Best Scones Ever

I whipped up some Glazed Zesty Cranberry Orange Scones this morning and sent half of them with Adam to work. Someone exclaimed, "these are the best scones ever." Awww...he just might be my favorite, if not for his super adorable introverted son Zam. On Easter, the ever perceptive Zam pointed out that, "you and my mom have the same [jean] jacket, but her's doesn't have a flower." He also politely said, "thank you," when I complimented his coloring of the big JC. Maybe because I'm an introvert, I like the introverted kids the best.

Famished

My stomach started growling very loudly at 11am in class. I fed my tummy a $3 sub from the trucks near BIT after my swim. I was hoping for eggplant parm, but they ran out. The chicken parm was pretty tasty and at $3, a great deal. Subs are normally $4, but on Friday, they're $3.

Voila Shrimp

The frozen Voila pasta dinners were on sale at Shaw's last week so we decided to try the Garlic Shrimp Voila. Adam cooked it up for dinner and it was tasty, but pretty disappointing overall. The flavor was too fishy, I think the Chicken varieties are much better.

Bridesmaidnia!!!

I may have mentioned that Laurel and Alex aka Cad Cowboy are getting married in October in California, my favorite west coast state. Even better than them being happy ever after, I get to be a bridesmaid and what beats being a bridesmaid...receiving a bridesmaid care package from the awesome bride filled with homemade goodies. I'm really looking forward to the wedding festivities.

plasticann's [reduced fat and sugar] Rice Krispy Treats

Laurel can confirm, but I used to be all about the rice krispy treats in high school mostly because they're incredibly easy to make. Over time, I discovered that the treats tasted better with less butter and fewer marshmallows and are much easier to handle given the reduced stickiness so I started to cut down on the two ingredients gradually until I found the breakeven point. The original recipe calls for 4 Tbs butter [half a stick] and 40 large marshmallows. Here's my modified lower fat and lower sugar version. You'll thank me on the reduced stickiness quotient alone.

Ingredients:
25-27 Marshmallows
3 Tbs Butter
5 cups Rice Krispy cereal
1/4 cup peanut butter [optional]

Recipe:
1. Measure 5 cups of cereal in a large mixing bowl.
2. microwave 1 minute on high, butter, marshmallows and PB in a second large microwave safe bowl.
3. Stir marshmallow mixture incorporating all the ingredients together.
4. Microwave marshmallow mixture for another minute on high.
5. Mix marshmallow mixture with cereal until all the cereal is coated with the marshmallow mixture.
6. Scrape the coated cereal into a 9x13 pan packing down the mixture with a spatula.
7. Repeat recipe for batch 2 and press that batch over the first for a nice and solid 2 batch pan of treats.
8. Cut into square and enjoy.

In honor of Steve's Birthday

Ben & Jerry's is having Free Cone Day tomorrow. The following is a reconstructed conversation with MGDub.

plasticann: It's Wheezy's birthday on Friday.
MGDub: I know, I wish I were in Boston for it.
plasticann: Oh and it's Steve's birthday on Tuesday.
MGDub: That's cool! [switching gears] You tell Steve that he should update his blog. In fact, on his birthday as his gift to all of us, he should update his blog. In fact, you can quote me.

So I did...Steve...please update your blog...it's been too long. Oh yeah and Happy Birthday!

Donutmania

Keith, Kate, Adam and I hit the mom & pop donut circuit this weekend methodically eating our way around Boston. Our adventure started in Medford at Donuts With A Difference, by far our favorite. Other then an unfortunate encounter with sour milk, all the judged loved their Gracie Bar, a delicious cinnamon raisin bar reminiscent of a giant churro. Next we tried Lori Ann's in Charlestown, but alas, it'd been replaced by a bar. Fighting discouragement and a sugar low, we (mostly Keith) persisted by driving through the Big Dig on to South Boston where we checked out Doughboy Donuts. Doughboy was a donut/pizza shop so I ended up getting a slice of pepperoni pizza along with the donuts. Our last stop was Mike's Donuts in Jamaica Plain where the owner was so excited that we'd traveled from afar [across the river] to check out her donuts that she comped us a Boston Creme donut.

