Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This delicious dish is made with real Italians. They're easy to catch but hard to tie down. For this recipe, they can be served diced or shredded.

Do you believe me?

I thought not.

Okay, here's the real scoop: This dish takes ten minutes & is ridiculously tasty!

Ingredients:
Portobello mushroom(s)
Leftover bread (or pre-made breadcrumbs)
Marinara sauce (leftover, jarred, or make some from scratch)
Roasted garlic (I got mine from the olive bar at Whole Foods Market. You can do the same, buy it jarred or fresh from a farmer's market, or make your own.)
Cheese (I chose grated mozzarella. Something Italian works best - fontina, parmesan, asiago, etc.)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Grab a portobello mushroom, pull out the stem, & wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
3. Toast some leftover bread, then crumble into a bowl (or use pre-made breadcrumbs).
4. Toss into the bowl: marinara sauce & diced roasted garlic (I got mine from the olive bar at Whole Foods Market).
5. Mix.
6. Spread the mix into the mushroom.
7. Top with grated cheese.
8. Throw in the oven for 13-15 minutes.
9. Enjoy! Goes great with red wine, or, in my case, a yummy Canadian triple-distilled golden ale called Le Fin du Monde.

<3

P.S. Next time, I'm trying this recipe!

Bits & Bobs

Here are some bits & bobs for you to enjoy this weekend:

* How sweet is this ring?

* I'm purging my internet browser's many tabs by (a) writing this here post & (b) using Instapaper, which let's me place pages on a Read Later list. [via Apartment #34 - Thanks, Erin!]

* Last night, I found a mix CD that I used to play while I drove around in high school. I called it 'Rock On Man'. (Others were titled 'Gangster', 'G Style', & 'Cowgirl Up' - yes, I have quite an eclectic taste in music.) Anyway, 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana ft. Chad Kroeger is on said mix CD, & I've been listening to it over & over today:



* I really want to make some of these crocheted hearts, but what would I do with them? [via Miles of Style]

* I'm loving the sound & vibe in Francesqa's new video:



* I love some of the tips on Food Network's Healthy Helpings guide.

Ah, that's enough for now. I took a bubble bath tonight, during which I ate an ice cream sundae & watched the new episode of Skins. It was, as the Brits say, lush. Today is my Monday, so I'll be working hard all weekend (& enjoying it). Any more exciting plans out there? Have a lovely weekend!

<3

Pumpkin Soup & Eating Local

Pumpkin Soup (amended from recipe found here)

4 cups chicken stock
2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups cubed fresh pumpkin
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup reduced fat milk
5 whole black peppercorns

1. Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, & simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
2. Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a good processor or blender.
3. Return to pan & bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low & simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in milk. Pour into soup bowls & enjoy with whole wheat bread or crackers.

This soup was yummy, but I might do some things different next time. First, I think I would add some other flavor: either curry spices, nutmeg, or other veggies. It may be that my cold has taken away my taste buds, but this soup seemed slightly bland to me. Further, I would definitely have thrown it all in the slow cooker for the day, rather than standing over it on the stove. But I'm a slow cooker kind of gal.

I love experimenting with new vegetables that are in season. There are so many reasons to shop seasonal & local. This morning, I read a great article in the December 2010 issue of Women's Health Magazine about one guy, Tyler Florence, who promotes eating from your locale. I thought I'd sum up his main points to emphasize their importance:

1. Locally produced foods don't add miles onto your meal, so they are greener.
2. They aren't pumped with preservatives to stay fresh while they travel to you.
3. They are harvested at a riper state, since they don't have to travel as long to get to you. (I might also add that Michael Pollan states in his book In Defense of Food that riper fruits have more nutrients, since it is at that point that the seeds are ready to germinate, & thus the plant wants its fruit to be the most enticing and/or to soften & fall off onto the ground in order to spread the seeds.)
4. Eating locally supports local jobs & community.

So run over to your farmer's market if you're lucky enough to still have them in your town, & try something new with the autumn produce it has to offer! Here's another delicious squash recipe to try. Or, if you have a day to spare, take a drive to a nearby farm, orchard, or ranch & get it straight from the source! Jonty & I are thinking of doing that later this week, weather permitting.

Enjoy!

<3

Leftover Turkey Soup

My mom cooked a turkey breast in the slow cooker the other day. (It's so easy! Just defrost, then throw it in the slow cooker before you leave for work. We add some garlic too.) Last night, we had lots of leftover turkey and not a lot of ideas for dinner. So I threw a soup together that turned out amazing! Here's how it went.

Ingredients:

1 12 oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
3 carrots, sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
4 cups chopped kale
2 cups diced turkey breast
Broth from turkey breast (I saved the juice that was left when we took the turkey out of the slow cooker)
1 tbsp chopped garlic (= about 2 cloves fresh)
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Throw all ingredients, except the kale & turkey, into a big pot on the stove. Cover & cook on high for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add kale & turkey, then cover & cook for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

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Birthday Day & Birthday Soiree

veggie kabobs from my birthday bash

My birthday (last Wednesday) was pretty low key. I just hung out with my mom for the day, which was so nice because until only two days before I hadn't been home in eight months! We shared steak nachos at Dos Coyotes, went shopping at the mall (no purchases - I wasn't in a decision-making mood), then hung out at the park (she practiced her penny whistle while I painted my toenails & read).

For dinner, we got takeaway salads & sour-cream-&-chive mashed potatoes (heavenly) from Jack's Urban Eats, one of my fave restaurants, where I worked the summer after graduating high school after the manager commented that I was there more than some of the employees. (I've toned my consumption of their food down a bit since then, but I still love it!)

In the evening, I met a couple of friends for a drink at The Corner bar & restaurant near my neighborhood. While I waited for mis amigas, I made a new friend - apparently the Head Chef, hanging out after hours. He bought me a shot, which is not usually my thing, but it was my birthday so I was feeling adventurous. Plus, I'll be honest, I wanted my birthday to be acknowledged since for the most part it was so relaxed. While chatting with my pals, my new friend brought over warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie with ice cream on top! Everyone in the bar sang to me, & then we devoured the dessert in all of its goodness.

This weekend was my planned celebration, & I must say I planned it well! For beverages, I made white sangria (a hit!), red sangria, & berry margaritas. They really took the bite off the hot day. And my food theme was kabobs:

* veggie kabobs: red peppers, yellow peppers, eggplant, zucchini, red onion, & button mushrooms. oven cooked.
* chicken kabobs: marinated in Sioux-Z-Wow, and alternated with either pineapple or apple slices. oven cooked.
* caprese kabobs: cherry tomatoes (red, orange, & yellow), mozzarella chunks, & basil leaves. served fresh, with olive oil, basalmic vinegar, & freshly ground pepper.
* fruit kabobs: apples, oranges, plums, strawberries, & pineapple. served fresh.
* strawberry & chocolate kabobs: whole strawberries with shaved chocolate sprinkled on top.

My mom & her fiance also made a huge bowl of amazing guacamole that was gone in minutes!

[I somehow managed to completely fail at taking photos, but the veggie kabobs are pictured above, & the caprese ones are below, pre-dressing.]

Overall, it was great to see the friends who are important to me. I got lots of love - hugs, cookies, cards, a few gifts, & some catching up. I was happy to find that my high school friends & college friends really like each other, too! My only real regrets are (a) that I didn't take many photos & (b) that I didn't get any games going (so I guess I'll have to plan another get-together soon).

Over & out for now, but I do plan to get back into blogging more regularly, so keep your eyes peeled!

<3

Versatile Tuna

Lately, I've been going a bit tuna crazy. The fish is an easy, light lunch option, & it's just so tasty & versatile! Here are some of my favorite ways to eat tuna:

* Kiddie sandwich (a favorite in childhood): tuna with mayonnaise &/or light plain yogurt, slices of cheddar cheese, dill pickles.
* Adult sandwich: tuna with ranch dressing, tomato slices, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce. (Also delish with mayo/yogurt & lemon pepper, instead of ranch.)
* Fancy sandwich: tuna with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, provolone cheese, lettuce.
* Tea sandwich: tuna with mayo &/or light plain yogurt, lowfat cream cheese, cucumber slices.
* Tuna melt: tuna with mayo &/or light plain yogurt, cheddar or colby jack cheese. Made like grilled cheese (pan-fried or grilled).
* Waldorf tuna salad: tuna, a dab of light plain yogurt or mayo, diced apples & celery, raisins.
* Garden tuna salad: tuna, a dab of light plain yogurt or mayo, cucumber, red or yellow bell pepper, red onion (optional). Served on a bed of lettuce or spinach.

