The Jenkersons

Trying to see the rainbow through the clouds

2009-10-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

This blog is soon to be defunct. Let me know in the comments if you'd like a link to my new blog, and I will share it directly with you.

Thanks

Random Thoughts from 25-35 year olds

2009-09-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

This cracked me up. Stumbled upon from http://melon.posterous.com/random-thoughts-from-25-35-year-olds

Many of these originated from Aaron Kao's hilarious site, Ruminations.
You can view them and their original contributors here:
http://www.ruminations.com/site/index.php?sort=mostgourmet&range=0

Random thoughts from 25-35 year olds

- I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

-That's enough, Nickelback.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?

-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it.

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and i nstinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

- Bad decisions make good stories

-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

Dear ________,

2009-08-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Dear friends that I don't see at least once a week,
Please don't put music on your blog. It makes my hot mess of a computer crash when all I really want is to catch up on your life because I don't have your phone number. Also, I miss you and love where your lives are.

Dear friends I saw last night,
Thanks you so much for the dinner and laughs. I appreciate you filling in the blanks and the opportunity to spend time together outside of our regular spot. This is something that needs to continue. I hope you know how much I appreciate you and the relationship that has grown between us.

Dear Mom,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I wish we could have spent the day together. I love you and appreciate your patience and kindness and am so grateful to have you as my mother.

Dear sister,
Next year, I promise to sing the opera birthday song at least twice. I wish I knew my little niece better, but I swear the next time we are in Vegas, I am coming to see you and spend time with your beautiful family. You have everything I have ever wanted and I am so grateful for the relationship we have as adults, considering where we were at many years ago.

Dear boyfriend,
Thank you for all you do and thank you for being in my life. I am a much better person because of you and I don't go a day without thinking of you, talking with you and laughing with you. I am so blessed and I love your stinking guts.

Dear Rosko,
Please stop eating my underwear, twigs and the carpet. I love you, but not enough to clean up what you regurgitate. You are way too expensive but way worth it when you cuddle up to us when we sleep.

Dear guy I bought my light from at the car parts store,
Hi. I'm hot, I'm tall and I'm blonde. You couldn't take 10 minutes to help me do something I obviously had no idea about?

Dear universe,
Please send me a job soon or I may go crazy. Also, a million dollars would helpful.

Love,
Karly

A week and a smidge left

2009-06-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

This is not quite the view from Tyler's hotel room in Costa Rica, but hopefully he'll get a chance to experience this soon. He's been in the country for work for a little over a week so far and it's going well. Because there are quite a bit of robberies and crime, he employed a personal driver and bodyguard. The safety feature is key but I think it also makes him feels like a little bit like a VIP. Which, of course, he is.

I know its been awhile since I've had any updates, but things are pretty level, except for the international trip. I lost my job at the end of April and am still looking. The job market is pretty bleak, although there are a couple of leads I'm working on. The dog hasn't had any serious vet visits either so that's been a relief. We've got some exciting things coming up this summer, so hopefully I'll be posting more often!

Twig and Berries

2009-04-22T14:54:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update- Rosko recently got neutered and I was informed by the vet that they found two tumors while doing the surgery. They have sent the masses out for a biopsy, and we should know the outcome in about a week. Because his berries hadn't dropped, the vet had to go in through his abdomen, like a spay and he now has to wear an inflatable collar that looks like a doughnut for about two weeks. Rosko's behavior is back to normal, thankfully, and hopefully we won't have any terrible news in a week.

We have two weddings coming up in May, which starts the beginning of the busy social season. Summer is slowly getting booked up which is both good and bad. I just wish I could say no once in awhile, but all the events sound too good to pass up.

Over the last weekend, I had calls from two extended family members that I haven't talked to in a very long time. I haven't had communication from one cousin for at least 10 years! I'm kicking myself for not checking my voicemail, because he was in the San Francisco area and wanted to get together. It makes me feel really grateful for family and people that you can call after many years and it feels like you just talked to them yesterday.

My brain is a little fried after a day of non-stop calling at work. Maybe next time I'll have something clever to say.

Putting things in perspective

2009-04-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

I just found some sad news about one of my sister's best friends. Although I haven't seen her friend in many, many years, she was around quite a bit when we were growing up and was almost like another little sister. I really feel for her and her husband. They are so lucky to have the strong support of friends and family and a belief system that gives them hope. You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

Would you rather...

2009-04-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Would you rather go to brunch at Scott's over Easter or go to the A's opening game vs the Mariners?

For some reason, this is a really tough decision for me. Help!

Going dutch

2009-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ugh. I had a horrible day yesterday and decided it would be a good idea to walk into a cheap salon and get my hair cut. I know look like a cross between these two, minus the bangs. And yes, it does look exactly like a bad wig. I feel like I need to go stick my finger in a dam. I will not be leaving the house, minus going to work and errands, for at least two weeks.

Merry Belated Christmas!

2009-03-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I finally got around to mailing Christmas gifts to my sister and her family. I am such a procrastinator! Fortunately, they seemed like everything that I sent. Included was a little alligator that when you add it to water, it triples in size. You can see the picture of Noah below waiting for it to get bigger. That kid is such a cutie. I wish we lived closer to them so that I could spoil them even more.

My sweet little niece is turning one next week. She is absolutely beautiful and looks just like my sister when she was a baby.

Those photos were all taken by my sister, who is a budding photog. Nice work, Brooke!

St Patty's

2009-03-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

These pictures need no description. Stolen from Sean, BigFoot and Tannehill.

Just because

2009-03-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of BigFoot

Domestic Dork

2009-03-10T09:58:00.001-07:00

I had a dream last night that i was involved in some sort of contest and I won! My prize was a stack of paper plates. I was really excited about winning these paper goods. I'm a little scared that I am slowly, but surely,becoming domesticated (and kind of enjoying it).

Some examples:

I own multiple aprons
Purchasing my first cake stand was really spectacular
The decision on which vacuum to buy took 1.5 hrs
I'd rather stay at home with the dog and bf than go out
I'm really looking forward to having a bridal shower in the future
Research on juicers is enjoyable
I wish I would have chosen the KitchenAid as my birthday gift
I've bookmarked cooking websites
My garden has already been planned out and we don't even have a backyard yet

Also, I've discovered that I'm a giant nerd. The new movie, Watchmen, looks really interesting but it's hard to get a general storyline from the previews. I've borrowed the book from my friend and on Sunday, stayed up until almost one o'clock reading it. I'm a little ashamed of myself but according to Tyler, I'm a geek's fantasy.

In passing

2009-02-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

My sweet grandma Kari recently passed away. Fortunately, I was able to make it home for the funeral to celebrate her life. She was originally from Norway and carried over so many traditions that my family still celebrates. Although I haven't been close with her over the past couple of years due to various reasons, she will truly be missed. Thanks to everyone for their kind words over these past few days as well.

Chit chat

2009-02-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

With Tuesday almost done with and the fact that I haven't achieved much today, I guess I will blog. It's been awhile but to be honest, there hasn't been much going on. The dog is getting huge and a little out of control. He's now humping things, specifically a stuffed corgi and some pillows. Tyler wants to breed him because he's so bad ass, but with so many unwanted animals out there, I really don't think it's responsible. Plus, I couldn't handle him taking advantage of legs when we have people over since our friends are so hot. I think he'd turn into a puppywhore.

Tyler is headed out to Utah again which means I turn into a hermit. I haven't purposely become antisocial; sometimes I would rather chill at home with my dog than go out. Its also a little tough for me to go out by myself because I sometimes feel like i'm still a newbie.

Here's a picture of me punching Rob in the face

Fondue Freds

Paula's birthday crawl in Rockridge

And finally, my ginourmous pup

(No, he's not humping this pillow)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-08T10:48:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a happy new year! Here's to hoping that 2009 will be even better.

Practicing the art of patience

2008-12-30T16:35:00.000-08:00

Raising a puppy is tough. Rosko is now 9 weeks old and a serious handful. He's partially housetrained but still has some accidents. Thank god Tyler invested in a spot cleaner; that little green machine has been a lifesaver.

