Yes this is a rant. I know, I apologize in advance. Five years ago when the housing market was booming and I believed you could not truly be a successful 20-something adult, boy was I wrong, we bought our townhouse. It was supposed to be a two year home where we could build up some equity. [Insert fits of laughter.] We “knew” owning a home would be just the best thing ever, but didn’t know much of anything about money or loans. I didn’t realize we had a 40 year loan until at least a year later. Who knew those even existed!?! We took out 2 loans rather than one to avoid mortgage insurance. Our second mortgage is basically an interest only loan with a huge $15k balloon payment at the endgeek an be a bit of a geek. With interest rates as crazy good as they are, I crunched some numbers. For not much more than we are currently paying, we could refi into a 15 year mortgage. The only problem, we owe about 20% more than the town homes currently on the MLS. We heard that our current lender might have some options. Well, we got the run around from the bank and talked to a few people before anyone had the stones to tell us we really didn’t have any options short of bringing $25k to the table or having a neighbor’s home sell for $105k. The current listings are between $69,900 & $79,000. I’m feeling über defeated. Our little home has really challenged my ability to make the most out at a situation and to de-clutter like I’ve never been able to before. I am grateful for the gifts of wisdom I have received while living here and the skills I’m developing. The whole thing is just so frustrating! We are should have known better. We really should have. But who in their right mind would give us (technically My Sweet One, as I’m not on the loan so that a credit card we had in only my name wouldn’t count against us) a loan? All done complaining. I’m putting on my big girl panties now.
Spinach Poppy Seed Salad
I have been trying not to eat grains for the last 6 weeks since my doctor told me I shouldn’t. Which has meant lots more salads and green smoothies. My Sweet One loves my salads and is always thrilled when I tell him I’m whipping one up. Hearts. This is my new favorite. Oh my, jicama and avocado make beautiful salad babies!
Spinach Poppy Seed Salad
chopped romaine
spinach chiffonade, rolled and sliced thinly
jicama peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
sliced strawberries
mandarin oranges
chopped cashews
avocado cut into chunks
Toss as much or as little of each ingredient with Poppy Seed Dressing. I like about 2/3 greens and 1/3 goodies.
*Other delicious options:
lentil sprouts
chopped bacon
small Swiss cheese slices
sliced red onion
Poppy Seed Dressing
1/2 cup honey
1 t dry mustard
1 t salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Whirl in blender until combined then slowly add
3/4 grape seed oil (or some other mild flavored oil, olive oil works too)
2 t poppy seeds
Refrigerate leftovers if applicable.
Jalapeno Popper Dip
A while back I found a recipe on Pinterest for Jalapeño Popper Dip. Considering my weakness for jalapeños especially when paired with gooey cheese, I whipped some up. It was nearly inedible, so salty. I loved the idea and knew a rewrite was in order. I took a girls’ night as the perfect opportunity to concur. It was a huge hit. Luckily I wrote it all down, which is a bit of an anomaly.
Jalapeño Popper Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup mozzerella or jack cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups (12oz) plain Greek yogurt, or strained yogurt
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
1/2 cup (4 oz) diced green chiles
Mix all ingredients but bread crumbs until combined. Pour into greased casserole or 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then turn the broiler on to brown the top. Watch closely so you don’t have to get out the fire extinguisher. When the top is browned remove the dip from the oven. Serve with tortilla chips or carrot sticks.
Kitty Cafe Challenge
I am so excited to launch a new blog feature. I have a not-so-secret secret. As I’m planning to feed someone new, whether it’s a party or taking a meal in, I get super excited to hear “I can eat . . .” or “we don’t eat . . .” In fact, I severely scolded a couple of friends for coming to a party without telling me they were on a special detox diet. Silly girls. They should have known that not only could I come up with something raw and veggie based that would be delicious, but that it would be the highlight of my week. There is nothing like accomplishing something in the kitchen when you are told it’s impossible.
I believe that food should always be delicious even if you are avoiding certain ingredients. Several successes I’ve had include: dessert fondues without refined sugar, a lovely filling dinner spread free of beans and grains, & a copy cat recipe for delicious pancake mix from a local bakery. All where nutritious and delicious if I do say so myself.
I am going take on new challenges and feature them here complete with successes and failures. So here’s where you come in. Simply leave a comment with the problem you are having in your kitchen. I’ll sort through them, pick one, research and test a solution, then share what I learn with all of you. Bring it on.
*Just in case you were curious and thinking I’m a loopy loop, Kitty Cafe is the name of my kitchen.
Lentil Coconut Curry
Dyeing to Be Cute
About 18 months ago we picked up a super comfy couch from freecycle. It was the right price, free, and it had a fitted slip cover that could be completely removed and laundered. With my monkeys, being able to wash something is an enormous perk. It was a little sad looking when we picked it up, and it’s only gotten more sad. I have no problems with pulling something out of a dumpster, I just don’t want to look like I live out of a dumpster.
