gentlemen, lift up your skirts and start your engines
Chuck!
Sarah! Morgan! AWESOME! CASEY! CHUCK! YAY! \o/
I appreciate the whole Chuck needs to learn to flash on command thing, but you'd think they'd have taught him some basic self-defense in the meantime. I'm just sayin'. It's like Xander going through seven seasons of BtVS without ever learning basic self-defense. I don't expect super levels of competence, but some basic things would be good.
I can't believe Emmett said "pussy" in that context on tv! I didn't know that was allowed. And then it got him shot! Inna head! And Casey lied to Chuck about it!
I loved Casey as the cranky neighbor, hosing down the party. And the Rocky ending of the first episode! Hee!
Also, I really like Sarah's earrings in the second episode. And also the song playing towards the end of the first episode (anyone know what it was? Or do I have to go searching?). Otoh, I still find the Sarah/Chuck bits the least interesting part of the show. I think they have done too much yo-yoing already for my taste and I find it annoying. It's probably the only part of the show that I am less than squeeful about.
CHUCK! YAY!
***
I had one of the orange vanilla cakes I made yesterday, and they're really good. I am excited about breakfast this week. *g*
Today, I made Mark Bittman's Olive Oil Salt Bread. Since I don't have a food processor, it took a little longer than the recipe suggests. I used the dough hooks in my hand mixer, which didn't work as well as I'd hoped - the dough never coalesced into the neat ball I was promised, so I used all the water suggested and maybe a teaspoon or so more and kneaded it by hand in order to get all the small bits integrated. It tastes good, though, and dear god, it smells awesome (if you like the smell of olive oil, which clearly I do). Next time I might incorporate some Parmesan cheese and/or some rosemary, as the book suggests. I just need to figure out what exactly I can do with this bread (it's not exactly sandwich bread, you know?) before I make it again. I mean, eat it, duh, but like, how/with what/etc.
Olive Oil Salt Bread
(p. 830, How to Cook Everything)
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, preferably coarse or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup warm water
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease and 8-inch skillet or square baking pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor and turn the machine on. Pour through the feed tube first the 1/3 cup of olive oil, then most of 1 cup of warm water. Process for about 30 seconds, then remove the cover. The dough should be a well-defined, barely sticky, easy to handle ball. If it is too dry, add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and process for 5 to 10 seconds after each addition. If it is too wet, which is unlikely, add a tablespoon or two of flour and process briefly.
Put the dough into the prepared pan and press until it fits to the edges. Flip it over and press again. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes; then remove the foil, sprinkle the top with a little coarse salt, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and springs back a bit when touched gently. Cool in the pan a bit, then cut into wedges or squares and serve.
***
One of the things I want to try to do this year is eventually have some variety and interest in the lunches I make. Last year was all about saving money by bringing lunch and lunch was invariably a ham sandwich (on whole wheat with mayo; yes, I really am that whitebread at heart). And when I say invariably, I mean that literally. There were rare occasions when I had something left over that I took with me instead, or got a free wrap from a lunch meeting, and once or twice I didn't get to the grocery store to replenish my supply of ham, so I had to buy lunch, but I would guess 99% of the time, I had a ham sandwich for lunch, which I ate at my desk. Sometimes I bought a sweet tea from McDonald's, or an iced latte from Dunkin Donuts, or a ginger ale from the newsstand downstairs, but otherwise, unless there was a meeting that provided a free lunch, I ate my ham sandwich. I don't think I even tasted it after the first month. It was just something I ate and paid no attention to. Which is kind of ridiculous and no way to live.
Last week, I bought smoked turkey instead, and had that. This week, it's honey roasted turkey. I don't know what it will be next week, but I'd like to do something a little more interesting in the future. Of course, I really don't want to have to use the work microwave (it's a thing; I can't help it), or wash any dishes there, so sandwiches still seem like the best idea, or at least something that doesn't require heating up/carrying containers back and forth. I will have to think on it. They're also really easy to make in the morning when I'm on autopilot. I've found that the rare occasions I did something else - leftover fried rice or soup - I forgot to pack it and ended up having to buy lunch, which is the scenario I'm mostly trying to avoid. I saved a lot of money that way, so I guess in some ways, that outweighs the boredom? I don't even know.
As much as I miss my daily toasted poppy bagel with a schmear and my iced black coffee, I've come to love my random baked goods for breakfast, and I think there I have managed to save money in the end as well. I haven't kept track the way I'd intended, but I was spending $4.07 every weekday morning on breakfast (and about $6 on the weekend when I went to Dunkin Donuts around the corner (which they've closed *whimper*) or H&H Midtown East (not related to the H&H on the West Side apparently) for breakfast), and between $5 and $8 a day for lunch every weekday, without even thinking about it. I was also spending about $40 a week on takeout. Now, I spend ~$6 a week on half a pound of ham or turkey, and $3.20 for a loaf of wheat bread. I don't know what the breakfast baking breaks down to cost-wise, but I'm sure it's cheaper than $4 a day, and certainly dinner is, when I can get two or three dinners out of one can of tomato paste made into sauce and one box of macaroni. I still go out to eat sometimes, but I only order in once or twice a month, if that.
And wow, I'm not sure how this post turned into my random ramblings on how eating a ham sandwich every day saved me money but also possibly makes me sound like I'm having a depressive episode.
To make up for that, have a meme, seen everywhere:
If you could have me write a story specifically for you, what would it be like? Fandom, characters/pairing, genre, plot elements, kinks (if applicable): what's your ideal story from me?
(Your answer does not imply any requirement on my part to create for you.) (Otoh, I could be inspired! You never know!)
