in olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika) and herb crusted whole roasted chicken legs. All together, a very satisfying winter dinner.</div><div>And I do mean winter... it started snowing in earnest today! <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Keep warm, until next time...</div><div>DD</div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-5024412296955531132008-11-11T20:05:00.005-05:002008-11-11T20:39:21.259-05:00Lazy Weekend FoodOn the occasion that I find myself lucky enough to have a day off with no plans, I often spend most of that day cooking. This weekend was a lovely food extravaganza! Saturday dinner saw a roasted delicata squash paired with an oven risotto. We still have quite a few apples left over from apple picking season, so we decided to put them to good use for dessert. We made a half-size apple pie! I wish I had pictures... it was delicious.<div>Sunday morning I got up early to make cranberry bread, one of my favorite holiday treats. The recipe can be found in the children's book <u>A Cranberry Thanksgiving</u> by Wende and Harry Devlin. I cut the sugar to 3/4C to make it more suitable for breakfast, and left out the raisins. This bread uses orange juice for the liquid and therefore has a very nice tang that is perfect for breakfasts!</div><div>Sadly dinner on Sunday was somewhat abbreviated due to rehearsals. I did manage to make a hot spinach salad to go with our pre-prepped lasagna though. I will include the recipe for it below, it was wonderful! What have you been cooking this week?</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Wilted Winter Spinach Sauté</u></div><div><br /></div><div>you will need:</div><div>2 cloves fresh garlic, minced</div><div>1/4 - 1/2C onion, chopped (i used a purple onion)</div><div>1 large bag of fresh spinach (about 4-5 hands full), shredded lightly</div><div>chevre cheese for garnish </div><div>2-3 T bacon fat (better flavor) or butter (more handy)</div><div><br /></div><div>In a cast iron skillet melt butter or bacon fat. I used both! Sauté the onion until it becomes tender, add the garlic. Stir in spinach in small handfuls, adding more as it wilts down, adding salt and pepper as you go. Once all spinach is incorporated dish onto plates and garnish with crumbled chevre cheese. (If you live in Ohio, I suggest <a href="http://www.bluejacketdairy.com/">Blue Jacket Dairy</a> or <a href="http://www.lakeeriecreamery.com/">Lake Erie Creamery</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Eating! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3969738822058387923.post-60718908401276287522008-11-09T10:42:00.002-05:002008-11-09T17:34:41.479-05:00a subtle swervede-vi-ate<div>1. to stray especially from the standard, principle or topic<br /></div><div>2. to depart from an established coarse or norm</div><div><br /></div><div>We are living in interesting times. Sixty years ago it was still the woman's place to keep house and raise children, while remaining beautiful and fresh to receive her husband in the evening with dinner hot on the table. Forty years ago women started to rebel, and by the end of the generation women were expected to shoot for the highest executive job in the market. Women can do anything now, and that's great! But what about those of us who don't want to...</div><div>(Men should not feel left out here, I know many men who don't want to work in the office either, my other half included!)</div><div><br /></div><div>So it is that I come to this: A woman who was trained for the corner office, but would rather sit in the corner of her sewing room. A woman who was taught to shake the world, but would rather whisk an egg. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ready to trade in my slacks for a frilly apron just yet, and I will never learn to let my partner do all the talking. I will, however, continue to strike a balance and be unashamed of my enjoyment of housework! This blog will be about my adventures in the home against a backdrop of normal work life. I plan to share recipes, projects, and a healthy dose of sarcasm.</div><div><br /></div><div>Welcome to the Deviant Domestic, drop your shoes at the door... the teakettle's on!</div>Meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920449367333924271noreply@blogger.com0