Boozed up cherries Saturday, October 02, 2010
From here on out I'm not going to comment on my inability to write regularly. I know with my schedule right now it's probably just not going to be possible. I'm out of the house by 9am and I'm never home before 9:30 a least 3 nights a week, by Thursday I all I want to do is sit like a lump on the couch. And often that is exactly what I do, my brain has turned to mush and making dinner seems impossible. Which is why last week I tore into an entire bag of Archer Farms Blue Corn Tortilla Chips and a whole jar of salsa. That was it, nothing else for dinner.It seems planning right now is essential to my life, if I don't think ahead and plan meals it means I'm either forgetting to eat until I realize I've got the full on low-blood sugar shakes and am light headed or I'm having to compromise and eat something quick and not so good for my waistline. And lets be honest, I need those extra calories for beer and custard consumption- wasting them on shitty convenience food is a crime against Wisconsin's many culinary delights.
This week I'm trying a new plan- on Sunday (tomorrow) I'll be making a big casserole from the most recent Eating Well and then portioning it out for meals during the week. Perhaps even freezing some of it so I can pull it out for those weeks when I fail at life. I also need to make a couple of really awesome soups and freeze those, but that will have to be next weekend as I've totally run out of time this weekend.
This summer while I was staying at my parents I halved some cherries and made a simple syrup and threw in some booze (two jars were rum another two were vanilla vodka). I sort of winged the recipe after pursuing some online, then I canned them up and passed out some as gifts for helping me move and such. I did keep one jar for myself and sweet baby am I glad I did. These little vanilla vodka cherry bombs are amazing, I tried them a couple of different ways- one with just seltzer water. Sort of very grown up cherry soda, and while it was good I really thought that they were the best of best in Coke. Cherry Vanilla Vodka Coke. Hello, you are delicious.
I know cherries aren't really in season but I feel I should share anyways:
Boozed Up Cherries
- 2 lbs of pitted and halved cherries
- 2 cups of sugar
- 2 cups of water
- bottle of vanilla vodka
- canning jars, rings, lids (sterilized)
Bring the water and sugar up to boil on the stove top and once hot and the sugar is dissolved turn off (basic simple syrup). Fill the jars with the halved cherries about 3/4 the way full, fill 1/3 of the way with simple syrup, fill the rest of the 2/3 with vanilla vodka.
Then follow standard canning procedures. Wipe down the edges of the jars, place lids and rings and tighten. Then place in a boiling water bath and process for 7-9 minutes. Remove from hot water and allow to cool. Check to make sure they've "popped" and sealed correctly or re-process them.
Again, please use proper techniques when canning- which are easily look-up-able online.
Then placed these lovely jeweled babies on the shelf and crack them open and make up a boozy cocktail after a very long week. When you sigh in happiness you'll know why these are becoming a regular in my canning rotation.
Labels: Awesomeness, drinking, food
Wisconsite at last. Tuesday, August 31, 2010
So here it is, three months and nary a peep from me. I've become the most craptastic blogger in all the land.One would think that an entire summer of fun would provide me with endless opportunities to post about whatever fun thing I was doing but instead I failed to write at all. Photos, yes- there are tons and tons of evidence of me having fun. Riding rollercoasters, driving a boat (look at me overcoming that fear of boats and water), running a 5 mile race, visiting my sister in law in alabama/georgia, a fun visit back to Athens and on and on.
I have to admit I've started to feel sketchy about posting my photos here because of my intended future profession. I'm considering purging my old ones, just in case any of my students stumble across these posts and suddenly are like "Oh holy crap, look at this post Mrs. Skeezix* wrote about being totally freaking drunk 4 years ago! WHOA!" and then poof! I'm an unemployed teacher.
That is the crap thing, I love the photos (uh, clearly I'm a photographer). They convey the fun in a way that words sometimes can't. I'm also epically lazy and photos are an easy way to bulk up a lame or boring entry. I have some time to get make a decision.
But that means that I've actually started grad school! Hurrah! It's a week and half into classes and I'm enjoying being back in the swing of things. Class is really interesting and possibly a little overwhelming at times when I think about all the stuff I'll actually have to do once I get into a classroom.
Oh Milwaukee though, I'm loving it so. There is an excellent little tiki bar around the corner from my apartment (and I mean around the corner), I've ended up there almost every weekend since I moved into town. It's cute and hip and the drinks are crazy strong.
I've hit a couple of the breweries in town and sampled some delicious Wisconsin beer plus had my very first cheese curds (oh love). There are still plenty of breweries to hit up and I can't wait to get rolling. I've had a couple of visitors already, a friend who moved to Wisconsin came for a visit and then a friend from Athens who was in town on business. Really! It felt like a little piece of Athens-home here in my new place.
Keep your fingers crossed for me though, I need to find a job and it's been slow going. Which of course is stressing me out more than a touch, I'm paranoid because I've been having to spend money on school supplies and feel like I'm burning through my reserves faster than I planned.
*I realized after I posted this I made myself a "Mrs." I promise I did not have some quickie wedding in all the fun things I did this summer. I'm not sure why I bloody wrote that but it's funny and thus I'm leaving it.
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, drinking, Milwaukee, photos, school
Learning to relax again Tuesday, June 01, 2010
So during my first full day of unemployment I ran, biked, laid out in the sun, knitted while listening to NPR (outside), read some and then took another bike ride and organized some of my knitting needles (whoa boy, organizing knitting needles? That is exciting stuff right there- isn't it?)Seriously.
Kind of sounds awesome, doesn't it? Well, perhaps not the part about organizing knitting needles.
It was, but honestly- I've been running full tilt for the last 2 months that all this time off I'm not entirely sure how to handle it anymore. For example, two weeks ago I was in Florida for 4 days for work, home for one, drove to Cleveland and back in less than 24 hours, packed a bunch boxes, went to my going away party, and had a house guest. All those things in 7 days.
Now I know I should be exhausted, and I am a bit...but I had Sunday and Monday of this week to do very little and so by today I was just ready to bust on out and do stuff.
Perhaps I should recap moving? Eh, it was moving- same as it ever is...too much crap and by 6pm that night I was just throwing shit away. Every single hanger I owned, a whole bottle of bleach, random cake boards I'd never used, old duplicate photos, a storage bin I'd had since I was 18, etc. There just wasn't room for them and they are all things easily replaced. My storage until was packed to the ceiling, my dad's car was filled with my stuff and so was my car. WHY do I have so much fucking shit? WHY?
I'm hoping to get every penny of my deposit back, and my mom was a champ at the cleaning of the apartment and it looked great. I'll need every penny to fund my unemployed summer of laziness plus a deposit on an apartment in Milwaukee and then paying the rent and utilities until I get on feet. Oh and money to buy food would be nice.
I'm not so secretly hoping that with all this free time I'll really get in some good bike rides and running, by the time the summer is over I'll have really amazing calves and thigh muscles. Then of course I'll have to figure out how to deal with the slow return of my regular body once I lose a majority of my free time due to a job and classes in the fall.
But I will know that for one glorious summer when I was 30 my calves were at their most athletically awesomest.
Labels: Awesomeness, bike, cleveland, knitting, reading, running, school
Changes are coming like a freight train Monday, May 03, 2010
How does it happen that I've failed to write for so long? I can't explain it, I've started to write things countless time and then something stops me dead in my tracks (ooh, look at that shiny object over there...wanders away from the computer.)But here I am again, writing another entry- hopefully to completion.
There is news in the land of the Saucy Trollop. Big news. I handed in my resignation at work and my last day will be May 28th.
Oh. My. God.
I'm heading back to school in the fall to get my teaching license and my masters. It's absolutely terrifying. And exciting. And then terrifying again.
The reason I'm leaving so soon is because my lease on my apartment is up on June 1st, and my new school is in Milwaukee. So for the time being I'll be tossing my stuff in storage for part of the summer and then staying with my parents in Cleveland and visiting my brother in Alabama too. I'm aiming for a August 1st arrival date in Milwaukee, which gives me three weeks before school starts to get settled in and find a damn job. I need to work, my student loans won't cover my living expenses and my classes are built in such a way that I don't have to be in class all day. Plus living in a cardboard box under a bridge would be fucking hard in the middle of winter which would be the result of me not finding a job.
This whole thing is a good thing, I've been needing a change for a while and I know in my heart it is the right move but that doesn't mean that without the slightest bit of provication that I don't burst into tears. Lots and lots of tears. I go in fits and starts, I'll be fine for a while and then all of the sudden it will hit me that I'm leaving this place I've called home for so very long. It's been 6.5 years that I've lived here as a non-college adult and then another 4 for undergrad so almost 11 years in total. My friends here are awesome, the community is amazing. It's impossibly hard to say goodbye to it all.
My poor, long suffering sister has had to bear the brunt of my crying. That woman deserves a bloody medal.
I've mentioned before when I get stressed my stomach goes haywire, I lose my appetite- sometimes I throw up. It is like it turns into a Celtic knot of discontent. I am fairly sure I thoroughly worried my parents this weekend because the sum total of my food that I consumed in their presence wouldn't keep a tit mouse alive (yes, I just said tit mouse- because I'm 13 and it's funny). For those who know me this is absolutely not my usual modus operandi. I love food. I love to eat. Granted earlier in the week I was eating everything that wasn't nailed down (thanks PMS), but on Thursday a switch flipped and poof! angry gut and no appetite.
Which is a pisser because my parents took me out to eat a totally awesome restaurant in Cleveland and I had maybe 5 bites of my amazingly delicious food. Do you live in Cleveland? Please go to Lopez on Lee and eat some of their Iron Chef Guacamole. It is absolutely to die for.
Christ the way this post is going everyone is going to have the impression that I'm not really excited about this move. But I am, I swear. Right now it's just the stress is foremost in my mind and thus taking up 90% of my computing power.
Milwaukee is awesome, the beer. The cheese. The people. A whole new world is waiting for me, and that is an amazing thing.
Just breathe.
