So I finished listening to this one and I have to say I cannot decide, was it a bad story or just told poorly. It is light on details, which in an erotic romance can be forgiven if the sex and chemistry is off the charts, which in this book is decidedly not the case.
I feel like this is at the heart of it, a lukewarm retelling of a story that has frankly been told over and over. And yet, there were glimmers...
Ironically the parts of the story, which held more of my attention, centered around two interesting, well developed minor characters-- which, if the author had put as much art and craft into developing the main characters of this book, well my review would have been totally different.
I feel like this book would have benefited from several revisions and some working shopping with respect to character development.
It wasn't horrible, in the way mindless TV isn't horrible, but I am not motivated to read this author again.
I will say this-- the narration was excellent on the audio book. I would happily listen to Kristen Potter narrate another book. That is half of the reason I finished this one.
So I paid $4.95 for the book on Audible during their recent sale and that is frankly all this book is worth.
I hate to give bad reviews and I seldom do. I will say, this was a good exercise for me as a writer... I may go back and relisten, if only to see if I can learn something. Where I found myself disappointed and why.
It is no secret, this year we have gotten a huge crop of very tasty local and organic potatoes from Wayward Seed. It is also no secret that I have gone mostly grain free.
I also am the first to admit, that I do not love potatoes.
So I am learning to love them and last Saturday, I boiled and mashed a huge amount of potatoes. I did not peel them. The good stuff is in the peel. I boiled, I drained and I mashed them with some butter and half and half.
I thought about freezing them this way, but decided better of it and made up a version of Sheppard's pie instead.
I basically made a version of keema. I used the spice combo from this keema recipe which I swear by. It is a process, but in this case I let the mustard seed and cumin seeds pop. Caramelize the onions and then I toss in some garlic and ginger paste. Then the spices, then brown the meat. I added cubed carrots to the onion mixture half through.
Once the meat is brown, I added some lactose free plain yogurt and cooked until thick. I would have added pea, but H does not like peas in casseroles. No idea why, he just doesn't.
I made the spice blend a bit milder than I normally would in the hopes the kids would eat this.
At this point. I filled four casserole dishes with the meat mixture.
I used two small round casserole pans and two larger square pans.
I used my large scoop, to portion out the potatoes. So the potato layer would be even.
Then I used a back of a spoon to smooth out the potatoes. I put the dishes in the freezer uncovered to freeze firm, then I wrapped the tops in foil and put the pan in a gallon sized freezer bag.
Yesterday I thawed one for about an hour and baked it at 350 degrees for just over and hour. H swears he could have eaten the entire thing. L was not impressed. E thought it was "amazing" and I liked it.
It was nice to have something already made and ready to bake.
So high on the success with my pumpkin pie, I was wondering, could I just make the custard, which honestly is the part everyone in this house loves.
I also was wondering, would anyone notice, if I swapped pumpkin with butternut squash.
The answer is YES, yes you can just make the filling and bake it and NO, no one will notice if you swap butternut squash for pumpkin!
So here we go...
So I had 2 cups of butternut squash puree. (I explain the process for making squash puree in my previous post about the pie.) Sadly I had no evaporated milk. So I googled and found you can sub sweetened condensed milk for the sugar and evaporated milk in the Libby's recipe. Which is what I was working from.
I prepared my pan. Since this is a custard, you need to bake it in a water bath. So I buttered my ramekins and made sure they would fit in the glass baking dish. (I am a klutz. So I placed the pan in the over and then filled it about half full with water. You can do whatever you want.)
Make the custard. (Beat 2 eggs, mix in squash/pumpkin puree, add spices, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk.)
Fill the buttered ramekins. Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350, bake an additional 30-40 minutes or until the centers are set.
Remove from the oven and cool. Once cool, cover with foil or place in an airtight container and chill a few hours to over night in the refrigerator.
I ate this one for breakfast and it was oh, so yummy. E inhaled one for breakfast too. I think, perhaps smaller ramekins would be better. It was alot to eat in one setting, but eat it we did. Loving every creamy spoonful!
One of the perks of H's job, is he is off and home during the week. With the kids in school, this means we can have high quality dates during the week, presuming we can find something going on and the weather permits. (There just aren't many concerts at 10 am on Wednesdays, who knew?)
When I saw the Groupon for ZipZone at Camp Mary Orton, I jumped on it. The funny thing was finding a time in October that we could go was harder than I thought. We thought we would miss the peak color, but it turns out that Friday, October 19 was almost the perfect day! It was cool, but not cold. Overcast, but beautiful color.
I did not shoot any video, but ZipZone has this lovely video on their website! (just imagine that lush canopy in a riot of red, orange and yellow. Yeah... breathtaking!)
Our guides, Jane and Eric, were in a word-- awesome. Fun. I also felt super safe. The braking mechanism made it worry free, you fly and they make sure you don't hit a tree. Isn't H the cutest in that helmet! (The harness is fashion worthy also.)
You can zip hands free or use the handle. The handle can steer you. (well if you are pilot like H and get the rudder like effect. I just fly and drifted around...)
One of the best parts of this canopy tour is the length of the runs. Two of them are rather long and I loved that. I even took the one backwards, which was exciting. (I only went backwards because the 6th grade girls did it and I mean really... their bravery was contagious.)
I love that they kept many of the details, which speak to the history of Camp Mary Orton. It has a nice feel.
As H says about flying, take off is optional, but landing is mandatory. The last run takes you out of the trees and back to the ground. It honestly is the toughest run of all. (Honestly, the only time I felt queasy, was on the bridges. Not a fan of those shaky bridges.)
I think it helps to visualize the runway, don't you?
Honestly, I had a great time. I plan to go back. L wants to go. It was a great way to spend a morning and then go warm up with Indian Food!
They will be having limited zipping this winter, so check their website. I think a winter, slightly snowy zip might be fun. Plus think of all the cool winter-scape things you could see. They also plan a full moon zip from time to time! Talk about cool.
I give an A+ to the operation and a double thumbs up to Eric and Jane!
I do alot of laundry. In fact my washer is going almost all day, nearly every day. I wash the kids clothing twice a week, especially now that it is soccer and post practice and post game day, Little Fellow is a mess. L dances multiple times per week and always seems to want to her favorite leotard.
H comes homes with a suitcase full of dirty clothing, every time he comes home.
I love my new to me washer and dryer and I have had a front loading washer for as long as we have lived in the house we live in now. I love the concept, the fact that they use less water and offer me a variety of settings.
My one complaint is the soap. Even using HE detergent, I felt like sometimes things were not getting clean and that soap was clogging up the system. Sometimes things did not get clean, even with pretreating and soaking.
So one day I decided to try out Purex UltraPacks. Target had a great promotion and I had nothing to lose, as Purex had a money back guarantee.
After using the entire package of 26 pods or 36, I can't remember how many I went for to start with, all I can say is I am sold. No drips, no sticky mess to clean out of the drawer of the washer and I can tell a difference in the clothes. They are cleaner.
I will say I do still use liquid detergent when I am washing just a few items, it happens, sometimes I need to wash just 5-6 things, then I use a little bit of regular liquid soap. That said, I seldom do that anymore and I think I am going to break up liquid detergent and stick with the packs.
I am also sure this is not the most environmentally friendly product on the market, but it works. I have tried other soaps and products and they just don't always do the job, which leads to me doing a second wash or another soak and that isn't all that environmentally friendly either. (Not to mention it eats up my time.)
As always no one has given me anything to write this review. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this products. This is no guarantee you will even like these Packs. I do-- you might not.
And with that, I am off to empty the washer, again...
When S and I were texting this summer about the wedding, I said I wished I lived closer, so I could help with the wedding. Without missing a beat, she took me up on my offer. She wanted me to use my mad sewing skills...
As a point of clarification, I do not have mad sewing skills. I have, however, over a period of time taught myself to sew. I have a long ways to go. What I would like to be able to do and what I actually can do vary greatly. I also really need to make friends with my mother's sewing machine, which is a much spiffier model than the one I am using.
I digress. So S needed a cute, modern drawstring bag for the breaking of the glass. In case you didn't know and slept through Yentl, at a Jewish wedding, the couple break a glass at the end. The glass is in a bag and the bag gets stepped on.
There are a variety of symbols associated with this custom, but in this case J and S choose to temper the joy of their day, by noting that not every couple who wishes to marry, can legally marry and while they celebrate their marriage, they take a moment to pause and reflect that not everyone is so blessed. (I cried as the Rabbi read the explanation...)
I was so incredibly honored to sew this bag for them. What a wonderful gift they gave me. A chance to participate and create something beautiful for them.
S also gave me alot to work with. She sent me links to bags she had looked at, her pinterest wedding page, and dimensions.
Had I been more together, I might have shopped before the trip to Sarasota, but I wasn't that together, so I ended up shopping right after the kiddos went back to school. I was looking for grey fabric, with accents of teal and orange.
As I texted S, grey was SO LAST YEAR!
I will admit the fabric proved challenging. I spent a long time in JoAnn's searching and searching. If I had it to do over again, I think I would have searched online. In any event, I decided on a remnant of one and a good solid choice for the other. I ended up making two bags, so that they could choose which one worked the best. One was more romantic and the other more tailored.
The tailored bag, was nearly technically perfect. The more romantic one was really a stretch for my skill set and the fabric was a challenge to work with.
They ended up using the tailored bag.
I have to say I was pleased with both of them... It was a project of love and I would do it again in a minute...
So-- what I know you all want to see, pictures and my process.
For bag number 1-- the tailored bag, I used some high quality quilting cotton and some fusible interfacing. Ideally I would have been able to find a coordinating cotton and lined the bag that way, but sadly... nada... I struck out, so I simply used the same fabric for both the lining and the outside.