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/117664.html.
people have commented there.
Sarah! Morgan! AWESOME! CASEY! CHUCK! YAY! \o/
I appreciate the whole Chuck needs to learn to flash on command thing, but you'd think they'd have taught him some basic self-defense in the meantime. I'm just sayin'. It's like Xander going through seven seasons of BtVS without ever learning basic self-defense. I don't expect super levels of competence, but some basic things would be good.
I can't believe Emmett said "pussy" in that context on tv! I didn't know that was allowed. And then it got him shot! Inna head! And Casey lied to Chuck about it!
I loved Casey as the cranky neighbor, hosing down the party. And the Rocky ending of the first episode! Hee!
Also, I really like Sarah's earrings in the second episode. And also the song playing towards the end of the first episode (anyone know what it was? Or do I have to go searching?). Otoh, I still find the Sarah/Chuck bits the least interesting part of the show. I think they have done too much yo-yoing already for my taste and I find it annoying. It's probably the only part of the show that I am less than squeeful about.
CHUCK! YAY!
***
I had one of the orange vanilla cakes I made yesterday, and they're really good. I am excited about breakfast this week. *g*
Today, I made Mark Bittman's Olive Oil Salt Bread. Since I don't have a food processor, it took a little longer than the recipe suggests. I used the dough hooks in my hand mixer, which didn't work as well as I'd hoped - the dough never coalesced into the neat ball I was promised, so I used all the water suggested and maybe a teaspoon or so more and kneaded it by hand in order to get all the small bits integrated. It tastes good, though, and dear god, it smells awesome (if you like the smell of olive oil, which clearly I do). Next time I might incorporate some Parmesan cheese and/or some rosemary, as the book suggests. I just need to figure out what exactly I can do with this bread (it's not exactly sandwich bread, you know?) before I make it again. I mean, eat it, duh, but like, how/with what/etc.
Olive Oil Salt Bread
(p. 830, How to Cook Everything)
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, preferably coarse or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup warm water
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease and 8-inch skillet or square baking pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor and turn the machine on. Pour through the feed tube first the 1/3 cup of olive oil, then most of 1 cup of warm water. Process for about 30 seconds, then remove the cover. The dough should be a well-defined, barely sticky, easy to handle ball. If it is too dry, add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and process for 5 to 10 seconds after each addition. If it is too wet, which is unlikely, add a tablespoon or two of flour and process briefly.
Put the dough into the prepared pan and press until it fits to the edges. Flip it over and press again. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes; then remove the foil, sprinkle the top with a little coarse salt, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and springs back a bit when touched gently. Cool in the pan a bit, then cut into wedges or squares and serve.
***
One of the things I want to try to do this year is eventually have some variety and interest in the lunches I make. Last year was all about saving money by bringing lunch and lunch was invariably a ham sandwich (on whole wheat with mayo; yes, I really am that whitebread at heart). And when I say invariably, I mean that literally. There were rare occasions when I had something left over that I took with me instead, or got a free wrap from a lunch meeting, and once or twice I didn't get to the grocery store to replenish my supply of ham, so I had to buy lunch, but I would guess 99% of the time, I had a ham sandwich for lunch, which I ate at my desk. Sometimes I bought a sweet tea from McDonald's, or an iced latte from Dunkin Donuts, or a ginger ale from the newsstand downstairs, but otherwise, unless there was a meeting that provided a free lunch, I ate my ham sandwich. I don't think I even tasted it after the first month. It was just something I ate and paid no attention to. Which is kind of ridiculous and no way to live.
Last week, I bought smoked turkey instead, and had that. This week, it's honey roasted turkey. I don't know what it will be next week, but I'd like to do something a little more interesting in the future. Of course, I really don't want to have to use the work microwave (it's a thing; I can't help it), or wash any dishes there, so sandwiches still seem like the best idea, or at least something that doesn't require heating up/carrying containers back and forth. I will have to think on it. They're also really easy to make in the morning when I'm on autopilot. I've found that the rare occasions I did something else - leftover fried rice or soup - I forgot to pack it and ended up having to buy lunch, which is the scenario I'm mostly trying to avoid. I saved a lot of money that way, so I guess in some ways, that outweighs the boredom? I don't even know.
As much as I miss my daily toasted poppy bagel with a schmear and my iced black coffee, I've come to love my random baked goods for breakfast, and I think there I have managed to save money in the end as well. I haven't kept track the way I'd intended, but I was spending $4.07 every weekday morning on breakfast (and about $6 on the weekend when I went to Dunkin Donuts around the corner (which they've closed *whimper*) or H&H Midtown East (not related to the H&H on the West Side apparently) for breakfast), and between $5 and $8 a day for lunch every weekday, without even thinking about it. I was also spending about $40 a week on takeout. Now, I spend ~$6 a week on half a pound of ham or turkey, and $3.20 for a loaf of wheat bread. I don't know what the breakfast baking breaks down to cost-wise, but I'm sure it's cheaper than $4 a day, and certainly dinner is, when I can get two or three dinners out of one can of tomato paste made into sauce and one box of macaroni. I still go out to eat sometimes, but I only order in once or twice a month, if that.
And wow, I'm not sure how this post turned into my random ramblings on how eating a ham sandwich every day saved me money but also possibly makes me sound like I'm having a depressive episode.
To make up for that, have a meme, seen everywhere:
If you could have me write a story specifically for you, what would it be like? Fandom, characters/pairing, genre, plot elements, kinks (if applicable): what's your ideal story from me?
(Your answer does not imply any requirement on my part to create for you.) (Otoh, I could be inspired! You never know!)
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/117664.html.
people have commented there.