#26: Bake something from scratch once a month for 6 months (month #6)

Well, my six months of baking has come to an end and I must admit that I have thoroughly enjoyed testing my skills and sharing my wares with friends and family.  Although my waistline will likely thank me, I will miss having the opportunity to create something new and delicious month.  I do plan to continue baking (as I honestly think I'm pretty darn good at it).  

I wanted to bring a tasty treat to the student organization I advise at Dickinson's last meeting of the semester.  The chair of the organization, Maria, suggested that I make red velvet cake (one of her favorites).  I took her advice but decided to do it a little differently and whipped up a batch of Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies using a recipe from the one and only Paula Deen.

 

 

 

Cookies aka Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Baking a sweet treat for my students was the least I could do to thank them for all of their hard work!  Two of my colleagues were out of the office this semester on maternity leave, so all of us were feeling stretched a little thin with lots of work to do! My students took everything in stride and were extremely self-sufficient, helpful, and understanding.  They are THE BEST!

My chair and assistant chair, Maria & Hector, enjoying their dessert!

I'll end this post with a little tune from the acts my students brought to campus as the fall concert this year... :)

#54: Try 5 "classic" cocktails I have never tasted (Manhattan)

This past weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of attending the wedding of one of my best friends from college, the wonderful Ryan!  I have so many fond memories of times spent with Ryan over the years.

Serious faces, per usual

I can't think of anyone else who would host a party with me that had the theme "Broadway Musicals" - complete with Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Jell-o shots, Audrey II Dirt Dessert, and guests dressed in costume screaming show tunes at the top of their lungs!

Okay, Mariah Carey hand...get it, get it

We've done karaoke, talked in our sleep, quoted movies over and over again, modeled a jingle thong, bootlegged with the best of them, and owned the Thumper table.  Ryan's one of the most loyal, kind, and amazing people I have ever met - so obviously I was THRILLED when he met someone so perfect for him, in the form of the lovely Lauren!  Ryan and Lauren met via JDate (holler!), the premier Jewish singles community online.

Success!

Ryan & Lauren

It was great reuniting with a bunch of my college friends to celebrate the union of such a great couple.  During the cocktail hour, I took the opportunity to tackle #54 on my list:  to try 5 classic cocktails I have never tasted.  Brett and Jake suggested I try a Manhattan.  I have MADE a few Manhattans in my day, but never actually tasted one.  I followed Jake's cue and ordered mine with a little cherry juice in it - which definitely takes away a bit from the "classic" nature of the drink but, whatever, I do what I want! Overall, I enjoyed my Manhattan and probably wouldn't hesitate to order another should I find myself hankering for some bourbon!

Manhattan!

Surprise Face!

#26: Bake something from scratch once a month for 6 months (month #5)

My November baking challenge was to create a yummy celebratory dessert in honor of the birthday of my wonderful sister-in-law, Kate!  We have had some fun times together...

Being the coolest people on the boardwalk

Downing oysters

Dressing up

I think Kate fits in just fine with our fun, loving, sometimes unpredictable family!  I am so glad my brother found someone who loves him as deeply and unconditionally as Kate loves Tom - and I will say for certain that the feeling and sentiment is mutual from Tom to Kate.  She has an eye for the aesthetics, a undying love of animals and nature, a deep care for others, and a knack for imitating accents (especially Irish ones!).  I am so privileged to call her my sister - I LOVE YOU, KATE!

When I asked Tom what Kate might like for her birthday dessert, he told me that she tends to enjoy pie over cake.  As I wracked my brain for ideas, I remembered many fun times spent roasting marshmallow Peeps over the fire pit at my parents' house and making s'mores - and recalled reading a recipe online for s'mores pie!  I decided upon a recipe from Gourmet that did NOT disappoint!  I will be honest that I did not make the marshmallow topping as the recipe suggests.  For one, I don't have a candy thermometer - and the recipe seemed to suggest that this might be important.  Not to mention the fact that I had this picture in my head involving marshmallow goo and my hair, culminating in me crying as Shannon came at me wielding scissors...  That being said, I opted instead for marshmallows cut in half as my top layer.  If I ever make this again (and I probably will, as it was SO GOOD), I might try a combination of marshmallows and marshmallow fluff.  Once again, I only took ONE picture of my pie - and it was only of the graham cracker and chocolate components!  Another photography fail on my part!  Just try to picture the top of the pie covered in beautifully browned marshmallows!