I watched this video as a refresher to making a draw string bag, which honestly is a very basic sewing skill, that I think all aspiring seamstresses should have in their bag of tricks. It is a handy little skill.
Before cutting my fabric, I fired up the iron and created a doubled sided piece of cloth.
Step 1: Cut two pieces of cloth and place the fusible interfacing in between, wrong sides of the fabric together.
Step 2: Once you have double sided fabric, measure and cut the fabric to your specifications using whichever method/pattern you have chosen.
Step 3: I decided to add some bias tape to the upper hem, for a nice look and to make the bag a bit stronger.
Step 4: I threaded the cord thru and then decorated with orange and teal beads, to make the bag match the colors I knew S and J were using for their wedding.
A peak inside the bag!
I love how this one turned out!! It was technically near perfect. I agreed with S that cotton would be less likely to be slippery, I don't think the utility of the fabric took away from the elegance of the bag. (I also disclaim the breaking of the shoe... seriously, the bag was solid but not that solid.)
Version two was clever and pretty. I found a remnant and decided while it wasn't a perfect color match, it was in the right family of colors. I also had some silk at home, which coordinated with it well. Searching You Tube, I found this video that walked me through the creation of a fancy bag.
Warning: the music is annoying, but the tutorial is worth it. I will be the first to admit, that had I had more time, I think my bag would have had less technical errors. This wedding pouch was a stretch for my "mad sewing skills." Darts and hidden drawstring channels. Also my button whole presser foots was MIA and then once found, the machine and the tension was wonky.
In any event, the bag was cute and while it wasn't technically perfect, it was lovely and made with love.
Inside the bag: I have to say I was super pleased, I managed to make a lined bag... it isn't as easy as it looks and I sort of surprised myself.
The finished bag. I will say the drawstring on this one did not work exactly as I had hopped and I did add some fun beads as well.
The blue fabric is lovely and I have enough left over, that I plan to make a pillow for the newly redone living room.
Having been to the wedding and seen the crisp tailored linens, my first bag fit in perfectly. The second one was romantic and whimsical, but not a match.
I tweeted at the time, if this works out I am taking all the credit and if it was a bomb, I was going to blame Pinterest.
I am pleased to say it turned out beautifully.
Finished dress
So here is the process.
Find a dress. I found this fun strapless number on the clearance rack at Old Navy. It was off white with white stitching. I loved the style of the dress and the stitching work. I also loved the price. It was marked down to $11. Not a huge loss if I ruined it in the dying process. I had tried to find something a a few local thrift stores, but I had very limited success.
Plain off-white cotton dress
Close up of the beautiful stitching.
I prefer to work with Rit dyes and in liquid form. The powdered ones are ok, but I get the best results with the liquid ones. I settled on Petal Pink.
I used alittle over half a bottle of dye and 1 c. of kosher salt.
Then I did some prep work. I measured the dress and decided how I wanted to layer the color. Then I used our drying rack and pants hanger and played with placement of the dye bath and the dress. This took a bit of time, but it was worth it in the end.
And yes, I am fancy. I use a trash can for my dye bath.
See the ring from the last time I dyed jeans?
So I created the bath, positioned the dress roughly 2/3 of the way into the dye bath and let it sit for 3 hours. Then repositioned the dress, so only a 1/3 remained in the dye bath and let is go for another three hours.
I removed the dress, let it dry for a few hours and then washed the dress in cool water. The remainder of they dye delicately tinted the top 1/3 of the dress, just as I had hoped it would.
I am left with a pretty three-toned pink frock, which I have worn a few times already and everyone seems to really like it. I have paired it with a pink necklace. Mom is probably rolling her eyes-- pink is not generally my go to color, but in this case I think it makes the dress just perfect. (Mom was a huge fan of pink.)
On a side note, I wasn't sure what would happen to the stitching. On the off-white dress, the stitching is almost lost, as it is white-on-white. After my efforts-- the beautiful stitch work really pops. I think that may be my favorite part of the dress now.
This is a totally easy fix for a tired old dress or a ho-hum frock on the clearance rack!
Total cost-- maybe $15 and about 6-7 hours of time. (well an hour of active time and about 6 hours of the dress hanging out in the dye.) When I wore this dress to dinner for my birthday-- I felt like a million bucks.
Part 2 of my answer to Allie's cry for help when shopping Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.
I have very mixed feelings about Trader Joe's. Once upon a time, I shopped there much more frequently. My problem with Trader Joe's is two fold-- their produce just isn't that great and their handling of gluten free information and manufacturing practices has been known to be suspect. When I ate nuts-- I was there alot, but now less so.
That said I do like their store. I do shop there. I think they are a great boutique grocery store.
1. They have some real hits and some real misses. In terms of the price to quality ratio, I think they fantastic. There is real value to be found at Trader Joe's. For rice and soups and other interesting sauces, I think you can do well at Trader Joe's. Interesting cookies, crackers and chips-- wonderful. I go there specifically for their plantain chips and crunchy green beans. Both gluten free and yummy and reasonably healthy. L likes their seaweed snacks. E likes their nuts. In terms of dried fruit and nuts and mixtures, their selection is impressive and competitively priced. In terms of gluten free goodies-- well the selection is hit and miss.
