Thursday, September 23, 2010

HP Numero Uno

I'm taking French semester. Level two. Even though I took four years in high school. And it's hard guys.

I have a hard enough time pronouncing english words and remembering them and how to spell. So adding a new language.... C'est très difficile. 






Since I pretty much learned how to talk and the english language besides the constant language around me..... through reading, I thought maybe I was approaching French wrong.




I know it'll take a long time to trudge through- since I'll have to look up a lot of words and think a lot more than normal, but I bough Harry Potter And the Sorcerer's Stone in French!!







Made me very happy to get it in the mail.




Isn't the cover cute?!?






PS. Is the fact that I put the post title in spanish an indication of my French proficiency? 

Monday, September 20, 2010

Apple Crisp

Okay guys, fall is so close I can almost feel it creepin' up on us.

And I seriously can't wait. 

And to me cooler weather means apple crisp. Okay okay, I still make it during other times of the year, but it is technically a fall/winter dessert.

So to celebrate, I thought I would post my famous Apple Crisp recipe. It's the dessert I'm most proud of, which is odd because it contains no chocolate whatsoever, and has fruit in it.

wha?!? A dessert without chocolate, and with fruit? And I eat it?! Even crave it?! What sort of madness is this?!? 

Yes people, it is that good. Okay but seriously don't build up expectations. I hate having expectations. But it is pretty good. IF you like apples, and sugar, and awesomeness.

I originally got it from some recipe on the internet, but adjusted it for my needs. So I claim it as my own now. (I can do that right? Nevermind, I don't want to know.) 

I prefer it the next day, and cooled-but I know some crazy cats out there that warm it up with some vanilla ice cream. Plus, it is hard to wait till it's fully cooled. 

I was originally going to post this without pictures, but I'm pretty obsessed with Pioneer Woman, so I decided to take a page out of her book. If you haven't tried any of her recipes, I highly recommend that you do. My jiggly bottom can attest to the tastiness. 

Apple Crisp

-Approximately 6 apples (green or red)
-1 cup old-fashioned oats
-1 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat pastry if you are a health freak works perfectly. Or do half ww pastry and white. It's really a forgiving recipe.)
-2 cups brown sugar
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp cinnamon (or just dump some in. I'm all about approximation)
-1/2-2/3 cup butter, melted
-Sweetened&shredded coconut 
-Ground Flaxseeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut cleaned apples into small pieces ( I prefer pretty small, so it cooks better). 

You can use peeled apples if that's the way you roll. 

But I can't really be bothered then you have more fiber. 



2. Dump apples and 1 cup of the brown sugar into a 9x13" baking pan. Stir around the goodness. 


That is ONE of the cups of brown sugar people. This is an important step.

But, y'know, they are all important in my book.





I love when the juices start coming out and mix with the sugar(see the brown syrup on the bottom??). I won't judge if you eat a couple. 

I know in my family these rarely make it unto the oven unharmed. But then again every time I bake I have to keep an eye on the people in the kitchen. It's a dangerous world out there people.


3.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together except for coconut and flax seeds.  Add coconut to your hearts content and mix in. I have never measured mine, but I guesstimate it to be about 1 1/2 cups.  If you want you can add a couple tbsp of ground flax seeds. You can't really taste them, but they add nutrition.



{Look I even added all the ingredients so that you can see them. My bowl doesn't look that normally. And then I couldn't get the camera to flash! My mom's camera is just too fancy for me.....}



You can put a couple tbsp's of flax if you are feeling extra health conscious. The nuttyness blends in really well, and works great with the texture. 

I use it if it's on hand to make myself feel more justified in eating it for breakfast.



Make sure it isn't too dry!

That bowl may or may not be on the ground.... I needed direct sunlight! I have no regrets.

....


Or not. Still- No regrets.

4.


Spread mixture over the apples and bake for about an hour. The juices should be bubbling around the sides. If you cut your apples bigger, you will need to cook for longer. And I recommend covering the crisp loosely with foil if you plan on baking for longer so that your crisp does not become a burnt. (haha!)


Aaaand it's baked! Sorry no inside shot. I was entertaining and didn't want to whip out the camera and put the food on the floor searching for light, etc etc.


Plus there was like an inch left at the end of the night.



PS. If you are worried that you don't like coconut or something, or think that I am just a crazy person, the coconut flavor isn't that overwhelming and provides a great chewniess to the crisp. I highly reccomend keeping it in. But if you don't let me know how it is! I've never been that crazy.



Condensed instructions: (I'm nothing, if not thorough)

Apple Crisp

-Approximately 6 apples (green or red)
-1 cup old-fashioned oats
-1 1/2 cups flour
-2 cups brown sugar
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/2-2/3 cup butter, melted
-Sweetened&shredded coconut 
-Ground Flaxseeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut cleaned apples into small pieces ( I prefer pretty small, so it cooks better). 

2. Dump apples and 1 cup of the brown sugar into a 9x13" baking pan. Stir around the goodness. 

3.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together except for coconut and flax seeds. Make sure it isn't too dry. Add coconut to your hearts content and mix in. I have never measured mine, but I guesstimate it to be about 1 1/2 cups.  If you want you can add a couple tbsp of ground flax seeds. You can't really taste them, but they add nutrition.

4. Spread mixture over the apples and bake for about an hour. The juices should be bubbling around the sides. If you cut your apples bigger, you will need to cook for longer. And I recommend covering the crisp loosely with foil if you plan on baking for longer so that your crisp does not become a burnt. (haha!)

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Hot Chocolate Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sound intriguing?




Well they are veryyy good. So good I've made them twice this week.


... Coincidence that I also started exercising more?

(Just ignore the fact that it calls for TWO sticks of butter. Your stomach will thank me, but your bottom may not.)

My ever favorite Pioneer Woman makes them here (picture is also from there).

Original recipe here.

Do you guys stalk PW as much as me? I totally want to go live on the ranch with her. But only for like a week because I would eat her out of house and home. And lodge.  She has a beautiful house doesn't she? And the ranch is beautiful too.

PS. I wouldn't blame you if you tried adding a little peppermind extract into the batter. It's amazing. Even though my sister said she kind of felt like she had just brushed her teeth. I mean, it's like mint hot chocolate, yo!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light


The Old Astronomer to His Pupil
Reach me down my Tycho Brahe, I would know him when we meet,
When I share my later science, sitting humbly at his feet;
He may know the law of all things, yet be ignorant of how
We are working to completion, working on from then to now.
Pray remember that I leave you all my theory complete,
Lacking only certain data for your adding, as is meet,
And remember men will scorn it, 'tis original and true,
And the obliquy of newness may fall bitterly on you.
But, my pupil, as my pupil you have learned the worth of scorn,
You have laughed with me at pity, we have joyed to be forlorn,
What for us are all distractions of men's fellowship and smiles;
What for us the Goddess Pleasure with her meretricious smiles.
You may tell that German College that their honor comes too late,
But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly savant's fate.
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.
-Sarah Williams
PS. Just reread HP 7 to be prepared for November. Can't remember the last time I cried/laughed so much. So amazing. JK Rowling is a master at weaving emotions. And I know not everyone loved her epilogue, but I thought, and still do, that it was a perfect way to answer questions while still leaving it open for new stories to arise. Ever read fanfiction? I listen to a podcast of it when craving the magicalness of HP when there is no new books coming out. I'm a geek. and proud. 

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

joshyy pooo


Josh Groban has killed me with his amazingness. Again.


I have been stalking reading his Twitter for over a year about his new album, and I'm so excited that it is almost out!! (November for those who are unaware.)

Hidden Away is amazing and made my heart go pitter-patter again. *sigh* He's still got it.

You can click here and listen to and download it (for free! Cha-ching!)


Before he knew the title of his new album (Illuminations), he tweeted about it. Giggling from me ensued.



--For the non-twitter users (freaks!) you read bottom to top.

  1. True...but I don't want to jinx the whole "wanting to be alive" kick I'm on. RT @elyawhite Not Dead might work too :)

  2.   
    Thanks for all the title suggestions. I think Not Retired would answer the question on most people's minds.

  3. throwing around album titles today getting the news that 4 mixes are already in the can. moving so fast now.tomorrow looking at cover shots.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

I kinda need to move now.

To France. Because, I mean, just look at these pictures. And we only saw/ captured a fraction of the beauty in France. More pictures later. I didn't want to burn your eyes out with all the menial pictures we took. (You know, all at once.)



Oh and blogger is cutting off the sides of my pictures because they are big. If you are so inclined, clicking on them should give you the whole image. 



Taken the night of our arrival to Paris. Our hotel was a five minute (or less) walk away.

The Chateau we stayed at in Amboise. Except we didn't stay in the actual chateau but across the way...



...Here. It was so beautiful!


This chateau was my favorite. The gardens are unbelievable. I'll post more pictures of it another time.

Have a fantastic labor day weekend!