Basement Progress

The framing is up and the electrical is run. We added a sub-panel with 60 amp service and installed outlets at countertop level around the basement. We also added boxes for additional ceiling lighting. Next step is a visit from a City of Longmont building inspector.

I am working on assembly of the Murphy bed upstairs in the bedroom/office. This keeps me out of the hair of workers in the basement. But on the other hand, as I need tools for working on the Murphy bed, I can't find them in the basement! Where is that caulk gun? I know I've seen it. The bedroom gets pretty darn small when you have it filled with bed parts. Oh, the iron? That's for putting edge veneer on the oak plywood sheets. And, speaking of oak plywood, this stuff from Lowes is terrible. Really poor quality with a very thin veneer of oak and what feels like waves under the veneer. If I am going to do more furniture, I have to find another source.

 

Chicken and Dumplings

This comes from a Food & Wine Cookbook - Best Of The Best Cookbook Recipes Vol. 13. From Real Cajun, Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe

Chicken & Dumplings

Serves 6

Dumplings

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• scant teaspoon ground black pepper
• scant teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 small onion finely minced 
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Chicken Stew 

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 whole chicken cut into serving pieces
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper stemmed, seeded, minced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced

Chicken Stew Preparation

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. In another season the chicken with salt, pepper, and cayenne, then toss with the flour until coated. Heat the vegetable oil in a dutch oven until hot but not smoking, add the chicken and brown on all sides.

 

Transfer the chicken to a plate or bowl and pour out and discard half of the oil in the dutch oven. Add the onion, celery, carrot, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the dutch oven and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the wine then the butter and cook until it melts. Add the leftover dredging flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated, then give it a few more minutes. Add the chicken broth, stir gently and bring to a simmer.

 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until crisp and brown. Add to the dutch oven.

 

Add the chicken to the stew and simmer for about an hour and a half.

 

Preheat the oven to 450°. Use a large spoon to scoop ovals of the dumpling batter onto the stew. Transfer the dutch oven to the oven and bake until the dumplings are lightly golden - about 20 minutes. 

 

Allow the stew to cool slightly then serve in bowls and enjoy.

 

Dumpling Preparation

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, onion, melted butter, and milk. Using a fork stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended. Chill for about 30 minutes. 

 

Pink Sunrise

A lovely sunrise today. Over the last few days a new layer of snow has covered the peaks on the front range and it is very clear this morning. When the rising sun hit the tops of the peaks they took on a rose glow. Really beautiful. I love being able to see this mountains from our second floor. This is one of the reasons we moved to Longmont and one of the things that sold us on this particular house. From the two back bedrooms including the master bedroom and the master bath we have a great view of the Rockies. This morning as I was showering I could look out and see Long's Peak.

It is cold here this morning. Our outdoor thermometer showed 28° when I came downstairs at 7:15. You can see a bit of frost on rooftops and objects. I'm glad I drained the back-flow preventer valve and turned off the irrigation system.

Yesterday was basement day for me. I spent the day moving everything around and emptying boxes and storing boxes under the stairs in preparation for major work down there. We are having walls installed around the perimeter and these will be covered with drywall then taped and floated. I am also having a 60 amp sub panel put in the basement and then outlets placed at counter top height every six feet around the basement. We are not doing ceilings or floors initially as the basement is for my workshop and storage. One corner will become the wine and booze room and I will put flooring in there and perhaps add a ceiling. We shall see.

This weekend Pete and Audrey Deckinga came for a visit. We always enjoy our time with them. I put poor Pete to work - he did hand and feet massages and if that was not enough I had him loading plywood onto the Jeep and hauling it to the basement and cutting it and hauling it to the second floor. I was sure glad he was here. We did have some fun together. On Sunday after a great breakfast at our regular spot, City Cafe, we headed to Rocky Mountain National Park seeking elk. We did see one elk in Estes park and then a herd in the park close to the exit. In between we saw load of deer and lots of beautiful scenery.

I am building a Murphy bed in the back bedroom which will be a combination guest bedroom and office. It has great views to be enjoyed by guests and by us! Lee built a beautiful Murphy bed in our Glen Ellyn house. I don't have the space to do all that he did , but my goal is to make it half as nice as the one Lee did.

 

FedEx

Overnight is really second day and their customer service isn't.

Chilly and Chili

It is 37° outside this morning - and 60° inside. Yep, summer is over. Today. as yesterday, and one other day recently I put on jeans in the morning rather than shorts. I have worn shorts everyday since I arrived here on June 3 and darn it is hard to give up shorts and sandals for my standard attire. I see signs of fall in the trees and the plants in all of our pots around the yard, they are telling me to get ready for winter but I have been ignoring them.

 

Today I am making chili verde. I've got a bag or roasted Hatch peppers and a few pounds of pork. All I need is a recipe. Off to the internet I go!