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(no subject)
May. 26th, 2013 11:30 amToday seemed like a pie kind of a day so (because I have meant to make one for quite some time), I have a Schadenfreude pie currently in the oven.
Though, I left out the Kahlua (since I'm not really a coffee person) and added a teaspoon of ginger (because there is nothing that cannot be improved by the addition of ginger, especially not desserts). The uncooked filling tastes amazing, so I have high hopes for the cooked version.
Though, I left out the Kahlua (since I'm not really a coffee person) and added a teaspoon of ginger (because there is nothing that cannot be improved by the addition of ginger, especially not desserts). The uncooked filling tastes amazing, so I have high hopes for the cooked version.
(no subject)
May. 19th, 2013 11:44 amShrub update: the two I've made so far are pretty great. The apple spice is a little mellower than the blackberry - possibly due to the fact that the blackberry has some apple cider vinegar in it, as well as plain white vinegar. I think I'd like more bite to the apple, but the spices and the brown sugar in it worked really well. Next time I make it, I might change up the vinegar content. (And make more of it - I only used one apple and so only ended up with about 1 1/4 cups of shrub. That is too little of something so delicious.)
Today, I am making shrub #3: balsamic grape. ( Details. ) So we'll see how that goes.
Today, I am making shrub #3: balsamic grape. ( Details. ) So we'll see how that goes.
(no subject)
May. 12th, 2013 09:02 am( Shrub #2 (apple spice), details so I remember them: )
I bought bottles yesterday, so the first shrub now has a more pleasing home than the jar. I think I'll try that one today and see how it turned out.
I bought bottles yesterday, so the first shrub now has a more pleasing home than the jar. I think I'll try that one today and see how it turned out.
(no subject)
May. 9th, 2013 01:10 pmThings:
- We got a new combination printer/copier at the library today. It has a working coinbox and a print release terminal! Which means that the patrons don't have to come up to the desk to get me to release their printing any more! I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the patron who prints out at least 30 pages every day so that I can tell her that she gets to print those herself. Ahahaha.
- I have made my first drinking vinegar! (Well, I have put it together - it has to age in the fridge for about a week so the flavors can meld properly before I actually drink it.) ( Details, so I can remember them. ) I have a couple more I'd like to maybe start this weekend, and I'd like to get some reasonably attractive bottles to store them in. Jars are workable, but not very pretty and harder to pour from.
- So, my mom volunteered to watch the first episode of Game of Thrones with me last night. I'm pretty sure she liked it - she said she wanted to watch more tonight - but it had not occurred to me how much of a learning curve that show has for people who haven't read the books. Seriously, the first episode throws something like 20 different people at you, along with freaky-weird politics. We had to pause every couple of minutes so I could remind her the relationships between characters and explain what the hell they were talking about. So she's started making up nicknames for people in order to keep them distinct - the only character to have a really distinctive one so far is Joffrey. He has been dubbed "the boy with the weasel teeth", which seems pretty appropriate.
And that is my day so far.
- We got a new combination printer/copier at the library today. It has a working coinbox and a print release terminal! Which means that the patrons don't have to come up to the desk to get me to release their printing any more! I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the patron who prints out at least 30 pages every day so that I can tell her that she gets to print those herself. Ahahaha.
- I have made my first drinking vinegar! (Well, I have put it together - it has to age in the fridge for about a week so the flavors can meld properly before I actually drink it.) ( Details, so I can remember them. ) I have a couple more I'd like to maybe start this weekend, and I'd like to get some reasonably attractive bottles to store them in. Jars are workable, but not very pretty and harder to pour from.
- So, my mom volunteered to watch the first episode of Game of Thrones with me last night. I'm pretty sure she liked it - she said she wanted to watch more tonight - but it had not occurred to me how much of a learning curve that show has for people who haven't read the books. Seriously, the first episode throws something like 20 different people at you, along with freaky-weird politics. We had to pause every couple of minutes so I could remind her the relationships between characters and explain what the hell they were talking about. So she's started making up nicknames for people in order to keep them distinct - the only character to have a really distinctive one so far is Joffrey. He has been dubbed "the boy with the weasel teeth", which seems pretty appropriate.
And that is my day so far.
(no subject)
May. 7th, 2013 01:11 pmI am kinda grumpy today because it is hot and I am tired from my weekend, so instead of fantasizing about setting people on fire (which would make things hotter), I am distracting myself by looking up drinking vinegar recipes and planning which ones I want to make.
I have found several recipes for apple, one for cucumber mint, and a black cherry balsamic vinegar one with black pepper by which I am very intrigued. I also find myself trying to make up my own, since the basic concept doesn't really change no matter what you put in it. I want to make a pumpkin spice one, when I can get pumpkins, with cinnamon and allspice and nutmeg. I am pretty sure that would be awesome.
I'm going to have to buy fruit this weekend.
I have found several recipes for apple, one for cucumber mint, and a black cherry balsamic vinegar one with black pepper by which I am very intrigued. I also find myself trying to make up my own, since the basic concept doesn't really change no matter what you put in it. I want to make a pumpkin spice one, when I can get pumpkins, with cinnamon and allspice and nutmeg. I am pretty sure that would be awesome.
I'm going to have to buy fruit this weekend.
(no subject)
Apr. 21st, 2013 07:01 amYesterday, on a whim, I made this.
It looks totally fun and tastes good (I would make the bread again without coloring it) but you have to knead the bread in order to get the food coloring in. I don't usually knead bread by hand when I bake - I either make no-knead bread or I let the stand mixer do it for me.
This morning, my abs are totally sore. From kneading. If kneading bread is going to provide some sort of muscle-working exercise as well as tasty baked goods, maybe I should hand-knead bread more often.
It looks totally fun and tastes good (I would make the bread again without coloring it) but you have to knead the bread in order to get the food coloring in. I don't usually knead bread by hand when I bake - I either make no-knead bread or I let the stand mixer do it for me.
This morning, my abs are totally sore. From kneading. If kneading bread is going to provide some sort of muscle-working exercise as well as tasty baked goods, maybe I should hand-knead bread more often.
(no subject)
Apr. 13th, 2013 11:29 amThis is concert weekend and we provide refreshments, so I am making cookies.
One of the great mysteries of my life is that every cookie recipe I've ever made reliably produces about double the amount of cookies that it's supposed to. I mean, I'm not complaining - more cookies is always better - but it's weird. It's not like I make particularly small cookies or anything.
Martha Stewart especially. Her recipes will say "makes 1 dozen cookies" and I'll inevitably end up with 4 dozen. Woman must make frelling enormous cookies.
One of the great mysteries of my life is that every cookie recipe I've ever made reliably produces about double the amount of cookies that it's supposed to. I mean, I'm not complaining - more cookies is always better - but it's weird. It's not like I make particularly small cookies or anything.
Martha Stewart especially. Her recipes will say "makes 1 dozen cookies" and I'll inevitably end up with 4 dozen. Woman must make frelling enormous cookies.
(no subject)
Apr. 9th, 2013 12:38 pmRadish pickles were, in general, a success. I think I would ideally like them a little sweeter, but they have a very nice taste and a very pleasant crunch and are bright pink. So that's exciting. I put some in my lunch today, along with some pumpkin pickles, and they were delicious in combination. Tomorrow, I will try them on a sandwich.
Since today is Tuesday and thus a two-meals-at-work day, I went to the grocery store to buy dinner and stopped in the bulk section to look at dried fruit, because I was out of apricots. And they had new things, so I had to try them. They had dried pluots and dried apples with cinnamon. The pluots were, alas, much too sour for my taste, but I only spent 36 cents on them, so I don't feel bad about not eating them. The apples, on the other hand, are amazing. I mean, dried apples are pretty good on their own, but these are like eating apple pie filling except less messy, more portable, and I can pretend that I'm eating healthy things. Seriously, this is my best dried fruit discovery since the dried cantaloupe.
Today, thus far, is being a very good food day.
Since today is Tuesday and thus a two-meals-at-work day, I went to the grocery store to buy dinner and stopped in the bulk section to look at dried fruit, because I was out of apricots. And they had new things, so I had to try them. They had dried pluots and dried apples with cinnamon. The pluots were, alas, much too sour for my taste, but I only spent 36 cents on them, so I don't feel bad about not eating them. The apples, on the other hand, are amazing. I mean, dried apples are pretty good on their own, but these are like eating apple pie filling except less messy, more portable, and I can pretend that I'm eating healthy things. Seriously, this is my best dried fruit discovery since the dried cantaloupe.
Today, thus far, is being a very good food day.
(no subject)
Apr. 7th, 2013 01:17 pmToday in experimental cooking, I am making radish pickles! Because a) I like radishes, b) I like pickles, and c) I like making pretty things that go in jars. I especially like things that go in jars that don't require actual processing, which these don't.
Currently, they are cooling on the counter. The only problem is that they take time to actually, y'know, pickle, so I won't know if they're any good for a day or so.
Currently, they are cooling on the counter. The only problem is that they take time to actually, y'know, pickle, so I won't know if they're any good for a day or so.
(no subject)
Mar. 5th, 2013 02:22 pmThings:
- My mom went to a tea shop in Poulsbo that I haven't been to yet and bought me this tea that is almond cookie flavored. And it does, indeed, taste just like a drinkable almond cookie. It is amazing. I think I am going to have to go to this shop and buy everything they sell.
- I was seized this morning with the urge to rewatch Blakes 7. I can't think of any reason why that would be a bad idea and anyway, I need a new knitting show. So, the only reason I am not watching Blakes 7 right now is that I'm at work. Cursed need for employment!
- We have this sort of vague Adult Winter Reading program* going on right now that's mystery themed and I have to do a week-long mystery display next week. So far, my coworkers have done mysteries set in foreign countries, romantic mysteries, and mysteries about food. I am running true to type and doing spec fic mysteries, so I've been placing holds all afternoon. I'm calling my display "It Came From Beyond the Mystery Section" because I am nothing if not ridiculous. (While doing this, I have discovered that my library doesn't have a copy of The Demolished Man, which is obviously unacceptable.)
- Yesterday, my shelving story started out being about some sort of robot separatist colony and then I eventually realized that what I was doing was essentially telling myself the plot of The Dispossessed with added robots. So maybe I should reread that some time soon. I do still kinda like my separatist robots, though.
- And then, a man named Steve Rogers called to sign up for a program we're having this weekend. I am now imagining Captain America attending our little Kingston library mystery event. It is a happy-making thought.