Labels: apartment, Awesomeness, cleveland, Milwaukee, school
WTF Potluck Friday, February 26, 2010
I know everyone is desperate to know what I decided to do about my cell phone...I went with Verizon and the Droid Eris. So far so good, a few hiccups with it's fancy-ass-ness. But I've successfully sent texts, photos and made calls. I have also managed to be on the phone with my sister, put her on hold, call my mother, hang up on her, call her back, hang up again and then call my friend, hanging up on her- and finally hanging up on my sister (who was on hold). All in the span of 30 or seconds. It was spectacular.Last weekend I spent the snow behind for a meet up of internet nerd friends. We've all been posting online in some iteration of our message board for damn near 10 years (some less than that- fresh meat and all that jazz). It was probably the best time I've had in years, so much laughter and hilariousness. It's mind boggling that we've all shared so much over the years (weddings, divorces, babies, deaths, moves, graduations, etc) and not all of us have met. I honestly think my abs may have given up by Sunday because of all the laughter.
One the best parts of the weekend was our amazing WTF Potluck. Over the years we've discussed various regional dishes- the sorts of things one finds in church cookbooks. Things that sound dubious in nature but actually are extremely tasty. In order to win over the doubters it was time to make those dishes and share them with the group. Top of the WTF list was the 7 Layer Salad. In case you are unaware it is a salad of lettuce (iceburg only), cauliflower (or broccoli), peas, cheese, bacon, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. It sounds horrifying but it is great- the mayo layer is provides the salad dressing. I promise it is delicious.
Other contributions include Grilled Stickies from State College, Pa. Which is a breakfast cake/bread that you butter and heat in a pan. It is warm, cinnamony goodness. A classic taco dip, cream cheese covered in chili sauce, beer cheese dip that was amazing. It actually tasted like beer and cheese, I feel most dips of this nature are lacking in the actual beer flavor. Also there was a velveta corn macaroni casserole and the ever classic Hanky Panks. Cheesy beef and sausage on rye toasts, they aren't pretty but they are tasty. And even good cold.
Some other highlights of the weekend included pictionary that went slightly pervy and got very loud, laying in bed giggling like a bunch of school girls over a hilarious joke- laughing so hard the bed was shaking, our walk through the park where we basically looked like a gang of ladies, convincing our host to take us to Bojangles for breakfast, a deep and involved discussion of what a Hurdy Gurdie is, and a hilarious diatribe about solar sun panels and Rascal wheelchairs.
I'm sure some of the above things will make very little sense but I still bust up laughing every time I think about my friend pointing at me and saying "YOU! You will make canned tomatoes!" when discussing her plan if the U.S. government should fall and we are thrown into chaos.
I could really go for a Grilled Stickie right now.
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, drinking, drunken shenanagans, food
Down the rabbit hole Thursday, October 29, 2009
I can now check a whole 'nother round of things off my to-do list: take a last minute long weekend to see a man, eat some cheesecurds, drink out of a boot. Yes, I'm living my life like a character from The Bucket List. At some point this last year I realized, what the fuck am I waiting for? Hence the jumping out of a plane, trip to England and Ireland and now an impromptu visit to see a guy I used to date. He knew I was coming, it was like a sneak attack or stalking- I promise.It has always sounded deliciously romantic and straight out of the movies to make last minute plans and jump on a plane to go see someone. It was exciting and fun, and as a bonus I only had 3! days to worry about whether or not I looked cute enough or if my ass has grown since the last time I saw him (it has) and he'll be horrified (if it did he didn't act like it).
As a friend pointed out this was like an Alice in Wonderland trip, everything seemed to have an oversized theme to it. First there was the oversized chair we sat in at Lake Mendota Terrace, the giant ostrich egg I bought at the farmers market (because who could pass a thing like that up? Not I.) to the enormous boot of beer at The Essen House. Apparently everything is bigger in Wisconsin, who knew?
To back things up a bit, I had to get up ridiculously early and so by about 6:45am I was sitting in the Chicago airport getting some breakfast- I asked for a cup of tea and shot of whiskey, a classic hot toddy. The waiter looked completely horrified, like i had just told him I like to hang puppy dogs by their tails. First off I had a scratchy throat from breathing dry airplane air and I thought a drink my calm my fluttering stomach. So the waiter haughtily informs me that it is entirely too early for him to serve me alcohol and walks off. Whatever dude, fuck you.
Now when I get to Milwaukee I had about an hour to kill so I try again, this time I start chatting with the bartender and relay my story of getting shot down in Chicago. She pats my hand and says "Honey, this is Wisconsin, we love to drink." as she is serving up my bourbon on the rocks. Guess what, I didn't get tipsy it just slowed down my nervous mind and from then on out I was golden.
The nerves were completely unfounded because even with the two years since we'd seen each other last it was just fine. I think he was doing his damnest to prove to me that Madison was the awesomest since he's been touting in emails since he moved there. I have to say he's a damn fine tour guide (in addition to being damn fine), I got to see both terraces (Madison is flanked by to big lakes), the capitol building, the farmers market, 2 breweries, an apple farm and then other random assorted sites. I drank a ridiculous amount of beer, ate cheese curds, part of an ostrich egg, a burger that had bacon, beef AND and bratwurst on a pretzel bun and watched my beloved Browns get their asses kicked by Green Bay. Ok, so that last part wasn't awesome, but I'm a Cleveland fan- disappointment runs in our blood.
