Hi everyone!
I moved my blog to a new one. It'll be a place where family and friends can keep up to date with what's going on with me and Paul. Mostly going to be posting food and recipes.
http://themillerhomestead.blogspot.com/
October 21, 2011
October 9, 2011
Mrs. Ashley Ann Miller in 6 days!
This is upcoming week is BIG....getting married to the love of my life. :) The wedding details are finally pulling together thanks to a lot of help from family and friends. I love you all! My family comes up to Minnesota on Thursday afternoon. It feels like forever since I've seen them all. I can't wait to see them! Well, I've got to get busy doing a few last minute things for the wedding and clean up the apartment.
August 3, 2011
July 16, 2011
Random and most likely pointless entry.
I'm thinking about deleting this blog in a few months and starting a new one once I get married. It'll be more of a blog focused on any cooking Paul and I do. I'd start doing that that on here once we get married, but I'm the kind of person who just likes starting fresh. Random, I know.
Anyways, not doing much today. I think I'm going to go to Goodwill and see if I can scout out any good deals on furniture. Moving day will be here soon enough and we're lacking in furniture. I might also go to a garden nursery and see what flowers are out. I plan on doing potted plants for my wedding reception centerpieces. I'm nervous about getting plants now though. I just don't want them to all die. I was thinking I could maybe just do all herbs and not have to worry about flowering plants. Hmmm...
Anyways, not doing much today. I think I'm going to go to Goodwill and see if I can scout out any good deals on furniture. Moving day will be here soon enough and we're lacking in furniture. I might also go to a garden nursery and see what flowers are out. I plan on doing potted plants for my wedding reception centerpieces. I'm nervous about getting plants now though. I just don't want them to all die. I was thinking I could maybe just do all herbs and not have to worry about flowering plants. Hmmm...
July 5, 2011
Quick update...
I graduated from St. Kate's and then found a job as a marketing assistant for a window company. I doing the graphic design work and some social media stuff in between.
Paul and I found an apartment in Hopkins. It's being renovated as we speak and is going to be ready in September. Can't wait!
A few weeks ago Thomas and Diedre came up to MN. We went to MOA, took the train down to Brits and ate tons of food. The next day we went to Good Day Cafe, the Minneapolis Farmer's Market and The Como Zoo. The corpse flower was not in bloom yet....
For the 4th Paul and I drove down to Iowa to spend some time with my family. We had a great time and a lot of good food...as usual.
Now I'm counting down the days until the wedding and realizing how much I have left to do before the big day. Also, counting down the days until a day of London and nearly two week of Ireland.
Paul and I found an apartment in Hopkins. It's being renovated as we speak and is going to be ready in September. Can't wait!
A few weeks ago Thomas and Diedre came up to MN. We went to MOA, took the train down to Brits and ate tons of food. The next day we went to Good Day Cafe, the Minneapolis Farmer's Market and The Como Zoo. The corpse flower was not in bloom yet....
For the 4th Paul and I drove down to Iowa to spend some time with my family. We had a great time and a lot of good food...as usual.
Now I'm counting down the days until the wedding and realizing how much I have left to do before the big day. Also, counting down the days until a day of London and nearly two week of Ireland.
May 17, 2011
Future St. Catherine University Alumnae!
I am finally graduating this Sunday (the 22nd)! I can't believe I will finally be done with college and have my B.A. in studio art. I am excited to see where life will take me and what this next stage of life will be like. I don't exactly have a full-time job lined up yet so that's a little nerve-wracking. However, I've been meeting and chatting with a lot of interesting people in the publishing and design field lately. I am hoping an opportunity will blossom out of that. If not, then at least I've been collecting a lot of useful and interesting knowledge about the field I want to go into.
My parents and my sister and her boyfriend are coming up to Minnesota this Saturday for my graduation so I'm anxiously awaiting that visit. It should be a lot of fun! I haven't seen then since January so it's a long overdue visit for sure!
My parents and my sister and her boyfriend are coming up to Minnesota this Saturday for my graduation so I'm anxiously awaiting that visit. It should be a lot of fun! I haven't seen then since January so it's a long overdue visit for sure!
March 1, 2011
Whew, it certainly has been a while!
Paul and I have been really busy with work (work and internship for me) and school. We don't get to see much of each other during the week so we have been living for the weekends. This Thursday is my 23rd birthday, which we'll both be spending in class. I also have an interview that morning in St. Paul so I'll be spending my day on campus. We'll be celebrating on Friday with Paul's sister and her husband and then two of our friends. We're all going to go out to eat at the Claddaugh in Maple Grove. Should be fun! Paul couldn't wait to give me my presents so I actually got them on Sunday. He gave me this super cute Twins t-shirt and we're going to go see the Twins play the Seattle Mariners on May 23rd. Woot! I also just got a B&N e-gift card from my brother and his wife. :) I feel so loved!
