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What I’m Into – September edition

Posted in Food, TV, What I'm Into, Writing, tagged on September 30, 2013| 4 Comments »

September is the month when two of my favorite kids in the world were born.  In fact, I remember the call I received ten years ago today.  I had just walked out of the building, relieved and also sad to be leaving my last class of my first semester at El Centro (I started working there as a substitute for the department chair while she was on maternity leave).  Then my phone rang. On a windy day in downtown Dallas, I learned that my best friend had just given birth to her son Micah and that mom and baby were doing just fine.  He’s so smart and so bold.  He’s a lot taller now, but here’s the first picture I have of him:

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Has any other face in the history of the world ever been that sweet?  I just don’t see how that’s possible.

A few years later, his sister Raven was born in September, too.  She is funny and creative and has an intense moral compass, overflowing with compassion, that I pray she never loses.

Happy birth month, beloved ones.

Here’s what else I’m into:

To taste –

Apparently, the sound of football makes me want bar food.  That seems to be the major theme of my meals this month.   I also blame National Cheeseburger Day (September 18), but, really, that only covers the one day.

My favorite things that I ate/served people this month:

– Vegetarian Beanie Weenie – just sauté some onions, cut up some veggie dogs, add some beans (I used a mix of cannellini, pinto, and black beans), spice it according to taste (I recommend chili powder, cumin, and a sprinkle of brown sugar), and you have one delicious treat.

– Sausage and sauerkraut on Bavarian Rye with horseradish mustard

– Frito pie (both veggie and traditional)

– Goat cheese quesadillas with roasted red peppers and olives

Honorable mention goes to Whataburger’s Avocado Bacon Burger.  This burger gives me so many happy feelings and only a little bit of indigestion (worth it).

And no bar food meal would be complete without a cold beer.  Beer goes well with all of these things.

 To read –

 The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman – I read this book in one sitting.  Granted, it’s pretty short, but I just couldn’t put it down.  Gaiman is such a captivating storyteller.

 Lie Still by Julia Heaberlin – This was our book club read for this month, and I liked it a lot.  I read it over the course of a weekend.  I like the way she created suspense and didn’t give too much away too quickly.  Some of her “Texas women” characters were a little caricature-y and over the top, but she pretty much admitted that in the Acknowledgements section, so I can’t be too upset about it.

The Tucci Cookbook by Stanley Tucci – I want to marry this book and have its babies.  Delicious, starchy babies.  I haven’t technically finished it yet, but that’s because I keep putting it down and going to the store, because I have to make the food in the picture IMMEDIATELY.  I might be talking about this one for a while.

 To watch –

Because of my voracious love affair with his cookbook, I had to watch Stanley Tucci’s The Big Night.  I have three thoughts:  1) I want all those foods on that screen, 2) I need to have more parties with dinner and music and dancing, and 3) like a good wine, Stanley Tucci only gets better with age.

I tried to get into Rescue Me.  I almost made it through the first season.  Nope.  Not going to happen.

TV is back!  My current favorites (changes weekly):

– Revolution.   I watched the entire first season in one day.  And now I’m all caught up and need to see the premiere.

– Parenthood.  I missed this family so much!  And you can’t prove this, and I’ll deny it if you try, but it’s possible that I might (or might not) have let class out early so that I could watch the premiere.

 To hear –

 My friend Karyna played at a wine bar, so I went to see her, which I hadn’t done in a while. Windchimes and Honeybees is my favorite song of hers.

I have been on a weird hair band kick (specifically, Poison and Whitesnake).  I’m not sure what that’s about.  I’m also not sure that I want to analyze it further.  It is what it is.

 To write –

For those of you who have followed since the livejournal days, I am back to working on the Fishbowl story.  I really love my main character Bob.  He might be my favorite character I’ve ever written.

I am also starting to gear up for NaNoWriMo.  I am thinking about trying my hand at Young Adult.  I can do that for a month.  It’s also going to be set in a different era, so I might be biting off more than I can chew.  It will be interesting to find out.

I’m linking up over at Leigh Kramer’s blog – won’t you join us?

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What I’m Into – August Edition

Posted in Books, Food, TV, What I'm Into on September 2, 2013| 4 Comments »

ImageI almost didn’t write what I was into this month (erm…last month.  It’s totally still August in my head).  I didn’t try many new recipes.  I didn’t watch any movies.  I barely even watched TV, although I will give a mention to Pushing Daisies, which you should really see, even though it was only two seasons, because those two seasons were awesome, as I re-watched a couple of episodes of that one night.

