wallycado

Daily Dozen

2012-01-27T09:37:00.001-06:00

My Daily Dozen

The personal creed of Robert Louis Stevenson

1. Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things. (What a great start to a daily list! I love this advice, as evidenced by my blog's little tagline, although I must admit that I often have to remind myself that my level of happiness is totally in my control.)*

2. Make the best of your circumstances. No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow intermingled with the gladness of life. The trick is to make the laughter outweigh the tears. (I love the words "the gladness of life" and am thinking of writing this on my bathroom mirror so I'll never forget it. Is that weird?)

3. Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't think that somehow you should be protected from misfortunes that befall others. (I don't.)

4. You can't please everybody. Don't let criticism worry you. (Amen.)

5. Don't let your neighbor set your standards. Be yourself. (This...this right here is one of my biggest struggles, every.single.day. I've always struggled with insecurity and I am the queen of self-comparison; I even quit Facebook because of it [among lots of other reasons.] I often think I know who "I" am, but then I find myself comparing everything to everyone, so I guess I'm not so sure just yet. Do any of you struggle with this? Or if you once did, how did you/do you overcome it? I'm on a constant search for the answer...)

6. Do the things you enjoy doing, but stay out of debt. (Solid advice. Luckily, I'm pretty easily amused.)

7. Don't borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than the actual ones. (Truth.)

8. Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish enmities, grudges. Avoid people who make you unhappy. (Don't you with you had this advice when you were in high school? Sheesh.)

9. Have many interests. If you can't travel, read about new places. (Now I know which is #1 on my dad's list. I really love this advice. I don't understand when people can't answer the simple question "What do you like to do?" How can you be an interesting person if you have no interests?)

10. Don't hold postmortems. Don't spend your life brooding over sorrows and mistakes. Don't be the one who never gets over things. (Can I get an "AMEN??" Get over it and move on. Now.)

11. Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself. (We have so much to give. Go out and spread the love.)

12. Keep busy at something. A very busy person never has time to be unhappy. (This falls so naturally into my goals for 2012. Busy, busy, busy.)

*I'm sure you've figured this out by now, but everything in ( ) are my own thoughts.

Brussels Sprouts

2012-01-25T11:01:00.002-06:00

I love brussels sprouts. Seriously love them. I'm still trying to convince boyfriend of their magic, but he'll catch on eventually. I've already converted him to kale (in chip form) so there's hope for the sprouts.

But since he's not quite on the brussels sprouts wagon yet, and he was out of town last weekend, I decided to make brussels sprouts the star of my Sunday dinner.

Brussels Sprouts with Sausage and Walnuts
(serves 1, but can be easily doubled or tripled)

what you need:
1 sausage link, sliced. I used Applegate Organics Sweet Italian Sausage (it's chicken and turkey)
10 brussels sprouts, halved or quartered.
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped.
1 T. fresh rosemary OR 1 T. dried Italian seasoning. Or both!
a handful of walnuts, toasted
shredded parmesan cheese, to taste
olive oil
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

How you make it:
Add a bit of oil to a big skillet and saute the sausage until browned. It's already fully-cooked, so you're literally just browning it here. Once the sausage is ready, take it out of pan. Add a bit more oil and toss in the brussels sprouts. I like to put them all cut-side down first. Saute the sprouts for a few minutes, then add the garlic and seasonings. Keep sauteing until sprouts are browned and softened. Add the sausage back to the skillet, and cook just until sausage is warmed. Transfer all that yumminess to a big plate, top with the walnuts and parmesan, and shove it in your face. It's delicious! And healthy! So don't feel bad if you eat it all.

Reason #473 Why I Love My Dog

2012-01-18T11:07:00.002-06:00

She knows how to rock a 'hawk.

grace:
-Baby Garren, healthy and oh so handsome.
-An unexpected Monday night date.
-Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
-Skittles
-Instagram. (I'm wallycado if you'd like to follow)

I heart OK

2012-01-13T13:52:00.000-06:00

I've always wanted a tattoo, but I never knew what I wanted to have permanently inked on my body. There's no beauty in a random bird on your foot if it means nothing to you. My boyfriend's siblings love tattoos and his sister has been trying to help me decide on what to get for years. Then, almost a year ago, we went out for a night of bowling, and came home with tattoos.

And just like that, Oklahoma found a permanent place on my wrist (and on Taylor's ankle), and in my heart.

It's more than a love for my home state. To me, this little tattoo represents everything I hold dear: my family, my history, my friends, all in one place.

I love : Polaroids

2012-01-06T10:51:00.003-06:00

Here's a picture I took with my phone of a picture I took with a Polaroid camera.

It was a gift from boyfriend this Christmas and I love it. I'm tempted to take picture after picture, but there's only 10 pics in a roll of film so I've had to be very selective. I thought Rose dressed up in her New Year's finest was a good choice.

.grace.
1. My new 2012 planner from Erin Condren. I'm slightly obsessed. It makes me feel very organized, and I am not an organized person by any means.
2. Sunflowers. I know I mention them often, but they are such happy flowers I can't help but be happy with them in my house.
3. Sharing a chocolate milkshake and fries with my nephew at Tucker's. You have to dip the fries in the shake. Just believe me on this one.
4. The Joy of Less. 2012 is going to be a year of de-cluttering my life, starting with my home. I plan on writing more on this in future.
5. Morning snuggles with a freshly groomed pup. The Squeeze can get rather stinky...

2012

2012-01-04T09:14:00.001-06:00

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to put 2011 behind me. It wasn't that it was a bad year, it just wasn't what I hoped. Now that we are four days into the new year, I'm officially over 2011, and therefore don't need to rehash all the good, bad and ugly of the year. Like everyone else, I'm looking ahead.

I was going to list all my hopes/dreams/goals/resolutions/whateveryouwanttocallit for 2012 here, but after typing and erasing the start of the list like seven times, I'm decided against it. It doesn't matter to you what my goals are. And lots of them are personal anyway. So instead I'll just share one. Because it's a good one and I'm excited about it.

I got a set of Boom Boom Cards from my sis-in-law for Christmas. I had no idea what they were, but am super excited about them now that I do. Basically, there's 25 cards in the deck. Each card has a good deed written on it and they all vary from things like buy a stranger a cup of coffee to writing a letter to a long lost friend. After the suggested deed, there's also a way to Revolutionize It! by stepping it up a notch, like instead of writing that letter to your best friend from second grade, why not write it to your worst enemy from senior year of high school? Anyway, each card has a tracking code on it. When you complete the deed, you go online to register your card and tell your Boom Boom story. Then you pass the card along to someone, anyone, and watch as that card and it's good deed gets (hopefully) passed around and around. I think the whole concept is awesome. So my goal for 2012 is to complete my deck of Boom Boom Cards and pass them along. 25 cards, 12 months. Absolutely doable.

grace.
1. Magazine subscriptions...specifically Whole Living, Elle Decor, Taste of Home, and a new OK based paper This Land. All of which were gifted to me by loving people (and Recycle Bank points!)
2. Spending New Year's Eve at home with boyfriend. We cooked a fancy meal, drank champagne, cheered on the Thunder, and squinted way too much while watching a Swedish movie. It was the first time I've stayed in on NYE, and it was so, so fun.
3. Fresh sunflowers from Sunflower Market. They are SO pretty!
4. Being blessed with a wonderful and giving family on Christmas.
5. Sharing your goals and wishes for 2012 with your best friend only to have her tell you that she has the exact.same.goals. It's always more fun to go through things as two rather than one.

Pizza, two ways.

2011-09-07T12:59:00.000-05:00

Pizza.

It may be the perfect food.

And homemade is always better.

I used this recipe for the crust. It's a new one for me and so far I like it. It only makes enough for one pizza so I'm going to play with it and see if I can get more than one pizza out of one packet of yeast. But for now, it's just fine.

Night one, we topped our pizza with garlic and olive oil sauce (oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes whisked together and brushed on), mozzarella, mushrooms, red bell peppers, prosciutto and arugula (added after it's out of oven) and it was downright delicious.

Night two was just me. I whipped up some pesto (fill blender with spinach and arugula, a hand full of walnuts, two cloves garlic, a generous hand full of parmesan cheese, drizzle in olive oil while blending) and brushed that one the partially cooked dough, topped it with mozzarella, roma tomatoes, mushrooms, shaved asparagus and goat cheese. MAJOR yum.

...graces...
1. Having a refrigerator door full of postcards, wedding and wedding related invites, and pics of my family.
2. No more 100+ degree weather! Geeze, summer could not end fast enough.
3. The Boys & Girls Club.
4. Crazy, Stupid, Love. It was crazy, stupid, good.
5. Zara is now available online!!! Can't wait to spend some money before an upcoming trip to Napa...

Easy.

2011-08-31T11:21:00.000-05:00

This is not a food blog.

It just so happens I have little other to talk about right now. I mean, I could tell you about the so-much-fun-I-wanted-to-cry-when-it-ended girls weekend I just had up at my lake house. Or about the fun gifts my dad brought me back from Colorado and Santa Fe. I could probably go on and on about my excitement over my brother moving back from LA and his super cute house (that I'm not jealous of at all) that his cute girlfriend is going to make look so awesome. There's plenty to say about how busy my summer has been; how many great books I've read lately; how awesome it is to be dating someone "in the industry" so I now get to see raw edits of unreleased movies. But for now, it's going to be food I talk about.

The other day I was trolling the internet for inspiration for dinner. I had no clue what I wanted, but I knew I wanted something easy. Like super easy. It was Monday after all. The Monday after the above mentioned girls weekend that left me so drained I literally did cry before bed on Sunday (no joke). So anything requiring effort sounded like way too much. Then I found this recipe and that was all I needed. I did change it though, adding asparagus and mushrooms that needed to be used up. It was so easy and delicious, I can't wait to make it again.

Simple Lemon Pasta
What I used:
1/2 lb pasta. I used pasta "flowers". They were very pretty.
olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely diced, aka. chopped very tiny (Lauren and Morgan)
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
a good shake of red pepper flakes
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
about 7 stalks asparagus, cut into chunks
3/4 c. frozen peas
1 c. cheese, I used a mixture of romano and parmesan
juice of 1 lemon

What I did:
Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water. While that cooks, heat oil in a small pan. Add onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just a few minutes, til soft and fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook on med-low heat til soft. When pasta is almost finished, scoop out about a c. of the boiling water (to thicken sauce later, if needed) and add the asparagus and peas to boiling pasta water. When pasta is done, strain the whole pot. Add pasta, asparagus and peas back into hot pot. Pour in the mushroom/onion mixture. Add the cheese and lemon juice and stir. Add more cheese and a bit of the reserved pasta water if desired to make it a bit more saucy. Find the biggest bowl you can and eat your delicious dinner out of that. On the couch. While watching Project Runway on your laptop.

...grace...
1. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
2. Making room for a new roomie. (A boy!)
3. Ed Hardy koozies. Just trust me on this one.
4. Sharkey's bar at Grand Lake.
5. My sweet niece who just turned 10. She got an iPod touch for her birthday. We now text everyday when she is out of school. It makes my day.

I'm back! And I made you something to eat.

2011-08-23T09:35:00.000-05:00

So it's been awhile. I planned on playing catch up on all my life happenings, but it turns out I didn't have much to report, so I decided to share with you the one thing that rarely changes around here; good food. I'm really good at eating, so we'll just talk about that. Most of my meals are what I call "bowl meals" which is a really boring way of saying I eat things out of bowls. Lots of soups, beans and greens, stir fry's, and the like. It's a rare occasion that I make a meal that belongs on a plate and has separate parts. I'm a mixer. Things should be eaten together. Like lentils and rice. Here's my favorite way to eat it.

(I lost my camera charger, so I take pictures on my phone. They aren't great.)

What you need:

olive oil

1 onion, sliced or diced, whatever you fancy

1-2 cloves of garlic

2 carrots, diced

Grated ginger. I use fresh, and probably used around 1/2 Tb.

1/2-1tsp. each of tumeric, garam masala, ground red pepper, and cumin

1 bay leaf

1 c. of lentils

1/2 can coconut milk

1/2 c. frozen peas, or more if you accidentally spill a lot in the bowl.

1 c. uncooked brown rice.

How you make it: (start to finish, this takes about 45 mins)

Start by cooking your rice according to package directions. Honestly, those somehow don't work for me, I always end up adding more water. So don't worry if that's the case for you as well. It'll make me feel better to know I'm not alone in this.

Next, in a skillet (I use a big deep one), saute your onions in the oil for a few minutes until soft. Add the carrots and garlic, lots of S&P, and cook til the onions are really soft and yellow and the carrots begin to soften. It'll smell good, you'll know. Add all your spices, and stir. I start with about 1/2 tsp. of each and add more later if needed. Pour in the lentils and add 2c. of water. Put a lid on it and go play Words With Friends while it comes to a boil. Check the liquid levels. The lentils will soak it all up but won't be done, so you can add in another cup or two of water OR vegetable broth (I did) and let it boil, gently, until the lentils are soft, which takes about 15 mins or more. Once the lentils are soft and liquid is absorbed, add the coconut milk and frozen peas. Cook til all is soft and yummy. Add more spices if needed, which they almost always are. By this time, your rice should be done. Serve the lentils over the rice and eat. This is really good with some naan or pita bread to scoop it up with.

..grace..

1. Book club. Everyone should do it.

2. My brother being home! For good!

3. Having a lake house, especially when the heat is as ridiculous as it's been.

4. Red nail polish.

5. Pinterest.com. I'm obsessed.

A yummy salad

2011-02-18T14:20:00.000-06:00

After a 3 mile walk with my pup this morning, I came home ravenous. I was really craving a salad from my favorite place around town to get one, Cool Greens, but I wasn't really in the mood to shell out $12 for one, although they are so worth it. After a quick peek in the fridge I decided I had all the fixings for a great salad for free!

For the dressing:

about 1/4 c. rice vinegar

2 small cloves garlic, or 1 regular size

salt and pepper

a sprinkle of dried Italian seasoning

about 1/4 c. grapeseed oil

Whisk all ingredients together and taste. I don't like the taste of oil in dressings, so I always end up adding more vinegar, but adjust the measurements and seasonings to fit what you like.

For the salad:

3-4 c. baby arugula and mixed greens. I think what I used is just called "baby arugula mix"

1 avacado, cubed

a couple of slices of red onion

about 1/4 c. sprouts

2-3 T. walnuts, roughly chopped

goat cheese crumbles, as much as you like

Throw all ingredients in a bowl big enough to hold them, except for the goat cheese and half the walnuts. Toss with the dressing (I didn't use it all), and transfer to a big plate. Top with remaining walnuts and goat cheese. Eat it up!

This was a huge salad. And I ate every bite. I'm pretty sure my measurements are accurate, but it's a salad, you just add as much of whatever you like. I'm sure you all can handle that.

...grace...

1. The new Radiohead album. Released a day early, it's real good stuff.

2. Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha. Can't wait to discuss this one with the book club ladies.

3. Groupon and my American Apparel purchase.

4. Wickles! I'm a full on addict now, thanks to Josiah. (Psst, the okra is amazing too)

5. Finding two pairs of flats (same pair, different colors) on sale BIG TIME at Dillard's. Finally found a replacement for my favorite yellow flats that I sadly had to retire.

grace

2011-02-16T10:07:00.000-06:00

I've had a few requests for my "graces" to be brought back. They weren't ever really gone, I just sort of lost the habit of thinking about them, which is sad because thinking of things that grace my life is such a natural thing for me to do. So they're back! Starting now.

.grace.
1. BHLDN : I haven't ever been much of a "wedding" girl. I think eloping sounds more romantic and unless I have a ring on my finger, I've never allowed myself to think *too much* about what my possible future wedding would be like. It's just not how I function. But then BHLDN came along. The wedding line from Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters that launched on Valentine's Day has me completely smitten. It's bad. I've already picked out three possible gowns for myself, bridesmaid dresses, and shoes. And the fact that it just so happens to have launched before I've ever been close to marriage has me thinking that maybe, just maybe, it was waiting for me.

2. Yogi teas, especially the blueberry slim life green tea.

3. Arcade Fire for the win!!! Finally The Grammy's were (sort of) worth watching again and they got a clue and rewarded a band who is actually talented, rocks hard, and completely deserved the win.

4. Snow days that include: multiple games of Monopoly, a big pot of vegetable soup, snowy walks with the Rose, popcorn, Mad Men, lots of couch time, lots of cleaning, lots of wine at 3pm (it's a snow day, so day drinking is totally acceptable), more popcorn, mac and cheese, The Social Network, reading, reading, reading, and more popcorn.

5. I've become slightly obsessed with power foods, whole foods, the history of food, etc. These books and blogs have helped feed that obsession. The Whole Story blog from Whole Foods Market, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, and the cookbook Power Foods from Whole Living Magazine.

6. Okay, time to confess. I am absolutely in love with this album. I've resisted for so long, but I just can't help myself. The only thing that makes me feel better about it is that I got the album from the library for free so I'm not feeding the monster.

7. Half Price Books. This place is quickly becoming my favorite way to pass the time.

8. Having an early Valentine's Day celebration with girlfriends, a delicious home cooked meal, Apples to Apples, and plenty of laughter and wine. And feeling the love on the real Valentine's Day.

9. My book club that keeps growing and growing.

10. Essie nail polish in Alligator Purse. It's my color of the week.

So tell me, what graces your life today?

Orange & Almond cake

2011-02-09T16:44:00.000-06:00

It's amazing how you can take a few simple ingredients and end up with something different every time, depending on how you manipulate said ingredients. Eggs, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla; mix those together and you get a cupcake, or bread, or a pie, cake, cookie, the possibilities are endless. When I bake, I'm always amazed at how all these things go from being separate, simple ingredients, to a weird mixture where I always ask "am I doing this right?!" and then suddenly, BAM! Batter is made! You did it right! Simply magic.

This cake is very simple. Dorie Greenspan calls it "Swedish Visiting Cake" but I altered from her recipe ever so slightly, so I'm just calling it Orange & Almond Cake. The fact that this can be made with one bowl without a mixer was a winner for me. And using my hands to incorporate orange zest into sugar then slowly adding all other ingredients made it, and me, feel very rustic. Perfect for a snow day.

Orange & Almond Cake
(adapted slightly from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours)

What you'll need:
1 c. sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling
the grated zest of 1 small-medium orange
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 stick (8T.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
About 1/4 c. sliced almonds

   Preheat the oven to 350* F. Butter a 9 in. cake pan, line with parchment paper, and butter that too. You can also bake this is a 9 in. cast iron skillet, which would really up the rustic factor. Sadly, my cast iron is way too big.
   Put the sugar in a medium bowl. Grate the orange zest directly into the bowl and blend with the sugar using your hands until sugar is moist and smells of oranges. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Whisk in salt and vanilla extract. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour until well blended. Finally, fold in the melted butter.
   Pour batter into pan, scatter with slivered almonds and sprinkle with sugar. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and a little crisp on the outside. Remove from oven and let cool slightly for 10-15 mins and serve! This is meant to be eaten with your hands, and preferably with morning coffee, or wine and your girlfriends.

Naysayers

2011-01-26T13:41:00.000-06:00

I'm not really a resolutions type of girl. But I do like setting goals for myself, and making changes. After months of eating crap food, I decided that the beginning of 2011 would be a great time to change. I've given up meat for 1 month (but will probably stay on the veggie train indefinitely) and have put much more thought about what goes into my body. The best way for me to do this is to cook for myself, cut out processed foods, and only eat at "good" places when I dine out. So far, so good.

The only problem I've had with this is all of the naysayers. The people who ask "how are you getting protein?" "How are you getting iron?" "What are you eating?" Well, turns out plant based diets are FULL of protein and iron (read this and see for yourself). And you actually get more iron from greens than from meat. And I'm not an idiot. I'm not eating grilled cheese sandwiches and pasta for every meal. Adopting a new way of eating has really opened up my mind about food. Not that I've ever had a problem with cooking, or knowing what is or isn't healthy, but like everyone, I've had trouble staying on track before. Not this time.

