Cookbook Journaling

Things that I think are awesome:

1. Handwritten recipes.
2. Recipes with notes, dates, stains, etc.
3. Cookbooks with writing, notes, dogears, etc.
4. Any and all kinds of journaling.

Which is why I've started "Cookbook Journaling." When I get a new cookbook, I print out a label to stick in the front where I record the name and page number of the dishes I prepare, along with the date I prepare them. At first I would record every time I made something from the book in the front, but I've changed that to only recording the first time I create that particular dish to save space.

Then on the page of the actual recipe, I record the date each time I prepare that item, along with notes. I record recipe specific notes such as choices that I made, hints for next time, what I made to go with it, etc. I also often record personal details, like why it was chosen, what the occasion was, who was involved, what else was going on, etc. 

It's fun to see my own little culinary history in the pages. Give it two, three, five, ten, fifty years, and my most used cookbooks should become quite the gastronomical scrapbooks!

Pie x 2

Two more pies!

The first was for last night's dinner, a Tomato Tart with Basil & Garlic Crust:

How I do love my food processor! The crust is made from basil, garlic, flour, salt, butter, and ice water. Top with mozzarella, tomato, olive oil, salt and pepper, bake it up, eat it up! This is worth it for the crust alone, yum!

For last night's dessert, Over the Top Banana Cream Pie:

Whipped cream and bananas "get a little tired" after the first night according to the "Pie" book (from whence the recipe came, not surprisingly I'm sure), so I divided this guy up into three little guys so I could make the topping fresh each night. It starts with a graham cracker crust, filled with a simple custard, topped with banana chunks, fresh whipped cream, and chopped Butterfinger. Mmmmmmmmmm...

Tires and Earrings: A NON-Pinterest Hack!

I had to replace a tire last week - a giant, mean screw stabbed my rear driver's side tire, in a location that was naturally completely non-fixable. You know that story about the elephant and the thorn and the mouse? It made me think of that... though really it was nothing like that.

ANYWAY, I was sitting in the waiting area flipping through an eighteen-year-old edition of "Woman's Day" (not an exaggeration, it was dated Spring 1995), and found this brilliant inspiration:

#4 is the one I fixated on. I don't own a "jewelry box," seeing as most of my earrings cost me less than a magazine, so they're all thrown in a little container and I have to dig around to find matching pairs. No longer! Here are a few examples:

I'm pretty excited about this. And in case you're wondering, I've owned those "Don't Worry, Be Happy" earrings since 4th grade, when Bobby McFerrin's hit and pretty much the entire "Cocktail" soundtrack was all the rage. My students love them (the earrings, not the songs from "Cocktail"). As I paired up my earrings I couldn't help but realize that most of them were chosen with the students in mind. Many of them are sooooo impressed when I wear earrings (particularly dangly or hoopy ones) that color match my outfit - this is what they consider haute couture. I'll take whatever cheap and easy points I can score with them!

More Pie

The thrill of June, when home ec teachers have time to do home ec-ish things. Including making up words, apparently. Today's pie is "Ricotta Pie with Chocolate and Toasted Almonds," inspired by the leftover ricotta from last night's baked ziti. Not your typical grocery store ricotta fare; the good, hand-dipped fresh stuff that is now available to us at our new Italian grocery store. Mmmmm, could not allow this to go to waste.

Similar to a cannoli, it is pure creamy chocolatey goodness in a crust.

Pie & Rigatoni

Ah, the flexibility of summer. First of all, time to bake! Time to try new recipes! Recipes like... Oatmeal Raisin Pie!

Oh. My. Goodness. Soooo delicious! By the way, if you are a pie fan I highly recommend the cookbook pictured above. Not only does it have 300 recipes, it also includes a lot of terrific extra information on the art of pie. Mmmmm, pie...

Being able to work at home also makes other things possible, such as adoption of a new kitten. Introducing "Riggie" (short for Rigatoni)!

What a sweetie! He definitely gets into everything, so for now we're trying to make sure someone is home with him a majority of the time. He's a little love bug, even if he does sit on my keyboard while I'm trying to type!

Faith

Today as we were leaving to go grocery shopping, a kid ("kid" being the word I apparently use to describe anyone under thirty now, a sure sign of getting old - 'scuse me, "mature") on a motorcycle pulled up; I thought maybe he needed directions or something. Nope. He had found my husband's wallet in the street BLOCKS away from our house and was returning it.

How terrific is that?

Faith in humanity, reaffirmed.

63

Okay, when I was a kid - which was not THAT long ago - by the third day of summer break our faces were practically melting off from the heat (or possible exposure to the Ark of the Covenant, hard to say). Today is the third day of summer break and it is 63 DEGREES outside!

Not that I want my face to melt off or anything, but something a little warmer would be appreciated.

2012-2013 in the Rearview

Loaded up the car, and I drove away from 2012-2013! Actually, I like this one better:

Hello, summer!