This coming Sunday we're also meeting up with my brother and his wife at the Mall of America for lunch. I can't wait to see them!
And to make this all awesome, it's only 10:42am and the temperature is already 30 degree! The high for today is 38 degrees. Woot! Sorry...I feel like this winter is dragging on and on.
Paul and I have been really busy with work (work and internship for me) and school. We don't get to see much of each other during the week so we have been living for the weekends. This Thursday is my 23rd birthday, which we'll both be spending in class. I also have an interview that morning in St. Paul so I'll be spending my day on campus. We'll be celebrating on Friday with Paul's sister and her husband and then two of our friends. We're all going to go out to eat at the Claddaugh in Maple Grove. Should be fun! Paul couldn't wait to give me my presents so I actually got them on Sunday. He gave me this super cute Twins t-shirt and we're going to go see the Twins play the Seattle Mariners on May 23rd. Woot! I also just got a B&N e-gift card from my brother and his wife. :) I feel so loved!
This coming Sunday we're also meeting up with my brother and his wife at the Mall of America for lunch. I can't wait to see them!
And to make this all awesome, it's only 10:42am and the temperature is already 30 degree! The high for today is 38 degrees. Woot! Sorry...I feel like this winter is dragging on and on.
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| This is a logo I've been working on for business cards I'm planning on making. |
February 1, 2011
Please vote! - Ultimate Wedding contest
Hello everyone! I just entered the Crate and Barrel Ultimate Wedding contest. It's based on votes. So please check out our entry and vote. Thanks! :)
Follow this link: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entry/97235
Follow this link: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entry/97235
January 27, 2011
Mushroom and Spinach Quiche
Paul and I have been making awesome food lately. Monday was kielbasa, bean and spinach soup, Tuesday we had tacos, Wednesday was Marsala simmer sauce over chicken and basmati rice and tonight we had spinach and mushroom quiche. For the inside of the quiche I used a recipe from my Dad and then Julia Child helped out with the crust. It took a little longer than I originally thought, but was overall a success. Plus, I got to use the pie dish my parents got me for Christmas. :)
Also, here are some photos from last weekend when Paul and I visited my family at my brother's house in Eldora.
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| The finished product. |
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| Mmmm.... |
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| Luke decided to snuggle with Paul in the morning. :) |
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| So serious... |
January 11, 2011
My take on Italian wedding soup and chocolate chip & coffee biscotti!
Today for dinner I decided to do my own take on the Italian wedding soup. I looked in all of my cookbooks and looked online and didn't really like any of the recipes or didn't have all of the ingredients.
For this recipe I started out by chopping up three carrots, half an onion and three sweet Italian sausages. In a skillet I heated up two tablespoons of olive oil and then added the carrots, onion and sausage and sauteed with a tablespoon of minced garlic, salt, pepper and celery seed (all to taste). While that was cooking I peeled and cubed two russet potatoes. Once the carrots, onions and meat was done I heated up some olive oil in a stock pot and added a can of chicken stock and a cup of water. I then added the meat and veggies and the potatoes to the stock pot. For spices I added parsley flakes, oregano, red pepper flakes and a dash of nutmeg. After the spices were added I put in some spinach and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. It turned out just the way I wanted it to and I didn't have to make meatballs so it was quick and easy.
After dinner I made chocolate chip and coffee biscotti. The recipe can be found here: Dirty Gourmet. This was my first time making biscotti and I was a little weary it wouldn't turn out since the dough was so crumbly after I mixed all of the ingredients. The biscotti is done baking and cooling. Looks delicious and I can't wait to try it tomorrow with my coffee. :) I also got to use my new Oxo Good Grips pastry scraper. It was amazing when it came to cutting the biscotti!
For this recipe I started out by chopping up three carrots, half an onion and three sweet Italian sausages. In a skillet I heated up two tablespoons of olive oil and then added the carrots, onion and sausage and sauteed with a tablespoon of minced garlic, salt, pepper and celery seed (all to taste). While that was cooking I peeled and cubed two russet potatoes. Once the carrots, onions and meat was done I heated up some olive oil in a stock pot and added a can of chicken stock and a cup of water. I then added the meat and veggies and the potatoes to the stock pot. For spices I added parsley flakes, oregano, red pepper flakes and a dash of nutmeg. After the spices were added I put in some spinach and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. It turned out just the way I wanted it to and I didn't have to make meatballs so it was quick and easy.
