Welcome Tour - Part Threeeeee

So this is the first time I've posted for a second time in one day.  Wow, that statement was confusing...

I've decided to move the tour along to the next section of our home - the place where the culinary magic [and failures] happen... the kitchen!  I love the kitchen for a few reasons:

(1) So many organizing opportunities - you have within the fridge, within the cabinets, within the drawers, within one shelf - endless!

(2) So many process improvement opportunities - I continually rearrange until I've achieved the [momentary] most efficient set up of the kitchen.  Once I spot an opportunity for greater organization and efficiency, I get to improve!

(3) I get to test out all of the sweet gadgets and tools that we received as wedding gifts.  We have actually used everything [at least kitchen-wise] that we were gifted.  And we've only been situated for not even a month!  Everything is being put to good use : )

(4) I get to test out new recipes [basically every recipe I try is new since I wasn't much of a cook before].  I try healthy, unhealthy, high maintenance, low maintenance, slow cooker recipes, baked recipes, soups, casseroles, everything!  I love it!  I'm sure that will wear off, but for now, let's just ride this wave!

(5) This is where the food is kept.  And I love food.

Without further ado...

Where the food lives

Clockwise from top left: (1) You will notice the doors on the left side of the kitchen.  That's our nice little laundry spot.  Oh how I treasure having laundry available in our apartment.  Since the dorms freshman year of college I haven't had to go elsewhere for laundry, so it's always nice when your apartment comes equipped with a washer and dryer.  You'll see our nice toaster oven - Jim uses this on the reg to make bagels.  Oh how he loves toasted bagels and plain cream cheese.  There's our fridge, some nice magnets, coupons, and lists.  I love lists.  I'll do a separate post on lists sometime in the near future - you'll thank me. (2) We super love our coffee maker.  Literally every other day we switch between using the individual coffee brewer section [not a technical term] and the large carafe.  Jim doesn't drink coffee every day and I do; days that he wants it we make a carafe and days that he doesn't I can still get coffee without having to make a large pot.  (3) And our laundry zone!  I haven't really gotten around to organizing this closet yet, but it'll happen.  Right now it's not a top priority.  And that's that!

I am so passionate and fired up about the kitchen and the organization and such that I'm already scheming up a post dedicated to what's behind the cabinet doors.  Maybe I'll throw in some organizing tips.  Seriously, I'm a pro.  I don't think I'm good at much, but that's one skill that I know I nail!

Here's just a closer/inside look.  Not much to point out or comment on aside from my husband's photo bomb in the bottom right pic.  Such a goofster : )

Dining Room & Library

Clockwise from top left: (1) A view from the kitchen.  (2) This is where we eat our meals.  Honestly, Jim & I sit in a different seat pretty much every time we eat here.  Does everyone else in the world do some sort of unspoken assigned seating at their dinner table?  Maybe we should adopt this... but maybe it's really not that big of a deal until you have kids?  We bought this table used... Pretty used.  Lots of dents and scratches, but the table is very sturdy and spacious - we couldn't be happier.  We also super love the bench.  Before we got it we figured the bench would go in storage since the table came with 4 chairs and 1 bench.  We've found the bench most useful and typically one of us is always sitting on the bench side!  So worth keeping out of storage. (3) A close up on the bookshelf.  I made the 'Date Ideas' jar as one of Jim's gifts for his birthday.  It has creative, yet doable, ideas for how we can spend a day together.  We haven't used it yet, but as soon as we get bored we'll give it a shot! (4) Our bookshelf.  I was amazed at how many books we have!  Mostly Christian books, a few professional, several cookbooks, and Jim's Marine Corps books from school.  Hiding on the left side of the bookshelf is a small section of PVC pipe.  I am addicted to using this pipe to roll out my muscles - specifically my calves.  If you've seen them you know that they're pretty solid.  I can legitimately feel my muscles crave to be rolled out on that pipe - it's not for wimps it definitely makes you sweat a little!

And now a sweet treat for sticking around with me for the tour thus far!

Ingredients
2 cups [one container] So Delicious Dairy Free Almond Milk Frozen Dessert in Vanilla
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
2 bananas

STEP ONE
Allow the almond milk frozen dessert thaw slightly so that it can be scooped out of the container, then, scoop the frozen dessert out of the container and into a large mixing bowl.  Nuke it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, or until it becomes soft and partially melted.

STEP TWO
In a separate bowl, mash the banana and then mix in the peanut butter.  Once the two are mixed well, add the mixture to the larger bowl with the almond milk frozen dessert.

STEP THREE
Using a rubber spatula, mix well.  Once the ingredients have been completely combined, portion the dessert into a few [depending on size] freezer safe plastic containers.  Freeze dessert until you desire to consume it!

STEP FOUR
Allow the dessert to thaw and become soft before consuming.  When I made the dessert I had to allow it to thaw for at least 15 minutes before I could get my spoon to pierce it!

I love the crunch that the chunky peanut butter offers.  Such a delicious and easy homemade frozen dessert!

Have a splendid evening : )

Mrs. Gretchen Niemann