Where have you been?

Did I drop off the face of the earth? I might as well have- I am so sorry I have been absent from the blog scene. My life went from on direction to another and another in a matter of weeks and I am still reeling. But this is my attempt to catch up and put all my runaway thoughts in order.

First things first…

Texas Trip

The last you guys heard from me was that my sister and I were taking a trip to Dallas/Fort Worth to visit our brother. And that trip(though is had it’s ups and downs) was fantastic success. And I will be doing a recap of it next week. So stayed tuned!

Second!

Culinary Cooking Challenge???

I will be doing a wrap-up next Monday, the challenge is coming to an end. I will be replacing it with a new and exciting content but I simply don’t have time for it. I will of course still cook and bake for fun. But for now the Culinary Cooking Challenge is on an indefinite hold.

Third-

Cafe au Paír and Bakery

That’s right I am starting a bakery!!!! (Internal freak-out) Right now I am strictly doing local pies for Thanksgiving, but I am opening my bakery’s full menu(breads, rolls, cookies, scones, muffins, hand pies, etc.) up in December. So if you guys live in the south-Eastern WI area get excited! I will be doing a full post in the coming weeks.

Lastly… Er fourthly…

I bought a house!

(More internal screaming!!! And maybe some external) This rapid development is what really threw me for a loop! My parents(who are moving to WI) and I bought a house together! They’re gonna live upstairs and I am going to live downstairs. And I am so excited and so happy! And I just can’t wait!!

I know that’s a lot- it’s a lot for me too. Just a lot. (Stress and excitement in equal measure) Anyway obviously more will come in the coming weeks but yes- God is good and moving and just all kinds of things. Until next time…

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week 24

Oh man! I knew French cooking would be fantastic, but I didn’t realize how absolutely amazing it was going to be. Without further ado, here is French Week.

Honey Brioche Bread 100 out of 10

Umm this is probably my favorite bread ever- it’s flaky, buttery crescent roll layers just got better and better as the days progressed. It tastes amazing with soup, jam and of course all by itself! (And as you will see later it makes great French Toast as week)

French Onion Soup 10 out of 10

I also think this may be my favorite soup ever! This is absolutely fantastic! I literally could eat it every day and not grow tired of it.

Croissants 1000 out of 10

I did it!!!! I made buttery, fluffy, heavenly croissants!!! I laminated the dough and everything! I am so, so, so, so, so proud. And yes they were totally worth the work of two days. And I would do it again in a heart beat.

Ratatouille 10 out of 10

Not the first time I have made this veggie delight(my mom and I used to make it often) and it will definitely not be the last. I was fortunate to use veggies I bought at the local farmers market. Making to taste infinitely better.

Pumpkin Spice Soufflé 8 out of 10

If I was scoring this dish from a technical standpoint I would say I did an amazing job! And while

Pumpkin Spice French Toast 8 out of 10

Yes Deuxie thought the French toast it was good too! Made for a very yummy Monday morning.

Yummy!

Pumpkin Pecan Madeleines 8 out of 10

These were the perfect balance of nutty goodness and sweetness. I could make madeleines all the time. These delicate French pastries were a huge hit with everyone who tried them.

French Market Salad 8 out of 10

A very yummy and easy to make salad. Would make again for sure.

French Hot Chocolate 9 out of 10

And we finished the week off with a very sweet and rich treat one chilly fall night. We both agreed we could get used to finishing everyday with a pipping hot cup of French Hot chocolate.

And that is it! It was a beautiful and delicious week. I am going to say it again… Probably my favorite week so far. (Lol) So I am out of town this next week and therefore will not be cooking. Just digesting and remembering French Week.

Lots of love,

Tally

Visiting An Apple Orchard

Nothing says fall like visiting a local apple orchard. Even if the Sunday afternoon you choose to go is the one Sunday in the whole month where it was 90 degrees… oh well we still pretended it was fall with hot apple cider and warm apple donuts.

Oh how many apples!! Did you guys do this every fall as a kid growing up? Being homeschooled if was one of our field trips we took. I still remember running from goats and chickens and getting all sticky from the amazing donuts.

This was the first time visiting Peck&Bushel Orchard in Colgate, WI. But it was beyond cute. From its organic orchard to it’s very impressive gift shop(Christmas gifts anyone?) and locally sourced- everything. I can’t wait to go back!

So will you be heading to any orchards this fall? Or to a pumpkin patch? (Which we will be doing too!)

Lots of love,

Tally

Oconomowoc Arts Festival 2021

Last weekend was the 50th Annual Arts Festival in Oconomowoc, WI. and my first time visiting the event. Oh boy did we have a blast!

Giving you some background; Oconomowoc is probably the cutest town in south eastern Wisconsin(in my personal opinion) Situated in the heart of lake country this classic American small town always has something going on. And this charming collection of local and far flung artists is no exception.

So one glorious Sunday afternoon Tay, her baby beardie and I headed out in search of culture and the unexpected,

The event did not disappoint in either category. There was so much unique talent represented and displayed.

We were told that normally the event is much bigger and yet given about a hundred vendors it definitely was well attended. These pictures are just a few of the works that stood out to me.

