Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Turkey Day! I made Green Bean Casserole and Lasagna, yum! I have a lot to be thankful for and I hope you do too.

I Made Pizza and Rice Pudding

Yum! Yesterday I got to try out two recipe ideas that have been kicking around in my brain for awhile. I put local tomato sauce, that I'd purchased at the farmer's market, on top of a store bought whole wheat pizza dough. Then I layered on 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 1 package of MorningStar Farms Veggie Crumbles (that I'd sauteed up with Olive Oil and some fresh Italian garlic that I also bought at the farmer's market), an entire container of Ricotta cheese, and 2 more cups of mozzarella. It was a bit more like lasagna than pizza, and I'm not crazy about the whole wheat crust, but my friends liked it. (I brought the food when Steve and I went to play "Magic: The Gathering" with a few of our friends last night.) They also liked my first attempt at rice pudding: Sushi rice cooked with Half & Half, sugar, and vanilla extract. It was a little crunchy but the flavor profile was there. Next time I'd like to figure out a base for it, and I'll probably add cinnamon and nutmeg, but it was still good. It was nice to be in the kitchen again and to cook for people who haven't tasted my food before.

I Own "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter"!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have wanted this book ever since I heard the author interviewed on NPR a few months ago. I looked into getting it but it was $25 so I figured I'd have to wait a year for it to come out in paperback. Instead, I bought it for 50 cents yesterday at a local senior center's used book sale. Yippeee! I was so excited when I pulled it out of the box that I actually shouted in the middle of the senior center's lobby. Oh, well. I can't wait to start reading the book tonight.

Pics as Promised

I can now say that I've been in the same room as Michael Symon! I really like watching Food Network and I love "Iron Chef". Thankfully, a local charity hosts an "Iron Cook" competition every year pitting three local chefs against a celebrity. This year's guest chef was none other than Chef Symon. I had a great time listening to the friendly banter of all the participants and smelling the wonderful food they made. The charity raised a lot of money so this event was a winner all around.

Next up, a big thank you to my friend Jim. Having finished with a bunch (23) of his Dr. Who novels he passed them on to me. I couldn't believe it when I found a giant bag of books behind my desk the other day at work and, when I told him it might be awhile before I returned them, he told me not to worry about it. I will be baking or cooking up a treat for him soon for sure!

Finally, Halloween costumes. Steve dressed up for the party on Saturday night as a NY Giants "Superfan". That, btw, is a NYG Superbowl Champions Banner that is tied around Steve's neck as a cape.

I, of course, went as David Tenant's Doctor Who. At Mike's party on Sunday (where we read Shakespeare's Scottish play) everyone got who I was immediately because we're all SciFi/Fantasy nerds.

Halloween & Elections

Sorry about not posting in awhile. I was sick for most of October. I did, however, get well in time to have a great Halloween and I'll be posting pics and details of my adventures here soon. In the meantime, I'd like to put in a plug for Democracy. Please vote today. It is very important to exercise our right to choose our leaders. Besides, if you don't participate, you don't get to complain later. :)