Assignment 53.

Posted on April 17, 2009 by sorellaaglio

Check out this website. Some advice for me:

To Jennie, age 14:

* Don’t listen to everything anyone tells you. Don’t believe too strongly in something just because your friends do.
* Listen to your mother. She’s right about them.
* Hang out with your sister more. She’s leaving to go to college, soon.

To Jennie, age 15:

* Don’t cry so much. Your life is pretty awesome.
* Tell your parents you love them more.
* Spend some more time with your girls.

To Jennie, age 16:

* Don’t stay with him for the summer just because your lockers are next to each other. You should really break up with him when you’re done with him. It’ll save heartache later.
* Don’t think you’re fat. Right now, you’re the skinniest you’re going to be. And even when you’re not as skinny, you’ll be happy. Because you’re beautiful.
* Focus when you go to NYC. You’ll remember every snowflake.

To Jennie, age 18:

* Break up before you go. Although you’ll miss some good times, you’ll thank me later.
* Don’t let him walk you home in September. It’ll be the start of heartbreak 4 years in the making.
* Don’t go to that party at K’s. Don’t let him be on the porch with you. Don’t let him tell you that he’d date you if only she didn’t exist. Don’t let him say he wishes she didn’t.
* It’s not your fault he died. Don’t let yourself believe it for a minute. Ever.
* Listen to your mother.

To Jennie, age 19:

* Don’t promise things you can’t to the people you love.
* Kiss him anyways. You won’t regret it.
* Kiss him, too. Ditto.
* Remember that your life is full of learning experiences. He loved you. Just not anymore.
* Listen to your mother.

Easter Pictures.

Posted on April 16, 2009 by sorellaaglio

jeff_jennie_eggs

My sauce, Jeff’s sauce. Some eggs for coloring.

meatballs

Jeff’s meatballs.

pasta

My sauce, cooking with the Lasagna shells.

ricotta

Ricotta mixture for Lasagna.

salmon

Salmon. Thanks, Cor!

dying

Egg dye all laid out.

hey-girl

Hey, Girl, Hey.

girl

becca

Becca’s egg of stickers.

eggs

Final products.

Smile!

We will come running. Probably with food.

Posted on April 16, 2009 by sorellaaglio

K, SS, M, and L, from the East coast;

Mom, Nikki, Kel, Laur, B, J, Ness, etc. in the Midwest;

and Cor, Bec, Jen, Kiki, and others on the West coast:

I will always come running.

“We will call and say, “I heard the news.” And whatever the news is, we will come running. Probably with food.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q]

Snickerdoodles with Reese's Pieces

Posted on April 16, 2009 by sorellaaglio

A few days ago, I asked my friend El about cookies. Via email. The following is our email convo:

“If you were to eat a cookie, which flavor would you like it to be?”

“Matzah flavored,” he replied, since it is Passover.

“What if it WASN’T Passover? Then what kind of cookie?” I asked.

“That’s tough. I like all cookies! probably snickerdoodle with Reese’s pieces,” he replied.

So I made him some Reese’s pieces Snickerdoodles. On account of it being his birthday week, and all.

I used a recipe from FoodNetwork, since I have never made snickerdoodles before, except ONCE in the 7th grade in my first week of Home Ec when I had first moved to MI. It was a traumatic experience, as I had only ever made chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, and had never heard of snickerdoodles. What land has my parents brought me to, one where cows and tractors and snickerdoodles are plentiful?? I asked myself this question daily for a few weeks, and since my Home Ec teacher was dramatic and told me I shouldn’t chew gum and had a problem with me from Day 1 (I’m pretty sure my mom got a call or two), I vowed I would hate snickerdoodles forever. Of course, I haven’t eaten any since then, nearly 10 years ago, and had nearly forgotten my hatred until El asked me to make them. Alas, I still don’t really like them. But hopefully he will.

Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening ( I used regular Crisco )
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ( I used wheat flour. Shh!! Don’t tell El. )
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ( I probably used more. )

I did not use the “chocolate sticks” mentioned on the recipe page, instead I put Reese’s pieces into the dough (after making some for Jen, on account of her peanut allergy.) They were good plain OR with Reese’s. If, you know, you’re into snickerdoodles.

IN OTHER NEWS…

The only person who reads my blog that may know this is M. OK and maybe a bunch of you, but I had no idea!!

cinnamon-tree

DID YOU KNOW THAT CINNAMON IS TREE BARK? I would like to move to the land of Cinnamon-barked trees. It’s almost as good as Candy Land. Only the place in which Cinnamon-barked trees grow is in Sri Lanka.

Apparently we need “tropical sunshine and abundant rain” and I don’t know if I can recreate it. I might try to, in the bathtub, if Jeff says it’s OK. More to come.