Bake Off Fail

I lost the baking contest to SEVEN LAYER BARS. AND she forgot a layer so they weren't even 7 layer bars, they were 6 layer bars. Doesn't that mean an automatic disqualification or something? False advertising? Something? Oh well, it was only a baking contest I suppose. Had I not gotten some really FABULOUS news today, that probably would've ruined my whole day. Yes I am that petty and shallow.

Breakfast today was my recent usual cereal and lunch was a sampling of all the desserts. Since I couldn't take pictures for you guys, below is a list and little description of all the items:

Chocolate Chip Cookies - No explanation needed
Striped Delights - Chocolate cake and vanilla frosting layers, with fudge thrown in
Cherry Things - I forgot the name of these but they had a cream cheese layer with cherries and top and actually would've been my vote if I could've voted and wasn't voting for myself (which face it, would NEVER happen, I am always going to vote for myself even if my cheesecake takes like shit)
Chocolate Frosted Cupcakes - Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies - No explanation needed
Seven (actually six) Layer Bars - No explanation needed, these are pretty standard

There was actually a seventh entry that I don't recall at this moment because it had coconut, which I despise.

After work, went for a lovely 4 mile run on the Waltham Bike Trail with Jimmy and actually remembered to bring my camera along this time to photograph it for you guys since it is really pretty :)

There's Jimmy running ahead of me as usual...

The loop I do is 4 miles, but you can shorten it or lengthen it, the actual bike trail is a total of about 20 miles I believe if you do the whole thing. It's a very picturesque trail with a mix of asphalt, packed sand, and wood bridges. It's great for variety and is one of my favorite trails that I've run on. After a nice easy run, Jimmy and I decided that the best way to end our run would be to finish it off with pizza! We decided to head over to the Upper Crust, where I have eaten before, but not the one in Waltham. We ordered a small wheat pizza, half broccoli and half pineapple. The half pineapple was all me...yeah I know I'm a little weird. I'm ok with it.

The pizza itself was good, not quite what I expected though. It was thin crust pizza, but the one I had before I ordered a wheat crust but it was light and fluffy with a thick crust, so I'm not sure if all of the chains are different. I will have to try ordering it again and see what happens. Aside from the pizza, I absolutely loved the ambiance of the place. They had a 90s alternative rock station playing that was soooo up my alley. I love me some 90s alternative rock! The ceiling was also made up of the silver pizza trays, which I thought was super cute.

Now I'm finally off to shower my stinky self after posting this. Have a good night friends!

Big Mouth Sandwich and Pumpkin Cheesecake!

Good evening bloggies! Tonight for dinner I was craving a big mouth sandwich, so that is exactly what I made.

I used that sourdough bread that I bought at the supermarket the other day. Best sourdough I have ever had...so good that I actually had that and only that for dinner last night (trying to own my poor food decisions on the blog). I used roasted chicken breast, avocado, tomato, and a thin spread of spicy mustard. Yum yum yum! It totally hit the spot. Sometimes when you are craving something, you just have to go for it because no substitutions will cure the itch.

After dinner I got started on the pumpkin cheesecake I told y'all about earlier. I do have a confession to make. I did use a pre-made graham cracker crust. I do not usually use the pre-made, but where this is for a work bake off, I tend to never get my dishes back from these things so a pre-made crust was the only way to go. The recipe (including the crust I usually make) is as follows:

Crust:

15 graham cracker sheets (you can use the regular, but in my experience the honey or cinnamon varieties add a special little something extra)
2 tablespoons of sugar (if you use the honey graham crackers, lessen this to one TBSP or it will be too sweet)
1 stick of unsalted butter

Combine ingredients. Using a 9 inch springform plan, press the mixture to the pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Filling:


Envelope of gelatin disolved in water
1 8 oz bar of cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
3/4 cup of sour cream (don't use the low or fat free varieties, it alters the texture)
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese until it's smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, combining well. Pour the mixture into the crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Whipped Cream:


1 cup of whipping cream
1/4 cup of whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat on a low setting at first, increasing speed gradually. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add whipped cream  to the cheesecake. On top, add a sprinkle of nutmeg and toffee chunks. Enjoy!

It was soooo hard not to take a piece for myself, but hopefully there will be some left over tomorrow that I can bring home and enjoy. Alright I'm off to bed, goodnight!

Upstaging Olive Garden

In case you didn't already know, I am a HUGE fan of all things pumpkin. In the spirit of fall, the fuzz and I hit up Olive Garden Sunday night since I had heard their delicious pumpkin cheesecake had made it's way back on to the menu. Indeed it was and of course I ordered it. Typically, the presentation is a little better than this...

There was a TON of whipped cream. All but two bites got eaten between the two of us and I have to say it was everything I remembered.

A few years ago, Real Simple published a recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake that I have tweaked over the last few years, and if I have to say, my pumpkin cheesecake is just a tiny bit better than Olive Garden's. I will be posting the recipe and photos later tonight or tomorrow morning as my work is hosting a "bake-off" and I'm making the pumpkin cheesecake as my entry :) I hope I win :)

Breakfast this morning was Kashi cereal again (I cannot get enough of it these days) and am having leftover Olive Garden for lunch. I ordered the chicken parm with raviolis instead of spaghetti (I've always kind of hated spaghetti...or like the little girl in the commercial for Tyson chicken nuggets says, I hates pasketti because it looks like worms). I also brought along a banana for a mid-morning snack.

On a happy note, I am all moved in and settled into the apartment finally! Filled up the refrigerator yesterday, took the garbage out, and hung up all my pictures so now it's a home :) I will be walking around taking some photos tonight to show you guys the finished product. I know I  haven't talked about it much on the blog but my last living situation was a BAD decision and probably my biggest regret from the last few years. I only lived there for 2 months but it was some of the longest and most uncomfortable moments of my life. It even trumps in college when we were all labeling our toilet paper. I actually got a call from my roommate last night after I moved out accusing me of stealing a bookcase. Really? This experience definitely reminded me why I've chosen to live alone since moving out of my Southie apartment. Oh well. Lesson learned.

Have you had any bad roommate situations?

Orange is the new Beige

Hi hi hi! Painted the new apartment today finally. My cantaloupe slice turned out very lovely, I couldn't possibly be happier! I was supposed to paint the apartment in "neutrals" but orange is kind of a neutral right? Like a beige? No? Oh well. I love bright colors and I love it. Here is a shot of my helper...well not really helper, since she did the hard part of all the trim while I just rolled the big parts...

As you can see, the room was pretty boring before. Here is the finished product!

I actually did both the livingroom and diningroom in this color since they are connected and it just seemed to make sense to do them both the same color. In the livingroom (which has a lot of sunlight) the paint looks orange sherbert-esque. In the diningroom it looks more peachy. I love it in both lights. All I have to say is thank God for Danielle...there is no way I could've done this all myself and it turned out so great that I'm contemplating the rest of the apartment too!

After painting, I did another load in my car including all the rugs and then made yet another trip to Target only to discover when I returned to the apartment that the curtains I bought for the diningroom don't fit. Boo.

Today's eats were totally random since it was such a busy day...breakfast was a bowl and a half of kashi cereal with I loved. I haven't had cereal in two months so it has been on my mind. Lunch was just a kashi bar and some veggie chips. Dinner was the most random of all. On my way back from Target a craving hit me. Baked beans! So when I got back to the apartment I whipped some up and they were everything I had hoped they would be!

To make the meal a little more balanced I had some strawberries and banana on the side for some fruits since I had no fruits and veggies today and that was all I had in the house. I can't wait to have a big ginormous salad on Monday after I go grocery shopping :)

What are you craving today?

An "Oh Shit" Moment

Happy bagel friday! You all know that I love bagel friday. I went with my usual of an everything bagel with plain cream cheese (still no veggie in sight today). Just as I was slathering up my bagel with cream cheese, I dropped half of it. And I also said "oh shit" very loudly in a room full of my coworkers. I swear that I could feel the room go silent and everyone's eyes turn to me to see what could possibly cause me to swear in public at work. Luckily, someone made a "5 second rule" joke and the silence was then filled with laughter. I laughed too in relief that someone broke the awkward silence and then I had to go make another bagel. Not a good start to the day, but I figure it can only go up from here right?

So tomorrow I'm painting my new apartment, with the assistance of my lovely friend Danielle (who is the bestest friend EVER) and I went to Home Depot at lunch to pick up the supplies. Let me just preface this by saying that few things overwhelm me like a warehouse store (like BJs, Costco, Home Depot, DSW Shoes) and this was no exception. Thank GOD there was an employee who knew about painting there to help me because I had no idea what I was doing. Who knew there were so many different kinds, brands, etc. of paint? I mean, it's paint, how hard can it be? I told him how big the two rooms were that I was painting and he told me how much paint I would need and what finish I should use. Luckily I walked out with sufficient amount of paint and the supplies needed to get my new apartment all spiffy, ready for the furniture on Sunday. I have to tell you I am beyond excited to have this move over with. It has been a long process and it's about time for it to be over. In case you guys were curious, this is the color I will be painting my livingroom...cantaloupe slice!

Lunch was on the go (I know you're surprised) so it had to be something quick and easy. I swung through the McDonald's drive through for some chicken strips and a parfait. Not the healthiest, but not the worst I've ever eaten either.

Now onto something more serious. I have recently redevoted myself to this whole blog thing, because honestly, I really do love it. I love committing my ideas to paper (or in this case, internet paper) and having people read it. Since recommitting though, I've struggled with finding my voice. I have been comparing myself to so many of the other blogs I read and being critical of the way I do this blog. I feel guilt over the lack of pictures and the shitty quality of the ones I do post. But you know what? In the end I can't stress about these things. There are too many other important things in life that I can stress over. The blog is supposed to be my outlet, not a source of anxiety for me. So I'm just going to make more of an effort to go with the flow and not stress if I can't get good pictures for the blog or if I happen to miss a day due to life getting in the way and focus more on the things that I want to write about, not telling you guys what I eat every meal of every day. Because let's be honest, I'm a creature of habit and I happen to eat the same shit every day for weeks straight. It's not the best nutritionally, but it works for me. I eat something until I get sick of it. So thanks for sticking with me the few of you who actually do read the blog and I hope you will keep reading, even if my pictures are crap...

P.S. Are you guys liking the new layout? I think it looks a lot cleaner, don't you think?

OMG! Donna Finally Slept with David!

Happy 90210 day everyone! We must pay homage to one of the greatest shows ever. I wish I still had my B.U.M. Equipment sweatshirt from the 5th grade so I could bust it out today. As a side note...who is that guy on the far right? Was he on for like 3 episodes? And did anyone else dislike Andrea Zuckerman intensely the way I did? As an FYI for all of you fellow 90210 lovers out there, SoapNet plays reruns constantly. They also play reruns of the O.C., Gilmore Girls, and One Tree Hill...so if teen shows are your thing (like they are mine) then call your cable provider and get this station! If only they would start playing reruns of Dawson's Creek, I wouldn't need any other channels. Well that's not exactly true, I would still need ABC Family for Secret Life and MTV for Jersey Shore. Speaking of that, is everyone is excited about the Sammi vs. J-Woww showdown tonight? 10pm it's going down. Very exciting.

Breakfast this morning was just a Lara Bar because I was running late again (why oh why can't I get my act together and get out the door when I need to?). Today and tomorrow are my last two days eating on the fly because Sunday afternoon I will be all moved in to my new apartment and able to make normal meals again!

Who was your favorite 90210 character?

Goal Setting

Reading Rachel's blog today inspired me to write down and commit to a few goals for the rest of the year. It's been a rough couple of days for me, so I think having some goals to focus on will keep me sane.

1. Try cooking all of the recipes I have been meaning to make forever. I have flagged a bunch of recipes in my cookbooks and saved a bunch of blog recipes and online recipes in a folder but have yet to actually attempt to make any in quite a while. It's time they stopped collecting dust and made it into my belly!
2. Throw a really fabulous dinner party. This one goes along with number 1 since I have a few great dinner party recipes in my folder. Plus I just moved into a new apartment and want to show it off!
3. Make more of an effort to stick to the workout schedule I make myself at the beginning of the week. I set workout plans for myself every week but very rarely follow it. This keeps me from accomplishing my goals of toning up, becoming a better runner, etc. It's important to get my workouts in.
4. Be a better blogger. It will be easier now that I have finally moved and am not living out of boxes. Taking pictures with my phone really stinks. But I haven't been able to find my camera charger since I got back from the Dominican, so hopefully it makes a reappearance when I finish unpacking. I also want to be more consistent with my blogging and to incorporate my other passions into the blog in addition to the food.

What are your goals?