French Onion Soup

I've always hated French Onion soup.  It is always over salted and makes me feel gross after eating, but I always think it should be good.  With such simple basic ingredients, how can so many people mess it up.

Years ago I stopped trying it, and I  have to admit I've never ordered it from a five star restaurant (who orders soup at a fabulous place???). 

Yesterday, I challenged myself to make it and Kevin was glad I did.  It turned out perfect.

Ingredients:
4 yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 cans 14.5 oz Swanson chicken broth
1 26 oz can of Swanson beef broth
1 stick of Tillamook butter
A generous pour of Cabernet
A bit of gruyère cheese for topping

Process:
Melt butter and sautee onions (in a dutch oven or other pot that can go from stove top to oven) covered for 20 minutes.  Then place in a 400° oven for an hour stirring once about half way through to avoid sticking and burning.

Once out of the oven deglaze on medium heat using the red wine.  Scrape up all the tasty brown bits and reduce liquid to half.  Then add garlic and broths. Simmer for 40 minutes.  Place in bowls and add cheese.  You can place it under the broiler if you want to melt the cheese.

Some of you may be wondering where the crusty bread is.  I didn't use any but you can add it to the top of the soup before adding the cheese if you like.

I served the soup with Bell peppers stuffed with elk, onion and topped with swiss.

Poster Child

I'm on the poster for our (Billings Roller Derby Dames) first bout of the season.  Even though I'm road kill (on top of the dog pile - That's ME!) in the poster, I'm stoked just to be on it.  

I can't wait for Saturday.  Which will be my first home bout and only my second bout ever.  Here is a picture from my first bout in Casper.

 And a head shot of Elbow Derek #10.  I'll update the blog Monday with shots from our home bout.  Go ME!

  

Zebra Clinic

This weekend I, Elbow Derek, attended, as a skater, a ref clinic in Helena at the Hel'z Belles' practice space.  Sweet Tweet our head ref put on the clinic for area roller derby officials to come and disect the new WFTDA rules and have an opportunity to practice making calls with the new rules set.

I skated with a mix of Belles and ECRG girls.  I learned a few things about myself:

1)  I'm not fast enought to chase Blondie out of the engagment zone
2) I can be sneaky and successful as a jammer
3) I need more endurance training
4)  I love road trips (uh, I already new that)

I am glad I went to participate as I was getting nervous about our season opener, which is also my first home bout.  My friends and family have never seen me skate before, and I feel a little more confident after scrimmaging on Saturday.

Me + The Internet = Master Carpenter

The internet is a wonderful thing.  I don't have to leave my home here in the boonies to buy home decor anymore.  I can just make it.  You thought I was going to say order it online, but no!  I've been teaching myself the fine art of word working.  I've made 4 shelves and a bath-top desk.  

It all started when Kevin was bugging me about making the barndominium look like we actually live here. So it's been a year since we've moved in, and I've been a little busy what with getting married and being a roller derby queen and a house wife.  JEEZ.  

First, I started with these 1 foot barn beam shelves using some cedar we had in the barn. I got the idea from Ana White's blog.  

Below, you can see how the sides are a bit unfinished.  I need to sand and maybe use some wood filler to give it a more polished finished look.   

 I made them as floating shelves and was so impressed with myself. The pictures are of the unfinished shelves, but you can see how it was assembled to allow for the floating wall mount.

This empty space sandwiched betweent he top and bottom boards accommodates the wall cleat seen below.  Notice I messed up the screw hole and had to add another.  OPPS, oh well you can't see those when the shelf is up. 

I liked the 1ft barn beam shelves so much that I made a two footer for my guest bath.  This one I painted a barn wood grey (as shown) and then later distressed it and added a coat of Minwood Drift Wood stain.

 Because my shelves were so successful, I've a whole passle of projects I want to complete.  This bath-top desk is my latest creation.  It took seriously 20 minutes to put together and probably would have taken less time if I had measured properly.  When I was putting on the wood feet underneath, I measured from the insides of the feet instead of the outsides, so I had to move them in to get a proper bathtub fit. This was a pinterest project that I found @http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/diy-bathtub-shelf

(Look at Forrest, isn't he cute.  He likes to sit on the rug and protect the bathtub when I'm there.)  

My next project is to build a bench for my sister-in-law, Linda.  And then who knows what I'll make.  Come back and check up on my progress.

Behind the Times

Since I've been absent from the blogosphere for so long, I've fallen behind on the latest technology.  There are things I want to do to my blog, but I don't know how.  How did I get here, scratching my head banging on the keys like a frustrated monkey?

I've got big plans for you blog.  So just cooperate!

Here is a look at my roller derby team: The Billings Roller Derby Dames. We have been getting some media coverage lately to promote our team and help educate the community about us and our sport. We have a ton of fun but take it serious as well. The video is nice snap shot of who we are, what we do and what it means to us to be involved in a wonderful organization. As for me, I'm still working on passing the skills test. Hopefully this will be the week. You can see me in the video around 4.30. Enjoy!

And Just Like That

How crazy it has been since I last posted.  I've moved into the new barndominium, and after two very long months we finally have the internet.

Now, I know that may not seem like a big deal, but when you think of our tenuous connection with those who are not within a few moments walk the internet is a big deal.  Without it (and your connection to Kevin's Facebook) how would you all have known that I had a serious dental emergency, got a new dog, or sometimes cry to Ozzy Osborne's Mama I'm Coming Home? You would not.