Be creative. But don't go too crazy, though, because canned tuna often contains mercury, which is fine in small doses but can be harmful if too much in ingested in a small period of time, especially for pregnant women and children. To avoid this, buy "light chunk" tuna, and don't eat it more than once or twice a week. (This is advice I haven't followed this week... oops!)

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Yum: Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Hi friends! Firstly, thanks for sticking with me through my recent lack of posts. And more than that, thanks for all the lovely dissertation wishes in comments lately. They actually do give me a little extra positivity & a little extra push. Seriously, I love you guys. I didn't create a blog for the people at all, but I realize now what a great thing it is to have that little connection with people around the world who have similar interests, problems, etc.

Because you guys are fabulous, & because I don't have enough procrastination options (hah), I've decided to tell you about a lovely little meal I made recently: Vietnamese spring rolls (aka salad rolls).

I fell in love with spring rolls during my sophomore year of college. There's a Vietnamese restaurant by the library at Sac State, and I discovered that their spring rolls are the best combination of healthy & cheap on campus. When I passed by an Asian supermarket on Gloucester Road the other day, I popped in & inquired about the harder to find ingredients (specifically, the big noodle that you wrap it all up in, called Vietnamese rice paper). I bought these and the noodles that go inside (rice vermicelli). The total was about £5 ($7), but the packages gave me enough noodles to make lunch for the rest of the year!

This is suuuch an easy meal to make, whenever. I like to make one set for dinner and extra to save for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

For wrap:

Vietnamese rice paper

Rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles)

lettuce (romaine is best)

bell pepper

carrot

frozen shrimp

For sauce (optional):

Peanut butter (preferably crunchy)

Hoisin sauce

Any oil - I used olive (optional)

1. Place the rice vermicelli in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 10 minutes.
2. Microwave the frozen shrimp. (It should take about 2-3 minutes.)

3. While the noodles are softening, slice the vegetables into thin strips. I used a vegetable peeler for the carrots. (The lettuce can be a little bigger.)

4. Once the vermicelli is done, you can start making the wraps. Dip a sheet of rice paper in lukewarm water for five seconds, then put it on your work surface.
5. Place all of the ingredients on the rice paper in a line.

6. (Make sure the line of fillings is horizontal, &) Roll up, starting with the edge closest to you. When the roll is halfway done, tuck the sides over & continue rolling. It's best to try to get the roll as tight as possible without breaking the rice paper, but getting it right can take a few tries. Practice makes perfect.

For the dipping sauce, I mix crunchy peanut butter (straight up ground peanuts, not Jif) & hoisin sauce (bought at the supermarket), with a dab of olive oil to make a bit more saucy. I use about 3 parts peanut butter, 2 parts hoisin sauce, & 1 part oil (or less).

Thai sweet chili sauce also works well as a dip. Or you can just have it plain & fresh!

Vietnamese spring rolls are very versatile. You can put pretty much any combination inside them. This is my favorite combo, but you can also take out the veggies you don't like and/or add new ones (cucumber and zucchini are also good ones). Another yummy option is to throw leftover chicken in it instead of shrimp, which goes well with some avocado or even strawberries inside in addition to or instead of the carrots and/or bell pepper. Get creative with what you have and what you like and ENJOY!

<3 

If my 18-year-old self were here now...

If my 18-year-old self were here now, she would be disgusted at some of the things I eat!

I've never been a hugely picky eater, but there are a few staple foods I rejected my whole life: bell peppers, carrots, peas, melon, & mustard.

But for some reason, somehow, this has all changed. It all started with honey mustard in my senior year of high school. (Have you ever dipped pretzels in it?! Oh my goodness, it's heaven.) Slowly I realized that I could handle regular mustard as well, and even Dijon in the right situation. In fact, I looove mustard and slather it on my sandwiches, fries, etc!

Raw red peppers, especially with cream cheese, are a staple in my diet. And carrots go in most roast meals, stir fries, and salads. Peas go in everything above plus pastas.

