Foods: Budget Bytes Edition

Oh hello there, blog.  It's been a while.  It's also been a grand old while since I went on about different foods I've made lately.  While I am always picking things from here and there on the wide world of the interwebs, lately I have been stuck on Budget Bytes--also known as the source of the most best burritos in the world.  What's so great about this website?  Let me list some ways:

The recipes are simple, with simple ingredients, but they add up to great flavors.  Having Boo Boo at my heels makes me appreciate a fast recipe more than ever, which these usually are, and of course the lower cost is appealing as well.  I like that she takes good, helpful photos rather than twenty pictures of the same plate of food.  I like that she cuts to the chase and basically just talks about the food, rather than her life story.  Speaking of cutting to the chase, here is a very long list of what I've tried so far:

Chorizo Sweet Potato Skillet
Delicious, filling, simple.  Next time I'm going to add some diced tomatoes and maybe some mushrooms, but it's good as is.

Chicken Yakisoba
Easy and tasty!  Maybe my carrots were large, but I would scale back the veg slightly next time.

Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta
I love pasta, and this is a good one.  I like that the sauce is creamy and cheesy but not heavy at all.

Dragon Noodles
I've made this a few times and mine NEVER looks that pretty (maybe because I can never find that kind of noodle...I use the ramen-esque kind).  But it is good and spicy all the same.  I like making Asian things for dinner because it gives me an excuse to have Drewbles make sticky rice.

Italian Wonderpot
Did I mention I like pasta?  I like wonderpots so much, it's just magical how they turn out.  DON'T WORRY, there's more than one on this list.

Spinach, Mushroom & Feta Crustless Quiche
You know what's great about this?  It's a quiche but you don't have to make a crust!  I've made this several times, I highly recommend it.

Oven Fajitas
Is this the easiest way to make fajitas?  I think so.  Side note: one thing I like about BB is that chopping ingredients is part of the instructions, rather than the ingredient list.  I feel like that gives a more accurate representation of the work required, you know?

Oven Roasted Greek Stuffed Pitas
Is this the easiest way to make pitas?  I think so.

Beef and Pineapple Enchiladas
An unusual combination that works!  One caveat: I didn't LOVE the enchilada sauce recipe.  

Easy Southwest Mac and Cheese
This is the only recipe in this list that I didn't love and knew I wouldn't make again.  It was just kind of bland, but DON'T WORRY, there's more mac and cheese options.

Chicken & Lime Soup
I LOVE THIS SOUP.  Love it.  It's so good, I can just keep eating it and eating it and eating it some more.  One of the very best soups I've ever had, no joke.  If you anticipate leftovers, I'd cilantro on a bowl-by-bowl basis to keep it fresh and green.

Salsa Poached Eggs & Grits 
A cross between shakshuka and, you know, grits.  So, a winning combination.

One Pot Sausage and Mushroom Pasta
I'm not a huge sausage fan, but this was a winner.

Spinach and Artichoke Wonderpot 
Wonderpot strikes again!  The sauce was still a bit thin in the end, but I liked the flavors a lot, better than the traditional Wonderpot.

Spicy Tomato and Shrimp Pasta 
SO good.  I made this more for Drewbles than myself, because he loves shrimp, but it was a big hit for both of us.  And it's so simple!  Seriously, there's no reason to not make this...unless you hate shrimp.  I GUESS.

Zesty Tomato and Artichoke Pasta
You know, I honestly can't remember if I actually made this or not.

Spinach Tortellini Soup
I love a tortellini soup!

Miracle Mac and Cheese
I don't think I need to rehash my pickiness for homemade macaroni and cheese, so I'll just say that this is, hands down, my favorite recipe for homemade mac and cheese.  Just watch the pot carefully so it doesn't boil over!  Oh man, so tasty.

Tomato Herb Soup
A perfectly good tomato soup, but it can't match my favorite.

Spinach Feta Grilled Cheese 
I've never met a grilled cheese I didn't like. 

I *think* that's every single item I've made, but you never know.  And the best part is that there are so many other things to try!  And try again!  Maybe I'll start with the chicken and lime soup...

Burritos to Change Your Life

I used to not like burritos.  I didn't like beans and every burrito I had seemed to be bursting with refried beans.  No amount of cheese could undo the beany beanness of those beans.  Fast forward to college when I discovered black beans.  They were good!  My opinion of burritos went way up, so long as they had black beans.

