Pogacha part Deux

Marisa and I went to lunch today to Pogacha. Her first time, my second there. It was awesome...again! I went online searching for a recipe to make that wonderful Pogacha Bread. I must try to make it at home, although it looks like a huge recipe...maybe I can half it, fourth it. Here it is:

4 pkg. dry yeast
8 eggs, beaten well
1 tbsp. sugar
3 cups sugar dissolved in 4 cups warm water
1 cup water
7 lbs. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 lb. butter
1/4 cup oil

Topping: 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk
Sesame seeds

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Heat oven to 200o and turn off. Prepare yeast with 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 cup water, stir and set aside for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, sift flour and make a well in the centre. (Set aside two or three cups for kneading. ) Pour butter, oil, salt and eggs into well; then begin adding sugar and water and yeast mixture, working in flour to make a medium-textured dough.Turn out on your work area and knead for 15-20 minutes, using extra flour if necessary. Cut through the dough two or three times with a knife to examine for air holes. When these are evident, the dough has been well kneaded. Set dough into a large roasting pan, which has been lightly greased. Grease top of dough very lightly with butter or oil, so that it will not develop a crust.Cover and place in oven until doubled in bulk, Punch down and allow to rise again. On a lightly oiled surface, dump dough out and cut into sections desired. This dough may be braided; or made into regular loaf pans, or large rounds which are customarily used for weddings. Place in greased pans, place in oven again to rise for about 1 hour. Brush loaves with egg and milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake loaves 1 hour or until done

A lack of blogging

Sorry internet...I've been slacking on the blogging. Not that there isn't a lot going on, because there is. There just isn't anything super fun or new or interesting to write about. I'm feeling uninspired, but I'm sure that will turn around soon. Marisa's 28th birthday bash is on Saturday so I'm looking forward to eating Moroccan food and singing Karaoke with good friends. I've asked my boyfriend to go along, although he hasn't let me know his decision yet. He hasn't met my friends yet, so that would be fun, although I'm sure us girls singing crazy karaoke isn't the most laid-back way to get to know a group of people...but if he goes, he'll have to deal with it.

Lunchtime Shopping

With Bellevue Square being so close, shopping over lunch can be more than a little tempting. I try to restrain myself, but today I went to Nordstrom's to pick up some moisturizer. I had been eyeing some other products for awhile now, and now that I'm debt free, I decided it was time to reward myself for my hard work (I also had a boatload of overtime last week that will eventually pay for all of this). I stopped at the Philosophy counter and purchased the following things:

Jump Starters Kit - which includes 4 different fabulous products

Oxygen Peel Kit - the coolest facial peel ever...your face is covered in white foam!

Hope in a Jar - the BEST moisturizer (but I'd been cheap until now...its $35 for 2 ounces)

The Supernatural - awesome mineral makeup in a super easy to apply bottle

**I dont normally drop that kind of cash in one afternoon, but I do believe in using good products and I needed a boost...so I went for it**

Days go by

Sometimes days go by without anything fun or exciting happening in them, and thats ok. Life doesn't always have to be one amazing experience after another, sometimes it's just the normalcy that makes us comfortable. Today however, was not one of those days. Today was BUSY! My job was filled full of tasks that I normally dont do, and I had a great time. Little projects here and there, and I've been energized and engaged all day...it's been great! While I don't mind the normal everyday, today was special and fun and it's hardly felt like work at all!

Valentine's Day

The boyfriend had to work so I celebrated Valentine's day by myself, which was o.k. considering we celebrated on Saturday. I did manage to sneak his present over to him so he'd have it yesterday when he got home.

Also what I did do yesterday was awesome!! I paid off my debt (except for my student and car loan). Thats right...debt free...it feels amazing!!!

Friends

sunelaine
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

I came across this picture today, I had forgotten all about it. Elaine, thanks for listening to me the last week go on and on about the boy. Also, thanks for taking care of the cats!!! I hope you enjoyed your North Dakota chocolate!

Yum

A new food find today in Bellevue...YUM!

Home

I just got back from spending a couple of days back home in North Dakota. Sometimes I feel that I'm never as calm or collected in Seattle as I am there, and I need to go back just to center myself again. I had a great time visiting everyone and thoroughly enjoyed:

Driving across the entire city in 20 minutes
Driving on a highway with only 2 other cars
6.5% sales tax
Knowing every road like the back of my hand
Finding out my friend is FINALLY pregnant...congratulations!
Spending time with a friend I haven't seen in years
Buying a ton of clothes...cheap
Chocolate Covered Potato Chips



I have uploaded some pictures of the trip such as a sunset, a drive-thru liquor store, a movie with my aunt and cousin, shopping, and drinks with a friend.

Yucky Love Stuff

So in response to Marisa's comment... The Jason Mraaz post wasn't a mushy love thing (I just think he's cool), but with Valentine's Day nearing close I guess love is on my mind a little. I made reservations at the restaurant HE and I first went to dinner at the night before V-day, which just happens to be exactly a year from the first time we went out (although ya'll know we haven't been together the whole time). So just to cement my current state of mushiness, below is one of my favorite poems by e.e. cummings titled i carry my heart:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)

i fearno fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

It'll be a heat wave!

I'm travelling back to Fargo tonight to spend a few days with family and friends...I can't wait!! It is suppose to be a balmy 36 degrees on Thursday...although back down to 15 on Sunday (with a low of zero overnight). At least there will be no negative temperatures...I've become kind of a wussy with this temperate Seattle weather.