I wish....

According to this, today is Eat What You Want Day!

Yay! You can celebrate one of two ways:
1. Buy Steve-O's book
or (substantially cheaper a.k.a. free)...
2. Share what you would eat if you could eat everything you wanted.

Here's my list:
Tommy's Chili Double Cheeseburger and chili cheese fries
Double Double Animal Style, and a Strawberry shake
Waffle Cone double scoop Peppermint over Cookies-N-Cream from Fosselman's
Trader Joe's Taquitos
Aunt Mary's Boereg (Armenian cheese turnovers)
Beef Stroganoff (my grandmother's)
Amante's Shepherds Pie Pizza with Pepperoni
Fried Dill Pickles
Big Stick Popsicles (the red, orange, and yellow ones, you can't get them here)
Homemade tamales
Salami and ritz crackers
Caramel Apples
Garlic Bread
A&W Root Beer Float

There's more, I just felt sick looking at that much food. BTW, anyone notice a theme here?

(h/t Michele)

Posted by: caltechgirl at 06:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Thesis-In-Progress Edition
(forgive me, folks, I've got thesis on the brain. My defense meeting is May 26th!)

Abstract (Drinks):
The Carnival of the Recipes is a weekly roundup of the best recipes of the blogosphere. Individual bloggers submit recipes of their choice for all comers to enjoy. The posts are collected by a single host, and the links are provided by the host on each Friday, unless life intervenes. The Carnival has become more popular as time has gone on, and in addition to the usual main dishes and desserts, bloggers often submit unusual recipes or advice on cooking, as in B.Durbin of Booklore's Coconut-Hazelnut Smoothie and Recipe Challenge.

Chapter 1 Starting a Carnival (Soups, Salads, and Sauces):
The Carnival of the Recipes was started by Beth Donovan as a way for all of the blogosphere cooks to exchange their favorite recipes and get ideas. Soups, Salads, and Sauces are all an important part of a meal: adding to the main dish, cleansing the palate, bookending a fabulous meal. Recipes that you can use to start a meal this week include:
Jeff's Substitute A1 sauce from Ponytailed Conservative
The Queen's Spaghetti Sauce (or Dean's Favorite Pot Roast) from the Queen of all Evil
Split Pea Soup from Tanker at Mostly Cajun
Bean soup with Hambone from Bo the Nook of A Geezer's Corner
Tortilla Soup from Owlish of Owlish Mutterings
Bachelor Salad from Boxing Alcibiades

Chapter 2 Tempting the Palate (Appetizers and Sides):
Side dishes and appetizers are crucial to a successful meal. Guests come together over appetizers, and get a chance to socialize before the heavy food in the main course. Side Dishes give the main course a special extra zip. You might want to try out the effect of some of these:
Sausage and Cheese Snacks from Prochien Amy
Something-Or-Other Rice from David of Third World County
Jalapeño and Cheese Latkes from David G at Daily Pundit

Chapter 3 The Main Event (Main Dishes):
The main dish is the centerpiece of every meal, and consistently is the main focus of the Carnival of the Recipes. Main dish recipes are shared from house to house, from generation to generation. These recipes are shared in the same spirit:
Portobello and Bow Tie Pasta from Oddybobo
Gehockteh Leber from Ellison of Blog D'Ellison
Stuffed Zucchini from VW of One Happy Dog Speaks
Beef Tamales from the Redneck Gormet
Stuffed Salmon from Kevin at Technogypsy
Pizza (everything from tips to a dough recipe) from the AnarchAngel
Crawfish Etoufee (easy and hard methods) from Shawn of Everything and Nothing
Fava Beans with Sausage from Bo the Nook of A Geezer's Corner
Pepper Vodka Chicken from FrazzledDad
Italian Omelets from Ted at Rocket Jones
Landlocked Mussels from Punctilious at Blog O'Ram
Grillade Penne with Tomato Gravy from Christina of Feisty Repartee

