Busy Redhead Seeks Perfection

What a week. I've been busy. Between my full-time job, my babysitting jobs (currently babysitting regularly for 5 families!) and marathon training, I have very little free time. And that is usually spent reminding Jakers and Mabel that I still love them and haven't abandoned them entirely....oh and maintaining friendships!

Anyhow, I've decided that I need to find another activity to occupy my 6 minutes of free time each week. Enter: Match.com. I've been a single lady for a long time now. And I haven't done a lot of dating, because I have set my standards really high. Granted, boys have not been beating down my door, exactly...but I also think that I don't really put myself "out there". So this is a good way to meet people, get out and about and explore some of DC's hot spots. I joined a couple of weeks ago, and have been out on a handful of dates. So far, so good. It's definitely fun....just really hard to squeeze it into my schedule. A sister's gotta prioritize.

But, as I keep pointing out to friends and family, I'm really quite content being single, so I'm not about to lower my (very high) standards. If the "perfect" man doesn't come along, I'll just remain a single parent to the greatest cat and dog ever. :)

There's really no natural way to transition from dating to pasta, so let's just do this.
I made some FANTASTIC pasta tonight. The cupboard/fridge is getting bare - due to my low funds, because I had to drop $600 on car repairs this week. (Mom wants me to meet a nice Christian mechanic.) So I've gotta work with what I have on hand. I came across this recipe and thought it sounded promising. (Yes, I do usually have canned artichoke hearts on hand. Ha!) I actually didn't expect it to be THIS good. But it was a delicious dinner and will make for an equally delicious lunch tomorrow!

Creamy Artichoke Penne

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I used 1 1/2 c boiling water and dissolved a vegetable bullion cube in it)
  
• 1/2 cup soy milk (I used almond milk)
  
• juice from one lemon or 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  
• ~16 oz penne pasta (or whatever you have on hand)
  

Get pasta cooking in large pot.
While the pasta is cooking, simmer the margarine, flour and and veg broth in a large saucepan until it thickens, forming a roux. Continue stirring well with a whisk, so it doesn't clump. If the mixture does not thicken, turn up the heat and add more flour.
Add remaining ingredients (except for pasta) turn heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing flavors to blend.

Drain pasta when done cooking, toss with sauce and enjoy!

This is why I don't Stop to Smell the Roses

I was so excited for the gorgeous weather this long, Labor Day weekend. I was anxious to turn off the AC and open up the apartment to bring in some fresh air and allow Jakers and Mabel to get to smell the outside smells. (They love just chillin' in front of the open windows. Easily amused.)

So this morning, I bust out the vacuum cleaner and suck up all the cobwebs and random dead bugs that accumulated in between the screen and window over the summer. And off goes the AC! It was lovely for aboooooout 15 minutes. That's when the excessive pollen count slapped me across the face. I tried to suck it up for a few hours, but have since closed up the apartment again and am trying to keep my upper-respiratory system from shutting down.

I just don't know if non-allergy sufferers understand it. You know that feeling in your face the SECOND before you sneeze? Yeah - I feel like that all the time. My face is tingly, my eyes are watering and puffy and I can't stop blowing my nose. And this is all happening while I'm on a daily allergy med. Can you imagine if I DIDN'T take meds already?? Oy vey.

Anyhow, I was thinking about doing take-out for dinner, but I think we'll just stay safe & sound indoors now. I think I have the ingredients for a salad that I really love. I got the recipe from my Aunt Carlotta (famous for her pickles). She makes this salad at a lot of family get-togethers and I just love it! And it happens to be vegan...yay!

FUMI SALAD

dressing

• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 c vegetable oil
• 6 Tbsp white or apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients with a whisk and set aside.

salad

• 1 head cabbage, shredded (or you can buy the already-chopped bagged cabbage)
• 8 Tbsp slivered almonds
• 8 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 8 Tbsp chopped green onion
• 1 pkg. Ramen noodles (crush in bag)

Brown sesame seeds and almonds in a little bit of margarine on the stove. Combine cabbage and green onions in large bowl. Just before serving, add sesame seeds, almonds and crushed Ramen noodles and toss. Coat with dressing and serve.

Now...whose going to take Jakers for his evening walk??? Oh. Guess that will be me. *sigh* Thus is the life of a single parent. :)

This is Cheaper than Therapy

Let's start this post with my acknowledgment of my hoarding tendencies. I know that my genetics (cough*cough*DAD*cough*cough) have burdened me with a strong desire to save/hoard things. However, I am aware of this and therefore am able to fight against this desire. Plus, I have a 1-bedroom apartment and am limited on how much I can save before the clutter is visible - which is where my OCD steps in. I don't like clutter. (Should I be seeing a psychologist for all this?) :)

Anyhow, so I was hanging out with my friend, Kristen, tonight and she told me that since marrying her husband last year, they have had three sets of dishes - his set pre-marriage, her set pre-marriage and the set they registered for together. So she was wondering if I wanted her old set.
Now, if you've noticed, my current dishes aren't exactly the most trendy. Going back to my genetics/hoarding - my dad bought these years ago at a garage sale or an estate auction and when it came time for me to move out on my own, he just happened to have a full set of dishes in his shed. Win/win - I get free dishes, Dad can purge some belongings.


I can't even really tell you what's going on with this pattern. It *appears* to be a couple of birds who want to make-out, but that random, floating crown is getting in their way. I mean, clearly they're in love. (Note the giant heart.)

So I've accepted Kristen's offer and have taken in her much trendier/fun dishes.


But the weird thing is, I don't know if I can part with my old dishes! I'm really attached to them. But why?! I mean, I think they're very "quaint" and cozy...but I think I'm the only one.

Let me share another (very exciting) dish-related story:
For Christmas several years ago, my sister bought me 4 place settings of some really nice Pier One dishes. I ended up returning them, which infuriated her. And still, to this day, bothers her. But there is a twofold reason for my decision to return them. (1) I want more than 4 bowls and 4 plates, but I didn't want to spend the money on buying the rest of the place settings and (2) I didn't need dishes. There's nothing *wrong* with mine. She reminded me of how ugly my current dishes were, and I felt really defensive and protective of them. Weird, right? But that's just the way it is.

So, for now. I hoard dishes. But I thought I should start including the new fellas in blog pics, so you'll see their debut below, accompanied by the best cookie recipe you'll ever have. This is my veganized version of my mom's cookies. Just baking a batch makes me feel closer to home. :) Mom really is the best cook ever...and I love how these cookies are so chewy and delicious.

Mom's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/4 c margarine
1/4 c shortening
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
6 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent of 1 egg
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c oatmeal
6 oz (half pkg) of vegan choc chips

Blend margarine, shortening, sugars and vanilla. Stir in Ener-G egg replacer. Add flour, soda, salt and mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet (I use my baking stones).
Bake in preheated oven at 375-degrees for 10-12 minutes or until brown.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies