Someone's in the Kitchen

We made cornbread! FROM SCRATCH!! Well Jim did most of the work but I stirred which I feel is a pretty crucial part. Jim taught me all about gleaning corn and told me tales of how he did it as a child. Step one: find a cornfield that has been harvested. Step two: hunt for any corn that has been left behind! That's gleaning corn!!

To make cornmeal just pull all the kernels off and toss them in a blender until finely ground.

Never mind the banana. It just happened to be on the counter.

There are many recipes you can find online for making cornbread. We used one that we found on seriouseats.com that we tweaked a little but you can view the original recipe here. We went for more of a Southern cornbread which is not sweet, obviously Jim's idea. The recipe called for 10 inch cast iron skillet and we have a 12 inch so our recipe went as follows

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups of cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups (16 ounces) buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons shortening 

Procedures

1. 1
   Place 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven on middle rack and heat to 450°F. Meanwhile, whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly incorporated. In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs. Whisk in buttermilk.
2. 2
   As oven nears 450°F, remove skillet and add shortening. Return to oven for a few minutes, allowing shortening to heat until shimmering. Remove and swirl shortening to evenly coat the bottom.
3. 3
   Add eggs and buttermilk mixture plus any excess melted shortening from skillet to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Mixture will be lumpy. Pour batter into hot skillet and return to oven, bake until top is just golden and edges have browned and pulled away from the side of the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.

It was superb! Here are some other photos from our weekend adventures

Into The Woods

This morning Jim and I took a little adventure over to what is becoming my favorite place in Champaign, Meadowbrook Park. It was very cold and very early but we were on a mission. Anyone who knows me will tell you I LOVE Instagram. I love sharing my life and exploring others through the art of photography. My latest obsession is the explore section. It used to be the popular page and I never really looked at at. Now it is the explore section where you can find like minded sharers. Anyway, I love Instagram. Every weekend they have a weekend hashtag project and I always want to participate but never do. This weekend however was finally my chance. The hashtag is all about fairytales. I adore fairytales. 

My wedding was loosely inspired by the show Once Upon A Time more specifically Snow White. My wedding dress was the perfect mixture of delicate lace and shredded tulle and I would wear it every day if it was socially acceptable. It has hung in a garment bag for almost 2 years now waiting for an opportunity like this. The fact that my dress even fit me felt like a Christmas miracle. I must give a big round of applause to my husband for these amazing photos and for being such a good sport and going along with my crazy ideas. Jim Wilson, I love you!

Here are some behind the scenes photos of how Harper dealt with so much dress.

Mad About You

Plaid is all the rage right now and I could not be happier. I have always loved plaid. This coat is one of the many plaid items I own. I bought it 7 years ago from Forever 21 and I paid $38.50 for it. I remember thinking that was a lot to pay for a coat. I wasn't as frugal then as I am now but I was pretty broke. I justified my purchase by telling myself I would wear this coat so many times that cost per wear would be so very low. I never could have known how right I was. 7 years later I still happily wear it every Autumn/Winter. 

So This Is Christmas

                                                 

Saying that the Christmas season is my favorite time of year is an understatement. I love Christmas music, hot cocoa, bright lights, red everything, and most of all the joy and love that fills the air. It is such a special time. I always try to fill my calendar with every and any festive activity. 

For the past 6 years my holiday season has started sometime around September when I start rehearsing for a Christmas show. My days are filled with songs and dances and costumes that ooze Christmas spirit. I somehow forgot what life was like before Christmas shows. Last week I realized it was already December and it just did not feel like Christmas. It wasn't a sad realization, just an observation. This year everything is just so different.

Another big part of the season is sharing it with my dearest friends and family. Whether its meeting up at Starbucks for that treasured red cup, or heading to Thoroughbred to see the lights, or roaming around Downtown Disney, there is always something to do.

This year Jim and I decided to save money and stay in Illinois for the holidays. I stand by that choice and know that it was the best move for our little family. With that being said, I refused to miss out on the feeling of Christmas so we scoured the internet for things to do. I am so thankful for my husband and his up-for-anything attitude. My happiness is so very important to him and he shows me that every single day. 

This weekend we overdosed on Christmas and it was glorious. We took a trolley ride downtown accompanied by free cookies and hot cocoa, we put the finishing touches on our tree, we headed to Hardy's Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul, and wore a lot of red. We also dressed Harper up a few times. She loved it. I think.

The finishing touches of the season are a big loud Christmas Eve with my family eating tamales and playing Pictionary followed by a sweet quiet Christmas with Jim's family where we open a million presents because everything gets individually wrapped. This year we are going to enjoy Chinese food at a restaurant and watch Into The Woods at the movie theater. Christmas may look very different this year but it's our Christmas. Being here in Illinois means Jim successfully completed his PhD and was selected for a post doc position at one of the greatest physics departments in the nation AND has been invited to do a second year which is a huge deal. All of this means that we are building our future, our big bright future. I am proud of my husband. I am proud of our marriage. I am proud of our Christmas. Wherever you are this Christmas I hope you feel loved and are surrounded by peace and happiness.