SNAP

...CRACKLE. POP. MMMM. (I always thought they forgot the last phrase!)

Rice Krispies are my all time favorite snack. I love them! But there are two qualifications for my treat I swear by:

1. Lazy is where it's at! No need to preciously form these krispies into a pan or quirky shape. I just use the cheater's version. Butter a bowl, sprinkle in some marshmallows, heat, then add the rice krispies, and eat with a spoon. Less work, less pans...this equals more happiness. It may not be exactly math, but it's accurate.

2. It is all about ratio. About 5:1 marshmallows to krispies is the way to go! And it's not a science, it's just all about what you like. And me, why I like marshmallows. The more jittery, hyped up, crazy feeling the better.

Rice Krispies are my anti-drug.

TEA SNOBS

So if you know me at all, you know I have a 'slight' obsession with tea. I have been worried lately, because I drink the stuff so much that my snobbish tendencies are due to set in any day. Thankfully, a trip to Teavana today reassured me I still have far to go. I went to get this cool new gadget to brew loose leaf tea. Now, I am not one for gadgets, but I just had tea at a friend's house and discovered this and had to go out the next day to purchase one myself. Considering how much I drink tea, I just couldn't resist this Perfect Tea Maker.

Now, as excited as I am about the tea maker, I was a little overwhelmed by all their tea choices...and their prices. A little ridiculous compared with my Kroger runs I usually make. They have like 4 different types of chai! I am way too indecisive for a place like that. They also have a "perfect teaspoon" so that you can accurately add your tea. (Seriously??) Apparently it is more of a science than I make it. Brew times and temperatures are way more important than I thought...plus those are different for each blend. I really hope someone would stop me before I ever get that extreme!

PICTORIAL DYSLEXIA

Yep. I am diagnosing myself. I suffer from a case of pictorial dyslexia. Let me explain...

It started this morning. No, that is a lie. This story you are about to hear has happened before. Therefore, this morning's incident must be classified as more than just an accident. Anyways, it all started this morning when I came downstairs and set foot in the kitchen. I turned on the burner to start heating up my kettle for my morning cup of tea. As that was heating up, I thought to myself, 'Mmm. I should cook some eggs this morning.' You see, that is what prevents my stomach from rumbling in church. Not only did scrambled eggs sound delicious, but this would prevent me from future embarrassment when my stomach happened to rumble right when an 'Amen' was in order. Yeah, true story. So after my kettle whistled away, I set up my skillet to cook on the same burner. I grabbed things out of the pantry, cracked the eggs, and stirred away. At this point, I thought I'd be super talented and fix my cup of tea at the same time I scrambled the eggs. But after a few minutes all my attention is focused on the eggs. They are still really runny. And I do NOT like runny eggs. I continue to push them around waiting for them to cook but they are only partially done. Finally, I notice that the burner is simply not on. I had turned the burner off right after removing the kettle, but thought I had turned it right back on. Unfortunately, I turned on the wrong burner...burning the oven covers and some oven mitts in the process. Now, take a careful look at the picture I posted. I should be able to read the diagram to see what burner is being used, but for some reason I always pick the wrong one. It's a curse. Instead of putting the knobs vertical, could they not have put them side by side so it matched? Right should mean right instead of top means right...confusing, right? Well, maybe not to the average person, but if you have pictorial dyslexia, you bet!

Needless to say, I did not feel very diva-esque leaving my house this morning! Martha would be so disappointed!

I'M IN LOVE

I just couldn't help falling in love with my new kettle. I mean, come on, it's a cute apple green and gives me tea. What more could a girl ask for?

SCIENCE

This post is a fair warning. If you hate science, you might just want to look the other way. The nerd that I am (and ex-nursing student) I really do enjoy science. Anatomy, chemistry, dissecting a frog...well, maybe not that last one. And not to worry...that is not where I am going next with my cooking. On the contrary, think pastries that melt in your mouth, laced with sweetness but not overpowering, smooth, creamy chocolate, perfectly whipped cream, truffles and tarts, and the most amazing cake ever created. Ok, ok...so back to my point. I finally got the Science of Baking (from my sweet boyfriend) which is a cookbook that goes into the chemistry involved with baking. (and yes, if there are any of your devout blog followers out there, I blogged about it before, twice to be exact) I was right when I first thought that all baking recipes were the same. The seemingly small and insignificant differences are actually very important. The order of mixing and slight differences in ingredients can distinguish a sunken, soggy cake from a moist, airy one. I hope to share with you the interesting parts of what I learn. And more than that, I hope I understand "the why" by the end and can stop holding my breath every time I stick something in the oven. A diva's gotta hope!