And just this past week, my housemate Michael bought a canteloupe, which would previously not have been welcome in my tummy, and... guess what: I loved it! I bought two on Saturday and have already eaten one.

I find it so strange that all of the foods I used to despise, and some of which would actually make me gag if chewed, are now some of my favorite items. Isn't it bizarre how our tastes can change as we get older.

In fact, the only thing I would refuse to eat is rollmop:

I just can't wrap my mind around pickled fish...

I wonder if I can convince my sister that she can like mushrooms & onions?

<3

Pesto Salmon & Pasta

 
I'm all about fish lately, & I've been trying to branch out a bit more in regards to cooking with it. The other day, Jonty & I stumbled upon a recipe for pesto salmon & pasta. Upon seeing the recipe made on This Morning in our B&B room a few weekends ago,* I knew it would be amazing. And I wasn't wrong.

Pesto Salmon & Pasta adapted from Dean's Salmon with pesto

Serves: 2

Ingredients
2 180g skinless salmon fillets
50g cream cheese
Large handful fresh basil
1/2 clove garlic
50g toasted pine nuts
30g parmesan
Lemon juice to taste
Olive oil
Black pepper
1 tsp sugar
Linguine

Method
1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until they take on some colour, remove from pan and set aside 20g of them. Add the rest to a blender along with the basil, garlic and pulse while adding olive oil, adding the parmesan to taste and season with black pepper and lemon juice.
2. In a bowl mix the cream cheese with a tablespoon of pesto and the reserved pine nuts, spoon the mixture on top of the salmon fillets and bake in an oven set at 200c for around 7-8 mins.
4. Cook the pasta to the packets instructions, drain then dress with the pesto.
Serve with fresh cherry tomatoes (mozzarella optional). Enjoy!

* I really only watch/browse TV in hotel/B&B rooms.

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How to Throw a Fantastic Cocktail Party

Step 1: Make lots of homemade nibbles.

Roasted red pepper bruschetta, caramelized onion hummus, pesto hummus, & pita bread were all made from scratch by me. My housemate Nell made the lemon fairy cakes, jam tarts, & spicy cheese pinwheels.

Step 2: Buy lots of mixers & fruit, & some of the usual liquors, & invite your friends to bring their favorite cocktail ingredient to add to the mix. Pre-making a delicious punch is a plus!

Step 3: Make a classy cocktail party playlist, & switch to some dancing tunes once the party has been in motion for a while.

Step 4: Enjoy a night to remember with the wonderful people you live with & your amazing friends.

The Flat 11 crew.

My Aussie friend Sarah, who I lived with in Oxford. She's in the

UK/Europe for the summer & came to visit me last weekend!

<3

Something Fishy on the Barbie

Last week, Jonty & I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather, so we decided to have ourselves a little barbeque. We bought some fresh haddock fillets, put them on parchment paper then aluminum foil, drizzled them with olive oil and lemon juice, and topped them with lemon slices and rosemary.

 Then we wrapped them up and stuck them straight on top of the coals in the barbeque, and then covered them with more hot coals. They cooked for about 15 minutes.

We took the coals off, unwrapped our package, and BAM! we had delicious, firm, juicy fish. We served it with a green salad and homemade potato salad. (Someday I may share our amazing potato salad recipe if you're extra nice.)

Next step: Enjoy! Try this recipe out yourself; it's fantastic!

[Thanks to a Sainsbury's fish counter handout for some of the tips.]

Coming up this week: a giveaway, another Kenya post, & more!

<3

Random Tuesday: Procrastination-style

Happy Random Tuesday! I bet reading this on my blog is funny, since every day is a random day around here :.) Feel free to hop on over to The Unmom to check out more randomness, and grab the button to random it up yourself!

* I'm in the library (yes, it's naughty for me to be blogging rather than essay-ing, but will you be the one to throw the first stone?), and the girl across the table from me is the fastest, smackiest gum chewer ever. She is chewing a mile a minute, smacking every chew. And then she'll stop chewing long enough for me to relax... and then she starts again. Gross. Have I mentioned that I hate hearing people chew? Ick. Keep it to yourself.

