Return to the South

Hey, blog friends! Sorry it's been awhile. I know you've probably been aching for a new entry from us. Sorry. But I have one for you today! We have just returned from a very busy 12 days back in the good ole South. A few days in Memphis with Brian's family then to Arkansas to spend some time with mine. Then back to Memphis and back home to Seattle. Whew. The first few days home were truly exhausting, but great. I think we had our days packed from beginning to end trying to cram people in, and we still didn't see everyone we wanted to. We did manage to squeeze in some BBQ eating though. Christmas was great. We got a lot of wedding planning done (er... kind of). And now we're back in home sweet home, which is nice. Today I convinced Brian to walk to the beach with me. He only agreed to make this 6 mile trip to get advance forgiveness for watching a lot of football over the next few days or weeks or however long this whole bowl game thing lasts. Despite the chilly weather, it was a lovely walk. We really do live in a beautiful place.

We hope ya'll are doing well and had a great Christmas. We went to see the movie Tangled this morning, too. It was adorable. You'll love it; go see it.

Makin' banana pancakes pretend that it's the weekend now...

This was my breakfast yesterday. Banana pancakes. They were deeeeelicious. Mmm mmm mmm. There is something about making pancakes that just brings back the best memories... cooking breakfast at the Oxley house as kids sleepily stumble out one by one... staying up late with my roommates snacking on them... going to my lovely friends' house last semester for brunch on Saturdays... Good times, good times. Anyway, this was a spur of the moment pancake making experience, so I did not have my handy dandy bisquick pancake mix. So I had my very first experience making them from scratch. I will never go back. This was the greatest recipe ever. And of course, my friends, I will share it with you.

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but I can't. It's from the Food Network's How to Boil Water cookbook.

This recipe makes about 8 large or 12 small pancakes:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional, and I just used ground nutmeg I had)
2 large eggs, room temp.
1 1/4 c. milk
Dash pure vanilla extract (abt. 1/4 teaspoon)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used a bit less. That's a lotta butta)
1 banana, sliced

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg, if using, in a large bowl.
2. Beat the eggs in another bowl. Whisk in half of the milk and the vanilla.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the remaining milk, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir or whisk into the egg mixture. (Note: I just did that in the microwave instead of on the stove)
4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until a thick batter forms (a few lumps are ok).
5. Now make the pancakes! Pour a pancake sized bit of batter on the skillet and then place the banana slices in the batter immediately. Flip when ready. Then eat. Yum yum yummmmm.


-K.



Hi!!! It's, Brian. I'm posting in the midst of Katie's because I just felt like it. So, school is almost over; I'm going to our last family lunch of the quarter today. Hopefully we keep it going in the coming quarters, but I kinda' fear we won't as we all go join our separate groups. But oh, well. For breakfast the other day I had oatmeal. Like I always do. And it was meh, as it always is. But it makes a nice breakfast since I have to go ride the hot/humid/smelly bus for 40 minutes right afterwards. I've been sick recently but now i'm on 'roids so it should be clearing up (and it is). Well I dont think Katie likes me sitting on her lap like this, so I'm gonna' head out to school and work on my math final (we have 8 hours to complete a single problem) and then I'll be done! Hoorah. Maybe I will see some of you grand folks over Christmas break!? Look forward to it! :)

Heaven in a Loaf Pan

Here in the Strickland-Swift household, we are... how do you say it?... addicted. To chocolate chip pumpkin bread. We want to make your lives better, so here's the recipe. I strongly suggest you go buy ingredients and make it pronto. You won't regret it. Until you gain 10 pounds. But trust me, it's worth it.

This recipe has kind of odd measurements, b/c I halved it to make just 1 loaf. Double it if you want 2. Haha, I guess you could have figured that out, right? Here's the ingredients:

1 1/2 c.sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. apple sauce (if you don't have this, just use vegetable oil instead)
2 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/3 c. water
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 to 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (yum yum)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Mix sugar and oil/apple sauce with mixer. Add eggs and blend. Add pumpkin and blend. Add water and blend. Combine remaining ingredients and add slowly. Fill pans equally and bake for 1 hour until golden brown.

Enjoy, all.

Notice something different?

Our blog got a makeover! In my attempts to make it a bit more visually appealing, I have made some changes. Hope you like it. I hope I like it, too... We'll see how long this version sticks around! And you may be wondering about the name... That's valid. Guppy love? Brian has recently started calling me "Guppy," and I desperately wanted something a tad more creative for the title than "Katie and Brian's Journey." The web address is still the same, so no fear! Hope ya'll are having a good day :)

Window Painting

In the spring, I had two separate conversations with two different friends who each randomly told me, when discussing what I should do with my life, that they saw me as a "window painter" in Seattle. What they both meant by that was not that I would be literally painting on windows (though I have), but that they could see me sitting in front of a huge window, perhaps with an ocean view, coffee in one hand, paintbrush in the other, creating away. That, my friends, is something I would love to do with my life. Art has always been a huge love of mine, but when I got to college, I felt I just wouldn't ever be able to cut it as a professional artist. So I went the "practical" route and majored in Sociology (ha, practical... clearly I'm crazy). I loved Sociology, but I have always missed art. I'm that kid who wrote every paper on art. Aboriginal art in Australia, Sociologists of art, you name it. I tried desperately to combine my interests. But now, since I am in a bit of a job slump, I have found myself window painting on a pretty regular basis just for my sanity. Here are two of my most recent pieces...

These are both 10x10 inches, acrylic on canvas. I love them; I think they're super fun. They could be displayed separately, perhaps in an entry way, on a small wall, in a nursery... The options are endless. And since a friend has been urging me to start selling my work... they could be yours! That's right, people, I am done hoarding my artwork for myself. $40 will get you one, or $60 for both. Christmas presents, anyone?? Email me at katiestrickland2@gmail.com if you want in on these lovelies. And of course, I can always do something different, or in different colors, whatever! Just ask.

Hello, Sun.

The sunshine has decided to grace us in the Pacific Northwest with its presence this weekend, and I could not be more excited about it! It's still a bit chilly, but it wasn't too cold for us to venture to the Pike Place Market today for some Christmas shopping and to take photos. I realize that the market is one of those famous things people always hear about and know about Seattle, and I haven't ever put any pictures up of it! I documented our trip today for your viewing pleasure...

What a beautiful (rare) clear day!

LION DOG! The small white dog just makes this picture... he is terrified.

Seriously?? Poor pup. This woman had 2 more dressed just like it.

Christmastime at Pike Place, which was surprisingly not too miserably crowded with tourists.

I know him!

Love this picture.

Ahhhhhh! Look at the monk fish! Doesn't it just make you sad for him? I don't even think he looks that appetizing. That salmon however... Mmmmmmm....

Crabs. Lots of crabs.

The flower people have switched to dried flowers, and they are beautiful!

Mountains, mountains everywhere