The best advice I can give anyone who is trying to eat more whole foods (foods that are unaltered from nature. Well, except canned beans, tomatoes, frozen veggies and fruits...but you get the idea) is to shop on the outer edges of the grocery store. The only things you need from the aisles are spices, rice, grains, beans, etc. The outer edges are where it's at.

Anyway, here's what I had for lunch today. And it only took about 10 minutes to whip up.

Chickpea and Kale:
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch of kale, washed and stems removed
1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
juice of 1/2 a lemon
grapeseed oil (or olive), salt and pepper, crushed red pepper

In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute the onion in about 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. After a few minutes, add the garlic and saute til fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the kale and stir around. Add a little lemon juice if pan looks dry. Once kale begins to wilt, add the chickpeas and the rest of the lemon juice. Cook until kale is wilted and beans are heated through, adding a bit of water to pan if it looks dry. Season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper, if desired and serve.

I'll be sharing lots of recipes about my new "diet" but a really good place to get some information and helpful tips on healthy eating is from the current issue of Real Simple magazine (it's the February issue). It has great information about staying on track, eating whole foods, and a list of super foods that everyone should be eating.

So tell me, what are your favorite vegetarian friendly meals?

breakfast of champions

2010-09-24T10:22:00.000-05:00

This is what I eat for breakfast. That is, when I actually eat breakfast, which isn't often.

Toasted 7 grain bread with peanut butter, sliced bananas and drizzled with honey. Perfection.

And when I run out of bananas, I use thiny sliced apples. Boyfriend gave me this apple. His coworker has an apple tree and brought in a whole bunch (or bushel?) of apples so he snagged a few for me. They are delicious.

*Did you know honey helps ease allergies? I suffer from them big time so I try to add a few tablespoons of honey into my daily eats when the seasons are particularly bad. Use local honey. The local bees carry around local allergies so their honey is the one you'll benefit from most.

Rambling and The Rose

2010-08-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

I ate seven cookies yesterday. Seriously. 7. Seven. 6+1. That's how many I ate. BUT they were oatmeal raisin with wheat germ and no flour, so they were technically good for me, right? That's what I keep telling myself.

She ripped this giant stick off of a tree in my backyard.

She does this often.

I also had a massive cheeseburger for dinner, but I blame my grandma for that.

Speaking of grandmas, mine is pretty awesome. I don't turn her down when she asks me to go for a cheeseburger.

My dog likes to watch airplanes fly by. Really, she stops chewing on whatever stick she's destroying and looks up into the sky. It happened no fewer than five times yesterday afternoon. It was a good day for flying.

See? Watching planes fly by.

She also likes to watch birds fly by. And sometimes I catch her staring into my neighbors yard with wander. She's a dreamer, that Rose.

Today is my niece is celebrating her 9th birthday. NINE! I love that little lady way too much. You know what I'm getting her for her birthday? A giant bag of candy. Sorry, Ran and Kris, I apologize in advance for your super hyper daughter this weekend. (But don't tell her about the candy.)

Her pirate name is Rosie Wet Beard.

I like kissing her button nose.

I'm currently reading Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespear & Co. by Jeremy Mercer. It makes me want to be a poor, aimless writer wandering the streets of Paris. It also intensifies my love of book stores and old books. And quirky people. So yeah, I'm gonna need to go to Paris soon.

I'm playing with the idea of becoming a vegetarian. Just ignore the whole "I ate a massive cheeseburger for dinner" last night comment. Vegetarianism it is, from here on out. I wonder what boyfriend will have to say about this new venture in life.

This is the face Rosie makes when she's getting a belly rub.

It's a face only a mother could love.

And I do.

I'm sort of secretly happy that boyfriend decided to pick up a Thursday night class. It means I get to watch Project Runway. I want to punch that Gretchen girl in the face, even if her style rocks.

I've also seen way too many episodes of Keeping up With the Kardashians. They make me feel smarter because they are so stupid.

Giant paw!

I'm going to the lake this weekend for the second weekend in a row. I'm stoked. Although, after watching two episodes of River Monsters this week, I'm also a slightly terrified.

I promise I don't watch as much TV as it sounds like. I'm actually thinking about cancelling my cable. Except I'd miss the Food Network too much. And the Kardashians.

I got poison ivy in the 5th grade. On purpose. I wanted a good reason to miss school. For some reason poison ivy seemed the way to go. I was wrong. I was waaaay wrong. Turns out I'm ridiculously allergic to poison ivy. I missed school for 2 weeks. It was not awesome.

You know what is awesome? New babies. My cousin had one last week. His name is Chalk, baby brother to Josiah. Cutest baby names ever.

I love my giant Rose!

I think I'll have a cookie for breakfast. Oatmeal raisin is a breakfast cookie, right?

Quinoa Bowl

2010-08-25T10:02:00.000-05:00

I bought a bag of quinoa a few weeks ago and it's been hiding in my pantry ever since. Not because I haven't wanted to make it, just because I forgot it was there. It happens sometimes. Anyway, in an effort to clean out my fridge last night, I whipped up this quinoa bowl.

It was my first time using quinoa and it was quick, easy and super delicious. And, it was a really great way to clean out my fridge and pantry at the same time. Here's how I made it:

For the quinoa:

1 c. quinoa

2 c. water

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. Put the quinoa and 2 c. water (and a pinch of sea salt) into pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and let simmer until all water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Fluff with fork and you're done.

For the fixins':

1 carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bag spinach

juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1-2 green onions

3-4 jarred sundried tomatos (for me), chopped

handful of black olives (for boyfriend), chopped

store bought pesto

1 T. pine nuts, toasted

I started by cooking the carrot and garlic in a bit of olive oil, just to soften them up. I then added the spinach and lemon juice and wilted it down. I also tossed the chick peas into the pan at the last minute, just to warm them up a bit. After the spinach was cooked, I tossed everything, quinoa and all, into a big bowl and tossed until well mixed. I added about 1 TB of prepared pesto for a little extra flavor and topped it all off with some fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts.

The end result was yummy and really satisfying. I usually eat A LOT at dinner, and I was full after one bowl. Hopefully next time I'll have some feta, goat or parmesan cheese on hand, but for a quinoa first timer, this was perfect. And, bonus for me, after just a few bites, boyfriend turned to me and said "This is really good, babe!" Well, if he says so.

From Dad

2010-08-20T09:31:00.000-05:00

My dad was in Santa Monica, CA last week visiting my brother. As usual, he returned home with a few little gifts for me.

A little notebook with a vintage sunbather. Love it.

And this little book:

"Be Happy. A little book to help you live a happy life." By Monica Sheehan. It's full of short and simple words of advice, and each piece of advice has a little illustration to go with it.

Dance. Dancing makes me happy.

You know what else makes me happy? Listening to music.

But my favorite page is this one:

"Focus on creating what you desire." It reminds me of my goal to create my own happiness.

Thanks, dad.

Jenny Lewis

2010-08-18T08:29:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I entered a giveaway on the Pioneer Woman's site because I like winning free stuff. All you had to do to enter was to answer a simple question; if you could spend time with any woman in history (alive, dead, or just a friend of yours) who would it be? My answer: "Jenny Lewis. We could talk about music AND Troop Beverly Hills. Double win."

I'll keep you posted on my winnings. In the meantime, enjoy some Jenny Lewis.

Tuna Salad

2010-08-12T14:48:00.000-05:00

Tuna salad. Simple, easy, maybe even a little boring? Not today.
Here's how I make it:
1 can of tuna (whatever is your fave)
1-2 T. mayo (I use the kind with olive oil in it)
1 T. grainy mustard
1-2 T. sweet relish
2 celery stalks from the center of the bunch, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
Salt and pepper
Just mix it all together, tasting as you go. Add a little of this or that to get it just the way you like it. When I serve this for dinner, I ditch the bread and serve it atop some arugula/spinach/baby greens, cucumbers, avacado and tomato tossed with lemon juice and olive oil. For lunch, I like an open faced sandwich on toasted 7-grain bread with all the same toppings. Make sure to sprinkle a little salad vinegar over the top. It'll make you feel fancy.

Tunes: Arcade Fire

2010-08-10T19:03:00.000-05:00

There's a new album out by Arcade Fire, who has been a favorite of mine for a while now. The album is called "The Suburbs" and it's seriously amazing. Go have a listen for free over at NPR and see for yourselves.

good question

2010-07-01T11:35:00.001-05:00

                                               "Tell me, what is it you plan to do
                                                with your one wild and precious life?"
                                                ~Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

Surfs up, dude!

2010-06-30T10:25:00.000-05:00

We went on a family trip to San Diego, CA a few weeks ago. My brothers talked me into surfing lessons and I'm so glad I didn't chicken out like I expected. It was so fun! My little nephew tagged along as well. Surfs up!

deadCENTER Film Festival

2010-06-09T08:09:00.000-05:00

It's deadCENTER time again! Come out and see for youself what it's all about. There will be BMXers, roller derby girls, Stella beer on tap, and a FREE outdoor screening. Oh, and Mat Hoffman and Spike Jonze will be there. Now you have to go.

Good tunes

2010-05-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

When I'm looking for some new-to-me music, I turn to my little brother. He's good at sharing the music he loves and knowing what I'll like. I always blindly download the albums he suggests and our most recent music talk led me to some of my favorite albums yet.

Heartless Bastards    The Mountain
Chairlift Does You Inspire You
Dr. Dog      East Beat
Devendra Banhart   Cripple Crow
Beach House   Zebra

Here's a current favorite song to get you through this rainy Wednesday.

NMF

2010-04-25T09:57:00.000-05:00

Be there.

Festival of the Arts

2010-04-21T09:09:00.000-05:00

I love spring time in Oklahoma. I love the blooming flowers and trees. I love the warm weather. I love the thunderstorms. And I love the Festival of the Arts.

Yesterday was opening day of the festival and boyfriend and I managed to squeeze in about an hour of time to grab some dinner. Fish tacos for me, indian taco for him. If you all are in the area, please don't miss this awesome event. And while you're there, stop by the booth of Eighty Acres Art and check out the fun clocks and meet the artist. We were hovering around her booth at closing time last night, and she already asked me (in person) to be friends with her on Facebook. I feel instantly cooler already.

..grace..
-Saving up to buy some new art AND boyfriend getting excited about purchasing something for himself as well.
-Sabi on Western Avenue. Loves it. Say 'hi' to M.A. while you're there!
-Alstroemeria in shades of yellow and gold.
-New Moleskine notebooks. I think I'm slightly obsessed.
-Frightened Rabbit. How awesome is their music??

I was in Wayne Coyne's house this weekend....

2010-04-19T15:51:00.000-05:00

...and it was freakin' awesome!

Go here to see some pics from the architects website. We weren't allowed to take pics of our own.

I was punked by Mizzle.

2010-04-06T10:26:00.000-05:00

Boyfriend spent the past weekend up at his lake house with his family for Easter. So on Saturday morning, I had my coffee and sent him a text message. We had a mini conversation. This is how it went.

Me: What r u doing?
Boyfriend: Reading a triathalon magazine. What r u doing (insert an iphone emoji of an ice cream cone)

Me: Triathalon magazine? You gonna do one?? I'm just hanging with Rose. Trying to decide what to do with my day. (insert iphone emoji of a ghost.)

Boyfriend: Go shopping! Yes will u do a triathalon w me?

Me: Are u encouraging me to shop?? Well fine if u say so... I'll only do a triathalon if Rosie can do it with me Haha (insert emoji french fries)

Boyfriend: Cool. We will all do one together as one big happy family. Shop til u drop babe

End of conversation.

This was not boyfriend I was texting with. This was his sister, Mizzle. Of course, I didn't know that until much later in the day. I mean, the signs were there. Boyfriend doesn't read triathalon magazines. He doesn't use random emojis. He doesn't encourage me to shop. And he most certainly would never say "we will all do one together as one big happy family."

Well played, T-pot. Well played.

Hmmm, breakfast pizza...

2010-03-29T17:34:00.000-05:00

I forgot to tell you all about the breakfast pizza. Not just any breakfast pizza, mind you, it's the breakfast pizza. The only one I've ever made, and probably the only one I will ever make again.

I got the recipe here from Smitten Kitchen. I did a few things different though; I used this pizza dough recipe from The Pioneer Woman, only because the "garbage bag" instructions in SK's freaked me out. I don't know why, so don't ask. I also added mushrooms to the pizza, because I love mushrooms. And instead of shredded mozzarella cheese, I cut a ball of it into really thin slices. When everything was said and done, the pizza was ridiculously amazing. Boyfriend and I seriously loved this pizza.

Grace.
1. Hiking in the Wichita Mountains with Biz! (More on that sometime this week...if I remember)
2. Oklahoma weather! Loving this wonderful, if a bit spastic, spring so far.
3. Sparkling water. I love it.
4. Bear Naked granola. Preferably paired with some blueberries on top of yogurt.
5. My dad and Coop who celebrated their shared birthday last Friday. Happy Birthday to two of my favorite guys!

I want.

2010-03-25T10:39:00.000-05:00

I want this dresser.

And by want, I mean want. Need. Must have now. Found here on eBay. The pics are worth a look.

That $118 price tag is tricky. It lures you in...but it conveniently leaves out the $400+ shipping price...boo.

Looking ahead

2010-03-11T10:46:00.000-06:00

I'm going to Nashville this weekend for what I hope will be (and have no doubt that it won't be) one of the best girls weekends of my life. It's going to be a bachelorette party of epic proportions, mostly because said bachelorette is ridiculously awesome, as are all the chicks in attendence.

But that's not actually what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is this breakfast pizza I just spotted on Smitten Kitchen. I want to make this. Right. Now. And after brunch at Sophabella's last weekend being a HUGE failure, this just may be what I'll be having for brunch next weekend.

Grace:
1. OK Go, This Too Shall Pass. Pure genius.

2. Baked potatoes. Simple and delicious.
3. Sore legs from running.
4. Paul Smith spectacles.
5. Matthew (my wonderful hair guy) for giving me a little funk.

P.S. I feel I need to say that Sophabella's happens to be one of my favorite restaurants in OKC, they are just lacking in service when it comes to brunch, and brunch only. But the food is delicous, and mimosa's are $1. But after last Sunday, I will not be brunching there again anytime soon. Dinner and cocktails with my grandma? Any night of the week.

27

2010-03-10T10:03:00.000-06:00

In honor of my 27th birthday (which was two days ago), I am making a list of "27 in 27" and it's just a simple list of things I want to accomplish this year. For the first time, I'm starting to feel grown-up (but only slightly, and only sometimes) and there are alot of things I want to change/accomlish/learn/experience/etc. and I figured, why not start now?

Want to see my list?

1. Put together a cookbook. - I already have a few different ones going, but I want to put together a complete cookbook. This should be easy for me.
2. Pull up all carpet in my house (three rooms) and re-paint my bedroom. AND build shelves for a pantry in my kitchen - When I moved into my house, I decided to hold off on all painting or anything until I had lived here long enough to know what I wanted. Now I do. And I want to do as much of my home improvement jobs myself, just because I've never done it before. But don't think my brother(s) won't be put to work!
3. Plant a garden, flowers and produce. - Good thing I got so many gardening tools for my birthday!
4. Read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
5. Take a class...in anything.
6. Run 5 miles. - Okay, this is a big challenge for me. As an asthmatic I have a hard time running 1 mile without having to stop and walk every few minutes. I'm hoping to push myself and see how far I can go! REally, if I can make it up to 2 miles I'll feel like I've accomplished alot. It may not seem like alot to many, but to me it will be.
7. Go on a vacation with boyfriend. - We've been dating for an absurd amount of time and never actually gone on a vacation just the two of us. The lake and Dallas (OU/TX) don't count.
8. Have a summer party.
9. Eat at Mahogany or The Ranch. - Just because I've never been to either.
10. Visit my friend Leslie in Dallas.
11. Plant a tree on Earth Day.
12. Have a sleepover with my niece and nephew.
13. Visit Rory's grave. - I used to go once a week, and now I haven't been in years. I need to remedy that.
14. Stop biting my nails!! - Ugh, it's bad. It's real real bad. I'm thinking about trying weekly manicures, but it sort of takes the fun away when they won't actually give you a manicure because you don't actually have nails. Trust me, this has happened before.
15. Lose 10 lbs. - Once upon a time, when I was 25, I was 10 lbs lighter. I'd like to see that chick again. #6 should help. And Rosie. She loves to run.
16. Go to a concert. - Okay, I know I do this alot, but that doesn't mean I can't put it on a list, does it?
17. Cook a hamburger. - I've honestly never once made a hamburger worth eating. It surely can't be that hard?
18. Hold a bake sale to stop childhood hunger. Check out The Great American Bake Sale for more info. Who wants to help??
19. Learn how to use Photoshop. - boyfriend bought it for me, and I have no idea how to use it.
20. Visit my bro in L.A.
21. Sell some delicious baked treats (not at the above mentioned bake sale). - Having a party? Let me bake some yummies for you!
22. Do a detox. - haha
23. Start a wine journal. - I drink plenty of vino, I might as well make a note of the ones I like best.
24. Make a new friend.
25. Read The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone.
26. Save $$ - I have a specific amount in mind, I just don't think it's polite to discuss money, so I'll keep that number to myself.
27. Have my family over for a home cooked meal.

Okay, there's my list. It was actually hard to come up with 27 things. Well, it was hard coming up with 27 things that are actually realistic goals for one year. I'm planning on somehow documenting everything as I check it off my list. I'll definitely keep you all updated on all the fun I plan on having this year! Cheers to 27!

Grace:
1. Rosie's new pronged choke collar. I don't know why I didn't get one of these before, she is seriously a whole new dog on a leash. No more pulling, jumping, or generally spazzing. Now I actually enjoy walking with her. IF you're having issues with your dog on a leash, get one of these. Seriously. Now.
2. My incredibly friends, family and boyfriend for celebrating my birthday with me all weekend long. I couldn't be more blessed!
3. Shazam iPhone app. I think I use this about 7 times a day.
4. My new Keuig one cup coffee maker. I'm emptying the used K-cups and using the coffee for compost and recycling the little cups.
5. Gilt Groupe

2010-03-03T20:07:00.001-06:00

I've had a crap day. Well, really just a crap evening.

I started to let it get me down too. I complained to my mom, I complained to my boyfriend. I even complained to my dog. But only a little, it's partly her fault, afterall.

So I turned my radio up and did two loads of dishes.

Then I broke down and cried.

And now I'm over it.

So, in honor of me putting on my big girl pants and getting over myself, here are two sweet beats I heard tonight that helped me kick the blues. Happy listening!

Phenomena by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Great DJ by The Ting Tings

grace.
1. Pandora.com again and again.
2. Bon Appetit
3. gmail
4. The OKC Thunder!
5. My new spectacles! Yep, you can call me "four eyes" now. Matt already did.

jammin'

2010-02-24T19:39:00.000-06:00

Jam of the day! Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Ye...

Rosie for President

2010-02-24T07:57:00.000-06:00

So I entered my dog in a photo contest. Pretty lame, right? Actually it's not! The contest she's in is called the National Spay Day Photo Contest of the Humane Society of the United Staes. It helps raise money and awareness about spaying and neutering your pets, which as we all know, is very important.

Want to vote for Rosie? Here's her page....

"Rosemary Wilhemina Brown"

I choose to make her entry a "fundraising entry" which means that you have to donate to vote for her. Every dollar counts as a vote and all the money she raises is going to the Volunteer for Animal Welfare, Inc. right here in Oklahoma City. So please, get out your wallets and vote for Rose!