* So far in this post, I've invented two words: 'random' (used as a verb) and 'smackiest'. I have a tendency to (illegitimately) invent new words. My friend Brian and I invented quite an interesting word when I was in high school: 'nerkus'. The word 'nerkus' is a blend of 'nerd' and 'dorkus', and can also be shortened to 'nerk'. We (as with most of my friends) believe that being a nerd/dork is a good thing--it means you are true to yourself and don't care what people think, so 'nerkus' is an endearing term. Actually, my close group of high school gal pals also had a similar word: 'spec', short for 'specimen'... That's even more obscure than 'nerk' but basically means that you are unique. Wow, I'm cool.
Update: I just realized The Unmom says, "random up," and it must have been sitting in my subconscious. So I guess I didn't make that one up; but I've made up lots of others!

* I got my Graze box today. It's a bit smaller than I expected, but I guess that makes sense, considering that it's meant to be for one day's grazing. But it's got some great stuff and is still worth the small amount I paid. My box has: fresh cut pineapple, the "apple strudel" mix (dehydrated apple, apricots, and cranberries), and the "tropical praline" mix (dark chocolate hazelnuts, dried mango, and green raisins). YUM! I'm munching on the apple strudel mix at the moment, and it's really good. (I know, it's rude to eat in the library. But Smack-tastic across from me is the only person around to hear, so I'm not all that worried about it.) If you're in the UK and watch to try Graze out, type in the code NKZ6TL7 at checkout and your first box is free :.)

* Check out this bizarre video a University of Bristol undergrad made of one of our professors giving Philosophy essay-writing advice a few years ago. It's a bit weird, but for those who know him (or have a strange sense of humor), it's pretty entertaining:



How was this for random?

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Graze

I have recently discovered something amazing here in the UK: Graze. It's basically the equivalent to the Produce Delivery service (you know, where you get a supply of local, usually organic, produce brought to your doorstep), except by mail. You can choose from several different types of boxes, which include GrazeFruit (includes fresh fruit and a mix of nuts/seeds/olives/snacks and dried fruit) and GrazeNibble (nuts/snacks and dried fruit), and they will also tailor the boxes to your wants (e.g. weight loss, energy, immunity boost). You can go through the fruits and mixes and tell them what you prefer and what you don't like. Then again, these are not necessary steps. If you want to keep things simple, you can just go on and click GrazeFruit or GrazeNibble and then order. The first one is free and the second is half price... but after that they're still only £2.99, which is pretty reasonable.

Anyway, they bring up some good points about grazing during the day rather than just eating one big lunch, and I think they're vital to share.

First, grazing prevents that mid-afternoon slump. It encourages you to eat slow-release foods throughout the day to maintain your blood sugar levels, rather than spiking and burning.

Second, since you're controlling your blood sugar levels, you don't get cravings and then eat unhealthy snacks.

Third, it's cheaper than going out for lunch or buying a pre-made lunch.

Fourth, eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are the only way to properly get the vitamins and minerals your body needs for thinking, preventing viruses, and exercise.

So think about grazing today--pack your lunch bag full of yummy, natural deliciousness (and a little treat of some dark chocolate doesn't hurt). And, if you're in the UK, think about signing up for Graze. I can't wait to check out my first box next week!

<3

Quite a Quote: Procrastination

Procrastination is like masturbation: At first it feels good, but in the end you're only screwing yourself.

This is a common student proverb. Maybe it's a bit crude, but it's so true. Procrastination takes a lot of work, and it's very unrewarding. Sometimes it's almost easier and feels better to just do the work.

The past few weeks have been quite productive and positive for me. I've been getting work done and, for the most part, enjoying it. Which is what I'm here for, right? But today was a sham. I got practically nothing done. (However, I did have a meeting about one essay that went pretty well. So that was a plus.) When I'm unproductive, it makes me feel unhappy/anxious. And then the vicious circle starts because the anxiety prevents me from being productive. So I'm worried that this will start. But I will try not to let it. I'm trying to maintain the attitude that tomorrow WILL be a motivated, productive, and happy day.

I just got back from a meal out with friends. We ate at an Indian restaurant, and my friend Katie and I shared Tandoori Machlee (spiced, barbequed fish), Chuka Sabji Dall (spiced veggies and lentils in a sour sauce), and Mushroom Rice. It was reallllly delish! The company was good too. I have some really good friends here, and I'll miss them when we all move away at the end of the summer.