It is possible that I fell a little bit in love with Madison*.
Really, how could I not?
*Ok, I realize that I said the exact same thing about Ireland- but Ireland and I are full blown in love, Madison and I need to get to know each other a little better before proper declarations are made.
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, dating, drinking, drunken shenanagans, vacation
Getting there is half the battle Friday, September 11, 2009
Wednesday afternoon I board a plane and leave for Britain and Ireland. This is possibly my first real true vacation. Sure I've had days off here and there, mostly spent with family. Short little trips to various locals but never a long, extended trip at a delicious location.Needless to say I am very excited. So excited it has practically rendered me mute. It's like all the things I want to say about it get clogged up in my throat and all come out as "Aaaaeeeeee!!!!!!"
I've long been an Anglophile so this trip is more than a dream come true it's epic. I'll be staying with some friends in Liverpool and probably taking little day trips all over. I'm a touch concerned since the friends who've graciously put me up are quite the drinkers and as such I'm afraid I'll be known as the yankee plonker who can't hold her drink. I suspect there will be many a drunken shenanagans.
Then mid-week we'll be taking a trip to Ireland. IRELAND.
My personal goal is to meet a cute red-headed fisherman and somehow seduce him. Eventually we'll settle into a little thatched cottage and I'll drink tea (or whiskey) and knit while our adorable redheaded children sit by the peat fire.
Entirely within the realm of reason, no?
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, drunken shenanagans, UK Trip
So awesome Thursday, July 09, 2009
I'm a shit and haven't written about my totally awesome sky diving experience. Blame my super full social life, seriously WTF? I've been home a total of 3 nights in the last two weeks.So Saturday morning up bright and early with a weird vicodin hangover (my shoulder was really pissed at me the night before). A coke and some eggs seemed to clear it up, and thus I was ready to go. GO!
We got there and did our 5 minute tutorial and then signed a whole bunch of papers saying we wouldn't sue if our shutes didn't open and died or were torn limb from limb or other nightmare scenarios. We suited up (SUIT UP!) and climbed aboard the little plane for our jump. My back was against the control panel/engine so I couldn't hear a damn thing during the 20 minute ride up to 10,000 feet.
Once we hit it, I had to do this twisting roll over so that I was facing the nose of the plane and then my tandem dude hooked up to me- really it's like the tightest spoon of your life and you don't want it any other way. He said "I bet this is the closest you've been to a married man in a plane before!" To which I replied "Well, only a married man." because he totally walked into that one.
Then he opened the door and we stepped out onto a platform the size of textbook. We'd practiced this on the ground and while the platform seems small it's totally do-able, what I wasn't even considering was the wind speed. It's awesome. It takes your breath away and you can't believe that you are actually standing outside a plane with a ton of wind batting against your body.
Then the tandem guy goes one, two, three and suddenly you are hurtling through space. It's the most intense experience of my life. It's hard to register that the ground is rushing up to meet you and the force of everything on your body is crazy. The clearest thought that I can remember having is "Holy shit, these goggles are pressing against my face so tightly! I'm glad I'm wearing them!"
Then Chris (my tandem dude), pulled the cord and it was silent. Seriously, so quiet and crisp. I could see the slight curvature of the earth, the hazy point where the earth and sky met, everything looked tiny and unreal. It didn't feel like I was hurtling towards the earth any more, the contrast between the two was so startling. Chris gave me a set of cords to pull and showed me how to use them and we did a fun series of tight spirals. We practiced our landing stuff, and when we pulled down on the cord the chute collapsed and for a second we felt weightless and a touch of the freefall rush came back. It was mind blowing.
We had an excellent landing and honestly my face hurt from smiling so hard. It hurt for hours because I continued to smile. Several hours later the inevitable adrenaline crash happened and I needed a nap.
We are already planning our next jump (next spring/summer), I really do wish it wasn't so bloody expensive because I'd be doing a whole lot more.
Labels: Awesomeness, skydiving
Oh hi. Friday, June 26, 2009
So my lack of writing can almost wholly be attributed to the fact that I've spent the last two weeks trying frantically to re-finish a side table and bookcase rescued from the depths of my grandparent's basement. The scraping and sanding and inhaling of strong chemical strippers did wonders for my mental capacity. We used to tell ourselves in college that the brain cells we killed were clearly the weaker ones and therefor just making space for the stronger ones to survive and multiply. That theory is total bullshit.Minor setbacks aside, I should be finished with the bookcase this weekend. The side table, well, that one is a little bitch. The first round of stain on the top looked horrible due to some experimenting that went horribly wrong. So I had to re-strip it yet this time around the stain seemed to eat the stripper and wouldn't come off. So I had to sand large stubborn sections forever. Which is probably why my shoulder is hurting, you know that bitch shoulder that has been bothering me for months.*
Yet tomorrow is going to be perfect weather and I'm not going to be working on any of these projects. Instead I'm going to be flinging my body from an airplane. This, my friends, is not hyperbole. I am actually going to be doing it and I absolutely cannot wait. I've wanted to go sky diving for years and round and round we've made mythical plans to do it. A couple of months ago I decided it was time for us to stop pussyfooting around and set a date. This is the year of action.
