Senior Year Apartment - Same Apartment, New Roommates

Each year since coming to college, I have blogged pictures of where I am living.  The first two years I lived in the dorms, and then last year I moved to an apartment.  This year I am living in the same apartment that I was in last year, but with different roommates.  I am so glad I didn't have to move - moving each year is hard.

^^My fall decor.^^

I love the location of our apartment.  It is really close to many places - grocery stores, Church, downtown Ames, places to eat, it is a quick drive to the commuter lot to get on the bus to go to campus (and there are bus routes that go right by our apartment), and my work is only about a 10 minute drive away.

Last year I lived with two girls - Molly and Becky - who were a bit older than me, but got to know through CRU and lived by in the dorms my sophomore year.  We also had a random roommate.  Molly and Becky ended up just moving down stairs to another apartment in the building!  (The random roommate moved away - we never got to know her.)

I stayed put and three new girls moved in - Stephanie, Lydia, and Kristen.  I know Stephanie and Lydia through CRU, but I also lived by Stephanie in the dorms my sophomore year.  Kristen would come to CRU occasionally, so we meet there too - but, she has graduated and is working now.

The apartment isn't too much different from last year, but there are some changes.  With different roommates, different furniture was brought in.  Stephanie and Lydia were able to gather some furniture from relatives - it is kind of crazy how everything in the living room happened to all look pretty good together.  Usually I think of college students having really random pieces of furniture that just don't match.  I really like how it has turned out - it is pretty cozy!

Below are some pictures from around our apartment.  It is nothing perfect, but it's home.

Below is a picture of my room - it is not a great picture.  But, I love how my room has turned out!  The quilt is one that I have made.  I've got an English Ivy plant growing - after going to Norway, I want to try to get lots of plants in my home.  There are Christmas lights that I like to plug in.  A comfy chair to sit in.  I think my room has turned out pretty cozy!

Recipe | Chicken Chipotle Pumpkin Barley Soup

I've been wanting to start blogging more recipes again.  But, I just haven't had the time to.  Ever since coming back from Norway, I have been going nonstop with work, school, and CRU leadership.  I don't think I've ever been this busy in my life.  It has all been really good things that I'm doing, and I want to do them, but there just hasn't been enough time in the day to all the things I need and want to do.  Hopefully after this three day weekend, I can get more into the routine of things.

With all the business, I really haven't had much time to cook or bake - I usually am pretty prepared with meals to have ready and eat throughout the week - but, I feel like I've been slacking in that for the last few weeks (which is maybe ok for me).  On Friday, I had a few hours at home, so I made a batch of soup and bread.

^^Salt and pepper the veggies right away.^^

Soup is probably one of my favorite things to make.  It is quick and easy to make and eat - it's a one pot meal (just add some bread/crackers/chips to go along with it).  It is easy to freeze and pull out for another time too.  And, it can be heated up quickly if you get home and are needing something to eat (when I get off work at night, I go straight to the kitchen because I'm starving), or packed with you for lunch in a thermos or microwavable container.

This is one of my favorite soups!  I might sound like a strange combination, but is is so good.  And, with fall right around the corner, this is a perfect soup to make.  I am so excited for the season of fall - cooler weather, dressing in cozy clothes, the leaves, apple picking, fall baking... and for soup (sometimes I do make soup when it's like 90 degrees in the summer, but I just feel like it not very normal)!

I always get frustrated with how my pictures turn out for the recipes I make, so it sometimes stops me from blogging.  But just know that even though these aren't the greatest pictures, the soup is really good.  So, just don't focus on the pictures - the soup is real good.

^^Add in the chipotles!^^

^^Add in a splash of cream.^^

Recipe from Life{in}Grace.

Chicken Chipotle Pumpkin Barley Soup

• 2 T. butter and 2 T. olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 large carrot, sliced (I probably do about 1 cup)
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 boxes of good chicken stock
• 1 - 14 oz. can of pumpkin puree
• 3 c. cooked & shredded chicken
• 1/2 c. barley
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 2-3 T. honey
• 1-2 t. chipotles chopped very fine (they come in a small can in the Mexican section at the store and are packed in a heavy sauce) - they have a lot of heat so be cautious
• 1 c. sour cream or greek yogurt
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. To begin, saute the veggies in the oil and butter until carrots are almost tender. 
2. Always salt as you go along and then adjust the salt at the end.  Don’t wait till the very end to add salt or your dish will lack a depth of flavor. 
3. Add garlic after the veggies have cooked about 5 minutes.
4. Then add chicken stock, pumpkin, chicken, barley and all the spices. 
5. Cook at medium to high heat for about 45 minutes to an hour or until barley is tender. 
6. Turn heat down to simmer. Add sour cream or yogurt and whisk so that no lumps remain and then add cream. 
7. Taste and reseason. If you need to, add more honey to balance the heat of the chipotles, but DON’T leave out the chipotles. The smokey flavor makes the soup. It just wouldn’t be the same without them! Enjoy!

^^My roommate helping me to get a fun picture!^^

P.S.  I always get frustrated with how my pictures turn out for the recipes I want to blog, so it sometimes stops me from blogging.  But just know that even though these aren't the greatest pictures, the soup is really good:)