As for the rest of tonight, I've decided to give myself some R&R. I plan to get into pajamas, watch some House and/or read my book, and get an early night's sleep.

Oh, and tomorrow my housemate Michael and I are going to go running together again! I never thought I'd particularly like to run with someone else. (When Jonty comes with me, we pretty much do different workouts in the general proximity of each other.) I suggested he come with me on Sunday, mostly to try to motivate myself to go. And, a bit to my surprise, he joined me. And it was SO GOOD. We had a great chat and enjoyed the weather, and because I enjoyed it so much I didn't feel like I was counting the minutes until I could stop. AND my abs got more of a workout from talking while running. So yeah, I've convinced him that we should make this a regular thing and we have plans to go tomorrow, and I'm really excited about it.

Ooo and I ordered something lovely that I'll blog about tomorrow, because I'm going to snuggle up in bed right now. Night!

<3

Random Tuesday: Stream of Consciousness

Today is Random Tuesday, yay!

Even though my blog is pretty random every day, hence its title, today is fun because I get a special excuse not to need any particular theme or plan. Here it goes!

I went to Mocha Mocha again today, and went for a regular latte, rather than the splendid Hazelnut Mocha I had last week. While my coffee was good, it didn't live up to last Tuesday's expectations.

Does bread make you tired? It makes me sooo sleepy. I wonder if it's a natural property of grains, or if I'm in some way gluten intolerant. The reason that I'm asking is that I had a bacon sandwich on wheat bread for breakfast today (while sipping on my latte with my friend Dan) and now I just want to curl up on the bench in the sun behind the Grad Center and have a snooze.

In fact, I have already done that. Right when I returned from Mocha Mocha. It was so warm and loverly.

I'm happy that the sun is starting to grace us with her presence, but couldn't she just wait until after my essays are handed in next Friday? I just want to be outdoors all the time. But, unfortunately, laptops don't love the sun half as much as I do. And my laptop and I have to be BFFs at the moment.

I think I'm going to start dreaming about Plato soon.

One time, in high school, I dreamed in Old English. I was in a play based off of Macbeth and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, reading Cyrano de Bergerac, helping my sister (a freshman at the time) read Romeo & Juliet, and had watched Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet that night. I don't remember what the dream was about; I just remember that the setting was contemporary but all of the speaking was done in Shakespearean prose.

I've started reading Julie & Julia. It's light and a bit girly, and I think it's the perfect read for that time at night where my brain needs to wind down from work.

Not that I'm working now. I'm blogging. And dreaming about all the lovely things I could be doing in the sun right now. I have a meeting in just over an hour, so maybe I should get back to started on work.

Maybe Random Tuesday should be renamed Stream of Consciousness Tuesday.

I hope you enjoy your day and appreciate the sun!

<3

Random Tuesday: My First!

This is my first time partaking in Random Tuesday! I've been meaning to for some time, and now I've done it!

Speaking of partake, I have a craving to watch When Harry Met Sally. I'm not that fond of chick flicks, but I love this film (and I think guys can appreciate it too!). The museum scene is one of my favorite movie scenes ever:



I love it when I have my iPod on shuffle and 'N SYNC (or a similarly random musical group from the 90s) comes on. Especially when I'm only half paying attention to the music while working on an essay and then all of a sudden I hear: "I need love, you need love, we all really need love. All I want, all I need... We all really need love."

I sometimes wish my blog was a secret from my friends and family. Every once in a while I want to write a post that I don't want other people I know to see. I suppose I could just keep a journal... but it still would be nice to share with the blogosphere and get some responses... Should I create a new, confidential, blog? But wait, if I did, how would I tell you guys??? Hrm...

Bananas are ruined for me after returning from Kenya. They were so fresh and delicious there, since they'd been ripened before being picked, that eating bananas here nowadays just isn't as satisfying. Isn't that depressing?

This morning I went to this cafe called Mocha Mocha and had the most amazing drink ever: Hazelnut Mocha. Oh. My. Goodness.

I need to get my dad a birthday gift today... What should I get him???

Okay, enough randomness for now. Back to work.

<3