thursday things

aug 8 sunset

Another Thursday and another beautiful sunset.  Skies like these almost make me forget that I live in the middle of a desert wasteland.  It looks deceptively paradise-y, doesn’t it?  Pretty sure paradise-y is a word…

In food news, scientists are growing hamburgers from stem cells, while Brooklyn is making them with ramen.  Both are a bit too weird for me (clearly one more than the other).  Not sure that I could ever imagine myself eating meat that was grown in a laboratory… Just sayin.

Also, Bon Appetit uses their powers to bust tomato myths so we can use them at their full potential.

Apparently Germany has parmesan pencils with pencil-sharpener cheese graters.  Possibly the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.  Again, another thing that I can’t get in the U.S.

Americans are fat, why can’t we have these things!?

While driving home from mom’s last week, I caught part of an interview with America’s Test Kitchen on NPR.  I downloaded the podcast once I got home, and it’s worth a listen.  There’s some great tips, along with an exceptionally embarrassing pronunciation of the word”chipotle.”

That, of course, made me remember that podcasts are a thing and I frantically started DOWNLOADING ALL THE THINGS. Particularly those from America’s Test Kitchen, which apparently has a podcast, and today on my way to work instead of listening to the same stupid song over and over again on my way to work I learned about the history of Betty Crocker, how to make a better fettucini alfredo, and how to adjust recipes that include malt powder. All without having to pay a bajillion dollars for one of their newsstand magazines!  I can feel my brain getting bigger already.

Thanks, America’s Test Kitchen!

I was super excited (possibly an unacceptable amount of excited) to have my s’mores icebox cake featured on one of Huffington Post’s recipe roundups yesterday.

huffpost wee eats

I can’ thelp but laugh when I got the e-mail asking permission to use my recipe.  Who says “NO WAY, HUFFPO! TAKE A HIKE!”  I’m sure someone probably does… but not me!  I was all like

I’m dying over this recipe from Steamy Kitchen.  If you think you’re not a brussels sprouts person, think again.  These look life-changingly good.

The BF introduced me to comedians in cars getting coffee, featuring the amazing Alec Baldwin.

In other amazing video news, the amazing Daft Punk actually punked out on Stephen Colbert which resulted in what was probably a much more amazing performance than they would have provided.  Talk about making lemonade from lemons!

And now, for no reason, this red panda

Okay, there’s a reason.  He’s so frickin’ adorable.

Thursday Things


skydrop

It’s Thursday, and doesn’t that sky look beautiful?

Well, you’re wrong.

It’s not beautiful.  it’s horrible.  Would you like to know why?

Because that sun is trying to melt us alive.

photo

88 degrees before 6:00 AM…. See? It’s evil.

And those highs for the week?  Pure evil.

So, a lot of news this week (aside from the sun trying to burn us off the face of the Earth).

As you may have heard, a red panda escaped the National Zoo… Knowing my deep love of these cuddly critters, there was some speculation as to whether or not I may or may not have been involved…

The BF and I were both devastated that we missed what probably would have been our only chance to bring a red panda into our lives. If only we’d known… then we could have been there!  (I thought you were supposed break free NEXT month!  It’s ok, we’ll be there with the getaway vehicle next time, red panda!)

In other news, I saw this at the store and it BLEW MY MIND.

cookies n cream cereal

I know, your mind was just blown too.  Is it just me or have there been more new cereal flavors released in the past year than in the last like 5 years combined?  Not that I’m complaining…

I was strong the first time, “No, Natalie, you already have too much cereal at home.”

But then, they put it on sale, and all of my self-control immediately dissolved and next thing I knew it was strapped into my passenger seat.

I’m just kidding, I know cereal doesn’t need to wear a seatbelt.  I’m not that crazy…

Next Thursday I’ll let you know how it is.

Also, there was this… It was even on sale, and I resisted!


jif whip

Even though I really wanted to buy it.  Like really really.

Like walked around Target petting it and talking to it… whispering sweet nothings into its ear… but then I put it back, because it seems like I should be able to whip my own peanut butter, right?  Is it really that easy?  I’m not sure, but I’ll find out.

Then, also at Target, I found this monstrosity, which may have been the worst food-related creation that I’ve seen in a long time.

cosmo yogurt

Really, Yoplait?  What is happening over there?   “Women like cosmos, right? Let’s make yogurt that tastes like cosmos!” … I’m going to assume that a board of “brilliant” men came up with this idea.

Speaking of brilliant men, you must check out this video.  I imagine BF would have a similar experience if he were trying to use a moby wrap (which I didn’t know was a thing before watching that video).

My BFF sent it to me and at first I was skeptical… but then I watched it like 248293482349 times so…. sorry, bestie, I never should have doubted you!  (Honestly, I should really know better by now)

Let’s be honest here, he is MILES ahead of where I would be trying to use one…

On a related note, I just learned how to embed videos on here!  We all learned together, aren’t you so happy?  I’m sure you’re just as thrilled as I am.  THIS MEANS SO MUCH FOR OUR FUTURE TOGETHER!

Also, the BF shared this amazing Craigslist ad for a (slightly used) yoga mat with me… It basically made my day the other day.  It took my day from like a 2 to an 11.  AN ELEVEN!

And since I started with red pandas, I feel like I should end with them too.  Yet another reason why red pandas are the best animals ever:

I wish I could be that happy when I worked out – haha!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  I’ll probably die of heat stroke… but if I don’t, I will be sure to make you all a wonderful post to read.

Or maybe I’ll make one and set it to auto-publish just in case…

thursday things

sky 3 6 13

 

The other night the sky looked like it was on fire.  This picture truly does it no justice.  One day I will use the real camera to take a picture, but until that day you are stuck with phone photos.

The ladies over at Some Kitchen Stories have released their March calendar, blood orange is the theme this month.  So head over to their site and put some beautiful on your computer screen.  I promise they don’t endorse me and they really don’t even know who I am, I just really love their desktop calendars.  I can’t help myself.  They have some lovely recipes as well, just sayin.

calendar_1280x960_Mar

The bf has a serious issue, he cannot keep a gift from me to save his life.  So, as an early birthday gift, he gave me one of the best gifts ever.  Apparently he took note of my obsession with red pandas and, since apparently we can’t actually own one, he “adopted” one for me for my birthday!  So our beautiful Sita has our support (well, his support on my behalf) for the next year!

PSITA_wallpapers

 

Check out Red Panda Network and support your own red panda!  I wish we could actually adopt her for a year, but she has two babies to raise (according to her bio) so that wouldn’t be very nice, although we would happily take all three!

He’s also trying to kill me by bringing these home.

salty sweet mms

Don’t buy them.  Ever.  I don’t know what the official serving size is (because I refuse to look) but I’m pretty sure it’s significantly less than one bag.  Which means I am in deep trouble.  Evil.  Pure Evil.

I snacked on a lot of this last weekend…

prosciutto ritz

because nothing says “classy” like prosciutto and ritz.  Nothing.

Except maybe this classy toothpick holder.  Because everyone needs an adorable hedgehog to hold their toothpicks, right?  And it might distract people from your expensive cured-meat on cheap delicious cracker addiction.  And, more importantly, steer them away from your prosciutto toward the olives instead, leaving more delicious prosciutto for you.  Win-win.

hedgehog-3

And we did find our new winner of the Wee Eats Giveaway – Congratulations to Mabel Chan from Beverly Hills, California!  You will soon be enjoying your very own copy of The Art & Soul of Baking!

And now, it’s hilarious video time.

If you like to laugh, you absolutely have to watch this video of Conan O’Brien reviewing the new Tomb Raider game.  Whether you like video games or not, I promise you that it is hi-freaking-larious.

I’m also DYING over this video of Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer” … the goat edition.  Trust me.  It’s only like 30 seconds long so you can afford to watch it, and you won’t be sorry that you did.  Promise.  If you’ve already seen it, you should probably watch it again to improve your day.

And as much as the BF’s lover for Jennifer Lawrence makes me want to hate her, I can’t.  Because she’s pretty freaking amazing.  And for those of you who live under a rock and didn’t get to see the video of her meeting Jack Nicholson for the first time, please watch it as soon as humanly possible.

If you’re looking for something to bake this weekend, here’s some inspiration from the blog’s recent posts…

brownie swirl cake 8362

ding dong 2

popover 1