I’m not sure I’m really into it or would suggest it to anyone sane, but what I’ve been doing this month is writing a manual for front desk operations at the residence hall where I work while also trying to open said residence hall for the year and start the classes I’m teaching this semester.

I’m otherwise into sitting down and staring into space because it’s too hot to do anything else, except maybe eat snow cones.  Because August.

I’m really into sandwiches this month.  Sandwiches are delicious, and making them doesn’t heat up the apartment.  I have renewed my love affair with pastrami on rye.

It was Michelle month.  I ventured out of the house mid-month to go see Rupert-Michelle, and we went to Argentina Bakery, where I had the adorable macchiato and empanada you see pictured above.  I also kept China-Michelle company the night before she flew back, and we found a great Italian restaurant with (more importantly) a great wine selection just a few miles from the hotel.

I also read some things that I really liked:

1. I re-read The Little Prince.  The conversation with the fox is still my favorite part.

2. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, which I found frustrating at times but liked overall.

3. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown,  which was exactly what I needed to read before starting a new semester.

4. Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris, which was a lot of fun.

And I started reading And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini, which I love. Having not even made it halfway through yet, I know that this is my must-read, go-out-and-buy-this-book-immediately, take-a-day-off-work-to-finish-it recommendation this month.

What are you into this month (besides air conditioning – oh, sweet, glorious air conditioning!)?  If you want more suggestions, lots of folks (and I) are linking up over at Leigh Kramer’s blog – go check it out!

 

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What I’m Into (July 2013)

Posted in Books, Denton, Food, Memes, Resolutions, Roots, TV on July 31, 2013| 8 Comments »

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July was the month of long-time friends.  I attended my 20th (!!!) high school reunion, so I got to catch up with who-is-where-and-doing-what and meet their kids (I repeat – !!!).  I had dinner with a few people I hadn’t talked to in a while, even though they live right here in town, and I had some friends over for margaritas and build-your-own nachos.  I saw my friend Michelle, who is stateside for a couple of months before she heads back to China.  I had dinner last night with two of my former roommates Sharon and Margat and their kids. I said farewell to my friend Tomomi who moved back to Japan.

Good friends.  Good times.

General Highlights:

I applied and interviewed for a full-time teaching position at the school where I teach, but it went to another candidate.  It did me the favor of thinking about what I like about what I do and what I want to change about it for the classes that I do have, even if I’m still teaching in a part-time capacity.  So while it was not the outcome for which I was hoping the most, it’s still okay.

I love wearing pearls.

I also love Ravelin’s black pepper and prosciutto loaf.

Denton.  Just all of it.  I’m so in love with this town in the summertime.

My Maggie is engaged!  Yay!

And I love finishing summer conferences!  I will be back in my building next Monday!

Books:

I loved The Paris Wife.  I read it, then I promptly watched Midnight in Paris and bought A Moveable Feast.  I just wasn’t ready to stop hearing this story.

I also read Snapper and The Cookbook Collector, both of which I enjoyed.  I got a solid kick in the pants from You Are A Writer, so I wrote a lot this month as well.

My favorite book of the month, however, was Bread and Wine.  In fact, this might be my favorite book of the year so far.  Food-infused memoirs are my best book friends, and this one resonated with pain and joy and life and abundance and…I just want to read it over and over again and buy it for everyone I know.

I have started so many books (ten, in fact) that I hope to finish within the next couple of weeks, so I’m sure I’ll have something to say about them.  A little Neruda, a little memoir, and some Blood, Bones, and Butter.

TV/Movies:

I started Season 5 of Doctor Who.  I know Matt Smith is the Doctor, and he’s good at it, and he brings his own special something to the role.  But did anyone else just keep waiting for the moment when he turned back into David Tennant?  No?  Just me, then?  Okay.  Never mind.  I’ll just be over here, wearing my “I ❤ David Tennant” sandwich board.

Then She Found Me was a cute movie.  I also heart Colin Firth.

Then I stopped watching Dr. Who because, again – why bother when there’s no David Tennant? – but also because someone sent me this video, forcing me to immediately go back and re-watch all of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.  Such a good show.

