Exquisite Turmoil

Seemingly (if Dan tells the truth) the cookies were a hit at work, so I decided to tackle some brownies tonight to send with him tomorrow. Here’s the recipe:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup flour (all purpose or baking, I prefer baking)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

I suppose you could use walnuts or some other nut, but I decided to use up those extra pecans from the cookies yesterday ^_^ Also, I’d like to note that if you look closely in the butter section you can find “European Butter” which is 83% butterfat, as opposed to 80% on most butters. It doesn’t seem like a big difference, but you’ll find that it gives your baked goods a much creamier and crisper quality. I also prefer to use unsalted butter so that you have total control over the amount of salt going into your recipe.

In any case, melt 1/2 cup of the butter with the chocolate — either over a double boiler or just in the microwave.. about two minutes in the microwave will do it, but check it earlier to avoid burning the butter if you’ve got an uber microwave.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of butter with the sugar and vanilla (speed 2 for 30 seconds, then speed 6 for two minutes, or until it looks like all of the sugar is incorporated). Switch to speed 4 and add your eggs one at a time, waiting to introduce the next egg until the previous one is well blended. By this point your mixture should be nice and creamy. Turn off the blender, scrape the bowl and add the chocolate. Mix at 2 for around 30 seconds and then add the rest of the ingredients. Scrape the bowl down, set it to stir speed, and mix for another 30 seconds or so.

Pour it into a greased 13×9 and bake for 45 minutes at 350. Cool on a wire rack (still in the pan, of course), cut and enjoy!

We also made some pirogies tonight, but I’m not going to post that recipe since I wasn’t quite satisfied with it. The dough was too thick. It may be that it could be rolled thinner (or pressed once I get the flat pasta attachment <3<3) but by hand I don’t think I could have gotten it much thinner, which leads me to believe that the dough recipe was not quite right (especially since ancient Polish women have to be able to do it ^_^).

The filling was good — onions, mashed potatoes and Gorgonzola. I also made a creamy onion / Gorgonzola / butter sauce to pour over the top which was very good. I’m sure I’ll be attempting pirogies again soon and once the recipe is perfected I’ll post it on up here. Not that I think anyone is coming here looking for my recipes, but hey.. I have to have something to blog about!

I don’t think I mentioned it already, but Dan picked me up a KitchenAid on Black Friday for $129 (best husband ever, went out at 4:30 am so we wouldn’t miss the sales!) and I finally got a chance to use it today! I say finally like from Friday to Monday is such a long time which, of course, it isn’t. But still, I’m excited! We were sitting around painting tonight (also of course :p) when the monster children decided to break open the Oreos and tempt me greatly. I managed to abstain until after they went to bed and finally I couldn’t wait any longer. Oreos didn’t seem like they would do the trick, however, so I decided to bake up some fresh chocolate chip cookies. I sent Dan out to the store to pick up a few ingredients (namely the chocolate chips.. can’t have chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips) and got to baking! The KitchenAid is sooo wonderful. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to make cookies from scratch, but the dough is not easy to mix by hand, and my dinky little hand mixer can’t manage it at all. The KitchenAid just powered right through it, however, and mixed up in 30 seconds what would have taken me (or Dan, more likely, since I am lazy) at least five minutes.

In any case, the cookies were delicious, and I’m sending the leftover with Dan to work tomorrow so that he can share them with his friends and I won’t be tempted to eat them all ^_^ For anyone who cares, here is the recipe.

• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 oz chocolate chips (I like bittersweet dark, but milk is fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375.

Mix up the sugars, margarine and shortening in a bowl and beat it until it’s nice and fluffy.. with the KitchenAid I did it on speed 2 for about 45 seconds. Add in the vanilla and the egg and blend it well (speed 4, less than a minute). Add the flour, baking soda and salt and beat (speed 4, two minutes). Toss in the chocolate chips and nuts and blend on the lowest setting for about two seconds.

Roll’em into cute little balls (I don’t know why, but I’ve always preferred to drop cookie dough with my hands rather than a measuring spoon, not that it makes them taste any better) and bake them for 8-10 minutes until they look tasty and delicious. Pull’em out of the oven, let’em sit on the tray for about a minute them scoop them off and enjoy. Technically they should go from the tray to a wire rack to cool some more but I can never resist eating them right away.

Off of the cookie note, I finished painting up the new skink..