Catching up

2010-02-22T18:32:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was the sort of weekend that makes me wish I had some sort of "weekend wrap-up" blog post every Monday. I realize I could start doing that, but that would sort of be stealing an idea from, ohhh let's say, every blog I read. So I won't. For now. But if I were so inclined to do such a thing, this past weekend would be a good place to start. Except I didn't take any pictures. So that makes it a little boring for you. Instead I'll keep it short and sweet.

Highlights of my weekend:
.A living room pallet/picnic with boyfriend featuring pizza from The Wedge, (500) Days of Summer, United States of Tara (I heart Toni Collette), and 2 bottles of red vino.
.Rosie finally mastering the art of sleeping in.
.Bacon and fried eggs at 2pm.
.Dinner and wine with my girlfriends.
.Dim-sum
.Boyfriend escorting me to the Friends of the Library annual book sale and carrying my books for me.
.A trip to Best Buy.
.Johnnie's. Yum.

--------

In other news, if you are in anyway interested in music, good music that is, then you should probably be reading this blog. It's called Pretty Much Amazing, and well...that it is. You'll probably be tempted to blow your paycheck on new music, so consider yourself warned. Not that I'd know anything about that little problem...

-------

This is what happens on Saturday afternoons when I have a few hours to spare...

It's a root beer cake and yes, it's delicious.

----------

And now, my jam of the day: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) by Arcade Fire. Perfection.

Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Ar...

-----
GRACE
1. Full Circle Obedience School in OKC. Tonight's our first night of school!
2. Rock Band.
3. Buying fresh flowers for myself.
4. Parks and Recreation. HI-larious!
5. OliveGreenDog where I bought Rosie's new collar (this). They delivered quickly and even sent a personal note and a treat for Rose.

Guest post by Rosie.

2010-02-11T18:49:00.002-06:00

Hi. My name is Rosemary Wilhelmina Brownpants.

But you can call me Rosie.

I really love Oklahoma. There's so much snow!

I give kisses to anyone who plays in the snow with me, but I won't kiss just anyone. Grandpa Dale gets extra kisses though because he's cool.

Mom says the snow turns me into a mess, but I don't mind so much.

When I play outside too long, I get really dirty.

And mom has to give me a bath.

It's not my favorite.

This is Duff. He's my best friend. Sometimes we touch tongues, and that makes me feel weird.

But not that weird.

One time mom put my hair in a ponytail.

It was so embarrassing.

Mom also takes me on car rides. She even lets me sit shotgun!

But what I really like to do is sleep...

and sleep...

and sleep.

The end.

It's still Christmas on Huntleigh.

2010-02-10T10:32:00.000-06:00

I have something totally embarrassing to admit. But we're friends here, so I feel comfortable spilling my guts to you. As long as you promise to spill your's back.

Do you see this??

This is still up in my living room. Yes, it is still Christmas on Huntleigh.

And yes, I realize that today's date is Feburary 10. Exactly 1 month and 10 days after I should have taken this down.

But look how cute it is??

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is decorating the tree. My mom serves cookies and hot apple cidar, we listen to John Denver or Frank Sinatra's Christmas albums, and we decorate the tree together. Even though all of us are grown up, it's still something we get together and do. And her tree has become my favorite Christmas tree to look at. And I've seen alot of trees.

So for my first Christmas tree, I decided to have a decorating day with my step-brother, neice and nephew. And my grandma. And my mom, stepdad, dad, brother and sis-in-law. And boyfriend. And okay, brother and boyfriend really spent the whole time moving a bookshelf after grandma told me I had my tree in the wrong place. And step-brother and nephew were more interested in playing with Rosie and watching football than making ornaments with glitter and feathers. And we didn't have cookies, or cidar, or even John or Frank. But we had a blast anyway, and I had a completely original and homemade Christmas tree. And I love it so much, I just can't bring myself to take it down yet. Maybe I'll leave it up for the next four years in honor of my grandparents (who had theirs up for four years. True story). What do you think??

.GRACE.

1. The Metropolitan Library System. I'm now a proud card-carrying member.

2. Dr. Nida for "fixing" the Rosqueezie.

3. For me, for you blog for leading me to this shirt from Spool No.72, which I'm now in love with too.

4. CoolGreens in Nichols Hills Plaza. Get the frozen yogurt. Orginal tart with blueberries, peaches and strawberries will rock your socks off. Seriously.

5. Seeing Wayne Coyne at a wine tasting. Yessssssssss!

Dine Out for Haiti

2010-01-22T08:34:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for an easy way to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake, look no further than your local restuarants! Well, local if you're in OKC...

I'm thinking Iron Starr for Sunday night, Louie's or Red Rock for Monday night, and most definitely The Dio for Tuesday night. Where will you be dining?

.g.R.a.C.e.

1. Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon. It's hmm, hmm good.

2. Fresh cut amaryllis flowers.

3. Brown butter icing.

4. Empire of the Sun station on Pandora.

5. PediPaws for Rosie's manicures.

Play on

2010-01-21T20:14:00.000-06:00

I'm working on a post that will feature all of my favorite gifts from Christmas '09, but before I get to all those goodies, I just wanted to share one with you.

It's a new iPod touch! Boyfriend gave it to me, and it was exactly what I wanted. Actually, it was one of the few things I asked for specifically. And he listened.

(Song check: Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

The iPod itself is aweomse, but it's the back that really makes it special. The Shakespearean quote he chose to have etched on it makes my soul sing! It embodies three things that make me feel like me; music, food and love. I couldn't have asked for a better gift.

He did a pretty good job, huh??

Grace.
1. Prject Runway.
2. Homemade chicken saltimbocca. I didn't make it, but I now know how!
3. Patience. Trying to teach a pup to walk on a leash takes quite a bit.
4. Chocolate chip cookies.
5. Friends I've had since high school or before.

2010

2010-01-15T11:18:00.000-06:00

Wow. After being away for so long, where do I start? Not that I've actually been away, I just haven't been here, in my little wallycado world.

I could wrap up my 2009 for you all, but being 15 days into 2010 so far and I'm over 2009. It was a year of ups and downs. I lost two of my three remaining grandparents, but I also bought my first house and got my first dog, two things that make me feel like I'm finally an adult. I'm ready to move on.

I could also write about all the things I hope to happen in 2010, but honestly, I'm not really one of those people. I don't make resolutions. I just welcome the new year with open arms. I do hope that this year is better than the last, but don't we all hope that with every new year that comes along? But since I have been away for awhile, and I've got so many things going through my mind right now that I don't really know where to start or what to say, I'll just go ahead and tell you a few things I do plan on doing differently this year, for lack of a better topic.

Shopping local. This past Christmas I had a personal goal to do all of my shopping locally. Well, that didn't exactly happen. Sure I got all my books at Full Circle, and I bought t-shirts and Ugly Dolls at Blue Seven, and I shopped for grandma at Suzanne's, but there were plenty of things on people's wish lists that just couldn't be bought locally. The fact that I couldn't put all of my money back into my community got me down a bit, but it didn't dampen my Christmas spirit completely. But this year, I want to make a better effort to do all of my shopping locally. It's important for your money to be put to use in the community you support and that supports you. I know it's impossible for all of my needs to be met locally, but I'm going to challenge myself to see how much local shopping I can do this year.

Blogging. A month or so ago, I had this wild idea that my resolution for 2010 would be to get off the internet. I felt like I'd been relying on email, Facebook, and a variety of cooking websites too much. The amount of time I waste online is probably just a tiny fraction to what many others spend online, but everytime I look up and realize I've been staring at a computer screen for an hour, or sometimes much more, I feel guilty. I feel weird. And my eyes hurt. But I realize that I would lose alot of things that are important to me if I decided to go offline. I would miss my week long emails with my girlfriends. I would miss staying in touch with long lost friends if I logged off of Facebook. And I'd definitely be missing out on so many amazing recipes if I decided to stop reading all the blogs I love. And besides, I don't do resolutions anyway, so I don't feel so bad about throwing that one out. Instead I plan on making a better effort to blog. I don't have much to say or share with the world, but maybe someone will discover a new recipe through me, or listen to a band they would have normally overlooked. Even if I can contribute something as little as that, that's enough for me.

Read. I already read tons. Actually, sometimes I'd go so far as to say I read too much. But that's only when I find myself putting off other responsibilities because I have my nose in a book. My house has gone unvacuumed, my dishes unwashed, my laundry unfolded, because I would rather sit and read than do household chores. And I do. Often. I'm actually thinking about cancelling my cable because I don't watch TV. I read. And I plan on doing lots more of it in 2010. I live alone, so when those household chores go untouched, I'm the only one who knows.

Clean. Okay, so I might have to put the books down occasionally. My one real resolution this year is to be a cleaner person. I can't stand walking into someone else's house and seeing a mess, but the mess in my house? Somehow I just don't care. I guess it's those dang books distracting me.

Exercise and eat better. Okay, okay, I know everyone says this, but I'm jumping on the bandwagon and making this a goal as well. I've been sedentary for about 6 months now, and on top of that, have been eating pretty much whatever I want. So it's time for a change. I'm not a dieter and don't intend on being one. I love pasta and cheese too much to give up. But I will give up the ice cream. And the fast food. And I'll try to give up the candy, but I can't really make any promises....

Thank you notes. I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not a thank you noter. Odd, considering I have an entire drawer full of stationary and cards. So I'm making 2010 my year of the thank you note. So please, start giving me things to thank you for!

So there you have it. A small idea of what I have planned for 2010, things I hope will carry on through the years to follow. What do you have in mind for this new year?

Grace.
1. Vino wine glasses from Crate and Barrel. Thanks, Dad!
2. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon. I just can't help myself. I'm in love with Jamie Fraser.
3. My new Bose speakers. Thanks, Mom!
4. Cinnamon gummy bears.
5. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. A heartbreaking and thought provoking read. Good pick for book club, Biz.

YES!

2009-12-09T10:33:00.000-06:00

Can I please tell you how excited I am for Oklahoma City? Yesterday OKC voted on the MAPS3 Proposal and I'm happy to tell you that it PASSED! Now our city can join the ranks of other major cities. We can add beautiful parks, walking trails and events centers to our list of atributes. And finally, finally, we'll have the transit system we deserve. I'm excited for the future of this wonderful city, not just for myself, but for my young cousins that are already here, and for all the future children to come in my family. The OKC that they will grow up will be a completely different city than the one I grew up in, and while I've always loved this place, I can't wait to see what the future holds. To find out what this proposal has to offer, go here. Also, here are two of my favorite letters to the editor in the OK Gazette. This one is written by my cousin and this one is written by Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips. But I promise, I'd love both articles no matter who wrote them.

GRACE.
1. Pups who watch TV. It's hilarious.
2. The Christmas Tree at my mom's house, that is still decorated by us as a family, and is never overdone.
3. A beautifully sunny but cold and crisp day. It's 19 degrees outside, but the skies are clear blue and the air is clean and fresh. I love it.
4. Barefoot wine. It's cheap and delicious.
5. December birthdays! Happy Birthday to Linda, Bizzy, Mike, Lauren, and Matt!

Strawberry Marg Cupcakes

2009-11-25T09:55:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! Can you believe it?? I can't. That's probably because I'm usually elbow deep in flour at this point the day before Thanksgiving. Today will be no different, we're (my grandma and I) are just getting a later start on things than usual. I was ready to get to choppin' and rollin' and bakin' early this morning, but she has manicures and hair appointments to go to, so I'll have to wait. In the meantime, I thought I'd share a recipe with you. It's not a Thanksgiving recipe. In fact, it's not even a fallish recipe. It's not savory by any means. It's sweet. Super sweet. It even teeters on the too sweet side. But, these cupcakes will be the perfect post-Thanksgiving treat and will make you feel like you're sitting on the beach sipping a fruity drink out of a coconut. Or something like that....

Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes. There's really nothing easier.

First, grab a box of yellow cake mix out of the pantry.

Next, grab some strawberry marg mix. I bought this bottle for about $3.50, so if you're thinking about spending $14 on a bottle from Williams Sonoma, please don't be stupid. Besides, this is the Master of Mixes, so how can you go wrong??

Now all you have to do is follow the directions on the back of the cake mix box, except where it calls for 1 1/2 cups of water, use 1 1/2 cups of marg mix. Put the cake mix, 1 1/2 c. marg mix, 3 eggs, and 1/3 c. oil in a bowl and mix away!

Now you have pretty pink batter. Good job!

Now, if you don't have a cupcake pan, you can use these awesome aluminum cups and just line them up on a baking sheet. I actually like this approach better because you can bake more cupcakes at a time. I think I got 15 cupcakes on one sheet. It was a cupcake miracle!

Okay, not really.

Now, pop these in the oven for 18-20 minutes, and let them cool for 10 minutes or so. Or at least until they are cool to the touch. I never time that step, so I really have no idea how long it takes.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make a quick icing using powdered sugar, the margarita mix, and a little milk. I think I used around 2 c. of powdered sugar, 3 T. of marg mix, and about 2 T. milk. You can do this with just powdered sugar and marg mix, but I had to cut the sweetness with a little milk. Honestly though, I have no idea how much I used. I just kept adding different amounts of all three until it was the right consistency. So play with it until it's just right for you! But make sure it's not too thick, like cookie icing, you want it to spread over the tops of the cupcakes and maybe even down the sides a bit. It'll firm up over night.

Wait a minute or two before topping with sprinkles. If you put the sprinkles on too soon, they sort of melt into the icing. I learned this the hard way.

Now just pack these beauties up and take them to work for your friends birthday. She'll be happy that she's getting something completely un-Thanksgiving-ish.

Now I'm off to chop 4 bags of celery. And bake 5 pies. And make some cranberry salad. But don't worry, we'll also have the cranberry jello in a can. My brother can't have Thanksgiving without it.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Graces.
1. My grandma's turkey and stuffing, Coopie's mashed taters, mom's green beans, sweet potatoes, cheese grits, lasagna, beef tenderloin, banana sheet cake...ummm, sorry, I got a little side tracked...
2. Dad's key lime pie.
3. Brothers home from Cali and Stilly.
4. 105.3 FM. Finally a radio station in OKC worth listening to!
5. Rosie's first Thanksgiving.

Lazy dog.

2009-11-18T09:43:00.002-06:00

Rosie is a lazy dog. Don't believe me? Have a look for yourself.

She's actually playing with this red Kong toy, but she got tired of wrestling it, and needed to take a break. The break lasted at least 10 minutes.

She's on the couch, so can you really blame her?

She's lazy in her Halloween costume...

She's lazy after a bath....

She's even lazy at my mom's house. There were 3 other dogs running around at this moment. She wasn't feelin' it.

Laaaazy.

LAZY.

(She actually sleeps like this)

.graces.

1. My first Christmas Tree. Don't worry, it's not up yet. I'm just really excited about it.

2. New Moon. I hope the movie is as good as the book. Honestly, I didn't really like Twilight the movie. I thought it was awkward and it actually sort of turned me off the books that I unexpectedly loved so much. I hope the same thing doesn't happen this time around, or I may have to give up on the movies altogether. (But probably not. =)

3. Garlic. And not in small doses.

4. Little boys.

5. The Elegence of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

What I've been up to...

2009-10-30T10:04:00.000-05:00

Here I am, back in wallycado land. The last few weeks have been crazy busy, what with moving and all, so I've been a little lazy when it comes to blogging. But who can blame me? I have a new house all of my own and sometimes I just want to turn on the tunes and dance, or sit in my beloved Laz-E-Boy and read for ridiculous amounts of time. But now that I'm a little more settled, I'll probably be here more often, so don't give up on me yet.

I have had a pretty busy week, and because I'm a slacker, I'm just going to write all about it in one post, although each event really deserves a post of their own.

Let's get started!

Last weekend my cousins hosted a Chili Cookoff. Hopefully this will become a regular thing because it was so much fun! It was a family affair, which is always the best way to go in my book. It doesn't hurt that I happen to have a ridiculously awesome family.

I was lucky enough to be a judge, and let me tell you, it was some stiff competition. So stiff, in fact, that the votes had to be re-cast and re-calculated because apparently it was too difficult for us judges to make a decision. But a winner was finally selected and the prizes were handed out. Don't worry, there was a prize for all competitors...pumpkins!

Here are the winners (and the only entries). Just look closely at the pumpkin sizes and you can see for yourself who the winner was. She cheated though....biscuits baked on top of chili? Genius!

And what chili cookoff would be complete without judges?

I'm pleased to introduce you all to Judge #1, my dad (and Emmett), Judge #2, umm, that's me, and Judge #3, the bespectacled Jonathan. Please feel free to hire us for your next chili cookoff. We are strictly professional in selecting a winner. Just trust us on this one.

So, do you all know The Pioneer Woman? What am I talking about, of course you do! Everyone knows her, and if you don't, please visit her site where you will find beautiful photos, delicious recipes full of butter and bacon, and hilarious stories about her children.

The Pioneer Woman cookbook was released this week and last night she had a book signing at Full Circle Bookstore, which happens to be not only my favorite bookstore in the world, but one of my favorite places in OKC. So of course I had to be there

After waiting in line for four hours (seriously, FOUR hours!), Liza and I finally made it to the front of the line. And it was well worth the wait.

Here I am totally giving PW the googly eyes while Liza is looking all calm and cool and collected. I mean seriously, look at that face I'm making! Way to be cool, Annie. At least I didn't tell her how pretty I thought she was. Now that would have been embarrassing.

Here we are looking a little more normal.

We really did have a blast. It turns out that standing in line for four hours isn't all that bad when you're with a best friend, and you see Marlboro Man and PW's punks walking around greeting fans, and signing autographs. And PW herself was so nice and friendly, and now I'm convinced that she and I are destined to be lifelong friends.

Pioneer Woman, remember me? Annie? You said you loved my name and my boots?? Hello?

By the way, Marlboro Man is ridiculously rugged and handsome and Liza and I were throwing out our flirting vibes all over the place. But we didn't stand a chance after he turned and smiled at us and Liza blurted out a very audible and slightly awkward "Hi!" Then we hurried off giggling like little school girls. We are so smooth.

Okay, now for the most important thing that's happened to me all week....

This beautiful girl is Rosemary Brownpants. Rosie, for short.

She's my new baby, and I'm totally smitten. I'd been wanting a dog since before I even had my own house, and once I moved I got serious about the dog hunt. I knew I wanted a big dog (aka, a real dog) and because I'm ridiculously allergic to everything including dogs, I not only wanted but needed a hypoallergenic dog, or any sort of poodle mix. And after a few weeks of answering ads in the paper, calling shelters, and hoping to not go through a breeder, a little luck fell in my lap and this girl came along.

I've only had her a week, but I am already crazy about her. She's sweet and pretty lazy, which is right up my alley. And her paws are ginormous; I seriously can't wait to see how huge she's going to get. I knew it was love, when on her second day home, I found her like this on my couch.

And you know what? That's how she lays everywhere. She has no dignity. No pride. She lets it all hang out. And I'm okay with that.

Don't worry, you'll be seeing lots more of her.

G.R.A.C.E.

1. Halloween!

2. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon. The 4th book in the Outlander series. I'm so happy to have Jamie Fraser back in my life. It's been too long.

3. Monsters of Folk

4. Ramen noodles

5. Lysol, Glade candles, incense, and anything else that cover up the smell of all the puppy pee I've had to clean up in the past week. Rosie, you little booger.

The Boyfriend Box

2009-10-14T19:34:00.002-05:00

We all have one; The Boyfriend Box. Come one, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. All of us girls have, at one time or another, had a box hidden away in the back of a closet, or drawer, or under a bed. It's put there to be forgotten, but is never thrown away because of the memories it holds. But as we're filling up this box with pictures, love notes, ticket stubs, jewelry, etc., we never think about what it's like to find the hidden box and to open it up again.

I found my Boyfriend Box a few weeks ago while I was packing up my old room. I knew it was there, somewhere. I've even gone hunting for it a few times since I've hidden it but have never found it. I guess I'm really good at hiding things. When it resurfaced weeks ago, I ignored it. I tossed it in a box labeled "random" and threw a few other things in there, knowing well aware what the box was and the contents it held. I planned on never looking at it again, perhaps hiding it in my new house in a new closet. But when I unpacked the "random" box today, I knew that the Boyfriend Box could not move into my new house, and life, with me.

