NOT A HAPPY CAMPER

This is not a blog post about design.

Ungh.

Nor is it about lifestyle...unless you're as graceful as I am.

Ow.

To a better, sprain- and kleenex-free tomorrow. :)

101 in 1001 -- UPDATE!

72) Make time for reading fiction: one novel a month. (1/33)

Last month's novel was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.

 

This book is worth the fuss. If you are a fan of Foer or his contemporary Dave Eggers, or even if you enjoy movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Everything Is Illuminated, it's safe to say that you'll like this novel. I'm a big fan of reasonable experimentation within what I call antiquated fields; Foer (and Eggers, as well) messes with how the reader sees his words. He inserts images in less than usual ways, plays with page layouts, and even changes up typefaces when the occasion calls for it. I know that when I've written, my words are shaped by more than just what is running through my head--there are also images, both specific and abstract, there are colors, there are sounds. I've always felt limited by using text alone as a creative outlet, because there is so much more going on. Foer's method rang very true for me, and though I can't speak for every reader, I know that I felt much more connected to the story than if I had just been given text by the author.

Next on the roster:

JAMIE'S HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

(This post is mostly for those of you who, like me, shop and cook for one or two people.)

Stop buying canned soup. Just, stop. The vegetables are old, the meat is questionable, and who knows that those cans are lined with. You can make your own basic broth-based soups for a fraction of the cost, and better yet, you can control what's going into them. Vegetables are fresh. Herbs are fresh. Meat is exactly the type and the leanness that you want it to be. Sodium won't be off the charts! (Seriously, check the sodium count the next time you pick up a can, even of the "light" soups. I dare you not to gasp.)

Here's a souper (ha) easy recipe that I use for my chicken noodle soup, a staple during the cold months. It's very healthy, it's easy to customize, and it freezes really well. Even if you're not terribly confident in the kitchen, I promise, this is foolproof--and it will taste so good that you'll never want to go back to the canned stuff.

Jamie's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients: (Must-haves are bold; the others are ingredients that I like but you can change as you desire)

6 cups chicken broth, reduced sodium and/or reduced fat (packaging will clearly say)
1.5 cups small or medium pasta, whole grain (I personally prefer rotini)
3 medium carrots, chopped or diced
2 stalks celery, chopped or diced
1.5 cups chicken, chopped (I use chicken breasts or ground chicken; if you're using ground, make sure to check the fat content! Try to get ground breast if you can.)
1 tablespoon butter
0.5 cups peas (frozen or fresh)
0.5 cups onion, sliced or chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped or diced
Herbs, any (rosemary, thyme or sage will pair well with the chicken, and parsley is always a good bet)

To make:

Prepare the pasta according to the box's directions and set aside. Keep in mind that the pasta will be added to hot liquid later and will continue to cook then, so err on the side of al dente (slightly underdone). While the pasta is cooking, you can prep your vegetables.

Meanwhile, prepare the chicken and set aside. If you're using ground chicken, you'll want to cook it through on the stove; if you're using breasts or some other type of chicken meat, you can either bake it or cook it on the stove.

(You don't need this much chicken; I just happened to be cooking a batch to freeze when taking these pictures!)

After cooking the chicken through and letting it cool a little, I roughly chop it and throw it in the food processor for a few quick pulses so it will be shredded. You can certainly just chop your chicken into bite-size pieces if you prefer.

 

Done with the chicken pictures now. Melt the butter in a medium or large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the onions and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes or until onions are soft, stirring frequently. Enjoy the aroma, because nothing is better than butter and garlic combined. :)

Add the carrots and celery, turn the heat up to medium and saute for 7-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. (The level of softness is up to you. If you hate mushy carrots, like me, just keep an eye on them.)

Stir in chicken broth, chicken, pasta, and peas and bring the soup up to a boil.

Season with salt and pepper as desired and serve. (I like a little parmesan cheese on mine.)

Prep time: about 15 minutes (unless you have access to a food processor)
Cook time: about 25 minutes
Serves 6
Nutritional Information: 290 calories, 5 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams protein; sodium will depend on the broth you use and if you add any salt to your soup while cooking. This is the broth I use, love and recommend:

The true beauty of this recipe is that you can really change whatever you want. Vegetarian? Skip the chicken and use vegetable broth. Cooking for kids? Let them choose the shape of the pasta to keep things interesting. Not a fan of carrots or celery? Skip them and opt for vegetable broth; you'll get the flavor without the chunky vegetables. Have herbs in the fridge that need to get used? Every variety that I can think of, with the exception of dill, will work well in this soup. Go nuts, experiment, and create your own signature chicken noodle soup.

Enjoy!

(Tried something different? Let me know! I'd love to try out your recipe!)

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK: ESME BOOTS, MACY'S

Check these guys out:

 

At Macy's: Style&co. Esme boots, originally $79, now $40.99. (Be sure to check your local Macy's for any in-store sales going on; I picked up my pair for $30.)

I'll say that for the price, these are a great pair of boots. I've been wearing them with skinny jeans or leggings and I love them! Very true to size, though I'd say that if you have a wider foot, they might be a bit narrow.

SOON

I want this to happen in some way, shape or form in my home. That is all.