Full report to come tomorrow or very soon after.
*I finally did have that shoulder looked at and am currently doing some physical therapy. I should be better according to them in mid-july.
Labels: Awesomeness, home improvement
I blame the champagne. Wednesday, June 10, 2009
It seemed to start like all birthday dinners that we have been having lately go: nice restaurant, everyone brings a bottle of wine and we commence with the eating and drinking and celebrating. But it took a turn right about the time I opened the bottle of Domaine St. Michelle I brought.I'm a lady who prides herself on her ability to open champagne bottles properly, hell I've opened bottle after bottle while riding in cars with nary a drop spilled. It's my badge of honor, champagne bottle opener girl. I waited a good thirty minutes after I got to the restaurant to open the bottle so any shaking it would have gotten while I trudged up several hills should have subsided. But as I removed the little metal capper thing the cork shot skyward and of course champagne started spraying everywhere.
I'll admit I panicked and clamped my hand over the top of the bottle thus creating a sprinkler effect and effectively giving everyone around me (including those not with our group) a bit of dousing (oxymoron, yes). I'm so unbelievably embarrassed for bringing the champagne sprinkler to the restaurant, which in theory sounds like an awesome idea, I'd like a champagne sprinkler right now. I profusely apologized to those around us and really do hope they didn't leave the restaurant cursing 'that bitch who doesn't know how to open champagne'.
From there on out the rest of the evening was a bit of tipsy blurr. At some point early on I told the story of the guy at the BMV who's hair looked like a Velociraptor, from then on I would randomly put my hands to the back of my head and wiggle my fingers while making a screeching sound. Everyone would laugh and that only encouraged me more.
Then I won the Irish Car Bomb Race, regardless of what Kate has to say about the matter. The prize? Another Irish Car Bomb, which is awesome. What follows Irish Car Bombs? Ridiculous photos of you and your friends, possibly involving lots of cleavage. Photos that will never ever see the light of day, that is unless you were there in person to witness our tipsy behavior. Because said behavior was taking place right in the middle of the most popular bar in our town, so I'm sure many people got to see that show.
Random aside: As I was walking to the restaurant, up those multiple hills, I caught site of my bottom in the reflective surface of a store front window. I'm sincerly hoping that it was combination of the dress, my underwear and walking up a hill that made my butt look like that. I was mesmerized and a touch horrified, my bottom looked very round and bouncy, protruding more than I'd like.
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, drinking, drunken shenanagans
Artist Statement Monday, April 06, 2009
Lets not discuss my non-training for that half-marathon or those triathlons I've scheduled for this summer. Or my bastard shoulder which I may have sort of dislocated a couple of weeks ago and is still sort of sore. Should make swimming awesome.Instead I want to share with you all my 12 year old nephew's artist statement from a recent art show he was chosen for. Please keep in mind that a good portion of the time he acts like octogenarian:
For me, drawing and painting are nothing new. I have, for years, kept journal of art work and some page-long descriptions of them. Having three sisters in the same house can get hectic, so I often find myself locked in my room drawing, looking for inspiration or simply reading a book. Most of inspiration comes from family members, books, clouds, just about everywhere. This art work came to me from my bedroom window. There are three trees. At night when the light and horizon are just right, this is how it looks from my perspective. The tree in the middle is the tallest, and the other two are like children. When they are no in silhouette, they are abundant in cardinals, bluebirds and hummingbirds.
-James
Isn't he totally awesome?
Labels: Awesomeness, lazy, running, triathlon
Trippy Cake Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I have to admit I'm very proud of this cake, if only for it's eye popping decorating job(even though it's not as perfect as I wanted it to be). My coworker had a major birthday today and he absolutely loves M&Ms, has a bag of them every afternoon. He's also a big fan of southern cooking so I made the cake red velvet with cream cheese frosting.
I followed Smitten Kitchen's Red Velvet recipe with a couple of modifications...I only used two pans instead of the three she recommends. Also, I definitely doubled the frosting recipe (omitting one cup of sugar- so 5 cups instead of 6).
The decorating took about a bag and half of M&Ms (the medium size bag). Be forewarned though, those bastards at Mars didn't put in equal amounts of each color. My bags where disproportionately heavy on the orange and blue M&Ms, and light on the rest of the colors which made the decorating a bit more tricky.
On the whole it was a resounding success, everyone was super in love with it and tons of compliments and such. Unfortunately my stomach wasn't playing nice and was being a cranky bastard so I didn't have any. Then again, I'm not much of a sweets person even though I have a raging baking addiction.
Labels: Awesomeness, food, photos
Celt Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Truthfully St. Patrick's Day is one of my most favorite holidays, it always has been, always will be. Today I was a bit homesick for Cleveland and it's St. Paddy's lovin' ways. The holiday here just isn't as important it seems. Growing up if the holiday fell on a school day there was no school, which was awesome. It meant everyone headed to the parade in downtown, as I got older there was the deliciousness of beer added into that equation.I was completely panicked when I couldn't find my Irish cable knit sweater this morning, my mother assures me that I left it at their house though. Crisis averted! I managed to have a couple of Guinnesses (is that the plural of Guinness?) and some corned beef (my head a touch fuzzy around the edges which might be why my writing is a bit subpar). So my Irish heart is happy and content this evening, I'm totally looking forward to homemade corned beef hash for dinner tomorrow.