So I opened it up and had a look inside.

Surprisingly, I didn't let myself read the 487 million little notes I had stored inside. I opened up a few, read a few lines and, for the most part, smiled. They were all letters. Letters I'd written but never delivered, letters from high school loves, letters written during math class, and nights at home during various periods of being grounded. For the most part, they were very sweet reminders of very sweet young love. A part of me wished it was still so simple to just write down in a letter exactly how you feel about someone. But another part of me remembered what some of those other letters held: hurtful words, gossip, and so much teenage angst I can hardly believe I made it out alive.

So I did something very uncharacteristic of me;

I shoved everything back in the box, jewelry, pictures and all, and threw the Box away. I'm not that girl anymore and I don't need her hanging around my new house all the time.

And besides, I don't need a Boyfriend Box anymore, because I have The Boyfriend that I've always wanted. And he's more than welcome in my house anytime.

...grace...
1. Cleaning frenzies.
2. Memories. Life sure would be boring without them.
3. Free coffee at Full Circle Bookstore.
4. Preferring music over TV any day of the week.
5. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches saving dinnertime once again.

A home of my own.

2009-10-13T18:19:00.001-05:00

I have a house. Of my own. And I'm head over heels, crazy in love with it. I have my own furniture. My own TV. My own rooms to fill. The bed? It's all mine. The closets? No room for you. The pantry? Filled with Captain Crunch Berries, thank you very much. And the volume of my music? Way louder than my mother ever allowed.

Tonight, for what will hopefully be the gazillionth night in a row, I'm listening to my pink ipod at a near annoying volume level, sipping on some red wine, and cooking up something delicious in my kitchen. Yes, my kitchen.

I'm sorry, but I don't think this will ever get old.

G.R.A.C.E
1. Flaming Lips Embryonic. Gets my blood pumping!
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
3. My new camera, a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H20.....whatever that means....
4. Dancing in my living room and not caring that my curtains aren't up and my neighbors can see.
5. Footrubs from boyfriend.

Crafting for dummies (like me)

2009-10-05T19:03:00.010-05:00

I love me a good craft project. The thing is though, I very rarely complete one start to finish. I start out with good intentions, but somewhere around the half-way mark of a project, my mind starts to wander and I totally lose interest. I have a suitcase full of glitter, stickers, glue, markers, tape, and everything Christmas from my misadventure in making Christmas cards last year. I think I completed three of them before I realized that my Christmas cards looked more like something your child (if you had one) would bring home from school in kindergarten than a posh greeting card made by a super hip 25 year old. BUT I tried, and that's what counts, right? Never mind.

Today I'm going to show you my latest craft project. It's quick and super simple, and I came up with it all by my lonesome. Impressed? Yeah, I was too.

I was asked to make cupcakes for a baby shower last weekend. My cousin's wife (who I was making the cupcakes for) wanted "something cute" to put in the cupcakes. Hmm, something cute? For babies? That left a lot of options. So I wandered around Michael's Craft Store for a while searching for inspiration. I found lots, but crafts are expensive, and I needed something cheap. So I went to the aisle that always makes me feel like I'm saving money, even if I'm not: the paper aisle. You can buy single sheets of adorable paper for pennies. Or $.69. Whatever.

Here's the paper I picked:

Adorable, no?

I also bought this hole punch (the yellow thing) and I used it to punch out the little circles of helicopters, submarines, and airplanes.

Then I took my glue stick, and put glue on the back of the circles, working one circle at a time.

And I stuck the circle to a plastic stick that I found in the cupcake aisle. (Actually it was in the wedding aisle, but the sticks are intended for cupcakes.)

I glued another circle to the other side, choosing between green stripes, and blue polka dots.

I glued and glued and glued until I had 30 little pops and sticky fingers. It helps if you recruit your mom half way through. Moms are crafty too!

I was really happy with the outcome. What do you think?

I think the helicopters are my favorite.

So next time you're asked to do something crafty, don't fear! It's easy to find a simple alternative to whatever you're trying to make. And if you ever need some baby shower cupcakes, you know who to call.

GRACE.

1. Having so many people to help me move that I had to send a few of them home.

2. Homemade spaghetti and meatballs.

3. Allergy shots. Ouch!

4. Golden Oldies.

5. October!!

Sorry if I offend you.....

2009-09-17T10:32:00.003-05:00

I've got things to say today. Does that surprise you? I mean, I'm normally a pretty quiet person. I like to keep my thoughts and opinions to myself, which is why I'm so terrible at blogging, and even worse at carrying on a conversation with a stranger. But, like I've said before, I blame my parents for my quiet nature; they were always talking too much for me to get a word in! Of course, this works to my advantage when I'm out amongst strangers in the presence of my parents because they can get things done, as opposed to taking an extra 30 minutes to do anything, like me. I could use some of their gusto.

Anyway, today I've got things to say! Opinions that need to be voiced! Music that needs to be praised! And responsibilities to avoid!

So let's get started.

Normally I would in no way try to voice my religious or political opinions on here. Partly because my religious and political views have been known to change on a daily basis. Also, it's not really my place to say what should or should not be done/believed/worshiped/preached/taught/etc. And also, that's not what this blog is about. It's a place of happiness for me; a place full of cupcakes and music and pictures of my dogs. If I suddenly went all "Pro-choice" (or, to be fair, "pro-life") on you all, I'd probably scare you off. Hell, I'd scare myself off. But today I read something about the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas (whose website I will not link too. The site name is too offensive for me to type, or click on). You know them, they sang a Christmas song about Santa Clause being a f*g? And they protest military funerals? And they partake in regular demonstrations of dumbassery? Remember? Yeah, sorry for reminding you about them. I was a little upset about being reminded of them as well, until I realized that tomorrow they will be here in my state and my city and that, ladies and gentlemen, really pisses me off. Go ahead, give the article* a read. It's from the cool dudes over at TheLostOgle*. They say everything I'd like to say but am too chicken (and not quite cool enough) to say. And because they did such a good job of expressing exactly how I feel about these people, I won't say any more on the subject. EXCEPT that anyone who thinks they are doing God's work by bringing violence and hatred into this world is not only sorely mistaken, but incredibly small minded and flat out stupid. And I don't like stupid people.
*note: if you click on the word "article" it will take you directly to said article. Click on The Lost Ogle for the link to the main page of their site.

Okay, now that I got that off my chest we can move on to bigger and better things.

Last night The Flaming Lips performed a song from their new album on The Colbert Report. I, sadly and unfortunately, saw everything except the performance (damn TiVo) but I did get to see Mr. Coyne's interview, confirming once more just how much I love him. It was after the interview, and TiVo cutting off the performance, that boyfriend's brother asked if we thought we'd still like Wayne and the Flaming Lips if they weren't from OKC? I got his point; they are weird and different, and their music is loud and sort of spastic and psychedelic all at the same time, and their lyrics cover everything from love, life and politics, to aliens, pink robots and magicians. But my answer is still a very loud and proud YES. YES a million times! I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to get enough of them. Check out ColbertNation to listen to the Lips' new album coming out October 13. "Embryonic," that's all you need to know.

Have you all ever seen the video for Man Man's "Rabbit Habits?" Check it out. It will slightly weird you out and tug at your heartstrings all at the same time. Which clearly means it's awesome.

One more thing. In exactly 8 days, I will officially be a first time HOME OWNER! Anyone have a TV they want to donate to me? How about a washer and dryer? Couch? Lawn mower? Garden gnome? Clearly, I'm very prepared.

.GRACE.
1. Growing up in a family and church that taught love and acceptance for all.
2. Fall weather!
3. Buying my first piece of furniture.
4. And a set of dishes. (From an antique store...and I looooove them!)
5. Chili-Rig, my version of Chili-Mac.

Two Weeks

2009-09-15T18:14:00.002-05:00

Not much to say today, except that I'm totally in love with this fan video of the song "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear. I first stumbled upon it a few weeks ago and loved it so much I immediately downloaded the song, and then watched the video a few more times. Something about the weather today really made me want to watch it again. And to share it with you peeps. So watch it. And then watch it again. It's too good to watch just once.

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

.grace.
1. Chili and cornbread.
2. American Apparel
3. Nikkolette's Cafe
4. Bananas
5. Waking up and realizing it was only a dream...

What I've Been Up To....

2009-09-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

Finally! Summer is over! Not that I'm a summer hater, but it's really not my favorite season. Actually, it's my least favorite, but only because the other three are so glorious, they're hard to compete with. This summer wasn't so bad, especially considering that August decided to be nice to us this year. Oklahoma summers can be brutal, and usually by the time August comes around, I'm packed and ready to move to Colorado. Or anywhere with less than 100 degree heat. I'm not really a "heat" person. Give me sleet and snow and blistery cold weather and I'm a happy girl.

Anyway, since I've been missing in action for quite some time now, I thought I'd catch you all up to what I've been doing. Which is a whole lotta nothin'. Okay, I've been doing something, but most of it is very summer related things. Pool parties, egg tosses, cupcake baking, etc. Throw in a little storm chasing here and there, and that pretty much sums up what I've been doing the last month.

Here are my end of summer pics, taken on my phone (my dad hijacked my camera for two weeks), enjoy!

Cream cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapenos? Yes, please.

Egg toss for money? Done.

Chilling by the pool with my besties? Done and done.

Oh lemon cupcakes. I love you.

My summer reading list....still working on it.

Thunderstorm 1.

And yes, I like to take pictures of storms while driving. It's very safe, don't worry.

Full Circle Bookstore, one of my favorite places in the world.

Plunko, packed and ready for the lake!

Pulling away from Grand Lake....

A pile of my dad's books. One of many. (now you see where I get it)

Cyclone Cupcakes for my niece's birthday. It was also her first day of 2nd grade. She's got school spirit!

Gigantor grasshopper on my windshield.

Two cakes stuck in their cake pans. I thought a warm bath would help pry them loose, but it didn't. I had to get rough with them instead. It wasn't pretty.

The birthday girl!!

OKC Redhawks baseball game....Thirsty Thursday!

A big ol' mess....

Makes for pretty sweet results.....(lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream. YUM)

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing. Double YUM.

Caddo sporting a sweet 'hawk. I'm thinking about dying it blue for Halloween. Thoughts?

So, that pretty much sums up my life for the past month or so. Now that summer is gone, and fall is here (my favorite!), you'll be seeing a lot more of me here in Wallycado-land.

Especially because I have some really big exciting news.

But I won't tell you yet. Sorry!

GRACES
1. My bestie Meesh...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! (in 2 days!)
2. Excite Bots. You have to see it to believe it.
3. Interior design. Which I know nothing about, but I still love.
4. Anthropologie.
5. Vietri Italian dishes

Things to Say.

2009-08-12T10:31:00.004-05:00

I'm a recent convert to the NPR airways, and all I can say is that I'm sorry I wasn't an avid listener before. Especially considering the lack of anything worth listening to in OKC. Seriously, what is up with our radio stations? They suck. They suck big time. And there's only like six to choose from. It's one of many things this wonderful city needs to work on and, in my opinion, it's one of the things that requires immediate attention.

Okay, maybe that whole MAPS project, or Core to Shore deserves a little more immediate attention, but I'm willing to pay money to get rid of 98.9 and 102.7 altogether. Which is why I refuse them the pleasure of annoying my ear drums on a regular basis. So, I've turned to NPR.

Anyway, yesterday I was listening to the "All Things Considered" program on NPR, and Lynn Neary (the host) was talking with Phil Vettel (restaurant critic from the Chicago Tribune) about the most annoying cliches used on restaurant menus. You know, things like "grilled to perfection," and "world famous." I would hope that they strive to make every item "to perfection" without having to tell me that it's going to be perfect. And how do they know their food is "world famous?" Did they travel across the globe spreading the word of their "mouthwatering, fall off the bone, BBQ ribs?" Probably not. Anyway, the whole thing was pretty entertaining, although they never got around to actually telling us the nine phrases they'd like banned from menus, which was the whole point of the story. But, maybe there's a book I'm supposed to buy for those answers, and I'm really not that interested.

But it did get me thinking about the phrases that I find most annoying on menus. For me, it's the "Gobble Gobble" at Louie's. It's a turkey sandwich, plain and simple. And it's probably my favorite item on the menu, but I rarely order it because I feel like such an idiot saying "I'll have the Gobble Gobble, please." Another bad one is the "Cluck n' Oink" from Red Rock. Why can't it just say something simple, like "chicken and pork chops?" That is what it is, after all, and their food is so good, it really doesn't require any extra fluff with stupid names.

So what does any of this have to do with these beautiful cupcakes? Nothing. Except that I will promise to never use some ridiculous name for anything I make, unless it really is "the most amazing, insanely delicious, death-by-chocolate piece of cake in all the Universe." Then it might be acceptable.

The Best Vanilla Frosting in the World: (not really, but it is The Best Vanilla Frosting I've Made Yet)

Ingredients.

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp. (But not mushy, you want it just at room temperature.)

1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted. (Take the time to sift it, it really makes a difference)

1/2 tsp (+ a little tiny splash) pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium and add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. After every two additions, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for about 10 seconds. This helps make the frosting really fluffy. The whole process of adding the sugar should take about 5 minutes. Unless you're in a hurry, like I usually am.

After all the sugar is added, add the vanilla and beat until incorporated and frosting is smooth. Use immediately or store in fridge for up to 10 days.

Happy Engagement, Michelle and Briggs! I loved getting to be a part of your kick-off party and can't wait for all the celebrations to continue! I love you both!

Graces.
1. Hazelnut coffee
2. The 3/50 Project. Check it out, and support your local businesses.
3. New stationary.
4. Finding hidden love notes that my dada wrote my grandmother.
5. Hydrangeas.

grace

2009-08-05T11:22:00.005-05:00

It's amazing how such a little word can pack such a punch. Grace. GRACE. grace. I love it's simplicity. I love the feeling it evokes when said. I love the many definitions. A few of my favorite; 1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action. 2. moral strength: the grace to perform a duty. 3. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment. 4. to lend or add grace to; adorn. 5. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.

Grace.
1. The power of prayer, whether it be the results of prayer, or the reassuring feeling from praying for others or knowing your in someones prayers. If you're the praying type, please send some to Mr. B.
2. Making time for old friends passing through town.
3. Cooking dinner with the fam.
4. A new popcorn popper AND laptop bag. Thanks, boyfriend! You know how I love me some popcorn. =)
5. Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose. I use it on my cheeks too...shh, don't tell.

a little late, but the thought still counts.

2009-08-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

I wrote this post last Friday and, not surprisingly, totally forgot to post it. I wasn't going to today, but I liked my graces so I thought I'd go ahead and post it, 5 days too late.

...

I've got some crazy delicious things going on in my kitchen today, but because I'm an incredibly flaky procrastinator type and don't know how to properly manage my time, I won't be tell you all about any of it. Yet. Turns out that deciding to completely experiment with new recipes and decorating techniques is a little stressful when you're actually getting paid to deliver some damn good cupcakes. But man, do they look good.....

Stay tuned. I'll fill you in on Monday. And that's a promise.

Grace.
1. 5 years. 5 years of kisses. 5 years of laughter. 5 years of friendship. 5 years of (mostly)blissful love. I love you boyfriend! Thank you for being you and for letting me be me and for loving me for it =)
2. Chocolate ganache. Now I know what I've been missing all this time!
3. The Drunken Fry in OKC. French fries, beer, 17 dipping sauces....yum.
4. Paul Frank iphone covers.
5. Birdie. I'll miss you, you wonderfully fat cat.

Inspiration.

2009-07-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

I've been lacking inspiration lately, at least when it comes to Wallycado. I don't know if it's been my "summer vacation" attitude lately, or if I've spent too many weekends at Grand Lake, but I just can't find the inspiration or motivation to write anything lately.

What do you do to cure your inspiration blues?

I usually turn to books and baking, but even those haven't been working lately. What is it about summer that just makes you feel sloth-like and brainless? I haven't even been able to make it through two chapters of a book if it's not some mindless chick lit. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you know what I mean.

So here I am. Slightly embarrassed by how neglectful I've been of my little blog. I love my blog. It brings me joy, even if no one reads it. And it's become something I look forward to doing. Well, it was something I looked forward to doing. At this point in my summer, I'm way more interested in going to the lake, dining alfresco with my girlfriends, sitting in coffee shops, pool parties, play dates with my niece and nephew, watching Lost DVD's with boyfriend, and pretty much doing anything and everything other than look at a computer. I guess that's a good thing though. Computers, and the Internet specifically, tend to be life-suckers and time-wasters so I guess I should be thankful for the much needed breaks.

Anyway, I did manage to make an awesome dinner for my family last week. They're always giving me a hard time about cooking for boyfriend and never for them, so I thought I'd go all out and make one of their favorite meals a-la-Annie. It's my version of a recipe I found in Real Simple a couple of years ago. Like most recipes, I started out following it exactly, but have since altered a few things here and there to make it mine. It's called Southern Indian Chicken Curry, but I usually just call it Chicken Curry with Peaches. And if you think you're not a curry fan, try this anyway. There's actually not any curry in it, just a blend of spices that is probably curry-ish. Boyfriend isn't big on curry or spice (weird, I know) but he is a fan of this dish. Of course he claims to like everything I make so maybe he's just being nice....

Southern Indian Chicken Curry. Or Chicken Curry with Peaches. Or just Chicken Curry. Or "That Curry stuff Annie makes." It's been called that a time or two.

Ingredients:
4-5 Tbls. corn oil (I usually use olive oil or Smart Balance oil, because that's what I have on hand.)
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
2-3 small jalapenos (depending on how much spice you like), seeded and finely diced
2-4 cloves of garlic (depending on size), finely chopped
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced or finely chopped
4-5 Tbls. lemon juice, from the juice of 2 large lemons
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1/2 tsp. + 1-2 dashes cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. + 1-2 dashes coriander
1/2 tsp. + 1-2 dashes ground cumin
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 ripe yellow peaches roughly chopped, OR 1 bag frozen peaches
1/2 - 1/3 c. canned unsweetened coconut milk (you can find this in the Indian/Asian food aisle, or near the drink mixers) NOTE: don't get low-fat or fat-free. The consistency is just not the same.

Directions:
I learned from experience that the best thing to do is to prep all ingredients first. So thinly slice those onions and set aside. Seed and finely chop the jalapenos, garlic and ginger and set aside together. Cut up the chicken; set aside. Chop the peaches, or just open the frozen bag. You'll save TONS of time by doing this all before hand, and you won't be as frazzled later. Being frazzled while cooking is not awesome.
Next, head 2 T. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions to skillet and saute for 5 minutes, then add the jalapenos, garlic, ginger and 4 T. lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from skillet and transfer to plate.
Add 2 more T. oil to skillet and raise heat to medium-high. Add the chicken and stir-fry until golden, about 8-10 minutes. If it takes longer, don't fret. Just cook it until it's lightly browned. Add the spices and stir fry for about 2 more minutes. Add the peaches, onion mixture, and a 1/2 c. water and simmer for about 8 mins. I usually lower the heat at this point to about medium, but that's just me.
Stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 2 more minutes. Start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed. It should be thick and creamy, but not soupy. Add more lemon juice if needed.
Serve with hot rice and pita bread. I also like to serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, it helps cut the heat in case it's a bit spicy.

(sorry my pics sort of suck...but my family was watching me take photos and it was making me nervous!)

This is a seriously delicious meal, so please try it today!

grace....in the little things.
1. Having a (free!) personal trainer for a step-dad. He's whipping me into shape!
2. Getting to enjoy a traditional Indian wedding, and wear a traditional outfit! I'll post pics sometime.
3. Rainy days in July.
4. Getting paid to make cupcakes.
5. Red Pin bowling with my family.

