different strokes for different folks

Chances are good that if I frequent your blog and you've made something with the words "spicy" or "chipotle" in the name, I've proclaimed my love for whatever you made. I lurve me some fiery foods.

(too bad everything except the two beans in the middle is out of focus)
(eh, they're the most important component anyway)

I love them so much, in fact, that when I make a spicy dish to share with others, I have to remind myself to hold back on the chile powder, cayenne, chipotle peppers, what-have-you. Most people don't have the tastebud/esophageal/intestinal fortitude with which I was blessed.

That being said, this soup was made for me and me alone, so I spiced it up to my heart's content. It was perfect for a chilly fall day.

(brrrrr)

I got tagged by the ladies of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and asked to list five things I'd like to have on a deserted island, ignoring all issues with food storage. Here's my list:

Milk. It does a body good.
Cinnamon. I simply can't live without it. It might even make sand taste delicious.
Chickens. Roosters and hens. That way, I've got a steady supply of eggs and chicken meat, my proteins of choice.
Beans. They're good for the heart, and bonus--upon digestion, they produce a formidable weapon...
Coffee. It's my other addiction, plus coffee breath is another weapon for my arsenal. You always have to be ready to battle The Others.

(Evil Chef Mom Krysta interpreted the tag in an entirely different way, and I must say that her top two selections render my entire list pointless...)


Finally, if you've heard of Michael Ian Black and appreciate his dry, sarcastic sense of humor, you'll probably enjoy his blog. Even if you don't like him, I think you'd get a kick of out his fruit smackdown. The final battle is rather lewd, but the rest is pretty funny.

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she can bake, but can she count?

Apparently not.


I got tagged by the praiseworthy Prudy of Prudence Pennywise to fill out a "lucky 7" list, but I could only come up with 6 items for most of the topics.

6 things I used to do:
1. call alumni and ask nicely for money (unless they got snarky with me--then I turned on the sass)
2. film men’s basketball games--paid to watch fellas play my favorite sport, does it get any better?
3. sort and deliver mail--boooooring, plus there was that whole Anthrax scare
4. barista at a Barnes & Noble cafe--methinks I drank more coffee than I sold
5. referee rec league basketball games--man, I loved the power that whistle gave me
6. chemically analyze wine and grape samples--methinks I drank more samples than I analyzed (no, I'm only kidding this time)

6 things I do now:
1. fly all over the country
2. decide what to cook based on how picturesque it will be on my blog
3. fully appreciate the South
4. go on shopping sprees
5. ponder things like who first decided that sticking up the middle finger was insulting?
6. pull out each and every white hair I find on my noggin (count so far: 2)

6 things I want to do: (in no particular order)
1. visit Greece
2. become a mother
3. compete in a cook-off
4. grow four more inches (vertically, not horizontally)
5. own property
6. be happy

6 things that attract me about the opposite sex:
1. manners--hold open the freakin’ door! (and if I hold it for you, SAY THANKS)
2. sense of humor (a dry wit is particularly appreciated)
3. kindness, to both people and animals
4. faith, preferably mirroring my own
5. athleticism (I don't want to be more muscle-bound than he, is that so wrong?)
6. I like ‘em tall, dark, and handsome, what can I say?

6 favorite foods:
1. apple pie a la mode (cinnamon ice cream = perfection)
2. turkey burger with pepper jack cheese (and ketchup)(and mustard)
3. black bean soup, partially blended if you please
4. Mexican lasagna
5. hummus and pita
6. oatmeal scotchies, which I must never make while I live alone because I will eat them ALL, immediately

6 things I say most often:
1. Thank you.
2. I’m cold.
3. How in the world did you get a driver's license?
4. It’s cold.
5. I wish that stupid dog would shut up.
6. Why is it so dang cold?

Meanwhile, I've made no secret of the fact that I can be darn lazy at times. Halloween costumes are yet another example of that. Here are my potentials:

I could carry this sign around and be...


Yes! A ceiling fan! (That's right--I'm not even using a new piece of paper.)

Option #2:


You guessed it. A cupholder. (I would probably forego the pearls...) (...and that particular coiffure.)

Or, my personal favorite, but probably not appropriate for work:


All I have to do is wear clothes.

What do ya'll think?

