A Mouse in My Bed

Rainbow Cookies!

2011-02-01T05:06:00.000-08:00

I don't think I had ever had Rainbow Cookies/7 Layer Cookies/Tri-colored Cookies until I moved to New Jersey. Now they are a favorite of mine, but anytime we had them in the house, usually when company was over because Marc doesn't particularly like them, they would disappear all too fast. I thought that making them would be great, because then I would have a whole batch, and even if I shared it, there would be leftovers (well, maybe...) and I could get my fill of these bites of chocolate, fruit and sponge deliciousness. But they have 7 layers, 3 colors, and are coated in chocolate...an impossibility for anyone who is not a pastry chef. Right? Wrong. Thanks to my niece Jenna, I learned that, while these cookies look like they take hours to make, they are simple and easy and that anyone who can read a recipe can make them. I've attached the link that Jenna gave to me, but I'm also putting the recipe below. They're easy and delicious, a little bit time consuming, but totally worth it.

Heat oven to 350.
1 ¼ cup flour
3 eggs (large)
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons almond extract
2 sticks (melted butter)
Mix all of these things together...it mixes easily, so you don't need to fuss with dragging out the mixer...a wooden spoon works fine. The batter doesn't look like it will be enough, but it is.

Separate the batter into 3 bowls. Leave one bowl as is, add 8 drops of red food coloring to one, and 8 drops of green to the other. Mix thoroughly.
Pour the batter into 3 pans of equal size (they recommend 11 x 7 x 1, I used larger pans but the batter didn't cover them entirely, 9 in. cake pans work too). Pans should either be well greased or lined with foil or parchment paper. I used greased foil when I did it and the cakes came right out. Bake for 10 minutes.

Next comes the layering part. You will need:
1 jar apricot butter or preserves
1 jar seedless raspberry preserves
6 oz. bag of semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon of oil

Flip the green layer onto parchment paper or foil. Spread apricot preserves.
Flip the white layer on the green layer and spread raspberry preserves.
Flip the red layer onto the white layer.
Melt your chocolate (either double boiler or microwave).
Stir in oil (yes, you need to do this or it is too thick and will harden before you are done with it).
Spread a thin layer of chocolate on the top.
Refrigerate until the chocolate is hard. Flip the entire thing onto foil or parchment paper and coat the green layer with chocolate and stick it back in the fridge until cool. Once cool, slice into thin slices and enjoy.

The nice thing about this recipe, is you can change it up a bit...don't want to use almond extract? Use vanilla (that's what I used). Don't have raspberry preserves on hand? I used strawberry jelly. So you can switch it up according to what you have on hand.

These cookies will make you look like an expert baker. Your friends will "ooo and ah" over your mad skills...so be sure not to tell them how easy they are. :-)

Snow

2011-01-30T04:38:00.001-08:00

Everyone is probably getting sick of the snow. We have had over a foot on the ground since December 26th. Now we have about 2 feet on the ground, and even more in the drifts and piles. It is in massive blobs of ice on every street corner. It doesn't look fresh and new any more. It just looks cold and wintery and blah, right? Wrong. Maybe I'm a little crazy, but I love the snow. This year I've been sledding, I've built snowmen, I've had snow ball fights, I've made forts...and I've loved every second of it. I can't think of any point this year that I've been out in the snow and thought "I really wish it were Spring." Even from the indoors, I love it! It is fun looking out over the back yard and seeing the birds - we've had tons of blue jays - and the cat foot prints, and the mostly frozen creek. I've done a lot more cooking and baking since it snowed because that's a wintery weather sort of thing to do, and it keeps the house warm. I have never experienced such a snowy winter, and based on the snow I've experienced other winters, I never thought I would like it...but I do. I have even learned to drive on 2 inches of packed snow, slush and ice! As far as I'm concerned, if it is going to be freezing out, there may as well be snow on the ground. I am starting to think that Marc might get his wish after all, and in 20 years, we'll be moving to Fargo...

Ground Beef Soup aka Zuppa a la Sarah

2011-01-25T05:03:00.000-08:00

Step 1:
1/2 - 1lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1/2 - 1lb mushrooms, sliced
Brown and drain ground beef
Add onion and mushrooms...cook until soft

Step 2:
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp. basil
Add to ground beef and stir well...cook for about 1 minute

Step 3:
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 cup red wine (not cooking wine...but the bottle you plan to drink with dinner)
Add to beef and cook for about 2 minutes
NOTE: I have used beer when I didn't have any wine in the house (gasp!). It worked but wasn't as good. And don't kid yourself, this recipe NEEDS the sherry...the wine and the sherry are what make this recipe, so if you don't have them, jump in the car and head to the store and get them, b/c without them this is just beef/vegetable soup and not nearly as exciting.

