The Dish featuring House Unseen, Life Unscripted

Author's Note: I'm revamping The Dish a bit. I felt like I was getting a little stale and boring with the same three Dish sub-titles each week, so with this feature I'm ditching the rules and seeing where it takes me.

Once upon a time, in a bloggy land not so faraway--Michigan to be exact--there lived a beautiful and witty blogger princess, who entertained her royal court with stories of snakes in the wall and goats and excessively friendly Wal-Mart check boys and other fuzzy and cuddly things. The blogger princess--let's call her Dweej--had an incredible gift, a talent for making people laugh. She was so full of happiness and joy, that just by association her devoted readers would become filled with happiness and joy as well. Well, by association and also by reading her lovable and sarcastic blog posts which chronicled her fascinating life as a blogger princess transported from Southern California to rural Michigan. The more the princess wrote the more she was adored, and she and all of her blogger friends and, oh, yeah, let's not forget That Donkey Guy, all lived happily ever after...as long as she never stopped writing. The End...

...But if you're only just discovering Dwija and House Unseen, Life Unscripted, then it's really only the beginning. You can thank me later. I take checks, cash, or baby goats.

What's In a Name?

Sometimes a title hints at a world untouched and undiscovered. For instance, when I first read the name "House Unseen, Life Unscripted," I remember thinking to myself "Self! There's a story behind this blog. I gua-ran-tee it!" You see I'm very intuitive. You may even say I have a sixth sense when it comes to these things. To give you, reader who hasn't been introduced to Dwija's blog and therefore now owes me a baby goat, an indication of what this mysteriously compelling title means I give you this condensed explanation, aka House Unseen, Life Unscripted, abridged:

Couple purchases home off of internet without setting eyes on it. Couple move themselves and brood of four kids halfway across the country to live in said home. Couple begins to transform fixer-upper into fixed-upper. Couple and brood of four kids grow with addition of dogs and chickens and various other happy things. Couple shares joy with the world via hi-larious web series about an enthusiastic donkey with a sexy Spanish accent and hi-larious blog chronicling the day-to-day adventures of their household joy and fabulosity. (Yes, that just happened.)

The long and short of it? The title gives only a tiny glimpse into the awesome adventure that is Dweej and her family's story. Read this blog. It's like a great book you can't put down. 

The Gift of Dweej

Dweej, the blogger princess behind House Unseen, is a gift that keeps on giving. Her positive attitude and seemingly effortless sense of humor (<---CLICK ME for laughs!) is lovely and endearing and addictive. I only recently discovered Dwija and House Unseen, and yet, I already consider her a friend, and I can honestly say I'm glad to "know" her. Both she and her words uplift me, even when I'm feeling blue. As I was preparing this post last night, I had the pleasure of reading some of her older posts, posts I had previously not had time to catch up on. I took this feature as the opportunity to catch up as much as possible, because I don't want to miss a second of her story or her message. I came across this post, which inspired me in so many ways. In addition to laughs and entertainment, be sure to take away the wisdom that Dwija shares. Her mantra "always wonder, never worry" is one I will hold close to my heart forever.

Dwija really is a princess, and I hope you all will take the time to get to "know" her. You'll love her and House Unseen, Life Unscripted and That Donkey Guy and her four adorable kids and her three cute puppy-wuppies and her darling little chickens and her house that's becoming her castle. I promise. And remember that when you do fall in love with all the above, because you will, you owe me those goats.

And without further ado, a look inside House Unseen's mind and tummy...

Scrumptious Survey: Questions Answered By Dwija at House Unseen, Life Unscripted

What’s your favorite dish/food?

Well, when I was little I ate lots and lots and lots of Indian food, even for breakfast (true story), so curry and spiciness both hold very special places in my heart.  And tomato products.  If there is any such thing as spicy tomato curry, then that is totally my favorite food.

What’s your favorite type of cuisine (Italian, French, etc.)?