*There are no prizes.
- My mom went to a tea shop in Poulsbo that I haven't been to yet and bought me this tea that is almond cookie flavored. And it does, indeed, taste just like a drinkable almond cookie. It is amazing. I think I am going to have to go to this shop and buy everything they sell.
- I was seized this morning with the urge to rewatch Blakes 7. I can't think of any reason why that would be a bad idea and anyway, I need a new knitting show. So, the only reason I am not watching Blakes 7 right now is that I'm at work. Cursed need for employment!
- We have this sort of vague Adult Winter Reading program* going on right now that's mystery themed and I have to do a week-long mystery display next week. So far, my coworkers have done mysteries set in foreign countries, romantic mysteries, and mysteries about food. I am running true to type and doing spec fic mysteries, so I've been placing holds all afternoon. I'm calling my display "It Came From Beyond the Mystery Section" because I am nothing if not ridiculous. (While doing this, I have discovered that my library doesn't have a copy of The Demolished Man, which is obviously unacceptable.)
- Yesterday, my shelving story started out being about some sort of robot separatist colony and then I eventually realized that what I was doing was essentially telling myself the plot of The Dispossessed with added robots. So maybe I should reread that some time soon. I do still kinda like my separatist robots, though.
- And then, a man named Steve Rogers called to sign up for a program we're having this weekend. I am now imagining Captain America attending our little Kingston library mystery event. It is a happy-making thought.
*There are no prizes.
(no subject)
Jan. 12th, 2013 02:02 pmDo you ever do that thing where you find out about a certain food product or recipe and it just strikes you as so bizarre that you have to try it? Even though it's probable that you won't like it?
Yeah. Today, randomly in the comments of a blog post, the internet told me about egg tea. Which is where you make tea, put an egg and some sugar in a tea cup, beat the egg and sugar together, and then pour the tea over the sweetened egg.
And on the one hand, the idea kinda makes me recoil a little bit, because eggs are weird and it's like you're putting a raw egg in your tea, which is not acceptable. Though, presumably, the hot tea cooks the egg. and, on the other hand, there is a part of my brain going, "Well, if we add milk, that's basically hot, tea-flavored custard, right? I like custard."
I think I will have to experiment. Though I think that, when I do, I will have to make a whole pot of tea, so that I have something to drink if it all ends up being horrible.
Yeah. Today, randomly in the comments of a blog post, the internet told me about egg tea. Which is where you make tea, put an egg and some sugar in a tea cup, beat the egg and sugar together, and then pour the tea over the sweetened egg.
And on the one hand, the idea kinda makes me recoil a little bit, because eggs are weird and it's like you're putting a raw egg in your tea, which is not acceptable. Though, presumably, the hot tea cooks the egg. and, on the other hand, there is a part of my brain going, "Well, if we add milk, that's basically hot, tea-flavored custard, right? I like custard."
I think I will have to experiment. Though I think that, when I do, I will have to make a whole pot of tea, so that I have something to drink if it all ends up being horrible.
(no subject)
Dec. 22nd, 2012 03:26 pmEmpanadas are done! And they are awesome.
Well, okay, the bacon jam is awesome. I haven't actually eaten any of the empanadas yet, but they look and smell great. The recipe says that it makes seven empanadas with a lot of jam left over, but I got 13 empanadas out of the crust recipe. And I still have a lot of jam in my fridge! I have designs on it and a pumpernickel bagel for breakfast tomorrow.
The bacon jam takes a long time to make - it's been an almost all-day project. You have to render the bacon, then caramelize the onions, then add all the other stuff and let all the liquid reduce out of it. The reducing takes about an hour and you have to stir it pretty frequently so it doesn't burn. I set up a stool by the stove and just sat there, reading comics on my phone and stirring. And if you're making empanadas, you have to make the dough and then it has to chill for an hour at least (I would recommend making the crust first and then making the jam while the dough is chilling). The dough has to come up to room temperature and the jam has to cool, so you can go do something else for about 20 minutes, which is nice. I found that I had to bake the empanadas for much longer than the recipe said, but I'm beginning to think that my oven runs cool, so your mileage may vary.
Oh, and I left out the rosemary. Because I don't like rosemary. But you may, so, y'know, go with that.
It is a good bit of work, but the bacon jam is totally worth it.
Well, okay, the bacon jam is awesome. I haven't actually eaten any of the empanadas yet, but they look and smell great. The recipe says that it makes seven empanadas with a lot of jam left over, but I got 13 empanadas out of the crust recipe. And I still have a lot of jam in my fridge! I have designs on it and a pumpernickel bagel for breakfast tomorrow.
The bacon jam takes a long time to make - it's been an almost all-day project. You have to render the bacon, then caramelize the onions, then add all the other stuff and let all the liquid reduce out of it. The reducing takes about an hour and you have to stir it pretty frequently so it doesn't burn. I set up a stool by the stove and just sat there, reading comics on my phone and stirring. And if you're making empanadas, you have to make the dough and then it has to chill for an hour at least (I would recommend making the crust first and then making the jam while the dough is chilling). The dough has to come up to room temperature and the jam has to cool, so you can go do something else for about 20 minutes, which is nice. I found that I had to bake the empanadas for much longer than the recipe said, but I'm beginning to think that my oven runs cool, so your mileage may vary.
