What's going on (cue Motown music)

I know, I know. How long has it been since my last post? And I was doing so good for a while there…In all seriousness, October has sped by me and I can’t believe we’ve only got a week to go until November. A big part of that is because I recently spent ten days in Massachusetts – an unexpected trip, to be sure, and not for a fun reason. I know that when they lose someone special to them, a lot of other bloggers write some kind of tribute post, often zeroing in on how that person’s influence relates to the blog’s topic. And then tons of strangers out there in the universe write in with their condolences and special stories of their own, and perhaps the whole thing makes the blogger feel better, comforted, less alone. Well, maybe someday I’ll write a post about my grandmother’s food eccentricities, her penchant for baking, the cookbook collection she made me for my sixteenth birthday, the applesauce she and my grandfather made every fall, her unwavering encouragement of me and my aspirations…but I’m not there yet.

So in the meantime, let me do a little round-up of what’s been going in food-wise in my life. I made significant progress on the cookbook challenge before taking a break, but I’m getting back on track this week with four recipes lined up – eggplant gratin, radishes with compound butter, elephant ears, and cheese puffs (gougeres in French).

I made pumpkin mac and cheese the other day, a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that I’ve been wanting to try for a while. It was eh, okay. I think in actuality it tasted just fine, but what I really wanted was ooey gooey cheesy mac and cheese, and this was not that. So I was disappointed and probably won’t make the recipe again. Tonight I’m going to try a recipe, also from BHG, for pumpkin rice pudding, which I think will be much more successful. Have I ever talked about my mom’s rice pudding? The recipe is from a Sun-Maid golden raisins box many years ago and it’s just the best. I wish she could make me some right now.

The brother and I had a nice fall day last Saturday – we did a corn maze, visited a pumpkin patch, and then carved those pumpkins (later dubbed Dennis and Amelia). I roasted up the pumpkin seeds with some olive oil, salt, black pepper, and a touch of cayenne – they came out pretty good! I also made an apple pie (the only one I've made so far the season -- ridiculous!). I used to like apple pie best when it was warm from the oven, but I think I like it better now nice and cold. Is that weird? The apples at the farmers' market are just fascinating -- and the cider is yummy too (although not as good as the New England stuff).

I drank sooo much Dunkin Donuts coffee and ate at least five Boston Creme doughnuts. True story. Although now I haven't had Starbucks in like, two weeks. That's a tragedy in my book.

Finally, I’d like to make an observation – Applebee’s food really sucks these days (except for the boneless Buffalo wings, which are always delish). I guess maybe it always sucked and I just wasn’t picky enough to notice. Well, I am now, and its ruined for me. Maybe for the best?

Oh, and let me say – I returned to the west coast with a stack of Thanksgiving related magazines about a foot tall. I’m still making my way through them – so fun! Have I mentioned lately how much I love the holidays?

Happy Heart Day

No, I’m not dead – just incredibly busy. Let me give you a quick rundown of a typical week for me these days:

Monday—Internship at EatingWell (yes, you read that right!) from 10-4. Then straight to a Weight Watchers meeting until 6:00 (yes, you read that right too). Then I usually have to pick up the dog at doggie daycare, and its 7:00 by the time I get home. Eat, watch the new episode of How I Met Your Mother, and then crash.

Tuesday—Work from 7 until 3:30 (and work has been nuts lately), then my creative writing workshop at school. Again, its 7:00 by the time I get home.

Wednesday—Work again, then usually a meeting with my thesis advisor. Last week I work overtime (until 8pm!!) Wednesday and Thursday. I try to fit in a quick walk with the dog in the evening, as long as it is not too dark out or snowing too hard. And it basically is snowing every single day up here right now.

Thursday is pretty much the same as Wednesday, and I often babysit Thursday or Friday evening.

Friday –Work until noon, then the internship until 5:00.

Saturday—regular work day, plus any errands – grocery shopping, etc.

Sunday is my only day off. Last week I had to reschedule a haircut four times before it finally got done (you can probably see why). Clearly, blogging has taken a back seat in my life this past month or so. But not to fear – I am starting to get a routine figured out and hope to be more consistent again.

So, what’s been happening in my foodie world these days? Honestly, not too much – another reason for the lack of posts, I suppose. Danielle and I checked out Church and Main a few weeks ago, and that was awesome. We sat at the bar because the wait for a table was extensive – even on a Wednesday evening! The bartender was very friendly and energetic though, and we had a nice time. Danielle had a hot buttered rum that was to die for (I seriously think one might accidentally kill themselves with these). I started with a grilled pear salad, and it was really good – the pears had a really unique smoky, almost meaty flavor that was unlike anything I’d ever tasted, but it was yummy. Then for my entrée, I had lobster mac and cheese. Can you blame me? Soooo good. Ever since Boston and dinner at the Union Oyster House, Danielle and I have been on a bit of a seafood kick. It is just sooo good, and usually pretty good for you, and somehow always tastes better out at a restaurant than when prepared at home. Finally, I ordered profiteroles to take home for dessert, topped with a creamy vanilla marscapone. Over all, a very satisfying meal.

Cooking-wise, I do not have anything too exciting to report. I tried a recipe out of the recent issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray and was disappointed – not the recipe’s fault; I just didn’t care for the flavors. It came from a feature on meatless meals (very popular in the food world these days) – Portobello Mushrooms with Au Poivre sauce. Eh. I made my mom’s rice pudding over the weekend, a longtime favorite of mine, but I swapped in brown rice for white. I was pretty happy with the results.

I think I have mentioned the CSA I belong to, with Pete’s Greens. Well, they had a terrible fire last month and lost tons of produce and machinery. It’s been all over the news up here as the community comes together to fundraise for them. I’ve already pledged the rest of my credits to go towards a spring share.

Nothing else happening these days, at least right at the moment. I’ll check in again soon – and not two months from now.