HOMEMADE FOR THE HOMELESS

I finally did it. I finally made black bean brownies. Months of curiosity satisfied. Not quite what I was expecting, but definitely worth the try. I mean I don't know what anyone expects when you replace the flour with black beans. If they say to use coffee...probably a good idea to cover the bean taste. A note for next time. However, all in all, as long as you compare them more to a chocolate souffle than brownies, they turned out pretty good!

Anyways, these brownies were a project for helping others. My friend and I decided to make food for the homeless. And not just picking up fast food but making food that was good for them. So..thus the black bean brownies emerged. Thankfully we had the guidance of her husband for further instruction. After adding a sandwich and a water to our brown paper sacks we headed off to the streets of Memphis.

The grateful recipients:

#1 Meet Tommy. Not one for many words, but he headed off to a shady spot to enjoy his homemade goodies

#2 Meet Michael. He is our cycling friend. Caught him just in time before getting on the interstate. I have never met a more grateful man.

#3 Meet Carl Brown. A sweet man with some sort of head injury. He is a faithful bystander in front of the White Station Starbucks so we knew just who we were looking for.

I'd say our first day was a success! It was fun to be able to feed 3 guys who didn't have a lunch that day. I don't know if we brightened their day, but they sure did mine!

THE GROCERY

So I finally made it the grocery store today. I don't get the privilege...yes, I said privilege very often. Grocery shopping just happens to be one of my favorite errands. The results are edible..come on. Anyways, I had my super long list (it is supposed to last me the WHOLE week) of the few recipes I've chosen to make at home. I tried to find recipes that were different but had similar ingredients and I was off...

I think my shopping habits are now peculiar. 80% of my shopping is done in the produce section. I started freaking out that I was spending too much and then as I was leaving that area I realize I only have a couple items left to buy. They weren't kidding when they said you should shop the perimeter of the store if you want to eat healthy. That is exactly what I did except for the baking aisle, pasta, and canned veggies. I had so many plastic bags of produce piled high in my basket I am pretty sure I looked like a freak. I am still a little self conscious about grabbing whole wheat flour instead of the normal stuff and darting past the cookie aisle. When I didn't have a bag of cheezits in my cart like every other shopper, I started to question my humanity. Normal people eat healthy too, right?

Anyways, I managed to keep my groceries around $50. I certainly wouldn't impress those "coupon moms" out there. But I was proud because I thought it was going to be way worse. I am sure I will get more saavy as I go.

Now that I got the goods, I decided to make home made muesli today. It's something I have been craving since I got back from Cambodia. All the little cafes there would sell it and considering it was cold, filling, and not dangerous like salad...I became obsessed. However, I am realizing making it yourself is NOT cheaper than just buying it pre-made. When did nuts become so expensive? The nuts themselves are the price of the pre-made muesli. Lame.

Anyways, here's my new muesli...and here's the recipe!

A HOT MESS

C
So to ease into my new healthy eating...and before I hit up the grocery. I decided to start with a sweet treat. Oatmeal cookies are about as healthy as cookies can be. And the minimal amounts of flour and white sugar compared with oats and brown sugar gave me just the convincing I needed.

The thing I love about homemade cookies is how simple they are to make. It takes no time at all to whip up the batter. I still hold my breath with each batch because I know how precise you have to be when baking. And I am all about a pinch here and a bunch there. (that is a recipe for disaster) This book is really what I need to understand when you should add the eggs, what you should keep separated, etc. I just look at the directions as a way to dirty another pan, but there is probably a reason to separate bowls. Rules, rules...

I at least know I get close enough to the recipe that they are edible. And that is exactly what they were. So edible...so ooey, gooey good that I ate half the batch because it all fell apart. And we all know crumbs cannot be left. Suffice to say it was a hot mess! But a good one at that!


This recipe can be found here!

PICKING BACK UP

I have gotten a second wind! (seriously, who comes up with these phrases...I never understand them if I actually think about it)

Anyways, my blogging break has been nice. But it's time to pick back up my domestic adventures. I feel I am having a mid-year new year. Well, resolution wise. These concerns for health, diet, exercise...shouldn't they have come January 1st along with the rest of America? But no, it has taken me half the year to muster the energy to drastically change my eating habits. Which means no more easy mac. Gasp.