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hello august

Gadzooks, this year is flying by. I have a few things to mention, the most important of which is that there's only one more week for you to submit your entry for "Beat the Heat." I've gotten some pretty stellar contributions already, but I want more! (I'm needy like that.)


Now for some other items that you need to know:
1. Our beloved Sam is engaged. Sigh.


2. Do you have an extra $1395 laying around? If so, you should go to the New York Culinary Experience and rub elbows with some pretty amazing chefs (such as Eric Ripert and Johnny Iuzzini, both of whom I've named at random and not because they make me swoon...). Or alternatively, you could give the money to me so I can go.


3. I've received a couple of awards, which always makes my day. Bunny from Bunny's Warm Oven has passed the Yummy Blog award (her very first, and much deserved) on to me! Bunny makes some pretty incredible concoctions in that warm oven. Keep it up!

The second award--the E for Excellence Award--came from cookinpanda of Flexitarian Menu. Truthfully, every post on this amazing blog has piqued my interest. Some things are new to me and everything else is just too appetizing to pass up.

Thanks, you two!


4. One last thing, I promise. I was tagged by Dorothy of Dessert Obsessed (awesome blog name--apparently Dorothy and I have a lot in common...) for the Six Random Things meme. Yes, I've already done it, but I decided I might as well throw some more information out there.


a. My hair was stick straight until I was about 14 or 15, and since then, it's gotten curlier and curlier (and also frizzier and frizzier). I hated it at first and insisted on blow-drying it straight, but it's definitely beginning to grow on me (no pun intended).

b. In addition to basketball, I also ran track throughout high school and in college. My main event? Hurdles. For someone who hates any obstacle in her path, this seems like an odd favorite, but I loved 'em.


c. I've only been to two concerts in my life, and Hoobastank performed at both. Whatever happened to The Stank?

d. I have my BS in Chemistry and my MS in Food Science & Technology. Yep, I'm a nerd, and proud of it.


(from xkcd, a fantastically sharp site)(click to enlarge if you can't read it)

e. I just had one of the best burgers I've ever wrapped my lips around (which was a feat in itself), and get this--it was only $10 and from a chain. Red Robin, to be specific. This particular burger was adorned with the following: crispy tortilla strips, caramelized onions, roasted poblano peppers, pepper jack cheese, and guacamole. After a mega-squirt of ketchup, it was perfection on a plate.

f. Although I had the biggest crush in the world on Jimmy Fallon for, oh, about two months back in college and find him quite clever, I don't think there's any way he can fill the shoes of Conan O'Brien as the host of Late Night. Conan is one of the wittiest, quickest, most hilarious people I've ever seen in my life.


Still with me? Bless your heart, and have a great day.

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the music meme

Friendly reminder (Emiline, this means you!): You have two more weeks to submit your entries for Beat the Heat!


Speaking of Emiline (of Sugar Plum fame), she tagged me for the music meme.

These are the instructions:

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your summer (or whatever season). Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

As you might expect given my tendency for randomness, this is a very eclectic list. Some of the songs are mainstream, some of them are pretty obscure.

1. Michael Buble, "Lost" I just love his voice--my favorite part of the entire song is when his voice deepens to what's sure to be its lowest point. Swoon central.


(Let me reiterate: SWOON.)


2. Seether, "Rise Above This" Rock on, you scary-looking men. Rock on.


I dare you not to be touched.

3. Weezer, "Pork & Beans" The title alone sold me, the video made it irresistible, and the fact of the matter is, it's a great song.


(Watch it. Feel free to laugh out loud.)

4. Sixx: A.M., "Life is Beautiful" Indeed it is.



5. Jack Johnson, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" He's so fun. He just makes me think of a sunny beach teeming with attractive surfers.


(Surf's up, dude. Gnarly.)



6. Plumb, "In My Arms" It makes me sway.



7. Jesse McCartney, "Leavin'" Okay, you caught me. I'm a teenybopper at heart. I can't help but bounce around a little bit whenever I hear this. Leave me alone.


(Can't you just hear the tween-aged girls screeching? I don't screech.)




There you have it. I know this meme is quickly making the rounds, so if you haven't done and would like to, please do. You have my permission.

One more thing--look at what the rain has done to one of my tomato plants:


(We're talking a broken backbone here, folks. You just don't spring back from that.)