Oh, and I left out the rosemary. Because I don't like rosemary. But you may, so, y'know, go with that.
It is a good bit of work, but the bacon jam is totally worth it.
(no subject)
Dec. 22nd, 2012 12:30 pmToday is Bacon Jam Empanadas day! Truly the most exciting of holiday traditions - or, at least, it will be if these don't turn out terrible. I don't really see how they could.
So far, I have rendered bacon. Yay! I am about to start caramelizing onions. I am so excited for bacon jam!
So far, I have rendered bacon. Yay! I am about to start caramelizing onions. I am so excited for bacon jam!
(no subject)
Dec. 19th, 2012 10:14 amIt is snowing! I am torn between childlike enthusiasm and the desperate hope that it will turn to rain soon because tonight is the night we have tickets to the Revels. The Revels are my favorite thing that we do outside our house during the holiday season and if we can't go because of snow, I will be so sad. It is supposed to turn to rain later though, so fingers crossed. I took today off because of the Revels, so at least I don't have to drive in the snow.
Today is cookie day. Mom is making dough for the sugar cookies and gingerbread, and later I am going to make lemon crinkle cookies, because it seems to me that yellow lemony cookies are appropriate for the solstice. So they will be my Yule cookies. Except I am not going to roll them in powdered sugar (because I don't like powdered sugar) but am instead going to mix together all the different colors of sparkly sugar we have in the house and roll them in that. So my Yule cookies will be multicolored! Everyone loves sparkly and multicolored!
Also, I recently found a recipe for bacon jam empanadas. That is amazing. I mean, bacon jam by itself would be a thing that I would have to make, but I am ridiculously excited about pretty much any recipe that involves meat wrapped in a pastry crust. So I have to make those as well, though not today. I think those are going to wait for the weekend. I will let you know how it goes.
Oh, hooray - it looks like it stopped snowing!
Today is cookie day. Mom is making dough for the sugar cookies and gingerbread, and later I am going to make lemon crinkle cookies, because it seems to me that yellow lemony cookies are appropriate for the solstice. So they will be my Yule cookies. Except I am not going to roll them in powdered sugar (because I don't like powdered sugar) but am instead going to mix together all the different colors of sparkly sugar we have in the house and roll them in that. So my Yule cookies will be multicolored! Everyone loves sparkly and multicolored!
Also, I recently found a recipe for bacon jam empanadas. That is amazing. I mean, bacon jam by itself would be a thing that I would have to make, but I am ridiculously excited about pretty much any recipe that involves meat wrapped in a pastry crust. So I have to make those as well, though not today. I think those are going to wait for the weekend. I will let you know how it goes.
Oh, hooray - it looks like it stopped snowing!
(no subject)
Dec. 5th, 2012 06:33 pmTea egg verdict: Well, they are very pretty. The recipe works as it is probably supposed to. Alas, they are not for me. The egg white is okay, but the yolk (which is the part I like the least in a hardboiled egg) is inedible. (Quite literally - I couldn't make myself swallow the bite I took of the egg. Which is my usual reaction to hardboiled eggs, to be fair.) Ah, well.
If you are the kind of person who likes hardboiled eggs, though, you should totally try this. The eggs are really pretty.
I will make macaroni-from-a-box to eat instead. I have the evening to myself and, since I have been feeling frazzled of late, I have given myself permission not to work on Christmas knitting. So I am reading Silver Age Flash comics*. Here are things that are wonderful about Silver Age Flash comics:
- The sheer number of ridiculous alien invasions. Seriously, it's like every other month.
- Tiny!Wally. Oh Wally, I love you and your wholly absurd origin story. Does it ever get awkward that people like Captain Cold and the Weather Wizard have literally known you since you were 10? Is that why they came to your girlfriend's funeral that one time?
- PUPPET FLASH. Okay, that issue wasn't actually that great (I maintain that nothing starring Abra Kadabra can really be that great and so far, I have seen no evidence to the contrary), but the existence of Puppet Flash is a joy forever.
- One time, Captain Boomerang invented a time travel boomerang that he used to rob museums (as you do) but, turned out the boomerangs were passing through another dimension and the aliens from that dimension thought they were spy probes and so invaded our dimension in retaliation. I do not in any way believe that Captain Boomerang could build a time travel device but I totally believe that he accidentally caused an alien invasion.
- Relatedly, the number of villains who end up building fantastic supervillain tech while in prison. Captain Boomerang, the Mirror Master, Captain Cold ("Well, I'm in jail. Guess I'll study thermodynamics."), this one guy who invented a machine that allowed him to watch tv and control the people on it if it was a live broadcast - you'd think that the Central City Penitentiary would look out for that kind of thing. I mean, what kind of prison are they running?
- The Top. The Top is ridiculous. I mean, the vast majority of Flash villains are ridiculous, but The Top. He commits crimes with spinning tops! What the hell? (In later comics, they gave him mind control powers. This did not actually make any sense and did not make the Top any cooler.)
- Ralph Dibny! Every time Ralph shows up, it makes me happy.
- Gorilla City is pretty terrible but the fact that one of the Flash's recurring villains is an evil gorilla with mind control powers fills me with joy.
- COSMIC TREADMILL. The Cosmic Treadmill never stops being hilarious. I love it.