2. Wine selection. For inexpensive, drinkable wine I think they have a respectable variety. One of my favorite Proseccos is at Trader Joe's. You can also but single bottles of beer, which is nice if you just want to try something new. Charles Shaw is very drinkable (aka 2 buck Chuck and is great for sangria.)
3. Hands down they have a great cheese and cured meat selection. High quality and tasty.It is prepackaged, but competitively priced.
4. Quality food and focused on convenience.(They have improved their shelf tags. It is easier to find what is Kosher, Vegan and No Gluten Ingredients. This is a major improvement, which I have noticed recently.)
5. Dairy products and soymilk-- a nice selection and a reasonable price.
I think this is what sets them apart and makes them worth the trip. They promise if it carries their label-- it is free chemicals and is NGM. This is important to me. Sometimes I want a Dosa. And let's face it, I am just not always up for the process that is DOSA making. Their dosas are free of weirdness and very tasty. The kids like to have "snack" items in their lunches from time to time. I can feel good about what I buy at Trader Joe's. L likes some of their frozen Mexican and Asian items-- like burritos and pot stickers. Their frozen veggies are always tasty and high quality.
Given my food restrictions, when we travel we often look for a place with a kitchen or kitchenette. We also google the nearest Trader Joe's. I am not always up for cooking on vacation, so Trader Joe's is a good place to get healthier than average convenience items.
6. The coffee is decent and reasonably priced. Want fun flavored beverages for a party, their selections is nice. (H and I were big fans of their coffee back in the day when we were drinking coffee.)
My advice is to go at an off time and just look around. The stores are small and cramped. They cram in as much as possible. I don't think of Trader Joe's as a grocery store per se. You can get interesting things there. For example-- some of their spices are fun and different. You cannot get cumin there. They are a great place to go, to find something different to spice up your packed lunch routine. Write down the items that appeal to you or surf their website and create your own list template. I think this will make the trip to Trader Joe's less overwhelming. Also, do check out their taste testing center. They do a great job of feature their items and giving you practical how-tos. New products will be featured on end caps-- look there first.
Having a party, they have some great frozen items which make great party foods.
Have a chocolate addiction? Let me say they have a impressive variety of chocolate covered yumminess.
My latest addiction-- the bag of fruit leather end pieces-- the leftover bits from those perfect rectangles you get in single serving packages. Yummy. Great pared with dark chocolate.
And their all purpose spray cleanser. Non-toxic and it works. I have used that for years.
I think the trick is-- don't think of them as a grocery store, they are more of a foodie adventure playground.
This post is inspired by my fellow blogger and totally awesome freelancer Allie! Yesterday evening she tweeted: Will someone write a blog post about what they love most at Trader Joe’s
and Whole Foods? When I go into those stores I get overwhelmed.
So-- to answer the question, I am going to break it into two parts-- What I love most about Whole Foods and What I love most about Trader's Joes. Seeing as I love Whole Foods more, I will tackle that one first.
What I love most about Whole Foods: A List of Sorts
1. Corporate Values. I know when I buy something like fish or meat, that the butcher or fish monger can tell me where it is comes from, how it was raised, how it was killed and where it has been at all points in between. Same with the eggs. Same with the produce. When I walk into Kroger or Giant Eagle, they don't know or won't tell me. I could be getting pink slime. There is no pink slime at Whole Foods. Pink Slime has no place in my food.
The same applies through out the aisles. When I buy crackers at Whole Foods, they are food and not chemicals. The rule at our house is if we cannot pronounce it and it is found in a chemistry set, we do not eat it.
This dedication to full disclosure is very, very important to me. I will only buy grocery store prepared foods at Whole Foods. They have no problem telling what is in something and they will 9 times out 10 be able to yell back into the kitchen and talk to the person who actually made it. They routinely make sushi that is labeled wheat free. No questions there. For me this is very, very important.
2. 365 Everyday Value Products If I had a dollar for every time someone gets up in my shit and tells me I am wasting money or spending too much money at "Whole Paycheck" I would be rich. Honestly, all of these people are wrong. When they compare what they spend at Whole Foods with what they spend at another grocery store they are rarely comparing apples to apples. Yes some things are more expensive. A BMW will always be more expensive than a Pinto or a Yugo.
I still believe in investing in quality. I think one of the best indicators of this is their 365 line of products. This is the Whole Foods house brand. I haven't been disappointed yet. Nor have I bought a 365 products and thought to myself, well this is what you get for buying the house brand or the discount knock off. Our favorites include the 365 Ketchup, the all natural ginger ale, the all fruit spreads (fruits of the forest is a family favorite), the garbanzo and black beans, Everyday Value sparkling water and flavored sparkling water, butter and sour cream. Oh bless I forgot to mention the fruit bars, which are like NutriGran bars-- but minus all the weirdo chemicals and hello-- they cost less! No mystery ingredients and no fillers. I think they compare to the brand names that you would buy and again I know I am getting good stuff, made in a good plant by trusted partners.