Soooo…. which skink do I go with? Oh yeah, lots more pictures of the black skink in the gallery, of course (accessible by the Pictures link listed under ‘Pages’).

.. which is what I spent most of today doing. And it sucks. A lot. Woke up this morning intending to hit the Bowflex but Dan left too much weight on it and I couldn’t get the plates off (afraid I’d bust a nail, yes I’m girly), so I just walked on my treadclimber, which was a good workout nonetheless. Anya also hit up the treadclimber at a whopping 1 mile an hour with resistance set to 0! She seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, though, which is what matters.

Now that the house is all picked up and such, hoping to get some painting done tonight ^_^ Yesterday was spent working on another skink paint scheme. I haven’t finished the model, but it’s black-skinned with a rainbowish stripe running down each side. His scales are blue and his crest is still green. I’d post pics, but I’m considering tossing it in for the DakkaDakka painting competition, not that it has any chance of winning (no, I am not just being modest) and the rules forbid the model being posted anywhere prior to the competition. Once it’s finished I’ll probably decide that it sucks too bad to enter in the competition and then I’ll post it up here (or in my gallery, more likely). I’m honestly not sure how I’m liking it at this point. I think I like the rainbow skink better and I didn’t even really like him *that* much. Maybe with some modification to his hands.. hmm. But yeah, when I do eventually post the new black picture I’d love some input on which is better. And which will go better in my army. I’m feeling like the black skink is too dark to go with my current Saurus theme, and I’m actually quite fond of my Saurus theme so.. Although I did recently make a minor change to my Sauruses, which I haven’t posted yet. It’s nothing major, but I added a red undercoat to the scales so that they appear to have a little more depth.

So, anyone have any ideas / tips for painting black skin? That’s what I’m mostly not liking about the new skink at the moment.. the highlights (blue) just aren’t looking great to me, but I can’t figure out what to do to make it better x.x

Well, I’ve got some Disney pictures up in the gallery, so go and check those out.. I’ve also started adding some pictures of my up-and-coming lizardman army to the gallery as well and would love some feedback on the models, most notably the rainbow skink. I’m still kind of messing with colors at the moment (so please forgive the awful paint job) and haven’t really decided whether or not the rainbow skink is just too… EQ1 bard or something. And my I say that I desperately need a photo-box? Taking pictures on a paper towel is just so… meh. Maybe my darling husband will surprise me by making me a photo-box for Christmas (hint hint).

Some of these pictures are kind of blurry and the lighting is all wrong, but I’m too tired to redo them right now. But anyway, I just thought I’d post up my new Saurus and see if there are any opinions on colors or whatnot. Disney post (and pictures) coming soon, I promise.. just have to work up the drive to sort through the 400+ pictures we took so that I can post x.x

I don’t really have anything to say, although I imagine that by the end of this blog I will have found 700 different tangents to go off on and it will end up quite long indeed. Basically, I am bored out of my mind right now. I haven’t been bored all day, of course, but I’m bored right now. Lets see — I swung by the bank to get the money for my treadclimber (which we picked up today, whee!!), went to my Grandma’s new place.. did a puzzle, watched “The Last Unicorn” and “Zoom” (very cute, by the way), had lunch… Lunch was Butternut Squash soup. Comes in a cardboard container (in the soup aisle, not refrigerated), made by a company called “Imagine”. It was ridiculously delicious, and I definitely suggest buying some if you see it. I sprinkled a little nutmeg and cinnamon in mine and added a dollop of natural goat cheese (comparable in consistency to warm cream cheese, but crumblier). Sooooooo good.

Dinner tonight was also delicious. We had mini-penne (we eat mini-penne a lot) tossed with steamed asparagus and chicken (the chicken wasn’t steamed, of course — just one of those precooked Foster Farms packages), and Walden Farms 0 calorie Alfredo sauce. The Alfredo doesn’t really taste like Alfredo, but with a little salt and a lot of pepper added it is actually quite good. On a side note, the Walden Farms marinara is quite tasty. The scampi, peanut butter, and jellies are all decent — the consistency is just a bit strange, but on a piece of toast (the peanut butter and jelly, duh) they aren’t bad at all. The BBQ sauce is really good and I would definitely definitely suggest trying it. My next order will also include an order for the apple butter, which I am definitely itching to try.