And of course I couldn’t go to an art event without coming home with a friend. Isn’t he glorious?

Lots of love,

Tally

Culinary Challenge Week #14

And welcome back! Last week(read here) Tay and I journeyed to a magical island(Greta Britain) and this week we continued that theme by island hopping to the Caribbean. Get ready for the tropics!

Cabbage Slaw 6 out of 10

First up is this island cabbage slaw, which though very good was not my favorite… yeah it was missing something.

Jamaican Coco Bread 9 out of 10

These were fantastic!!! So buttery and fluffy and soft. The only thing is they don’t keep very well. Just make sure you eat them all in the first two days and you’ll be fine. Which isn’t hard by the way.

Shrimp Curry Soup 10 out of 10

Speaking of eating it in two days… yep we inhaled this soup. Probably my favorite soup during this whole culinary escapade. (Seconded only by the Cioppino Soup in week one)

Coconut Rum Cookies 9 out of 10

These were also amazing! Again super buttery and the sweetness of the coconut paired with the spice of the rum was to die for. I’d definitely make these cookies again.

Ackee+Salt Fish(but really tuna+eggs) 6 out of 10

Okay so there is a whole story that goes along with this breakfast… experiment. So I wanted to make Ackee and Salt-fish a traditional Jamaican breakfast. But for the life of me I could not find either ackee or salt-fish. Like anywhere. What is ackee you ask? Why it is the national fruit of Jamaica and is highly poisonous if not prepared right. Therefore it is illegal in the U.S. except in its canned version. That supposedly Walmart and Target sell… Yeah not any of the Walmart’s and Targets by me. Anyway instead of a traditional Jamaican breakfast we ended up with a tuna helper style… thing.

Nonalcoholic Kiwi Sparkler 5 out of 10

This was just okay. Nothing special, but when in the tropics one must have fancy drinks right?

Pineapple Upside Down Cake 8 out of 10

Yes it tasted as good as it looked. I love all things pineapple and I love cake… so win win.

Pineapple Salsa 7 out of 10

Rice+Beans with Jerk Pork and the above Pineapple Salsa 6 out of 10

The rice and the pork and the salsa(pineapple again) were pretty good, but the beans… were an absolute disaster! It’s the first time I’ve ever tried my hand at using dry beans and I am not sure what I did wrong. I soaked them over night. I followed the cooking directions but still they were hard and disgusting… I’m so sad. I guess I’ll have to stick to canned beans.

Tostones(Fried Plantains) 9 out of 10

I absolutely loved these(and they were super fun to make late one night after work) Tay wasn’t as crazy about them but that’s okay- MORE FOR ME! (Insert evil laughter)

Nonalcoholic Pina Colada 8 out of 10

Again I enjoyed these(didn’t love but liked) and Tay didn’t even finish hers. Not a fan I guess.

And there you have it! Our week in the Caribbean had varying degrees of success. But in the end we enjoyed it. We are going to keep our theme of island hopping as we head north to Iceland for our next culinary treats. Until next time…

Lots of love,

Tally

Living in Trailer

No I didn’t move, get fired or in anyway change lifestyles; unless you call living in a small trailer on my boss’s lake house property for the next six months a change in lifestyle… Which maybe it is come to think of it. (Lol) Anyhoo yes I am officially trailer trash! My parents are so proud. No but seriously I am actually super excited to show off my new lake hideaway.

Complete with my own outdoor(if still potted) garden!!

Okay enough pictures of the garden already!

As you can tell we are all fully moved in and organized. The trailer provides my sister and I just a little more privacy than we had last year at the lake, which so far I am loving! And even though the bathroom is unusable the house is less than five feet away and so far it hasn’t been an issue. (Besides the bathroom got beautifully repurposed as a green house/George’s own private jungle)

Are you catching on the beach theme?

Though it is small it mighty! And has a crap ton of storage for all our stuff. The real test will come this week, when I start cooking. Things might get interesting. On kind of a related note here is my apartment tour I did not too long ago.

Lots of love,

Tally

Apartment Tour 2021

For this post I decided to give you guys a brief tour of my apartment/suite in the basement of my employers’ house, where I have lived comfortably for the last… three and 1/2 years. Yikes time flies! I’ve never done a full tour so this should be fun.

We’ll begin at the beginning… I know shocking. And then just follow the room around. As you will see my decorating style is basically lots of stuff and dogs and quotes… lol!

Arguably one of my favorite spots in my room; the coffee bar.

Yes I make all my many culinary creations with a hot plate, combination toaster oven and a microwave.

All the things… though this bar cart was a lifesaver for cabinet space.

Another favorite part of the room; our mini home gym.

My current reading list.

Mini library.

And the bathroom.

Yeah so this is my own private domain! Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I move with the work family to the summer lake house and where I stay while there. So excited about that post.

Lots of love,

Tally

Nothing To Say

So if you want just a random, rambling post about nothing in particular then keep reading, because this post is for you! I have a couple of actually interesting posts in process and will try to get those out in the next coming weeks. But this week has been a catch up week for me.

All photos will be as random as this post, so enjoy!