And I know this is not a TV show or anything, but the Hump Day camel is my dad’s favorite commercial.  You should see how he acts when it comes on.

Food:

Breakfast quinoa, specifically with good maple syrup and blueberries, is pretty much my favorite thing right now.  It’s so delicious.

This cobbler was a big hit with Michelle, Tammy, and Matt.  It was a big hit with me, too.  I love peach cobbler, especially with peaches from Mom and Dad’s trees.  Also…bourbon.

July always seems to be pie month (observe from back in the day).  I made three different pies this month – strawberry rhubarb with gin in the crust, blueberry pie, and icebox lemonade-coconut milk pie, which turned out a little weird but still good, on account-a the coconut.

Pampered Chef’s Raspberry Habanero Sauce as a salad dressing.  I can’t even…I’m getting teary just thinking about how amazing this was.  I can hook you up if you want to experience it for yourself.

And the Twitter just informed me of something else I need to make immediately.  Homemade honeycomb, dipped in chocolate!?!?  WHAT?!?!?! I NEED IT!!!

The Intrawebs:

Clearly, this month I’ve gone  from occasionally seeing Joy the Baker repinned on Pinterest to following everything she does online.  I’m going to have to take up running again.  Maybe kickboxing, as I can do that inside and thus avoid risking heat stroke.  At any rate, something will have to be done to counteract this sudden spike in calories.

In other late-to-the-party news, I love Feminist Taylor Swift.

And I have loved Grumpy Cat since the beginning.  But this one makes me laugh and laugh.  And laugh and laugh.  And…well, you get it.

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This video – Geek Girls and the Doubleclicks – Nothing to Prove *nods*

Blog Love:

The blogosphere was on fire this month.  If you missed them, go.  Read.

Esther Emery – Lament

Sarah Bessey – In Which I Thank the Duchess of Cambridge

Sarah Bessey – In Which I choose to be a feminist in the way that Jesus would be a feminist

Abby Norman – The Fix That Won’t (four part series – do yourself a favor and read them all)

Kelley Nikondeha via A Deeper Story – Her Dreads

Rachel Held Evans – Why I Can’t Stay Angry

Adam McHugh via Preston Yancey’s An Everlasting Meal and a Moveable Feast series – Blood from a Stone

Preston Yancey – When This is About Insecurity and Writing Books

Addie Zierman – One Small Change series

Jessica Stein – Eucharist

Hilary Sherratt – Dear Hilary: Honor is not in a Tan LIne

Leigh Kramer – Nashville Doesn’t Love Me

I’m sure I’ll run across ten more that I loved so much.  If you wrote one of these posts, thank you.  You made my month.

So, that was a lot.  It was a good month.  It was a good month for others, too.  Read what they’re into at Leigh Kramer’s blog.

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What I’m Into (June 2013)

Posted in Books, Food, Resolutions, TV, Work on June 28, 2013| 14 Comments »

Well, it’s here.  Texas summer.  It took its merciful time getting to Denton, but this week it seems to be making up for lost time.  Goodbye, low utility bills.  I’ll miss you most of all.

June means:

– summer conferences in Housing

– having most of my conversations start with some variation of, “I haven’t seen you in so long – where have you been?”  Working.  Always, always working during the school year.  Summer means no teaching, though, which makes just working my full-time job feel like time off.

– summer cleaning (because it was too nice outside/too busy in the spring)

– snow cones

And all these things:

Books

Apparently I think I’m a young adult, because YA fiction is what I’ve been reading lately.

In June, I finished the latest in Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series.  They’re…okay.  I would have enjoyed them more in a month when everything else I read was terrible, but that’s not really a recommendation, is it?  If you have to read poorly written things to appreciate something, maybe it’s best to advise others to skip it.  Especially if they happened to read something like Lord of the White Hell by Ginn Hale in the same month.  There’s just no comparison.

I also read Citrus County by John Brandon.  He writes dialogue well.  I can read just about anything with well-written dialogue.

My favorite book of the month was Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  I love John Green.  Every time I read another book of his for the first time, I gush and say, “This is my favorite book I’ve ever read of his!”  And it’s true every time, but it’s especially true with this one.  This is my favorite favorite.  I’ve never read anything else by David Levithan, but I certainly will now.

In July, I am actually reading books written for proper grown-ups (well, older ones, anyway):  The Paris Wife, Let the Great World Spin, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Snapper, The Cookbook Collector, and I might finish A Storm of Swords and Quiet.  I also might start Infinite Jest.  Maybe.