I've realized that I'm not the best at keeping in touch via phone or snail mail.  I also know that we live in a world where in the push of a button all communication ends....Snap your finger....and just like that we are again seperated by miles, rivers, and mountains.  I'll take this time to say Hello again, I love you, I miss your faces and if I lose my connection again just know that there is tin can with a string and a straight line from my heart to each and every one of you.


Hugs and kisses and I'll see you again in the virtual-world soon!

Roller Derby

As of Sunday, I have been moved up a level on my roller derby team.  I am now level II Fresh Meat. Meaning, I can scrimmage with the team and I am one step closer to making the bouting roster.  I still haven't decided 100% on my derby name but I've got a few contenders.  I'll keep you posted.

A Cinderella Moment

The kitchen floor in our current rented home is - or once was - white linoleum.  I hate it.  It is disgusting.  Instead of white it is more a coat of many colors that grease and grime gave to me.  I've tried every cleaner on the market and even purchased a steam cleaner, but it never gets any less dingy.

Today while cleaning the kitchen I decide that I should do some old fashion brush and scrub on my knees to improve the floors appearance.  Here is a quiz for you, after deciding my course of action did I:

A. change into a Cinderella-esque  costume
B. Change into old sweats and tank top
C.  Just pull of my pants and do it in my undies

If you guessed C you either know me too well or are kinda perverted.  I couldn't risk having an A.D.D moment and losing momentum by going into another room.  So down on my knees in my skivvies with a brush and pot of really hot water, seriously like burning hot, I begin my medieval attack on the floor.

30 minutes later and half the floor to go, I loose steam and decide the brush and mop need to have a death match.  I do the rest of the floor with the same cleaning ingredients, but with a mop instead of the brush. The second half took all of five minutes.  Upon inspection of the outcome, I have decided this:

Cinderella's fairy-god mother was a BITCH.  She should have given her a mop.  There is no difference between the two sides of my floor.  Cinderella could have cut her work load in half, had time to hire out her services in order to make some money and buy a pair of properly fitting shoes.  I mean really how do we even know this Prince was in fact "charming"?  What if he turned out to be Henry VIII?  A mop would have looked pretty good to Anne Boleyn I bet.

In conclusion, I have this to say to all you ladies:  Don't lose your head.  Use a mop!

Cowboy Coffee Rub

For dinner last night, I made an excellent steak rub of coffee and spices (see the following recipe).  I've had mediocre coffee rubbed steak at the Grand in Big Timber, but I knew I could take the basis of that recipe, and turn it into some thing spectacular.

My canvas, a poor cut of angus petit loin, was greatly improved by the rub.  It turned an undesirable slice of meat into a tasty morsel.

Kevin at first was dubious, and announced with a look of disdain and an air of I-don't-eat-weird-shit-on-steak  that he would have his without. It only took a mere whiff of the concoction to change his mind. He later apologized (many times) and excused his snobbishness on the basis of not understanding: "I thought you were just going to rub coffee grounds into it."  As if I would do something so simple, and unrefined! Harumph!

As I said before, the steak, an offering from the local Albertson's, was not the best, but when it is your only option what can you do.  Kevin on the heels of each apology said, "This is excellent it would be out of this world on a nice cut of beef."   Basically, he would have eaten dog food with this rub he had previously snubbed.  I told him that was the purpose of the rub hence the name: Cowboy Coffee Rub.  

Working cowboys were not privy to luxury and the best of the table; they often ate the poorer cuts of beef and flavored them with what ever they had in their chuck wagon or saddle bag.  A stroke of brilliance really when they used ground coffee.  Many of today's best loved foods come from the less sophisticated culinary world.  Fajitas, for instance, were made from the undesirable parts of beef that were given to the vaqueros and the resulting dish has turned into a Tex-Mex staple.  Simple.  Good.

As the Mexican vaquero introduced the world to fajitas, I am introducing Kevin to the world of weird shit on steak.  The coffee rubbed steak will be a staple at our Crazy Tooth home, and when you come for a visit don't expect less; however, there is no need to wait.  Run out right now, buy some beef, fix this rub, fire up the grill (infrared for you Bry) and within minutes you will have a tasty dinner.

Buen provecha, Eet smakelijk, bon appetit,

Cowboy Coffee Rubbed Steak

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoon finely fresh coffee ( I used french roast where some use espresso)

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*some people add 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar, but I had omitted it due to low calorie restrictions.

This makes enough for two 8-10oz portions.  I did a slight olive oil rub into the meat before coating the top bottom and sides in the coffee mixture,and grilled about 6-7 minutes a side until the desired temperature was reached.

Closed

Remember that saying: If the good Lord's willing and the creeks don't rise?  Well they hath risen; therefore ending my service in Lavina a little earlier than expected.  Montana is socked in with all the rain we've had.  Billings had record fall just a few days ago. Rivers and creeks have over flown their banks, and the last little bridge connecting Lavina from the rest of the world was in a state of purgatory when I left this morning.

I walked into the cafeteria to say my good byes this morning and only 5 lonely high school kids were there.  The bridge according to the mt.gov site was already closed but no one at school had been informed.  The power lines were precariously close to falling into the river when I drove over.  Our superintendent doesn't communicate/make decisions/ or show leadership well; so I let the mt road officials make my decision and headed home before the local sheriff could follow through and enforce the closer.

As they close the highway 3 from Broadview to Lavina, I close another chapter in my teaching book.