Have a great weekend! :)

VACATION TIME

I know that this time of year, most everyone is itching to head somewhere warm. Me? I just want to head north, and here's why:

 

duluthguide.com

webshots.com

climate.umn.edu

wunderground.com

bluefinbay.com

panoramio.com

Lake Superior is so gorgeous this time of year. Everything is still, calm, peaceful...the ultimate destination for a recharge, if you ask me. I love seeing the jutting ice along the shore, where the open water continues to push the ice from shallower waters toward land and the pressure causes it to crush. Sometimes you can even hear the ice when it cracks from inside! Words cannot describe how spectacular a sunset or sunrise is over ice and calm waters.

Duluth? March? I'm thinking yes.

THIS IS WHAT IT'S COME TO.

To get my sorry self out of bed and awake (yes, often in that order), I have to:

• Write emphatic notes about yoga and cowboys
• Tape these notes in such a way that I can't turn off or down the alarms 
• Remind myself to smile about cowboys

Isn't he fun?

HOLY THIN MINTS

Lys over at we keep saying was kind enough to send me a box of Back to Nature's Fudge Mint Cookies to sample. They are absolutely to die for.

(Jamie's dining room in action--please excuse the paint swatch!)

This brand, Back to Nature, has a truly healthful line of goods. Their packaging is 100% recycled, and their food contains no artificial preservatives, no hydrogenated oils and no high fructose corn syrup, the latest big-bads to cut out of your diet.

I love-love-love these cookies. So much so that I immediately had to portion them out into small bags and freeze them so that I wouldn't eat too many! Absolutely delicious, and at 150 calories for four, this is a snack that won't make you cringe every time you take a bite. These beat out the Girl Scouts variety, and I can't wait to try BtN's other cookies.

Thank you, Lys!

(Also: This is why it takes me 7 years to pull off a decent photograph:

Damn curious cat.)

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK: THOMAS O'BRIEN QUILT

Trying something new here at Gracefully Amusing. :)

I've had so many great finds lately, and I've been photographing all of them with plans to share them here. This week, take a look at this beauty:

 

I've been eyeing this Thomas O'Brien quilt for at least a year, waiting for the price to drop...and it finally has! It's a gorgeous pale blue with pewter stitching; the fabric is surprisingly soft, and the quilt is pretty heavy, which is one of my primary requirements for bedding of any kind.

Thomas O'Brien Pewter Blossom Coverlet (full/queen): Originally $89.99, now $22.48!

You better believe I snatched this guy up. Wouldn't you, at that price? He's going to look great in my bedroom to be, which will be featuring white bedding, dark wood and inky blue walls (updates to come).

HOUSE BEAUTIFUL NOTES

 Cujo Cat supervises Mom's scanning activities

House Beautiful is hit or miss with me. This cover is no exception. All about blue? Okay. But make a statement, okay? This room says nothing to me. (The side table is pretty great, though, I'll concede that point.)

That being said, there were some really great pieces under the not-so-good cover.

My favorite, hands down:

Sasha Adler is officially on the watch list. I absolutely adore the yellow velvet on the headboard and the dark lampshades, the gray walls and the bed linens...love love love.

 

That ottoman is fantastic!

There's not much that I don't like about this room. The ikat pillow and the soft pink blanket look great on the couch...not my first choice in fabric, but the stripes are nice and I love the tiny nailhead trim! The rug adds some great depth, and the lamp on the console table gives a nice pop.

 

This room is simple, but I'm such a sucker for a comfortable looking bed. Love the layering and play with textures and patterns. That pillow isn't half bad either (and there's that lamp again.)

That blue is fun. That blue says something. (Also, the bookshelves are arranged so very nicely!)

 

I want this to happen in my future house! Those pillows with the greek key trim, the colors, the velvet...oh my god.

And finally,

 

 

There's plenty about this room that is great (the rug, the pillow on the chair, the map wall, the Blue Moon tasty beverage), but, as the post-it says, lamp!

101 in 1001 -- UPDATE!

13) Set up monthly automatic donations for a charity.  Accomplished, January 2010

I've established monthly automatic donations for DonorsChoose, an online charity which allows teachers to post monetary requests for specific projects and donors to choose to which project they would like to contribute.

About a year ago, my financial situation changed and I was finally in a place where I could afford to start giving to a cause. Education is very important to me; I feel especially strong about keeping music and writing in public schools. After doing some research, DonorsChoose quickly became a favorite charity of mine because I could choose exactly where my money was going, versus donating to a fund and not having a say in how it would be spent. And as icing on the cake, I get a thank you letter and sometimes even pictures from the teacher and class that I helped once their project is complete. It's so cool to get that extra bit of recognition! (I'm not vain, promise...but come on, isn't it nice to get a small pat on the back when you do something good?)

If you are so inclined, you can visit my giving page and view projects that I'm interested in, or you can start at DonorsChoose and handpick the school subjects that you care most about. DonorsChoose makes it super easy to donate any amount you'd like to give, and you can be as personal or impersonal about your donation as you'd like.

Do you have a favorite charity or cause?

(My 101 in 1001 List)

MORE!

Remember this?

Etsy seller YeeHaw has listed a few others, and I kind of want them all. Since I'm a sparse-wall-art kind of gal, however, I'll have to settle for one. Or two.

This one is, hands down, my favorite, despite the typo.

 

This one is a close second, though.

The others are all extremely awesome, too:

 

 

  

  

You can view and purchase YeeHaw's prints here for $25 and $35, depending on the print's size.