Okay, I'm feeling like a change. And, the promised recipes...

I've been rattling around for years, yearning for education in something I find relevant and engaging. To me, regular college was absolute drudgery. I slipped out, in relative disenchantment and some degree of disgrace, broke and disappointed. Now, I feel like I've spent enough time in self-imposed penance and want something else. This probably isn't news to anyone, but I love to cook. My kitchen offers a stimulating and creative place for my mind to run wild. I am relatively young, childless, and able to move around the world. My car will be paid off later this year, my lease is up in April. Within the next year or so, I'd like to pack my necessities into boxes, buy a bike rack for the car, and go to Austin to start a new life chapter as a culinary student.

...to be continued.

Now, as promised, RECIPES!

Pasta salad:

2 cups macaroni or other small pasta
1 can chunk white tuna in water, drained
about 2 dozen red grapes, halved
1/2 small yellow or red onion, minced
2 carrots, shredded
2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1/4 cup cashews, crushed
1 cup miracle whip or salad dressing of choice
1/4 cup honey mustard

optional shredded cheese of whatever variety pleases you most. Monterrey Jack would be lovely.

Prepare pasta according to directions on box, then rinse thoroughly with cold water, for about 10 minutes. In a 3 or 4 quart bowl, mix everything together. Mix it up gooood so the dressings are coating every bit of that tasty. Serve it up cold with some wheaty crackers. Share some with your momma, she'll think you're awesome. It's colorful and great.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup flour or cornstarch (flour makes a denser pudding, cornstarch makes it more silky)
about 2 cups milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder (upon further thought, I think 4 oz melted unsweetened chocolate would have been tastier. try the ghiradelli 60% cacao baking bar, it's 4oz)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract


Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and whisk constantly over medium heat, until the mixture is very golden, about 5 minutes. Add your milk slowly, still whisking. Whisk until it thickens, which can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. When it's about the consistency of gravy, reduce heat to low, then add your chocolate and sugar. Stir it until well incorporated. You can add more chocolate or sugar to taste. When it's looking and tasting awesome, stir in your vanilla. Remove from the heat and get that sucker cooled down. Hot chocolate pudding might be gross, and unsafe: see here for safe cooling, scroll down to where it says Cooling liquid foods.
This pudding is hearty but delicious. A peanut butter cookie would be a nice complement.

I got my brownie recipe from the delightful Paula Deen. Maggie's decadent brownies were a hit, the only thing I can see making different would be switching the marshmallows for caramel and pecans. Mmm. I'll try it and let you know.

My kitchen has spit out several glorious things last week. Here are the highlights, recipes later: a delicious summer pasta salad, pudding, and brownies.

Wednesday.

Last night, there was the most amazing storm rolling slowly southward. I got to watch the lightning it produced dance from cloud to cloud, lighting up the sky. Amazing. :)



(via flickr)

We also ate Indian tacos, watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, held the drooling smiling butterball that is my adorable niece, and washed clothes.

Today, I'm holding down the receptionist chair at the salon and looking forward to the tasty leftovers that will be my lunchity lunch (garlic shrimp and wheat pasta). Later tonight, I think we're going to a preview of 500 Days of Summer. :) I'm also hoping to score a part time job. I applied for a couple and one called me back, I got my food handler card for it, and hopefully I'll still be wanted. Oh nellie, the extra funds would be good, in addition to letting zach have all the study time he needs.

In other news, The Pioneer Woman will eventually be the death of me, with all her mouthwatering recipes. I found the recipe for her cinnamon rolls and I can practically taste them. I'm looking forward to the happy faces that will be receiving these babies, since the recipe makes several pans. Oh the humanity! :)

Ice Cream Sammiches!!!

I was a good girl on Saturday and didn't get Maggie Moo's at lunch. I rewarded myself by making homemade snickerdoodles into tasty ice cream sandwiches that tasted lightly of cinnamon. YUM. Here's how:

SNICKERDOODLES

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
*sugar and cinnamon mixed in a bowl (about 1/4 cup of sugar and a tablespoon of cinnamon)

Baking directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Roll dough into balls just a little smaller than a golf ball.
3. Roll balls of dough in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.


ASSEMBLY

I had a container of my fave vanilla bean ice cream out on the counter while I baked, so it would be soft enough to work with when the time came. I size matched my cooled-off cookies, then went to work assembling the tastiness. I rolled up a smallish scoop of ice cream, plopped it on the bottom side of a cookie, then smooshed the other cookie on it, to make the sandwich. Upon completion of the construction, I had them all on a plastic platter and put them in the freezer to firm up before serving. I brought one in my lunch today, much to the envy of my coworkers. YUMYUMYUM. :D To further enhance your DIY cred, home churned ice cream would be awesome. Pioneer Woman has a great recipe I've been dying to try!

Glad it's raining, but it makes me wanna eat fatty foods and sleep. It'd be on now if it weren't for employment... Lol