I turned 30 this month and my bestie Jennifer wanted to make something amazing for me. She pieced and quilted 4 of the most beautiful pillows I’ve ever seen to tie together our wall tapestry and out sofa. I have lots of strengths, decorating isn’t one of them so I am really grateful to have friends who will hold my hand. I’ve been thinking about doing something to refresh my sofa for a while and this was the catalyst. The lovely pillows looked so silly on my worn out stained couch. I suggested dyeing the covers to My Sweet One who is one of those hubbies with an opinion about home decor. He loved the idea so off I ran to run around town and find some dye. I drove around to all the fabric and craft stores pricing out dye, comparing brands, and seeing who had enough for my 19 pounds of denim.
Each packet dyes 2-3 pounds of fabric. My first load was 9 pounds 4 ounces. As I choose a dark color and wanted it to be really rich, I used 5 packets of iDye; 4 Navy, and 1 Royal Blue. I really wanted all the stains to be covered up and everything to be a nice even color. I also added 5 cups of salt, one cup per dye packet. I added the dye packets and salt to a large hot load and let it agitate until the packets were dissolved. Then I added the enormous piece of fabric and started the longest wash I could. Every 10 minutes I restarted the cycle so that it would agitate. After sixty minutes I let the cycle finish. Then a short cold wash with detergent.
I flubbed up the second patch a little. I decided to try a new timer and I didn’t hear it. So it didn’t have extra 60 minutes to soak up the color. The cushions are just a smidge lighter than the slip cover but each of them have a good side.
And after with my new pillows from Jennifer. I feel so fancy.
New Hair
After years of the same hair cut, I built up the courage to branch out. It might not look like that big of a change, but my hair has all been the same long length, no layers or face framing since I was pregnant with my 5 year old daughter, if not longer. Even when I chopped off 14 inches, it was the same straight cut. My amazing sister-in-law cut it and styled it. Thanks Cassara! We’ll see how it looks when I do it myself. I am not a styling super star. I maybe blow dry my hair once or twice a year on a really cold day. It’s gonna be an adventure.
Before
Still wet from the shower
After
Wonder how it will look tomorrow?
Only 7%
Saturday I listened to an amazing woman, Miriam VanderLinden from 3 Key Elements. Our homeschool group had a mentor appreciation luncheon with an hour of her body language & mentor training. She also taught a two hour parenting communication class focusing on non-verbal communication. I hadn’t planned to stay for the parenting class, but was so moved by her in the first hour that I called My Sweet One and told him I’d be home a few hours later than planned. I am so grateful to have such a supportive and flexible husband.
As Miriam spoke, my neurons went into hyper-drive. Suddenly I saw the whole world in a new light and was filled with hope from my thinning hair to my callused big toes. Our communication can be broken into 3 parts. Only 7% of communication is from our words, 36% from our tone, and 57% from our body language. I don’t feel confident about my ability to communicate. I haven’t for a long time. I have lots of strengths; choosing the right words when I speak, is not one of them. I often say inappropriate things or am overly sarcastic. It’s a problem. Especially coupled with my deep desire to make people feel special and loved. But holy cannoli! I could totally bomb the 7% words and still manage to pull an A or an A- between the other areas. Yes please.
I have shared my concerns with my best friend multiple times about someone misunderstanding my motives or felling badly about something I’d said in fun. Every time we talk, she tells me the same thing. That she couldn’t imagine anyone being confused because my messages are delivered with genuine love. After she says that, I usually cry a few heart shaped tears and feel comforted, but in the back of my head I always thought she was embellishing a little. I don’t anymore. I realized that I have a gift. A gift that needs honing and polishing, but a gift all the same. I am on my life path headed somewhere amazing (read change the world) and it feels really good. I learned some amazing skills that I have already started to implement in my home. (I’ll let you know how that goes later.) And I am taking a class in November to learn more. I love discovering gifts that have great potential to spread love.
Flying Solo
I grew up helping my dear daddy cook and serve meals to large groups. It was just a way of life. Last December together, we catered a meal for my father-in-law’s company Christmas party. It was so much fun to prepare the food, feed the people, then pack up and go home. I felt completely in my element. I told one of my dearest friends. She has used every opportunity to spread the word. So when our homeschool group talked about a mentor appreciation luncheon, she suggested me.
Saturday I catered my first meal by myself. We had a lovely taco bar. Sweet taco meat, beans, lime rice with all the fixins to make delicious tacos or salads. The food wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn good. I received oodles of compliments and felt pretty much like a super hero.
Cilantro Lime Dressing
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 bunch cleaned cilantro
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until all the cilantro is small bit.
Coconut Honey
The best thing to happen to sliced bread; coconut honey. Since I started making this it is hands down everyone’s favorite thing to put on their bread. It’s delicious and nutritious.
Coconut Honey
1 part honey, preferably raw
1 part coconut oil, liquid or softened*
Beat together honey and coconut oil. Easy peasy. We store it at room temperature on the counter. Even after the coconut oil solidifies again, it is spreadable. If you think it will take you longer than a week to eat it, you may want to refrigerate it. I can’t fathom it lasting that long even if you used a quart of each.
*Coconut oil is generally liquid at room temp. My kitchen is usually cooler than that. I put my jar in a bowl of hot water to melt it. I avoid putting my coconut oil in the microwave as it damages or destroys oodles of its benefits.
