Cooking, Baking, Cooking, and oh yes, Baking

27 pounds of peaches!! That's how many we picked while on our Va trip. I didn't know what to do with them all at first or what I was going to make with them, but we figured it out. I've been cooking a ton lately and have even stopped eating at work so much.

I hadn't made crepes for a while so decided that would be our first peach dish. We caramelized them with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. I had made the batter the day before since it's better to let it sit. Then I topped them with a blueberry, nutella, honey, and chocolate compote!! Yum!

I continued to use up the peaches by making a Peach Buckle and a Pie. Both were incredibly good especially with the leftover blueberry compote. (you can see the gift I got of measuring cups in the top picture. I've used them already about 5 times now and love having a 4 cup measuring option. David let the pastry chef at work try the buckle and she was quite impressed :)

We finished up the peaches by making Jam!! David wanted to learn how to can preserves so we used the final (well ripened) peaches to make two batches of jam. Of course you have to use some of the warm jam on ice cream to test it :)

I had picked up some NJ corn, tomatoes, along with those blueberries so we had a great meal of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil from our plants. The corn was so sweet and good. I used up the blueberries to make Sheldon's lunch pancakes. Who would have thought that one of the best blueberry pancake recipe's comes from a children's book?

Last Sunday I made Tamales and Tostones with Guacamole. My Tamales didn't turn out how I like so I remade them Tuesday. We had a tomato, avocado, and corn salad, with an asian slaw and some grilled Tuna. It was a much better meal than the original try!

We went to Reading Terminal Market Friday to pickup dinner. We got some trout, asparagus, and orriechette pasta. We cooked the meal in fifteen minutes which was a great improvement on our usual all night cooking projects and allowed us to actually watch spinal tap finally. I fried up bread crumbs in olive oil then tossed the pasta in with parmesan cheese. Always a fast good option.

Nothing much other than cooking going on right now. My 2nd sock is still wandering in and out of getting done. And I still haven't gotten the baking out of my system and feel like making a chocolate something or other........hmmm chocolate.

Wag the Dog

There was some tail wagging action yesterday!! Kasia's tail has been limp after her fall off the deck and I was worried it was forever broken. But it seems to be gaining it's movement back so maybe in a month it will be full windmill again!

Photobooth Photobook

some relief from a traumatic night.

And End.

Life summed up

I finally got to uploading some photos of what's been up lately.

Let's see......

I got a package in the mail (think I wrote that last time :) Here's my pressed flowers, farmers market goodies and books from Papa..



I have a picture of my finished sock!! It looks pretty good and is really soft. I added another row at the end since it seemed to just need a little more room. That made it a little boxy, but you can't even tell when it's worn. Halfway done with the next one too!



I had a great gift of flowers, truffles, and icecream this week. That added to (more importantly) the person who gave them being an incredible individual who I love to be around makes my heart dive into happiness. (that sentence shows how sappy I've been of late. silly girl :)



I have my new print picture. It's a take on tapeworm scolex's. maybe entitled scolex attack. It was in my head readily formulated and flowed easily. I like it best right now, but maybe I think that after each one I complete.



And I made a batch of cookies Thursday to return the giving full circle and keep me busy so I wouldn't sink into my futon to sleep at 7pm. I've had early mornings being in to work by 7am so have been exhausted, but getting used to it.



Things have been too busy to get quality pictures even so these blue hued toned ones will have to do. At least I got them up! Off to work.

Late night surprise!!

This weekend was a loooooong one.

I'm not used to going in at 7 and struggled with 4 days in a row of the sleepy eyed having to shake the puppy awake mornings. And on top of it the days were busy and didn't match the mood I was in. I've been having really lovely days off, which doesn't help me at work at all when I feel wistful and daydreamy!

I had a day with the girls (Floor and Erin) making mosaics at Erin's house and having brunch. The next day I had a gorgeous picnic complete with lounging, sun, nice breezes, and ants crashing. I made rhubarb and custard but the custard didn't enjoy the sun as much and went uneaten. poor thing. (it was the second batch since I curdled the first, I curse custard sometimes.... still haven't mastered that patience I was talking about)

Saturday I met Aunt Pam, Uncle John and Mom mom for dinner and enjoyed seeing them since I missed them last time. Though really upset I missed my little Cormack and hearing him call me Chesapeake.

Monday night gave me a huge surprise with a visitor at my door!! The lady downstairs knocked and told me someone was outside for me. (I really need to get my buzzer fixed) I thought....... um, who in the world would be at the door for me??

Cleek! He hitched a ride with a neighbor who was driving to Philly and visited me for a quick less than 24 hour visit. Papers being due and all. I'm sure my face was great when I saw who it was.