Mag Hag

2009-07-15T15:19:00.005-05:00

I tend to treat book stores like libraries. I go in, walk around aimlessly for way too long, picking up books and magazines along the way. Then I settle in a chair, or corner of the coffee shop, and copy recipes, take notes from reference books, and sometimes read a chapter or two of the latest best seller and then I just get up and leave it all there for someone else to put away. I don't think that's exactly what they had in mind when these places opened, but it's always worked for me, so I see no problem in it.

Occasionally I purchase a book or two. Today I came home with this handful of magazines. Cosmopolitan for my fashion and love advice, and because it's a guilty pleasure of mine. You love it too, just admit it. Then we have Real Simple, Gourmet and Bon Appetit for my foody pleasure. I love reading magazines that have anything to do with food. Or crafts. Not that I'm very crafty, but sometimes reading a crafty magazine like Real Simple or Martha Stewart makes me feel crafty, so it's almost the same as being crafty, right? Right. Anyway, I'm looking for some inspiration in the kitchen department lately and these magazines should do the trick. I'll keep you updated on any good finds. Or not. I tend to sort of "forget" about my little blog here, so I might completely forget I even told you about this. Haven't I mentioned my memory loss before?

I also picked up my weekly copy of the Oklahoma Gazette. This week's issue features their annual "Best of OKC" poll, which is a survey for the best food, drink, arts, entertainment, services and people in OKC. I think the nominees for this years survey are some of the best yet. I've already voted twice, and I think you should too! Vote for the Norman Music Festival, vote for the deadCENTER, vote for La Baguette, vote for Lauren Corbyn Interiors. Or vote for whoever tickles your fancy. All the nominees deserve some recognition for all the hard work they put into what they do. So go pick up a copy and exercise your right to vote!

I'm now off to ogle and drool over Bake it Pretty.

.g.R.a.C.e.
1. Computer-free days.
2. Grand Lake for the 3rd weekend in a row.
3. TastyKitchen.com look me up and be my friend! User name: Wallycado. Duh.
4. Cooler weather. "Cooler" meaning anything UNDER 100 degrees.
5. Passion Pit.

Birthday worthy cupcakes.

2009-07-02T14:39:00.004-05:00

Do you all know Joy the Baker? If you don't, you should get to know her. Her blog is everything I hope my blog to be, except mine will always be a little more Wallycado-ish. She's funny, and cool, and a pretty rad chick in general. No, I don't know her in real life, but I imagine we'd be fast friends.

A few weeks ago my best friend, Meesh, threw a birthday party for her fiance Mr. B. When I offered to make cupcakes for the occasion, Meesh gladly let me take control of the dessert as long as whatever I made had chocolate. Mr. B loves him some chocolate.

I have a few chocolate cake/cupcake recipes in my arsenal, but I've yet to find my favorite. And since I was making these for someone who is very important to my best friend, and myself, I decided I had to make the best chocolate cupcake recipe I could get my hand on. So I went to Joy the Baker for guidance. And boy did she deliver. Here's her recipe for both the cupcakes and icing.

In fact, I don't think I'll be trying out any other chocolate cake recipes. I've found the winner. It has all that is good in this world; cocoa powder, sour cream, coffee. There's even Ovaltine in the icing. I've never really been a chocolate on chocolate kind of gal, but these cupcakes totally changed my mind. Just remind me next time to use a different piping tip. My icing sort of looks like little piles of poo atop my chocolaty cupcakes.

Because it was a party, I decided to dig out my giant cupcake pan . If you click on the link, you'll see what a giant cupcake is supposed to look like. I clearly didn't achieve that look, but I still think mine was pretty festive. Especially when you put 27 candles on it. Meesh and I decided that it was very Christmas on Mars-y. Wayne Coyne would approve. (I hope!)

Mr. B definitely approved, which is all that mattered.

Make these chocolate on chocolate cupcakes for 4th of July. Or for you next birthday party. Or even just because it's Thursday and you need some chocolate. They are so so worth it.

Grace.

1. Two new cds : Wilco (the album), and Iron and Wine: Around the Well

2. Spending 4th of July at Grand Lake for the 27th summer of my life! I'm so excited I might pee my pants!

3. My brother coming home just to go to the lake.

4. Greek salads from N D's Foods. Actually, anything from N D's Foods...

5. New green flip flops.

.a list.

2009-06-30T18:40:00.003-05:00

A list of Loves:
.journals/notebooks/sketch pads. anywhere you can put your thoughts on paper.
.cookbooks. i read them like novels.
.babies. especially fat ones.
.stories from or about my grandparents.
.lists. (!)
.boyfriend.
.handmade gifts.
.the Wii.
.having friends I've known for 20 years.
.brothers.
.my sis-in-law.
.comebacks.
.softball.
.full circle bookstore.
.Johnny Depp.
.wine.
.Thepioneerwoman.com
.live music.
.cheese. pretty much all of it.
.pictures.
.grand lake.
.fireworks.
.Halloween.
.mix tapes.
.peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
.being barefoot.
.reading for hours without interruption.
.date nights.
.baking/cooking/creating in the kitchen.
.noise and chaos.
.coffee.
.tomatoes.
.the zoo.
.kisses.
.Neil Young.
.having my eyes opened to something new.
.naps.
.farmer's market.
.fresh anything...food, flowers, music, love.
.my dogs. past and present.
.dishes.
.bicycles.
.mountains.
.avocados.
.Pandora.com.
.decorative trays.
.antiques.
.plaid.
.the color green.
.dates with myself.
.wild flowers.
.Oklahoma.
.my big family.
.the perfect song at the perfect moment.
.homemade ice cream.
.Christmas cookies.
.birthday presents.
.lizards.
.butterflies.
.fall, winter and spring.
.holidays.
.simplicity.
.memories.
.thunderstorms.
.champagne.
.Sundays.
.snow.
.learning.
.anything I can eat. except black olives. yuck.

.grace.
1. 2 Buck Chuck, aka. Charles Shaw wine.
2. The New Pornographers.
3. Having to stop short on a list of loves because there are too many to list.
4. Seeing things from a different point of view.
5. Grandparents.

On books, and cupcakes.

2009-06-29T20:30:00.006-05:00

I have a horrible memory. I can remember birthdays, appointments, anniversaries, even specific outfits without any problem, but conversations (even important ones), jokes, assignments, and books? Nope. It just doesn't happen. It almost makes me wonder why I even read books if I'm just going to forget them once I've read the next one. Sure, I remember the basic gist of a story, but any little detail just floats right out of my head. I wonder why it is that I can remember exactly what I wore on my first day of 10th grade, but I have no idea who the main character is in the book I read 6 months ago.

So I've decided to cure myself of my selective amnesia. I'm self-medicating, but without the medications. I'll be an experiment of sorts. Nothing too scientific, just some little tricks I've got up my sleeve. I've always heard that the best way to remember your dreams is to write them down right when you wake up. I tried it for a while (a long time ago) and it seemed to work. Week by week, I'd remember a little more about my dreams, without needing to write it down. So that's where I'm starting with reading. For as much as I read, you'd think I'd know more about literature, or at least be able to finish a Thursday crossword puzzle, but alas, they stump me every time.

I'm hoping my experiment, or whatever it turns into, will also help me cure the ridiculous guilt trips I give myself over books. Yes, I have major, anxiety ridden guilt trips over books. I spent the first part of 2009 reading the first three books of a six book series, and loved it. I dreamt nightly about the stories and sometimes talk about the characters as if they're my friends (and they live in 1700's Scotland!), but after the third book, I cut myself off. I just couldn't take the guilt anymore. I have all these other books just waiting, begging to be read, so why am I spending so much time on one series? I realize that I have my whole life to read all the books I want to read, but I still can't shake the guilt I feel when I pick up a book that wasn't already sitting on my shelf just waiting to fulfill it's life's purpose. Isn't it unfair to Denny and Enzo that while they're speeding down the racetrack in the rain, I'm thinking about Claire and Jamie out running Pirates on their way to Jamaica? I certainly wouldn't appreciate it.

So I bought myself a Moleskin notebook. And I've been making a list of books. Books I've read. Books I started but didn't finish (another guilt inducing habit of mine). Books I completely hated but read anyway. Books I want to read. Books I think my family and friends would like. Anything to do with books, I've got a list for it.

But really, it's just a place for me to remember why it is that I love reading so much in the first place. To remind me that when everything else in my world seems out of whack, a book is always there to take me somewhere else.

So what does all this have to do with cupcakes? Absolutely nothing. Except that I got a new Cupcake book. And there's one thing I've found out about cook books; they don't come with a guilty conscience.

Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes, with Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Icing
Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (I used ground)

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp.

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temp.

1 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 c. pecans, toasted and chopped. (optional, but totally worth it)

Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 cupcake pans with liners.

~To toast pecans: Spread pecans in an even layer on rimmed cookie/baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until slightly toasted and very fragrant. If they look burned, they are.

. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

. Cream butter and both sugars on medium-high speed of electric mixer, until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, and scraping down the sides with spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low, and add applesauce then flour mixture. Beat until just combined, do not over beat. Stir in pecans by hand.

. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans* filling each cupcake well about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, rotating once half-way through.

*If you don't have enough batter for all 24 cupcakes, remove liners from unused wells and fill about 1/3 way up with water to ensure even cooking.

Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Frosting:

1 stick butter, softened

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 c. packed light-brown sugar

Beat with electric mixer on medium-high speed until combined. Use immediately or store in refrigerator. Bring to room temp before icing.

*NOTE* These cupcakes are aahhhhmazing. You might be tempted to eat more than one in a sitting, but don't. The icing is sweet and carmely and will make you sick if you eat too much. Consider yourself warned.

Grace.

1. Moleskin notebooks.

2. Offset spatulas

3. 96 degree weather. It's been a nice break from the two weeks of 100+

4. Ginger peach tea

5. Ricotta cheese.

Whoops.

2009-06-27T11:50:00.003-05:00

I know, I know, I missed a day of blogging. Shocker! I guess I didn't realize how hard posting everyday would be until I decided to take Mizzle up on her challenge. I forgot that I barely even look at a computer screen on the weekends, so I don't really know how this is going to work out. But I will try to make up for being so careless yesterday.

I had big plans of baking yesterday. I was going to use up the fresh blueberries I've been hoarding all week with a blueberry coffee cake. I was going to experiment with Martha and make applesauce cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese icing. I was even going to make some snicker doodles. But then something happened. Something called an allergy attack. Do you have allergies? I do. And if you happen to know me well enough to know what allergies do to me, then you're probably surprised I even made it through the day, because I have the kind of allergies that seriously make me worthless to the human race. I sneezed no less than 200 times, and went through 1 box of Kleenex and three rolls of toilet paper. But I survived, barely. So I decided that baking in my condition didn't make for the most sanitary of baking environments. Instead, I spent the day with my mom. We dined, we shopped, we came home and read magazines and books together and then I passed out in a big leather chair for two hours. And I had a wad of Kleenex stuck up my nose the entire time. It wasn't awesome, but it wasn't too bad for a Friday either.

Grace:
1. New K Cup coffee flavor. Butter toffee. Can't go wrong with that combination, can you?
2. A delicious (and healthy) breakfast of fat-free vanilla yogurt topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries and a sprinkling of Splenda.
3. Having a pool to jump in when it's insanely hot, like it is today. And has been for the past two weeks.
4. Shopping with mom.
5. Homemade spaghetti and meatballs on a Friday night. Yum.

I'm sure you're not surprised...

2009-06-25T17:28:00.010-05:00

What do these....

These.....

And this.....

Have in common???

They all make for a fun filled and delicious Friday!

Blame it on my mom. She gave me the Martha book last night, and although I can't stand Martha, the chick knows her way around a cupcake. Don't worry, I'll document it all and let you know how it goes.

So, who wants cupcakes?!

GRACE.

1. Farrah. Love your hair, love your smile, love your grace in your dying days. Rest in peace.

2. MJ. Oh man, there's too much to love. I can't even type his name without my head bopping to the tune of "Beat It." It's the end of an era. I'll be moonwalking tonight in your honor.

3. Hamloaf. Hmmm....hamloaf. Bet you didn't know something that sounds so disgusting could be so insanely delicious, did you? I don't know how to make it, so don't ask. But if I ever find out, I promise to share.

4. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It's crazy good. I've read half the book in one sitting so far.

5. Braum's ice cream when it's 106 degrees outside.

Sunny memories.

2009-06-24T18:16:00.004-05:00

When I was in high school, I dated my friend Rory for a while every now and then. We were both always in and out of those really BIG high school relationships, but never with each other. You know the ones, where you date a guy (or girl) all through high school, but throughout the years there are numerous breakups, fights, childish comments, and just drama in general. But you eventually make up and get back together. The pure definition of tumultuous. I know I had a relationship that was exactly like that. But whenever I found myself single, I always managed to find some cute boy to pass the time with. And that cute boy was usually Rory. And man, was he cute. He had these eyes, these eyes, that were so pretty that it was almost sad they were wasted on a boy, because I put on thousands of coats of mascara trying to achieve the look he was naturally born with. And not only was he delicious to look at, but he was so much fun to hang out with. He loved to play and laugh and genuinely have fun. And he loved to eat, and I loved to eat. We spent countless hours eating massive amounts of food and then seeing just how big our bellies had gotten. Sounds romantic, huh? Somehow, it was. And for those of you who knew Rory, you know how much fun he was and the zest for life that he had. His was a sad soul to lose.

I've never really been sure why Rory and I never worked at the dating thing. We were crazy about each other, but we were also the best of friends. And at 16, 17, and 18, being the best of friends is hard to segue into a relationship. But we gave it our shot, and every time it ended we'd go back to our old routine of being best friends and dating whoever it was that drove us the craziest. It was almost as if nothing ever changed.

My favorite memory about Rory is from one hot summer between my junior and senior year in high school. I think I was at my friend Megan's house, probably up in her room with all our girlfriends, drinking wine coolers and getting ready for a night out. When we all made our way outside, I looked into my car, and sitting there on the driver's seat was the most gigantic sunflower I have ever seen. Seriously, this thing was the size of my head. My window had been down, and Rory had left it for me. He later told me that he'd been driving around with his guy friends, mind you, and saw the flower on the side of the road and just knew I had to have it. It is still, to this day nearly 10 years later, the sweetest thing that's ever happened to me. And every time I see sunflowers, I think of my dear friend Rory, and hope that he's looking down on me from whatever heaven he's in.

Grace.

1. A Sam's size bag of powdered sugar. You really can never have too much.

2. A new cupcake book. Thanks, mom!! (And thanks for putting out such beautiful sunflowers.)

3. Mango tea.

4. Seeing my best friend in a potential wedding dress. GORGEOUS!!!!!

5. Tats. Mizzle knows what I'm talking about.

The Walrus and The Carpenter

2009-06-23T22:16:00.005-05:00

The Walrus and The Carpenter by Lewis Carrol

The sun was shining on the sea,

Shining with all his might:

He did his very best to make

The billows smooth and bright--

And this was odd, because it was

The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,

Because she thought the sun

Had got no business to be there

After the day was done--

"It's very rude of him," she said,

"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be

The sands were dry as dry.

You could not see a cloud, because

No cloud was in the sky:

No birds were flying overhead--

There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Were walking close at hand;

They wept like anything to see

Such quantities of sand:

"If this were only cleared away,"

They said, "it would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops

Swept it for half a year.

Do you suppose," the Walrus said,

"That they could get it clear?"

"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,

And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"

The Walrus did beseech.

"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,

Along the briny beach:

We cannot do with more than four,

To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,

But never a word he said:

The eldest Oyster winked his eye,

And shook his heavy head--

Meaning to say he did not choose

To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,

All eager for the treat:

Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,

Their shoes were clean and neat--

And this was odd, because, you know,

They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,

And yet another four;

And thick and fast they came at last,

And more, and more, and more--

All hopping through the frothy waves,

And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Walked on a mile or so,

And then they rested on a rock

Conveniently low:

And all the little Oysters stood

And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,

"To talk of many things:

Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--

Of cabbages--and kings--

And why the sea is boiling hot--

And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,

"Before we have our chat;

For some of us are out of breath,

And all of us are fat!"

"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.

They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,

"Is what we chiefly need:

Pepper and vinegar besides

Are very good indeed--

Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,

We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,

Turning a little blue."

After such kindness, that would be

A dismal thing to do!"

"The night is fine," the Walrus said.

"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!

And you are very nice!"

The Carpenter said nothing but

"Cut us another slice:

I wish you were not quite so deaf--

I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,

"To play them such a trick,

After we've brought them out so far,

And made them trot so quick!"

The Carpenter said nothing but

"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:

"I deeply sympathize."

With sobs and tears he sorted out

Those of the largest size,

Holding his pocket-handkerchief

Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,

"You've had a pleasant run!

Shall we be trotting home again?"

But answer came there none--

And this was scarcely odd, because

They'd eaten every one.

When I was in lower school, our school had an "Alice in Wonderland Day" for the 4th graders. It was something that was done every year, and when I entered the 4th grade, it was one of the things I looked forward to most. There were months of planning; "roles" to be assigned, costumes to be made, poems to be memorized, etc. And when the big day came, I arrived at school with my, suspenders, bow tie and twirly hat to play my part as "Tweedle-Dee." Or maybe I was "Tweedle-Dum." I really don't remember, nor do I remember if we were actually assigned these roles or if I chose to be one half of the bumbling duo. Knowing me as a child, it was probably my choice. In any case, pretty much the only thing I remember about that day was having to recite this poem in front of my whole class, our teachers and all our parents. Had I known that public speaking was going to be part of this Tweedle job, I surely would have passed. But I managed to spit it out, and I've remembered this poem almost verbatim ever since. I even recite it to myself when I'm feeling blue. And tonight, I'm feeling blue. It hasn't cured my blues completely, but it definitely took my mind off of them for a few minutes. So next time you find yourself feeling a little down, let The Walrus and The Carpenter cheer you up.

Grace.

1. Mexicali cerveza.

2. A gift of home grown lettuce, fresh from a garden.

3. Feeling passionate about anything at all, be it a book, a band, or preferably, a person.

4. Blind Pilot. Especially the Blind Pilot station on Pandora.

5. Cheese. Can you ever be too thankful for cheese?

A challenge of sorts.

2009-06-22T17:50:00.000-05:00

I've decided to take on Mizzle's challenge and post everyday. I can't make any promises about the "living life to the fullest" thing. Not that I don't want to do that, it's just that sometimes setting such lofty goals like that makes me feel inadequate when I can't live up to them. It's much easier to make a small goal, like trying to eat one red jellybean everyday for three weeks. That's a challenge I can tackle. But living life to the fullest? I might die from a self-induced guilt trip if I decide to take a nap instead of go running. Which is exactly why I only work out once a week. I can however, promise to live my life as myself and to do what makes me happy, so maybe that really is living it to the fullest, in my own little way.

So what do I talk about in my first post of this daily post challenge? I baked a boat load of cupcakes last week, but we've all seen cupcakes before. I also attended two parties this past weekend, which means that I went out two nights in a row, which also means that I will be spending this Monday evening on the couch, in my PJ's, and will go to bed at 10:00 but secretly wish it was 8:30. What is it about going out two nights in a row that is SO hard? I mean, I'm not 21 anymore, but it's not like I'm 100 either. I'm 26! These are the days of my life! I should be able to party til dawn for at least 4 nights a week. But in reality, I don't want to party til dawn. Ever. I'm over it. If I'm up past midnight it's a miracle, which is strange considering that I used to stay up until all hours of the night doing absolutely nothing just because I liked to stay up late. That and my mild case of insomnia that has miraculously cured itself. But now when the clock strikes 12, my eyes immediately start sagging, and I can feel the narcolepsy settling in. From insomniac to narcoleptic? There's one for the medical books.

