A Few Footnotes
August 31st, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Well after all my BBA updates, I thought I’d share a few pics that didn’t quite fit.
Here’s my kitchen after the baking craziness:
Drew took this one of me!
Dinner last night! I made some yummy pork chops (based on a recipe in Drew’s new favorite cookbook, Serious Barbeque…did I mention that we don’t have a grill? haha) and some risotto with peas. Rounded off everything with some fresh strawberries, yum! Oh, and Scrubs Season Three. 
Drew and I out last week for DC Restaurant Week. Here we’re at Charlie Palmer Steakhouse…check out my dessert plate over there scraped CLEAN. I told Drew I would lick it clean if it was acceptable, and he looked pretty glad that it was NOT. Dang! Please ignore my freakish double jointed arms hahaha
BBA #11 Cranberry Walnut Bread…uhmmmm
August 31st, 2009 § 4 Comments
Hahaha okay so if you read the title of this post and then looked at the picture above, you might be thinking um those raisins don’t look like cranberries, or walnuts. Well that’s because I basically exchanged this entire recipe for a different one. What can I say? Maybe it was the fact that my cinnamon raisin bread was such a disappointment, or that I really don’t like cranberries or walnuts, that I decided to sub raisins instead. But why stop there! My last experience with lemon extract was less than ideal so I decided to buy the $5.69 raspberry extract at the grocery store and give that a try. The result? Maybe my favorite bread so far! It was so delicious and moist and soft and SMELLED so good! I’m officially a raspberry extract convert. And I LOVE eggy doughs so that also helped. I made a half recipe of this one too because now that I’m a two-person household instead of 5, there just aren’t enough people to eat all this bread (I made this one at the same time as the cornbread). So yeah! This one I really enjoyed…have been having a piece for breakfast every day so far, and I think I’ll be a trifle sad when it’s all gone! Bottom line–I’m back on top
Hope you enjoyed this latest installment of the BBA Challenge–it’s never too late to join, and it’s been loads of fun
BBA #10 Cornbread
August 31st, 2009 § 4 Comments
So this was the first quickbread of the BBA Challenge. I didn’t quite realize this until I put it in the pan and was like, wait, what? Put it in the oven already? So that was a nice change from 3+ hour breads But yeah, I was pretty excited to make this one because 1) I love cornbread, 2) I love bacon. The process was pretty easy. Had to soak the cornmeal in buttermilk overnight, then add in all the dry and wet ingredients. The batter goes in the pan (I used a smallish pie pan from Baker’s Square…can I call this vintage since BS is out of business?) and then I layered come bacon crumbs on the top before baking it in the oven. And that was it! But the best part was that after it cooled a bit, it tasted really good. My barometer for cornbread is Boston Market (I know, I know…but it’s just so. good.) and while this one is different with whole kernels and bacon, etc. it is every bit as good! Unfortunately Drew doesn’t like cornbread, so I ended up freezing individual pieces so I can eat them at my leisure. But yeah, turned out well!
BBA #9 Cinnamon Raisin Bread—FAIL
August 31st, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Hey there!
So I hoped I wouldn’t have one of these posts to write, but here I give you my first real fail of the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge…it just did not work. Which was so sad because I LOVE cinnamon raisin bread. I made several mistakes–including using rapid rise yeast which just made the dough rise too much too fast outside the oven, and then it rather deflated when it started cooking. Also I wasn’t patient enough in kneading the dough to spread out the raisins, hence the loaf ended up really uneven. And finally, it just turned out pretty dry. So, really not my favorite 
Pretty
August 28th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Hey everyone!
Well it’s been an interesting day here…interview this morning that I think went well, but they’re interviewing a few more people next week so we’ll see. Hopefully I get it though!!! Got back this afternoon and chilled for a bit, then have been baking up a storm! As soon as I find my camera cable, I’ll do my posts about BBA cinnamon raisin bread, cornbread, and cranberry walnut bread! I think it is on the top shelf in my closet so I just have to get a stool and hunt around a bit… Anyway, hope everyone had a fantastic day, and enjoy the weekend!
New Town, New Adventures!
August 26th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Source: www.cheezhead.com
Okay, now that I’m in DC…what are the things I need to see and do??? It’s time to update the planned adventures list!
A Couple Cute Things
August 25th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
I just love the striped pleats of this dress and the general ’50s flair!
Source: audreyandgrace's etsy shop
When I saw this jacket I gasped a little…
Source: anthropologie
And the print on this dress is so adorable! So sad it’s sold out–but check out her other ones, and you can get a custom-made dress!!!
Source: sohomade's etsy shop
What I want to look like when I go to work.
Source: Stewart and Brown
I really might splurge and get these for myself…Joe’s leggings from Anthropologie…I think I might live in them.
Source: anthropologie
ps. What do we think of the new blog theme?
Hey hey!
August 25th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Source: Blithegardens etsy store
Well just as I thought I had reached the end of despair, I get not one but TWO calls from recruiters today. Hooray! Interview on Friday, and hoping to schedule the other one soon. Some other good things:
–went to the DC Cares volunteer orientation and am now ready to serve! Really excited to get started…anyone know of good places to volunteer? I’m thinking of doing tutoring/mentoring and/or business help to nonprofits. I’ll let you know what I end up doing.
–Drew got me a Wii Fit for my birthday! Yes, we are now the proud owners of a video game system…oh dear, I just always assumed there’d be more time! (but seriously, so fun)
–Free yoga in the courtyard tomorrow! I love summer and Crystal City!
–Season 3 of The Guild starts up soooooooon. Also starting to watch Arrested Development on Hulu. So far pretty funny How cute little Michael Cera is! And that girl from Spy Kids!
I think that’s about it; all in all a good day.
Today
August 20th, 2009 § 6 Comments
Isn’t this stunning? Makes me want to travelllll.
Have had a good day today. Ended up taking down my rather depressing emo post from yesterday…it was a rough day and I’m still trying to figure out what to do with myself. Have been thinking a lot about Felicia Day and her decision to create The Guild (awesome, if you haven’t seen it), and keep wondering what my contribution will be, what I can sink my teeth into. For want of a full-time job, I need a project, besides looking for said job. A few things are rolling around in my head…but not ready to share quite yet. Anyway, off to shower and then go to the baseball game with Drew and Matt. Hope y’all had a good one!
A Li’l Crush
August 18th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Okay, so I may have a teeny tiny girl crush on Zooey Deschanel. I think it started with a CD Laura sent me in the mail that was Vol. 1 of She & Him.
Then it was her clothes and interviews in InStyle where she talked about just being herself and staying out of headlines because she was the opposite of scandalous.
Then it was her acting in Yes Man and (500) Days of Summer (really liked both).
Have already mentioned naming future dog Zooey to Drew…and he didn’t seem to hate it, which is a good sign. We’ll see! As I think I already mentioned, we’re making ourselves wait until I get a job before we get a canine friend. So, come on, employers in the DC metro area! Soooo overjoyed that I get to spend my birthday applying to jobs like every other day. And yet I plan to make this a most productive day–work accomplished, lots of practice in making a happy home, being patient and generous to others, being an old-fashioned good girl (I may have just finished reading Little Women…). Oh! But returning to the original subject of this post–the lovely Zooey–imagine my delight when I saw the new Kate Spade line with mod-inspired clothes and a model with voluminous chocolate hair piled on top of her head, heavy bangs, and red lipstick???
I think it’s time to get some raspberry and mustard tights, friends. Have a lovely Tuesday!