And since I'm rambling on, dudes who wear kilts are hot. For real.
Hopefully everyone has had a lovely holiday.
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, cleveland, food
Woah Thursday, November 06, 2008
First off, holy shit! Obama is going to be President. Simply spectacular news in my opinion. I'm wickedly happy and in awe.Although when I went to vote there was a problem with my address and those poll workers acted like I was trying to pull something over on them like perhaps I'd murdered the REAL Skeezix and was wearing a mask pretending to be her. Yes, you figured out my diabolical plan...Mwahhahaha.
So clearly I have a posting problem. I come home at night and blankly stare at my computer screen trying to think what I say. Frankly, nothing interesting comes to mind and I end up knitting instead.
Knitting has taken over my life. I'm obsessed. Everyone is getting homemade presents this year and they are going to like it. Damnit. I must have some justification for my obsession, no?
So I'll leave you with a photo from my zip lining adventure, which was awesome. Go do it.
Labels: Awesomeness, knitting, lazy
Pie Weekend Sunday, September 28, 2008
Yes, I'm talking about food again. I should be writing a post about Kate's birthday and how we enjoyed copious amounts of alcohol on Tuesday night plus watched some of them do karaoke, but I'll save that because there is video- which I've not uploaded yet. On to the pie...Something about my family never allows us to do things in a small, normal way in regards to cooking. Perhaps the Irish genes embedded deep inside of us remind us of the famine and thusly cause us to make more food than is possible to consume. I have memories growing up of my mom making enough cookies to keep a family of 6 fed for months, pies were not made by the single or even double rather 5 to 6 pies at a time. Granted we do like to eat, but mostly things ended up in the freezer for later. Nothing like having a randomly shitty Wednesday and your mom being able to pull one of her amazing homemade pies from the freezer. An hour or so later things didn't look so awful because really, pie makes everything better.
Of course I am the exact same way, just a few months ago I was making cooking for my nephew. Why double a recipe when you can quadruple it? Yeah, 7+lbs of cookies is overkill but I didn't hear any complaining.
This week my mom sent me a box of crack apples from a Sage's farm in my hometown. There are no apples that can compare to these, they are spicy and tart and perfect. There is a different apple farm in the area, do not be fooled by them. Their apples suck, their pies aren't homemade (they tell the people in the bakery to lie to you- trust me I worked there), and they pay poor teenagers crap wages. So anyways, heroine apples- my mom didn't take her usual precautions with packaging and they arrived slightly bruised and battered needing to be consumed quickly. I can totally put away 4 or more apples a day, but there were way more than I could eat before spoilage set in.
That's right, it is apple pie time. Oh, and because I've been craving french silk pie I decided to make that too. What? Too much pie for a single person. Yes. Who cares. If you are already in the pie making mode, make a lot. Ahem, which is why I ended up with 3 batches of 2 crust pie doughs. Hell yeah.
First up, Saturday's apple pie. Spicy and good, although a little soft about the middle considering the apples weren't as firm as Mom recommends.
Then on Sunday I made the French Silk pie, my brother's favorite. I've briefly considered sending him a photo via email, but that seems a bit torturous considering he's in Afghanistan and won't be getting pie like this for a loooong time. I'm not cruel. I used a stabilized whipped cream frosting on top because nothing spoils a pie like a weepy whipped cream frosting ruining all that delicious crust.
Tomorrow I suspect my office mates will be quite happy, I plan on taking the leftovers in. Because I've had several slices of each at this point and am about to enter a pie coma.
*I am massively annoyed that I can only do one photo in the middle at a time, sorry for it looking a little long and janky.
Labels: Awesomeness, food, photos
Give me a passle-load and I'll be a happy girl Monday, September 22, 2008
I've not done a food post in a while and lately I've become obsessed with dumplings. Of the pan fried Chinese variety.I can sit down and tear through them, their soft pillowy goodness offset by the seared and crunchy bottoms. Honestly, there are times when I think I could just go face down into a giant plate of them and die a happy woman. But rather than be shamed at ordering a large number of them at one of the various restaurants that serve them I've opted to make them at home, so when I do eventually consume all 25 dumplings I've cooked up there is no one to shame me with their eyes or comments.
Let me digress a moment, there was a Chinese restaurant next door to the wine shop. They happen to make spectacular Szechuan vegetables, delicious and perfectly steamed. So last week I ordered two orders of them and asked them to hold the rice. For a couple of reasons, one being that I try to avoid white rice being that it is pretty nutritionally void and just filler. I don't need filler. I've got plenty of filler already perched on my belly, thank you. So when I ask her to hold the rice she cackles into the phone "What! Are you on a diet?! HAHAHA!" I don't know how to take this, is she saying I need to diet or that I don't? WTF? Maybe she is just making small talk, whatever. Just give me my damn vegetables.
So anyways, my friend Yumi gave me a good jumping off point for making my own dumplings at home. Here is the humble recipe I've come up with that I like most, and everyone should be impressed that I wrote down actual measurements rather than generalities. If you can get your hands on some garlic chives then use those rather than straight chives, but sometimes they are hard to find.
