Cajun

I don't know how you all feel about Cajun food, but I absolutely love it. I mean, not the meat part, but the spices they use in it. So tonight I tried out my first Cajun beans and rice meal. And it turned out FANTASTIC!! I did use beef kielbasa in it because Erik enjoys meat every once in a while, but you could easily not put it in or substitute it for a lot of things. So this is what I did....

I put 1 cup of pinto beans, dash of olive oil and 1/2 of an onion in a pressure cooker with 2 bay leaves and a dash of thyme and cooked them for about 30 min. After they we're done I put the stuff plus the kielbasa in a big skillet. Then added the following spices till the taste was just right: Cayenne pepper 1/4+tsp, Chili pepper dash or so, Thyme 1/2tsp+, Onion powder, Garlic powder, Paprika, Parsley, Salt and Pepper. And sauteed for awhile. After it was done I put it on top of some nice fluffy rice.  YUMMO!

And so the story goes, that I shall never buy boxed Jambalaya or Cajun style food again.

O and I forgot to take a picture..

So, here's a picture of some Liousinna oak trees, its so beautiful down there. Sigh.

Dress patters!

My mom got me a fancy sewing machine for Christmas! Isn't that wonderful! I swore off sewing for so many years but now its time to fulfill my womanly skills and partake in this glorious hobby. Anyways, I'm actually kinda excited and have picked out my top 3 dress patterns to make. You see, being LDS and having to wear modest dresses now is a struggle. Considering every adorable dress that are sold in stores have something about them that just doesn't work. SO, since summer is around the corner I decided to prep and make some cute summery dresses before the weather starts screaming out tank tops and strapless dresses. 

Dress Pattern #1: Wrap around dresses are just the best

Dress Pattern #2

Dress Pattern # 3: I really like the long one

Dress Pattern #4

Ok, I admit, this one doesn't have sleeves, but there's gotta be a way...

2010

Things I want to do before I have Children:

1) Practice Yoga everyday (lifetime)
2) Become a excellent vegetarian cook (Over the course of the year/lifetime)
3) Pay off debt completely by the Fall of 2010
4) Go to Europe, Summer of 2011
5) Go to Hawaii (End of this month!!!)
6) Do some form of art everyday (Now)
7) Go to a Yoga Retreat and become a certified Yogi teacher (Winter 2011)
8) Hike the Narrows all the way through (Summer 2010)
9) Engage in my personal religious activities (everyday)
10) Learn to make soap and candles
11) Recycle!
12) Love all (everyday)

Also, check out my Art blog! http://theetchingiris.blogspot.com

Happy New Year!