We took him to get his second series of shots on Sunday, which included distemper, hep and parvo. Usually boxers aren't prone to getting reactions to these vaccines, but apparently ours likes to be a little different.

The vet at PetSmart had warned us if the dog had any facial swelling, diarrhea and/or vomiting, to bring him back in. About an hour after we got home, we noticed Rosko looked like he had just gotten collagen injected into his lips. We rushed back to the vet and by the time we got there he looked like a hippo! Poor thing. He had to get an antihistamine shot and now has to take childrens Benadryl three times a day for the next couple of days. He doesn't like the medicine, but one good thing about it is calms his arse down (if he doesn't throw it up).

After his next round of shots, we'll start him in obedience training. I've already got him obeying 'sit' and Tyler has taught him to heel on the lease. Dogs are such an investment in both time and money and wreak havoc on the house but honestly, no matter what he's done, if he looks at me with that sweet face of his, I melt. I'm such a softie.

A new addition

2008-12-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Introducing Rosko ~~Coltrane~~ Jenkerson!

Early Christmas

2008-12-12T15:06:00.001-08:00

Tyler's coming back from Utah today and is bringing my gift with him. Any guesses?

Getting collard

2008-12-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

I love vegetables but as of last night, I have developed a hatred for collard greens. Ew! Who likes this nasty stuff?

Flexing my mussels

2008-12-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

Tyler is out of town in Utah for the better part of this week and I decided to practice some new recipes. I recently whizzed through Julie & Julia, a book about a NY woman who decides to cook the entire Mastering the Art of French Cooking I, by Julia Childs. It essentially documents her ups & downs in her marriage and personal life and is overall really entertaining. Plus, they are making a movie which I think is going to be released early next year. So inspired by Julie Powell, the author, I decided to dip my toe into french cooking and make Moules à la Marinière, aka Steamed Mussels with White Wine, Shallots, and Parsley. I added leeks (left over my Thanksgiving CSA delivery) and Meyer lemons.

The concept was based in good intentions but failed flatly in the execution. It was my first time cooking mussels at home and I think the quality from Safeway is lacking. Some of them didn't open and the meat of the ones that did just didn't look right. The sauce had too much lemon and I overdid it with the leeks. All in all, I think I will leave mussels well enough alone and realize that its better to order them at a restaurant from here on out. When we do go out to eat, I've been trying to order things that I can't make on my own. Otherwise, why not just cook in my own kitchen?

On a positive note, I cooked my first beets. They were also included in the CSA box and were delicious. I roasted them for about an hour, peeled them after they were cooled and then let them rest in the fridge for a day. I cut them up, added some herbed goat cheese, chopped some shallots and dressed it all with a red wine vinegarette. So good. The only downside (which I realized this morning) is you end up peeing purple. I hope that's not too graphic for my many readers, but it was a little unnerving. FYI, I guess.

A place to lay our heads

2008-11-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

After searching high and low, viewing at least 98798686 apartments, we finally found a great place! We'll have 1100 sq feet, a loft, washer/dryer, two bedrooms and bathrooms and a fireplace! I'm so excited!

Although we love our current place, we've had a number of issues with it (leaky roof, tap dancing neighbors, laundry sniffers) so it is time to move on. The only problem is that we will not be able to go home to Utah for Thanksgiving. (sorry Mom). If anyone has room for two transplants at their table on November 27th, please let us know!

Like a chicken with its head cut off

2008-10-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Things have extremely busy for us, so I apologize for the lack of updates. We have had something happening every single weekend in October. Here's a rundown.

We attended Adult Prom to celebrate the Team in Training girls reaching their fundraising goal. Congratulations! The party was really fun, albeit dramatic at the end, and some of the pictures are priceless. Yes, that is my friend Jacob dressed up as Molly Ringwald (he got extra points for that)

The next weekend we went to a wine stomping party in Sonoma. We visited some old favorites, like Passalaqua and Armeda and discovered some new ones. On a whim we stopped into Donnatiella. The winery is fairly new and is on the property where Belvedere used to be. The grounds are gorgeous, the ponds full of koi fish, and the tasting room is beautiful. They are known for Chardonnay and Pinot and both were amazing. Then at Hop Kiln, we picked up our box and had the opportunity to stomp grapes. We didn't win the gift basket, but we did walk away with 12 bottles and a wine glass, thanks to Dick.

Finally, last weekend we attended a wedding for our friends Michelle & John on Saturday and my first 49ers game on Sunday! The wedding was gorgeous, Michelle looked amazing and the firefighters were a treat. I caught the bouquet (also a first for me) and Tyler caught the garter. I'm thinking that was planned, but at least I'm not the only one throwing hints :) On Sunday, we tailgated with some good friends and although we lost the game, it was awesome and I think we even ended up on TV.

And now, off to Tahoe! We have the opportunity to spend some time with some good friends at a great house. It will be really nice to get away and Friday cannot come fast enough. Good luck to the Team in Training girls who are running their marathon on Sunday. I wish we could be there, but we'll be thinking good thoughts for all of you!

One box I can check off my list

2008-09-15T11:44:00.001-07:00

This was my weekend. Video to be posted soon!

2008-08-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Omnivore’s Hundred

This is a fun little exercise going through the blog world. Listed below is 100 things every omnivore needs to or should have tried in their life. The list includes strange food, fine food, everyday food and some downright gross food. Although I haven't tried it all, I'm working on it. If you don't recognize everything in the list, Wikipedia has the answers.

Here's what you should do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ (original posting) linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros (breakfast of choice)
4. Steak tartare (yum!)
5. Crocodile (this I would definitely try)
6. Black pudding (I'm leaving this as a maybe)
7. Cheese fondue (on my list)
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho (I've had the best Pho in San Francisco. It was awesome!)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle (does truffle oil count?)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (I've got a bunch waiting to be eaten at home!)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras (not really a fan)
24. Rice and beans
25. ~~Brawn, or head cheese~~
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters (delish!)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (this would be a culinary adventure)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (thanks to all the divers out there!)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads (didn't like the foi gras, probably won't like this, but its worth a try)
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. ~~Durian~~
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. ~~Haggis~~
69. Fried plantain
70. ~~Chitterlings, or andouillette~~
71. Gazpacho (how have I not had this!)
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. ~~Roadkill~~
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (trying to get reservations to the French Laundry so I can cross this off of my list)
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. ~~Horse~~
90. Criollo chocolate (this is a maybe)
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab (is the season over?)
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox (loves it!)
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

How many have you tried? I'm at 60!

Vegetables- not just for poor people

2008-08-25T19:18:00.001-07:00

This is a little late in coming, but over the Fourth of July weekend, Tyler, myself and a couple of friends headed to the Marin County Fair. This fair was supposed to be the greenest county fair around. We did the typical rounds; checked out the pig races

Hobnobbed with Storm Troopers

Took freaky pictures of clowns

And joined a CSA. Welcome home , indeed. I'm a freak for vegetables and have wanted to join a CSA for awhile. CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supporte d_agriculture is a way to get local, organic and in season fruits and vegetables. This big draw with this one is they deliver right to your door. We pay a really reasonable amount each month and end up with about 10 1/2 lbs of produce with each delivery. It's also been an awesome opportunity to try new things that I have never thought to pick up at the grocery store or farmers market.

This box included peaches, pattypan squash, heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, basil, chery tomatoes, and regular cucumbers. If you are interested in getting involved and are in the Bay Area, check out Farm Fresh to You (www.farmfreshtoyou.com)

North Shore, here we come!

2008-08-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Off to Tahoe! Hopefully we'll have a view as nice as last time. (Pictures courtesy of my hot boyfriend)

Batter up

2008-08-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

After a crazy weekend, T and I decided to have a quiet night in last night. I had gone to the farmers market on Sunday morning and picked up a bag of squash blossoms.

I've been wanting to cook these babies for awhile, but since they are so perishable, I haven't been able to track them down until now. They were $3/bag at the market.

Stuffed Squash Blossom Recipe

Stuffing

3 oz. goat cheese

3 oz. cream cheese

1 Tbs fresh herbs, chopped ( I used basil from our CSA)

salt & pepper to taste

Batter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup corn meal

celery salt

black pepper

8-10 squash blossoms

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs milk

vegetable oil for frying

grated parm to garnish

Gently swish the blossoms in cool water to clean. Remove any bugs and the stamen.

Combine the cheeses, herbs & salt and pepper until blended. Fill the blossoms with about 2 tsps of the filling. Its best if you let this get to room temp to handle easier. Refrigerate while preparing batter.

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil to about 375 degrees. I added about 2 inches of oil on med-high.

Combine the flour, corn meal, celery salt and pepper in a shallow container. In a seperate bowl, mix the egg and milk.

Carefully dip the blossom into the egg then cover with the flour mixture. Add to skillet. Cook only a few at a time so as not to crowd the skillet. Remove when browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste.

I ate these standing up at the counter with a slice of sourdough bread. T also cooked up some fried green tomatoes that I got at the Farmers Market. They were perfectly cooked and went really well with some Spanish white T picked up CostPlus.

Emotional Wreckage

2008-07-28T10:27:00.001-07:00

Following my beautiful sister's lead, we have decided to start a blog. It will mostly be a tool to keep everyone up to date on our lives, as well as an opportunity to share how awesome (or not) things are going. I think an account of our weekend would be a good way to start things off.We attended a wedding of my good friend Jackie on Friday. There was a little bit of a time crunch, due the ceremony starting at 6:30, but we got there with plenty of time to spare. She looked gorgeous in a champagne-colored dress and I, of course, got a little teary. This friend has been waiting to get married all of her life, so I was so happy that she found someone so perfect for her.

The next day we headed to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Three hour drive, half of that in traffic, and we finally arrive in the belly of the beast. It was so hot we spent most of the day just looking for shade and the rain tents. Although Yahoo Weather on my iPhone told me it was only 76 degrees, when we got out of the car at two, T's in-car thermometer said 104. Unbearable.

After two sweaty hours, we are headed to see John Mayer! I surprised T with awesome seats for his birthday through an online reseller. They are a reputable site, but I was still a little worried that something would go wrong since they weren't coming directly from the venue (all the seats were sold out, which is I didn't go that route). We got to the Shoreline right on time, with T springing for VIP parking, and head towards the gate. Our tickets are being scanned, we are almost through, and are told that we need to get our tickets reprinted. Apparently, Ticketmaster was alerted that the tickets were never recieved and were waiting at will-call. After getting this info from Customer Service, we learn that will-call doesn't have any tickets under my name. Argh!! This takes about 30 minutes. I pick up the phone to the "reputable reseller" as we now realize the original ticket seller has sent us invalid tickets and in fact had or was picking up his tickets at will-call. Sneaky bastard.

After being hold with the "reputable reseller", we are told that they cannot provide us with any seated tickets through their site because they are no longer available, due to the concert being on the same day. Argh x 2! The only option we have is to get lawn seats because everything else is sold out. At this point, I'm in tears. This was supposed an awesome show for T with great seats and now we have to sit on the lawn. So again, we head to customer service. She sees the tears in my eyes after we explain the situation and takes pity on me. Tickets in a comparable section just became available! Score! We purchase the tickets ("reputable reseller" to reimburse us later) and head to the gate.

I am so excited. The last 45 mins have been annoying and frustrating, but we get to see John Mayer, finally! As our tickets are scanned and we head through the gate, we are informed that they are for the wrong day! Our understanding friend at Customer Service sold us tickets to TOBY KEITH!

So, first we are seeing John Mayer, then we arent, then we are sitting and on the lawn and now we get to see Toby Keith! Another trip to Customer Service, tickets are refunded and the heavens opened upon us. They had floor section seats available, 9 rows from the stage! These are the tickets usually reserved for friends and family of the band. In fact, we were sitting next to a couple from Seattle that knew the drummer. Despite being put through the emotional wringer, it was a great show and I am so lucky that I got to share it with T! "Gravity!"