- In the future, everyone will have a atomic pistols. Did you know?
- There was seriously an issue where the villains were sentient evil clouds. Tell me that's not amazing.
Annnd, I am going to stop there or else this list will go on for an embarrassingly long time. And I need that time to read comics. 8)
*My comics reading for the past couple months has been pretty much dominated by the Flash. Specifically Wally West. The trajectory went New 52 Flash** -> all the Flash comics the library owned (not many) -> all the Wally West. (Well, not all. I cannot do early Wally West comics. I made a valiant effort and skipped ahead to the 90's and Mark Waid.) I have now stalled out somewhere around issue #203 because the art has become wholly dire. Everyone is hideous and it makes me sad. But I will have to go back at some point, because the storyline is really interesting. Just, y'know, ugly. In the meantime, I am reading ridiculous things from the '60s.
**Which, now that I know more about the Flash than I did when I read the New 52 stuff the first time, is really confusing, reboot-wise. I just, okay, so there is no Wally and Barry's never met Jay but Keystone still exists on Barry's earth and Bart is around somewhere but isn't from the future or related to Barry (I guess, I've only encountered reboot!Bart in a trade I read part of in a bookstore)? And we've gone back to the first Mirror Master (I miss McCulloch, you guys) and Glider is back from the dead/possibly was never dead in the first place (and I am in no way complaining about that because Glider is awesome, though I do miss the skates a little) but we aren't back to the first Trickster? What is going on?
If you are the kind of person who likes hardboiled eggs, though, you should totally try this. The eggs are really pretty.
I will make macaroni-from-a-box to eat instead. I have the evening to myself and, since I have been feeling frazzled of late, I have given myself permission not to work on Christmas knitting. So I am reading Silver Age Flash comics*. Here are things that are wonderful about Silver Age Flash comics:
- The sheer number of ridiculous alien invasions. Seriously, it's like every other month.
- Tiny!Wally. Oh Wally, I love you and your wholly absurd origin story. Does it ever get awkward that people like Captain Cold and the Weather Wizard have literally known you since you were 10? Is that why they came to your girlfriend's funeral that one time?
- PUPPET FLASH. Okay, that issue wasn't actually that great (I maintain that nothing starring Abra Kadabra can really be that great and so far, I have seen no evidence to the contrary), but the existence of Puppet Flash is a joy forever.
- One time, Captain Boomerang invented a time travel boomerang that he used to rob museums (as you do) but, turned out the boomerangs were passing through another dimension and the aliens from that dimension thought they were spy probes and so invaded our dimension in retaliation. I do not in any way believe that Captain Boomerang could build a time travel device but I totally believe that he accidentally caused an alien invasion.
- Relatedly, the number of villains who end up building fantastic supervillain tech while in prison. Captain Boomerang, the Mirror Master, Captain Cold ("Well, I'm in jail. Guess I'll study thermodynamics."), this one guy who invented a machine that allowed him to watch tv and control the people on it if it was a live broadcast - you'd think that the Central City Penitentiary would look out for that kind of thing. I mean, what kind of prison are they running?
- The Top. The Top is ridiculous. I mean, the vast majority of Flash villains are ridiculous, but The Top. He commits crimes with spinning tops! What the hell? (In later comics, they gave him mind control powers. This did not actually make any sense and did not make the Top any cooler.)
- Ralph Dibny! Every time Ralph shows up, it makes me happy.
- Gorilla City is pretty terrible but the fact that one of the Flash's recurring villains is an evil gorilla with mind control powers fills me with joy.
- COSMIC TREADMILL. The Cosmic Treadmill never stops being hilarious. I love it.
- In the future, everyone will have a atomic pistols. Did you know?
- There was seriously an issue where the villains were sentient evil clouds. Tell me that's not amazing.
Annnd, I am going to stop there or else this list will go on for an embarrassingly long time. And I need that time to read comics. 8)
*My comics reading for the past couple months has been pretty much dominated by the Flash. Specifically Wally West. The trajectory went New 52 Flash** -> all the Flash comics the library owned (not many) -> all the Wally West. (Well, not all. I cannot do early Wally West comics. I made a valiant effort and skipped ahead to the 90's and Mark Waid.) I have now stalled out somewhere around issue #203 because the art has become wholly dire. Everyone is hideous and it makes me sad. But I will have to go back at some point, because the storyline is really interesting. Just, y'know, ugly. In the meantime, I am reading ridiculous things from the '60s.
**Which, now that I know more about the Flash than I did when I read the New 52 stuff the first time, is really confusing, reboot-wise. I just, okay, so there is no Wally and Barry's never met Jay but Keystone still exists on Barry's earth and Bart is around somewhere but isn't from the future or related to Barry (I guess, I've only encountered reboot!Bart in a trade I read part of in a bookstore)? And we've gone back to the first Mirror Master (I miss McCulloch, you guys) and Glider is back from the dead/possibly was never dead in the first place (and I am in no way complaining about that because Glider is awesome, though I do miss the skates a little) but we aren't back to the first Trickster? What is going on?
(no subject)
Dec. 5th, 2012 10:30 amThis morning, I had my first physical in...a while. So that was fun. Also, ( girly TMI. ) Now the physical is over, I've had a flu shot, and am sporting a pink camo bandaid. Hurrah.