After dinner I made chocolate chip and coffee biscotti. The recipe can be found here: Dirty Gourmet. This was my first time making biscotti and I was a little weary it wouldn't turn out since the dough was so crumbly after I mixed all of the ingredients. The biscotti is done baking and cooling. Looks delicious and I can't wait to try it tomorrow with my coffee. :) I also got to use my new Oxo Good Grips pastry scraper. It was amazing when it came to cutting the biscotti!
January 1, 2011
Happy New Years!
My New Year's Eve was pretty uneventful. Paul and I made some awesome Goulash and Spaetzle Soup. It turned out super yummy!
This morning I had to work and don't quite know what I'm going to do the rest of the day. Paul was talking about going to MOA and possibly IKEA so we'll probably putz around there for awhile and maybe get some Caribou since they're having a $2 sale today.
Anyways, I don't have much else. Hope everyone has a great new year! I know mine should be. I'll be graduating from college and getting married all in one year. :)
This morning I had to work and don't quite know what I'm going to do the rest of the day. Paul was talking about going to MOA and possibly IKEA so we'll probably putz around there for awhile and maybe get some Caribou since they're having a $2 sale today.
Anyways, I don't have much else. Hope everyone has a great new year! I know mine should be. I'll be graduating from college and getting married all in one year. :)
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| Last picture of 2010. Happy New Year from me and Paul!!! |
December 31, 2010
Happy New Year's Eve!!!
December 25, 2010
December 23, 2010
Christmas cookies!
I spent the day baking Christmas cookies for Paul's family get-together on Christmas day. In the end I'll have made three kinds of cookies; I made the first two today.
First I made ginger cookies. I used the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (Celebrating the Promise) that I got last Christmas from my parents. :)
Here's the recipe and some pictures.
Ginger Cookies
Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 8 minutes per batch
Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit Makes: about 120 cookies
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup sugar
1) Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.
2) Shape dough into 1inch balls. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup sugar. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown and tops are puffed. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Next I made old-fashioned sugar cookies (also got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens). I decided to go the lazy route with these and not worry about making cut-outs. To make these festive I rolled them in red and green sugar instead of regular sugar.
Prep: 30 minutes Chill: 2 hours Bake: 9 minutes per batch
Oven: 375 degrees Fahrenheit Makes: about 48 cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
1) In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar; beat until combined. Beat in eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
2) Preheat oven to 375. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 cup sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
First I made ginger cookies. I used the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (Celebrating the Promise) that I got last Christmas from my parents. :)
Here's the recipe and some pictures.
Ginger Cookies
Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 8 minutes per batch
Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit Makes: about 120 cookies
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup sugar
1) Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the 2 cups sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.
2) Shape dough into 1inch balls. Roll balls in the 3/4 cup sugar. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown and tops are puffed. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Next I made old-fashioned sugar cookies (also got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens). I decided to go the lazy route with these and not worry about making cut-outs. To make these festive I rolled them in red and green sugar instead of regular sugar.
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Prep: 30 minutes Chill: 2 hours Bake: 9 minutes per batch
Oven: 375 degrees Fahrenheit Makes: about 48 cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
1) In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar; beat until combined. Beat in eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
2) Preheat oven to 375. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 cup sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Tomorrow, after I get home from work, Paul and I are going to finish up the baking and make snickerdoodles. I'll upload pictures and the recipe tomorrow.
December 11, 2010
Crazy Snow Storm!
Minnesota is getting hit hard today with snow. I believe we've gotten around 16 inches so far and it's still snowing strongly. Its made for an exciting day.
Here is my car around noon.
December 4, 2010
Think. Change. Conserve.
The latest version of my energy conservation poster. Let me know what you all think!
December 2, 2010
Project Poster - Social Issue
Poster project I ended up having to stay up late to finish for tomorrow. I'm focusing on energy conservation.
November 16, 2010
1st Snowfall of 2010!
Welp, it's that time of year again. Last Saturday Minnesota got a lot of snow dumped on it so I decided to go out and capture the beauty before I decide I hate snow again. The 1st snowfall is always gorgeous. I especially love the way it was clinging to the trees. The downside about the snow is that now it just looks gross and makes it hard to get to my car. Oh well.
In other news, next week is Thanksgiving! That means I get to go down to Iowa and see my family and eat tons of yummy food! :)
October 31, 2010
October 24, 2010
Engagement Photos!
Paul and I finally went out to take engagement photos. I amazingly figured out a way to be able to take these all myself. We got a remote for my camera instead of setting up the timer, which was awesome! It limited some of the shots we were able to do, but it was fun and cost-effective. We took these at Minnesota Harvest; it's an apple orchard in Jordan, MN. We've gone to an apple orchard every year since we started dating so it was really important for us to be able to have our photos at one. After taking the photos we wandered around and picked "fireside" apples. Yum! This photo is probably my favorite so far, but there are more photos up on my Flickr.
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