Coldwater Steampunk Festival - Art

We had a wonderful time at the Coldwater Steampunk Festival earlier this summer, and beyond all the amazing costumes, they also had a showcase of some pretty dazzling art. Steampunk is such a neat style, and I had a great time looking through all these creations.

3rd Annual Coldwater Steampunk 2013 art

Hat with goggles

Love this chess set

Clock with exposed gears

Necklace

Multi-gear necklace

Necklace with keys

Tin man

Dragon

Everything is a Photo Opportunity #18

We had a roast chicken last week which got me thinking about turkey which reminded me of this photo. Why did these turkeys cross the road? They definitely made it to the other side, stopping traffic as they crossed. Key rules for a successful animal road crossing include (1) traveling in large groups and (2) venturing out during the day. These guys made it across no problem.

Pie vs. Pie

I made my first pumpkin pie over the weekend. I also made my second. Here are two things I wish I didn't know about making pumpkin pie:

                   (1) it is stupidly easy. By the time the oven heats up, the pie is ready to go in. 

                   (2) 1 can of pumpkin puree makes two pies

Now that I know these things, John thinks I should make a pumpkin pie every week.

In my pumpkin pie making adventure, I noticed that recipes either called for sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk. I had enough puree to make two pies, so I thought I would try both methods to see which I liked better. Here are my results (note: this was in no way a scientific study. It was mostly just an excuse to eat/make pie.)


Pumpkin Pie (recipe slightly adapted from Eagle Brand)

Ingredients:
1 + 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

Whisk ingredients (except pie crust) in bowl until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Bake in 425°F oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350°F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes.

Before baking

After Baking

Mmmmm....Pie

Pumpkin Pie (recipe slightly adapted from E.D. Smith)

Ingredients:
1 + 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1 9 inch unbaked deep dish pie crust

Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add pumpkin, sugar, spices, and salt; stir until combined. Blend in milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425°F for 15 min. Lower oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking 30-35 minutes.

Before Baking

After Baking

Pie!

In this unscientific, not double blind, test study, I decided that they both tasted the same, looked the same, and cooked pretty much the same. I have a 'really like pumpkin pie spice' bias, so the recipe didn't really matter to me. The end result was they both tasted like pumpkin pie and that was what I was going for. I do prefer the sweetened condensed milk version, but only because it has less ingredients and I'm more likely to have sweetened condensed milk on hand. Also when I made the evaporated milk version, the filling dripped over the side of the pie crust. That was when I noticed that the recipe called for a deep dish pie crust. Whoops.

Have you made a pumpkin pie? Any preference on recipe?

One Step at a Time

I finished my 28 day reboot on the weekend and then immediately started a new one. Habits take time to stick with me, and setting another four weeks of walking goals will keep me moving. Plus as the seasons change, I will have to be extra motivated to get outside when the temperature dips below zero. My main goal is to develop good walking habits now and maintain them over the winter.

Here are the results of my 28 day reboot, step-wise:

Week one: 37,321 steps

Week two: 55,839 steps

Week three: 39,330 steps

Week four: 39,692 steps

I haven't gotten up to 70,000 steps/week, but I am consistently getting more than 5500 steps per day and have walked far more in the past month than I did most of the summer. I have had some low energy days where I couldn't get more than 2000 steps, but because I have a goal in place, I keep getting back out there.

Things I have done to stay motivated/get more steps in my day:

• Listen to an audiobook while walking
• Plan different routes for variety
• Make a simple trip to the store/library walk focused by walking around town before or after
• When reading, walk for around 5 minutes at the end of each chapter
• If I don't think I have the energy to get to 10,000 steps in a day, try to get at least 5000
• Walk when I first get up

A demotivater I ran into on the weekend: I'm pretty sure my pedometer is broken. I dropped it onto some concrete and it bounced unhappily and hasn't been counting properly since. I have been thinking of getting a new one (one that costs more than $6), and am seriously looking into the Fitbit. Until I take the plunge and make a big purchase, I am going to be judging my activity by the time or distance I walk. This morning I walked for 55 minutes when I first got up, which made me pretty proud of myself. I can do about 1000 steps in ten minutes, so my walk was about 5500 steps. I find it hard to measure the time I walk outside of a planned walk, but I've decided I'm not going to stress too much about the daily count. My walking goals for the next four weeks are to get outside for at least an hour a day, and if it's in the morning, even better!

Mom's Mac and Cheese

We've added good old mac and cheese to our meal plan rotation. I wasn't in the habit of making it regularly because I thought cheese and milk were expensive. I have recently figured out that milk is cheaper than I think, and if there is a good cheese deal ($4 or less for 500g), a big pan of mac and cheese is only around $4.50. Pretty cheap considering the meal lasts two days and feeds two adults. It's also enough for late night snacks too. Mac and Cheese is also a great make ahead meal, either to freeze, or to make the day before if we know we won't have time to cook. I follow my Mom's recipe, which I've been eating for over 30 years now and still love.

Mom's Mac and Cheese (for 9x13 pan)

Ingredients:
4 cups dry macaroni
1/2 cup + 2tbs flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup + 2tbs margarine
3 cups milk
3 cups grated old cheddar cheese (about half a 500g brick)

Method:
Boil macaroni until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.

In saucepan, melt margarine with flour (mixed w/ salt and pepper) over medium heat. 

Stir in milk. Stir constantly with whisk until thickened. Now, here is the deal with making the sauce: it takes about 7 minutes of constant whisking. I have no problem with the stirring, but my brain likes to chime in and convince me around the 6 minute mark that the sauce isn't going to thicken. Even though it does every time. My mom says she does this too. But don't worry if it happens to you. Your sauce will work out!

Once thickened, remove from heat and add grated cheese and stir until melted. 

Mix macaroni with cheese sauce until completely covered.

Pour into a 9x13 pan and spread out evenly.

Sprinkle with bread crumbs, butter, and spices to taste. I use Bulk Barn bread crumbs, but when mom makes this, she uses bread crumbs from actual bread. That she made herself. I was lucky growing up, eh? My store bought bread crumbs do the job, but mom's mac in cheese is just fantastic.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350°F. And enjoy! Sometimes when I get it on my plate I smother it with Franks Red Hot. Pretty tasty.