I've been trying to write this post for an hour, but I keep getting distracted. First it was the cat, then it was Tinder, then a message from my friend TyTy, a message from my Sanford friends, and a discussion with my roommate and her future tiny bedroom when she moves in with her boyfriend next year. Everything else seemed like so much more fun than this. I don't know why. I'm just tired. But but but but but but but (holy shit I think I'm just filling up space) I'm dedicated to you all. And hungry. So I suppose I should throw down some links, huh?
Currently digging... My Silence Has Been Bought... My Story is Not My Own -- For those of you who don't know, I'm a victim survivor. I will often post articles like these. This one gave me chills. You can always read the story of my first rape here, as I've become a public figure. Someday soon, I'm hoping to be able to talk about the second time. Potatoes Boulangere -- Beauty in simplicity. How to make macarons -- someday I'll actually think about attempting to make some. I just know I'll mess them up then cry a lot. Caramelized onion and Gruyere biscuits -- get in my belly, now. please? Homonormativity 101 -- Read it. Think about it. Give me your thoughts? I like your thoughts. Oh Joy Sex Toy -- Ok I linked it in the last post, but I need to make sure that you read it because these comics are my favorite. You know how I feel about reproductive health and rights!!!! Chocolate hazelnut cake with hazelnut frosting -- Because yes. Also I want to learn how to frost cakes as prettily as molly yeh does. Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers with Tahini Yogurt -- I am really a picky eater, you guys. I swear. But Jesus I'm thinking about trying to be a bit more adventurous. Pizza Grilled Cheese -- How is this even a thing? Wait a minute. I'm not going to ask. I'm just going to appreciate and salivate. Quick & Dirty Chocolate Espresso Cinnamon Rolls -- Quick & dirty is the way I like to live my life. Also with a side of chocolate and espresso, please. Happy Tuesday, friends.
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No, not that kind of yeast. Yeast and bread things! Ok. If you've read my blog, you know I have a thing about yeast. I'm totally scared to use it, but I love a ton of yeasty products (namely, donuts and well... bread).
This is another blog post I should've posted earlier (I went to this class almost a week ago. I need to get moving, don't I?). Last Tuesday night, I hopped on the 6 for an hour-long bus ride out to the Linden Hills Co-op to attend a class as a present from my kindred spirit (and fellow blogger), Sherry. Really. She's the coolest, sweetest person in general, but I'm eternally grateful to her for sending me to this class. I will be honest. I knew absolutely nothing about the class I was going to, other than bread. Have you all heard of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day? I feel like I've been living under a rock when it comes to the world of yeast. I'm happy that I'm no longer a stranger. Jeff Hertzberg taught this class and he's probably one of my new favorite people. He's as scatter-brained as I am. I love that he's come up with something as cool as this bread dough you can store in the fridge for two weeks, not knead it, and have a ton of options... And that the source of this has come from a way to relieve stress and well... Being lazy about cleaning. I dig this. I dig this a lot. Last Tuesday night was snow-y and cold, but I got to spend time in a warm room with the scent of fresh-baked bread seeping into my pores. It rocked. It really did. I was easily the youngest person in this class by at least 10-15 years, but that honestly didn't matter. All of these women (and one, pizza obsessed man) were super sweet and sociable. Many of them took down the link to my blog (and well, so did Jeff!) and I hope they see this post, even though it's so freaking late. I now have about three notebook pages full of tips about bread, and I thought about sharing my notes... Then I realized they aren't entirely intelligible. I couldn't figure out a way to categorize them. I guess I was so excited about being there, eating pita, pizza, and boule, that I didn't think about a proper way to narrate this all. My solution? When I use my packet of Red Star yeast to make my first batches of bread, I'll add tips I learned from Jeff's class. Luckily many of their recipes can be found on their website, as I had I listed above. I'm so grateful I had the experience to sit in that room with him though. Jeff is incredibly personable, and being able to watch someone do something they're so passionate about and share with with a bunch of people, is really absolutely fucking cool. Thank you, Sherry for granting me this experience. I appreciate you more than you can know. I'm no longer scared of the idea of yeast. What about you? Have you made bread before? Have you used this technique? Tell me about your experiences! I'm dying to know. I absolutely 300% intended to blog this last Thursday, on the 42nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. I made IUD red velvet cupcakes for the occasion. Then I got lazy. And ate a ton of cupcakes. And took a nap or two. Really. I'm a crappy blogger. Why do any of you follow me? Bad idea. Super bad idea. I'm going to be doing some blog catching up before I go to bed tonight. I promise. The anniversary of Roe v. Wade is always an important one to me, especially as a person who possesses a vagina. Yes anti-choicers are still assholes and trying to get rid of rights of our bodies because government officials can't say the word "vagina" but will sure as hell try to regulate them. Fuckers. I'm sorry. I will not respect an anti-choicer. I feel like you have a right to your opinion, until your opinion infringes upon the rights of another HUMAN with cognitive function. Anyways. These cupcakes. I am a huge red velvet fan. For you people who think red velvet is just a chocolate cupcake with red dye, I've got news for you: you're wrong. Chocolate cupcakes consist well you know, a lot more chocolate. Red velvet is like chocolate light. It's just a little bit. Which sometimes is nice. And by nice I mean awesome and by sometimes I mean always. Red velvet cupcakes are often topped with cream cheese frosting, but I saw this recipe called for cinnamon in that frosting. Holy crap, this was one of the best ideas I actually followed from another blogger. I am happy. Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from Joy The Baker (makes 12 cupcakes) For the Cupcakes:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 piece muffin tin with liners. Set aside. -Beat together butter and sugar for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and egg yolk. - In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and food coloring to form a thick paste. Add to sugar-butter mixture and beat for an additional two minutes. -Incorporate half of the buttermilk, mix, then add half of the flour and salt and mix. Repeat until flour and buttermilk are gone. -Beat in baking soda and vinegar. -Fill tins 2/3 of the way full and bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting. For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
-Beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add vanilla and cinnamon and beat. Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time. If needed, add milk for desired consistency. Frost your cupcakes! What would you do to fight for reproductive justice? Leave me a comment!
That picture totally doesn't match the post title. I know. I'm scatter-brained like this. I gave you some information about the state of my life in the post title and lured you in. Now I turn my attention to MLK day yesterday and just how fucking important the fight for civil rights still is. I'm privileged. I don't totally get it (and I never will). We (as a society) sugarcoat a lot of what Dr. King did. We talk about "I Have a Dream" and nothing else. The man was fucking revolutionary. He was too much for a lot of people (let's be real, white people) to handle, but everything society needed. Plus you know. Everyone who fights for civil rights is on the right side of history.