I know I just said Indian up there, but if I had to pick one cuisine I'd say Thai.  Probably because it's something we just can't make very well at home so we're "forced" to go to a restaurant where someone else cooks and washes the dishes and sweeps the rice up off the floor.  Doesn't that just sound awful?

What is unique about the cuisine in your part of the world?

My current part of the world is Michigan so you are gonna find some amazing home-cooked Polish food.  Pierogis, kielbasa, delicious soups.  Hearty, comforting and handmade by my awesome aunts!

Sweet or salty?

Salty for sure.  Chips and salsa? Chips and dip?  Chips on a sandwich (try it. delish)?  You just can't go wrong!

What food are you craving right now?

A big bowl of Tom Yum Gai (spicy level 2) and a side of potato chips, naturally :)

Do you like to cook? If so, do you ever share recipes on your blog?

Girl, you best check yo self before you wreck yo self.  No, I cook out of necessity only, and then only occasionally.  My husband is a GENIUS in the kitchen, and for that I am eternally grateful because I am a HUGE fan of eating, but it makes anything I manage to eek out seem...lame.  He can, like, make up his own recipes and stuff.  Meanwhile, I'm wondering what "lukewarm water" means.  Is that something you buy at Whole Foods or what?

Where do you get the recipes you use? From cookbooks, blogs, online directories, etc?

Is this a trick question?  Actually, we do have a cookbook that even I can use.  It's the America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook and it'll knock your socks off.  Not for ethnic foods, but for basic daily cooking and American cuisine it is really fantastic and informative.  Also, when I spill stuff on it, it doesn't get as angry as the computer does.

What food-related word would you use to describe your blog? (i.e. salty, sweet, savory, delicious, yummy…) Get creative!

My blog is like a buffet of all sorts of flavors, but some sort of magical good buffet where the stuff is actually yummy, not those normal buffets with the canned peas.  Those are gross.  No canned peas here, my friend.  Is there a buffet somewhere that has savory bacon-wrapped scallops, wood-fired pizza with spicy jalapenos, and not-too-sweet Viennese torte?  If there is, then that's my blog.  All there just to make you happy.

The House Unseen, Life Unscripted love-fest ends here. I hope you all enjoyed my tribute to one of my very favorite blogs and its truly fabulous blogger princess. 

  

Owl Be Watching Wednesday

I typically hate trends, but one trend that I've been unable to resist (excluding GLEE) is owls. I <3 owls. Seriously, love them, and this week one of my best buddies gave me an owl necklace (thanks, Whitney) and inspired me to start my Owl Be Watching Wednesday series, because who doesn't love a good series? Plus a series with owls? It's like double-goodness.

Everywhere I go I see owls. They may be taking over the world, but don't be alarmed. Owls are shamelessly cute but otherwise harmless.

For Owl Be Watching Wednesday, I will be posting an owl picture and quote (some of the quotes are gonna need dissecting and analysis...a search for owl quotes brought up some deep stuff) for your owlish enjoyment.

Necklace Love

"He respects Owl, because you can't help respecting anybody who can spell Tuesday, even if he doesn't spell it right." A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

No, I Don't Want To Teach!

After a day filled with self-doubt, I came home and went through some of my old essays, short stories, and poems. Sometimes reading things written by the Old Me gives the New Me a renewed sense of purpose and longing. Sometimes the writer inside me gets buried in my day-to-day self-consciousness, and I have to pull her out with both hands and remember that I love writing and that if it never turns into a career for me then that's okay, I'll still love it.

The essay below is something I wrote in the exciting, yet frustrating months after graduating college with my English degree. It reminds me of some of the frustrations I feel now...

credit

 So, Do You Plan To Teach?