Also, you may have trouble finding a ground un-seasoned pork. Generally I grab a pork shoulder or pork roast and just have them grind that up for me since most ground pork is seasoned or "sausage". Also I found the pot-sticker wrappers at my local Asian market in the frozen food section. I believe one could substitute wonton wrappers in a pinch though.
Pot Stickers
1/2 pound of ground pork
1/2 pound ground chuck
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcester
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
5 tablespoons of chives
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
1 package of pot sticker wrappers
Mix all the ingredients together except for pot sticker wrappers. Work the meat and seasonings as little as possible to get the ingredients combined though, don't overwork the meat (haha, why does that make me laugh. Oh, right because I've got the dirty mind of a 13 year old boy).
Place a sheet pan off to the side with a damp towel on top. Also have a damp paper towel to cover the stack of pot sticker wrappers so they don't dry out. Place a small amount of meat in the center of the wrapper, using your fingers moisten the edges of the wrapper with water so they will pinch shut. Try not to leave any pockets of air in the dumpling. Fold in half and crimp closed.
Place on sheet pan and cover with damp cloth.
I practiced with different ways of pinching them shut, but that was just my inner Martha coming out. I ended up leaving one side flat and then fold/crimping the other side. It's hard to explain and I suck at writing down what is clearly a visual process that I'm unable to photograph because I don't have a spare set of hands. Once you get a sheet pan filled you can stick them into the freezer for a couple of hours to harden up. Then transfer to a plastic bag and you are ready next time you need a quick go-to meal.
To cook, take frozen dumplings and put in a hot pan that has been coated with a little oil. Sear the bottoms till they get crispy. Then dump in some water (and I add a little soy sauce) and put a lid on. Steam away for a few minutes until done. Voila! Dinner in 7 minutes.
Labels: Awesomeness, food, recipes
Forget your self control and Rock and Roll!* Sunday, September 14, 2008
This last week I was shooting on location in a warehouse and to add some levity to the image they wanted someone in the background rocking out on a guitar. In an unusual twist, because I'm always behind the camera, I got to stand in while we were testing lights. Now, this is a blurry blowup (since they wanted the dude to be out of focus) but I rocked it none the lesS.Today, before the evil winds of hell starting ripping crap apart in backyard (also known as the remnants of Hurricane Ike) I took a solo drive in Bernard. It was hot and sunny and perfect, that perfection was added to by the lunch of pulled pork, cole slaw and sweet potato fries (passable by my high Texas BBQ standards).
*This was the saying this evening on the underside of the bottle cap of my Magic Hat #9, which- if you've not had you need to go out and find. NOW. Awesome with popcorn and a football game (Go Browns! Kick Pittsburg ass!). Equally awesome any other time.
Labels: Awesomeness, beer, cleveland, midget, photos
In brief Sunday, July 13, 2008
I think I could have stayed in Texas for a little while longer, if only to eat delicious BBQ and Mexican food. There were a couple of nights I laid in bed moaning because my belly hurt from over fullness. My poor sister had to listen to me go on and on about how I shouldn't have eaten that last 12 bites of beans or tamale or whatever else I had overindulged in.But seriously, that tamale was delicious. But really the most amazing thing I ate the whole time I was there was a roast beef sandwich from this little roadside smoke house Robertson's Choppin' Block. I'm completely in love with it, there just are no words to describe the tender meat that just falls apart and their own rich BBQ sauce. (Le sigh.)
I truly believe that this sandwich could bring about peace in the middle east. At one point I had a fantasy that I would someday get married on the back deck and serve the delicious sandwiches for the meal (with lots of shiner bock). Have I strayed too far into hyperbole? Perhaps, but damnit- that sandwich is worthy of such great blathering on.
And really, I could have used some more of the poolside sunbathing with a book.
Last but not least, the snow cone. These are not the crap pellet-ice versions that are available in the north rather they are shaved ice topped with fantastic flavorings and snow cream.
Labels: Awesomeness, food
Clodhopper Tuesday, June 03, 2008
I've been running, twice exactly. And while my speed nor the distance I can do, 2 miles** (with some walking breaks tossed in there) isn't earth shattering- it is running. Albeit slowly. It's still not my favorite activity and I doubt it ever will be, yet there is something so alluring about running and the cult that surrounds it. I love the way runners talk about how it is just them and the road, a single, solitary activity with no judgment- just footfall after footfall. The runner's high, those sleek, gazelle-like legs, the steady gate...I want all of it. Although I fear I'll never have those lovely, shapely legs and my gate will always resemble a Clydesdale.My Dad has always been a runner, for as long as I can remember he would don his running shoes and slip out of the house to pound away on the pavement. In my younger years I remember the torture he would inflict upon us by making us run with him in the middle of summer. In TEXAS. Our Mother would slowly follow behind us in that massive van she used to drive just in case one of us died of heat exhaustion. I could never make it very long and would eventually end up in the van with my mother. My brother on the other hand was a natural, born to the heat and pavement like it was his destiny. There was no end to the love and affection our Father felt about this, he loved that his only son was a runner- just like him. Some sort of triumph of genetics, while his daughters eschewed the very activity. I was always more of a waterbaby, excelling at racing to the end of the pool lane, flipping and coming back for more. I have the powershoulders of a butterfly-er that I've never been able to get rid of.
