So, when Brian & I got married, we expected that we would have a few months together in Virginia Beach. And then in March, his boat was scheduled to go on a 6 month deployment, and I would be heading back to Rochester.
If there is one thing I've learned about the Navy it is that the only thing you can count on is change.
So... the plans changed... And now Brian's boat is going to be at home until the summer. And a long deployment likely won't happen until Brian's commitment to the Montpelier is up! That means that we will be here in Virginia TOGETHER for the next year or so :-)
Knowing that I won't be living in Rochester this spring & summer means that it really was time to find some things to do with my time here.
I've a little bit been looking for a job. But truthfully, I am enjoying the freedom unemployment brings. And I want to make sure that I can keep up with things at home- I love cooking for my husband & making his life easier by keeping the apartment clean and the laundry done :-)
So, I started looking for some places to volunteer... I narrowed it down to a couple things- the Virginia Aquarium & the Virginia Beach SPCA. I am still waiting to hear from the aquarium (but my application has been processed & I've been approved- I just haven't started yet!)
But! Last week I went to orientation at the SPCA & then I finished up my training over the weekend! So now I am officially a volunteer!! I got a tshirt and everything!!
Right now I just get to go and hang out with the dogs & cats. I get to play with the puppies and walk the dogs. I get to pet the kitties and cuddle with them. The SPCA calls it "socializing" the animals. But I call it having fun!
Once I've gotten a few weeks of "socializing" under my belt, there are a few different things I'll be able to do. I am looking forward to:
1. Becoming a part of the behavior modification team... They use positive reinforcement to teach dogs good behavior. It helps them become more adoptable. Because a dog is more likely to find a family if it isn't jumping up all over them & knows how to obey commands.
2. Joining the Listening Ears! ... It is a literacy program here in Virginia Beach; it won an award for it's effectiveness this past year! Volunteers pick up a dog from the shelter, and take it to a local school. Then students who struggle with reading come in one at a time. They spend about 20 minutes reading aloud to the dog! ... It is effective because dogs don't correct or judge. Students aren't nervous about making mistakes. They just get good practice in!
I've been enjoying my time there this week, and am excited to have a new thing to do!! Hopefully I'll have fun stuff to share with you from my experiences there!
Want to learn more about the Virginia Beach SPCA?? Check out their website!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls
Has anyone else noticed that lemon-blueberry things have been popping up all over lately? I've seen a TON of stuff; there is this amazing lemon-blueberry marble cake that I am dying to try. But since my husband & I can't (shouldn't) eat a whole cake ourselves, I decided to make another l/b recipe that looked great.
Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls
It came from Ree Drummond; the Pioneer Woman. I think I should be friends with her. I love her blog, and I got one of her cookbooks for Christmas. She is hilarious, and darn good in the ktichen. You can find her original recipe on her website, or for just the dough (with which you could make whatever sweet roll flavor you want) you can read her book... By the way. One of the best things about either her online recipes or the ones in her book- she posts step-by-step pictures. Super helpful (I am not that good).
I've been finding that for just two of us, I need to cut down most recipes; otherwise we end up eating a TON of leftovers. And no matter how good something tastes, when you've had it 4 days in a row, it gets old. So, one of my biggest cooking challenges is making recipes more couple-friendly... Here are my modifications, to make less sweet rolls. And by less, I still mean two 9" pans worth; one for us, one for the boat :-)
For the Dough- which I made the night before
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pk Active Dry Yeast (or .25 ounces)
4 cups plus 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 heaping T salt
1/4 heaping t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
Mix milk, sugar, and oil into dutch oven (or large pot). Scald the mixture over medium heat (which means heat it until just before boiling). Remove from heat, and let cool until it is just above luke-warm. You for sure don't want the milk mixture too hot, or you will kill your yeast. It should be right about body temperature, or just slightly warmer.
Pour the yeast over the mixture and then add 4 cups flour. Fold until totally combined, and cover with a tea towel. Let it hang out and do its thing for about an hour... It should smell yeasty and when you come back, it should have risen some.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients (1/2 cup more flour, salt, soda & powder). Mix until combined, but you don't need to go to town kneading it. Cover it and stick it in the fridge. If you don't want to make it the night before, you should probably still refrigerate it for awhile; it will be easier to work with if it's cold.