I think I also mentioned in my previous Walden Farms post that I ordered some 0 cal chocolate syrup as well. I used that (plus Splenda and fat free evaporated milk) to make some Irish Cream today. I made a regular batch as well (well, three regular batches, but they fit into one old Maker’s Mark bottle) with good’ol sugar, Hershey’s and standard evaporated milk, but I am most excited for the low-cal version to mature. 8oz of the regular version is close to 600 calories and 8oz of the low-cal version will be 185ish. Still hefty for a drink, but definitely much better and I have to have my Irish Cream for the holidays!

Oh, for anyone curious, here is the recipe! I’ll list changes to the recipe for the low-cal version in italics.

• 1 1/2 cups of evaporated milk / 1 1/2 cups fat free evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup Irish whiskey (I use Jameson) / 1/2 cup Irish whiskey
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar / 2/3 cup Splenda
• 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup / 2 Tbsp Walden Farm’s chocolate syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp instant coffee

Mix it all together, stick it in a bottle, shake really well and chill in the fridge for at least a week to let the flavors meld. Serve simply over ice, mix it with your coffee, or blend with vanilla ice cream for a tasty dessert!

On another side note, I think I might like to take a pottery class (wheel). I’ve always had a desire to do something creative, but I am terrible at drawing / painting, crocheting and knitting are both too… mindless… I am too shy / nervous to share my writings with anyone, and aside from that I never have any good story ideas. Pottery just seems very intriguing. I’m hoping to beg Dan into a class (or perhaps I’ll use whatever Christmas money I get to sign up for one). Dan said he might consider going with me to a pottery class. Not that he is particularly taken with the idea himself, but he said he would like to go with to watch me be happy. Apparently I am cute when I get what I want ^_^

Anyway, this is starting to get pretty long. I did say that would happen, didn’t I? So, I sign off for now.

And Disney soooooon! Jamie comes tomorrow, then Disney when we wake up!!!

I know I say this like.. every day (at least out loud, I’m not certain offhand how many times I’ve said it in my blog), but my husband is the most adorable, sweetest, bestest husband ever! Yes, I know bestest isn’t a word, but it fit anyhow. As to what prompts my husband worship for the day, Dan is going to buy me a Bowflex Treadclimber too!! I always loved using the treadclimber at the gym, even if it was hard to find an empty one… They only had four and you’d have to like, sit around waiting for one to open up, and then fight with the other ten people waiting for it.

Basically, it’s a combination stepper and treadmill. It feels most similar to an elliptical, but because your feet aren’t stuck on those teeny little elliptical stepper pad things, you have a much freer range of motion and it feels better on your knees. The best part (to me anyway) is that you set the speed like on a treadmill, so you have to keep up. On a manual treadmill or an elliptical I tend to start off at a decent pace and then just slowly piddle down to barely walking. I am inherently lazy. I greatly benefit from having an enforced speed! Anyway, whenever I’ve used the treadclimber at the gym it’s like.. 20 minutes, your legs are tired, you’re dripping sweat, etc…

I know I’ve mentioned it before (probably countless times), but I hate hate hate running. Basically, all of my cardio since we stopped going to the gym has been — walking with Dan. Which is not really cardio. I might attempt a jog or two during the day (since the only thing I hate more than running is running with someone who runs faster / longer / better in every measurable way than me), but I really can’t with the kids. I thought about getting a treadmill since they’re cheap and like.. standard.. but then we come back to the point of — I HATE RUNNING. So then I got to thinking, I hate running, but I don’t hate using the treadclimber, and honestly, given how slowly and pathetically I run, 30 minutes on the treadclimber burns as many calories for me as 30 minutes on the treadmill. Obviously, for someone like Dan a treadclimber wouldn’t be a great investment, but for me..

So anyway, I’ve been looking for a couple of weeks now (since right about when we got the Bowflex) for a treadclimber, but they’re all so freaking expensive! I haven’t seen any for like.. under $1250 and I couldn’t justify spending that much after we’d just bought the Revolution, especially since I could always just suck it up and get a cheap treadmill -.- But anyway, I found one for $500! And, of course, my darling sexy sweet wonderful man said I could get it! So we’re going to pick it up tomorrow ^_^ I probably won’t really get a chance to use it right away since we’ll have to set it up which I’m sure will take a while.. and then Friday Jamie flies into town, and Saturday (like 4am) we leave for Disney (a girly trip — Anya, Pumpkin, Jamie, Katie, me). I’m sure Dan will have it up and running by the time I get back though, and my intention is to use it every night when Dan gets home from work and is doing his weight routine, and I’ll just continue doing my normal weight routine in the mornings. Hopefully this will break the weight plateau I’ve been stuck at for the past.. I dunno.. it feels like forever. For reference, I’m at 132 right now. My goal is really like.. I dunno. If I’m actually at 27% body fat then I need to lose around 10% to get visible ab definition, which is my goal, meaning I need to drop 13 pounds. To me, it really seems unreasonable that I would need to weigh 119lbs. Doesn’t that seem too low? But I suppose I’ll also be putting on muscle weight in the meantime so I won’t end up at 119 when I get ab definition. Oh well. Here’s to hoping the treadclimber kicks things into gear for me.