Chapter 4 Finishing Touches (Desserts and Sweets):
Dessert isn't just the last course, it's often the best course. So in this case we're saving the best for last. And I guess we'll make this short and sweet:
Sweet Haggis (no intestines, no liver) from Donna at PajamaPundits
Fudge Cake with Whipped Amaretto Icing from Christina of Feisty Repartee
Orange Refrigerator Cookies from Be of Bebere.com
Fruit Pizza from Tinker at The Secret Life of Shoes
Key Lime Cream Cheese Pie from Songstress7 at News From the Great Beyond
Mud Cookies from Sissy of And What Next
Crackling Cookies from triticale
Doctor Bird Cake from Dave of The Glittering Eye
Conor's Birthday Cheesecake from Mary Beth of Random Thoughts

Chapter 5 Future Directions:
Next week's Carnival of the Recipes is hosted by Kevin at Technogypsy

Appendices (late arrivals):
Dinner in a Bowl from Sisu Sissy
Avgolemono Soup from Countertop of Countertop Chronicles

Hopefully all the trackbacks went through... If you didn't get one email me. The pinger is acting up...

Posted by: caltechgirl at 12:41 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
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1 EXCELLENT job on the roundup! And no, I am NOT just saying that because I was included! *LOL* You've got me tempted to offer to host sometime, just so I can see if I can as well.

Posted by: Jeff (Ponytailed Conservative, no longer Au Fait) at April 29, 2005 01:58 AM (Mu8gg)

2 Yay!

Posted by: Ted at April 29, 2005 06:11 AM (blNMI)

3 Great job! But one minor correction: "Gehockte Leber" (Chopped Liver) is an appetizer, not a main dish. Not that I haven't tried, of course...but it's way too heavy to use as an entrée. Heh.

Posted by: Elisson at April 29, 2005 06:12 AM (F8Rj3)

4 Great Job!

Posted by: Oddybobo at April 29, 2005 08:12 AM (6Gm0j)

5 Tempted, heh. I'd *love* to host sometime. Probably help my cooking quite a bit... Gotta love that fruit pizza, too.

Posted by: Boxing Alcibiades at April 29, 2005 09:51 AM (eRsMQ)

6 If you want to host, just email Beth or send it to the recipe.carnival address to get put on the list....

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 29, 2005 09:58 AM (5VQpT)

7 Excellent! Thank you!

Posted by: Christina at April 29, 2005 10:02 AM (hDY55)

8 Looks yummy! I like the format - easy to read!

Posted by: vw bug at April 29, 2005 11:23 AM (mPRqC)

9 Wonderful job! Break a leg with that other (ahem) thing on the side you're working on, too...

Posted by: Be at April 29, 2005 11:26 AM (eov/B)

10 Egad. I missed the deadline. Here's my recipe for Dinner in a bowl: Salad with Chicken and Sausage

Posted by: Sissy Willis at April 29, 2005 11:36 AM (7WFgX)

11 adding it now, Sissy!

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 29, 2005 11:40 AM (5VQpT)

12 Thanks for posting my late arrival, caltechgirl!

Posted by: Sissy Willis at April 29, 2005 11:54 AM (7WFgX)

13 Thanks for getting my late entry in. Looks like another great carnival!

Posted by: countertop at April 29, 2005 12:28 PM (3Dwap)

14 InstaLanche! Congratulations.

Posted by: Sissy Willis at April 29, 2005 02:23 PM (7WFgX)

15 Great job girly!! This and your school stuff...impressive!

Posted by: Sissy at April 30, 2005 12:09 AM (PjqiK)

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The Carnival of the Recipes is up at bebere.com, complete with poetry.
Bev did a great job! Drop by and check it out!

Next week the CotR moves here, don't miss it!

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It's strawberry season, which of course makes me homesick for those luscious CA strawberries that are WAY overpriced in our stores out here....

In honor of that, here's a recipe that turns out a beautiful 3-layer cake from scratch when done right.

