It doesn't rain but it pours...

While the title of this post could easily refer to the massive flooding around Massachusetts, it doesn't. Luckily my home and my family have been spared for the most part, but it doesn't take a very long look around to find homes that have been entirely flooded. Or, you know, people kayaking on fair grounds.
It's sights like those homes in the middle of rivers that remind me to be grateful for what little troubles I do have. Even when they feel monstrous, they could be monumentally worse.

We've been having one problem after another with our "good" car lately. Not our beat up old civic that we run into the ground but our pretty silver Mazda. First it was New belts and horrible squealing. When we fixed that, it was new tires. Then the squealing again even when the belts were supposedly fine. Then the emergency brake light wouldn't go off. Then we need new brakes. And finally today, as I was leaving school, the power steering belt ripped to shreds.

::Headdesk:: That alone wouldn't have been so bad, I still could have managed to drive home using only brute force to steer but it happened to take the belt that powers the alternator and water pump with it when it went. No water pump means no water running through the engine to cool it, which means I could warp the whole engine. No good. And as much as my husband says he wants to put a Turbo Charged engine into the car, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't thank me for ruining the engine. So thankfully we had AAA and the nice man only charged Half and arm and half a leg to tow it from Billerica to Boston.

On top of all this, our insurance company is refusing to return our $500 deductible from a long ago accident that they agree was entirely not out fault, but the woman who's fault it was won't talk to her insurance company so they claim we're just SOL. Does that make sense to you? If it does, fill me in, I'd love to understand. We're filing a claim with the Insurance Bureau or something but if we do get the money back it's going to be a long fight for it.

And the iPad came out this weekend and it's beautiful and lovely and so much nicer than my iTouch. But, since we can't seem to stop the holes in our bank account, it looks like I won't be getting to replace my laptop anytime soon.

*sigh* At least the weather has been wonderful. If there's a silver lining around, thats it.

Appreciated

I have a not talking problem. It loses me friends, people think I'm mad at them. It makes my blog sit empty for days on end. Some people understand.
My best friend is a girl I've been friends with since 5th grade. She's a not talker too. We used to sit on the phone with each other, not saying anything, for hours at a time. It drove our parents crazy but it made sense to us. In the time we've been friends there have been periods of years at a time that we haven't spoken. In the year and a half before I got engaged, I hadn't spoken a single word to her. And yet after we left the spot where we got engaged, we went right to her house and showed her and there wasn't even a hint of awkwardness. No tinge of ill will that I hadn't been in touch. Not a moments hesitation on either side when I asked her to be my bridesmaid. Just catching up. And that sort of downtime has happened since then too. Lately we've been together more, as we walk through life and others who we think are close to us leave us in the dust. As we learn more and more how rare our friendship is. We are on equal footing. Neither of us is reliant on the other for anything more than some quality time now and then. Neither of us has the upper hand. We know that despite the fact that we may not speak for even years at time, when one of us finally does pick up the phone, or show up at the others door, that we will pick up right where we left off. It's taken me quite a few years to find out who really matters in my life. And even longer to realize how important it is to focus your energy and love on those people and not the ones who are less deserving. It's hard to stop focusing energy where people don't deserve or appreciate it. Especially when you know that the ones you ignore will be there for you anyway. But I'm trying. Hard. I'm sure this won't be the end of my lessons but I'm glad that this is one I've learned.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!

That means Happy Saint Patrick's Day in Gaelic. In Suffolk County, Saint Patrick's Day conveniently falls on Evacuation Day. It's probably more like Evacuation Day conveniently fell on Saint Patrick's Day but we won't question it. Evacuation Day is the day in 1776 when the British retreated from Boston Harbor. Since we wanted the day off to get drunk on green beer were so proud of that first Revolutionary War victory, today is an official holiday in Boston.

And here in Boston, it certainly felt like we had the luck of the Irish today. It reached 65!
However, because it was so warm, and because I feel like I'm getting sick, I didn't go through the ritual I usually do.
Usually I make a traditional Irish-American boiled dinner with Corned beef, Cabbage, Potatoes and Carrots. And that part I did this year too. however I usually make some real Irish food too. And while I didn't make them I'm going to share my recipes, in case anyone feels like making some real Irish food and not boiled dinner, which is actualy completely Irish-American. you won't find people in Ireland eating Corned Beef today!