In college I attempted to be a runner, and for quite some time succeeded. I was running about 3 miles a day and while this was no great distance to do in one go, it was quite an achievement for someone so prone to disliking the sport. But this was also during the period of my life at which I flirted with messed up eating habits, living on diet ginger ale, celery and one cup a rice a day. Complete and utter ridiculousness, looking back and that time I'll admit I'm ashamed. In the end, though, I stopped running. Not because my body gave up from pure exhaustion or lack of nutrition- because really it was surprising on how far I could go on that one cup of rice a day but rather it was the doctor that told me I had to stop. A couple of months into my running I began to develop the most debilitating back pain- when not running I was hunched over like an old crone barely able to pick up my book bag. Turns out the combination of running and the huge breasts I had were messing up my back so badly (oh, the bouncing- I couldn't bare to have a treadmill facing the mirrors, it was like a horrible fun house mirror except REAL). So I quit and the back pain subsided somewhat. The dumb eating bullshit sort of started to clear up too, although it would take me more than a year and half to fully kick it's ass and realize how unbelievably stupid not eating was.
Then I didn't run again for 6 years, until last year (this time with much smaller breasts thanks to my plastic surgeon). There wasn't any painful bouncing or back pain, although a high impact bra is still in order (ladies, Enell is your savior- I don't exercise without mine. No bounce EVER.) Yet, I still didn't love it and it was the part of my triathlon training I neglected the most, figuring if worse came to worse I would walk it. And I did walk a good bit of it, this year I'd like it to be different. I'd like to be better at running, last year it was biking that I so desperately wanted to do well at and that didn't go exactly as planned. The point of all of this is that I'm trying, I'm trying to make myself a runner. It could end in failure yet again, or just something I can do but still don't love.
But I hope not.
Oh, and to answer Shannon's question about which Tris I am going to do, The Cleveland Triathlon Mini Sprint, August 3rd and the Greater Cleveland Triathlon Sprint on August 10th. Perhaps one more in September in Akron based on how those go. I've opted for Cleveland ones because while I LOVED the all women's Triathlon in Sylvania Ohio it just so far from my home and at one point on the drive home I thought I would pass out at the wheel from exhaustion. Just totally drained, and if I race in Cleveland I can stay the night at my parents house and relax without having to worry about that. Not driving off the road = good.
**ok, I wrote this post before I left for the gym today and I'm proud to report that I've now run three times. This last one for 2 miles (22 minutes) without stopping! Dude. WITHOUT STOPPING. I feel awesome. AWESOME.
The whole time I was running I was like "Oh my god, I'm rocking this. Look at MEEEEE! I'm running!"
Labels: Awesomeness, gym, running, triathlon
Red Velvet, the dish Wednesday, April 30, 2008
I would dearly love to mail you all these cupcakes- but I fear they would arrive a broken, crumbled mess. I think the only solution is for me to make a cross country road trip stopping in various cities bringing you all my cupcakes*. A modern day Johnny Appleseed, except you know, a woman. And not apple seeds but cupcakes. And you could bet your ass I'm not walking.So not really like Johnny Appleseed at all.
But lets get down to it. For the red velvet cupcakes I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe, usually I would turn to my mother's but I couldn't find it and why not throw caution to the wind and try something new. Her recipe turned out fantastically, it was a deliciously damp cake- blood red, of course with a decent cocoa flavor. The recipe itself it is a bit step heavy, but that I don't fault her for- every red velvet recipe I've read is most certainly be-labored with interesting bits (dissolving baking soda in vinegar- mini volcano in a cup!). I also think Deb has hit upon the right balance of sweet and tang for the cream cheese frosting.
My coworkers were the guinea pigs for these and they all declared them to be the best they'd ever had. Commenting on both the wonderful cake base and frosting.
Decorating the cupcakes was easy-peasy, I used an extra large star tip (like the kind that can be found in this set). Then starting at the edge I make a clockwise swirl using a continuous even pressure (hint: make sure there isn't any air trapped in the bag as it can cause 'hiccups' and mess up your pretty frosting). Once you get the the starting point continue the swirl except move it inward and continue repeating the motion until the cupcake is covered. Upon reaching the center pull up on the pastry bag while releasing the pressure. That should ensure a nice little pointy tip.
Practice really is the key, get yourself some parchment and practice piping frosting onto that. Once you've run out of frosting scrape it off the parchment and back into the pastry bag- no wasted frosting.
For these cupcakes I only filled them about 1/2 full with batter because I wanted the cake to barely crest the tops of wrappers. The recipe makes itself makes a lot of cupcakes done this way- about 48. And because I so liberally frosted them it took 2 batches of the frosting to cover them all.
*Can I please take moment to wonder aloud why "bringing you all my cupcakes." sounds vaguely dirty? Perhaps I just need to be thoroughly kissed to relieve this perceived pervy-ness in my writing.
Labels: Awesomeness, recipes
