Tulips of Skagit Valley

April 22, 2013July 22, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 6 Comments

There is something wonderful about having perfect timing. Last year, Isaac and I didn’t have it. We showed up two weeks too early to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Mt. Vernon, WA to view the blooming tulip fields. To our credit, the festival lasts all month to allow for the temperamental flowers to arrive when they please.

The tulips were in full bloom for us at Roozengaarde this weekend. I’m convinced Isaac could care less either way; sometimes the only language he speaks is Fudge.

Margot was a delight the entire day, she’s still newborn-enough to sleep through pretty much anything, as long as she has her binky. Which reminds me, we finally broke down and gave her a pacifier. She loves it, and we’re enjoying a less fussy baby. It allowed us to visit with the friends we traveled with and navigate the muddy fields of Skagit Valley with ease.

In retrospect, I probably should have taken Margot out of her stroller for a photo-op, but I really wasn’t willing to juggle a camera and baby on such a windy day. Plus she looked so peaceful in her stroller, why mess with success?

It was our first major outing as a family, and it went swimmingly.

A Springtime Strawberry Galette

April 8, 2013July 22, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 7 Comments

Cooking, baking, and really all kitchen activities have become a bit more difficult to take on since bringing Margot home. In fact, as I’m writing this post, she’s napping cozily on my chest, supported by my nifty Boba wrap. Given her expected level of neediness in these early months, taking on difficult recipes is just not really an option — at least until I become more efficient with juggling chores and baby care.

Without considering this reality, Isaac and I over-committed to fresh produce in bulk from Costco, once again, and bought 5 pounds of strawberries. We’ve done a great job of munching on them with yogurt, but I needed to put a big dent in our supply. Sooo, I took on a simple strawberry galette this afternoon.

I love galettes. Once I learned how to construct them, they quickly became a favorite meal around here. I typically throw roasted vegetables and cheese in them to make a savory dinner, which is contrary to their reputation as ‘sweet’, but this time I prepped one that was true to form.

I try to keep store-bought pie crusts around because I really hate having to make my own from scratch; even when I had more time on my hands, I didn’t appreciate the extended process. I have no qualms about calling myself out as lazy on this. If you try out this recipe and want to try a crust from scratch, try this recipe from the Food Network.

Now for the recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 cups fresh strawberries, depending on size

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 cup of sliced unsalted almonds, or unsalted chopped nuts of your choice — I used the pre-sliced almonds from the produce section that are made for salads

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to dust

1 store bought pie crust

Ice cream or whipped cream to top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse strawberries, hull and slice thinly.

2. Gently toss the strawberries in the flour and sugar.

3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and unroll pie crust on center of parchment paper.

4. Sprinkle 3/4 of the almonds directly onto pie crust, leaving a 2 inch margin clear around the perimeter of the pie crust.

5. Thinly layer strawberry mixture onto pie crust, again leaving a 2 inch margin clear around the perimeter of the pie crust.

6. Fold edges of pie crust up around the edge of the strawberries, pinching folds of the crust to itself as you rotate the galette. See the image below for reference. This step took some practice for me to get the hang of.

7. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon over the entire galette, then add remaining almonds to garnish.

8. Bake galette for 20-25 minutes, until crust is lightly browned and crispy.

9. Serve warm, topped with ice cream or whipped cream. Try Cookies and Cream ice cream: paired with the strawberries, it’s divine!

If you do decide to whip this up, throw caution to the wind and have it for lunch. I just did, and it’s making my afternoon all the more awesome.

Why Pregnancy is Like Backpacking, So Far

February 20, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 13 Comments

Once upon a time, I used to love backpacking. Packing up my food and shelter and carrying it up a mountain in hopes of reaching a summit above the tree line was exhilirating. Slowly but surely, and a few days later, the mountain would run out of up and I’d be at my destination atop an archive of new memories. But the backpacking experience can also be very humbling. Weather and wildlife, the angry variables, will inevitably have their way with your trip, regardless of your expectations.

Pregnancy resembles backpacking in so many ways; if you’ve experienced one, you can gain some understanding into the level of difficulty involved with the other. For the sake of brevity in this analogy, I’ll skip straight to the moment you find yourself at the trailhead on the mountain, or starting point of your pregnancy.

At the foothills of the mountain, you may notice that the air is thinner. This is kind of like the first trimester of pregnancy. You just need to become acclimated to the new environment. It takes at least a day (for me, at least) to re-train your lungs to deal with the lesser amount of oxygen on the mountain.

Fortunately, by the time you get used to the fatigue and nausea associated with the first trimester of pregnancy, it’s over.

That’s when you hit your stride. It’s easier to take in the wonder of your changing world at this time.

The ascent up the mountain is relatively predictable, but there may be a thunder storm here and there, a mob of mosquitoes, or a patch unexpected snow. The second trimester of pregnancy is the same. Aches and pains become normal, there is a child growing inside of you, after all. The weird stuff happening in your body, like baby’s somersaults, and heartburn hasn’t become freaky yet.

Still, you’re taking it all in and dreaming of the spectacular view from the top.

Then the third trimester hits. Or, similarly, you reach and pass the tree line on the mountainside. Uh oh, you no longer have the tree canopy to shelter you from thunder storms.

In pregnancy, you realize you’re no longer coasting on borrowed parenthood time and that revelation leaves you feeling vulnerable. It’s time to get real about being a parent and make sure you’ve got the tools necessary to be a good one. No matter what, there remains a degree of apprehension around your parenting capabilities. It’s something that parents probably don’t ever get over… it may even be a stipulation to join their club.

On the mountain, now is a good time to get out your rain gear so you can truck straight through the inevitable downpour. In pregnancy, go ahead and wrap up your nesting phase. In both cases, you’ve got the gear and you tell yourself you’re ready for what’s around the corner.

But, guess what? If ever there was a time for things to go awry, it’s now. You could run into a bear on the mountain, or be knocked off a cliff by gusty winds. Lightning could strike you much more easily since you’re on top of a mountain.

Your water could break IN PUBLIC, you could not know you’re in labor and end up delivering in the car, or you could end up delivering an eleven pound baby, vaginally. Or, as in my experience (up to this point), the baby drops and sudden sciatica renders you immobile. I’ve been stuck on the couch all week, unable to cook or clean or have any fun, really. Fortunately my husband is at hand and ready to help in any way necessary. He’s my rain gear, you could say. Without him, I’m not sure hiking straight through the misery* would be tolerable. Anyways, the uncertainty is daunting.

So here I am, at the point of the backpacking trip where I’d rather turn tail down the mountain in hopes of getting to a hotel at a decent hour. At the same point in pregnancy, labor hasn’t even begun, but the fear is taking over. Right now it’s looking like Backpacking is easier than pregnancy, because now I have no choice but to head straight into the storm of labor and delivery, unsure of what’s on the other side. No turning back!

I’ll be sure to let you know when this baby comes, and whether or not there were any bears.

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*I refuse to indulge any of you in the freaky things that my body is doing right now, but if you’re a mother, you undoubtedly know the disgusting (and painful) things your body does when you’re edging closer to labor and delivery.