Step 4:
16 oz can stewed or diced tomatoes
48 oz beef broth
Add to all of the above...bring to a boil

Step 5:
1 1/2 cups dry pasta (small noodles work best)
WARNING: don't use too much...or the soup turns into stew. You can always cook the noodles seperately and add when serving.

Serves 4 - 6

This recipe was shared with me by my friend Marie. It is one of the best soups I have ever had, and I used to be one of the soup cooks in a cafe, so I've had/made tons of different soups. Thanks Marie!

So, why does this soup make me happy? Well, the first time I had it was at Marie's with Marc...it was a very happy day. We laughed so hard. The next time I had it was with my husbands family on Christmas Eve...and Christmas Eve this year was wonderful and memorable. The next time was when we were snowed in on a cold winter day...just Marc, myself, and a puzzle, again, a happy day. And I made it over the weekend when some of my friends came over. I haven't laughed as hard as I laughed on Sunday night in a long time. So now this isn't only a really yummy soup, but I have unforgetable memories that go with it. And that makes me happy.

Oh, and since I didn't know if the soup had a real name or not, it has been dubbed "Zuppa a la Sarah" by Pat and Misti. I don't know why I get the credit for it, but I'll take it. :)

Oatmeal Banana Muffins

2008-03-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today I am off of work, so I decided to bake. I had a couple ripe bananas, so banana muffins was on the agenda. I've been trying to be more conscientious of eating healthy lately, so I wanted to make these with as little white flour as possible.... I have an abundance of oatmeal sitting around (my new breakfast of choice), so I thought to myself "oatmeal banana muffins would be good" and proceeded to look up the recipe. This is the part of the story where I agree with Dad that I am, in fact, a blond. I googled "oatmeal banana muffin recipes" and found several, including one with not only no white flour, but no flour whatsoever...this was great, exactly what I was looking for. So into the kitchen I went...dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another...and then I realized...there were no bananas in this banana muffin recipe. Now, a clever person would have realized this before making the muffins, but not me...no siree Bob...so there were a few minutes of frantic "what the heck am I going to do with pile of goo" until I browsed other recipes and was able to save this poor unfortunate batter. So, here is my new favorite Banana Oatmeal Muffin Recipe:

1 cup oatmeal
1 c. flour
1 TBS + 2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. oil
1 egg
2 mashed bananas
small dash of nutmeg
bigger dash of cinnamon
2 cap fulls of vanilla

All dry ingredients get mixed together, all wet ones together, and then you mix all those together and bake at 400 for 20 minutes...they're tasty, but do require either coffee or hot tea as a compliment, because that's what all baked goods like to have with them. :-)

These guys are AWESOME

2007-12-11T18:07:00.000-08:00

You've gotta check out this link. :-)

My new favorite quotation, as seen in a coffee shop

2007-12-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

Unattended children will be given a shot of espresso . . . and a puppy.

Isn't that a terribly happy thought? :-)

I've been dreaming again...

2007-06-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot of dreams about wax lately...I don't know why. Probably partially because I've been running, and every time I run, my legs feel like soft wax by the time I get back. Which reminds me...I should go running tonight...but I don't want to because I just finished a margarita, and my ability to actually run in a straight line is highly dubious because the margarita was consumed immediately after getting off of an 11 hour shift at work...so maybe it wouldn't be wise...but we shall see....
Anyway, my big dream of the week....Ryan's wedding...We've been working on Hassler's 12 voice Cantate Domino, which WILL be beautiful...once we learn it...Well, being in charge of the music for this wedding, I am also responsible for making sure everyone HAS the music for the wedding...but the Cantate has been the focal point, because nobody knows it, but they know everything else...so, in my dream, we were at the wedding, in the choir loft, when I realized that I only had one copy of the Cantate, and no copies of anything else, and for some reason, nobody could remember any of the pieces....even Sicut Cervus, which, as a rule, everyone can sing backwards, forwards and inside out...except, of course, for myself, who can only sing it backwards, forwards and inside out if I'm singing it with someone...anyway, as a result, Alaina glared at me, Christine said "This is rediculous!", Jen laughed, Draper informed me that I was incompetant (which, incidentally, I've been saying this whole time) and Anthony swore he would never speak to me again because Ryan blamed the whole thing on him and wouldn't allow any of us at the reception which Anthony was supposed to DJ, Mike P. did his silent head shake, Joe P. insisted that nobody noticed...and so on and so forth...you get the idea.
I'm going running now...

Shoo Fly Pie

2007-06-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple requests/questions about shoo fly pie, so I decided to post the recipe...

Preheat oven at 325.