I recently graduated from college with an English degree. Yes, an English degree. Now, you as a reader or, in this case, a stand-in for those people who annoy me most, should be asking me, “What possible good is an English degree going to do you?” To which I’ll answer: “I’m not exactly sure at this point as I only recently graduated. Didn’t I mention that?” And then you’ll ask (an editorial note: please add a hint of loftiness to the tone of your voice just for good measure): “So, do you plan to teach?” I’ll say with my eyes downcast and my voice low: “No, I’m actually an aspiring writer.” Now, insert a tape of crickets chirping in the background, and voila! You have a recent-college-graduate-with-an-English-degree-who-wants-to-write-for-a-living’s typical day.

If you’re an English major or a literature major, I’m betting that you recognize the oft-asked question, “do you plan to teach?” You’ve heard it yourself hundreds of times over and in varying forms: at the family reunion, while minding your own business at the supermarket, on one of dozens of trips to your grandmother’s house. English majors who are or intend to become teachers cannot possibly understand the deeply felt and nearly overwhelming annoyance that we, categorically speaking, “other” English majors feel upon hearing this question, this question that inexplicably seems to be on the end of every tongue that we meet. Yet, our annoyance may be a bit unjustified. “After all,” you, the non-English major reader ask, “how many more occupations could possibly be available to you useless beings who can read, write, research, analyze, communicate, and, horror of horrors, form grammatically correct sentences?” I’ll tell you, and the answer may surprise you; there are quite a few. The trick is finding one of these careers, but isn’t that the trick for most recent college graduates, regardless of their ability to form those grammatically correct sentences or add two and two together, which, by the way, I cannot do? I guess that question is rhetorical.

At any rate, the most elusive of the careers available to the elusive-English-major- who-happens-to-not-want-to-teach is that which I am currently pursuing, the career of the writer. This is where things get invariably tricky. As an aspiring writer, I’m beginning to learn just how tricky. The first week of job searching confirmed a fact which I already knew: the fact that most writing jobs are located in New York City, Los Angeles, and other locations scattered across America. The few jobs which were available in my home state of Georgia required experience, which, again as a recent college graduate, I do not possess. As depressing as this first week was, the second week was much worse for it was the week that I learned I am not the only writer in the world.

How big must my ego have been that I could have possibly thought there weren’t other writers (millions of them!) out there looking for the same jobs that I was looking for? And, mind you, these aren’t just any writers. These are talented, stunning writers who produce stunning fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, stunning fiction, non-fiction, and poetry that is often much better than my own. Needless to say, the second week I cried a lot.

The third, fourth, and fifth weeks, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started sending manuscripts and queries. A flurry of stamps, manila envelopes, and mailing labels buried me and ruthlessly left me with paper cuts. I didn’t mind; art often means sacrifice. I wrote, read, and passed along my work to anyone who was willing to critique it, or unwilling, I wasn’t picky. I waded through literary magazines and commercial publications, pouring over guidelines and back issues, searching for that one that would accept my work, that one whose editor would pick my manuscript out of hundreds waiting and deserving to be published and say, “Hey, this is good stuff.”

Now, I spend a lot of my time writing and mailing and mailing and writing; plus, I read constantly. Reading is always fun, and you get the added benefit of improving your own writing every time you read. Mostly though, I wait. I wait to hear back from those precious babies that I sent out into the world accompanied only by the ever-so-important Self-Addressed Stamp Envelope and a wish of luck. I wait for my first acceptance, but I wait more anxiously for my first rejection, because then I’ll feel like I’m a real writer. No doubt I’ll cry because, let’s face it, I cry a lot, but I’ll also set about proving to myself and to everyone else that writing is a career. And when next someone asks me if I plan to teach, I can hold my head high and say with pride, “No. I plan to write.”


I eventually received my first rejection (of many), but I also received my first acceptance (of a few). I look back on this Katie, and I wonder if she'd be proud of today's Katie. I think I've made strides in the right direction, but I still haven't reached the end writing goal. I won't stop until I do. Oh, and by the way, I still don't want to teach. 

