book club 4 - The Life and Medeval Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton - audiobook

 2022-4

 

no bake nutella oreo cheesecake

 The Boy has been showing some on/off interest in cooking the past while.  Most of the time when he says he'd like to try to make a certain dish he means at that exact moment in time, not taking into consideration that I don't have the ingredients or maybe it's 8 am on a Saturday and I'm working overtime and can't stop to make bagels from scratch and have them ready in 5 minutes because you are hungry and think 5 minute homemade bagels are a thing.  (If you DO want to make your own bagels, please read this old post of mine from a zillion years ago.  I remember that day and those bagels.  SO good.)

So even though he does throw out ideas for meals, few suggestions actually make it to the preparing stage as he is an impatient 12 year old boy and also forgetful like his mother.

But this one, he would not let go.  Even when I told him the only way we would make it was if he went shopping with me for the ingredients.  He (reluctantly) agreed and we went off to the store to spend eleventy billion dollars on cream cheese, nutella and oreos. 

 When we got home with our ingredients The Girl demanded that she help too, and by the time the cheesecake was in the fridge to chill, the kitchen would have been cleaner if I had just set off a bomb and thrown food directly at the ceiling.  BUT!  That Sunday night for dessert we had the most wonderful decadent cheesecake.

The sad part of this post is that neither The Boy or I can now find the recipe to share with you.  We made this about a month ago from a link on Instagram.  He was sure he'd saved it and I was sure he'd messaged me a copy of the recipe but we both came up empty.  What I can tell you is that it had a (delicious) crust of crushed oreos and butter, 2-3 (expensive) packs of cream cheese, a jar of nutella (although we used a different brand that was on sale, much to the dismay of The Boy), whipped cream and chopped up oreos in the filling.  You were supposed to top the cake with more nutella and more oreos but we didn't have any of either left, and really it didn't need it.

I've spent some time looking for the recipe and can't find anything that I know for sure is the same or similar, but I'm sure you really can't go wrong with any cheesecake with such delicious ingredients. 

chicken satay curry

 This chicken satay curry was a HUGE hit - with me and The Mister.  I don't know why I even try to cook for these children.  Once a few years ago, The Boy was at the table complaining about everything I had made for a family dinner with my parents.  I waited until he was done, and then said "When you are a grown up, I am going to come to your house for dinner and complain about everything you make and say I don't like it and I think you should have made me something else."  He looked completely shocked and said - "You can't do that!  That's mean!!!!"

KIDS.

Anyhoo, this was totally delicious and the kind of food I love and need to make more of.  

I didn't have the lemongrass, peanuts or sweet soy sauce, but I didn't let that stop me, and I loved how it turned out.  If you love peanutty dishes, you will love this.

chicken satay curry 

Gyudon and more vegetarian cooking

 This one came from Instagram, I think?  A Japanese beef and egg bowl. 

It was easy and quick, the kids hated it, the adults liked it. 

Gyudon 

______________________________________

Last weekend The Boy decided that he wants to become a vegetarian (again).  He did this once before, last year, or maybe even the year before, and lasted just long enough for me to buy a bunch of stuff for him before he changed his mind.  This time we're a full week in and he seems to be sticking to it.  He's 12 now (!!!) and I have no problem with him trying this out as long as what he's eating isn't complete crap.  He had meat once this week - we told him not to put any pressure on himself, if you want to eat meat one day, do it.  He said he might eat meat once a year, so I guess that day has come and gone until 2023.  :)

I have been working A LOT and now trying to figure out meals feels like it just got harder.  The Mister likes vegetarian meals but he also likes meat.  The Girl hates everything.  I'm too tired to care much.  Hoping to sit down today with some books and find some good things to try.  

Got suggestions? I'll take 'em!

book club 3 - Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton - audiobook

 2022-3

 

Eastuff Grocery

 One of my favorite little stores in town in Eastuff by the university.  It's teeny tiny and jam-packed with Asian foods and ingredients.  

We hadn't been there for a while - probably since the pandemic started, but The Boy has recently become obsessed with ramen, and I mentioned that Easatuff would be a good place to get some different ramens to try, and I could only take so many demands to go before I caved.

We staggered out the door with a big box of stuff - practically every kind of ramen they had (not really, but probably 6 different kinds at least), frozen dumplings, drinks, snacks, sauces..... So good.

That day for lunch we of course had to have ramen.  The Mister and I elevated ours with some leftover crock pot pork and hot chile garlic sauce.

 I bought a box of Glico Curry - mild - and made a beef curry for dinner that week.  So good.

I bought this coffee drink on the recommendation of one of the shop workers.  She said it's her current favorite.  It was good, but sweet.