In other news, I am making tea eggs. Because one of the foods I don't particularly care for and always wish that I did is hardboiled eggs. (Well, and bananas. Foods that come in their own natural packaging.) But I came across this recipe and thought, "Those are pretty and contain a lot of flavors that I like. Perhaps those flavors will make the egg taste acceptable." So, I am conducting a tea egg experiment. They're supposed to steep for several hours, so I won't be able to try them till dinner time, but the steeping liquid smells nice, so I am hopeful. Wish me luck.
In other news, I am making tea eggs. Because one of the foods I don't particularly care for and always wish that I did is hardboiled eggs. (Well, and bananas. Foods that come in their own natural packaging.) But I came across this recipe and thought, "Those are pretty and contain a lot of flavors that I like. Perhaps those flavors will make the egg taste acceptable." So, I am conducting a tea egg experiment. They're supposed to steep for several hours, so I won't be able to try them till dinner time, but the steeping liquid smells nice, so I am hopeful. Wish me luck.
(no subject)
Nov. 29th, 2012 03:51 pmThings:
- There is a lady who comes in to the library every day and uses the computers for hours. She surfs the web, she prints out dozens of pages about a huge variety of topics every day. I have just learned that she does not understand the use of the address bar. Apparently, the google search box has mysteriously disappeared from the browsers on the public computers and that was the only thing she ever used. I'm not sure why this boggles my mind so much, but it does.
- One of my favorite things about adagio.com (I mean, besides the fact that I generally like their tea) is the ability to make blends of teas. And the fact that, apparently, there is a large enough segment of fandom that has discovered this and wants to make and buy fannish teas that they have a whole "fandom blends" subheading on their blends page. That is adorable and makes me ridiculously happy.
- (I make my own ridiculous fannish blends. Most of them are monster-based (so, yeah, I have Dracula and Frankenstein tea sometimes), but sometimes they are based on random original characters from my mental-story-of-the-moment. I like that I can make them private and then not have to explain my ridiculous tea to people.)
- So, my parents and I have been watching Alias, now that it's all streaming on Netflix. (That is the major reason (other than grar) behind my listening to Assassins today.) It is pretty awesome - we're at the beginning of season 2 and I'm enjoying it immensely. (I fear we will be losing my Dad as a watching partner soon, as the show edges more and more into sci-fi territory.) I do have to admit that I would be slightly happier watching it if it were not about the main character. I mean, Sydney is fine and I like having a woman lead in my action-spy-shenannigans show, but she is so much less interesting than pretty much everyone around her. (Well, except for Vaughn, who is less interesting than a table.) Still, it's fun. And now this item has way too many parenthetical asides - my apologies.
- ...and then I had to explain to a patron that no, the catalog search box on the library website cannot be used to access google. And that is my day.
- There is a lady who comes in to the library every day and uses the computers for hours. She surfs the web, she prints out dozens of pages about a huge variety of topics every day. I have just learned that she does not understand the use of the address bar. Apparently, the google search box has mysteriously disappeared from the browsers on the public computers and that was the only thing she ever used. I'm not sure why this boggles my mind so much, but it does.
- One of my favorite things about adagio.com (I mean, besides the fact that I generally like their tea) is the ability to make blends of teas. And the fact that, apparently, there is a large enough segment of fandom that has discovered this and wants to make and buy fannish teas that they have a whole "fandom blends" subheading on their blends page. That is adorable and makes me ridiculously happy.
- (I make my own ridiculous fannish blends. Most of them are monster-based (so, yeah, I have Dracula and Frankenstein tea sometimes), but sometimes they are based on random original characters from my mental-story-of-the-moment. I like that I can make them private and then not have to explain my ridiculous tea to people.)
- So, my parents and I have been watching Alias, now that it's all streaming on Netflix. (That is the major reason (other than grar) behind my listening to Assassins today.) It is pretty awesome - we're at the beginning of season 2 and I'm enjoying it immensely. (I fear we will be losing my Dad as a watching partner soon, as the show edges more and more into sci-fi territory.) I do have to admit that I would be slightly happier watching it if it were not about the main character. I mean, Sydney is fine and I like having a woman lead in my action-spy-shenannigans show, but she is so much less interesting than pretty much everyone around her. (Well, except for Vaughn, who is less interesting than a table.) Still, it's fun. And now this item has way too many parenthetical asides - my apologies.
- ...and then I had to explain to a patron that no, the catalog search box on the library website cannot be used to access google. And that is my day.
(no subject)
Nov. 24th, 2012 09:29 amTomorrow is my birthday, so today I am making pie. It is a Salted Caramel Apple Pie, or at least it will be later today. Right now, it is two discs of pie crust in the fridge, waiting for me to go buy apples and caramels.
Tomorrow, I am turning 30 which has, of course, caused me to recently have a lot of Thoughts, some of them angsty, about my life and how I still live with my parents* and am I kind of a failure? Which wasn't fun but mostly, I have come to the conclusion that I am happy with myself. I live with my parents, yes, but I like the people I live with and they like me. I have a good job that lets me help people and talk to them about how awesome Doctor Who and Terry Pratchett are. I sing well, I knit well, I am capable of cooking pretty much anything that consists of bread wrapped around a meat filling, and this year I learned to deep fry. I'm learning how to motivate myself to exercise every day, which is pretty great. I am capable of traveling by myself and not freaking out. I think I'm pretty awesome. So, not really a failure after all. I'm happy. I think 30 is going to be a good year.