Oh yes, I will obviously post a Disney summary and pics when we get back!

Well, that time of year is approaching — that time of year being time to make up an enormous batch of Irish Cream for Christmas! It has to set in the fridge for a good long while, so I’d best get a move on and get to mixing, or else it won’t be ready for the holidays! I’m thinking about giving out a few bottles as gifts this year, since it always seems to be popular. This, however, leaves me with a problem. Bottles! I just can’t seem to find any that I like.. I’m particularly fond of swing-tops (like you’d see on a Grolsch bottle, for anyone who doesn’t know), but all of the bottles I am finding with swing-tops are small, and I’m definitely thinking that 32oz or so is needed in order for it to be a decent gift. Everything I have been able to find is ridiculously expensive. I have no intention of paying like $12 for a bottle. I could practically just buy someone a bottle of Bailey’s for that. Not that I think Bailey’s is as good as my Irish Cream, but I’m sure you get the point. Well, I’ve still got some time, hopefully I’ll come across something both affordable and attractive.

Is it sad that I’m dreading the release of Kunark tomorrow? I’m sure that new zones to play in will be fun.. more AAs is always great.. but I just can’t work up any enthusiasm to level to 80. And I love leveling — adore sitting in one spot grinding xp… It’s just like, I already feel like I have enough trouble with agro as it is, and like my tank really just isn’t up to par. And there is SO much money sunk into her gear.. at 80, all of her gear is crap. And I guarantee that whatever the Kunark legendary set is, which is probably the best I’ll be able to get her, it won’t be better (comparably per level) to what she’s wearing now. And replacing all of her master CAs with new master CAs is going to cost a fortune. A fortune that I really just don’t have. So, of course, she’s going to end up with Adept IIIs. Not that there is anything wrong with Adept IIIs, but they (quite obviously) are worse than masters, and agro is already hard enough. Just.. blah.ÂWhy the hell do they have to raise the level cap? And by TEN LEVELS.ÂWhat would have been wrong with five?

I know, I know.. I’ve fallen off of the face of the earth. It’s been forever since I blogged or logged onto EQ2. My apologies to anyone who actually cares :p As a quick summary, I’ve just been feeling burned out lately. Too much EQ2, blogging, Bowflexing, obsessions all at once and I needed a break. Kind of stagnating in EQ2, feeling like there isn’t much else to do until Kunark comes out. Not that there isn’t anything to do, I know there are still things to do, but.. can’t shake the feeling anyway.

A few days falling off the world has been helping. Dan and I have been playing a little bit of LOTRO (very fun, actually) and now I’ve got a Lord of the Rings obsession (who could have guessed, right?). Can you believe I’ve never read the books before? I’ve read the Hobbit, but my dad decided that the Lord of the Rings was like.. devil-worship-evil-bookness and forbade me ever to read them while I was growing up, and it never really seemed to cross my mind once I was out of the house and could do what I liked. I’m about halfway through The Two Towers now, and greatly enjoying the books. I imagine once I finish reading them I’ll get started in on the Silmarillion, probably be too bored by how dry it is to finish reading it (I did try once back when, but I don’t think it’s the same if you are forbidden from reading The Lord of the Rings).. and be back to EQ2. Never fear, I do promise I shall be back. I just need.. a short break. I can’t imagine I’ll let it go any longer than the release of Kunark since I won’t want to fall behind in the grind to 80. I love grinding ^_^

Anyway, this blog is already longer than I had intended. I’d best get to sleep! My father is having a work party tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll be expected to help my mother clean her house for it, and attend, so.. no staying up reading until all hours for me. Not that I really could anyway, since tomorrow is a school day for Anya and I have to get her ready.

Good night world! And anyone reading this ^_^