I think it's official--I'm a horrible gardener.

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random is a good word for me

I got pelted with a couple of tags recently. Robin Sue of Big Red Kitchen and the Blonde Duck of A Duck in Her Pond both hit me with the "Six Random Things About Me" meme.


So, here goes...

Uno--My eyelids flutter continuously when I close my eyes. It's like permanent REM.

Dos--When watching movies, I'm more likely to cry about the death of an animal than that of a person.


Tres--In my 25 years of existence, I've successfully played the recorder, saxophone, piano, dulcimer, and guitar. Oh, and the jug.

Quatro--I avoid confrontation and rejection at all costs. I'm a delicate (and yellow-bellied) individual.


Cinco--Perhaps my biggest pet peeve (of which I have many) is noisy, sloppy gum-chewing and eating. I do not want to hear the saliva sloshing around your mouth. I do not want to see things coming out of your lips. Keep your trap closed, dang it.

Seis--I can tune into any Seinfeld episode, no matter how many times I've seen it, and thoroughly enjoy it. What a show.


And now you know--I'm an odd peacock.

I hereby tag Lisa of My Own Sweet Thyme, Katie from Other People's Food, Albany Jane of Albany Eats, and Ann of Velvet Lava. Let's hear some factoids, ladies!

On a completely unrelated note, my tomatoes are thriving--bring on that red! Plus, after not one but two false starts, my zucchini plants are blossoming once again:


Third time's a charm, right?

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a wonderful weekend and some love for the gracemeister

Where to begin? How about with this burger:


It was one of the many terrific aspects of my holiday weekend.

Other noteworthy eats include Mambino's ambrosia salad...


...grilled hot dogs...


...baked ham and pasta salad...


...wedding cake (from a truly fantastic affair--congrats, Sarah & Aaron!)...


...and of course, the desserts about which I've been fretting for a few months now:


This picture is all you'll be seeing of the end results. I planned the ingredients superbly, but the timing and logistics were another issue altogether. By the time I made it to the reception, it was a race to get the desserts to the table before everyone was already through the line. I was quite frazzled, and believe it or not, take pictures for blog wasn't at the forefront of my mind. You'll just have to take my word for their beauty and decadence. :)

Yes, I'm happy and very relieved to report that although there aren't any more pictures, the desserts (sugar-free banana pudding, peanut butter brownie bites, mint oreo truffles, and miniature turtle cheesecakes) were a hit.

Note to self: For future catering events, hire help.
(That's not to say I didn't have any help. I would've lost my sanity without the Mamboni, my sister-in-law, my grandmothers, and my future cousin-in-law.)

Other happy news--I've received three award-type recognitions. Val of More Than Burnt Toast has given me a bear hug. No, not just any bear hug--a giant bear hug:


I'm sure most of you are familiar with Val's blog, but if you're not, you're sorely missing out on some delicious recipes and extremely artistic photography. Go visit!

Nancy of A Recipe A Day has given me the Arte Y Pico award. She and I have sort of swapped places--I live in her hometown, while she now lives in my home state. She has some amazing entries on her blog, so if you like good food, go check it out!

Finally, Leslie of The Hungry Housewife has passed on her first award to me:


Leslie is quickly becoming a super-blogger, keeping her site chock-full of good eats and entertaining entries. Don't take my word for it--go look for yourself.

Thank you, ladies!

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when the weather outside is frightful...

...and I'm stuck in an airport, I appreciate a good distraction. Luckily for me, Kristin from The Kitchen Sink (an incredible blog with delicious dishes and wonderful writing) tagged me for a little questionnaire.


What were you doing ten years ago? Although I'm not certain, it's a safe bet that for me, June of 1998 was spent at various basketball camps and tournaments. It's a safe bet because it's what I did every summer from ages 11 to 18. Yes, folks, basketball was my world for about a third of my life.

What are five non-work things on my to-do list for today?
#1. Begin preparations for my weekend excursion to New York City [New York City! (said like the fella in the Pace commercials...)]. That's right, folks. This country girl is taking a deep breath and going in!
#2. Give money to undeserving people. This is more commonly referred to as "getting gas."
#3. Eat massive bowl of this:


#4. Fertilize tomato plants.
#5. Deposit latest expense check in the bank. Money in the bank is a good thing.

