what jen does

Life, home, and a little travel

Month: January 2018

  • spaghetti squash primavera
    recipes

    spaghetti squash primavera

     Well, I finally got around to trying the vegetable that everyone and their mother has tried …. spaghetti squash. I was skeptical about something that everyone loves so much – but just like avocado toast, they were right. Spaghetti squash is better than decent. It’s pretty solid. I actually picked this miracle squash several weeks…

  • week 16!
    home + reno

    week 16!

    Happy 4-month-aversary to my construction site! This would be a perfect time to travel back in time and do some side by side comparisons but maybe we’ll save that for next week. I’m still deep into plumbing fixtures. Hey remember when I was worried about shingle color? Those were the good old days. After about…

  • peruvian roast
    recipes

    peruvian roast

    When I’m looking at recipes, I oscillate between “fast but moderately impressive” and “long and slow”. This recipe is a wonderful combination of both worlds. Yes, it takes 3 hours in the oven …. but it only takes like 15 minutes of hands-on time. A real winner in my book. I made this on a…

  • Introducing: Mudroom and Bathroom #1
    home + reno

    Introducing: Mudroom and Bathroom #1

    I’ve been jumping into more of the design details recently but was drawn to reflect on some of the differences between the design iterations over the past year plus. I’m so excited about where this house is going – and how far it is from the awkward designs of a year ago. Here are some…

  • week 15
    home + reno

    week 15

    So not much to report. The house hasn’t moved. Which means, the house looks exactly the same as it did last week – and perhaps even the week before. But, it’s getting closer. Every week I say this, but as soon as the house moves onto the foundation this work is going to really pick…

  • christmas card

    christmas card

    Another year, another Christmas card. I’m not sure how I managed to get the Christmas cards actually made and in the mail because every other aspect of Christmas was absolutely behind schedule. I was making and wrapping presents on Christmas Eve. I’m normally better than this. I think I managed to make the card in…

  • bathtub paralysis
    home + reno

    bathtub paralysis

    If I’ve learned one thing about myself in this process, it is that I will never stick to my first decision. I come out of it feeling pretty confident and accomplished …. and then whamo. Change my mind. It’s not that big of a deal and honestly kind of expected. But the bathtub is the…

  • Shopping Recap
    home + reno

    Shopping Recap

    I’m pretty deep into the mood boards right now – and as part of that trying to pick out actual products to put on the boards. Novel concept right? I’d like to note the worst parts about this whole process are: conflicting advice cost trying to pick a lasting aesthetic  industry leaders Conflicting Advice examples:…

  • Week 13 & 14
    home + reno

    Week 13 & 14

    So – not much. These weekly posts were easier to write when work was actually happening and it was not freezing cold. Also, I’ve been buried in mood boards so all my mental writing energy is on faucets. I know this sounds totally bananas but it hit me yesterday that I literally had to buy…

  • french onion soup
    recipes

    french onion soup

    My dad loves french onion soup. He’s absolutely an onion guy. I am absolutely not an onion girl. I think it combines two of his favorite things: onions and cheese. So when I was in the kitchen and making this soup for my grandfather… and he asked me if I was making french onion soup….…