3. I love that the cheese department sells real cheese. I think the Giant Eagle Marketplaces share this concept, but I can ask the person behind the cheese counter and get real help! They have a nifty little basket of cheeses-- little bites, for the single person, for DIY cheese trays and to try. All under $4. I live for this basket. It is nice to try something and be delighted.
Now what do I think is helpful for the new Whole Foods shopper-- make a list. Do not try to go into the store and take it all in. I didn't and I don't. I shop with a list. I also use their online deals and their in print Whole Deal magazine and coupons.
4. Commitment to change. This makes me crazy, but they are on trend and always trying to bring new products to the shelf. Sometimes this makes me twitchy, but honestly we get into ruts and this commitment to change and new products has helped me be in less of a rut. I like that they do in store tastes and features and they change the end caps regularly. I have discovered non-corn starch powdered sugar and lots of great for me items this way. It challenges my desire for routine, but it has been helpful.
I cook. Pure and simple. We do not eat frozen meals and we do not eat
alot of packaged foods. Those items are expensive everywhere you shop
and Whole Foods is no different. Quality produce is expensive no matter
where you shop. Organic produce is expensive no matter where you shop. I
have chosen to focus my shopping at Whole Foods for the reasons above. I
still go other places. In fact, Whole Foods decided to stop stocking
the type of Silk the kids prefer. I discovered that Target carries it
and at a very reasonable price. So when I am there, I get it there. L is
now drinking calcium forfeited OJ, because she cannot seem to tolerate
the quantity of soy or dairy she needs to get enough calcium. The OJ is
cheaper at Target, for the same product, so I get it at Target.
So here is my short list of tips to shop Whole Foods and not get overwhelmed:
1. Make a list
2. Resolve to try out one new section that visit (say visit Whole Body-- give yourself 7 minutes to explore. Next time visit the deli. The next visit the nut roaster...)
3. Ask for help. They are happy to help.
4. Do not go on Saturday or Sunday. Or Friday night (wine tasting night) or Monday morning (stupid, stupid loud zumba until 11 am) Go at an off time for your first few visits. I still do that. Saturday morning at Whole Foods makes me want to jump into oncoming traffic.
5. Limit yourself to 1 or 2 non-list purchases. This will curb the desire to try everything all at once.
Also it is important to note-- while you can do all your shopping at Whole Foods, most people don't. I do the majority of my shopping there, but not all. In the summer, I am hardly there. We eat from the farmer's market and our CSA and my pantry stock. I also have had to branch out as I have described above.
I also picked up some gooseberries and some black raspberries at the market. L loves her berries and I am excited to back with the gooseberries.
When I got home, I had to fight H back. He spied the beets and had the greens off and those beauties in a pot before I had my shoes off. I took care of the radishes and the turnips and stowed everything else.
H just cooked the beets, saved the juice and sliced them. He is on the road Friday thru Sunday and was excited to have fresh veggies for travel. He loves beets.
He happily busted into the cherries as well and I suspect he ate quiet a few just standing at the sink.
Wednesday night we ate left overs and had a salad. (I can't remember if it was left over salad or a salad I made with some of my haul.)
On Thursday I made fresh juice using oranges (from Green Bean). I threw in a few of the baby carrots from Wayward seed. I cannot even begin to tell you how much better a fresh, right from the ground, never processed baby carrot tastes.
On Thursday evening we had some salad and some shrimp on the BBQ. After L's dance lesson, we had a second dessert of black raspberries.
Friday I had left over veggie juice and some egg salad. We went out to lunch and were invited to dinner at a friends. I wanted to bake something, but there was no time for the gooseberries strawberry pie I had been plotting.
Just as I was going to default to brownies, Wayward Seed tweeting a link to this recipe for a Hungarian Sour Cherry Cake. As I read through the recipe, I decided I could make it gluten free with no problems. So I subbed brown rice bread crumbs for the breadcrumbs and I used 1 cup of Nameste All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. I think one of the reasons this worked and worked well is the beaten egg whites. Beating the egg whites gives the cake some rise, which is always the hard part of gluten free baking. I decided to experiment, because I love sour cherries and I wanted to be able to eat the cake too. Everyone loved it. (Honestly how can they not! Those cherries were awesome!)
Now things got a little crazy over the weekend. The landside started with too much Sangria on Friday night and a busy schedule for the weekend for me. I used a good bit of Napa cabbage as a garnish under my spicy peanut satay chicken, which I made for the Picnic with the Pops. The kids ate carrots for dinner that night and on Sunday no cooking happened in my kitchen. I did make a veggie smoothie that morning using oranges, carrots and beets with the reserved beet juice and lemonade. It was pretty tasty.