But it goes much further than that...goodbye processed foods. I have never been one for extreme diets or things like that. Granted I grew up like a bean pole, so there wasn't much use. But I have been a proponent for eating a healthy, balanced diet. Although, in all honesty, it isn't something I typically do. My eating habits have the most closely resembled a teenage boy's over the years. I used to think that bags of popcorn were meant for individual servings. Sharing meant popping another bag. And eating ice cream meant making it through a half gallon after a couple servings. Thankfully a nutrition class in college cured me of those bad habits, but I still found myself eating hot pockets, frozen dinners, and french fries religiously.

So the huge challenge for me is not just eating a healthy meal, but stocking a pantry, menu planning, grocery shopping, and staying within a welfare-like budget. Quite the challenge. I have never had to think long-term about my cooking choices. Just pull out of my mom's pantry the needed ingredients and voila!

So how drastic am I wanting to go? Well here it is... No white flour. No white sugar. I don't know that I can go cold turkey...but that is my ultimate goal. (well, at least when I cook) Everyone needs splurge days!

HEAVEN

I am in heaven right now. I unintentionally made the most amazing tortilla chips!! To think I was just trying to make my tortillas less stale...and not to mention tortilla chips are a rare find here in Phnom Penh and just happen to be my favorite snack food. Seriously heaven..I am not kidding. Heaven for me would have these chips and homemade ice cream.

BRUSCHETTA AND BLOGS

I cooked today! ...although it is so much harder to cook in Cambodia. I thought I was clueless at home...add ingredients with labels not in English and you are setting me up for disaster. This one was tasty even though they didn't have garlic where I shopped.

Also, my friend found this blog and now I want to plan parties like this!! ...and the tiny two party is insane!!

I HEART ITALY

I think as the temperature drops, I instinctively pull out a pan to start cooking. I am beginning to see it as self preservation. Normally I freeze all the time in the winter. But I actually stay warm working over boiling water and a 400 degree oven. Today, I decided to take on the challenge of all challenges..at least to me. It is one of the things I really wanted to make when I first starting cooking, and just haven't gotten around to. When I find easy meals, I flip right past. A 30 minute meal, I yawn. What inspires me to cook...is taking on something that I am not sure will turn out. It is that anticipation of complete failure that thrills me, and actually makes me feel as though I accomplished something significant when it turns out. The negative is when it doesn't...which is basically anytime I do something for the first time...like tonight. Luckily, so far when my food hasn't turned out it is still edible...just slightly chewier.

On tonight's menu was cheese ravioli with tomato sauce...but the tricky part...it all was made from scratch. Even down to my ricotta cheese.

That's right. You can make ricotta cheese just from milk and buttermilk. Simple as that! This was the most exciting discovery. You simply heat the milk until it begins to curd. Skim the top layer and place in a cheesecloth lined colander. Here's what it looks like in the pot...



...and once it is in the colander. I was a little worried whether I would know if I did it correct or not. But trust me...it really is simple. Well at least as far as I know, I didn't mess this part up. Although, I am sure some chef would groan watching my technique.


Then on to the fun part...and my downfall. If only I were more patient...or had a machine to make pasta. I got bored and tired rolling it out and didn't make it thin enough. The uncooked dough is a lot tougher than most that I am used to working with. Having a machine would have come in handy. Or else I am just too much of a wimp. Well, both are probably true...


Anyways, thick pasta and all, I boiled the ravioli and added the sauce. Here is the finished product...walah! Now if only it were as simple as that pictures makes you believe...


It is crazy, though, to think that I just started with eggs, flour, milk, and tomatoes...and ended up with that!

UH OH

I have run into a problem with cooking. It has made me realize how bad some of the stuff I make is. Like for instance I made cupcakes and frosting from scratch this weekend. Now instead of enjoying them today at work...I keep thinking about how many sticks of butter I used and thinking about it makes me sick. Someone at the shower yesterday said that whoever I marry someday is probably going to be fat. Hah. That is true..unless I get so repulsed I stop making these horribly fattening things. Although, in defense of those recipes, they don't use all the unnatural preservative stuff that is supposed to give you cancer. I choose obesity over cancer any day.

Ugh. Eating two cupcakes at work today was a little over ambitious. Bad idea. Now I AM sick.

3 IN ONE

I could attempt to weave 3 completely random things together to create this seamless and cohesive post. Yeah, but I'm not. So brace yourself for the random things that have consumed my mind today at work...

