Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
so long and thanks for all the fish
i'm feeling a tad exposed, so it's time to relocate.
moni, nat, kepa,cmae - i'll let you know where to find me
and if you were just lurking along, i hope you can find your way to me again
moni, nat, kepa,cmae - i'll let you know where to find me
and if you were just lurking along, i hope you can find your way to me again
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Cookies!
Since I am a cook, I've decided to make three types of cookies from a basic recipe.
1. Chocolate chip cookies
2. Chocolte chip walnut cookies (add pan toasted walnuts)
3. Spicy chocolate chocolate chip pistachio cookies (add cocoa powder, cinnamon, smoked chipotle powder and dry roasted pistachios)
Here's the basic recipe (from Cook's Illustrated):
2 1/8 cups bleached all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup light brown sugar , 7 ounces
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1–2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips
3. Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and, with jagged surfaces exposed, join halves together at their base, again forming a single cookie, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface. Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.)
4. Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.)
Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.
Makes 1 1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies
1. Chocolate chip cookies
2. Chocolte chip walnut cookies (add pan toasted walnuts)
3. Spicy chocolate chocolate chip pistachio cookies (add cocoa powder, cinnamon, smoked chipotle powder and dry roasted pistachios)
Here's the basic recipe (from Cook's Illustrated):
2 1/8 cups bleached all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup light brown sugar , 7 ounces
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1–2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips
3. Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and, with jagged surfaces exposed, join halves together at their base, again forming a single cookie, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface. Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.)
4. Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.)
Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.
Makes 1 1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies
Saturday, March 15, 2008
A Sad State of Affairs
I have to state for the record that I have not done a lot of baking in my life. I am primarily a cook. Now, it's not that I can't bake...it's just that I don't do much of it.
However, I am making cookies as a treat for a meeting next week. Instead of printing out a recipe, I've decided to go with old faithful....the recipe that comes on the back of the yellow bag. Now, even though I'm not a baker, I know that some things make a difference (unsalted vs. salted butter, butter vs. margarine, light brown sugar vs. dark brown sugar) and the back of the yellow bag doesn't specify these things.
So what's a chick to do? Well, stand in the aisle and ask women of a certain age for advice. Here's where it gets pathetic.
Not a single woman of a certain age...or a woman of my age (including mothers) could tell me if I should use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar. Because none of these ladies baked cookies - ever. In fact, they all told me that when they wanted cookies, they broke open the refrigerated package.
Fortunately, I was able to get in touch with my sister, a most awesome baker, and she was able to help me out.
However, I am making cookies as a treat for a meeting next week. Instead of printing out a recipe, I've decided to go with old faithful....the recipe that comes on the back of the yellow bag. Now, even though I'm not a baker, I know that some things make a difference (unsalted vs. salted butter, butter vs. margarine, light brown sugar vs. dark brown sugar) and the back of the yellow bag doesn't specify these things.
So what's a chick to do? Well, stand in the aisle and ask women of a certain age for advice. Here's where it gets pathetic.
Not a single woman of a certain age...or a woman of my age (including mothers) could tell me if I should use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar. Because none of these ladies baked cookies - ever. In fact, they all told me that when they wanted cookies, they broke open the refrigerated package.
Fortunately, I was able to get in touch with my sister, a most awesome baker, and she was able to help me out.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Nice to see ya
I'm back from my hiatus. It's been rather interesting around here lately and I haven't had the energy to blog.
But now, I'm back and glad to see ya.
Nothing much to report from the Jersey front...except that the St. Patty's Day parade is this weekend. No, the calendar is not wrong. Yes, I got the date right. So why is the St. Patty's Day parade this weekend? Because nobody wants to compete with the NYC celebrations.
Yeah, I'm not Irish, Catholic or a big drinker...so I'm not sure that it's really that important to me that the parade is this weekend. Just thought I'd share
But now, I'm back and glad to see ya.
Nothing much to report from the Jersey front...except that the St. Patty's Day parade is this weekend. No, the calendar is not wrong. Yes, I got the date right. So why is the St. Patty's Day parade this weekend? Because nobody wants to compete with the NYC celebrations.
Yeah, I'm not Irish, Catholic or a big drinker...so I'm not sure that it's really that important to me that the parade is this weekend. Just thought I'd share
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
life lessons
sometimes life lessons really suck.
on the other hand, it sucks being stuck in an undesirable position.
so, as much as i would rather not have to deal with the lesson, i'm going to be grown up about it and do what i gotta do.
on the other hand, it sucks being stuck in an undesirable position.
so, as much as i would rather not have to deal with the lesson, i'm going to be grown up about it and do what i gotta do.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Socks are the wives of the feet...
I'm on my way home from kickboxing tonight and am channel surfing on the radio. Until I come across something that makes me stop.
A man with a very familiar French accent is translating random things from French to English....belt, dress, shoes, slippers. Then it takes a wierd turn...high-heeled shoes, bra, tampon, sanitary pad. And when I think it can't get any stranger....he starts translating a ditty about socks.
"Socks are the wives of the feet. They are knitted. They are for big feet, small feet, crooked feet and even feet that smell bad"
Gotta love public radio.
And the familiar French accent...I thought it was francophone African but it turns out it was Haitian.
A man with a very familiar French accent is translating random things from French to English....belt, dress, shoes, slippers. Then it takes a wierd turn...high-heeled shoes, bra, tampon, sanitary pad. And when I think it can't get any stranger....he starts translating a ditty about socks.
"Socks are the wives of the feet. They are knitted. They are for big feet, small feet, crooked feet and even feet that smell bad"
Gotta love public radio.
And the familiar French accent...I thought it was francophone African but it turns out it was Haitian.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Easin' on down...
A blustery Sunday afternoon in Jersey...what to do? what to do?
Since I have no books that I haven't read/feel like reading over again - I turn to my good friend Comcast. Normally, Comcast is pretty disappointing. But today was different. HBO was showing "The Wiz".
I heart "The Wiz". I've seen it so many times. But this time, I noticed a few things:
-How talented MJ was in this movie.: His voice is AMAZING. Particularly when singing the Crow Anthem. Even his acting was good. Such a shame, such a shame.
-The similarities between Diana Ross and Whitney Houston: Miss Ross can't dance. To save her life. She and Whitney are cut from the same cloth. Nor can she act...much like Whitney. She needs a burger or too....much like Whitney.
- Dorothy is from Harlem. Prior to moving to this area, south of 125th meant nothing to me.
- There are a lot of sublte fun things in the movie....the "Don't Ease" signs when they meet the Lion. The Nathan's sign when they leave with the Tin Man. Teeny looks A LOT like Evillene.
Since I have no books that I haven't read/feel like reading over again - I turn to my good friend Comcast. Normally, Comcast is pretty disappointing. But today was different. HBO was showing "The Wiz".
I heart "The Wiz". I've seen it so many times. But this time, I noticed a few things:
-How talented MJ was in this movie.: His voice is AMAZING. Particularly when singing the Crow Anthem. Even his acting was good. Such a shame, such a shame.
-The similarities between Diana Ross and Whitney Houston: Miss Ross can't dance. To save her life. She and Whitney are cut from the same cloth. Nor can she act...much like Whitney. She needs a burger or too....much like Whitney.
- Dorothy is from Harlem. Prior to moving to this area, south of 125th meant nothing to me.
- There are a lot of sublte fun things in the movie....the "Don't Ease" signs when they meet the Lion. The Nathan's sign when they leave with the Tin Man. Teeny looks A LOT like Evillene.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Head stuff
Finally...my hair is done. It's very strange (in a good way) to see it so neat after all of this time.
The experience was a stereotypical one....10 AM appointment and not seen until 11. However, the woman who did my hair is VERY GOOD and VERY FAST and INEXPENSIVE.
It also feels really soft. I had to wrap it up in a stocking cap to keep myself from rubbing it.
The experience was a stereotypical one....10 AM appointment and not seen until 11. However, the woman who did my hair is VERY GOOD and VERY FAST and INEXPENSIVE.
It also feels really soft. I had to wrap it up in a stocking cap to keep myself from rubbing it.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Head to Toe
Eyebrows - plucked
Nails - manicured
Feet - comfortable
Now to get the hair taken care of...and the slow but sure transformation still continues
Nails - manicured
Feet - comfortable
Now to get the hair taken care of...and the slow but sure transformation still continues
Sunday, February 3, 2008
but in this case...retro rocks
About a week ago, I came across a video that was interesting. As I was bopping along to the music, I thought that one musician in particular caught my eye. So I watched it again and again. Then I watched it yet again on youtube.
Sure enough, a guy that I knew when I lived/worked in Ghana was in the video. Derrick Ashong!Of course, I had to look for him on a social networking site...and I found him. If you get a chance, check out the group's site and their new album. Derrick is the cat in front with the hat.
As an added bonus, the video was shot in Ghana. So many memories...I definitely HAVE to get back their soon.
Sure enough, a guy that I knew when I lived/worked in Ghana was in the video. Derrick Ashong!Of course, I had to look for him on a social networking site...and I found him. If you get a chance, check out the group's site and their new album. Derrick is the cat in front with the hat.
As an added bonus, the video was shot in Ghana. So many memories...I definitely HAVE to get back their soon.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I've been tagged
Kepa has tagged me with a meme. I figured I'd get one sooner or later.
Here we go...
1.Answer the question, “What do you expect from your blog?” and try to be as specific as possible. Avoid warm-fuzzy answers unless that really is your thing. Link back to the blog who tagged you so your readers can check others’ answers.
Nothing really. I didn't come into this with any expectations. However, I have found it's a great way to express myself (the good, the bad and the meh) and get different perspective on things from different people.
2.Tag at least five bloggers with the same question.
Hmmm...Monica, Natalie, Lady T, Cactus Freak and CMAE
Here we go...
1.Answer the question, “What do you expect from your blog?” and try to be as specific as possible. Avoid warm-fuzzy answers unless that really is your thing. Link back to the blog who tagged you so your readers can check others’ answers.
Nothing really. I didn't come into this with any expectations. However, I have found it's a great way to express myself (the good, the bad and the meh) and get different perspective on things from different people.
2.Tag at least five bloggers with the same question.
Hmmm...Monica, Natalie, Lady T, Cactus Freak and CMAE
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