I really didn't want to post a random rant about nothing, but it looks like that's what just happened. I apologize for my scatterbrained-ness, but didn't I say I was going to do what makes me happy? Well rambling on about nothing in particular makes me happy. It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm a child of the two most talkative parents in the world and I'm fairly quiet in "real life" so this is where I let myself talk incessantly. Maybe one of these days I'll have something productive to say, but until then, here's some....GRACE!
1. Cable network season premieres! True Blood, Weeds, Dexter....I love TV.
2. Father's Day. I love Father's Day. And Mother's Day. They really make me want babies. (Shhh...don't tell anyone.)
3. Having working AC in my car. Because I don't right now. And it's 101 degrees outside.
4. Animal Collective....and my little bro leaving awesome Cd's in my car.
5. La Baguette. It is so choice.

Scenes from an iPhone

2009-06-17T10:14:00.010-05:00

I have a really busy day today. Lots of business meetings and such. So instead of telling you about how awesome the deadCENTER fest was (it was aaaamazing, by the way) I thought I'd just share some pics with you all. Not of the fest, just little views into my little world.

This is Colonel Mustard, my fish. I once had a little mishap with a label maker and labeled his bowl as "Colonel Nustarded" so that's what we call him.
Colonel Nustarded died this week. Boyfriend gave him a sailor's funeral, which is fitting since he's a Colonel and all. I swear, he was the oldest Beta Fish alive. He was just around the corner from his 1st birthday, which is like 97 in fish years. True story.

My mom pulled out all her old photo albums this past weekend and I found this picture of my parents celebrating their first week of marriage with their friends up at Grand Lake.

I love their clothes. I love their hair. I love that they look ridiculously happy and that despite their marriage not lasting, they are still friends with all their old friends and with each other.

Here's some delicious pizza boyfriend and I made for dinner last night.
Prosciutto, portabella mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, thinly sliced red onions, cheese, arugula....

The view from a cracked windshield.

My dogs snuggled in their chair...

Our movie theater on Saturday night @ deadCENTER...

Late night wine....

Billy and toes...

Caddo....

Flowers for my mom....

The End!

Grace:

1. Little bro reliving his Bonaroo tales to me over coffee.

2. Polarize app for iphone.

3. Plaid shirts, preferably old and showing signs of an old life.

4. Wavy Gravy.

5. A new cupcake tree.

deadCENTER

2009-06-12T10:09:00.008-05:00

I love OKC. Have I said that before? Get used to hearing it, because I'll probably say it a lot in this blog's lifetime.

Not many people understand the wonderfulness that is OKC. Outsiders tend to think that we still drive on dirt roads and ride horses to school. True story. I left OKC for a short time to go to school in Kansas, and even people there thought we rode horses everywhere. I was like "You're from Kansas! It's the same freakin' thing." Anyway, needless to say, I don't appreciate any trash talking OKC. It's clean and pretty and the people are ridiculously nice. Not to mention the low cost of living, not-to-terrible traffic, and change in the seasons. It's a great place. A place that I may leave at some point, but will surely return to and will forever call home.

Anyway....

If you're needing another reason to think that OKC is super cool, then check out the deadCENTER Film Festival.

Yes, that's right, OKC has it's own independent film festival. The festival started in 2001 and has grown year after year. I happen to know from experience just how fun this festival is. Last year I watched a movie in a tent behind some silos during a torrential downpour in a pool of red mud. And I loved every second of it.

This year's fest has already started, and unfortunately I missed the opening night. It was a screening of "Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo" on Historic Film Row, which means they blocked off a small street in downtown OKC and showed the movie right there in the street. I was at a play a few blocks away, so I missed it, but lucky for me they are showing it again tonight at the art museum. Saturday night will feature "Peace, Love, and Wavy Gravy" followed by the festival awards ceremony and "Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie." All will be happening on a field right outside of Bricktown. There will be beer tents, and free yoga, and general "hippiness" going on and I can't wait.

If you're in the OKC area this weekend, please make an effort to make it to the deadCENTER. With 100+ films to watch, and 8 different venues to watch them in, there's really no reason to not make it. Support your local festivals, artists, movie makers, entertainers and all the people who have worked so hard to make this happen. Like my dad, for instance. He's known as the "rock star" of the deadCNETER Advisory Committee and Staff.

See you all on Saturday night at 3rd and E.K. Gaylord!

::Grace::

1. Lunch with my girlfriends.

2. Dot Wo, the best Chinese restaurant in OKC.

3. Getting so into a book that you fall asleep dreaming about it.

4. LOST season 3. It's getting weird, but I love it.

5. The Drowsy Chaperone

A tale of three cupcakes.

2009-06-10T10:40:00.008-05:00

It was a messy job...

But somebody had to do it.

I was "hired" this week for the first time ever as a baker. Who cares if it was my grandma who hired me? Or that I was just making cupcakes for her book club? A job's a job, and you've got to start somewhere. Besides, her book club is huge. It's been around for 40+ years and has like 100 members, but only 30 or so meet at a time. They even have a rule book. These book clubbers don't mess around.

Anyway, my grandma "hired" me to bake cupcakes for her to bring to the next meeting. So I baked for two nights straight, and iced on the third. It was half-way through my icing job that I got a sudden wave of self-consciousness and thought about calling grandma and telling her I quit. It's one thing to bake for my family all the time, but baking for strangers is a whole new thing for me. Besides, my icing wasn't looking right, the cupcakes were all different sizes, and some of them had gotten kind of wonky during their stay in the freezer. I was just sure that these book clubbers were going to judge me and my cupcakes and talk about me behind my back. Book clubbers can be vicious, you know. Then my mom told me to get over it, and she reassured me that book clubbers are nice people, and they will love me and my cupcakes because everyone likes grand-daughters and cupcakes. And that "homemade" look is much more charming than store bought any day.

So I decided to keep going.

I made three different cupcakes: vanilla with vanilla buttercream, chocolate with vanilla butter cream, and red velvet with cream cheese icing. (Oh my!) All were easy to make, but each required a few ingredients I didn't have on hand, which means that after all was said and done, I only made about $10 profit. But that's okay. I had a happy grandma, and now I can pretty much call myself a professional baker, right?

Vanilla with vanilla.....

Chocolate with vanilla....

And red velvet with cream cheese. My favorite.

Oh what? You want the recipes? Well, okay, but please, stop begging, it's very unbecoming.

Vanilla Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 c. sugar

4 large eggs, at room temp.

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

. In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside. (I measured them, dumped them in a bowl, and stirred together with a whisk. A fork would work too.)

. In a large bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. After each addition, beat until incorporated, but don't over beat the mixture. Scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed. Spoon the batter into lined cupcake pans, filling them about three quarters full. (Or all the way, if you want big cupcakes like mine) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. (20 minutes was plenty for me)

Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temp.

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

.To melt chocolate: place chocolate in microwave save bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval. OR use a double boiler, but I never do.

.In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.

.In large bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate and mix well. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla, beating well after each addition, but be careful not to over beat. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Spoon batter into lined cupcake pans, and bake for 20-25 minutes. (Again, 20 was enough for me)

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350.

3 1/3 c. cake flour (not self-rising)

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 c. sugar

3 large eggs, room temp.

6 T. red food coloring

3 T. unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

.In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. (Isn't cake flour already sifted? I sifted it again, anyway.) In a large bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

.In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. (I ran out of food coloring after 3 T., but cupcakes were still really red. I also don't know why these three things need to be whisked together before adding to batter. I think adding them straight to batter would be fine, and save you the hassle of cleaning one more bowl.) Add to batter and beat well.

.In a measuring cup, stir salt into the buttermilk. (Again, I'm not sure what this accomplishes, but I did it anyway.) Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour, being careful not to over beat after each addition.

.In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula as needed.

.Spoon batter into lined cupcake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes. (20 minutes for me)

Icing:

Vanilla Buttercream, Annie's way:

2 sticks butter, softened. Salted or unsalted. It's your call.

1 box (1 lb.) powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1-3 T. milk

Mix all ingredients with electric mixer until well combined. For thinner icing, add more milk. All measurements can be adjusted to taste.

Cream Cheese Icing, Annie's way:

8-12 oz. cream cheese

1 stick butter, softened. Salted or unsalted.

1 box powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1-3 T. milk

Same directions as the vanilla buttercream. Add more cream cheese if you really want that cream cheese flavor, or more powdered sugar if you like it sweeter. Both recipes can be easily adjusted to fit your personal tastes. That the beauty of icing!

After baking, icing, and tasting all three cupcakes, the winner (in my book) is: Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Icing!

Whew. I know that was a lot at once, but I've got lots of awesome things to tell you all about all week, so I thought I'd get the sweet stuff knocked out all at once. Stay tuned!

Graces:

1. Driving Carme's beastly truck for the next 5 days, despite the huge gas tank.

2. Honey Bunches of Oats.

3. Lightnin' Hopkins station on Pandora.

4. "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." Ralph Waldo Emerson

5. My sweet dogs.

All I had to do was ask

2009-06-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

About a week before I left for a week for California, I told boyfriend that I wanted a date night. And yes, I asked for a date. Sometimes I don't like to wait around for these things to happen, and besides, the best way to get what you want is to ask for it. I have no shame when it comes to dates.

Well, boyfriend took the not-so-slight hint and went all out. He not only wined and dined me, but he cooked for me. He didn't even ask me what I wanted, or how small to chop the mushrooms, or which pan was a 13x9. He did it all by his lonesome, and it was fantastic.

I don't know what the official name of the dish was, but he simply called it "chicken and mushrooms." With a side of fettucini noodles that were perfectly buttered and seasoned with I don't know what. And bread. All my meals include bread; toasty, crusty, delightful, bread.

Now if that's not a good looking plate of food, I don't know what is. It was enough to make my heart go pitter-patter, that's for sure. So all you ladies who might be reading this, go, be bold, and ask your boyfriend to take you on a date! You may be surprised at what he's got up his sleeve. And all you fellas, go make your girlfriend dinner because she deserves it! Whether it's Kraft Mac and Cheese, or hand rolled sushi, I promise she'll love it. She'll probably even give you a smooch. Keep that in mind.

I don't have a recipe for the main dish, but I can tell you how to make ridiculously delicious bread. I was never a huge "bread with dinner" person until I figured out how to actually make bread worth eating with dinner. It's so simple and easy, you'll be making it with every meal.

What you'll need:

.1 loaf of your favorite bread from your favorite bakery. (My not-favorite-but-convenient-bakery is at Homeland and I love the rosemary and garlic loaf. But a plain french is great too.)
.Olive Oil

.S & P (Salt and pepper, for the laymen)

.1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled.

Preheat oven to 350, or 375 if you're in a hurry.

Slice bread to desired thickness and place on cookie sheet. Drizzle each slice generously with olive oil and top with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 10-13 minutes depending on how well done you like it. Rub the garlic clove over the hot bread and serve warm. Enjoy!

Grace.

1. Pizza and movie night with boyfriend.

2. Being "hired" for the first time as a baker! Thanks grandma!

3. My little brother. He likes good tunes.

4. Sunday Funday

5. deadCENTER

WTF??

2009-06-05T15:08:00.005-05:00

Today is Friday, and it's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the skies are clear, and there's virtually no wind. It's also my bestest buddy's birthday, and I have the day off. One word to describe this day: perfect. But as I'm driving home on this perfect day, from a perfect lunch followed by perfect errands, my windshield gets pelted by some sort of orange smoothie in the middle of the highway. The car in front of me, filled with grown adults, is throwing the contents of it's fast food lunch onto the road behind it, or more specifically, directly onto my windshield. This really pisses me off. I have enough road rage already, but to get pelted by some white trash litter bug on the middle of the highway just really pushes me over the edge. I got out from behind this car as quickly as I could, with plans of driving by with my finger sticking out the window. But as I drove up next to them, I decided that maybe giving them the finger wasn't the best idea. They looked like the kind of people who would probably follow me home and beat me up if I showed them how I really felt. So I did nothing, but in my mind, the fact that they have to live their life being the trash they are should be punishment enough. And as if their inconsiderate behavior wasn't enough, about five cars ahead of them, was some giant pick up truck on steroids that was sputtering out so much exhaust I had to roll up my windows. No wonder Oklahoma ranks as one of the least green states. Please people, don't lay that trash on Oklahoma!

g.r.a.c.e.

1. Littering fines, although they should be higher.

2. A brand new cook book.

3. OliveBabyCaKes.blogspot.com I love baby K, too!

4. Drug Store french fries.
5. LBC on her 26th birthday!!!! Happy Birthday, Gingersnap! You make me very happy =)

California

2009-06-04T17:49:00.010-05:00

Besides this...

And one very awesome brother......

(looking quite dashing, I might add)

my favorite thing about California was this place.....

Well, maybe not THAT place (I don't really know how I'd get up there). I'm talking about Muir Woods. Muir Woods is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Northern California. More specifically, it's about 12 miles north of San Francisco.

It is, quite simply, breathtaking.

I was there for a mere (or Muir? hehe) 45 minutes, but I took about 847 pictures in that time. And I've decided that my next vacation to California will be based completely around these woods. I can't wait to hike up the trails on the side of mountains that lead you up to the canopy where you can walk among the tops of the trees. How cool would that be???

The climate alone is reason enough to come. It was cool and misty, and the air was so fresh and crisp, it made me totally forget that I have asthma. It was nothing like the smoggy air of L.A., or even the humid and stuffy air around Oklahoma. Certain types of salmon and trout come through these waters just because of the amount of oxygen it contains. If I were a fish, or really any animal, this is where I would call home.

These are Coast Redwood trees, not to be confused with their close relative, the Sequoai Redwood which is found farther north. The Coast Redwood grows much taller while the Sequoai is much bigger around. They must be huge, because these guys were HUGE!

The cool thing is that because it's a national park, it's all protected. And when a natural disaster happens, like a fire (which is good; it clears away the brush), or lightening strikes a tree down, the fallen trees are left there to remain apart of their surroundings.

Some of the trees in these woods are over 2000 years old.

And some of the visitors in these woods are tiny, like me for instance. Whatever you do, next time you find yourself in California, or anywhere on the West Coast for that matter, please make your way over to Muir Woods. I know I will. And don't forget your camera!

g.r.a.c.e.

1. Grill pans.

2. Sleeping in your childhood bed.

3. Rolling Stone magazine.

4. The Fleet Foxes.

5. Cheerios and bananas.

Frustration takes over...

2009-06-03T14:50:00.003-05:00

I had great plans for this blog entry. I was going to dazzle you all with beautiful pictures from my California vacation and wow you with stories of celebrities, wine, and sunshine. But then I tried to upload photos on here, and seeing as how I know next to nothing about computers and pictures, it didn't quite go as I planned. I uploaded a few that turned out to be the wrong pics. Deleted. Uploaded more. Deleted. Uploaded one last batch. Backwards. Why it is so hard to just put a few pictures up here to share with you all? I ended up wasting way too much of my afternoon for nothing, and I might have even blurted out a few of my favorite curse words. So, until I can figure out how to do this without getting flustered, here's a little grace.

1. Spending a few days in L.A. with my brother.
2. Spotting not one, but two celebrities at my hotel.
3. Secret Service giving us directions to Rodeo Drive.
4. Seeing giant Redwood trees up close. Magical.
5. Staying in the same hotel, at the same time, as President Obama. True story.

Get excited. Oh yeah, oh yeah!

2009-05-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

I'm hopping on a plane to sunny California tomorrow morning and I can't wait! I get to see my brother, L.A., San Francisco and Napa Valley. AND I just got back from Grand Lake. Can life get any better?

Get excited, oh yeah, oh yeah!!

.grace.

1. Family dinners at Grand Lake.

2. Catch Phrase.

3. V.a.c.a.t.i.o.n. it's vacation time!

4. Being all packed and ready to go.

5. Seeing the West Coast for the first time.

See you when I get back!

Tweet, tweet.

2009-05-14T09:55:00.003-05:00

I did it. I gave in to Twitter. Like I need one more distraction. Actually, I joined months and months ago, before there was so much hype about it, just because I didn't know what it was and you can't get on the site and just "look around" so I was forced into joining. Then I did nothing with it. I actually forgot I even signed up. About two months ago, I got a few emails in one day saying that so-and-so was now following me on Twitter. After 3 or 4 more of those came in, I got on there and deleted my account. I don't like being followed. It creeps me out. But you know what I do like? Space. Like of the Outer Space variety. And while reading about space today, like I often do, I read that one of the astronauts on shuttle Atlantis is Twittering from space about the repairs being done on the Hubble Telescope. Twittering from space? Is that even possible? Apparently it is. So I joined Twitter once again, to follow an astronaut.

Now can someone explain to me what exactly I'm supposed to do on Twitter?

Grace:
1. Astronauts. I love them.
2. Redhawks baseball and Thirsty Thursdays.
3. Spicy cinnamon jellybeans.
4. Thunderstorms with lots of lightening just like last nights.
5. Twitter. Tweet, tweet! (My name on there is wallycado for all you Twitter freaks out there.)

On a scale of 1 to Tater Tot...

2009-05-11T11:04:00.016-05:00

Boyfriend once asked me, "on a scale of 1 to tater tot, how much do you love me? 1 being the lowest, and tater tot, obviously, being the highest." I'm sure you all can guess my answer. Ever since then, we've used the "Tater Tot" scale to rate everything from restaurants, movies, iPhone apps, video games, and on occasion, a friend or two. So today, I want to share with you all a few of the things that rank high on my Tater Tot scale. You could also call them "My Favorite Things" but we've been there, done that.

I'm starting off my list with a few baked goodies, naturally. But I have some sad/bad news. My family has been asking me (begging me!) very nicely to put a hold on my baking spree. Apparently there's a little thing called "lake season" coming up and they would like to look their best in swim suits. Don't we all? I told them to suck it up and get outside and run off the extra calories because I'm not stopping! Just kidding. I didn't say that, but I thought about it.

Here we have some Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing. I have to admit that I have absolutely no idea if the cupcake part of these are good, but the icing? The icing. Is. Delish. I may or may not have eaten by the spoonful out of the bowl, put it on various cookies, and was thisclose to making a PB&J sammy out of it. Then I got a massive stomach ache and had to put the spoon down. Be careful with this stuff. It's dangerous.

I made this batch of cupcakes for my dad. He had a rough week and was in need of some major comfort food. We can ignore the fact that I had given him 6 strawberry cupcakes two days before, but sometimes it's like that with comfort food; sometimes you just really need it.

Aren't they dreamy looking? Here's the recipe!

::Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing:: from Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook

Ingredients: for cupcakes, makes 8

6 T salted butter

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/3 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. all purpose flour

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with 8 cupcake liners.

Combing butter and chocolate in a medium microwaveable bowl. Microwave on low, in 30 second intervals, until melted and combined. Stir in the sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each one. Stir in vanilla, then flour.

Divide the mixture into the 8 prepared muffin cups.

Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached (similar to a brownie). Cool completely before icing.

Peanut Butter Icing: (good on everything!)

Ingredients:

3/4 c. confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/4 c. salted butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. heavy cream

Directions:

Put all ingredients, except heavy cream, in bowl of electric mixer and beat until creamy. Add heavy cream and beat again until creamy and soft. If needed, add more powdered sugar or heavy cream to get desired consistency. I think I added a few tablespoons more of powdered sugar. Spread icing over cupcakes, and top with chopped nuts or sprinkles. I like to put the icing into a Ziploc sandwich baggy and cut off one corner to use as a piping bag. You should try it! It's super easy and makes your cupcakes look really cute.

Okay, it's time to get serious. This is a Sour Cream Pound cake with Lemon Glaze and it is divine. And it's a monster of a pound cake. It's one of those that you set out on the counter with a butter knife or fork on the plate, and just let people go crazy. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I have to cut myself a little sliver. Okay, who am I kidding, I grab a whole piece.

