Birthdays and baking

Long ago I heard an old saying that I have since also heard applied to New Year's Day: Be careful how you spend your birthday, what you do on this day will determine how you spend the following year. Now, I am kind of superstitious, so each year I try to make my birthday weekend FUN, relaxing, and filled with people I love.
We were slated to spend the weekend hiking in the mountains, but after battling work places filled with illness, David came down with a sickness that wasn't messing around. Thankfully our B&B reservations were easily canceled (they didn't want our sickness any more than we did!) and I took myself shopping (for a size smaller jeans!) to compensate.
So, maybe this coming year wont contain the most vacations, but I did get to spend the day getting massaged and manicured, in smaller clothes, with tasty takeout, roses, and a VERY supportive and understanding boyfriend. I think it will be okay.

Oh, and check out my birthday loot! In the first pic, our fish Winston is checking out the new blue competition in town! lol... He was quite fascinated!
What should we name our new mixer? I'm kind of partial to Whirly. lol...
I opened presents on Thursday (Mom, I had an excuse, we were going on vacation!), and promptly made David whipped mashed potatoes. Friday I ended up playing around with a few bread recipes, we made two loaves of rye bread and two of cinnamon raisin. This mixer will take some getting used to - I made a few mistakes with the breads, but I love it already! (I will post recipes once I smooth out the process)

I have also taken to reading a few diet/healthy eating/running blogs. I am going to update the links to the right with some of my favorites - they have quickly replaced my health magazine addiction, these are real people making over their lives, and it is inspiring to read each day.
Many of the women from these blogs, and most recently my Mom have recommended eating oatmeal for breakfast each morning - you should check out some of their oatmeal toppings! When grocery shopping, David and I picked up some pumpkin to give one version a try:

We have been making bulgar wheat for breakfast a couple times a week, and I love it, but was excited to try new additions! I found bulgar with pumpkin and raisins too sweet, but will try pumpkin and nuts tomorrow!

Old friends and farmers market squash

This last weekend David and I met an old friend Robert and his fiance Katherine for a wander around the Ballard Farmers Market and then lunch at their house. We really had a great time, though it was strange seeing someone I hadn't seen since high school! I was surprised by how much and at the same time how little Robert had changed, which I guess in turn made me question my own changes.
We got together at the Ballard Farmers Market - which by the way is now my favorite Seattle area market, things were far less expensive than what I have seen from the University Market or the Broadway Market and they have so many food booths! I picked up some really nice winter acorn squash, brought them home, stuffed and roasted them for our weekday lunches!

Okay, they aren't pretty, but they are sooooooo tasty!

Stuffed Winter Acorn Squash

2 large acorn squash
3 large links of turkey sausage (I used a sweet Italian style)
1 cup diced celery
1/2 diced apple
finely diced onion (to taste)
1/2 cup diced carrot (optional)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread crumbs or cheese to top squash (optional)

Cut acorn squash in half, remove seeds and 'guts'. Place face down in a baking dish and add 1/4 inch water to the bottom of the dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes until squash is tender and water has evaporated, but hull of squash is still firm.
While the squash is baking, saute onions and carrots until tender. Add and brown turkey, then the celery and apple.
Remove squash from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Carefully flip squash over and scoop squash out of the hull; incorporate into the turkey mixture. Try to leave a small wall of squash in the hull to help maintain the shape of your squash.
Once your squash has been thoroughly incorporated into the turkey mixture, season, and then spoon the stuffing back into the squash. Top squash with bread crumbs or cheese and bake for another 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.

I made this quite a bit differently than the several recipes I found online (I totally eliminated stuffing/bread products which most other recipes called for) - let me know if you try the recipe, I would love to know your thoughts!

Project 365 Update

Just a small part of me: I have terrible vision. David questions because sometimes I can see things he cannot. Bad vision aside, my perception of color is spot on.
I have noticed some changes 100 + days in, 100 + pictures into Project 365. I'm not as worried about clarity. This is kind of how I see the world, kind of how I paint as well. Lots of color, but don't look for a definitive line! :)
I am enjoying this process, walking past something beautiful, something that I have walked past a million times, and stopping to go back and take a picture. To edit and choose only one for the day, maybe not the best picture even, but the one most true to the day.
What do you think, could you take a picture a day for 365 days?