Swimming

I went swimming for the first time in years yesterday and boy was I tired afterwards. I didn't think it was possibly, but my pinkies were actually sore from swimming. I went back today and my pinkies are no longer sore so woohoo! I'm debating whether to shell out $15 for a locker seeing how I have about a month of school left. Then again, it's like 50 cents a day and if it means I'll actually go swimming, maybe it's worth it afterall. I'm getting one next year. Even if I don't exercise, I could store snacks or drinks or something in my locker.

Easter Potluck

Adam and I managed to fit 27 people in our apartment for Easter dinner. We originally planned to move our couches into our bedroom to make room for the folding tables/chairs we'd borrowed from church. Unfortunately, we discovered that we couldn't get the couches through the door an hour before our party. We finally had to suck it up and improvise by using the couches as seating. The following is our menu of potluck items. Adam made a ginger snap bourbon glazed ham and I baked up some of the desserts.

Pigs in a blanket
Mozzerella Sticks
Crudite
7 layer dip
Ginger Snap Bourbon Glazed Ham
Rice Casserole
Mac & Cheese
Octopus Balls (delicious by the way)
Black Bean Basil salad
Green Salad
Jambalaya
Roasted Potatoes
Cake shaped like a Lamb (no Lamb in it)
Lemony Cheesecake
Carrot Cake
Pecan Tassies
Coconut Macaroons
Oranges in Lime Syrup
Peppermint/Andes Mint Brownies
Hot Cross Buns
Lemon Coconut Pie

Happy Easter

Adam and I woke up on Easter morning eager to celebrate by breaking our lenten fasts. Adam's was TV and mine was coffee. The following is a reconstructed conversation.

Adam: You know what we could do before church?
plasticann: Drink coffee and watch TV?
Adam: Guess again.
plasticann: Drink coffee?
Adam: Not quite, you were closer the first time.
plasticann: Watch TV?
Adam: What kind of TV?
plasticann: Closer?
Adam: No, the other one.
plasticann: Monk?
Adam: Yeah...now what can we do while we watch Monk?
plasticann: Eat pancakes?
Adam: We could do that, but what else?
plasticann: Eat TV and watch coffee?
Adam: No! Watch Monk and...
plasticann: Watch Monk and drink coffee.
Adam: Sort of, I was trying to get you to say, "drink coffee and watch Monk," but it was taking way too long.
plasticann: Isn't that what I said?
Adam: Not in the order I was hoping for, first coffee then say Monk.

Drink coffee and watch Monk we did, but only after a pointlessly protracted conversation.

"Spouse"

Mission Accomplished! We finished our paperwork this morning and I mailed in our taxes after one final trip to HR Block. The following is a reconstructed conversation between plasticann and the Tax Lady.

plasticann: So, does it matter who signs under "Your signature" and who signs under "Spouse's signature?"
Tax Lady: Yes, it does matter. Adam signs first and then you sign under "spouse."
plasticann: Why do I have to be the "spouse." [Harumph!]
Tax Lady: [shrugs] In fact, the taxes get filed under Adam's social security number.

There you go, I'm now a "spouse." I think there used to be some benefits to being the "spouse." In the past, if Adam had hypothetically evaded taxes, they'd usually go easier on the "spouse," but these days I don't even think there's that consideration. I'm not complaining too much, Adam did go over our tax return with a fine tooth comb. plasticmom would have been proud of his persistance, but I do wish they would have Person 1 and 2, but then we'd have the same problem...who gets to be "1" and who gets to be "2." For the record, I wouldn't mind being "2."

Organizized

The following is a reconstructed conversation with Steve when he stopped by to study statistics last weekend. I insisted on giving him a tour of my organizized closets.

plasticann: Steve, you have to come see our closets, let me show you.
Steve: This is what you did over spring break?
plasticann: Yep...isn't it great? I even labeled Adam's drawers.
Steve: [Reading the drawers] "T-Shirts" "Socks"
plasticann: Yeah, Adam doesn't really like that I labeled his drawers. He says it makes him look retarded like he doesn't know where his socks are.
Steve: It's not like you wrote "L" and "R" on his hands.
plasticann: That's hilarious. Remember how Joey on Friends didn't know right from left?
Steve: It's sometimes confusing because you don't know which right someone's referring to. Their right or my right. Maybe I should label my hands one day as a joke.