Last week I had the stomach flu and was out for three days. While I was only sick one of those days I was so zapped of strength and bloated to be of any use for anything other watching Netflix and napping. Because of that I feel sooo behind on everything. I don’t seem to have enough time to do anything and it’s driving me nuts. Or maybe I am just organizing my time badly… Anyhoo with all this anxiety I am trying to give it to the Lord and just do what I can do.

Our art project this week for school.

That being said what have I been up to? My church had a revival series this week, which was utterly amazing and very encouraging. It was good to get my eyes off myself and back onto eternity and the Lord. To get back focused on spreading the Good News unabashedly and with unbridled joy. I mean I know the secret for joy(spoiler it’s not a secret) how can I not share it?! For those of you who don’t know Jesus Christ is the only source of peace and joy. (Here’s a full post on that)

German Pancake I made for the kiddos.

With improved health I got back to cooking/baking and this coming Monday I will have our next installment of the Culinary Challenge ready(read series here) Which I am so ecstatic about. Nothing as comforting as making and eating good food. Lol.

An art project I completed last week before I got sick.

Speaking of relaxing I am in love with doing art projects along with Emily Jane Lefebvre! Like I could waste all time doing this. All of it.

Finally a random picture of my breakfast- lol

Yeah so that’s it I guess. I know totally random and super brief look into my life and thoughts on this spring day. I hope you are all doing well.

Lots of love,

Tally

The Homeschooling Perspective

So I had an interesting conversation a couple of weeks ago from a mother, who was considering homeschooling and what that would look like for her family. When she found out I was homeschooled and am now helping to homeschool two first graders, she had many, many questions. I thought it would be fun to do a quick interview with myself based off what we talked about and share it here.

Van Gogh Art projects from last week’s art class.

What has your experience with homeschooling been?

So I and my siblings were homeschooled from kindergarten all the way through high school. Some families choose to let their kids to go to public or private high school, and while we were all given that option none of us chose that route. Which I think speaks volumes about our experiences.

So you enjoyed being homeschooled? What do you think you gained by being homeschooled?

For myself I loved being homeschooled! Yes it was super nice to not have to go to school(and therefore get dressed) And it was nice to have your school day go from 9am-1pm. What kid wouldn’t like that? Plus we followed a traditional school year from Labor Day to Memorial Day with a nice long summer break.

However if I was to pick one thing as my chief advantage, or take away from being homeschooled it would have to be: the ability to learn. If I don’t know something both in an academic and practical sense, I know I can learn it. Because I’ve done it before.

Homeschooling requires discipline on the student’s part to sit and get your work done. Especially as we got older our school work became a list of required reading, tests and worksheets, papers written and essays turned in. Our Mom(and Dad) didn’t sit there beside us and make sure we did it. On Mondays we got our assignments for the week and then on Fridays we had to turn it in. This taught us time management and organization in addition to the discipline to learn. I now have the ability to be like, “Yeah I don’t know anything about this subject but I know the steps to learn it.” This is undoubtedly the greatest strength homeschooling taught me.

So what was the biggest disadvantage?

With homeschooling your topics can play(and normally do play) to your parents strengths. So for instance I can’t play musical instruments or read music, but I’ve written six novels and I wrote three of those in high school. (One for school and two just cause) My history and language skills are very cemented. Can you guess which were my parents’ strengths? Yep history and language. Neither of my parents are musically talented and so we had a disadvantage there. These of course can be supplemented outside the home.

What’s one stereotype of homeschoolers that you’ve run into the most?

Do you feel like you’re socially inept? I have been asked this sooo many times.(which frankly I find the question quite rude) And the answer is no… Do you think I’m socially inept? Being a homeschooled kid doesn’t mean I was locked in the basement until I turned eighteen. We went to church, AWANA, I was a Girl Scout, my sister played softball, etc. So no I am not socially inept.

Anyway I hope this was informative! If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask me.

Lots of love,

Tally

Cuisine Challenge Week #3

Hello all! Hope you had an awesome week. So this week’s word was favorites and Tay and I decided to go easy on ourselves(which isn’t technically cheating… it isn’t!) So we pulled a meal/soup from the freezer. But I did make a bread(I can’t live now without a fresh loaf of bread on my counter) a dessert and a breakfast dish. Yes I am totally justifying the freezer meal. Anyway let’s get to it!

Leftover(frozen) pot roast, mashed potatoes and leftover lemon, sugar snap peas. Yummy! So here is the recipe to the roast, because it froze amazingly well, which is like awesome.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

All my raisins fell to the outside but still it was delicious!

Hot Milk Cake(recipe here) One of my all time fav cakes- So good! With some fresh fruit and powdered sugar. Don’t just take my word for it people.

Throw back photo but I remade my beet, cucumber, feta salad and just forgot to take a photo.

Fruit+Cream Cheese Crepes- Delicious!

So a really quick and easy week, but still fantastically delicious.

But guys I am super excited about next week’s menu as Tay and I journey south for some soul food. That’s right- all the comfort food fried, battered and soaking in butter. I can’t wait!

Lots of love,

Tally