I think the pie was very well received and it topped off an AMAZING (as always) dinner prepared by my mom.

HAPPY 27TH BIRTHDAY, KATE!!!!

#35: Visit 5 restaurants I've never been to in my hometown/surrounding area (ShakeDown BBQ)

I am currently back into training mode as I prepare to run another half marathon in Disney in January - with hopes of accomplishing one of my goals of finishing in under 2 hours!  Because of this, Saturday morning consisted of a nice 8 mile run around Harrisburg.  I'm not big on eating too much before running longer distances, and normally I consume a good mixture of carbs and protein following a run.  My usual routine was thwarted this past weekend, however, as Shan called me to let me know she was on her way to pick me up so we could finish up her car shopping experience.  It wasn't an unexpected call by any means - but I opted to get dressed and put on makeup over eating so that I could be ready in time.

I began this blog entry with the above story to explain how after hours of car negotiating, finance jibber jabber, and jokes about camels, I was absolutely FAMISHED and probably would have eaten a tray of celery if it had been available.  [for all of you who don't know - I loathe celery]  After Shannon worked her magic and became the proud owner of a 2012 Honda Fit, we were finally free to go obtain some much needed sustenance.

Since neither of us are the best at making decisions about dining options, it took us a good while to decide to head over to ShakeDown BBQ in Grantville.  This establishment only recently found its permanent home in Grantville after its humble beginnings in a church parking lot off of Route 39.  

I love how you can see the sun setting!  :)

I am absolutely terrible at remembering to document with pictures - especially when I'm super hungry and dreaming of delicious BBQ fare, so I don't have any to post.  I can share that the food was absolutely delicious!  Shannon and I ordered three meats that came with two sides.  We chose to enjoy brisket, pork, and ribs with the sides of coleslaw and baked beans.  We also requested two rolls - which were honestly the only disappointing part of the meal - if anyone from ShakeDown is reading this, you'd get an extra star in my book if you got more fresh tasting rolls (maybe even cornbread)!  :)  My favorite part of the meal was probably the ribs - they were super tender and fall-off-the-bone.  We chose two sauces to accompany the meat, I believe they were just called "spicy" and "regular".  Word the wise - the spicy is pretty freaking spicy. I mean, I've definitely had worse, but if you're not expecting it (or if they mislabel the containers....hehehe), you might be in for a surprise!  

I will definitely make another trip (or two, or more) to ShakeDown in the future - especially once the weather starts getting warm again.  Central PA is lucky to have a place that is committed to creating and serving fresh, simple, and tasty food.  

#19: Cook 5 new-to-me dinner recipes (recipe 3)

As most of you know, my family is extremely important to me and since I am living in Harrisburg (my hometown) I try to have dinner with my parents at least once a week.  Usually dinner involves an amazing meal cooked by my multi-talented mom, or an occasional venture to one of our favorite restaurants.  This week I decided I would contribute to our weekly gathering by preparing something in my crock pot.  I am a big fan of food blogs and stumbled upon A Year of Slow Cooking a while ago, which is written by New York Times best selling author, award-winning blogger, and mother of three, Stephanie O'Dea, but never actually made anything from the site.  The commentary on the recipe I ended up choosing was very positive - plus I happen to think that pork is extremely tasty when prepared slow and low!  I assembled the recipe for Hirino Psito at night and then set it to cook while I was sleeping.

In prepping the pork for its overnight simmer, I did make a few adjustments as well as paid homage to a local Central Pennsylvania staple.  To start, I realized that I did not have Worcestershire sauce - so I substituted that with 1/2 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce and 1/2 tablespoon of hot sauce.  The recipe also called for 1 cup of beer.  In an effort to save myself an out of the way trip to the beer distributor, I opted to use the only beer I had on hand in my apartment:  an oversized bottle of Mad Elf Ale from our local Harrisburg brewery, Troegs.

This stuff is a seasonal brew, usually available from October until December - and at 11% ABV, it sure packs a punch!  My uncle Jeff always make sure to have lots of it on hand for the holidays (tis the season, afterall)!  I will never forget the one Thanksgiving not so long ago when my brother, Tom, didn't realize quite how potent Mad Elf could be and consumed more than two of them.  His night may or may not have looked something like this...

I added a cup of Mad Elf to the crock pot (and then consumed the remainder...hehe) and I think it was a good choice!  The cherry and honey flavors of the beer definitely complimented the rest of the ingredients and tasted delicious!  

mmmmmmm! :)

This recipe was SO easy - definitely a winner and a keeper in my book!

#30: Try 5 new foods (Romanesco)

Last weekend, Shannon and I had a head of cauliflower already in our cart at Wegmans when our eyes were drawn to the odd looking, light green vegetable prominently on display.  Upon further inquiry, we learned from a nice Wegmans employee that this seemingly alien-like food was romanesco, which has characteristics similar to both broccoli and cauliflower.  Obviously, we had to do a little switch-a-roo and opted for the romanesco over our boring, usual cauliflower!  I couldn't get over how COOL the romanesco looked, with its approximate fractal pattern and bright color!  It reminded me a bit of a bunch of mini Christmas trees!

 

SO COOL!

Shan and I cooked the romanesco simply - by steaming - and it turned out delicious.  It tastes very similar to cauliflower (which is a favorite of mine) but had a bit of a nutty flavor to it.

I definitely plan to add romanesco into my cooking rotation.  I found some really great sounding recipes online that I want to use in the future and thought I'd share them with all of my faithful readers.

• Cilantro Noodle Bowl with Romanesco
• Romanesco with Pine Nuts and Garlic
• Cauliflower and Romanesco Soup

#30: Try 5 new foods (Iberico Cheese)

My next new food adventure happened yesterday on a lazy Saturday morning as it was SNOWING in Harrisburg.  Yes, you read that correctly - it was SNOWING on October 29th!  As large flakes began to collect on the trees outside, I decided it seemed like the perfect occasion to whip up a batch of a family favorite, popovers, for me and Shannon to enjoy.  The recipe for popovers comes from my grandma's second husband (my step-grandfather, technically), Harry Snell - it is easy and delicious.  This post, however, is not about the popovers, but rather about the scrumptious Iberico Cheese that we enjoyed alongside of them!

Shannon bought the cheese at Trader Joe's while she was home in Pittsburgh.  After some quick research, I discovered that Iberico, a blend of pasteurized milk from cows, goats, and sheep, is produced only in the province of Valladolid in central Spain.  I would describe its taste as very smooth and creamy - which paired wonderfully with the popovers that I made.  This will definitely be a cheese that I purchase and enjoy again!  YUMMY!

#35: Visit 5 restaurants I've never been to in my hometown/surrounding area (Blue Moose Bar & Grille)

Last night I met my mom for dinner at relatively new restaurant just up the road from my parents' house:  Blue Moose Bar & Grille.  The building in which the restaurant is located has been reincarnated many times over the years and I actually worked as a server when it was known as Sasha's Hideaway.  I will never forget the colorful interior decorations of a restaurant trying to tout itself as "fine dining" yet presenting its dessert menu on a rolling pin.

Oh the memories!

I started off doing well with remembering to document my experience last evening when I took a photo of my dinner salad, but as my mom and I got wrapped up in conversation, I completely forgot to take any other photos.

Exciting, right?

As an entree I had Pork Shanklets, which promised to be "fall-off-the-bone" tender and smothered in a chipotle BBQ sauce.  I would say they fulfilled their promise!  The pork was quite tasty and they gave me a hefty portion as well.  In addition to the dinner salad, after encouragement from my mom, I chose sweet potato wedges with maple syrup drizzle as a second side dish.  Honestly, they were SO yummy - the perfect balance of a crispy exterior and soft interior on the potato and the sweet addition of the maple syrup.  I wouldn't necessarily refer to them as "wedges" though - they were definitely shaped like steak fries.  

My mom had the Ginger Glazed Wild Salmon with a dinner salad and mashed potatoes.  I sampled a bit of her meal and it was good as well!

Overall, the food was not the best I've ever had and certainly did not knock my socks off - but it was tasty and nothing was overtly unappealing in any way.  I'm sure I'll be back at some point - especially given its proximity to my parents' house.

#26: Bake something from scratch once a month for 6 months (month #4)

For my October baking, I knew I wanted to do something that captured the essence of fall and I was drawn (yet again) to a really yummy sounding recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen.  The recipe, Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, sounded just up my alley - especially the cream cheese frosting (omg omg omg)!!!  The cake was SUPER easy to make and, for once, I actually had most of the ingredients already in my pantry, with the exception of the applesauce and cream cheese.  As a side note - I bought applesauce from the store but, as the recipe recommends, I think the cake would be even BETTER if you were to use homemade applesauce.  After all, aren't most things better when they are homemade?

I originally made this recipe to take to a game night that Shannon and I were planning attend.  Unfortunately, our lives got too busy - coupled with both of us having what we lovingly referred to as "the plague" for what felt like months - and we were not able to make it.  Although we weren't able to take it to share with friends at the party, we did both taste the cake and thought it was delicious (Shan isn't a big dessert person, so I doubt she called it "delicious" but she did actually EAT some - so that should say something about its taste!).  She then brought it in to work and reported back that it was completely DEVOURED.  Hollerrrrr!

I'm also going to admit that I completely forgot to take ANY pictures of the cake - not making it, icing it, eating it - NOTHING.  Whoops!  Oh well, Smitten Kitchen has much better photos of the finished product anyway...I swear mine looked just as pretty.  :)

I am already brainstorming ideas for next month's baking challenge.  If anyone has any suggestions - feel free to leave a comment!

Since I forgot to take pictures to post on the blog, in honor of my favorite holiday, HALLOWEEN, here are some cute photos of babies in costume!

My future children are so screwed... :)

#37: Volunteer/participate in some form of community service 5 times (Dickinson Day of Service)

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from some of my colleagues in the Office of Religious Life & Community Services at Dickinson asking for my participation in the 1st Annual Dickinson Day of Service.  I'm going to be completely honest:  I read the email and deleted it rather quickly.  Now before you all pass judgment on me as a human being, please allow me to explain my rationale:  my office is down a number of staff members and I was relishing having day, since the students were on Fall Pause on the Day of Service, to catch up on work and organize my life.  Little did I know that I would become victim to a seriously effective guilt trip from my friend and colleague, Mira.  After Mira had me convinced that I was the only person in my office NOT participating (BLATANT LIE, PASTOR HEWLETT!), I changed my mind and decided to take part in the Day of Service.

Don't be fooled...she only LOOKS sweet and innocent!

I was assigned to be a Team Leader for a group that would be doing work at a domestic violence shelter in Carlisle.  I can't say much about the shelter specifically, as we had to sign a confidentiality agreement upon our arrival there - but I will say that I am absolutely thrilled I chose to participate.  Members of my group spent almost three hours raking leaves, hanging curtains in a children's playroom, and cleaning. 

Me and Sarah

My awesome group!

I think this is also a good time to give a BIG shout out to my friend and colleague, Taylor, for all of her hard work in putting this awesome event together!  It was such a success!

YAY TAYLOR!

As I mentioned, I can't reveal details about the shelter that we visited, but I did want to take this opportunity to relay some information about domestic violence - and it seems fitting that I'm writing this post in October:  Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

I took the following language from this website verbatim, mainly because I think it gave a accurate and succinct description.  I recommend visiting the website, as it provides a lot of very helpful information.  

Domestic abuse, also known as spousal abuse, occurs when one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person. Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic violence.  

Domestic violence and abuse are used for one purpose and one purpose only: to gain and maintain total control over you. An abuser doesn’t “play fair.” Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under his or her thumb. Your abuser may also threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you. 

Domestic violence and abuse does not discriminate. It happens among heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships. It occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And while women are more commonly victimized, men are also abused—especially verbally and emotionally, although sometimes even physically as well. The bottom line is that abusive behavior is never acceptable, whether it’s coming from a man, a woman, a teenager, or an older adult. You deserve to feel valued, respected, and safe.

Some additional facts...

• Every nine seconds a woman is beaten by her intimate partner
• One in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime
• Only about half of domestic violence incidents are reported to the police
• Research suggests that domestic violence in LGBT relationships is just as widespread as domestic violence in relationships between heterosexual couples

No one should EVER have to feel unsafe or alone.  If you or anyone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. 

#16: Ask five people for their favorite books and read each one (Nanci)

While I was at the beach in Avalon, New Jersey at the end of July with my family, my Aunt Nanci finished reading the book "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay and recommended it to me.  I started reading it while we were on vacation but, embarrassingly enough, did not finish it until last evening.

 

My Aunt Nanci and Uncle Mark circa 1984

She hasn't changed a bit - soooo beautiful!

In an effort not to give away any parts of the book - I will only say that I found the book to be quite compelling, heart breaking, and well-written.  It was a very easy read and I would most definitely encourage anyone looking for a new book to give it a go!

Evidently this book is (or will be) made into a movie as well.  I have found that I normally hate the movie versions of books - Harry Potter being the only exception, and in that case, I enjoy both the movie AND book versions equally for different reasons. Who knows, maybe I'll go see it...probably not though...

#70: Visit 5 museums - The Franklin Institute, Mummies of the World Exhibit (SO DELAYED)

One of the difficulties with attempting to complete my 101 in 1001 project is that I find myself unable to recall many of the items on my list.  Often I have to choose one specific task on the list in advance and then set out to finish it.  As I was browsing my list this evening, I realized that over the summer, my mom and I visited the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia to see Mummies of the World:  The Exhibition.  

For those of you who may not know - I have a serious fascination with mummies - one that began back when I was a child.  I remember going to museums, stopping at the mummy exhibits, and just staring with wide eyes and mouth agape, totally fixated.  I am happy to report that things haven't changed much!

One of my favorite mummies was that of a tattooed woman who was discovered in Peru.  I was amazed to see how much hair was still remaining on her head after such a long amount of time.  

 

Another takeaway message for me was the idea that the curators were intentional about creating an exhibit that showcased the mummies with reverence and dignity.  The bodies in front of me were once people who lived lives just as fully as I currently do - they loved, laugh, smiled, touched, tasted, smelled - I was keenly aware of how it important it is to never forget that fact. 

my souvenir :)

#35: Visit 5 restaurants I've never been to in my hometown/surrounding area (Chalit's Thai Bistro)

My mom and I decided that Friday night dinner together sounded like the perfect ending to a fairly hectic week!  We have a few restaurants in the area that we tend to frequent, which is partially why I decided to add #35 to my list!  Chalit's Thai Bistro (a local BYOB) has been open for around two years and, although I have heard good things, I just didn't have a chance to make it there yet. After a little Googling, I found that the owner Chalit "Chad" Kijcharoen, who grew up in Thailand, spent several years living and working in California before following his partner to the East Coast.

Chalit's Thai Bistro!

Following the theory that you can't go wrong ordering the specials, my mom and I started off with a papaya salad that was finished with shrimp and a spicy lime dressing.  It was absolutely delicious!  I loved the juxtaposition of the mildly sweet papaya with the spice of the dressing.  It hit me halfway through my entree that I should have been taking pictures - so I apologize in advance for the lack of photography (I took the above photo as I was leaving the restaurant...)! 

For our entrees, my mom chose the special spicy seafood wok and I ordered the special salmon and avocado curry.  As we usually do with Thai, we shared the entrees and I must say that both of them were absolutely DELICIOUS.  The ingredients tasted fresh and the dish contained just the right amount of spice. 

YUMMY

We thought the entire meal was great and we will definitely be returning sometime in the future! 

#25: See all of the films that, since I was born, have won the Academy Award for Best Picture (Driving Miss Daisy)

Although I still have many more days ahead of me in which to accomplish all of tasks I set for myself, I realized the other day that I had QUITE a few movies to watch in order to finish!  I definitely enjoy a good movie and certainly do not consider myself to have any attention deficit whatsoever, but I often find it very difficult to sit and watch an entire film from start to finish.  Nonetheless, I set some time aside the other day to watch "Driving Miss Daisy," which won the 1989 Academy Award for Best Picture. 

I honestly knew very little about this film prior to watching it - and definitely did not know that it was adapted from a play of the same name by Alfred Uhry.  I found the movie to be very subtle but also very sweet.  Both Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman were just wonderful in their roles - not to mention the fact that I got a kick out of seeing Dan Aykroyd looking so young.  I was hoping to find a photo of his character in this oh-so-amazing red and white country western attire that he sported at one point but I came up empty handed in my search on the interwebs...