Unfortunately I was an exhausted kitten and had to sleep soon after our usual photobooth session, but he came by work for lunch and had good walkings around the art museum. Then he was off as quick as he came leaving my cleek heart a little fuller (there's one especially for him).


Colleen had a German visitor so I had dinner with them Tues night and then gave her a (very) quick tour around Philly before her flight departed Wednesday.

I finished one sock!! Pictures to come of that and also my newest print. I don't think I ever posted the beret I knitted for father, so here's a picture of that.

Time to Catch up.....

Just like getting rid of television 4 years ago, I don't realize how dependent on something I am until I can't turn to it whenever I have a free moment. So now that I don't have wifi access in the comfort of my own home my blogs and emails will suffer, but boy am I productive at home.
I felt like making a pie the other week. Mother was right and I couldn't find cherries in the store so I took up Erin's request of making a strawberry pie. Didn't hurt they were on sale too.


Everything was fine till I was a stupid head with little patience trying to pour out the pie weights when the whole shell toppled out and I had to start again. ergh.

I would complain about this lack of patience, but I think it's what helps me be so good at being laid back. Having to deal with these silly mistakes exercises my shrug off ability. That's how I'm taking it. (ha, but maybe I'll practice more patience)

A trip home happened with Brandy. The ride was gorgeous and it's always too short a trip.

Rakkassah was a really good time with some great performances, workshops, and our own troupe having it's go on the stage.



Sharon Kihara was amazing and hot with her little belly peacocks.

And here was the woman after her who we swore was going to have wardrobe malfunction Janet Jackson style. She asked for volunteers to come up and dance and I just couldn't resist and was lucky Nicole took up my camera to catch the moment.



Nicole and I stopped off at Gina's bakery to buy Ang a birthday cake with clown candles to try and set our hotel room on fire.

The Suhaila workshop we took kicked my ass but in a good way.

I have to say that I'm glad to be able to work on other projects other than coin bras and tassle belts! So hopefully soon I'll be able to post my first knitted pair of socks (finished not attempted:)

Moving Day Tomorrow

And I can't frickin wait till I can walk around in my underdrawers again.

Here's my new print.

There's sand in my hair..

And I feel some in my eyes. But it's worth the fun I'm having working on this mosaic project with Isaiah Zagar. We're covering Colleen's walls at Black ~n~ Brew and it's been a wonderful time learning technique and tricks. We started the project Saturday and what was to be a two day project has turned into four since the skies cried upon our water soluble adhesive.

We began cutting mirror at the beginning of the day to place on either side of Isaiah's design already outlined on the wall. Then we went to the site to start placing pieces. There were about 20 of us and it was pretty incredible to see how fast the work went. There were big 'blob' pieces already mounted on the wall. These are made by troweling leftover cement grout onto a plastic drop. Then ceramics and various glass/painted tile are stuck into it and left to dry.

This arrowhead like tile was my favorite piece I put up.

And here's my favorite portion that I did while standing on three milk crates.


Isaiah is quite a character and I really enjoy working with him. I didn't realize his wife owns one of my favorite shops in town where I get my bellydance gear. Also, his son is just about to release his documentary on their family's life which should be really interesting.

http://www.inadreammovie.com/

Isaiah laughed and said it didn't paint a very good picture of him. (described as revealing their tumultuous marriage ~ gasp! let me see a marriage that isn't) (ummm, except yours mother, but that doesn't count since it belongs in make believe world) A girl Lily asked if he was upset with his son over the movie and Isaiah said of course he couldn't be, which I found really endearing. He has a lot of great answers for things. Like when a man came up to ask him questions and one of the girls said "that must happen to you everywhere" he said back "not in my bedroom" I burst out laughing.

I also burst out laughing at his analogy of something needing to loose it's clothing. Mainly I laughed because his work is pretty sexual, or more anatomical i guess, and people just don't know what to do with that. It's incredibly amusing how awkward someone can be looking at a drawing of an outlined man with a detailed penis that you can't pretend to not notice. It's the "I'll hide my embarrassment to show appreciation" look. But one guy who said what everyone was thinking "dude, what's with all the penises?" more of my laughter fell out.

here's a pic after grouting.

here I am with Isaiah.

It's probably too wordy to describe the process, so if you are interested I can tell you, but I'll spare that here.

I'm gonna post this since I'm packed with volunteer work tomorrow and work and finishing the mosaic and trying to at some point fit in moving? ugh. but at some point I'll write about the rest of the experience.
I'm too tired right now from burger/reuben night with Ang. We laugh at how much we both eat and always order desert. Though tonight we were too late to get belgian tavern donuts. poo.

also, i have a pic coming of my latest print made. here's more from this weekend/mon.

Little Piggy got her head stuck

I leave the room for ONE second! She's such a little snarfer. At least this time she got into something actually meant for her. But I had to laugh and snap a picture instead of helping her get it off her head. silly.

In other Piggy news, today we made Little Piggy Pot Pies in class. The kids mixed the veggie, water, cream soup, and chicken together and placed biscuits they arranged in the shape of pigs on top. We cooked em and finished actually within time today! They were pretty good even though we had to set them at assigned seats today. Two of them had an argument going on between them but we talked through it a bit and then by the end of class they were helping each other and saying thank you :)

I felt bad passing the younger kids class. Tahmaj who used to be in our class but now turned away since he's younger than 7 ran out and said "I want to be in your cooking class" I was pretty sad about that.

New job day #2 tomorrow. First day went pretty well and I really like everyone there. They all get along and are even friends. That's important so I was glad to see it.

Annnnnd, my bellydance troupe Rag Tag had it's first performance Sunday! We did pretty darn well and were in synch and looked awesome! We're working on our second performance for a guys party in March, which will also be awesome!

I'm winding down for the night and it's only 8:30! I forgot how nice it is to be a daywalker.

Craft Night!

Some of my bellydance troupe and I had a craft night last friday! Very fun and neat to see others projects they work on. Such a creative crew. There were cute black cats to help me knit and make sure the yarn was sturdy.



We have a performance coming up on the 15th which I'm very excited about. We're practicing tomorrow at my house and are figuring out our costume! Nice.

I saw The Wrestler yesterday and enjoyed it very much. Mickey Rourke as a washed up old Pro Wrestler with bleached blonde 80's band hair. He was pretty exceptional in it.

Unfortunately my class was canceled today and the school was closed where I was supposed to go in with Kasia to a career fair to talk about Therapy dogs and volunteering. So that'll be next week. So instead I scouted out some fabrics for hip scarves and caught up with some tea at a cafe and knitted.

I think I'm on knitting overstimulation and don't know which project to try and finish. Ack! But here's my done bellydance belt (with my new pants underneath that goes with some tops I got. so cute)



Ever trying to figure out my work situation and what is up next in life. I'm still not sold on changing my car info and license to PA but I'm gonna bite my lip and just do it I guess!

Sigh, I wish I had a puppet master.

Here's to your nutrition

I made a feast last night! Salmon cakes, polenta, broccoli, with a honey dijon vinegrette. Yum!! I get flack for not eating well. Personally I think cooking for yourself is overrated and at the base of what's wrong with the world today. heehee. Anyways, here's my smorgasbourg fit for a Templeton Rat.


In other news; I slept through the inauguration and awoke to finish my slouchy hat. Don't worry folks I caught the speech later via videostream for my casual enjoyment. The hat was made out of yarn I recycled from a thrift store scarf I bought for a buck. It was exactly the type of yarn I was looking for and worked perfectly since it unraveled really easily. The pattern was called sneaky snakes slouchy hat and I'm proud to say I did not divert at all from the pattern, though now would make some changes to it. It came out rather well I'll say.

I'm soon to be off to bellydance with a newly jangled belt I adourned with cut apart necklaces I found appropriately in a necklace store. Pics of that to come but here's my just done hat!


Perhaps tonight I'll start the beret I've been commissioned to make for Papa!

Warm Snake Arms

Finished my bellydance arm warmers! I suppose they don't have to just be for bellydancing but that was what I made them for so that's what I'm calling them. They're a little different from each other but it's not hugely noticeable so I'll ignore it. I find I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of knitter. Sort of using a pattern but not really using it. I wasn't sure two skeins of this bulky stuff would be enough but it turned out to be just right and up to the elbows like I wanted.

I do believe I'm going to knit some knee high socks next if I can figure out the foot part. Or possibly a belly top since I'm on the things to wear to bellydance class kick (currently I'm crocheting arm bands to go with a belt I did).

Had a good day today with a museum, indian food, and a movie all with good company. I've been craving indian food and I don't know if I satisfied it completely since I'm a little mouth watery over thinking about samosas but I dampered it.

The penn museum of archeology is quite a place with tons of neat stuff to oogle. I can't even process all I saw but a few things stuck out like chinese lions, islamic moonlights, a huge crystal ball, and Qilin statues that I wanted to ride (half dragon half lions).

I'm sad I ate all my marzipan piggies but dark chocolate with caramel filling is mighty good!