When you are ready to use it, you'll notice that the dough has probably risen some more. Punch it down!
Then turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle. Like. 10ish inches high, and 24ish inches wide. Give or take.
For the Delicious Filling
1 stick of butter; give or take a couple tablespoons
3/4 cup of sugar
2 lemons
about a cup of blueberries
Melt the butter and set aside.
Zest the two lemons into the sugar and mix well with your fingers. The sugar will turn a pretty sparkly light yellow.
Pour the butter over the rolled dough, and spread it all over. You want the whole surface to be coated.
Then sprinkle your lemon sugar all over. You also want the lemon sugar to be coating the whole surface.
Then sprinkle the blueberries all over.
Roll the dough toward yourself, making a tight log of delicious.
Cut the log with a sharp knife, and then arrange into 2 greased pie pans. You could also use a 9 x 13 pan. Cover with a tea towel, and let hang out for 20 minutes or so, to puff up a little.
Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 20-25 minutes; or until golden brown.
For the Glaze
1 lemon (use one of the ones you zested!)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup milk
a little melted butter if you have any left from the filling
Combine all ingredents with wisk & pour over hot rolls!
EAT. ENJOY.
Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls
It came from Ree Drummond; the Pioneer Woman. I think I should be friends with her. I love her blog, and I got one of her cookbooks for Christmas. She is hilarious, and darn good in the ktichen. You can find her original recipe on her website, or for just the dough (with which you could make whatever sweet roll flavor you want) you can read her book... By the way. One of the best things about either her online recipes or the ones in her book- she posts step-by-step pictures. Super helpful (I am not that good).
I've been finding that for just two of us, I need to cut down most recipes; otherwise we end up eating a TON of leftovers. And no matter how good something tastes, when you've had it 4 days in a row, it gets old. So, one of my biggest cooking challenges is making recipes more couple-friendly... Here are my modifications, to make less sweet rolls. And by less, I still mean two 9" pans worth; one for us, one for the boat :-)
For the Dough- which I made the night before
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pk Active Dry Yeast (or .25 ounces)
4 cups plus 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 heaping T salt
1/4 heaping t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
Mix milk, sugar, and oil into dutch oven (or large pot). Scald the mixture over medium heat (which means heat it until just before boiling). Remove from heat, and let cool until it is just above luke-warm. You for sure don't want the milk mixture too hot, or you will kill your yeast. It should be right about body temperature, or just slightly warmer.
Pour the yeast over the mixture and then add 4 cups flour. Fold until totally combined, and cover with a tea towel. Let it hang out and do its thing for about an hour... It should smell yeasty and when you come back, it should have risen some.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients (1/2 cup more flour, salt, soda & powder). Mix until combined, but you don't need to go to town kneading it. Cover it and stick it in the fridge. If you don't want to make it the night before, you should probably still refrigerate it for awhile; it will be easier to work with if it's cold.
When you are ready to use it, you'll notice that the dough has probably risen some more. Punch it down!
Then turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle. Like. 10ish inches high, and 24ish inches wide. Give or take.
For the Delicious Filling
1 stick of butter; give or take a couple tablespoons
3/4 cup of sugar
2 lemons
about a cup of blueberries
Melt the butter and set aside.
Zest the two lemons into the sugar and mix well with your fingers. The sugar will turn a pretty sparkly light yellow.
Pour the butter over the rolled dough, and spread it all over. You want the whole surface to be coated.
Then sprinkle your lemon sugar all over. You also want the lemon sugar to be coating the whole surface.
Then sprinkle the blueberries all over.
Roll the dough toward yourself, making a tight log of delicious.
Cut the log with a sharp knife, and then arrange into 2 greased pie pans. You could also use a 9 x 13 pan. Cover with a tea towel, and let hang out for 20 minutes or so, to puff up a little.
Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 20-25 minutes; or until golden brown.
For the Glaze
1 lemon (use one of the ones you zested!)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup milk
a little melted butter if you have any left from the filling
Combine all ingredents with wisk & pour over hot rolls!
EAT. ENJOY.
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