One 9 inch pie crust -- homemade or otherwise (I have no rolling pin, so I used the "otherwise" option)

Topping:
1 Cup flour
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup butter

Mix together crumb topping with a pastry cutter, if you have one, a fork works too, until it is relatively fine and crumbly. Set aside

Pie Filling:
1 Cup boiling water
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, beaten

Mix together the molasses, corn syrup and boiling water...it will become a sort of frothy mixture. Stir in egg and baking soda. Pour into pie crust. Spoon the topping on top...most of it will be absorbed into the mixture...don't worry, that's supposed to happen.

Bake for an hour or until the pie is brown on top.
WARNING: This will almost definitely overflow the pan in the oven. Be sure to put the pie on a cookie sheet or something of the sort unless you want to have gooey molasses all over your oven smelling up your house. Better yet, wrap the pan in aluminium foil so that you don't have to deal with burnt sugar later. :-)
The pie is very yummy, but be sure that you don't cool it outside, because it is so sweet you'll have to shoo the flies away (hence the name).
Also I think that it could use a little more molasses and less corn syrup. I know you can make it with all molasses and no corn syrup if you want. Also, if you want a more custardlike filling, you can add an extra egg, although I haven't actually tried this yet. But it is very yummy and I highly recommend it. :-)

Shoo fly pie, and apple pan dowdy...

2007-05-29T06:50:00.001-07:00

It is funny what a song can do to a person. Yesterday I went down to the piano room at the college. I haven't played much in the last 6 months so I spent a good amount of time there. I worked on wedding music for Ryan and Maria, and then I wanted to see how much my piano playing abilities had faded...so I tried playing something from pretty much every genre. My classical is still pretty good...broadway, mediocre...but I've always had a hardish time with that, and swing, well, my hands don't like moving in sink anymore and they hurt like heck after trying to play "In the Mood" but it was fun anyway. :-) I forgot how different each style is to play. It's kinda fun. :-) Oh, and Laura, I still need to get that book! I forgot it AGAIN when I was over the other night, and I MUST learn the Tocatta and Fugue before Erin does. :-D
Anyway, so, I wrapped up my little piano session playing some swing. One piece that I used to always play was "Shoo Fly Pie" but Kristy is the one that owns the music so I haven't played it in foreverbecause I no longer have the music. So as I was headin' home, this song is running through my head...it's a fun song. I've always liked it. So now what? I'm gonna make shoo fly pie! I haven't had it in 15 years and it's SO YUMMY! The last time I had it I was in Amish Country with Katy and Celka. I went to Katy's last night, and so we of course talked about the trip a little bit, even though it was so long ago. It was fun. So yeah, there was a connection here...what was it again??? I don't know what it was going to be exactly, and as I almost never proof these posts, I guess I'm not going to bother finding out. But the long and short of it is, as a result of playing the piano last night, today I'm going to make the best shoo fly pie this side of the....Blue Ridge Mountains. :-D

Silly little bird...

2007-05-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

We have lots of birds at work. They're quite fun to watch. Today I was on the back deck for a bit and watched 2 cardinals do a good bit of flirting...they're much like humans, you know...she would fly from the fence to the shed, he'd follow her; then she'd look at him, but the second he looked back, she'd look away; then she'd fly over to the fence again...etc. etc...they carried on like this for a few minutes, and then he got smart, flew into a tree and she sat there lonely...and then followed. I guess she finally realized that he wasn't going to be putting up with just meaningless flirtation and she needed to make up her mind...it was cute...so I decided that they needed their privacy, and turned my eyes toward the pond where I saw a rabbit (not in the pond, hopping around near the pond). There was a butterfly down there too, and it looked like the rabbit was chasing the butterfly, but I know it really wasn't, because rabbits don't do that sort of thing.
Later in the day I was sitting at my desk (something I do only on very rare occaisions). I heard a funny thumping and chirping coming from the front of the building, so I went to check it out. At first I thought that a bird had gotten inside, but that wasn't the case...I looked out the front window and there was a cute little female cardinal pecking at her reflection in the purposeless bronze plate on the bottom of the door. As is always the case, she ran frantically when she saw me looking at her...but it was cute anyway....now the question remains: Who will be the lucky one that gets to clean the mat in front of the door...I'm off the next 2 days, so I'm sure it won't be me. :-)

Dreamin'...

2007-05-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip where Calvin is asleep and his mom calls up the stairs to wake him up and he gets ready to go to school and is waiting for the bus and then in the last frame he's back in bed and his mom is calling him again and it turns out it was all just a dream and the poor kid had to go through his normal morning routine a second time?
Yeah, well, that happened to me the other day...except in my dream, I'd gone through the entire day up until about 4 o'clock where I went to take a nap and Kelly was supposed to call me and wake me up at 4:45, but in reality, Stephen called me at 7:42 and I couldn't believe that it was only the beginning of the day and I had to go back to work....