  

Katie's Easy Peasy Mac-N-Cheesy

Happy Monday, y'all. Well, maybe not happy Monday, but it's nearly over, and I just got done eating an awesome meal (if I do say so myself), so I'm feeling pretty happy about now. I'm taking a break this week from Melodrama Mondays. Since last week I was in the mountains on Monday, I've kind of gotten out of the Melodrama Monday habit. It may or may not be back. That's the beauty of having a blog...you can pretty much do what you want with it.

This week I'm linking up with my3littlebirds, who happens to also be last week's featured blog on The Dish. If you haven't already, be sure to check this lady out. She's amazing!





Hope you guys enjoy my What's For Dinner submission: Katie's Easy Peasy Mac-N-Cheesy.

It's no big secret that Southerners have a love affair with mac-n-cheese. Down here, it's considered a vegetable! Seriously, we love it, and usually, I find a way to work it into most of my meals. But I must admit that more often than not I just make it out of the box. No shame there...just the life of a busy wife.

Last week, we were down to our last groceries. I hadn't been shopping since a couple of weeks before our mountain trip, so you can probably imagine just how empty my cabinets were getting. So I decided had to throw supper together from the last few measly items left in my kitchen. I had macaroni, and I had cheese. Logical conclusion? Make mac-n-cheese, but alas, I had no milk, no eggs, no sour cream. None of the items that most mac-n-cheese recipes on the web called for. I was undeterred. I had mac-n-cheese on the brain and the tummy, and dangit, I was going to make mac-n-cheese happen. From this tenacity and overwhelming cheesy desire, Easy Peasy Mac-N-Cheesy was born.

Katie's Easy Peasy Mac-N-Cheesy

1 8-ounce box macaroni
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese with 1/4 cup reserved
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3 tablespoon butter
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Prepare box of macaroni according to directions. I cooked mine al dente. The important thing is to not let it cook down too much, or you'll end up with mush. In large mixing bowl, combined cooked macaroni, cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese, and cheddar cheese soup. Add majority of your bread crumbs (reserving a few dashes for your crust) and two tablespoons of your butter to this mix. Add salt and pepper. Blend well. Put mixture in greased 9x9 casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese, a couple of dashes of bread crumbs, and remaining pats of butter to the top of casserole. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Served mine up with mixed greens and shredded pork roast on sliced bread. Call me fancy! HA! :)

It may not be the most fabulous baked mac-n-cheese you've ever had, but it's pretty dang tasty and pretty dang easy, which counts for a lot in my book! And the hubby even liked this baked mac-n-cheese, and he usually prefers boxed macaroni and cheese...which probably doesn't say a lot for my past attempts...

How do y'all like your mac-n-cheese? Homemade or out-of-the-box?

   

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Good luck getting that song out of your head for a few days. You're welcome.

I officially have a farmer's tan/sunburn. Woot! It's drop-dead sexy; I'm not gonna lie. Yep, spent the morning in the sun yesterday, and now I'm nice and lobster-y. Oh, the joys of my skin. On top of the sex-ay sunburn, I'm also aching all over from lots of hoeing. And no, I haven't started hooking to pay off the new laptop. Jeremy and I actually planted our garden and front yard flowerbed yesterday. We've planted a lot this year, including little J.M. so pray we don't kill anything everything.

We started with lots of plants, four bags of mulch, and two very obviously neglected garden plots.

And ended up with a pretty little vegetable garden and a sorta okay flowerbed.

A little underwhelming...

even more underwhelming.

Hey, so we may not be master-gardeners yet ever, but we sure enjoyed our little foray into gardening. And once the vegetable garden is all grown up, maybe I'll even cook something using our very own, home-grown peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini. If someone knows of a dish using all three, even better! Let me know, and Jeremy and I will be sustained all summer on said dish from our garden alone...

By the way, I wanted to share with you guys a contest I'm participating in that I think is way fun for a new blog that One Mixed Bag introduced me to. Do Sweat the Small Stuff needs a pen name! Help her out by clicking below: