Kneadful Things

Does this blog make me look fat?

"We are all ego-maniacs, just some of us hide it better than others."  -Michael Caine

Recently, there has been a backlash against bloggers....Self-Centered, Wholly Self Important, Annoying,  (Personally, I prefer "avid-pizza-fan", but I don't think that is what they are talking about)

I have a few theories.

One. Maybe the people who are really annoying and self centered in real life should start blogs to get it all out. There is SOMEONE out there who cares. (It probably just isn't me) I know this one woman....Seriously, she dominates every conversation we have ever had....and you had better believe it's ALL ABOUT HER. She's exhausting. She takes credit for everything...even if she only had the most minor hand in whatever it was. Her husband is a saint.

Two. How can it be egotistical if you really don't do very much talking about yourself? I shared my struggles with infertility, but that's mostly to make other women feel better that they aren't alone.  But I do guarantee you that once this baby is born....it will be all about him. (And what I am eating to push off this weight)

Three. If people didn't at least have an obscure curiosity, they wouldn't read.

Four. Food is just good times. I baked a pumpkin cake last night, with cream cheese frosting, how can you say that isn't good times?

A little while ago I went apple picking with my husband's best friend, his wife, and their daughter. We took them to Lawrence Farms Orchards in Newburgh, NY. A wonderful place with an abundance of varieties to choose from. We also hand-picked peppers, grapes, and had wonderful corn. Tim was all about the cider donuts, whereas I was all about the cider. Yum. They also have squash, pumpkins, and the like. Wonderful options for the entire family.

Me and the delightful Kymara, showing off some delicious Honeycrisp apples. (By far, my favorite variety.)

Ode to Honeycrisp Apples.

(in the style of "are you smarter than a fifth grader")

Oh your firm skin, your flesh is so sweet.

The juice in my mouth, the sugar I eat.

You got a bad rap, ala Adam and Eve,

But apples don't grow in the garden of Ede.

I stir you in oats, press you in barrels,

So I can drink mulled, hot cider with Carols.

You stay so long, in my fruit cellar bare,

Cleaned out just for you, so you stay for me there.

Your sauce is so sweet it never needs honey,

Cause you grew on the vine, when it was most sunny.

So Oh how I love my honeycrisp friend, You're always my favorite,

Not just till fall's end.

Bonus about all the apples I eat? It has shown that if you eat 4+ apples a week during your pregnancy, it has shown to significantly reduce the risk your child will develop childhood asthma. I totally clear that. Easy. My favorite applications are, RAW, applesauce, cider, and baked apples. But mostly, I just eat them raw. Though, since I have been pg, I have been dipping them in a peanut butter and yogurt dip that I make, for a little extra nutritional punch.

Excuse me now, I am going to go eat an apple.

Vacation....

Do you ever feel like you need a vacation from your vacation? That was me. Several weeks with my family in Atlanta and Ohio drove me bananas a little bit. Thank goodness for Starbucks iced tea and SoyJoy bars.

I love my family, but they eat crap, and I get sucked into it.  I find myself eating that gazillionth m&m peanut. Forgetting about fruit because, who eats fruit?? Where a salad is an underdeveloped side dish, not an entree of any sort. Sweets are king in my family. I am officially in detox. I was thrilled to get my hands on my dried fruit and nut trail mix and my filtered water.

I love my family, but I am pretty sure that they are a hopeless cause in the way of sunscreen. They just don't wear it. Not a lick of it. My uncle looks as though he had a rough battle with a tomato, my cousin is going to be leather before her 30th birthday. It's enough to make a pale gal like myself, cringe.

On a lighter note, My family pets are doing GREAT. The warm weather seems to suit them. My lab at 11 years old is still as perky as ever, getting very excited to see me.

The devil made me do it. Some of those colas are the nastiest things you have ever put in your mouth. One, called "Beverly" tasted like hair spray.

When your best friend births one out of the park.......

Well, this was a very busy week/end for the people around me. Last week, my very bestest friend birthed one out of the park! And delivered a beautiful, baby boy. Tidus. Congrats, Diane, and you didn't even axe your husband to death in the process....way to go! You see, he was born last week because God wanted us all to be able to watch and concentrate on Saturday's OSU-MICHIGAN game, because of course, OSU KICKED BUTT!!!! NO CURSE OF THE CLARETT HERE!!! JUST BUCKEYE FEVER!! (everyone join in now......) "Don't give a damn bout the whole state of Michigan, I'm from O-HI-OOOOO!" Yea, we have a catchy tune for our team. I am pretty sure Tidus' first words are going to be "GO BUCKS" just a thought. (Though he does live in Massillon, so it may be "GO TIGERS", but let's hope not.) So here begs the question, Diane now has two gorgeous boys, 5 and Fresh, and is this shop closed? Nahhhh, I think she wants a girl. But there is always adoption for those wanting guaranteed gender selection. Ha Ha. Maybe I'll get really lucky and she will find her way to the big apple and his first words will be "What are you looking at?"

My Favorite cookie Yet!

These are BY FAR my super favoritest cookie yet, Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookie bark! Mmmm much better than regular peppermint bark, because it has a DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIE BASE! Topped with delicious tempered semi-sweet chocolate, and crushed candy canes......ahhhh sweet mystery of life at last I've found you. I want to crush the cookies and roll around in them (but not nakey, that would be sticky and I hate being sticky)

On another note, the first of the Christmas Markets open today....Bryant Park.

I am not sure what I think about these....Layer Cookies

Sorry about the small type of the last post. Typepad is a little psychotic sometimes.  Well, last night the cookie parade marched on, and I made layer cookies. I am not sure whether or not I liked them, I had the same problem with them that I do with American style Macaroons, mouth-assaulting toasted coconut. I just don't like the texture of it, IT'S SCRATCHY! But I did enjoy them when I scraped off the top of cookie. On the other hand....Tim loved it, I think he loved the simplicity of the cookie bars, what with their butterscotch and chocolate chips and graham cracker crust. Eh, I still don't think that I will be making them again, in spite of the fact that it was one of the easiest bars I have ever made.

By the way, I have been relegated to our spare room-cum-craft attic to take my pictures because I take them in the middle of the night. (Which is when this insomniac is done cooking!) Alas, oh well. Could be worse. They could be sitting in front of me, and in my cheeks.

Snowballs....aka Chocolate Crinkles

Tonight's cookie????? SNOWBALLS!!! Or if you are an east coaster.....chocolate crinkles. Despite being rolled in confectioner's (powdered) sugar, this is a bitersweet cookie that goes great with a piping hot cup of cocoa (stir the cocoa with a cinnamon stick or candy cane,  and you got yourself a REAL treat! (Right now, I am listening to my John Legend Christmas album and humming along to "O Holy Night". Care to join in?