Author Archive

I just couldn’t stay away

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

You’re like chocolate ice cream.  Really good chocolate ice cream.  Chocolate ice cream like this.

Some coworkers and I went to our favorite taco place for lunch today.  Some how or another it only took us 30 minutes to order, get our food, and eat.  So as we were walking to the car to drive back to the office, we all decided to stop for milkshakes.  I ordered a strawberry shake, which was a good decision.  Until I started questioning it.

As the ice cream man was scooping the ice cream, I saw a sign advertising their new special: pumpkin spice ice cream.  And then I started hesitating.  I couldn’t decide.  Ice cream man assured me there was no rush.  Finally, I took the plunge: pumpkin spice milkshake.

And that was a mistake.  Two reasons for this: 1) Seasonal items can sometimes be delicious, and are especially appealing because you know you might not be able to have them next month (Exhibit A), but if your choice to have a seasonal food item is based solely, or even predominately, in their scarcity the other 11 months, you probably don’t really like it to begin with.  2)  When you recently made pumpkin spice ice cream with real actual pumpkin in it, you’re bound to be disappointed by a “pumpkin spice” syrup being added to a vanilla shake.

It was a milkshake.  I’m not complaining.  And generally speaking, I try to live my life in such a way that I don’t have any real regrets.  Unfortunately, today, I regret my choices.  In fact, I regret almost every day I don’t have a strawberry shake.

A Month in Review

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

I’ve written every single day for a month.  I’ve thought about food more.  I’ve tried more recipes this month.  But mostly… I’ve enjoyed knowing that for a few paragraphs every day, nobody’s going to interrupt me.

My month in review should be more than that.  It really should.  But it’s not.  Because sometimes, it’s just really nice to know that somebody’s listening.  And when you don’t know that, it’s nice to know that nobody’s going to stop you midway through your story/rant/explanation and just talk right over you.

See how I was able to explain all of that in one breath?  Wow… that’s great! Having an audience is nice at times.  And interacting with the audience is even better.  But sometimes, it’s nice to say something regardless.

You’ll probably see a lot more of me in the coming month.  I still have an ice cream recipe or two to share with you.  And I fully intend to tell you all about Sam’s Clam Disco (or not…).  But mostly, expect me to talk to you without being interrupted.  ;)

A Ladylike Broad

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

That’s the trick of the week.  If you could be a ladylike broad, that is perfection.  … If you can sneak a little broad in on the weekend.  … If a ladylike person says “What the hell are you talking about?”, she should be able to get away with that because she says it in a ladylike way.
- Elaine Stritch

If you haven’t gotten on the Dinner Party Download bandwagon yet, do it now.  They’re teaching me about Little Dragon and how to be a ladylike broad.  Tell me you don’t want in on this action.

So I went to a hockey game with the boyfriend tonight.  And I really wanted to see a fight.  That didn’t happen.  I was bummed.  My boyfriend was shocked.  I’ve told you before how dainty he thinks I am.  I’m not really.  Although Elaine there has gotten me to wanting to be in a way.

Sometimes I look like this:

Cardigan, cupcake, purple swirly frosting, and totally waiting patiently for it

cardigan, cupcake, purple swirly frosting, and totally waiting patiently for it

And other times I look like this:

same cardigan, mouth full of meat, totally scarfing a giant turkey leg

same cardigan, mouth full of meat, totally scarfing a giant turkey leg

So yes, I totally wanted to see a fight at the hockey game.  But I’m also going to spend a half hour doing my hair the morning of the hockey game.  No biggie, ok?

P.S.  It’s not weird that I’m wearing the same outfit in these pictures, is it?  Oh, it is?  Whoops…

Pumpkin Butter

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Betty Botter bought some butter, “But,” she said, “The butter’s bitter.  If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter.  But a bit of better butter will make my batter better.”  So Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter, and she put it in her batter.  And the batter was not bitter, so ’twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.

Pumpkin butter is this delicious thing that tastes kind of like pie, a lot like fall, and is the perfect match for cinnamon raisin bread.  My intention when I decided to make pumpkin butter was to have something to add to my collection of jars on top of my kitchen cabinets.  But pumpkin butter can’t join those jars.  It’s too special.

As it turns out, home canning pumpkin butter is really dangerous.  You shouldn’t do it.  You could get sick.  You could get others sick.  Just don’t.

What?  You want reasons?  Oh… well, it has something to do with the texture of pumpkin and how difficult it is for the pumpkin to reach the necessary temperature to kill all those bad botulism spores.  I read about it last week.  If you don’t trust me, just look it up.  You’ll see.

But not canning the pumpkin butter is alright by me.  Because I have these super cute jars I got from world market.  You know… the ones where the lid is connected to the top and kind of swings around on this fancy metal apparatus.  One of them has a green ceramic lid.  I like it.  I just poured the pumpkin butter into a couple of these and refrigerated them.  I took one home to my parents’, and sent the other with the boyfriend for Thanksgiving.

The recipe is easier than you can imagine.  I adapted it from here.

Pumpkin Butter

  • 1 (29 oz.) can of pumpkin purree
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan.  Cook on high heat, stirring constantly.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat; let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  Pour into jars and refrigerate until serving.

Last Night Jenny

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

You know when your past self did something that makes your present self really happy.  Like the way Past Jenny cleaned her room before leaving for vacation.  That made Today Jenny very happy when she got home from her parents’ house.

The worst part of coming back from a trip is unpacking all of the wires that are absolutely critical to my ability to live life.  The phone charger.  The laptop power supply.  The iPad charger.  Can we say “first world problem”?

But also, I’m determined not to take more than one bag when I travel to my parents’ house.  I mean, one bag for my clothes/toiletries.  I have a bag for kitchen tools/ingredients.  And of course, a bag for wii games, computer, etc.  And then usually a cooler.  No biggie.  But sticking to one bag for clothes/toiletries is no small feat.  I’ve left out pajamas and just borrowed from my sister before.  I also never take shampoo of my own.  But my sister has much drier, much curlier hair than I do.  And she has the shampoo to counteract her hair-type.  The kind of shampoo that makes my hair a little crazy.  I’ve missed my shampoo.

While I was home for Thanksgiving, I cooked lunch for my brother and his family.  I made the easiest baked “pasta” in the whole world.

My mom turned me onto this, and it’s delicious.  It’s gluten free on top of that, and you’d barely even notice.  It’s a super simple baked pasta without any pasta.  Use butternut squash for the noodles.  Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

I wish it were more complicated, and I could post some fancy recipe.  But basically…

Baked “Pasta”

  • peeled discs of butternut squash (or half moon shapes from the bottom)
  • your favorite spaghetti sauce (with or without meat)
  • mozzarella cheese

Layer the squash and sauce.  Top with mozzarella.  Cover and cook at 350 for about an hour and a half or until tender.  Uncover and cook until the cheese is just starting to brown.  Just like that.