Monday was better. I had a veggie smoothie very similar to Sunday's and we ate the peas at lunch. Those peas were so tasty and Truffles has noshed on pea shells for a few days. He is very happy too...
Monday night I was out but H made pizza and the kids enjoyed carrots and radishes as a veggie.
Tuesday was a busy day too, so I am entering market day with a good bit of lettuce left, which Truffles may get a good hunk of and I will freeze the greens for soup later. I have nibbled a few apricots and I think they will be turned into jam later this week or maybe a cake. The left over scallions will likewise be frozen.
I will call this week a mixed bag. Nothing was wasted, but I could have done better. My goal is to better. That said, buying a CSA is not something people who don't cook should do. You have to be home and able to dedicate some time to food prep every single day or I have to say, a CSA isn't for you.
And in my defense. I had planned a strawberry gooseberry tart for breakfast today, but someone ate the strawberries, so my baking efforts were totally thwarted last night...
So this is a new to me artist. Seriously, my BFF asked if I wanted to go to Picnic with the Pops (btw the new venue -- Columbus Commons is amazing!) and I said sure. I had no idea who Idina was, ok, I thought she was a dude.
Once I realized who was actually singing-- then I vaguely knew who she was.
Yes, yes it is true, I live under a rock. I do not watch Glee and Broadway Musicals are not my go to musical genre. (Have they done Modest Mouse... yeah I didn't think so.)
So to prevent anyone from not knowing who this wonderful performer and singer are-- I am featuring Idina Menzel... Enjoy.
Better Homes and Gardens comes to our house, for reasons I am very unsure of, but it comes and sometimes it gets read and more often than not, it ends up in a pile to be recycled or cut up. I am making an effort to look at it more. They do have very sensible home decorating ideas. The recipes are hit or miss.
In the June issue I spotted a recipe for a Rosemary Lemon Drop. I read through it and decided immediately that I had to make it. Now would be a good time to say that I suffer from summer drink envy. Fun and festive drinks are just not my forte. I know so many friends who make fantastic sangria, tremendous ice teas, and great mixed drinks. I am not one of these people. I aspire to be one of these people, but currently, I am not one of those drink specialists.
This Adult Beverage, as E dubbed it, is very easy to make.
Here is what you will need for my version, which is a half version of what was in the June BHG.
1.5 bottles of white wine (such as Pinot Grigio, I personally think it would work with a nice medium sweet Riesling.)
4 lemons
4 sprigs of rosemary
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Peel the lemons carefully. You want to have the peel but none of the bitter white part. I think you could zest them, but I peeled them.
Combine in a pan and bring to a boil the sugar, water, lemon peel and three sprigs of rosemary. Boil gently for 2 minutes after the sugar has fully dissolved and then cool to room temperature.
Juice the peeled and now naked lemons.
After the sugar mixture has cooled, strain it into a pitcher or sun tea type container. Pour in the wine and the lemon juice. Stir and add 3 cups of ice (less if the ice is crushed.) Add in sliced lemons and the remaining sprig of rosemary.
Serve with or without ice in the glasses.
This also works with half lemons and half limes... (just saying!) It keeps for about three days in the fridge!
I do not advise drinking it before you go to graduation parties or weddings or dinner parties. It packs a punch. I tried to find the original recipe on line but with no success. I did make changes to the original and I think if you use a sweeter wine than what I picked, you might not want all the sugar syrup. I would say this is a "to taste call", add some syrup, taste and then adjust. You can always add more, you cannot take too much back out.
Happy Sipping! If you have a favorite summer adult beverage recipe, I am ALL ears, send it my way!
I like to switch my breakfast up from time to time and I have developed the Chunky Monkey. This is great for when I want a bit more substance or am out of key veggies in my Green Monster.
1c chocolate soy milk
1c of ice, less if crushed
about a 1/4 c of chunky peanut butter (or your favorite peanut butter)
1 large banana
Blend in the vitamix until smooth
Now if you do not have chocolate milk or if your beautiful Little Fellow has drank all the chocolate soy milk, plain or vanilla work fine. I suspect dairy milk would work as would almond milk or even rice, although the rice milk I think would make it thinner. Depending on how ripe the banana is, you may need to add a tiny bit of honey. Also if you are out of chocolate milk, but have chocolate peanut butter handy, that works perfectly too...
I know you are all thinking-- wowza that is alot of peanut butter, but honestly, this is my breakfast. Generally my go to breakfast if lunch is going be several hours later. Also, I am not doing grains, so I am finding it takes more to fill me up. Adjust to suit your needs.
The other day I posted about my break up with grain, any grain, all grain, the few remaining grains I was eating regularly.
Let me introduce you to my breakfast replacement:
While it is a slightly complex process, it tastes wonderful and I know exactly what is in it.
The Basic Green Monster
1c of juice (I make my own, see below. In a pinch I have used farmers market apple cider or apple juice. I tried green tea or left over ice tea and well, it wasn't the best choice. I think orange juice would be ok, but I read recently about real orange juice not being so real, so I will leave that all up to you.)
1 c ice (less if already crushed)
2 hand fulls of spinach (I prefer the organic baby spinach)
1-2 inches or to taste raw ginger, unpeeled
1/2 c baby carrots (like 5-7)
1 orange peeled
Blend-- in the vitamix until smooth.
*** variations I have tried... omit the orange and use an apple. Omit the orange and use pineapple chunks. Omit the orange and add in some berries. I tried water melon and I am not sure how I felt about it. I think I should do it again.
What happens when your Sweetie eats your spinach?? Well you get an Orange Monster which is just as tasty, but missing something...
As to my juice base-- I invested in a juicer and this is what I do--
I juice 6-7 medium carrots and 4-6 oranges. If I have apples, I add a few, although the apple juice will turn brownish as time goes on, but it is fine. If I can find them, I add a yellow beet or two. Sometimes I have pears, they work also. This makes enough to almost fill a large canning jar and it will keep in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.
Next week, I will fill you in on the Chunky Monkey! Another breakfast favorite.
I have been a fan of Birchbox for a while now and I have never done a review. Why is that? Why am I more likely to do a review when I have issues with something verses doing a review when I am nothing but happy with something?
All I can say is I am so excited when my Birchbox comes every month, that I tear into it and busy myself looking at all the wonderful new to me make up treats.
I am not one to go to the make up counter and fawn over new colors or formulas. I don't even cruise the make up section at my local drug store or Target. I seldom buy make up, outside of my random purchases from my wonderful Avon rep. (Really, I love their Mark line and I love my Avon rep, she was my mom's rep and she is awesome.)
That said, I know I need to focus on my skin more. I am getting older. When the ladies on Twitter began to sing the praises of Birchbox, I thought, well, why not give it a try. It is clear I am not going to go search out these types of things, so why not have them sent to me. Call me lazy or whatever, I think a sign of maturity is being comfortable in your own skin and understanding what your person patterns are.
I am also cheap. I just don't always see the point in spending more for "high end." At the end of the day, I will cheap out in the drug store aisle or at Target. I also am really loyal, so when I starting the Mary Kay thing when I was working, I didn't always love their stuff, but I had a relationship with my rep and I even tried being a rep. Problem was they changed the formula and I hated it.
So this is what happens when one cheaps out and sticks with a product because of a relationship--
Your 9 year old dancer ends up with more make up in her bathroom than you have in yours. In all fairness some of this was my mom's, but sadly most of it is mine and we have culled this drawer more than once.
So Birchbox. Birchbox has rocked my skin care world. In the 6 months or so I have been with them, I have discovered some amazing products. I have found a soap free cleanser I love. I have found some micro exfoliating powder which is amazing and totally works. I invested in some hair oil which is fab and some at home treatments for that mini facial (aka enforced relaxation moments.)
Do I love everything they send me. No, of course not, but I do love trying it. If it isn't for me, well now I know. If it is, then I enjoy using it or consider buying it. A few things I have given to L for her drawer and others to friends.
I even gave a gift subscription to my sister for her birthday.
I have started a Pinterest Board to track my favorites. (Well share them also.)
I think for the price of $10 a month, this is a great and economical way to explore some new to me skin care, hair care and make up items. It is a nice treat, when the pink box arrives in the mail box. I also like their point system. I can earn a discount by reviewing the items I receive each month and for every dollar I spend, I earn points. Thus far I think I have earned $30 in points and used it to buy something, I might not have bought otherwise.
I love the pink box. It makes opening the mailbox, which is generally ALL JUNK, a moment of excitement. Now it shouldn't be a huge surprise, because honestly they email me and tell me it is on its way and you can track the package. Even still, it is still a thrill to open the mail box and have my birchbox sitting on top of the daily junk.
Presentation. I am a presentation nut. They always make it feel special. Colorful wrap, nice arrangement. It isn't just thrown in a box. Presentation is important. It sounds silly, I know, but it makes the monthly birchbox feel like a present I am giving to myself. Which can be a nice pick me up, as much as the make up inside the box is.
I don't have a single complaint. They provide a consistent and fun experience each month. Customer service is great and they have a handle on social media. If you can't find them, you haven't been looking.
(I do get a referral bonus. So if you are thinking about trying Birchbox, click on the links in this blog post. Or ask me to send you a link.)
So last week in a Twitter conversation it was suggested that there was little difference between "digging in the dirt" and "rolling in the deep." I agreed -- both are equally challenging options.
On Saturday night I went to Agora 9 at Junctionview Studios. H and I have gone to this event before. It is a very nice expo by some amazing artists. I love supporting the local art scene. Last night I saw a work I really liked, but I have to think about where I might put it...
We went because my friend is part of a fire group called Quantum Fire. They put on a fire show last night.
Fire Show: directly following the Fashion show: Quantum Fire presents The Primal Urge
The Primal Urge is based on the speech that Aristophanes makes in
Plato's Symposium. (Symposium means "drinking together" in Greek.) The
concepts expounded by Aristophanes in his speech laid the groundwork for
Western culture's romantic notion of soul mates.
