2011
Today is the last day of 2011, and so I'm looking back on the year and reflecting on everything has has happened.
This year has been amazing in many ways, though it has also been incredibly difficult.
I started off the year as a probationary deputy defender, still in training and still learning how to do my job. Though I finished my probationary training period in February, this year constantly presented new professional challenges and experiences. I argued my first case in the Court of Appeals. I filed my first Petition for Review in the Oregon Supreme Court. I won my first case. I won my second case! I lost a few, too. I am finally feeling like I have settled into my job and, happily enough, I love the work more and more as I go along.
This was a year of personal accomplishments, too. I ran my second half marathon, and with the help of my running buddy, ran it in under 2 hours. I ran my first marathon, in just shy of 5 hours, and it was a wonderful and harrowing day for me. I ran as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, and I ran the race in memory of my Uncle David, who passed away in September from lung cancer.
I spent many many hours on planes in 2011. We went to Mexico in April and had a lovely lovely beach vacation which involved doing absolutely nothing. Later in the summer, I flew home to Colorado for my sister's bridal shower. Then I went to Maryland to visit my uncle. And then, Colorado again, for my sister's wedding, then Wisconsin for my cousin's wedding, and finally, back to Colorado for a high altitude Christmas with my family.
In 2012, I am looking forward to more running adventures, more time with good friends, slightly less travel.
Many thanks to my wonderful friends and family for all your support and encouragement this year; you are the best.
This year has been amazing in many ways, though it has also been incredibly difficult.
I started off the year as a probationary deputy defender, still in training and still learning how to do my job. Though I finished my probationary training period in February, this year constantly presented new professional challenges and experiences. I argued my first case in the Court of Appeals. I filed my first Petition for Review in the Oregon Supreme Court. I won my first case. I won my second case! I lost a few, too. I am finally feeling like I have settled into my job and, happily enough, I love the work more and more as I go along.
This was a year of personal accomplishments, too. I ran my second half marathon, and with the help of my running buddy, ran it in under 2 hours. I ran my first marathon, in just shy of 5 hours, and it was a wonderful and harrowing day for me. I ran as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, and I ran the race in memory of my Uncle David, who passed away in September from lung cancer.
I spent many many hours on planes in 2011. We went to Mexico in April and had a lovely lovely beach vacation which involved doing absolutely nothing. Later in the summer, I flew home to Colorado for my sister's bridal shower. Then I went to Maryland to visit my uncle. And then, Colorado again, for my sister's wedding, then Wisconsin for my cousin's wedding, and finally, back to Colorado for a high altitude Christmas with my family.
In 2012, I am looking forward to more running adventures, more time with good friends, slightly less travel.
Many thanks to my wonderful friends and family for all your support and encouragement this year; you are the best.
Challah!
I modified the Smitten Kitchen Recipe here, and this is what I came up with:
Challah Back, Girrrrl!
Nouns-
1 1/2 tbsps instant yeast
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 eggs
1 tsbp salt
8 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups warm water
Verbs-
Combine the water, oil, honey, salt and yeast in your mixer or stir by hand. Add four eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Once the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead until smooth, about ten minutes. Put the dough in a greased bowl covered in saran wrap and let rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in volume. Punch down the dough and let rise another 30 minutes. At this point, the dough can be formed into loaves. I did six small loaves, but three large loaves works as well, with a longer baking time. I did simple 3-strand braids, but directions for a fancier 6-strand braid can be found on the Smitten Kitchen page I linked to above. Here are directions for basic braid loaves: divide your dough into equal sized sections for as many loaves as you want to bake. Take one of those sections and cut it in thirds. Roll each third into a long rope on your cutting board. Join the top end of all three ropes and braid them, pinching the ends together at the end of the loaf. Repeat with each section of dough.
Place the loaves on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and let rise for one hour. Preheat the oven to 375. When loaves have risen for an hour, whisk the remaining egg in a bowl and spread it over the surface of the loaves so they'll be nice and shiny. Bake for 30 minutes for large loaves, or 15-20 minutes for the small ones, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
Challah Back, Girrrrl!
Nouns-
1 1/2 tbsps instant yeast
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 eggs
1 tsbp salt
8 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups warm water
Verbs-
Combine the water, oil, honey, salt and yeast in your mixer or stir by hand. Add four eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Once the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead until smooth, about ten minutes. Put the dough in a greased bowl covered in saran wrap and let rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in volume. Punch down the dough and let rise another 30 minutes. At this point, the dough can be formed into loaves. I did six small loaves, but three large loaves works as well, with a longer baking time. I did simple 3-strand braids, but directions for a fancier 6-strand braid can be found on the Smitten Kitchen page I linked to above. Here are directions for basic braid loaves: divide your dough into equal sized sections for as many loaves as you want to bake. Take one of those sections and cut it in thirds. Roll each third into a long rope on your cutting board. Join the top end of all three ropes and braid them, pinching the ends together at the end of the loaf. Repeat with each section of dough.
Place the loaves on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and let rise for one hour. Preheat the oven to 375. When loaves have risen for an hour, whisk the remaining egg in a bowl and spread it over the surface of the loaves so they'll be nice and shiny. Bake for 30 minutes for large loaves, or 15-20 minutes for the small ones, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
Meal Plan
Here's the week:
Schnitzel and Spaetzle
Husband Soup
Falafel
Chicken Salad
Lemony Spaghetti
Schnitzel and Spaetzle
Husband Soup
Falafel
Chicken Salad
Lemony Spaghetti
Something to do with leftover cranberry sauce
This is not a full recipe, just a nubbin:
If you have leftover cranberry sauce, I instruct you to do the following: acquire turkey burgers, buns and chevre. Schmear some chevre and some cranberry sauce on the toasted buns, and stack a turkey burger with maybe some red onions and lettuce on there, and eat. This is the most profoundly delicious creation ever. I might like them even better than the apples and brie turkey burgers I usually make. El fin.
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