I found these in Saveur magazine a few years back and have tweeked them to my liking.

Irish Lamb Stew
3 lbs. trimmed boneless lamb stew meat
2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thirds
7 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and halved
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 cups shelled fresh or frozen peas ( I prefer frozen baby peas)
2T Beef Base
2T Chicken Base

1. Preheat oven to 250°. Put the lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, parsley, and 2 cups water into a large ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid. Season to taste with salt and pepper and gently stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
2. Once the stew comes to a simmer, cover the pot and transfer to the oven to let cook until the lamb is just tender, about 2 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and gently stir in the peas. Cover and return the pot to the oven. Continue cooking until lamb is fork tender, about 30 minutes more.
3. Add in both the beef and chicken bases to taste. Sometimes I use more or less depending on how flavorful my meat is.
4. Allow the stew to sit, covered, for 20 minutes, then spoon into bowls and serve hot.

Colcannon
This is my favorite Irish dish ever. My family thinks I'm crazy but I think that's just as well because it means it's all for me!

4 lbs. potatoes peeled and
quartered
12 tbsp. butter
1⁄2 small head cabbage, cored and thickly sliced
2 lightly packed cups chopped greens (any
combination of spinach, parsley, kale, or broccoli
or cauliflower leaves) (I always use all kale)
1 1⁄3 cups milk
4 scallions, green part only, chopped (I always forget to add these)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Boil the potatoes until tender. You're supposed to steam them but that's too much work for me.
2. Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup water and 2 tbsp. of the butter to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well, discarding liquid, and set aside.
3. Melt 2 tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped greens and sauté until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until heated through, 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
4. Put milk, scallions, and remaining butter into a small pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until scallions are softened, 1–2 minutes, then add to cabbage mixture and cover to keep warm.
5. When potatoes are done, add to cabbage mixture and mash with a potato masher until fluffy and smooth with some chunks. Season to taste. Serve hot.

So those are my real Irish recipes for Saint Patrick Day. It was just too nice to stay in and make them today but now I'm craving colcannon and I'll be making a big batch soon, I know!



P.S. My trip was awesome and I'll definitely post about it but this seemed easier for today :D

This is not a post for Ali Martell

(This is not a post for Ali Martell Because Ali hates the Squirrels. I love the squirrels, I feed them, I take pictures of them. If you don't like them, you won't like the pictures and video in this post. :D)

I've been meaning to write a post all week and failing. But seriously, Cookie dough is a tough act to follow. Things haven't drastically improved since my last batch of cookie dough but wonderful little things are happening to even out the scales. Things like this



Do you guys see that?! It's plant! And it's bloomed! Spring is nigh! Maybe. Yes, Boston had a wonderful streak of warm weather this past weekend and you can bet I took advantage of it. My mother and my husband and I went and had lunch on Newbury Street and then walked around the public gardens and the common. It was amazing. I felt like I hadn't been outside and comfortable in ages. And the sun, oh the sun. Magnificent. It was just what I needed to pull me out of the funk I was nosediving into. And these little guys (this is the part some of you may not like). They were the icing on the cake. I could have sat there all day and fed them, they're so fluffy and fun.







I know you aren't supposed to feed them but everyone does and I couldn't help myself. They came when I called them!


Besides the squirrels and fabulous weather there was one other big thing that made this week much better than last.



I'm going South this weekend! My best friend since 5th grade and I are flying to Virginia, meeting up with a friend and then road tripping to North Carolina to see a concert. And it's supposed to be warm! I'm cautiously optimistic about the temperature though since I seem to bring cold with me wherever I go. Like on my honeymoon in Disney when it was 80 before we got there and 80 after we left, but only reached 60 once in between. Either way, I'm excited. I'm traveling with my best friend and I'm going to make the most of it!