I bought my first ever bottle of Kewpie mayo!

The kids begged for seaweed snacks.  I have 10 uneaten bags sitting in the kitchen.

One of the ramens The Boy picked out.

Website - Eastuff Grocery

MWE Week 4

 

 

Feb 20 - Legend - The Best of Bob Marley and The Whalers

Feb 21 -Zoe Wees - Golden Wings

Feb 22 - Osei Essed - Always in Season

Feb 23 - Shad - TSOL

Feb 24 - Nao - And Then Life Was Beautiful

Feb 25 - Masego - Studying Abroad : Extended Stay

Feb 26 - Tracy Chapman - Our Bright Future

Feb 27 - Leyla McCalla - The Capitalist Blues

Feb 28 -  Honey Dijon - The Best of Both Worlds

 

cookbook cleanup 28 - Southwest Cooking by Betty Crocker

 

This one is a used book store find.  I loooooooooove Southwestern food so there was no passing this one by.  It's Betty Crocker, so it's pretty basic, and it's Betty Crocker so some things are...odd.  (Avocado and Raisin Dip????)

Here's what we tried -

Pineapple Limeade.  Easy and refreshing.

 Beef Burritos - also easy and tasty.  Red rice - delicious, and spicy baked cauliflower which was ok.

We also tried the avocado toast - pretty meh, and black bean soup, which was fine.

This one is going to stay on the shelf for a bit longer but probably not forever.  

Current standings - 

Back on the bookshelf - 15  Donated -13

MWE 2022 week 3

 

 Feb 13 - Don Flemons  - American Songster

Feb 14 - Tete - Lockdown Sessions

Feb 15 - Juke Ross - Chapter 2

Feb 16 - Curtis Mayfield - Roots

Feb 17 - Muddy Waters - Folk Singer

Feb 18 - Mickey Guyton - Remember Her Name

Feb 19 - Valerie June - The Order of Time

 

book club 2 - Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther

 2022-2

 

peanut butter bread

 This is one from the old Tikety Toks

I added 2/3 cup of chocolate chips.  Pretty tasty.

MWE 2022 Week 2

 

 

 

 

Feb 6 - Kaia Karter - Grenade

Feb 7 - Yola  Stand for Myself

Feb 8 - Etta James - Matriarch of the Blues

Feb 9 - Jill Scott - The Light of the Sun 

Feb 10 - Inner Circle - Blazzin' Fire

Feb 11 - Mint Green - Growth

 Feb 12 - Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Gospel Train

 

book club 1 - lost & found by brooke davis

 2022-1

 

breads the mister has made and i have eaten

 

 

MWE 2022 Week 1

 

Feb 1 - Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading (album), Consequences

Feb 2 - Brittany Howard - Jaime Reimagined

Feb 3 - Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

Feb 4 - Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams

Feb 5 - Richie Havens - Paris Live 1969, Nobody Left to Crown

2021 book club review

 

In 2021 I read 55 books.

 

Memoirs by female authors - 2

Memoirs by male authors -2

Non-fiction by female authors - 7

Non-fiction by male authors - 4

Fiction by female authors - 26

Fiction by male authors - 7

 

Audio books -7

5 fiction audiobooks by female authors 

1 fiction audiobook by male author

1 non fiction audiobook by male author

I was very inconsistent with reading this year - some months I read multiple books, then I wouldn't pick up the next book for 3 weeks.  I tried to do more non fiction reading, in part to get some of those self help books that I've had on my shelves for years out of here, and in part for working on better habits, which include reading every day (HA!) and mixing up what I read.  It didn't always go as envisioned.

 

 

Here's how 2021 book club compares to the past few years - 

41 books in 2020

 

51 books in 2019 - 9 audiobooks

48 books in 2018

41 books in 2017

26 books in 2016

 

 

I'm considering starting a new reading journal for 2022 (22!!!! jesus.) for no particular reason other than it can join all my other clutter and my habit journal that I routinely ignore then try to  bring up to date weeks later.  But it could be fun.  Definitely thinking about it.

book club 55 - Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

 2021-55

 

book club 54 - Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

 2021-54

 

apricot jam chicken

 This was one of the very best things I made last month, and possibly last year - apricot jam chicken.  It's so easy and so delicious, you won't believe it.

The Mister found this somewhere and I was skeptical but oh boy, this is GOOD.

You only need a handful of ingredients and boom - so damn good.

Did I mention this is really good???

I added an extra dollop of jam because I thought the mustard was coming through a bit too strong for my picky eaters.  I also only used the lemon juice and not the zest or slices.  I cut my chicken breasts in half through the middle and baked at 375' for about 45 minutes.

recipe - apricot jam chicken

book club 53 - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

 2021-53