what is YOUR fate?

what is YOUR fate?
Originally uploaded by kackie

baked goods in August

So, I've been temping some days... but the days I'm not working I get bored sometimes. Since I'm my mother's daughter, and my sister's sister, this means I've been cooking. Baking, even, although if I were truly my mother's daughter I would refuse to turn the oven on as "it heats up the house."

Meh. I wanted cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, to be exact. We (or, for the sake of clarity *I* ate some of them) and Joe took the rest to work. This time I remembered to use the high altitude recipe and they actually looked like cookies, rather than wafers with lumps where the chips were. I haven't yet perfected them 100%, but we are getting closer.

Then I made brownies, again with the high altitude recipe. From a box, not very exciting.

This morning I wanted muffins-- so I got out How to Cook Everything. (When he says everything, Mark Bittman means it -- there is a recipe for Gefilte fish, yick). Anyway, so I'm tooling around in the Muffins and Biscuits section... when I find popovers!

I remember my mother making popovers when I was a kid and in my memory they are a light, eggy muffiny type thing, the perfect vehicle for Nutella, jam, butter or whatever spreadable goodness you want.

I worried a little about the altitude issue, but decided I wanted to try anyway. They didn't POP as much as I'd hoped and are kind of shrimp shaped, but turned out nice and chewy and browned:



NOT PICTURED: The three I already ate.

All in all, a success-- and a recipe I will be revisiting soon.

BTW, since I stopped measuring success by whether or not anyone else in my house wants to eat my baked goods, my success level has increased tenfold.

Why be vegan when there is cheese?

Why be vegan when there is cheese?
Originally uploaded by kackie

Mmm cheese

mccain's VP pick...

Can be summed up by the text message Joe sent me today:

Alaska, seriously?

Yes, she's a woman. So was Geraldine Ferraro when she ran as the VP candidate (and she still is). I would never vote for a candidate based solely on gender-- or race, for that matter.

weezer

So, Joe and Brad are going to see Weezer at the Broomfield Event Center (Q: What do Weezer and New Kids on the Block Have in common. A: Broomfield Event Center) in a few weeks.

I decided not to go with them. I mean, it's really not worth $50 for me to sit and hope they play Buddy Holly. What's with these hooomies dissin' my girl? Why do they gotta frooont? ... Oooo eeee oooo I look just like Buddy Holly oh oh oh and your're Mary Tyler Moore...

Ah, mid-90s rock. The soundtrack of my life.

I wonder if they'll play Undone!! If you want to destroy my sweater...hold this thread as I walk away (as I walk away)

Sniff, sniff.

important announcement.

I know you have been waiting with breath that is bated:

Announcing Beatrice Ann Jones WhiteFeet as our VP nominee. Watch the first Erika-Beatrice rally live at 3pm ET.

Thank you.

Dear Blog Readers,*

(I guess I could say "Dear Joe & Brad, since they are the only ones I know read my blog.)

Hi! What's new & exciting? Things have been busy around here. Beatrice is fine, thanks for asking.

Joe and I have had a hard time staying in the same state since we got married. We have visited these states in the past (almost) three months: Virginia, North Carolina, California, Iowa, Maryland, Virginia (again), Nevada. With the exception of the trip to VA for the wedding, none of these travels have been together. Still on the agenda: Illinois, Iowa and Pennsylvania. Two out of three together. Tra-la!

Additionally, I quit my job. No, I do not have a full time job in CO yet. I'm temping, which is actually quite nice so far. There are several advantages to this:

• I do not work for my old company anymore.*
  
• I don't feel trapped in the house.
  
• I don't wake up at 5 am with the urgency to GET STUFF DONE and think "MIGHT AS WELL WORK."
  
• I don't have the urge to throw up anymore.
  
• I am FREEEEE, tra-la!
  

Seriously, I'm much happier now. I didn't realize how much happier I was until Joe and I were taking a walk last night. You seem happier, he said. I am. I really, really am. Don't ask me where my next effing paycheck is coming from, tho. (It may be from the lady at the temp agency who said "Oh, I see you used to work at D-Company. My husband used to own a game store." I guess her husband liked STCCG and their son played YJ. Small world! She said the name of the store and I recognized it. Turns out I recognized it because there is one by the same name in Australia, I think.)

Joe benefits, too, not only from a happier me but from tasty, gourmet dinners! Yesterday I made a penne w/ pesto, chicken and toasted pinenuts and today I made roulade of chicken, ham, sage and sundried tomatoes with a sage-garlic-lemon pan sauce. TRA-LA! There was also rice. I burned the crap out of my hand, though, when I grabbed the handle of the pan that had been in the oven. (Go ahead, grab the handle of one of your pans. See how many fingers it impacts?) Also in our kitchen now: homemade pound cake and leftover tortilla soup.

Other than that... business as usual.

*Also known as the post wherein I liberally use the phrase "tra-la."
**I could tell you tales about the massive changes that took place since I moved last year. Not here.

like wal-mart, pandas will always be a staple subject on this blog.

SO CUTE:

pretty clever.

Two marketing messages/strategies I think are pretty clever:

Match.com: "It's ok to look."

Crocs: "Love 'Em or Hate 'Em"

One series of commercials that drives me crazy:

Those Budweiser commercials where the annoying bartender girl acts like Budweiser is actually, you know, beer. Bleh.

my post about the Olympics

Is it wrong that I rooted for Canada over the US in the "Eights Men" rowing event because I wanted to hear "Oh, Canada"?

it's AUGUST

50 degrees feels COLD in august!

life with, vol. 1

Life with HotCop:

House Rule: No firearms on the couch (they leave imprints in the microfiber).

Life with Joe:

House Rule: No laptops on the couch (they leave imprints in the microfiber).

In colorado?

In colorado?
Originally uploaded by kackie

for some reason this freaks me out

beautiful bride, fun parties.

I had a great time, and cut several rugs. I think I danced more at Nora's wedding than at my own, if that is even possible. Here is a picture of me without a drink, you can tell it's early in the evening because I am not drenched in sweat:



And Tan:



Good times...

Sunny day

Sunny day
Originally uploaded by kackie

Relishing unemployment