For you domestic diva fans, I finally cooked something yesterday. I burnt myself out after cooking 10 desserts in 2 days in December. This was the first time I have made anything besides Christmas breakfast. And it was nice. There is something about putting on an apron, blaring Ray, and making soup...especially when it is negative 20 degrees outside. It makes me extremely happy. I have decided that baking is a science, and cooking is an art, an art where I happily omit measuring cups and just put in what I want. I may not be free and loose when it comes to my drawing style..but man am I when it comes to cooking. So here's a picture of my cheddar potato soup..of which I am eating as I type. Gotta love having leftovers..or at least no more hot pockets in my lunch.

Lately, I have been shocked so much more than normal. Static is everywhere. A conversation I had actually sparked this thought. Wow..honestly didn't mean for that to be a pun. Anyways, I have been wondering what causes it more in the winter. I thought someone once told me it was because the air is drier. I wasn't sure so I looked it up. This link actually explains in a little more detail why that is true. So interesting...

And lastly, can't forget guyliner. Something I don't hear about or see often because I don't live in a trendy or artsy city. But something that was the subject of a conversation I had this morning. And let me just clarify, for you guys considering it, it is NOT attractive. Just sayin...but apparently this sort of fellow is not repulsive to everyone and happens to be the object of someone's crush. I just know it isn't me. Apparently these guys have so much creativity in them that they must draw on their faces too. Please someone buy them a lifetime supply of canvas and charcoal. Please!

THE PARTY

So the Christmas party last week was a success! It was so fun to see some friends I hadn't seen in a while. And any event that includes a plethora of desserts cannot fail! Here was our 10 days...or 10 desserts:



{1} cranberry apple crisp: the only thing I had actually made before..even though I "messed" it up by adding double the amount of sugar. I tend to forget to half stuff unless I write it on the actual recipe...but with cranberries, I don't think too much sugar is possible...



{2} lighter than air chocolate cake: the first cake I have made without flour...I wasn't too sure how this one was going to turn out...


{3} chocolate peppermint cookies: stroooooong chocolate



{4} strawberries: making 9 actual desserts was enough...this was my filler. plus strawberries are my favorite!



{5} key lime tarts: this was in honor of my dear friend and our obsession with limeade chillers from sonic...



{6} lucia bread: this was one of my favorite things I made..not so much because of what it tastes like, but because I remember reading about it in my American Girl dolls books..I had Kirsten and felt like a kid making it. Also, got to use yeast for the first time too...


{7} white chocolate and lemon mousse with strawberries: this one was my favorite and first to disappear...


{8} chocolate chocolate chip cookies: i am still not sure what to write about these. they were pretty hard, but not burned, and chewy on the inside. i don't like them, but my mom did. tough call. and honestly, i am not sure what they are supposed to taste like..but let's just say they are different...


{9} brownies: gotta have this classic...

{10} angel food cake: this made a great pair with #4!

...and that was it. this was A LOT to make. I felt it ended up being a quantity over quality type result. But it was all still edible...and I have learned a lot about eggs. My first time really doing something with them besides scrambling...and thankfully no disasters!!

Now..after pile after pile of dishes..it is time for a break in the kitchen. And back to working on scarves. For those of you in Memphis...you can check them out at Square Beans Coffee Shop in Collierville! (And don't forget my Etsy page) I set up my little area in the coffee shop yesterday which was pretty exciting. Definitely small scale, but fun to actually have something I made displayed and for sale in a store! Now I just need people to buy them!

A SIMPLE TASK

Apparently, being in charge of the menu is a more difficult task than I anticipated. Ok. Maybe I refused to listen to the nagging feeling all along, telling me that when it came time to make a food selection, I would be at a loss. Maybe I did know all along. Regardless, here I am attempting to finalize the menu for next week's party...and I am horribly indecisive. What in the world should I make?? I have no clue where to begin...

BACON AND BISCOTTI

I feel as though I have reached a new level in cooking. Maybe all this hard work is paying off. Maybe, just maybe, I am becoming a good cook. It is too early to tell at this point, especially with my roasted red pepper spice incident last week. I mean, how was I supposed to know that that's extremely spicy?? Yet this weekend was the first time that my creations were snatched just as they came out of the oven. I have never experienced such a desperately hungry audience, snatching at the crumbs while I cut. Yet, I consider this a good sign. A sign that, hopefully, I have hope as a domestic diva.

