The Mother Sponge and Mexican Soups

Today's Kitchen Adventures

Sourdough Starter

This was another new one for me,

but really, it can't get any easier than this.

One cup of warm water with one cup bread flour;

Feed every 24 hours until frothy and "beery";

Keep in fridge, feeding once a week unless used to make bread.

Viola!

"Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup"

Courtesy of backtothecuttingboard.com

Ingredients

• 16 oz. cherry/grape tomatoes (or 1 can of diced tomatoes, with chilies if like things spicier)
• 2 med. carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 3 tsp. olive oil
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. tumeric
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water (plus more if needed)
• 12 oz. frozen corn
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 cup 2% milk shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Merlin Tyner

April 1998 - January 2010

Allez cuisine!

One of my favorite parts about having less coursework this semester is that I have ample time to be creative in the kitchen. Last week I made my own egg pasta for the first time and was pleased with the results. However, pasta tastes almost as good dry as it does fresh (although the texture of a fresh pasta is unbeatable), so I probably won't make it again until I have a pasta roller and cutter to speed up the processes.

Earlier this week I made a chocolate cake with mocha frosting, a cake that I may or may not have mentioned in this blog before. It's the one that I made for Joshua's birthday this year, and is so delicious in it's simplicity that I consider it on my list of top ten cakes of all time.

But as much as I love cooking, today is just too nice... I'm headed outside for a long walk before we grill.

Stitches Again

Proof that washing dishes is dangerous.

Christmas events, continued

There was much more to our winter adventures than just NYC, and I have been meaning to chronicle those as well.

The day before Christmas Eve, Joshua and I celebrated with Susan and Caleb. We had a wonderful time giving & opening gifts and eating at a great Asian restaurant. (Crispy beef with special sauce, it turns out, is exactly what it's name implies.)

Following our city excursion we met up with Joshua's extended family in State College. Although we both came down with fevers and the flu we had a great time playing ping-pong, catching up with family, and walking around the Penn State Arboretum.

We spent about one day at home, and then despite Joshua's persistent 100.4 temp, we left for Hershey, PA. Joshua's friend Nate was house sitting for a family friend (who didn't mind that, Dan, Steph, Jon, Tim and we were visiting) in a beautiful and disgustingly huge (try 6 bedrooms) frank lloyd-wright styled home. We had a great couple of days hanging out in their hot tub; exploring their barn, climbing wall, olympic sized trampoline (if there is such a thing); making large and delicious feasts; snowball fighting; being musical; playing pool/ping pong/settlers/scrabble; and laughing nonstop. All in all it was a perfect way to celebrate the end of one year and the start of a new one.

While we had a great vacation, it is really nice to be home relaxing while we plot our next adventure...

News from the Nolens, 2009

We started 2009 as a newly engaged couple, having only five months to plan a wedding, find a place to live, find jobs and make a plan for our immediate futures. While Joshua tends to be indecisive, Karis is rather opinionated, and was able to make most of our decisions for us (or at least worry and stress enough for the two of us).

While we thought five months would probably be plenty of time, it quickly turned into not much planning time at all; thankfully we had an enormous amount of help and support from other people, especially our parents.

Like all good engagements, ours ended with a wedding – specifically our wedding – which occurred less than 24 hours after Joshua finished his last final exam (talk about cutting it close). We were married at an intimate ceremony by a lake at dawn, with only our parents and sibling in attendance.

That evening, Karis’ parents, with the help of many others, threw us a beautiful reception. We had an amazing time celebrating with our families and friends.

Following the wedding, we honeymooned at a state park in Delaware, and spent a week “roughing it,” in a yurt with electricity and kayak. We had a great time celebrating our love and new commitment by hiking, kayaking, and exploring the internet café down the street.

With a lot of help from family and friends, we moved to Shepherdstown, WV. Over the past seven months we have really come to love our “artsy, liberal, new-age, granola-eating town”, even though it is south of the Mason Dixon line.

Over the summer, Joshua worked at Fountain Rock Nature Center as the director of nature camp; it was his 5th summer there. Karis got a job at a NYC themed coffee and bagel shop.

Karis started at Shepherd University in late August, and despite her heavy course load, it was her most successful and enjoyable semester so far. She plans on entering their nursing program in the spring of 2011.

Joshua began substitute teaching in mid-October (after a few weeks of “summer vacation,” otherwise known as unemployment), and really enjoys his job. He teaches all grades and subjects, and it is an adventure each day to see where he will go and what the students will be like.

In our free time, we enjoy cooking, watching cooking shows, reading about cooking and talking about cooking with everyone we know. We often go on long walks around town and through the mountains, usually with a pair of binoculars & bird identification book in tote.

This has been a year full of deepening love and new adventures, and we are looking forward to the beginning of a new year together. Our thoughts and prayers go out to each of you, and we thank you for the love and support you have shown us over the years.