What snacks do you enjoy?
#1. Guacamole. Salsa. Hummus. Various other dips.
#2. Yogurt and granola. Yogurt and berries. Yogurt and various other additions.


#3. Glazed walnuts. Salty cashews. You got it--various other nuts.
#4. Kashi Go-Lean Crunch. Honey Nut Cheerios. Various other cereals.
#5. Apple chips. Grapes. Various other fruits.

bonus (because who can be healthy all the time?):


What would you do if you were a billionaire?
#1. Travel to Greece and Italy and Australia and Ireland and all those places I've longed to visit.
#2. Purchase a sports team, preferably the Atlanta Braves. How much are they going for these days?
#3. Have Lasik eye surgery. Contacts are a pain.
#4. Get some land where I can have peace and quiet, a real garden, and all the pets my heart desires.
#5. Buy the Mamominator a new car.

Where have you lived?
#1. Conception to age 18--Floyd, VA, a small town occupying a huge portion of my heart.
#2. 18-21--Salem, VA, for college.
#3. 21-23--Blacksburg, VA, for more college.
#4. 24--Johnstown, NY, for a scary three-day stint in a hotel with most of my worldly possessions stored in my car while I looked for an apartment.
#5. 24-present--Amsterdam, NY.

What jobs have you had?
#1. Recreational basketball referee. I learned that parents of athletes (no matter how young) can take things way too seriously and take out their frustrations on strangers (i.e. completely undeserving teenagers like me).
#2. Basketball videographer. I learned that most camcorders do indeed record sound and that I should keep my opinions of the members of the men's basketball team to myself.
#3. Donation solicitor. I learned that people who call and ask for donations to a college must be extremely bold and brave and that you should always be nice to them--they're just doing what they're paid to do!
#4. Barista. I learned that most people are pretty particular about how their coffee beverages are made and can get downright rude at the slightest imperfection. It's a hectic job, folks--cut 'em some slack next time!
#5. Winery lab technician. I learned that yeast wrangling is a fun pastime, Concord and Niagara grapes are a pain to juice but a delight to eat, and the wine-making process is much more involved than you can ever imagine.

I'd like to know some more about these folks, if they're willing and haven't already participated:

Sharon of Culinary Adventures of a New Wife
Leslie of The Hungry Housewife
Erinn of Sunday Dish
Vera of Baking Obsession

A merry Tuesday to you! (And yes, I finally made it home, safe and sound.)

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i'm no david letterman, but...

...Michelle, the brilliant and creative blogger behind Culinography, wants to see my top ten best pictures, so a top ten list I shall do.

Ready or not, here they come...
[from oldest (and most amateur) to newest (and still amateur, but to a lesser degree)]:

bedazzled bread:


bean salad:


sweet potato casserole:


peas & dumplins:


shortbread cookies (so proud of that sheep!):


roasted tomatoes:


ginger biskies:


miniature toitle cheesecakes:


butter mints:


mint brownies:



I'd like to see top ten pictures from the following, if they're up to it (and haven't already done it):

Katie of Salt and Chocolate
Lore of Culinarty
Diva of The Sugar Bar
ovenhaven of :: epicurean escapism ::
Pam of sidewalk shoes

A few last thoughts:
1. It's Kitchen Klutzes of America Day!


Celebrate your disasters!

2. It's Friday the 13th. Watch out for black cats, spilled salt, and broken mirrors.

3. Today also marks the end of Tastespotting as we know it. I want to know who's starting the support group, because Lord knows we'll need it...

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time to kill?

(That's such a vicious phrase. Shame on the goober who coined it.)

This is a fun little time-waster that I found on Slow Like Honey.

Here's what you do:

1. Go to www.flickr.com.
2. Type your answer to each question in the “search” box.
3. Using only the first page, pick an image.
4. Copy and paste the html into your blog.

Enjoy!

1. What is your first name?


2. What is your favorite food?


3. What high school did you go to?


4. What is your favorite color?


5. Who is your celebrity crush?


6. Favorite drink?


7. Dream vacation?


8. Favorite dessert?


9. What do you want to be when you grow up?


10. What do you love most in life?


11. One word to describe you?


Try it yourself!

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