Fast forward again to last summer, when a friend brought us dinner after Boo Boo was born.  She brought us burritos.  But not just any burritos--LIFE CHANGING BURRITOS.  I talked about those burritos for months, and since I got the recipe from her last November, I have made them, well, a lot.  They are SO GOOD.  I cannot emphasize that enough.  SO GOOD.  I would eat these every day.  

How do you make these magical burritos?  First you take a look at the source material (I highly recommend that website in general).  Second, you take a look at this adaptation of the original recipe into burrito form:

1 (15 oz) can black beans, lightly rinsed
1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
1/2 small red onion, chopped (green onions work well too)
1 clove garlic, minced (or just garlic powder)
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. shredded cheese
1 T. taco seasoning
taco size tortillas
salsa

Heat oven to 350. Combine everything in a bowl, besides the tortillas (duh).  Add enough salsa to get the consistency you want (I think I usually do about 2/3 cup).  Roll those puppies up and bake them for 20 minutes.  A batch generally gets me 10 burritos w

So go make some and then rejoice in your burrito-improved life.  

Pumpkin 2: The Pumpkining

I made more pumpkin things, like a crazy cat lady with pumpkin foods instead of cats.  Here are the results:

Pumpkin Spice Waffles
Not pumpkiny enough at ALL!  Also, personally, I didn't think the result warranted the extra work either.

Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
These were pumpkiny enough, but I still have a lot left and I made them several days ago so...  There's something about the texture that I don't really like--maybe I'm just missing a crust-like element.  I added chocolate chips to half of them and that was an improvement.

Pumpkin Pie Granola
HOW could this ever have enough pumpkin flavor when it doesn't have actual pumpkin in it?  Mmhmm.  (Still good granola though.)  Word to the wise: when looking to buy dried cherries, make sure you don't buy cherry-flavored cranberries.  Ocean Spray is tricky!

Pumpkin Seeds
A great, basic recipe--all I need with my pumpkin seeds is salt.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
I followed the alteration suggestions in the first "most helpful positive review" and it was great.  Instead of a bread, I made 24 muffins and a bunch of mini muffins as well.  I'm sure there are better pumpkin bread recipes out there, but this one was good and worked for muffins. 

Pumpkin Whoopee!
Honestly, why do I even bother with other pumpkin recipes?  This is the only one I need!

And with that, I think I will go into baking hibernation...until it's time for pumpkin pie that is.

Pumpkin Fever

Last fall, as I worked at growing a Speck, I made almost no pumpkin foods at all.  I'm sorry to say pumpkin sounded gross, and I only rallied in time for a pie at Thanksgiving.  So I guess you could say I'm making up for lost time this year--or you could say I'm doing the same thing I always do, and that is make every pumpkin thing in the world.  

Now, I have come to the realization that when I make a pumpkin thing, I want it to taste like I've actually shoved my face in a pumpkin pie and have to eat my way out.  I don't want subtle pumpkin.  I want to be hit in the face with pumpkin.  So when I complain about recipes not being pumpkin-y enough, well, maybe they would be for other people.  Here's what I've made so far this fall:

Pumpkin Oatmeal Scotchies 
I started off the season with these and they were tasty little things.  I am a big fan of butterscotch so that was a bonus.  The butterscotch kind of overwhelmed the pumpkin flavor, but it was still there.  (Note: I used quick oats, and also this recipe makes a LOT of cookies)

Pumpkin Pie Spice
I made my own after seeing how much a tiny jar of the pre-made stuff was (it was cheaper to buy allspice, the only ingredient I lacked).  Of course, only after I made it did I discover a bottle of it in the cupboard...

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies 
Not pumpkin-y enough!  That said, they were REALLY great chocolate cookies... (Note: I too used chocolate chips)

Pumpkin Whipped Cream
I made this to give a pumpkin boost to the chocolate cookies.  If you REALLY want to go big, make a cookie sandwich with it!  Even better, make a frozen cookie sandwich.  I combined the recipe with the spices of this one.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Again, not super pumpkin-y, but ever so delicious anyway.  Totally worth the work!  As for the glaze, well...I discovered that the whisk attachment for my immersion blender is not the same as the whisk attachment for the Kitchenaid.  Um, I'll leave it at that.  Okay okay, it made a huge mess but it didn't make a glaze!  Lesson learned.  *scrubs counter*

Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup
I've mentioned this recipe before, and it's worth mentioning again.  The pancakes could be more pumpkin-y, but they are tasty nonetheless.  Also, the syrup!  You gots to make the syrup. 

Apple Cider Caramels 
I know, not a pumpkin recipe, but in my mind, cider and pumpkin are cousins.  True story: I made these last fall, without a candy thermometer.  Take my advice, Internet, and just buy a dang thermometer!  My first attempt, while not wholly inedible, had a burnt taste and a tough texture.  I say "not wholly" because Drew ate them.  He ate them all.  Every single one, aside from the two or so I ate.  He's just a trooper!  And a not-waster.  ANYway, the second batch came out perfectly--soft and cider-y, as a caramel should.  I think Drew was secretly relieved at not having to eat them all again.

Well, October is speeding past, but there are still lots of recipes to try!  Where am I going from here?  This granola is in the oven at the moment.  These waffles are on the horizon.  These cupcakes are imminent.  And of course, let's not forget the old favorites like the inevitable pumpkin pie and the most delicious of things, Pumpkin Whoopee.  Ah, fall.  How I love to eat my way through it.  

A Shocking Lack of Vomit

I will start out with the depressing part.  Most of the time I am okay with the fact that I don't live near any of my immediate family.  Partly because it's been that way for so long and partly because, well, that's how it is.  But sometimes it just kind of stinks, like when you want your Mama to pat you on the head or when there's a new Fast and the Furious but all of your Fast and the Furious buddies live states away.  Anyway, the point is that when you only see some of your family once a year or so, it is very exciting. 

That is why it was ever so exciting when Marci, my sister of all sisters, came to visit me!  You may recall that her last visit did not go *quite* as planned so we were extra determined that this trip would be all fun and no barfing.  'All fun' apparently translated to 'eat everything in the world'.  So here was our weekend, according to the food:

Thursday night: On the way home from the airport we stopped at IKEA for dinner.  I got the soup and mac and cheese--a winning combination?  (We also got a new shelf for the laundry room, wheeeee!)

Friday: We hit Brick Oven for lunch, after a morning of YouTube and Pilates and probably some kind of healthyish breakfast.  Brick Oven...is not so healthy, but it WAS tasty.  I got a lil calzone and Drew finally got that sandwich he'd been threatening to order for the last 4 years or so.

After seeing G.I. Joe (of course!) we stopped at the mall for some See's, then hopped over to Drew's mission reunion.  They had pistachios sans shells and we ate a lot of them. 

Once home we got some Indian takeout, since Marci hadn't really ever had it before.  Isn't Indian food just the best?  We ate it while watching The Help, because Marci hadn't seen it, and if that's not a mix of cultures I don't know what is.  That was Friday.  Apparently we took no pictures on that day.  

Saturday I had Raisin Nut Bran for breakfast.  Don't pretend you aren't fascinated!!!  After that exciting breakfast we took the train up to Salt Lake and got there just in time to beat the lunch crowd at the Lion House on Temple Square.  Marci had never been on a train OR eaten at the Lion House so maybe this weekend was as much about food as it was about doing things Marci had never done.  Look, we are on the train:

It was much more fun to ride during the day, when we could see all the dirt piles and junk yards.

After lunch, we parted ways for the afternoon session of General Conference.  Marci and I got excellent tickets from a nice random fellow while Drew scurried off to translate.  There was no food involved in this portion of the day, but I did have a lady tell me it looks like I've dropped.  No, I don't think that happens when you still have almost two months to go, LADY.  Look, here we are at Temple Square:

...

(Also, that's a Hmong tie...hearts aren't Drewbles's usual tie aesthetic)

(Not that hearts on ties are a bad thing)

Glamo!

 We were front and center on the plaza!

A few hours later--and a few purchases at H&M later (where Marci had never bought anything before!  So many firsts!)--we rode the train back to Provo for some Skyfall and some dinner from....In-n-Out!  We were nervous.  

(Oh hai, belly button.)

The (only) upside to our prior visit was that we got certificates for free meals and finally, all these months later, we put them to use.  Did we survive the night?!!?!?

Yes, yes, we did.  And there was much rejoicing in the morn!  It was sleepy rejoicing because we stayed up way too late discussing our childhood.  Luckily we had time for naps during the last sessions of General Conference on TV.  Hahaha, just kidding, Mom. 

Earlier that week a copy of the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook had arrived at the library for me, so on Sunday we feasted upon her New York Breakfast Casserole.  I can't link to the recipe obviously, but it is worth checking out her book for.  It's a mix of cut-up bagels, grape tomatoes, red onions and cream cheese, with an egg and milk mixture holding it all together.  Delicious!

For dinner we had grilled Reubens made with a corned beef brisket (I had never had corned beef brisket!).  I have been smelling sauerkraut in the kitchen ever since, but fortunately I love sauerkraut. "Sauerkraut, sauerkraut!...Forget that sauerkraut, you need to get to the store!" 

I told Marci that I would make her a red velvet cake.  So I did.  But since it also happened to be my brother's birthday, we called it his birthday cake.  It was a tasty accompaniment to some Daria and Dr. Doctor Who.

I used the SK recipe--two thumbs up, but double the frosting.

And then it was time for bed!  And before we knew it, it was Monday morning and we were driving back to the airport in the rain.  And parking by the wrong terminal.  And walking to the right one.  And saying farewell at security!  D:  

Baby, why you so big?

Don't I have such a pretty sister?

Alas and alack.  I guess it's back to phonecalls and Facebook.    

A Dietary Compendium

And now, in a break from books and the Speck--food!  If there's one thing I like, it's food.  (But really, that is a ridiculous thing to say because I like many things and 99% of people like food.)

Anyway, lately we have been engaged in sourcing our dinners from what we already have in an effort to clear out the freezer and some cupboard space.  But before that, we were eating things like these:

Rustic Crusty Bread
I don't make bread very often--I just don't have time--but this recipe is so simple and doesn't require too much active involvement on my part.  Also, it is really good and perfect for open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches, a term I just made up.  It is also really good for...

...Tuna Melts and Tomato Soup 
Growing up, my Mama would make what we called "tuna toasties"--bread topped with tuna and slices of cheese then broiled until it's all crispy and melty.  These tuna melts are basically the same, with the addition of tomato slices.  And if there's one thing I like, it's tomato slices.

As for the soup, I think I mentioned last time that I've been hunting for the perfect tomato soup recipe, and this is definitely the winner thus far.  Simple, tomato-y.  All it needs is some basil...

Speedy Vegetarian Cheese Tortellini Soup
I love soup!  I especially love easy soup.  This is one of those soups.  I highly recommend adding some zucchini, and I also added more celery and carrots (along with more broth).  It's kind of a basic recipe as is, but certainly not a bad one.

Quick Clam Chowder 
I am always on the lookout for a great clam chowder recipe.  I like super thick clam chowders when someone else has made it, but I have a hard time adding all that cream myself.  So I liked that this recipe has SOME cream but it's a little lighter overall.  Still plenty of clams though!  You gots to have a lot of clams (I got half minced, half chopped, because I like to SEE my clams). 

French Bread Rolls
I actually made these twice, and they turned out very differently.  Both batches were good, but the second was infinitely better and there were two things I did differently--used bread flour and added a little bit more salt.  Oh, and even though I use instant yeast, I did let it sit in the warm water for a minute anyway.  I love rolls.  Rolls and soup!  Does it get better than that?

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
I made these cookies to bring to a work meeting, and let me tell you, it was hard to not eat them all beforehand.  They are so pretty, so soft, so tasty!  (And so easy!)

Chocolate Fudge Coconut Cake 
This cake looked pretty when it was done, but let me tell you, it was not the best cake-making experience I have had.  When the timer beeped, I went to do the toothpick test and they were not done.  Five minutes later, they were--but also all three layers had sunk miserably (solidarity among cakes?).  This is always depressing.  So to account for my sinkhole cakes, I had to make even more frosting and use even MORE butter, and I will not say how many sticks of butter went into this cake.  Ignorance is bliss.  Anyway, it was a very long, frustrating process and though it did look pretty and was well-received, it was hard for me to love it.  And that's the story of that cake.  

(Also, can I just say that I have no love for food blogs that go on and on about things entirely unrelated to the food they're posting about?  [Or really, go on and on about anything] Get to the point!)

For the Oscars this year, we had a food party.  And by "party" I mean I made a lot of food for the two of us to eat while we speed watched the Oscars.  It was not a particularly social party but it was...well-fed?  Here was our menu:

Killer Artichoke Bread
You cannot go wrong with anything that has this ingredient list. 

Hoagie Dip 
This makes SO MUCH.  We ate it as dip on two occasions and then still had so much left we used it to make open-faced grilled cheeses and also regular grilled cheeses.  So, be prepared.

Chicken Verde Wonton Tacos
Delicious little things.  Yep, that sums it up.

Tiny Pigs in Blankets (technical term) 
These hardly need any explanation: lil smokies + crescent/biscuit/breadstick dough + oven = these.  If there's one thing I love, it's pigs in blankets. 

Foods

Who wants to talk about boring stuff like INTROSPECTION when there's FOOD to talk about?  Thinking is gross!  Food is delicious.  So let's talk about it. 

But first I will tease that this, your favorite vaguely Harry Potter-titled blog, will feature a ~*~*~*giveaway*~*~*~ in the coming weeks!  Weird, right?  I feel a bit like one of those "professional" bloggers.  So stay tuned, I think it will be really fun.  Back to food!

I haven't had much of a sweet tooth lately (that is to say, I haven't really wanted to seek it out/make anything, but if it's there, I will gladly eat it--I may have eaten about ten handfuls of Belly Flops in one sitting), but this list somehow manages to still feature mostly sweet things.  So...there you have it. 

Flourless Coconut Chocolate Drops
These were the first items to break my baking/cooking-in-general drought, and they were well worth it.  They're perfect for those times when you happen to have no flour, granulated sugar or butter but you DO have plenty of powdered sugar and coconut.  I left out the nuts because nuts are terrible and did a full cup of chips and coconut to fill in the nuts gap.  You may doubt them when they go in the oven, but they bake up perfectly, with a delicate, crispy crust and gooey innards. 

Cocoa Brownies
Tasty tasty brownies.  I am more likely to have cocoa powder in the cupboard than chocolate bars so cocoa recipes suit me better.  I made these with dark cocoa and they came out the color of asphalt.  Warm, chocolatey asphalt. 

Creamless Tomato Soup
I've been on a tomato soup kick these last few months.  (I also made this one and this one)  They've all been good and I'd recommend any of them, but so far I haven't found the recipe that makes me say "YES, I will now eat the whole batch!"  I just want a tomato soup that's simple, without a lot of cook time and with more tomatos and less cream.  Bonus for basil.  Any recommendations, world?

Buffalo Grilled Cheese
I suppose it makes sense that with all the tomato soup going on, we've also made a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches.  I totally simplified these, but they were still awesome.  I used ranch instead of the white sauce, buffalo sauce right out of the bottle, chicken from a can, and axed the celery and onion.  Also I added the blue cheese.  Winner!

Pretzels!
(They're so good they deserve a !)  I was home being gross one day and then I saw these on Facebook and said YES, THOSE and made them immediately.  Side note: it is really handy to have such a big awesome counter now because I can sit on it while I make things.  They're SO GOOD and you just want to eat all of them in one sitting and I would not judge you for this.  The first batch I made with bread flour and man, they did not want to roll at ALL so they turned out super fat.  The second time I used regular flour and they were much more cooperative but, strangely, not quite as good.  Maybe chunky pretzels are the way to go.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
This has been on my radar for a long time, and I finally bit the bullet and got myself a bundt pan.  So worth it!  This cake was SO good.  I mean it--really, really good.  Just enough orange, just enough chocolate and goodness everywhere.  It does involve a number of steps but if you have a buddy around to zest and juice your oranges, it's not that bad.  You won't regret the time it takes!

Cinnamon Rolls
This was one of the things I made in my baking frenzy during Christmas week.  I'd never made cinnamon rolls before because they seemed so intimidating, but the idea of eating them after opening presents was irresistible.  My Mama passed this recipe along to me and I gave it a dubious whirl.  I know I've said this several times already but these were SO good.  I made them the night before and baked them in the morn and they came out perfectly, with ooey, gooey middles.  And as usual, the actual making of them was not very intimidating after all.  (Of COURSE I left out the nuts and the raisins--eurgh!)

30-Minute Buffalo Chicken French Breads
I don't know why I am drawn to buffalo chicken things--I think buffalo wings are stupid--but it seems to pop up frequently at our house.  Maybe part of this is Drewbles periodically saying, "We still have half a bottle of buffalo sauce--what are we going to do with that, woman?"  ANYway, I have never been a big fan of French bread pizza because the bread gets all crispy and crunchy--two things I don't like in bread.  But!  These turned out so good we made our own creations the next night with the rest of the bread.  I didn't broil the bread beforehand, which helped it stay soft and we had no green onions or fontina, but otherwise I stuck to the (halved) recipe.  Maybe French bread pizzas and I will be friends after all.

A Turkey-flavored Postscript

Do you know what happens to a toad when it's struck by lightning when you eat insane amounts of turkey for dinner?  I will tell you: by 8:00 you're bumping into walls and giggling at everything because you're SO SO SO SLEEPY.  And then you watch a few Avatar episodes, just to keep yourself awake long enough to eat pie.  And then you laugh some more and then, thank goodness, everyone goes to bed.

But it was so worth it!

 

Crafty Christmas

I guess I get crafty around Christmas time because, once again, I got crafty this Christmas.  It was so fun making those Christmas spider ornaments I decided to make ornaments again this year to send to my family.  For whatever reason I immediately settled on making snowmen, without any idea of how to actually do this.  Luckily I found this tutorial, and even though it does not have nearly as many instructions as I like, they turned out so cute and snowman-y.  One thing I learned: sew the buttons on first!  It's so much easier.

This is a partial fleet, as two members were already boxed up.  But you can imagine it.  Can't you???

Then, just because, I decided to make ornaments for my Mama.  These were even easier than the snowmen and I think they look so pretty and wintery.  I kept a few of the uglier ones for us.

I found the instructions here.  I think the model magic stuff gets a better consistency after you've rolled it out and squished it a few times.  I was kind of surprised how light they were once dried...they can look so heavy and pottery-like in pictures.  But this way they will never break, right?  Also I put super glue in the bow because ribbon is slippery, and also because I like to super glue things.

Months and months ago, I had an idea for a present for Drewbles--fish biscuits like the ones on LOST!  I thought maybe you could buy them somewhere, and perhaps one day Harry & David will corner the market on fish biscuits.  But for now, one must make one's own.  Luckily I found these great instructions, and they turned out just right!  Well, aside from me breaking half of the first batch (oops).  Oh, and aside from misreading "quarter" as "half" a bottle food coloring (oops). Here's the process, in pictures:

Also this happened once:

Oh that sneaky Dharha Initiative.  Dharma doesn't even look like a word anymore.

This has nothing to do with Christmas, but I made this today!  

 

I'm so proud, mostly because it turned out so far beyond any of my expectations.  Can I eat turkey every day?  Or rather, can I eat this turkey every day?  I had a goal for the last two years to roast a chicken--I think this covers it.  And just for reference's sake, I basically adapted this recipe for a turkey (ie, lots more lemons) and followed these instructions (I skipped putting liquid in the pan, and it definitely didn't need any).  Perfecto!

This last Christmas crafty is not mine at all, but something Santa gave me (how did he get hold of it???  It's a Christmas miracle!). Drewbles did the sketch during our weeks in London to document some of the highlights as time went on, and then one of Santa's elves colored it, printed it and framed it for me.  Is it not charming?

It will go perfectly with our London-themed living room decor once we hang it up. Man, I wish I could have that ice cream again.  *sigh*

Well, I think that was enough craftiness for one Christmas.  Of course, this is not including the Christmas baking I decided to do in a weekend instead of over the whole month, like rational people.  Who knows what craftiness is in store for next year!

In Which I Boil Down a Two-Week Vacation into a Single Post

The nice thing about not sharing a blog with the Husband is that he sometimes writes about events in detail, which spares me from having to do the same.  So, if you want all the details about our big trip, check out his blog, where he has recounted the whole thing.  We did a lot of amazing things so I'm glad he got into the nitty gritty of it.  I'm also glad because now I can just whittle the whole trip down to a single top ten list.  It's numerical (duh) but not ordered in importance.  Well, except for #1. 

(I should also say that one of the highlights of any trip, regardless of the destination, is the company you have.  Drewbles is always good company, but it was fun to spend so much time with Elise and Jeff throughout.  Jeff is a pro navigatron and Elise makes awesome sandwiches.  Of course it was nice to see Emily and KC again too, who are excellent hosts with excellent food.)

1)  The Colosseum.  

This building (or the remains thereof) has had a special, large chunk of my heart ever since it almost singlehandedly led to my decision to switch from Illustration to Art History in college.  It's so grand and old and Roman!  

 

This was a recurring theme of the trip, but it is so strange to see something in person that a) you never thought you would see for yourself and b) you'd only seen in pictures.  In some ways it was hard to even grasp that this was, in fact, the ACTUAL Colosseum.  I am still processing this, but as it is, I loved it and stroked the travertine with much fondness (I tried to find patches that looked less tourist-touched).  

(See?)

2) Food!

We ate SO much food and it was all so good.  A few of my personal highlights were: the sandwiches Elise made for our trip to NYC.  Yes, they were just meat and cheese (turkey and provolone, if I remember correctly?) on potato bread, but I was so hungry and I will never, ever forget those sandwiches.  

*Ahem*  Aside from those delicious things, the breakfast buffet on the ship was truly magnificent (aside from their dry bagels and low-fat cream cheese--travesties, both). Gelato and pizza in Italy were always winners and the nightly sourdough rolls at dinner were my favorites.  Also, there was a turkey and Swiss panini I got more than once from room service.  Free room service!  That's how life should be.

Chocolate gelato in Florence!  It's amazing Drew got any of this.

Pizza in Pompei!

More gelato in Rome!

 3) The D.C. Museums

Because my trip tunnel vision was focused on the Colosseum, I didn't really stop to think about, you know, the Smithsonian and stuff.  We spent most of our first day in D.C. at various (free!) museums, and I was both amazed and impressed at what we saw.  There were so many artists and paintings that I have loved and never seen myself, like Gilbert Stuart and John Singleton Copley.  Be still, my American art-loving heart. 

The other highlight, which must be mentioned, was seeing the ACTUAL Star-Spangled Banner.  For some reason, I did not expect this flag to be real (???) or to still exist.  And then it was just THERE in its own exhibit and it was just amazing to me.  It was so large, so grand and...so full of holes from Americans wanting souvenirs. 

4) The David

Here's a secret: I have never loved Michelangelo's David.  I always preferred (and still do) Bernini's version.  But I will say that seeing Michelangelo's in person was really quite awe-inspiring.  Awe-inspiring enough to not notice the hordes of people everywhere. 

5) Arts

So many arts!  So many things I have only seen in slides!  I saw some Caravaggio, some Gentileschi, some El Greco, some Velasquez, a copy of Laocoon, some John Singer Sargent, some Mucha...so many beautiful things.  I bought many postcards and a guidebook from almost every museum.

6) The European Coast

 

Um...need I say more?  (No.)

7) London!

Okay, our time here was short (exTREMEly short on the way over), but it was so delightful and inspiring to be back on English soil, even if it was only Heathrow soil.  I'm happy to say that we loaded up on pretty much every English chocolate and candy we could.  And no, we have not eaten it all yet because I want to keep it forever. 

 

8) Markets

So many markets!  And so many delicious looking things!  I don't even know what to do with most of the goods available, but I wanted to buy them based on how pretty they were.  Wouldn't it be amazing to have something like this in our neck of the woods?  The closest comparison I can think of is the Bloomington farmers market and sadly, that is not in my neck of the woods anymore.

The Barcelona market

 

French market

9) Supreezes: Barcelona and Sorrento

Here's another secret: I have never had any interest in Spain.  I have no explanation or reasoning for this, other than that I can only have so many countries in my heart at once and the ones already there aren't budging.  But both of these cities were such pleasant surprises, and were so pretty and interesting and full of interesting things.  Barcelona had the amazing market, and Sorrento had the ocean views and narrow streets you expect from Europe.

10) Seeing-all-those-things-you-never-think-you'll-actually-see-in-your-lifetime.

 

 

(Insert like 20 more pictures here...too much work)

Like I said, this was a recurring theme.  I always have trouble registering when I am in a new place after being hundreds of miles away the day before and this happened many days in a row.  So, I am still absorbing the fact that I have, in fact, seen the Duomo, been to Italy, walked through Pompei and dipped my toes in the chilly Mediterranean.  I will probably still be processing this in a year, but I do really enjoy seeing these places on TV thanks to hours of international House Hunters and recognizing them.  I always SAID I would surely go to this country or that one, but I don't think I ever thought I would ACTUALLY go.  And now I have!  Wacky.  I like this life of mine.

(No, this won't be followed up by a list of 10 Lowlights.  But in case you're wondering, it has one item and it's called "Too many airplanes.")

Foods

I have had this post percolating for months now, but left it unpublished because I thought it was "too soon" for another food post.  Then I thought 1) it's been a long time and 2) when is it ever "too soon" for anything food related?  (The answer to that rhetorical question is: after food poisoning)

If a lot of these seem a little summery, that's because, well, we ate most of these things during the summer.  So don't forget these things come next summer!  In the meantime, enjoy your hot cocoas and pies and perhaps some ham. 

Zucchini Rice Gratin
I had never really made anything like this before.  Partly because, well, I just don't really like rice.  But if there's a way to make me eat rice (besides making it sticky), it's to cover it all up with tomatoes and cheese.  This was delicious!  I think as it is, it's a good main dish for two hungry people, but for more I would probably double it, if only for leftovers.

Strawberry Summer Cake
I'm not even sure how many times I have made this cake now.  It's so easy, it's so tasty and it's so pretty.  I love my triple-decker cakes, but this is a little more...shall we say, practical.  (PS, I love smitten kitchen.  It never fails me!)

Pizza Stromboli with Spinach, Mushrooms and Cheese 
Try to look past the unappetizing photos!  It really was good.  I prefer my pizza crust recipe from Betty Crocker, but theirs is fine too (a little tougher/denser).  It was quite a pretty thing to behold right out of the oven!

Avocado Brownies with Avocado Frosting
I know, right??  But trust me, these were SO good.  We ate the entire first batch ourselves.  The brownies don't taste like avocado--just like super fudgy, dense brownies.  The frosting, if you add all that powdered sugar, doesn't tastes like avocados either.  Personally, I thought the frosting was way too sweet, but it's definitely a taste-as-you-go situation.  I liked having it taste a little more like avocados.

Dark Chocolate Banana Cookies
An easy, tasty way to use up bananas.  They aren't terribly pretty but that's never stopped me.
 
Tomato and corn pie 
I wanted to try this out both because it looked so pretty but also as a different take on our regular tomato pie.  They're both winners, but this one is definitely a little more labor intensive.  Also I had corn all over the kitchen.  It's a small price to pay!  Gosh, I want some tomato pie right now.
 
Avocado Enchiladas
So delicious you won't even notice they're vegetarian.  I like my enchiladas stuffed so I used 4 avocados, and of course it's flour tortillas all the way because corn tortillas are barfy.  

Smitten Kitchen Brownies 
Well, not my favorite brownies, but, you know...brownies nonetheless.

(Still hanging in there?  Like I said, this has been building up for a while now...)

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Soup 
Maybe bok choy isn't my thing, but while I liked this soup, it did not amaze me.  I made it a little too spicy on accident, which didn't help, but Drewbles was a big fan so there's an endorsement for you.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Pull-Apart Sandwich Loaf 
This is not high-brow eating.  But it IS good eating, when you're in the mood for something a step up from a Hot Pocket.  We baked ours.  

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Over the last year or two I have become a big, big fan of poppers.  I save them for special occasions when I need something to look forward to, but since this isn't *technically* poppers, I could make it for no reason whatsoever!  And then eat it all.  

Oreo Pudding Cookies
Another item we ate all on our own...with no complaints.  Maybe we need friends?  Anyway, I was a little skeptical about these cookies, maybe since Oreos aren't my favorite.  But, hear me, blog world, you want these cookies and you want them ASAP.  Do yourself a favor and eat them fresh out of the oven.

Panko Mozzarella Sticks 
You KNOW these were good.  Don't even stop to wonder.  Bonus: they fried up nice.  Much nicer than the poor, ill-fated fried cheese curds...

Baked Mac and Cheese
This summer I kind of went on a homemade mac and cheese streak--partly because I've never met a homemade mac and cheese I love more than Velveeta and partly because, well, I've also never met a mac and cheese I didn't like (except YOURS, Ikea).  Anyhoo, this was one of the experiments.  Better than Velveeta?  Hah!  I thought it was a little heavy and didn't have the smoothness that I like.  But that doesn't mean I didn't scarf it down.

Banana Ice Cream
Meaning, made out of bananas.  Though it's kind of annoying to have to use the food processor, this really does work!  And it even tastes like ice cream.  It's just amazing, and worth a try if only to see how it really works.

The Consequences of Watching LOST

Lately I've been rewatching (ie, relistening) to LOST at work.  It works out well except when Jin says anything.  Anyhoo, it's led to a few changes in my diet and mental wishlist.  Par example: 

(Pictures link to the original sources, if you're curious)

I want to eat these all the time:
 
In fact, I do.

I want to eat these all the time:

Alas, they're not in stores.  Do I even like papayas?  I have no idea.

I want to eat this all the time:

In fact, I do.  (And here I thought I had killed my interest in Kraft mac and cheese with too much in the college days.  Not so!  Thanks, Dharma.)

This would be okay too:

(Haven't gotten to this...yet)

I would like to be here:

Duh.

I also wouldn't mind my body looking like this:

So close!  ...  (We both have four appendages.)

As for everything else, well, I think I'm okay without submarines, dinosaurs smoke monsters and Benry.  FOR NOW.