Cheesy Potatoes

I'm being a bit lazy today watching Food Network while I study because I just had a midterm this morning. I have mixed feelings about Sandra Lee because it freaks me out that she's always "matchy match" on her show with her "tablescapes" and all. I noticed that the dishes displayed in her kitchen matched her outfit today which seems a bit excessive. Alas, I digress. She made these Cheesy Potatoes that were basically tator tots baked with cheese and bacon on top...they looked really good. I'm going to make them one of these days.

Makeover

nytimes.com recently got a new look and while it's much easier to navigate and read, I do have one complaint. I used to be able to claim that I read several sections of the nytimes.com: Home & Garden, Dining & Wine, Weddings & Celebrations and Fashion & Style. Now that all four categories are a subset of the overal "Style" section I can no longer claim to have a wider breadth than I have.

Seattle Bound

The following is a reconstructed conversation between me and my friend Kathleen on a busy downtown street.

Kathleen: So, do you know what you're going to be doing this summer?
plasticann: Actually, yes. I'm working for Amazon.com in Seattle.
Kathleen: [looking excited] Yeah! What are you doing there?
plasticann: Product management [Kathleen looks even more excited] in the home/kitchen group [Kathleen is bursting with joy].
Kathleen: That's so awesome, that's perfect.
plasticann: Yeah, I'm really excited.
[Kathleen and plasticann spontaneously high five in the middle of a busy sidewalk]

There you have it, the breaking news is Adam and I are heading out to Seattle for the summer, but we'll be back in good old New England just in time for the nonexistent fall.

Ranch Quakes

In the past, I've been allergic to the idea of "healthy snack alternatives." Your baked lays, your olestra and especially your chalky dry rice cakes. I finally tried rice cakes again because someone had these chedder Quaker Quake Rice Snacks. I was surprised, they were quite good. I would choose to eat them as my first choice, not just as an alternative to something unhealthy. I recently tried the Ranch Rice Snacks and I really like them. I even thought to myself one day, "Gosh, I hope Adam doesn't eat my rice snacks, I'm really looking forward to eating them."

Deicing

The following is a reconstructed conversation from my strategy team meeting about the salt industry.

plasticann: So, we're talking about salt, table salt, road salt, etc.
Friend: Yup, dont' forget about the environmental concerns about deicing.
plasticann: Right, let me write that down....De-icing...I get it.
Friend: Get what?
plasticann: I didn't know what "deicing" was. I thought it was pronounced "dicing" or "deecing" which seemed really weird. Now it get it, it's de-icing salt not deecing or dicing salt.

Apparently, deicing salt is huge because everyone wants to drive real fast on the roads even in the winter, but the salt causes freshwater pollution. Who knew? That's why we should all move to California where the weather is nice and we can drive as fast as we want without the salt. Then, we can systematically kill off the environment of each state piecemeal starting with the warmest states. First, California, then Florida...you get the picture.

Kate Is Fun...ny

Adam and I went over to Keith and Kate's for a gourmet meal last weekend. Ginger lemon salmon, delicious salad, sweet potato slices and for dessert, cream puffs dipped in a homemade chocolate sauce. Kate agreed to share her recipe on her new blog, kateisfun.blogspot.com, and she even named the sauce in my honor. Yup...from now on, it'll be Queen Plasticann the First to you all.

Queen Ann's Sauce
(from kateisfun.blogspot.com)

1/2 bag chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 c. 1/2 n 1/2
1 c. powdered sugar
dash vanilla
ts. salt (or more, to taste)
dash Frangelica liquor

melt butter and chocloate
add rest of stuff, go slow with the powdered sugar. Bring to a low boil for a minute or two, but be careful not to overdue it or else you may get candy. Not that I've done this or anything, I've just heard about OTHER people doing it...

Nocturnal Sandwiches

Adam and I were running a bit late last night as we headed to the movies so we split up, Adam went in to save us some good seats and I went to Chinatown to procure some Vietnamese sandwiches for dinner. Little did I know, Vietnamese sandwiches are hard to come by on a Friday evening. I checked out three different places hoping to grab some portable food. I considered buying a rice/meat dish, but I wisely rejected that idea...eating rice in a dark theater just seems like a messy proposition. We ended up with random hot dog buns and sticky rice rolls from the only bakery I could find. Needless to say, I was starving and cranky by the time the movie let out. Fortunately, Anna's is open until 11:30pm so I had my three tacos and a lovely pineapple soda. Lesson learned, Vietnamese sandwiches have an early bedtime.