Pink Pyrex

We were completely out of school (and house) snacks yesterday so I decided to make some cookies.  This house loves gingersnaps and so I began the process.  1/2 way through I remembered that I could have used my mix master, but I needed to work on my arm muscles anyway :)


What made the whole process more enjoyable was this:

My "new" Pink Pyrex mixing bowl at least brought a smile to my face as I baked.  I have the set in turquoise, but was excited when I found this pink one right before Christmas.  I had to buy it and told the kids it was their gift to me :)

I can feel this Pyrex bug catching on.  The colors are just so pretty compared to what I can find now at kitchen stores.

Oh, and the cookies are all gone already :(  How in the world did 50's housewives cope with baking cookies/snacks EVERY day! 



EASY Rice Pudding

Rice pudding has always been something I don't understand.  Who exactly was the first person to look at short grain rice and think "hmm..I should turn this into a pudding type dish that diners and housewives can make easily and affordibly"?  I'm sure it actually originates in Italy or some more glamourous place than here, but regardless it is something my husband really enjoys.

Growing up there was an amazing restaurant that we would frequent.  It had amazing Greek food and every day fare, but if you ordered the daily special, you know you were getting rice pudding as dessert.  I never took them up on that offer because it seemed like a horrible combination of food ingredients and I was picky.  When my husband first came with me to the restaurant on a trip home, he was delighted to enjoy both rice puddings!  So I silently vowed that someday (this was over 7 years ago) I would make it for him.

Well Sunday was that day.  I found a simple recipe and decided to follow it.  I'm glad to say it actually turned out!!  Someday I hope to bake it in this lovely 8x8 pyrex dish if I'm so lucky to find it locally ...but for now I'll admire it at this etsy store.

Classic Rice Pudding

Prep time 5min  Total 1 hour 20 min

1/2 vanilla bean, or 2tsp vanilla
1 cup uncooked short-grain rice (arborio)
3 cups homogonized milk
1 cup 35% cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup golden raisens (optional)
zest of 1 lemon

PREHEAT oven to 325F.  Split vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds.  Stir rice with milk, cream, vanilla seeds or vanilla, sugar and raisins in an 8x8"baking or casserole dish.

BAKE in centre of oven, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender, about 65 min.  Remove pudding to a rack and stir in lemon zest.  Let stand for 10 min.  Mixture will look runny, but it will thicken as it stands.

I only had homogonized milk so I didn't add the cream, used reg vanilla, and was out of lemons so I just used lemon juice.  Still turned out great!

See...I'm slowly domesticating myself...

New Year, New Resolutions

Well I have managed to completely neglect this poor blog.  I have thought about it many times but then think "there is no one who cares to read what nonsense I am thinking about at this very moment".  Which is why I completely stay away from Twitter :)

With the New Year quickly approaching I should be reflecting on the year past and making plans and resolutions for the year to come... but I'm not.  I'm tired. I will probably be asleep when 2011 shows up.  My youngest refuses to sleep (an ailment that her elder siblings possessed when they were younger too) and I just try to get through the day until I can get what little rest I can :)

So in the spirit of the day I will try my best at this moment to fulfill my New Years duties and do what 93% of the country is doing right now (besides drinking, and this is a stat I made up in my very tired head) and come up with some resolutions.

1.  Start eating healthier and squeezing in some "me"(aka exercise) time.  Now that my youngest is 1, I can't blame it on baby weight anymore :) 

2.  Be a nicer mom :)  Since I just scolded my middle child for nonsense that really truly is just who she is.  She thinks with the side of the brain that I must have let die in Business School.  My husband calls her my payback since I doubt we will ever truly understand each other, but get along just the same.

3. Live a simpler life.  Money will be tight this year.  It is a fact I am aware of and need to make the best of it.  I was not raised with any culinary or life skills.  I have had to muddle my way through this adulthood thing the best I can.  Living in this area has made it worse since I am convinced all girls are taken aside and told how to cook, clean and act like a housewife when they are 10.  Now its my turn. 

4.  Save the planet.  Well, I'll do my part :)  Actually we are pretty "green"around here already, but everyone can do a little more I guess :)

5.  Start Blogging!  Who cares if no one wants to read it... I'll type anyway!  Actually I think this blog will start a new direction (or an actual direction since it doesn't have one) and chronicle my simple life in this rural hell area. 

6.  Accept the fact that they won.  Yes "they"... everyone out here who knew I'd crack and conform to their ways :)  I draw the line at canning my own garden..but I know this year I will be chronicling things that I swore I'd never do.

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!  Actually I hope every day is wonderful!  We deserve it!