Bucket List #6 New Restaurant 1 of 10

Sky Modern Japanese

A new restaurant opened in the shopping center where I work called Sky Modern Japanese. We have been awaiting their opening, and finally received an email from the development announcing their "soft opening". My co-worker and I decided to try it today for lunch. Our manager had been on Saturday and loved it!

They have a sushi bar, a drink bar, hibatchi and regular tables where you can order any of their offerings. Neither of us are big on sushi, but love hibatchi. It is always fun to watch them cook!

We both ordered chicken and vegetables, and the cook did food for a table order also, so we enjoyed watching him prepare that, too. The creamy mushroom soup was EXCELLENT!! A little spicy, but very good.

The meal was really good! It was chicken with vegetables, and choice of white or fried rice. It all had very good flavor. This is definitely somewhere we will eat again!!!

Bucket List #34 Bread Recipe 1 of 10

Classic White Bread

I have never baked bread from scratch (using yeast and actually kneading the dough, letting it rise, etc.) but I love to bake sweets and pumpkin bread.

I want to try some bread recipes to make, to eat with meals, or just with butter! One of my goals on my bucket list is to bake 10 different bread recipes. I decided to start with a simple one, and it turned out to be the recipe on the package of Kroger brand yeast! (recipe at the end of the post)

I follwed to recipe exactly (except using regular all purpose flour instead of bread flour). I think it turned out great for a first time bread maker!!!

Classic White Bread Recipe

All dry ingredients should be at room temperature (70-85 F)

2 3/4 c bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 c water
1/4 c margarine or butter, melted
1 packet Active Dry Yeast
1 9"x5" loaf pan (greased)

Follow packet directions to dissolve the yeast. Proceed with recipe. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 c flour, salt and margarine or butter. Add 3/4 c of warm water (105-115F) and foaming yeast mixture to dry ingredients, stirring very well. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 c of flour to make a soft dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, usually about 9 to 10 minutes. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes on a floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 12"x8" rectangle. Beginning at the shortest ends, roll the dough up tightly. Seal each end by pinching down at the seams. Place the dough, seam facing down in a greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Cover completely and allow to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, usually about one hour. Bake at 375F for 30 to 35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown in color. Remove from bread pan and allow to cool on wire rack. Slice bread into 3/4" to 1 1/4" slices. Makes about 9 servings.

Bucket List #14 Grow Herbs

One week later, they are still alive!!! I purchased existing established plants, one basil and one cilantro. These are two herbs I use a lot, basil on pizza and cilantro in salsa. I have used the basil twice on pizza. Hopefully I will do a better job of keeping these alive this year than I did last year!!!

Gardening

This year for some reason, I am very excited about yardwork! (???) I have many existing plants, mostly greenery and shrubs, and usually I plant some annuals for color.

This year, I decided I want to try to grow some cut flowers, and do some decorative containers. I had an idea what I wanted in the containers, coleus, but not sure what to put with them for another color. A friend at work suggested sweet potato vine. I love the 'neon' green color, and it works well in the combination. I'm afraid it might overtake the coleus, but for now they are living happily in pots on each side of the screened porch door.

For the cut flowers, I really want to grow peonies. I bought some roots and planted them, but they won't flower until next year at the earliest. I will have to learn patience in this gardening adventure!!!

For cut flower blooms this year (crossing my fingers!), I planted Dahlias and Tiny Tot Gladiolus mix. So far so good, I see greenery coming up!

My existing plants all look great, I don't really have to do much with them, weed, water and Miracle Gro!!



Bucket List #13 Wine 1 of 10

Stonewood Cellars Moscato

What can I say except I LOVE this one, and it was inexpensive!! I'm not an expert on describing wines, but this is definitely sweet.

Birthday Bucket List

Around Blogland I have seen these lists of projects/activities/goals people wish to complete between their birthdays, usually coordinated to the number of their age. Check out this one by Elise and this one by Emma.

It inspired me to create my own "Birthday Bucket List". I like Em's 31 things before 32, as it was a total life adventure, not just project driven (I need to get out of the house!). Some of my items are projects, and they have their own numbers, I just picked a nice round amount for a goal, It may sound ambitious, but a lot of these types of projects are things I do often, and this will hold me accountable for completing things!!!

I plan to document the "crossing off" of many of the items from the list on this blog, and also in a scrapbook format. Stay tuned...

35 THINGS BEFORE I TURN 36

1. Visit the Beach
2. Read 50 books
3. Take a creative class (in person or online)
4. Run a Marathon (OK, mostly run)
5. Master 10 new Photoshop techniques
6. Try 10 new restaurants
7. Finish decorating the guest room/office
8. Visit a National Park
9. Visit 5 State Parks (that I have not been to)
10. Float a river
11. Hike 5 trails
12. Go to a winetasting at a local vineyard
13. Try 10 new wines (at the tasting doesn't count!)
14. Grow herbs
15. Host a dinner party
16. Make 20 new recipes
17. See a musical at the theater
18. Build a piece of furniture
19. Create (and print) a photobook
20. Make 12 crafts/projects I have pinned in Pinterest
21. Visit a friend/relative out of state
22. Learn to play an instrument
23. Grill ribs
24. Complete 10 sewing projects
25. Attend a formal event (not a wedding)
26. Complete 10 digital scrapbook layouts
27. See a Professional sporting event
28.Go camping!
29. Complete 5 knitting projects
30. Make the quilt for my bed
31. Volunteer (church, library, community)
32. See 10 movies at the theater (I do not go enough!)
33. Crochet a ripple blanket (lap/throw size)
34. Bake 10 loaves of bread from scratch
35. Blog regularly (Ok, hopefully 2-3 posts per week)
36. Wear everthing in my closet that still has a tag on it or remove it the item from the closet!)

OK, that last one is kinda funny, but much needed!

Here we go...stay tuned!!!

Decorative Pillow Project

Seeing all the great ideas on Pinterest inspired me to make something. (OK, I'm always inspired to make something!) I really liked these made of old T-shirts, and a friend referred me to this project, made of felt and beads.

Away I went to Hobby Lobby to buy fabric and felt. I purchased some I like in colors to match my bedroom. These pillows will be for the bed. I made simple envelope style pillow covers.

Using an old T-shirt and felt and beads, I crafted the flower accents for the pillows. I was having so much fun I didn't take photos during the process. Here are some photos of the finished product.