Yet I have a feeling that just as I get good and comfortable in my kitchen, I will be shipping off to another country and using appliances that are far from accurate. Those should produce some amusing stories. One of the specialties in Cambodia is dog. Although, I will probably not be cooking dog, I am sure I will have the opportunity to eat it. I love my pet dog here at home so much (probably too much). So I'm not quite sure how I feel about that at this point. Although, considering eating chicken intestines in the Philippines was no big deal, I imagine I will try it. Dog and fried tarantulas. Man, that doesn't make me sound very ladylike. But my hope while I am there is to learn how to cook like they do. I don't want to just hire someone to do it for me, but I want them to teach me how to do it. I want to be able to walk into the meat market with ease. I don't know if you recall my post about the meat section in Kroger, but I have a little ways to go before I get to the point of handling meat markets. Thankfully, I have been to a meat market before, so I know a little bit of what to expect.

But seriously, this biscotti has been disappearing right before my eyes. The only difference with mine was that I substituted lemon for orange. It was so simple to make, and now a necessary accompaniment to my countless cups of tea. Probably my biggest hit so far...

SALAD AND DESSERT

So here I was, so determined to write a blog each day this week. Unfortunately, my schedule has pretty much eliminated that possibility. So to do a little backtracking... Just pretend this is Tuesday. Granted, that is the last thing I want to do during the work week...back track. But bear with me..

So one of the other things that I made on Friday was my first vinaigrette. Sometimes I think that the more challenging, the better. But ultimately, my aim is to not make the most complicated meals, but simply to understand how to make anything starting with the most basic ingredients and building from there. This means that I make a lot of my meals from scratch. It isn't for the bragging rights of cooking from scratch, but rather, I want to be given basic ingredients (flour, sugar, oil, eggs, and salt) and be able to create countless things. I don't want to depend on the convenience of store-bought items, when who knows what will be available, especially as I am leaving the comfort of the United States and my dear Super Targets. Cooking and grocery shopping will be taking on a new meaning.

So my salad dressing took only 4 ingredients (oil, dijon mustard, vinegar, and salt/pepper) and I made it in only 5 minutes. Talk about painless! I can't wait to expand from the simple one I made and try other variations of it.

Last for this particular meal was my fruit crisp. It was made with apples and cranberries. It made a really large pan but considering how much I love any sort of fruit dessert, I figured it was worth it to make it all and not half the recipe. And now, several days later, I am not regretting my decision in the least. Even though it is dessert, I would definitely eat it any time of day...breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, etc. (Pictures to come...sorry forgot my camera today)

SOUP

So it all began Friday...

The pressure was on because for the first time I was cooking for company. Not close friends or family members who will still love me if I accidentally poison them, but, no, this had to be a meal to impress. We had a family friend come over for dinner that was visiting from out of town. One of my good friend's mom. The problem with me being in charge of the meal was that our guest was the same person that has always inspired me with her knowledge of cooking. She lived in Italy for several years, and knows all these amazing ways to prepare foods. The pressure was on!



I decided to make a winter squash soup with Gruyere croutons. My special touch was making the bowls from acorn squash. It has gotten cooler here, so the fall theme fit perfectly. The soup was relatively easy to make. Cutting the squash, however, was not so simple. Once again my arm strength was challenged. (Note: definitely cook the squash before attempting to cut, because even after they were partially cooked, they were still hard to cut)

All in all, this portion of the meal was a success. A lot of it was guessing. I sort of combined two recipes, and using the squash as a bowl was risky. I had no idea how durable they would be as bowls, and if they would be cooked well enough to eat as you go. Could have been an interesting scenario if they leaked soup all over the table. I braced myself for the worst, but luckily, it worked out perfectly. I definitely breathed a deep, deep sigh of relief after the meal was over and all had been tasted. Cooking for company is a stressful ordeal, especially when you are making something for the first time.

MY STRATEGY

...because I have cooked SO much recently.

This week's blog posts are dedicated to the many things I made this weekend. If I were to combine them all to one post...it would be way to long for reading pleasure. So in order not to drive away my readers with inordinate amounts of gory details, each day will be devoted to one of the items that was on my menu this past weekend. And already, Monday through Friday, I have something to write each day. I think this sadly denotes my obsession with cooking. I tend to get this way when I first discover something I really enjoy. Similarly, when I realized my love for tennis, that resulted in playing for 7 hours straight one time. Thankfully, I have such great friends that put up with these quirks of mine. I still owe my friend Julianne for that lengthy tennis game! So brace yourself for my marathon cooking weekend...