This is quickly becoming my favorite lemony dessert. It may even be better than the Lemon Ricotta Cookies. On a scale of 1-Tater Tot, this is a crispy, hot tot, my friends.

::Sour Cream Pound Cake::

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. cake flour (I didn't have cake flour, so I just used 3 c. all purpose and don't think it mattered at all)

1/4 tsp. salt* (reduce to 1/8 tsp. if using salted butter)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. unsalted butter, room temp.

3 c. sugar

1 T. vanilla

6 larges eggs

1 c. sour cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Spray 10 inch bundt pan with nonstick spray.

In small bowl, sift the flours, salt and baking powder together and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar with electric mixer until it's light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and mix.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream, and mix.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Pour or spoon the mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Lemon Glaze:

Hmmmm....I basically used the same recipe for the lemon glaze on the Lemon Ricotta Cookies, but I didn't measure anything. But it's easy, so don't be scared and give it a try. Just put a few cups of powdered sugar in a bowl, and add the zest and juice of one lemon. Stir with a whisk until combined. If it's too runny, add more powdered sugar. Too thick, add more lemon juice, a bit of water or splash of milk. Just play with it until it's the consistency and taste you like. Poke your pound cake with a fork or toothpick all over, then pour the glaze over the warm (not hot) pound cake, making sure to let it drip down the sides and in the middle. The pokes will help it run inside the cake and make it extra super duper delicious. Trust me.

Okay! Enough with the sweet stuff. I've got a stomach ache just thinking about it.

On a scale of 1-Tater Tot, my dad is off the charts. Maybe a crispy french fry? Or a nicely salted onion ring from Johnnie's? That's how awesome he is. And just ask anyone. Seriously, people love my dad. He'll talk to anyone, about anything, and will immediately become your best friend. Everywhere I go with him, he seems to know everyone, and if he doesn't, he'll meet them. He also knows everything about everything. He'll see an interesting knot (yes, knot) and he'll study it until he knows everything about it, from it's history and origin, to how to tie the knot and use it properly. He's an avid reader, with a love of real literature, a seasoned fisherman, and loves his family more than anything. I could go on all day about how great my dad is, and all the things I love about him, but I think you all get the point. Besides, most of the people reading this know my dad and probably agree with just how great he is.

Love you, Homie D!

Have you heard of 31 Bits jewelry? I think I have mentioned them before, but I thought I'd talk about them again. My little bro's girlfriend gave me one of the bracelets for my birthday, and it's been a love affair ever since. The stories about the women who make them are inspirational, and remind me of just how privileged and lucky I am to not only live in America, but to have the simple pleasures in life that I often take for granted. Like my health, food, money, a job, and security. These women work to support their families, many of whom are sick and have very poor living conditions.

The jewelry itself is made from recycled paper that is rolled into beads. Each piece is different and unique to the designer.

Please, check out 31 Bits and help support the women of Uganda! Here in OK you can purchase the pieces at Retropolitan in Edmond. And say hi to Fayth while you're there!

One last thing, and then I'm finished. I promise. But since we're on the topic of buying goods for a good cause, go out and get yourself a pair of Tom's shoes. I'm sure you all have heard of these before, but if you haven't, you should check them out.

For every pair of shoes sold, Tom's gives a pair to a child in need. And they don't give shoes just because they make shoes. They give them to children in developing countries where children often go shoeless. In many of those regions, children and adults alike, develop podoconiosis, which is a disease you get from walking barefoot in silica-rich soil. Not to mention the sores, infections, and other diseases that can come from going barefoot all the time. Also, just having shoes enables the children of these countries to attend school where shoes are required.

I've heard some people say they think these shoes are too expensive for what you get. And yes, maybe $40-$50 for a pair of canvas shoes is a lot, but think of what you are doing with that $40 and the life you might be changing. And really, I'd rather spend $40 on something I can feel good about (and good in!) than on something I'll only wear once before it goes out of style. I already have two pairs and have my eyes set on the pair shown above. If only Blue 7 had my size, I'd be showing 'em off right now!

.....grace.....

1. Sunshine after 17 days of straight rain.

2. New tires! Mine were bald...really bald. Thanks, mom!!!

3. Allied Arts City Card.

4. Bagels. Yum.

5. Pho'Nomenal...and that it is.

Strawberry Cupcakes, two ways.

2009-05-06T12:31:00.004-05:00

I'm a silver lining kind of person. I really enjoy finding the good in the not-so-good. I find it comforting to see good things in messy situations, and I find it reassuring to know that I haven't lost my optimism. When my grandmother passed away on Christmas morning, I thought to myself, at least she's going on her favorite day of the year. A day she loved because she loved giving, and she loved her family. And even with her passing, it was a happy day. We all gathered and rejoiced in her life, and in her passing. After suffering from the evil that is Alzheimer's for nearly 5 years, we knew it was a blessing that she finally moved on.

My dada passed away on Monday night, just four short months after his wife, and I've been struggling with the sadness and loss of yet another grandparent. But I think he did what so many old people do; he died of a broken heart. My silver lining is knowing that he is back with my grandmother, his wife of 67 and a half years.

You know what else is a silver lining for me in all that I do? These little punks.

K had a big dance recital on Sunday, and in honor of the occasion, I baked cupcakes! These are strawberry cupcakes (from a box) with vanilla buttercream icing and "Barbie" sprinkles. Or at least that's what the box said. I was hoping for sprinkles in the shape of an actual Barbie, but no, they are just pink and purple.

Barbie Cupcakes:

1 box of strawberry cake mix

Follow directions on box. Bake in lined cupcake pans. Makes 1 dozen regular cupcakes and 1 dozen mini cupcakes (my favorite!!).

Buttercream Icing:

2 sticks of butter, room temperature

1 box powdered sugar

1-2 tsp. vanilla

2-4 tsp. milk

I've decided that buttercream icing is all about personal taste. Every recipe I've looked at uses the same basic ingredients, but there's always a different method in mixing it all together. I've found that I like my icing to be more buttery than sweet, and thicker rather than thin. So here's what I did on Sunday. I took 2 sticks of butter, dumped in a little less that a full box of powdered sugar, and, while sitting on the floor next to the dog bowl for lack of an available outlet, I mixed it together with a hand mixer. After it was creamy I added 1 tsp of vanilla and about 2 tsp. of milk. Then I mixed it until completely mixed. I liked what I tasted, so I stopped there. If you like sweeter icing, just add more powdered sugar and use the milk to thin it out as needed. There's no right or wrong way with buttercream. Just make sure it's yummy to you.

Anyway, because yesterday was my mom's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!) I made another batch of strawberry cupcakes. This time, from scratch, baby. And with strawberry buttercream on top. Oh man, oh man, these girls were delish. And because I had a hell of a time finding a recipe that didn't call for a box of white cake mix and a box of strawberry jello, I'll go ahead and share this recipe with you so you don't have to go through the struggle and strife I went through.

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes and Frosting, provided by Martha. Of course.

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients:

2/3 c whole fresh strawberries

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

1/4 c. whole milk, room temp. (I used low-fat at fridge temp, and it was fine)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1 c. sugar

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tin with liners

Put strawberries in food processor or blender, and process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree. Add more strawberries if needed, and save any extra puree for frosting.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla and strawberry puree; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (I think a hand mixer would be fine too), cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended. (At this point, it's a little lumpy and weird looking, but it turns out that's okay.)

With mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Add the milk/strawberry mixture and mix until blended, then add the remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Mix until blended.

Divide batter into prepared muffin tins, and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22-25 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Strawberry Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/2 c. strawberries

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Puree strawberries in food processor or blender. OR use leftover puree from cupcakes. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or hand held), beat together the butter and salt on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree and mix until just blended. Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

A few notes, I doubled the recipe for the cupcakes, because 1 dozen is definitely not enough for me. Next time I think I'll add more strawberry puree to the batter, just to get more of a strawberry flavor. This cake is pretty thick too, so I think that would help make it a bit more spongy. I didn't, however, double the icing recipe and I had just enough for everything I made. I'm pretty sure I didn't follow icing directions precisely, I probably over mixed, but mine was thick and creamy and just delicious. Here's my finished product!

One dozen cupcakes.....

And one mini three-tiered cake!

Notice the slight lean my mini cake's got going on? That's because I have no idea how to make a three-tiered cake, or how to ice a cake at all. It's all about experimentation for me. I tried to distract from the lean with sprinkles and I think it may have worked! Most importantly, my mom loved it. And I think yours will too, so go make one for the mom in your life! It is Mother's Day week after all. Enjoy!

*!*!*!*!Grace!*!*!*!*

1. 26 years with an awesome Dada.

2. My mama on her bday. Happy Birthday Mom!

3. 4 inch cake pans. Go buy some today!

4. The Neil Young station on Pandora.com. It really helps to listen to some good tunes during any and all of your cooking/baking sessions. Trust me, I know these things.

5. Karoline and Annie's Baking Extravaganza! Coming soon to a network near you.

It's Mother's Day week, make some brownies!

2009-05-04T15:53:00.003-05:00

Okay, okay. I'm finally getting around to this. I've been a bad blogger this week and I apologize. I'm sure you all were checking in everyday, cursing me for not updating you on my day to day life, as exciting as it is. Oh you weren't checking in everyday? My bad.

Mother's Day is this weekend (Sunday, for you guys out there who may not pay attention to such things) and in honor of my mom, and all moms around the world, I've decided to make this a very sweet week indeed. It will be full of brownies and cupcakes, pies and muffins, pancakes and coffee cake. Or maybe not. It might be more savory and include meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I don't plan these things out, which might explain why I visit the grocery store about 14 times a week. Anyway, whatever I make, I promise you it will be mom-worthy.

Here's a few goodies to get you started!

Actually, you should just stop right here. This recipe for Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Butterscotch and Pecans will be all you need to make your mom the happiest mom in town. Just ask my mom, she got these last week.

Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Butterscotch and Pecans (that was a mouthful!)

Ingredients:

1/2 c. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 lrg. eggs, at room temperature

1 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. coarsely chopped toasted pecans - *see note

1/3 c. butterscotch chips

*Note: To toast pecans, spread evenly on baking sheet and bake in pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for 10-15 minutes, or until fragrant and, well, toasted. Or you can cheat like I did and just throw them in a skillet on top of the stove for 10 minutes or so. Honestly, I don't even know what difference this made, but the recipe said toast the pecans, so I toasted the pecans!

To make: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour an 8x8inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan over low heat, melt the butter with the chocolates, stirring occasionally until smooth. (This can also be done in the microwave in 30 second increments.) Remove from heat, and allow to cool to luke warm, 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and beat well. Add chocolate and butter mixture and beat until well combined. Add the dry ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Stir in half the pecans and half of the butterscotch chips and spread batter evenly in prepared dish. Batter will be very thick. Bake for 20 minutes* and sprinkle with remaining pecans and butterscotch. Return to oven, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes*, or until toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool completely (or overnight) before serving.

* More notes: I followed the directions exactly and wished I would have added the remaining pecans and butterscotch after 15 minutes instead of 20. At 20 minutes, the brownies were too done to really let the toppings adhere to them, so they just sat on top and looked pretty, but fell off pretty easily. I also only needed to bake it for another 15 minutes after adding the toppings, and I still might have overcooked it ever so slightly. Next time, I'll bake for 15, add the pecans and butterscotch, then bake for an additional 15 and see how it looks. I definitely wouldn't go over 40 minutes total, unless you know your oven is finicky. And definitely let it cool completely! I couldn't wait so I cut into it way too soon and it sort of fell apart on me. But dang, it tasted delish, and I'm not even that much of a brownie eater! Make these, you realllly need to.

I was going to include a recipe for Sour Cream Coffee Cake, but I'll save that for later. Instead, I'll end with a pretty picture of my sweet niece. Why? Because she's stinkin' cute and the grass is green and the flowers are a-bloomin', so why not?

::::::Grace::::::

1. Being able to find the grace in small things, even when grace seems hard to find.

2. My dad for not only being a great dad, but for being a great son.

3. My iPhone for keeping my nephew entertained during his sister's 3 hour long dance recital. Mom, you can thank me later for choosing soccer over ballet.

4. The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

5. Falcone's. Delish.

With cheese, please.

2009-05-02T12:05:00.003-05:00

You know, I started out today's post with pictures and recipes from last weeks baking extravaganza, but then I decided that I'd much rather tell you about something else: cheeseburgers. And no, I didn't make one. Last time I took that job into my own hands, it just didn't turn out well. Maybe it's because I'm not a guy, or maybe it's because I'm scared to use the outdoor grill, but I just can't make a cheeseburger to save my life. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying though. I realize cheeseburgers are one of the easier things to make, but hey, just because it's easy for everyone else, doesn't mean it's easy for me. And besides, boyfriend makes really good burgers, and so does my dad, step-dad, brothers, uncles, friends, neighbors, etc., so I've never really had to do it on my own. So really, it's not my fault that I don't know how to do it. No one has ever taught me. Same with mowing the lawn. I begged my dad for years to teach me, but no, he taught my brothers, and so every summer they earned extra cash by mowing lawns and I went broke. But that's really another story for another time.

For you OKC folk, do you all remember Abraham's burgers? It was in a little tiny shack off of Western Ave and they had hands down, the best burgers ever. I can't even remember how many times I ate there in high school. A few years ago, I was taking boyfriend there for the first time (how he had lived here for 20+ years and never ate there, I'll never know) and when we pulled up to the tiny shack, it was closed! For good! But now, my prayers have been answered, and the good folks at Abe's realized that OKC (and myself) can't survive without them and they have reopened. In a new building. That can actually seat more than 20 people. Boyfriend and I are heading off to lunch today to give the new joint a try. Don't worry, I'll keep you informed.

And I promise that I will post some delicious recipes soon. Be on the lookout for chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream icing, sour cream coffee cake, and fudgy brownies with butterscotch and pecans. And anything else I decide to make between now and then.

Happy Derby Day!

Grace:
1. Saturday morning thunderstorms, even thought I got hit in the head with a piece of hail. Twice.
2. Kickball in the front yard with P and K.
3. My mom's flower garden.
4. Stove top popcorn. It really is far superior to the microwave variety.
5. My new black pashmina from Private Quarters. I basically live wrapped up in that thing.

Just a little grace.

2009-04-30T09:20:00.004-05:00

I apologize for leaving you all hanging yesterday. I know I promised to fill you in on my fun filled Tuesday night, but yesterday was a busy day. A really busy day. A day full of errands and business meetings and dance classes. And by "business meetings" I mean "baking brownies." Keep that in mind for the future.

The Tuesday night stories are still on hold for now though. For one, I'm not on my personal computer so I have no pictures to share with you. And secondly, although the night was a blast, I really don't have much to report. But I do have alot to say about brownies and coffee cake, so I promise that later today (when I'm not at work) I will tell you all about those two very delicious things. And maybe I'll even throw in some chocolate buttercream icing just for shits and giggles. But for now, here's some........GRACE!
1. Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils. (And yes, I'm thankful for pencils.)
2. Lochers. #9 in the collection is hilarious!
3. Butterscotch and chocolate.
4. Williams-Sonoma catalog.
5. Test #2 of the CPA exam. Boyfriend, I'm sending "good luck" thoughts your way all day!

Take me to the river, drop me in the water.

2009-04-28T14:24:00.005-05:00

Everyone should be glad to know that I made it back from Fort Worth in one piece. The drive down might have been my favorite part of the trip. That may sound weird, but when you rarely spend more than an hour or two alone every week, it's a nice treat to have a three hour car ride to spend some time with yourself. And hey, I've always been a fan of a good road trip. I loaded up my iPod with some new tunes and rocked out the whole drive down. I got a lot done on the drive too. I thought up about 17 new recipes to try, decided that the green Life Savers are not in fact better than the blue ones like I previously thought, and I think I may have found my calling as a one-woman Talking Heads cover band. Take Me to the River is going to be my first single. I also realized that I'm insanely jealous that I will never be as cool as Jenny Lewis. From Troop Beverly Hills to ridiculously talented red-haired rocker chick? It doesn't get much cooler than that.

While Fort Worth was great, I was still semi-heart broken all weekend that not only was I missing out on the NMF2, but my brother was in town from L.A. and I wasn't there to see him. Lucky for me he stayed until Monday afternoon, which meant we got to have two deliciously delicious meals together. Sunday night we went to Rococo with the family, and it was everything a Sunday night dinner should be. The steaks were cooked to perfection, the mashed potatoes were fluffy and creamy, and my shrimp scampi was extra buttery, which means it was extra delicious. Add in plenty of wine and conversation, and you get a wonderful evening. Oh. And my grandma told us all about her wild newlywed days when she and my grandad frequented strip clubs on a semi-regular basis. Just another typical night out with my family!

Monday was The Wedge. Yum yum yummy. Margherita Pizza, Spinach salad, flatbread, and mom's build your own with marinara, spinach, mushrooms, mozzarella and mortadella. Hmmm...I'm hungry again.

While we're on the subject of food, I ate sushi last night and might have overdosed on seaweed salad and ginger, but it was totally worth it. I also made some yellow cupcakes with chocolate buttercream icing, which only confirmed the fact that I can't do anything in the kitchen (even the tiniest of tasks) without making a huge mess. But despite my frustrations, and the mess, the cupcakes turned out to be pretty good and looked snazzy too, thanks to my new blue sugar sprinkles courtesy of my mom. The recipe I used for the icing was easy, chocolaty and delicious, but it needs some tweaking so I'll wait and post it later. I'll also wait to tell you about what I'm up to tonight. I have a feeling you will be jealous, and I'd rather wait until I have all the pictures and stories so you can get the full experience. Stay tuned!

Grace!
1. Boyfriend for loving to dance at wedding receptions. He looked very daper in his tux and tails.
2. Room service at 2am.
3. David Byrne, Jenny Lewis, Peter Bjorn and John, Brandon Flowers, Ray LaMontagne, and various other artists. You all rocked my road trip!
4. All the people who worked so hard (that means you Jon and Nat!) at the NMF2. I heard it was amazing!!!!
5. Sushi dates with Biz.

Food, Martha, and fun things to do.

2009-04-23T18:31:00.003-05:00

If I could eat only one thing for the rest of my life, it would be pizza. Or sushi. With pasta and mashed potatoes on the side. And lemon ricotta cookies for dessert. Okay, never mind. I could never pick only one food for the rest of my life. I always hate those hypothetical questions like "If you could take only 3 items with you on a deserted island, what would you take?" If I were to randomly find myself on a deserted island, I doubt I would have had time to think about the three things I would take with me. And even if I did, one of them would have to be sunscreen because I'm the whitest girl in America and am as red as a lobster in about 2.5 minutes, so that right there takes away one item. This is why I hate that game. But the food questions are always the worst because they are the hardest. I don't even know what my favorite food is. It changes everyday. Some days I'm feeling more fancy and gourmet and might say that escargot and pate would be my ideal last meal. While other days I'm feeling a little more casual and a cheeseburger and fries would do the trick. How am I supposed to know what I would actually choose for my last meal? I don't know what mood I'll be in that day. Geeze.

Anyway, I was reading the May issue of Martha Stewart Living, and saw a menu so beautiful and delicious, that it just might be what I ask for as my last meal should I ever find myself in that position. I haven't even eaten any of the food featured in the article, but it looks so good that I'm actually upset about going out of town this weekend because I'd much rather stay at home and make everything on the menu. Which would be three pizzas and 4 or 5 appetizers.
Oh. My. God. That pizza on the right actually has lemon slices on it. Lemon on pizza. Why didn't I think of that? And don't even get my started on those tomatoes.

I can't wait to dive into all this yumminess next week. I'm going to be dreaming of it all weekend. I'm definitely going to need someone to help me eat all of it too, because boyfriend won't have anything to do with those tomatoes, so if you're interested, let me know! But if you are wanting to sample the menu for yourselves before I get back, check it out on Martha's website. The whole menu is listed on there.

On a side note, I'm not really the biggest Martha Stewart fan. Sure she's crafty and all, but something about her just rubs me the wrong way. But dang, the woman can cook!

I hope everyone has a good weekend! I'll be celebrating a happy wedding in Fort Worth!

Also, if you're in the OKC/Norman area on Saturday, don't forget to go to the Norman Music Festival! It's free and open to the public. Starts at 11:00am and goes through midnight! I'm dyyyying to be there, but alas, I'll be missing it again. Good thing for me they are also airing it live on Wimgo.com so I'll have something to keep me entertained during the ceremony. Which also means that none of you will be missing out on it either. Here's a little preview of what you'll get to hear at the festival. So unless you're studying for finals or entertaining in-laws, you really have no excuse not to be there!! Keep OK cool and support local entertainment!

One more thing, then I'm done. I promise.
Sunday is the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, and even though I couldn't run a marathon to save my life, my brother, his wife and kids are all participating. Bro is running the half, the kids are finishing up a kids run, and my sis in law (the real stud of the family) is going all out and running the full marathon. Since I can't be there to support them, or any of the other runners, I hope all of you can make it out in my place. And if not for me, do it for all the people who were personally affected by the OKC bombing 14 years ago.

Grrrrrace!
1. Money in my pocket.
2. Iced skinny vanilla lattes.
3. The Arts Festival
4. Gelato
5. Martha Stewart. But just this once.

A cure for the Tuesday blues.

2009-04-22T09:12:00.006-05:00

There was really only one word for my mood yesterday, and that was GRUMPY. Tuesday was just not my day. Did you know that realizing you've lost your car keys exactly 3 minutes before you leave for work is not the ideal way to start the day? Nor is having to force your sick boyfriend out of bed to take you to work. He was less than thrilled about the situation, especially since my car was parked behind his in the driveway. Oops. But I made it. And keys were later found. But still, my mood had not picked up at all. But when I was suddenly blessed with a two hour lunch break, things started to look up. The sun shone a little brighter, and I suddenly had hopes that maybe this Tuesday wasn't so bad after all. And really, how can you be in a bad mood when you go home for lunch and see this smiling face??

I was feeling better already. Then I walked into the laundry room to find mom giving Billy a bath, which in my opinion is one of the sillier looking things in life.

Have you ever seen what a Cavalier does after a bath? I don't know if all dogs do this, but both of the Cavs in my life have always totally spazed out after a bath. They roll around on the floor, fling their little bodies onto every piece of furniture, and basically have what my family likes to call a "one dog party."

Here's Billy having a party on the couch. He fell off about 7 times. And I was laughing so hard I could barely speak. What a weird little dog.

Anyway, I left my mom's house feeling very optimistic. It's amazing what a few hours at home with mom and a few crazy dogs will do for your mood. Not that I was thrilled with going back to work, but what else would I be doing on a Tuesday afternoon?

When I got back to work, this is what I found.

These are our geese. They live around the building during the spring, and I haven't seen them in a few weeks and was getting worried that they'd left us for a cushier building. Maybe a building who's parking lot had more potholes full of water for them to play in. Or less children running in and out to chase them around. Even though they return to our building year after year, I was just sure they had tired of us and moved on. But really, they were off making babies. And yesterday, I found them and their babies waddling across the parking lot. Aren't they the cutest things?? How could I not feel good after seeing that?

After spotting the geese, my bad mood had totally lifted. The afternoon flew by, I got off work early, and I went to Zumba class with Biz. It turned out to be a pretty perfect Tuesday afternoon. And have you ever done Zumba?? There is absolutely no way to be even the slightest bit grumpy after a class like that. I salsa-ed, ramba-ed, and shook my booty like nobody's business. And then I came home and made a surprisingly delicious dinner with boyfriend.

I say "surprisingly delicious" because we had little on hand, and basically just threw a bunch of stuff in a bowl, with no idea how any of it would taste. Not only did it look pretty great, it actually tasted pretty great too.

I would give you a recipe for this, but there's really not much to say. I threw some chicken breasts in a bowl, poked a bunch of holes in them, dumped some Italian dressing in there and let them sit a few minutes. After cooking those until they were nice and brown (and not completely overdone as per usual, shocker!), we put them on top of some generously buttered pasta, added some carrots, snow peas, cubed cheese and parsley and tossed it all together. I added a little more Italian dressing and parm cheese and it was pretty dang delish. Sort of like a warm pasta salad. And it finally proved to boyfriend that you really can make something yummy out of all the random scraps you find in your fridge.

Anyway, I hope all of you had a happy Tuesday. And if it wasn't happy, I hope today is better. And remember, today is Earth Day, and if you're in OK, it's going to be summer like weather, so get outside and plant something. Or take out all your recycling. Or call a friend and carpool to work. Whatever you do, keep it Earth friendly. =)

Graces.

1. Paul Frank pajama pants.

2. Blueberry yogurt.

3. DayQuil and Robitussin for sick boyfriends.

4. Zumba class...and my free month of Jazzercise

5. Having a friend back from the island!

I apologize for the randomness of this post. I realize none of it makes sense or really has anything to do with anything. But all of these things made me happy yesterday, and I thought that if they had that effect on me, they might have the same on you. Happy Earth Day!

I made a mistake...

2009-04-16T17:10:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a very important day. And no, I'm not talking about Tax Day, although that is important, but I'm talking about Ty's birthday!! And I totally forgot about it. Shame on me.

So in a vain attempt to make up for my inexcusable behavior, I'm wishing Ty a late, but very happy, birthday here in Wallycado land! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TY!!!!

In case you all don't know who Ty is, he's boyfriend's cousin, best friend, and partner in crime. Make that crimes with an s. He's also one of my favorite peeps in the world, a frequent travelling companion, and someone who can always always bring a smile to my face. But only when he's "this tall." Inside joke, anyone?? Anyway, Ty, I apologize whole-heartedly for not acknowledging your birthday yesterday. But just think of it this way, now that I've waited until today to celebrate you, it's like you have two birthdays in a row! And you know that birthdays technically last at least a week, or maybe even a month if you think you deserve it. So pretend like it's your 21st birthday and have a few shots for me!

In totally unrelated news, I bought some chocolate milk today for the first time in about four years. I don't know what came over me, but I really needed that chocolate milk. So that means that today I've eaten: 3 lemon ricotta cookies, an embarrassing amount of cheese, a handful of peanuts, a mini bag of chex mix, half a bag of skittles, 4 starburst, and a tall glass of chocolate milk. Superb.

Grace.....
1. Apple movie trailers.
2. The ridiculously friendly Asian lady at the wine store. Every time I walk in she says "Hey, lady!"
3. Endodontic Associates for bringing us a huge basket of snacks today.
4. I love Gilmore Girl reruns and I'm not afraid to admit it!
5. Rilo Kiley

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

2009-04-15T16:02:00.007-05:00

I make a lot of cookies. It's no secret to anyone that I love the sweet stuff. But I really like making cookies more than I like eating them, which has become a slight problem for my family because I make cookies about three times a week and I just leave them in mom's kitchen to be eaten by everyone else but me. Sure, I'll have a taste of each one I make, but half the time I don't even know if they really taste that good until someone tells me. But then there are these lemon ricotta cookies. I love them. I love them so much, I might even say that they're my favorite cookie, and that's saying alot. I had almost forgotten about them completely until I woke up this morning with a serious hankering for them. And when I get a hankering for something, I have to have it, and I have to have it soon. So I ran up to the store for some ricotta and lemons, and now, three cookies later, I'm completely satisfied. Yum yum yummy. There's really no other way to describe these cookies.

Have you ever had ricotta cheese? It looks sort of like smooth cottage cheese, but the comparisons stop there. It doesn't taste like much on it's own, in fact it's downright bland is what it is. But it does something to these cookies that make them so crazy delicious, they're like a drug. They are really soft and chewy and have an almost cake like texture. So if you've never used ricotta, or just don't like it, try this recipe anyway. I promise you won't be sorry. These things are seriously delicious.

I really wish I could claim this recipe as my own, but since I wouldn't have any clue on how to make a cookie without a recipe, I can't. I got this from the always wonderful Giada. Look it up on the Food Network website for a printable recipe.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese (please don't even think about using "light" or "fat free" ricotta...these are cookies, not diet food)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

I had some seriously humongous lemons, so I only used about 3/4 of the lemon zest from one lemon, and my cookies turned out to have the perfect amount of lemony flavor. But if you're really into lemon, go ahead and add as much zest as you want. I also ate two cookies before I got around to topping them with the glaze, and they were pretty dang delicious. But the glaze really makes them stand out, so don't skimp.

Now hurry off to the store for ricotta and lemons and get to baking. You need these cookies in your life. Seriously.

Enjoy!!

Grace.

1. A fully charged camera/phone/ipod/what-have-you

2. ABC.com for having all seasons of "Lost" available to watch for free.

3. Dry roasted peanuts.

4. "Never Ending Song of Love" by Delaney and Bonnie

5. Clean, dry, and folded laundry.

Books, books, books

2009-04-13T14:43:00.009-05:00

One of my favorite gifts to receive is a book. Especially a book that feels like it was handpicked just for me. Books are also my favorite gifts to give, which is why everyone in my family got books from me last year for Christmas. It definitely made Christmas shopping much easier since I got it all done in one place. I love finding just the perfect book for everyone in my family, which is somewhat of a task considering that they each have wildly different tastes in reading. But their differences in taste only makes the search that much more fun because I find myself among books I may never have stumbled upon on my own. My big brother prefers ancient Rome, U.S. History, and true crime stories, while my other big brother prefers biographies of business moguls, do-it-yourself millionaires, and anyone with advice on getting ahead. My little bro will read pretty much anything that comes his way and will read it with vigor. He loves biographies and autobiographies of spiritual leaders, passionate musicians, and anyone who has made an effort to better the world through art, prayer, peace, or love. But like I said, he'll read it all. Mom likes cookbooks and best sellers; dad likes "the great ones" of literature. I have no idea where I fit in in all of this, because I like a little bit of everything. I do know that when my sis-in-law tells me about a books she loves, I immediately go out and buy it.

I only have one problem with my love of books: I always want to read 17 books at once, often put one down before I start the next, and can't help but to buy at least three new ones before I've gotten to the next three on my list. Okay, so that's more than one problem, but you know what I mean.

I also have a problem when trying to get to my point: I talk incessantly about nothing before I ever get there. But don't worry...I'm there!

I was lucky enough to get a bunch of books for my birthday. And even though well over a month has passed, I'm just now getting around to telling you all about the ones that I'm most excited about. If I could just finish up the book I'm reading now, I could get to these little gems....

My best friend Meesh gave me this book,
and the personal inscription she wrote inside the cover makes me giggle with delight over the likeness of our souls. And it guarantees to be on my bookshelves forever, even though I haven't even cracked it open yet. This is what I was talking about with that whole "handpicked just for me" sentiment from earlier.

My other best friend, Lize (like Size, but with an L), gave me this little book:

Another "handpicked just for me" book written by the wife of the old minister at the church we've both gone to our whole lives. LBC knows me better than almost anyone else does, and any book she suggests I read, I read because, like many other things, our taste in books is almost identical. She's also an amazing writer with a vivid imagination and is really pretty. And yes, her prettiness adds to her awesomeness...but only in her case. =)

One of my aunts gave me this book,

which I've been absolutely dying to dig my nose into ever since I read about it on the author's blog, Orangette. Please, please read her blog. This book is part memoir, part cookbook and, if it's anything like her blog, is beautifully written. And if all of her recipes are as delicious as her chocolate cake, this definitely won't be the last I have to say about her. She's also from OKC and a former Cyclone, so what's not to love?

Anyway, these are the books I've got stacked up on my "to read" pile. Also in that pile, is For the Thrill of It: Leopold, Loeb, and the Murder that Shocked Chicago by Simon Batz, Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien, and the remaining four books in the Outlander series. What's in your pile??

Grace:

1. Google maps.

2. Barnes and Noble lunch breaks.

3. Friends who really "get" me.

4. Happy hour.

5. Phase 10

Little Beauties...

2009-04-08T11:25:00.003-05:00

So I've been sick for the past few days, and am just now feeling like I'm on my way back to my normal self. I may even bake some banana bread later today, that's how good I'm feeling. And I've got some brown bananas that need to be used. But that's not really what I want to talk about today. Today I want to talk about children's beauty pageants. I just saw something on TV about a documentary that VH1 will be showing called Little Beauties:Ultimate Kiddie Queen Showdown. So now I have one more reason to stop watching VH1. I started giving up on them a few years ago when they introduced us to Flava Flav and Rock of Love and other truly awful television shows such as that. But this little beauty queen thing really takes the cake. This is actually what it says about the show on their website, "This documentary reveals the humor and love behind an American tradition; the always colorful characters on the pageant circuit; and the "sparkle" it takes to win a crown." Seriously? The "humor and love" behind the pageant? Last time I checked, humor and love had nothing to do with it. What's humorous about a mother making her 6 year old daughter get a spray tan and fake teeth? What's so loving about her yelling at her daughter because she's forgotten to put on an extra layer of mascara? Or because she is 6 and has to stuff her bra? These women truly disgust me. Watching a little girl stand on stage and start crying because her mother is yelling at her for facing the wrong direction is not exactly my idea of entertainment. And having a little girl be described as "The Flirt" isn't entertainment to me either. When did little girls become unattractive for having sweet, pale skin and a few gaps in their smile where they'd lost a few teeth? When did we decide that they're innocent voices weren't sweet enough so we have to hire voice coaches to teach them to do things their voices aren't capable of yet? And when did all of this become okay to the general public? I've never been a fan of children's beauty pageants. I don't think one child should be deemed better than the rest based solely on looks. But it seems to me that these beauty pageants went from something somewhat light-hearted and good natured, to something truly disturbing. The amount of makeup these children wear is disturbing enough. Just look at their faces on the VH1 website. You can't even tell that they are children! Now, I know I'm not a mother, and I've never been in a beauty pageant, so maybe there's something here that I'm missing. But I do know that every time I see something on TV about pageant moms, or the pageants in general, I get so deeply upset about it that it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Sort of like the feeling I get when I catch sight of "Wife Swap." I just can't stand it. Anyway, I just had to get that out. I'm sorry if any of you are pageant enthusiasts, but they just aren't for me.

Grace:
1. Having a mom who has always taught me that beauty isn't something to be judged by.
2. Photoshop....even though I don't know how to use it yet.
3. Brothers, especially mine.
4. Robert Downy, Jr.
5. Yoga pants

Attack of the Neon Food Coloring

2009-04-03T10:43:00.003-05:00

Remember when I told you all about the purple butter? Well, the neon food coloring has struck again. This time, the victim was a big, giant bowl of pasta. Have you ever seen neon pink pasta? It's a very interesting sight. A sight that I don't think you all should be deprived of. So here it is!

Ahhhhhh!!!!

This was supposed to be my April Fool's Day joke on boyfriend, but he decided to play video games with his buddies instead, so the prank had to wait til Thursday. Is it weird that he was barely phased at all when I served him pink pasta? It was like he expected it, which I guess isn't that strange. I tend to offer up unusual things in the kitchen from time to time, but never anything like this. I had to "practice" on a mini bowl of pasta first. It was bright blue. I mean, bright blue. It was also hilarious, and sort of unappetizing. But pink pasta? Delicious!

As funky as it looks, this really did turn out to be a wonderfully delicious bowl of pasta. It was basically Pasta Aglio e Olio, which is just an olive oil, garlic and red pepper flake sauce, but I modified it a bit. I had some anchovy paste that I was anxious to use, so I added a tiny bit of that in there, and it really added a subtle nutty taste. I loved it. And boyfriend did too, which is always nice. And P.S., don't tell him about the anchovy paste. =)

Annie's Neon Pink Pasta Aglio e Olio:
Boil enough water for 1 lb of spaghetti. Add LOTS of food coloring to the water, right before you dump in the pasta. While the pasta cooks (and soaks up the color), heat 1/2 c. of olive oil (or a tiny bit more if you spill like I did) and add a squirt of anchovy paste, about 1/2 tsp., 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Or more if you're feeling feisty. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, but be careful not to burn! I cooked it on low heat, and still had to take it off the heat a few times so it wouldn't burn. When the pasta is done, reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water, then drain. Add a bunch of chopped parsley to the sauce, then toss with the pasta. Add more parsley on top and lots and lots of parmesan cheese. Bon appetit!!

Graces:
1. Boyfriend, for eating my pink spaghetti. Sevol x Pink Pasta!!
2. Splenda
3. Jamie Fraser...Swoon!
4. Hazelnut coffee
5. Warheads...the super sour kind.

Up To No Good

2009-04-01T20:24:00.008-05:00

Happy April Fool's Day!! Did you pull and pranks on anyone? Or were you played the fool? I decided to treat today just like any other holiday, which means I baked cupcakes. Aren't they pretty?

This was my first time to make buttercream icing and I don't know why I haven't done it before. It was so simple and delicious. Now I know why my dad loves it so much. I guess I've never really wanted to make it because I've never really liked it. I'm more of a cream cheese icing girl. And I've never really liked "store bought" icing, no matter where it's from. When I was little, I wouldn't even touch a cake if it was store bought. I was a cake snob. Little did I know that my grandma was actually making me yellow cake from a box with chocolate icing from a can. I thought it was made from scratch! That sneaky grandma, I'm gonna have to have a few words with her.

And back to my point....what's a holiday without some treats? I decided to whip up some cupcakes. I knew I'd be seeing my niece and nephew today, so I thought I'd have a little fun with it, especially since it's April Fool's Day!

So look what I did...

I swirled some food coloring into the unbaked white cake so there would be a little surprise in each one. I didn't really know what would happen, but when I took them out of the oven they were tie dyed and bright and colorful and psychedelic. Sweet!

Aren't they fun?! I love the one on the left. It reminded me of a peppermint and Christmas.

The only thing I'll do differently next time is fill the cupcake liners halfway, then drop in some food coloring, and add more batter. That way the colorful swirls will go all through the cupcake, instead of just the tops, like these turned out. And I'll definitely have to try out my neon food coloring next time as well.

Anyway, next time you're baking up a batch of white or vanilla cake or cupcakes, add a little fun to it and swirl in some food coloring. And make sure to top them off with white icing. No one will even suspect you were up to something.

For the cupcakes:

1 box of Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake Mix

(Very creative, I know. But dang, it was good!)

Icing:

1 cup softened butter. (two sticks)

3 cups powdered sugar

a pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. milk

Place butter in bowl, and beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and milk and blend until smooth. Icing will be thick. If you want it to be thinner, add more milk by the tsp. until desired consistency. I personally like it thick becasue it's easier to use. I think the amount of powdered sugar can be adjusted to your taste too. I may use a little less next time, but I'll let you know after my dad has one tomorrow. He's the official judge of all things buttercream, so I'll let you know what he says. Enjoy!

Grace:

1. My new computer!! It's about time I have one of my own.

2. Cupcake liners in primary colors.

3. Earbuds to drown out the music and noise at K's dance studio.

4. ANTM. It's a guilty pleasure.

5. Twizzlers. Yum.

Save, Save, Save!

2009-03-31T10:04:00.002-05:00

Have you all heard of http://retailmenot.com? It's a website that lists promotional codes for everything from clothing, makeup and shoes, to travel, rental cars, and hotels. Just this morning, I found a promo code for 30% off at the Omni Hotels, which is where we are staying when we're in Fort Worth at the end of the month. I'm really excited about it too because I was not excited about the original price for the hotel, and we have to stay there. Seriously, we have to. I tried to book another place. I pleaded and begged boyfriend to let me book another hotel. But no, the Omni it is. Now I'm not so upset about the situation because with this promo code, the room went from around $190 a night (with a wedding party discount!), to $149. Say it with me now, "Saawwweeeet!!"

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this little internet goldmine with you all because I love you and want you to shop and save. Happy shopping!