So along with MLK day, let's once again take some time to think about Black Lives Matter. Don't forget it. Don't let its importance dwindle. I feel like we could be on the brink of some huge changes; we just have to continue to create spaces for voices to be heard and the fight to be fought. And on that note, let's get onto some links. These are things I've been digging over the last week (and yes, some of them are related to Martin Luther King Jr.): 11 Forgotten Martin Luther Quotes -- "The world now demands a maturity of America that we may not be able to achieve" holy shit how right on is that. AM I RIGHT? New Yorker Dream of Reconciliation Cover -- This means so much. Take a look at it. Really take a look at it. Caramel Cream Pie with Pecan Crust -- uh. Yes please. Everything Bagel Cheez-Its -- I'm pretty sure Molly Yeh gets me on a whole different level (and she has absolutely no idea who I am. It's fine, it's fine) Mac + Cheese Party -- then she does this. MLK Speeches and Songs they Inspired -- Like whoa. Remember when I said the word "revolutionary?" Ginger Molasses & Honey Ice Cream Sandwiches -- These look so pretty, so simple, and I'm sure they're extraordinary. Deflategate -- It's ridiculous. I keep laughing at it. Patriots are going to the Super Bowl :) :) :) :) (oh you guys didn't know I was a Patriots' fan, did you? Whoops. You can start hating me now if you want. I have family from New England, and what else am I supposed to do... Root for the Vikings?) Hummus Recipes -- I can dip the everything bagel cheez-its in these hummus recipes, and it still counts as "healthy," right? Sage Bread -- They have bread here? We should get the recipe for bread. No, I'm not quoting Jim Gaffigan. Shush. 19 Reasons Your College Friends Will Be Your Friends for Life -- So true. Probably. See, I referenced one thing about college being a thing again as of this week. Yes... It's related to the social aspect. Whatever. Jonny Skulls -- I want these in my apartment. Because yes. This is how I decorate. Cereal Supreme Cake -- this blogger is onto something, here. Hip Hop Lyrics and Classic Art -- Can someone make these printables? They'd look so great with my skulls. Lemon Raspberry Pie Crust Hearts -- Valentine's Day is coming up. I'm in it for the baked goods. Tips for Visiting a Lingerie Boutique -- If you don't read The Lingerie Addict already, I sincerely recommend you give it a shot. Cora is amazing in every shape, way, and form. Quichelettes -- Why are tiny things always way better than normal sized things (in terms of food, of course). Osso Buco -- I've never had Osso Buco, but I want it. The Unborn Ultimatum -- I'm waiting for the day Jessica Williams gets her own show on Comedy Central. This post ended up being longer than I thought it would be. Hm. Oh well. I hope you all have a wonderful week. You'll probably hear from me tomorrow. I just realized a couple of weeks ago that I like squash (or acorn squash at least). I was always a picky kid who never wanted to try anything new. I barely ate vegetables (and when I put that in past tense, I really mean present tense). Anyways, I had been dating a guy (yes, we can keep that one in past tense) and we'd spent a weekend together. His roommate is a chef and made us lunch one day that included squash-- the thing that always made me wince with its weird texture and smell. LUCKILY for everyone involved, I spooned a tiny bit onto my plate, hoping I could hide it in a napkin or something, but instead I took a bite. I had a total Green Eggs & Ham moment. I may have dumped the boy and said goodbye to his fat cat, and talented-in-the-kitchen roommate, but squash has officially walked into my life. I have a feeling squash is here to stay. Glazed Acorn Squash (serves 2, probably)
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line squash all pretty on the baking sheet (or don't. Whatever you two decide is totally cool by me). -Sprinkle half of the brown sugar and the cumin on the squash. Bake for five minutes then turn over, sprinkling the remaining brown sugar and salt and pepper onto the squash. -Bake for an additional 20 minutes, turning squash pieces over halfway through. The result is something sweet, salty, crunchy on the inside, and delightfully soft on the inside. I ate this with a chicken breast. Which means I have leftovers. Like I said, I have leftovers. I need to figure out something to do with them, because there's no way in hell I'm throwing them in the trash (I don't have the money or poor sense to waste food). This is where you come in! Should I put this squash in an omelet, in pasta, in muffins?? Leave me a comment with suggestions as to what I should do with these leftovers. I'll blog about it an mention you. I promise!
Just like squash, I want to have a beautiful, long-standing relationship with my blog, and my readers. Meet me halfway? Happy Thursday, lovelies. I know I forgot to post links on Tuesday, but better late than never?