Safe to Eat Cookie Dough

This past week kinda kicked my ass. Starting with a family member being rushed to the hospital on friday, my weekend was a roller coaster ride of awesome and very not awesome. I got to see my sister in law and niece, awesome. Spending many hours in the ER, not awesome. Thats how it's been going. And while things seem to have evened out for now, I don't feel evened out. I still feel thrown and more than a little pouty and needy. And so I followed a long standing tradition in my family, and ran to my boyfriend the refrigerator for comfort. And since it was a class A emergency I made and ate Cookie Dough!

Only I didn't feel like getting salmonella or e. coli or anything so I made Safe cookie dough. Not good for baking, extremely good for eating raw, tossing in ice cream etc. And since I'm a giver, here's how it's done. Hint: it's easy.

Recipe For Safe to Eat Cookie Dough

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar - lightly packed
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. Milk

Put the butter, both sugars, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat together. Add the flour gradually, about a 2/3 c. at a time, until it's all mixed. Then add in whatever and however much of anything you want, Chocolate Chips, nuts, sprinkles or all of the above, I won't judge you.

Or, if you have a cookie recipe that you love you can use that. Any dough can be made edible by just removing the eggs and baking soda (you don't actually have to remove the baking soda but since you're not baking it it's useless) and adding a bit of milk to make up for the liquid lost with the eggs.

Voila. Dough you can eat with a spoon that won't kill you.*





*It won't kill you from salmonella or e.coli or other egg related illnesses but I can't say anything for heart disease or the like, you are after all consuming straight butter and sugar. But damn, it's good!

Dear Family: EVIDENCE!

I would just like to get this on record. The PioneerWoman did a segment on Good Morning America where she made a bunch of awesome food. Here's a picture.



See that lovely looking thing just to right of front and center?
How about a close up?



See that caption?!
Wedge salad!!

Look at all familiar?
Maybe a little like this?


It's on ABC! Good Morning America!
The Salad is not a lie.

Thank You. I'm done now.


Maybe.

Heparphobia?

Have you ever had one of those days that starts out great, gets you in a good mood and then turns around and kicks you in the junk? I had one of those days today. I learned something new about myself today. I also made up a word. Heparphobia, hepar from the Greek word for Liver.

Yes, today I learned, in a college science classroom, that I am so not okay with Liver. I always knew it wasn't my thing and just sort of avoided it. Turns out dealing with Liver actually sends me into full blown panic attack mode! Awesome right? As I was sitting waiting for the lab to begin I was playing around on twitter when I looked up and saw four packages of organ meat sitting on the prep desk. At first I was just skeeved out by it (and thought it was kidney) and I tweeted my distaste.

But as I was sitting at my desk listening to my professor go over the lab procedure, I started feeling super anxious. By the time I stood up with my petri dish to get my liver, I was totally light headed and had to sit down again. You guys, I have never freaked out like this. Definitely never in public and not over something so inconsequential. My stomach was doing flip flops and I could feel it grumbling. I was horrified at how my body was rebelling. No matter how much I tried to psych myself up and told myself it was just meat and how people eat it all the time. Each time I had to cut the liver with my scissors or pick it up with the tweezers I felt faint and got chills. My mind knew it was irrational but my body was having none of it. I made it through half of the lab, hands shaking, light headed, hyperventilating and trying not to cry before I gave in. I told my professor what was up and thank god she was understanding enough to give me the results for the remainder of the lab.
It was embarrassing. My class is full of girly girls, nearly everyone was grossed out by it, by I was the only one who couldn't handle it. Maybe that's why it happened. I often roll my eyes and feel like banging my head on the desk at how long it takes the majority of them to grasp what I see as the simplest concept. But apparently there are things that they are far more capable of than me. I'm a firm believer in karma, what goes around comes around and this was pretty humbling. So, I'll take the lesson, but I'm not taking this new phobia lying down. It's meat for heaven's sake and writing a post about it should not leave me feeling as emotionally drained as it has. Phobias are silly things. I know spiders are harmless and yet I accept that the way they walk and move will forever send shivers down my spine. Something inanimate like this though? No. I may never ever in a million years touch Liver again but I refuse to let thinking about send me reeling.