Pixie

I decided a few months ago that come summer, I would go ahead and cut all the remaining brown off and get a pixie cut. I don't love it, and I think Bill hates it, but now the brown is totally gone. I'm going to commit to the gray for one year before I decide to keep it natural, but I think the cut isn't right. But I did it!

Hair update

This is my 3rd update post from the bathroom during bath. Not much setting but the lighting is consistent. I post after my haircuts so you can really see the progress. I think in 2 cuts the brown will be gone.

Hair Update - 4 Months

Well, here we are at month 4. People are starting to notice which is funny since it has seemed terribly obvious for about 2 months. It is more obvious now that I chopped my hair. I like the pixie cut a lot but I'm not sure it is the cut I wanted. I'm going to wear it for awhile and maybe cut more next time. It is coming in very silver in the top, but apparently is still fairly brown in the back. I can't really see it. My stylist has assured me we can start coloring it if I want and I don't know her well enough to know if she's saying that because she thinks it looks bad or because she wants the money. I've really only gotten good feedback so I think it is the latter.

Cheers to silver hair!

Junk Salad

I hate chopping lettuce for salad. I made this up for my family at Christmas and I love all the veggies. You could make tons of substitutions and omit the lettuce it you want.  The curried chick peas make the salad.

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper

Vegetables:
1 head romaine lettuce
1 red pepper
1 cucumber
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
Radishes
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley
2-3 stalks celery
1/2 red onion
2 ounces chopped almonds

Instructions:
Heat oil in small skillet. Add garbanzo beans, curry powder, salt and pepper. Toss and toast,

Chop all vegetables in similar size and put in large bowl with garbanzo beans. Toss with balsamic dressing of choice.

Caramel Apple Pie

This is a break from the hair update, but I wanted to get this recipe down before I forget it.  I read a lot of recipes and reviews and this is what I put together for the best pie I've ever made.  Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Pie

Crust:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shortening (NOT butter)
1 beaten egg
5 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

To make crust:
1.  Cut shortening into flour until well blended.
2.  Add egg, water, vinegar and salt and lightly toss with a fork until it just comes together.
3.  Lightly work dough into a ball and divide into 3 pieces.
4.  Form balls into disks and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
5.  You will need 2 disks for this pie.  Not sure how long the third disk will last in the freezer.

Filling:
7-8 apples, mixed variety, peeled and sliced thin.  (I used Grannie Smith and Pink Lady.)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

To make filling:
In a small saucepan, combine sugars, flour, butter, milk, water and salt and allow to melt together. Bring to a boil and stir often.  Boil around 3 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir occasionally while it cools and you prepare the apples.

Prepare apples.  Pour in sauce over apples and stir to combine.

Roll out bottom crust and lay in pie plate.  Fill with apples.  Roll out top crust and lay over pie.  Tuck edges under and flute.  Cut several one inch vents in the top of pie.  Foil the edges of the pie and put on a cookie sheet.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes and remove foil.  Bake long enough to brown the top.

Let the pie cool at least an hour.   If you cut into it sooner the liquid spills all over.  It sets up really nice after about an hour.