Making Stock

Today I tried something I have never done before: making a vegetable stock. I wanted to make one that I was reading about (found while searching for the benefits of alkalizing mineral broths for health).  It was actually fairly easy - all of the vegetables were chopped via my Bosch food processor, dumped into the stock pot, water added, boil, then simmer.  Once cooled the broth is strained off from the vegetables.  It made a large quantity which I then divided up.  I froze two bags of broth, drank a mug of it, and the rest is in the fridge to be used for soup I will be making tomorrow or Friday. 



Pots & Pans

We managed to get all of our pots & pans organized (with the exception of our large stock pot that will be stored in the blind corner cabinet), along with a space for our cookie sheets and cutting board.  It was a tight squeeze getting both of the organizers in, but Paul did it!  We will have to always keep the pans facing the way they are below when we put them away (some facing east, the others west), and the large frying pan's lid is laid flatter than the others in the back (you can sort of see it in the bottom picture, below), in order to fit everything in.  This is not a problem, just a learning curve so everyone remembers which way things go when putting pots and pans away.

On the left: Knape and Vogt Tray Divider

On the right: Rev-A-Shelf 12" Two-Tier Cookware Organizer

All tucked in, ready for bed!

Restoring Order From Chaos

Our kitchen project goes on, but we have definitely turned the corner.  We have cabinets, countertops, a working stove, a small but fully-functional dishwasher, an awesome fridge, and now, running water.

It is so lovely to be able to function in the kitchen.  Paul hooked up the sink late last week.  This weekend we started putting things back, as much as we are able to pending certain organizational tweaks we are doing (pot & pan organizer, lazy susan shelf trays, etc. to be shipped in the coming days).  Today I continued putting things away and organizing.  The fridge, although new, has been with us for almost a month, and needed a wipe down inside.  I also moved some of the of the food that was housed in the basement fridge upstairs.  I stopped by Mariano's and got some nice produce.  It's time to eat healthy again since the kitchen is open for business!

Two really special things that have occurred now that we are moving back into the kitchen are: 

1. Reclaiming the dining room table, where lots of kitchen stuff was sitting for months
2. Having a cup of tea!  There was really nowhere to set up my tea kettle and brewing cup.  

We have had family dinner at the dining room table the past two nights.  Our dining room was so bad, it literally looked like a hoarder's house.  It was so nice to unclutter and clean it, and use it again for its proper purpose.  This afternoon I brewed a cup of tea in the mug Aunt Martha gave me long ago.  It's battered and bruised, but it feels like home to me.

I'm so glad to be getting back to normal, but a new, delightful normal with this wonderful kitchen Paul has created for me.  More photos to follow in the upcoming weeks.  

A Recent Outdoor Gathering

The temperatures in our area have been a *bit* miserable.  But we were able to eek out a nice cookout one recent weekend.

Robert mans the grill.

Kristin and Ty.

Ty eating corn.

Later, Paul set up Ty's telescope for a little stargazing. (Sorry about the beer placed front and center!)

Kitchen Moving Along

Paul has finished the cabinet install, and the countertop man came and measured for the countertops!  We're just waiting for that, could be one to three weeks he said.  We are going to install a contraption for the blind corner, a device that swings out so you can get at the things stored in aforementioned blind corner. Pots and pans storage, where one does not have to lift two to get to the third, clanking clanking, and kathunkadoodling to get the one you want! (Update: unfortunately, the device did not work with our particular blind corner; the opening of the cabinet needs to be larger than what we have or it cuts off too much of the doorway opening; we had to return it - sad!).

In the meantime, we are able to cook a bit.  The stove and oven are gorgeous, work very well; we can microwave.  Once the countertops are in, Paul can hook up the sink.  He has already done a lot of preliminary plumbing, so the hooking up should go smoothly (famous last words?!).

I must confess that I have been climbing the walls in this here home stretch.  I am irritable and sometimes depressed.  It's just getting to me.  It's very hard to keep one's composure when the chaos and lack of functionality is a daily trial.

Anyway, here are some updated photos:

Stove side, blind corner cabinet is to the left, doors/drawers will be attached later.

Southeast side, small spice unit next to fridge (needs its door/face).  Note: we still are keeping large cardboard sheets on the floor to protect the new floor while we are working).

Sink side, the dishwasher will be elevated two inches, so it is level with the counter.

Blind Corner Unit photo, how it looks inside with the door closed.