Strawberries and Cream Cake (originally from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups white sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberries, pureed

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat sugar, gelatin and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Mix flour and baking powder, and beat alternately with the milk into the sugar mixture. Fold in 1 teaspoon vanilla and pureed strawberries. Divide equally into three 9 inch round cake pans.
3. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from pans and cool completely.
4. To make the filling: Beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on high until stiff. Fill each layer with 1/3 of the whipped cream and 3/4 cup sliced strawberries.
5. To make the frosting: Beat the margarine, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread over the sides of the cake, and pipe an edge of frosting around the top of the cake.
6. Spread remaining whipped cream on cake top. Top with quartered strawberries.

Submit your own recipes to the Carnival of the Recipes by emailing your link (if you have a web presence) or your recipe (if you don't) to recipe(dot)carnival(at)gmail(dot)com

This week's CotR is hosted by Bev at bebere.com. Next week the CotR stops here! And of course thanks to SWWBO for starting the whole thing....

Posted by: caltechgirl at 08:58 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Due to unforseen work circumstances, the Carnival of the Recipes is now up. Head on over to Countertop Chronicles for all of the yummy goodness this week!

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Found TODAY for the first time ever in Chapel Hill:
(drumroll.....)

And it's actually pretty good. Tastes like cherry coke mixed with cream soda and a little Dr. Pepper. Go here for a more in-depth review

Don't worry, Darling Husband, there's one in the fridge for you. And I won't hold it against you either. I know you don't frequent the med school snack shop

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:39 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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For this week's Carnival of the Recipes, here's a favorite in my family. The Caltechmom is diabetic, so sugar-free is frequently on the menu. This recipe is a twist on the traditional apple pie.

Caltechmom's Nearly Sugar Free Apple Pie

1 large pkg. Cook 'n' Serve (NOT instant) Vanilla Pudding mix
1 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1- 1 1/2 packet Sweet N Low (Splenda is probably ok, but DO NOT use Equal)
3-4 cups apples, peeled and sectioned
1 6oz fat-reduced graham cracker crust
1 tub fat-free Cool whip

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 deg. F.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine pudding mix, juice, cinnamon, and sweetner. Stir well.
Add apples, stir constantly until boiling.
Pour in crust, shake gently to settle.
Bake for 20 minutes, let cool.
Top with Cool Whip and serve.
Enjoy.

This week's CotR is hosted by Drew of Conservative Friends (at least I think it is...)
In any case get those recipes in to recipe(dot)carnival(at)gmail(dot)com before 12am EDT Friday (Thursday night!)

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The first ever Carnival of the Recipes from Australia!

Amanda of Aussie Wife hosts the 34th Carnival of the Recipes!

Everything looks so yummy!

On a related note, the CotR will be hosted by Drew of Conservative Friends next week, and it will be here in 3 weeks (April 29th)! Mark your calendars

Posted by: caltechgirl at 05:42 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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It's spring. The dogwoods and wisteria are all in bloom, and that nasty pine pollen has coated the town of Chapel Hill in a post-victory yellow dust. Blecch. I need to wash my car.....

Anyway, one of the things I love in the spring is a good pasta primavera with all of the veggies and herbs that are just starting to come in fresh. Here's a wonderful recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It's great because you use packaged pasta and refrigerated alfredo sauce (makes it super quick!)

Rotini and Sweet Pepper Primavera

14 oz Asparagus spears
8 oz dried rotini or gemelli (I prefer gemelli)
1 large sweet red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup halved baby pattypan, or chopped summer, yellowneck, or zucchini squash (I like to use a mix of them)
1 10 oz container refrigerated light/low fat (or regular if you like) Alfredo sauce
2 Tbsp snipped fresh tarragon or thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus spears. Bias-slice (diagonally) asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding asparagus, sweet bell pepper and squash too pasta for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain, return pasta and vegetable mixture to hot pan.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan combine alfredo sauce, tarragon or thyme and red pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat about 5 minutes or until heated through. Pour sauce over pasta and vegetables; stir gently to coat. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs and/or grated parmesan cheese.

prep time:20 minutes start to finish, serves 4.

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