Gotta love Garfield

2007-04-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

This is how I often feel...

But this is much funnier...

And this is my sisters and me...

A Duck!!!!

2007-03-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, some of you have heard this over and over and over again...but it happened again so I'm telling it again because it is still funny.
Last night, one thirty am, I climb into bed, my knee hits something, and then I hear it...that laugh, that laugh which makes me laugh like nothing else can make me laugh, it sounds kind of like Boo in "Monsters Inc." It's my duck. My bright yellow, ubersoft, plush, laughing duck. If you press on his foot, he laughs, and that makes me laugh. He was banished to my bedroom a while back because some of my friends and relations were taking advantage of the fact that he was a weakness of mine. And when Mr. Bear got banished to the closet, Mr. Duck took his place sitting on my pillow...and now the random laughing has happened about 5 or so times...just randomly, in the middle of the night, early in the morning, it laughs at me...and I laugh back. Admittedly it is a good way to get me up in the morning, because once he laughs, there's no going back to sleep for me.
Now you may ask, why not unbanish Mr. Bear from the closet and then Mr. Duck doesn't need to be guardian of the pillow anymore. Well, that's simple...I don't want my bear to come out of the closet. He's perfectly fine in the closet. My cat came out of the closet once, and that caused lots of problems, so once something goes in the closet, I think it is much safer to just leave it there...

Today

2007-03-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

That's a great title for a post, isn't it? :-)
Today I took Mom to her chemo treatment. It's a long treatment, so I was going to drop her off and then Dad was going to come and pick her up, but since it had been a while since Mom and I had just sat and talked, I decided to stay for a bit...so I was there for 4 hours. It was fun. We talked non-stop almost the whole time about everything from strawberries to Eastern Rite Liturgies...very cool. That's one thing that I love about my relationship with my mom...we can talk about pretty much anything. Granted, we don't always agree, but we can still talk. :-) I was taken aback a bit when we first got there...I don't know what I was expecting. They have a whole room for patients receiving chemo, and as we walked through that, I realized how much I take for granted. I almost felt embaressed walking through the room because I'm a perfectly healthy person and felt like I shouldn't be there. It was one of those moments that I will refer to from now on as a "manalive moment." (I think I'm liking the book more than I thought I would). It was a "holy smokes I'm alive and healthy and when was the last time I stopped and thanked God for it" moment. All I can say is, it was good. Anyway, after talking forever, we put on "Gross Point Blank"...very fun movie...I watched about a third of it before I headed out...Mom was almost done by that point, and Dad was going to be there soon. The long and short of it is, I'm really glad I went. I was just going to drop her off, but knew that it took a while for everything to get set up, so I figured I'd stay through that, and then there was always another reason to stay...even until I left...I felt like I should stay until Dad got there. But, I had some errands to run, so I left Mom to enjoy the movie.
I had to go to one of my least favorite places: the mall. It was the first time in goodness knows how long. It was fun though. I guess the trick for me is to go by myself, because usually I go to the mall with people, and I never enjoy it. I was in desperate need of shoes so of course I bought everything but. :-) After that I went out for coffee with Eric, went to Mass at St. Andrews, then over to "The Lap" for dinner with Alex, who then helped me buy the shoes that I couldn't find at the Mall. Thank goodness for online shopping. Buy shoes in the comfort of your own (or somebody elses) home. After that, it was home again for me! And that was my day.

Driving 101

2007-03-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I took my sister Terri to music lessons...it was fun. We got there, she went in, and one crossword puzzle later, she came out. Then she asked if she could drive home...she gave me that look that only little sisters can give...so I gave her the keys. I remember being her age and nobody would let me drive, and I, of course, didn't want to be one of "those people."
So we hopped in the car
She adjusted the seat
Put the key in the ignition
Then I told her to re-adjust the seat because she slid it backwards but she's shorter than I am
Then she looked at me and said:
"I've never gone backwards before!"
"Well, first you put it into reverse...that's neutral"
"Oh! You're right!'
"Going backwards" proved to be a rather large success...as did the rest of the driving, which was good. After a bit, we swapped places. As she hopped in the passengers seat I gave her an approving pat...
Then she said:
"Now I can tell you what I couldn't tell you before...I've only driven once. That's it! And I didn't want to tell you because I knew you wouldn't let me drive if I did."
Well, she knows me all too well...

Here we go!

2007-03-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is. I finally decided to go ahead and start a blog. I have no idea what will be posted here, how often it will be posted, or if it will be at all interesting, but something at sometime will show up...