First off, I get to tell you that as of today, I'm no longer a teenager. That's right, folks. I'm a twenty-something. You can start mocking me tomorrow. Today I get to be selfish. It's all about me me me. And spending time with my family because they make me the happiest. Like seriously. My mom took me out to lunch, Morgan is full of her sassy humor, Cooper gives me cuddles, and Gabe is making me Alfredo that brings all the boys to the yard for dinner. Oh yeah. There's also Ruby. Ruby wins at everything, mostly because she's a dog. So yes. I can no longer use the excuse of "I'm a teenager" or "I'm a child." I will however continue to make excuses with "I'm an adult child" and "I'm a millennial" since apparently those are worse than anything. I've got plenty of mistakes to make. I'll just blame them on my age. Cool? Cool. Twenty isn't particularly a special age. I'm two decades old. That's all I've got. I can't drink (legally), but I'm officially and really seen as an adult. I escaped teenagerdom with plenty of scars and battles, but here I am. Maybe year 20 will be kick ass? We'll see. It will be started off with a bunch of links that I meant to post earlier this week (I'm a millennial, remember? We can't stick to schedules. We're not reliable). Ok. I'm done. I swear. Things I'm digging this week: Thoughts on this whole motherhood business -- nowhere near thinking about becoming a mommy, but this is so fucking cute. Mile-High Chocolate Pie -- I'd like to get chocolate wasted on this. i -- Kendrick Lamar lovin'. Dog Rides Bus -- Remember how I feel about dogs in cars? THINK ABOUT DOGS ON BUSES. Rock Candy Cake -- This is beautiful, classy, and hella fun. I'm in love. Spaghetti Carbonara -- Mmmm. Pasta. Downton Abbey ladies playing Cards Against Humanity -- fuck. yes. Mrs. Hughes saying the phrase "bitch slap" made my world. Really bad couples' photos -- Valentine's Day is coming up. As a single girl, I get to mock it, right? What better way than showing you just how awkward lovebirds can be? Store-bought food we don't mess with -- Yeah. Don't fuck with my Thin Mints. Turduken Donut Fritter -- So wrong it's right. winter vegetable chowder -- It's so pretty and I want it in my stomach right now. Grapefruit Cake with Grapefruit Buttercream -- I love grapefruit season. It makes me so happy. Oh Joy Sex Toy -- SAFE SEX AND CONDOMS FOR EVERYONE (who wants it) Girl Kings -- Matriarchy, mother fucker. (yes. I'm a misandrist). Dick Poop -- I don't need to say anything more. Thanks, Oscar noms. There we go for the week! Have a picture of me as a young child. I've found it. I've found the frosting to ruin me for all other frostings and the donut to maybe ruin me for all other donuts. It's fate, it's true love, and I wish from this day forward to never be parted from my cinnamon roll frosting donuts. They're perfect for me, actually. All warm and inviting, unpretentious in their self-presentation and character. They're sweet and a tiny bit spicy; we'll never be bored together. Oh. And let's not forget... They're oh so rich. Are you all sufficiently creeped out in my ability to personify a donut and its frosting as my soul mate? I certainly hope so. Because trust me, I can be creepier and I'm pretty sure you don't want to see that. I try to save the best (or worst?) of my crazy for my close friends and family. They probably think I'm a lunatic. Good thing they weren't here to watch me talk to these donuts while I was frosting them. Wait. That didn't happen. I have no idea what you're talking about. Do you want to know what the best thing about being a food blogger is (besides freaking you all out with my donut talk, of course)? I get to create and try out new recipes and you have the potential to make them even better. I'm by no means an expert. I'm simply passionate and curious when it comes to new flavors. Or mashing up old flavors. Whatever. You get the point. I was in desperate need to bake today. Baking is my therapy (well. Therapy is also my therapy... Ok. Shutting up now). I had no idea what I wanted and was freaking out that I might not be creative enough for this whole food blogging thing. Then inspiration struck! I found this recipe for cinnamon roll frosting on a website none other than Pinterest. Then it hit me. I didn't quite want a cinnamon roll today, but I would never reject frosting. Never. Then I thought... I have a donut pan! Hmmm. Brown butter and cinnamon? That sounds genius. And so the cinnamon roll frosted brown butter donut became a thing, if it wasn't already. I would really like to take credit for it. I'll acquire a patent and everything. Because trust me. I've not had something this good in such a long time. I'm writing this and staring at them right now. They're just there. On my table. Waiting to be devoured. Cinnamon Roll Frosted Brown Butter Donuts
(makes 8-10 donuts in standard donut pan) donuts adapted from Joy the Baker For the donuts:
For the cinnamon roll frosting:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. - In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside. -In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Brown butter over stovetop, allowing to melt and crackle until brown bits form at the bottom. Whisk brown butter into wet mixture. -Pour wet mix into dry ingredients and whisk until well incorporated. -Using a spoon, spread dough evenly in donut pan, filling about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. -In a bowl, beat together cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar until creamy. Add milk if consistency is too thick to spread, one tablespoon at a time. -In a separate bowl, stir the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Plop mixture into the cream cheese frosting and cut through the mixture with a knife, making swirls. Frost donuts. Then try not to stuff all of them in your face. Remember that it's illegal to marry food. Enjoy. |
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August 2019
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