Or maybe I’ll just catch up on TV.

TV is my boyfriend:

The only movie I watched this month (or last month, for that matter) was Friends with Kids.  It’s not new, but it had me at Adam Scott, whom I adore.

I haven’t even watched a lot of TV this month.  I finished the last season of The West Wing.  Yes, it was my first time.  I’m glad I waited until it was off the air, because I am pretty sure I would have been an emotional disaster if I had actually followed it as it was airing.  Just the whole time.  In related news, if anyone is looking for gift ideas for me, you’ll notice that I’ve provided a link in the previous line for your convenience. /shameless

Lately, I’ve been watching Dr. Who.  I’m about halfway through the fourth season.  The weeping angels are still the creepiest villains. *shudders*

And I haven’t been watching Game of Thrones, but I had to see what everyone was so upset about re: the wedding of doom.  Clearly, these upset fans have not read the books, or they’d be used to people dropping like flies (and don’t yell “Spoiler Alert” to me.  If you don’t know that a lot of people die in this story, you haven’t been paying attention, because…um…war).  I like that the episode inspired this (spoilery) and this (spoilery).

I can’t believe I missed the start of SYTYCD.  I love that show.  Fair warning – next month will probably include videos of dances that everyone just really needs to see.

Music:

At work, I have been rocking my Pandora stations, specifically the Build Me Up, Buttercup station and the Edith Piaf station.  You’re welcome, coworkers.

In my car, it’s been Melody Gardot and Madeleine Peyroux.

Food:

I’m taking Preston Yancey’s Sacramental Baking course, and I now am addicted to sourdough.  Seriously – I might have a problem.  A happy, delicious problem about which none of my friends are complaining.  You can throw just about anything into a loaf of sourdough.  Sundried tomato and olive is my current favorite.

It’s summer, though, so most of what I have been making are a thousand different salads.  My favorites in June were this Mediterranean couscous salad,  arugula pasta salad with chickpeas and goat cheese, and anything with this lemon garlic vinaigrette dressing,

I also bought Popsicle molds and made many frozen treats.  My favorites were vegan peach pie pops and vegan orange creamsicles.

I want to make this banana jam…and possibly roll around in it a little.

The Interwebs:

– The person who made this cake is pretty much my hero.

– 31 Unmistakable Signs that You’re an Introvert.  Yep.  If the crowd is too big, I will socialize with your cat.  And ONLY your cat.

– My Imaginary Well-Dressed Toddler Daughter on Pinterest.

– Jonalyn Fincher’s video response to Jessica Rey’s The Evolution of the Swimsuit

That about sums it up.  Looking for something else to read, watch, or generally be into?  Check out similar posts at Leigh Kramer’s blog!

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October Unprocessed

Posted in Food, TV on October 1, 2012| Leave a Comment »

A few weeks ago on Facebook, I said, “I’m going to try this: http://www.eatingrules.com/october-unprocessed-2012/”

Ahem.

Then this weekend, I went through my cabinets to purge all the yucky, processed foods and make room for real food.

I wish I’d taken a picture, because that pile was massive and terrifying.

So now I am faced with the uncomfortable decision of 1) throwing away – i.e., wasting – a lot of food, which really bothers me; 2) pawning off all of this deeply unhealthy food to my unsuspecting friends; or 3) using October Unprocessed to wean myself away from processed foods, hopefully adopting an unprocessed lifestyle altogether eventually.

I think I’ll go with Option 3.

So far, today, I have had:

  • Three cups of coffee – freshly ground – check!
  • Pizza from the local pizzeria which prides itself on its whole ingredients, but I haven’t personally read the labels on everything that went into my pizza, so I’m going to count that as a half check.
  • 20 oz. bottle of Cherry Coke. *looks at ingredient list* I don’t even know why I looked.  There’s nothing unprocessed on that label.  Not a single thing.

So I’m off to a solid “meh” start.

In other news, Kim and I finished Veronica Mars last night.  Most unsatisfying ending to a show ever.  But we also watched the Castle and Revenge premieres.  Now I have to go watch all the other Revenge episodes that ever were, because that show was intense and awesome.  Also, we had donuts, the leftovers of which are currently in my house…during October Unprocessed.

This is not good.

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