It is the first time I have seen him in action. I have seen fire demos before but nothing like the show last night. It was interesting.
So I thought a song about fire would very appropriate for today's Music Monday.
Saturday.
We were up early again. Breakfast was a hit. When an older British gentleman sat with us at the breakfast table, he asked E if we were going to the natural history museum. E told him, "I like my animals live, which is a zoo and bugs on sticks and pins is just weird."
Saturday was the Intrepid. Something I knew nothing about until my friend DC mentioned it at lunch the day before we left. Located on the West Side, near Hell's Kitchen - it should have been an easy commute. This is the one and only time my directions and transit knowledge failed me. HopStop had me exiting the Time Square station in at a nonexistent exit point.
We eventually got turn around and got on the bus and then on 12th Ave we see this:
The admission includes access to the Intrepid and the Growler sub. We arrived two minutes after the museum opened and left about 2.5 hours later. E loved this. The planes, the access to the sub and the aircraft carrier. Hands on air, space and sea exhibits. I found the staff to be super helpful and friendly. It wasn't crowded until we were about to leave. Just perfect. Well worth the price of admission.
My plan had been to do the Central Park Zoo, but E was tired, I was hungry and there was no good way to get from the Intrepid to the Zoo. We could however, take the tour bus, do the Uptown Loop and end at the zoo. Even still it was a walk to the Uptown Loop stop.
So we began the trek thru Hell's Kitchen to the bus stop. Half way through, E announces he is hungry again and needs to go to the bathroom again. I am beyond hungry at this point, so we duck into Ocha, a little sushi place.
Best decision ever. Very clean. We were after the lunch rush and the only ones in the place. I think I had the best peanut avocado roll of my life. It was exactly the refueling stop we needed, before continuing our trek.
E wasn't thrilled about the bus trip, but I needed to rest and it was a much nicer day. I have never done the Uptown Loop and it sounded like a nice trip. E feel asleep as we neared Harlem and slept until it was almost time to exit the tour, so it was perfect for him too.
Highway near Riverside Park
The famous Apollo! I would have liked to check this out, but E was asleep and it wasn't the time.
A mosque - - in Harlem. It is being repaired. There was a great Halal market just down the street.
Prolly my favorite Museum in NYC. It was physically difficult to not drag E thru there...
We jumped off at the Zoo, but we were both tired and the Zoo would close before we could finish our tour. So I suggested we just walk in the park and enjoy the sunny afternoon.
We hit pay dirt. You can see into the zoo and just as we got there-- the seal show began. We had a great view and E loved the show.
After the show we had some ice cream and decided it was time to head back to the hotel for a rest. I had no trouble guiding us back to the hotel despite my mornings series of miscues.
One of the strange things about the block we were staying on is the abundance of Kosher Vegetarian Indian Restaurants. So after some rest time, E and I headed out to dinner. He loves Naan, so the vegetarian places aren't the best option as their isn't likely to be a clay oven.
E liked the look of Anjappar, which was literally around the corner from the hotel.
What a good call E! It was amazing. The decor was amazing, the staff super helpful and attentive. We settled on trying a Ghee Dosa to begin with and it was the most amazing things. A huge thin pancake, wrapped into a cone shape, served with chutneys.
E was amazed and ate an amazing amount of it.
Then we had some Chicken Bryanini, which was possibly the best Bryanini dish I have had anywhere. E doesn't really like rice, but he loved the boiled egg and the chicken from this dish.
As we ate two older women, obviously native New Yorkers came in and were sat next to us. They looked over the menu, commented that nothing looked familiar and got up and walked out. The next morning at breakfast, E said: you know, they should have tried something new like we did. I found out I
like Ghee Dosa and gunpowder chutney. They missed out mom."
And that was the entire point of this trip. Trying something new. Going somewhere were things are different and having the courage to try new things. I was so proud of him. E is my introvert, my thoughtful homebody child. He would just as much prefer to stay home than go anywhere. But he is embracing new things. Normally he doesn't try new foods easily, but in NYC he ate a variety of new foods.
When people ask me why I travel with my kids or look sympathetically at me or disbelieving at me, that I am traveling with my kids, I think, you know what, if you don't start them young, it is so much harder for them. I was 16 when I left this country for Germany. My first ever plane flight, my first experience with a different culture and a big city for that matter. My first experience with different food.
We live in a global world now. I want my kids to always feel willing and able to say: I tried X and found out, I liked it.
On Sunday we ate breakfast, finished up E's homework, took the train to Grand Central, which underwhelmed E and then took the Airporter Shuttle to the airport. We caught our desired flight without a bit of nail biting and then ate dinner with H and L at the North Market.
It was a great weekend in the Big Apple, which I think will leave an impression and taught E and I both lots about NYC and ourselves!
Primal Law by J.D. Tyler