(I have also been having Thoughts about how, when I was little, I figured there must be a magical time when suddenly Grown Up Things made sense and you could finally understand why it made sense to paint things beige or have solid-colored sheets that matched the comforter. But now, I am pretty much figuring that doesn't happen, because I am almost 30 and still have sheets with dinosaurs on them. So there's that.)
*But not in the basement, so I am not quite Rocking the Geek Cliche.
Tomorrow, I am turning 30 which has, of course, caused me to recently have a lot of Thoughts, some of them angsty, about my life and how I still live with my parents* and am I kind of a failure? Which wasn't fun but mostly, I have come to the conclusion that I am happy with myself. I live with my parents, yes, but I like the people I live with and they like me. I have a good job that lets me help people and talk to them about how awesome Doctor Who and Terry Pratchett are. I sing well, I knit well, I am capable of cooking pretty much anything that consists of bread wrapped around a meat filling, and this year I learned to deep fry. I'm learning how to motivate myself to exercise every day, which is pretty great. I am capable of traveling by myself and not freaking out. I think I'm pretty awesome. So, not really a failure after all. I'm happy. I think 30 is going to be a good year.
(I have also been having Thoughts about how, when I was little, I figured there must be a magical time when suddenly Grown Up Things made sense and you could finally understand why it made sense to paint things beige or have solid-colored sheets that matched the comforter. But now, I am pretty much figuring that doesn't happen, because I am almost 30 and still have sheets with dinosaurs on them. So there's that.)
*But not in the basement, so I am not quite Rocking the Geek Cliche.
(no subject)
Nov. 22nd, 2012 02:23 pmThanksgiving is under way. Thanksgiving has properly been underway since this morning (or yesterday, really, since that's when the pie was made.) The turkey is out of the oven, the stuffing is in, the rolls are waiting to be baked, and I am roasting vegetables. That and the rolls are my contribution to the meal, and I'm making roasted cauliflower and broccoli with bacon and garlic because delicious. And either the garlic was not very garlicky or that thing where you rub your hands on stainless steel and they lose the garlic smell is actually true because my hands are remarkably ungarlic-scented. That stainless steel thing seems like black magic, though.
This is the first Thanksgiving I can remember where it's just me and my parents. The California Contingent is doing their own thing down in Santa Barbara and none of the other relatives are at our place this year. It's a little weird being less than at least five, and it means thinking about scaling down a little bit, but it's kinda nice too. I mean, I miss Megan and Katie a whole lot but it being just the three of us means the day is pretty informal, with people snacking on the deviled eggs and spinach squares whenever they feel like it instead of waiting for Official Dinner Time. And we had pie last night, so that's something.
I hope everybody out there who celebrates is having a good Thanksgiving and that your turkey (or choice of alternative main dish) is delicious.
This is the first Thanksgiving I can remember where it's just me and my parents. The California Contingent is doing their own thing down in Santa Barbara and none of the other relatives are at our place this year. It's a little weird being less than at least five, and it means thinking about scaling down a little bit, but it's kinda nice too. I mean, I miss Megan and Katie a whole lot but it being just the three of us means the day is pretty informal, with people snacking on the deviled eggs and spinach squares whenever they feel like it instead of waiting for Official Dinner Time. And we had pie last night, so that's something.
I hope everybody out there who celebrates is having a good Thanksgiving and that your turkey (or choice of alternative main dish) is delicious.
(no subject)
Nov. 15th, 2012 01:44 pmToday is a slow day at the library and, since I have too much Christmas knitting in hand to let myself look at knitting patterns, I am looking at recipes.
See, I was planning to make bread this weekend, so I was looking at bread recipes. And then I ended up somehow talking to my coworker about pork belly and I found this recipe for pork belly buns, which looks amazing. And then I was thinking about char siu and how it would be fun to make bao again, and how I kinda want to make pie and what kind of pie should I make? I have a recipe for tiny buttermilk pies, which look adorable, but that made me think about that time I made Queijadas De Sintra, except that I had not previously made my own pie crust at that time and so the crust sucked but I make awesome pie crust now so maybe it's time to revisit them.
Basically, I want to Make All The Things.
What is your favorite pie recipe?
See, I was planning to make bread this weekend, so I was looking at bread recipes. And then I ended up somehow talking to my coworker about pork belly and I found this recipe for pork belly buns, which looks amazing. And then I was thinking about char siu and how it would be fun to make bao again, and how I kinda want to make pie and what kind of pie should I make? I have a recipe for tiny buttermilk pies, which look adorable, but that made me think about that time I made Queijadas De Sintra, except that I had not previously made my own pie crust at that time and so the crust sucked but I make awesome pie crust now so maybe it's time to revisit them.
Basically, I want to Make All The Things.
What is your favorite pie recipe?
(no subject)
Oct. 30th, 2012 02:24 pmThings:
- I had pumpkin pickles in my lunch today. They were fabulous. They are from an overflow jar that didn't get processed, so I haven't actually eaten any of the pickles that got properly canned. I don't know how much that will affect the experience, but I imagine that they will also be excellent.
- A week or so ago, I made these because they are adorable and today I am wearing them. It's not quite cold enough for them but they make me smile every time they peek out from under my skirt. Which is the important thing, really.
- I bought pumpkin spice caramels and chocolate-covered caramel corn at the grocery store this morning. Autumn candy is the best candy.
- I have at least started all but one of my Christmas knitting projects and the one left is only because I just decided to do it yesterday and haven't acquired yarn yet. On two of them, I am practically halfway done already. There will be no stressful last minute holiday knitting for me this year!
- You guys, tomorrow is Halloween! I don't have big plans, really, but there will probably be candy and scary movies - I'm kinda having a Hellraiser craving - and possibly I will play Arkham Horror. Sounds pretty good. (Although there is probably something wrong with the idea of doing Christmas knitting while watching Hellraiser. Hopefully, there will be no Cenobite-ish contamination.)
So far, it is a pretty good day.
- I had pumpkin pickles in my lunch today. They were fabulous. They are from an overflow jar that didn't get processed, so I haven't actually eaten any of the pickles that got properly canned. I don't know how much that will affect the experience, but I imagine that they will also be excellent.
- A week or so ago, I made these because they are adorable and today I am wearing them. It's not quite cold enough for them but they make me smile every time they peek out from under my skirt. Which is the important thing, really.
- I bought pumpkin spice caramels and chocolate-covered caramel corn at the grocery store this morning. Autumn candy is the best candy.
- I have at least started all but one of my Christmas knitting projects and the one left is only because I just decided to do it yesterday and haven't acquired yarn yet. On two of them, I am practically halfway done already. There will be no stressful last minute holiday knitting for me this year!
- You guys, tomorrow is Halloween! I don't have big plans, really, but there will probably be candy and scary movies - I'm kinda having a Hellraiser craving - and possibly I will play Arkham Horror. Sounds pretty good. (Although there is probably something wrong with the idea of doing Christmas knitting while watching Hellraiser. Hopefully, there will be no Cenobite-ish contamination.)
So far, it is a pretty good day.
(no subject)
Oct. 28th, 2012 03:23 pmThis morning, my mom and I made pomegranate jelly. It is delicious.
Right now, I am in the process of making pumpkin pickles. (I'm using this recipe, for those who wish to play along at home.) So far, I have learned that pumpkin is very difficult to peel. I ended up using one pumpkin, which yielded 12 cups of chopped pumpkin bits. This should have been half the recipe, producing 3 pints of pickles in 6 half pint jars. It did that. It also produced two additional pint jars and one quart jar. So that's 7 pints. I can't imagine what using the 24 cups the recipe called for would do. I am making a second batch of syrup for those latter jars while the 6 half pints process, since halving the recipe did not produce nearly the amount of syrup I need.
They smell delicious. My mom has tasted one and assures me that they taste delicious too.
I'm pretty excited about the whole thing, really.
( Photographic evidence! )
Right now, I am in the process of making pumpkin pickles. (I'm using this recipe, for those who wish to play along at home.) So far, I have learned that pumpkin is very difficult to peel. I ended up using one pumpkin, which yielded 12 cups of chopped pumpkin bits. This should have been half the recipe, producing 3 pints of pickles in 6 half pint jars. It did that. It also produced two additional pint jars and one quart jar. So that's 7 pints. I can't imagine what using the 24 cups the recipe called for would do. I am making a second batch of syrup for those latter jars while the 6 half pints process, since halving the recipe did not produce nearly the amount of syrup I need.
They smell delicious. My mom has tasted one and assures me that they taste delicious too.
I'm pretty excited about the whole thing, really.
( Photographic evidence! )
(no subject)
Oct. 27th, 2012 10:43 pmI decided not to go to Rocky Horror tonight. It doesn't start till 11:15 and is half an hour away and I am sleepy. So, I am kind of a failboat but I am a failboat who will be spending the evening tucked up and cozy in her own bed.
Today, I did a lot of knitting and watched horror movies on Netflix. They have changed the horror subgenres list since the last time I looked - there is no Classic Horror subgenre anymore, which makes me a bit sad. There is, however, Deep Sea Horror, which is somehow hilarious.
Also today, my parents and I made pear butter. We have seven jars of the stuff and it is delicious. I'm quite happy about it. Tomorrow, I'm going to attempt to make pumpkin pickles, since I have a recipe and the idea is intriguing.
Not a bad weekend, really.
Today, I did a lot of knitting and watched horror movies on Netflix. They have changed the horror subgenres list since the last time I looked - there is no Classic Horror subgenre anymore, which makes me a bit sad. There is, however, Deep Sea Horror, which is somehow hilarious.
Also today, my parents and I made pear butter. We have seven jars of the stuff and it is delicious. I'm quite happy about it. Tomorrow, I'm going to attempt to make pumpkin pickles, since I have a recipe and the idea is intriguing.
Not a bad weekend, really.
(no subject)
Oct. 14th, 2012 01:47 pmIt is grey and rainy and I am making pie. Today's pie is grape pie and it is currently in the oven. It smells pretty good so far and I hope it will taste better, but any recipe that requires me to halve 4 cups of grapes is a recipe that I will not be making often.
Still, soon I will have pie. And later, I will do some knitting. So it's pretty much an ideal Sunday afternoon.
Still, soon I will have pie. And later, I will do some knitting. So it's pretty much an ideal Sunday afternoon.
