Oh, to be there again...

seriously, someone please make me get out of bed.  And for the love of all that is holy, please pry mac from my fingers.

I enjoy mornings in bed, drinking my coffee, and catching up in the blog world, but people, I move to kansas city in 4 days. I've GOT to start packing. seriously.

What am I doing instead? Trying to find a savory tart to christen my new tart pan.  I've got some ideas... I see tomatoes... fresh herbs... cheese... wine...

I need to be moving to Paris instead.

I got into a recent conversation with someone about the differences in the health care systems and overall well beings of people in America vs. people in Europe.  It's astonishing how there is such a lack of obese people in Europe.  However, look at what they eat? There's cheese, wine, and bread in France... Chorizo, paella, tortilla española, and delicious Tiggiani gelato in Spain... heavy pasta, pizza and wine in Italy...

but nobody is fat.  The only slightly obese people I saw in these countries were the elderly. To me, that comes with age and is indicative of a well-lived life.

I had meals of these sizes twice a day in Spain for two and a half months...

(The first course of a meal in Madrid)

(these are the remnants of a meal... I was actually given half a loaf of bread to pair with my roast chicken and half a tortilla española)

And almost nightly (sometimes twice a day), we followed up our meals with this...

And guess what? I hardly gained any weight.  Walking 30 minutes to class and 30 minutes back was my salvation.  Why don't Americans do this? I really am curious. And why do Americans not value their meals? Eating times in Europe are the chances to spend time with friends and family (They take a two hour break in the middle of the day to go home and eat)... they value their meals and the time they spend eating them.  In America, when lunch time hits, people run to the nearest fast food chain to scarf down whatever they can.  How did we get off track with this mentality?

Now don't get me wrong, as soon as I returned to the states my American ways set back in and are currently in practice right now (seriously, someone please make me get out of bed).

Contemplating these issues makes me yearn for the days in Europe all over again...

I'm all for my friends and family packing up and moving there.  Who's with me?

The Leawood, KS Zoo.

I love animals.  This is no surprise to anyone who knows me.

However, I am a bit discriminatory when it comes to the animals I show my affection for.

So, of course, I think the best animals in the world are in the White House.  The White House located in Leawood, KS, that is.

Meet Kate. She is a bit intimidating but couldn't harm a flee.  Well, unless you are trying to take food away from her.  The girl enjoys her food. Which is also why she is pushing 100 lbs. no biggie.

(this is the only pic I have on my new computer of just kate)

Now, meet Millie.  The newest member to the White House zoo.  She is a bit prissy and has quite the attitude most of the time.  She is also the most cuddly and sweet looking dog I have ever known (aside from Kate of course... my loyalties are always and forever to Kate).   

Millie can be a bit of a rascal sometimes...

Notice the upside down suitcase on the floor... millie thought she needed more space on the bed.

She decided to play in some mud outside... her punishment? A bath in the kitchen sink by mom.  

Ugh she always makes me melt.

And now, what should be considered our 3rd dog... Snickers.  The bunny. Not much to say about snickers except that he's huge and likes to hang out on our deck outside.  He's also really soft and sheds like it's his job.  Don't wear black around him.

He's about half the size of Kate... Kate has the weight of a small human.  We feed our animals well.

We also have a fish... Sammy. He's a hand-me-down from me.  He doesn't do much but swim around and make his water dirty.  I guess I'm just not a big fan of fish. He has a funny looking nose though (do fish have noses?).  I don't have a picture of him, but if you go to petsmart, look for a male beta fish and you'll get a pretty good idea of what sammy looks like. Not much to him.

We also have mutant spiders/crickets in our basement: Spickets. (don't click on the link if you're queasy)  They are the spawn of satan.  I don't know if you guys know this, but spiders are my worst fear.  So... take the creepiness/ horrible-ness of spiders and add a two-foot jumping ability and you get Spickets.  (Apparently they are also called Cannibalistic Cave Crickets because they eat their own legs when they fall off... which happens often) Call them what you will... I think they should all die. 

I'm sorry... this is the most ridiculous post I've ever written.  You know when people show you pictures of their kids and you're like "uhhh... that's great. adorable. wow. what a cute kid" but really you're thinking "that kid looks just like every other kid I know... why are they showing me these pictures. I couldn't care less".  That's probably what's happening right now in this post.  sorry.

on a side note... look at this frog that tried to have dinner with us one night! 

Animals like this frog are fun to look at, but if it were to jump on me, I would forever hate frogs.  

Note to all non-human and non-dog animals: Stay away from me and I'll like you.  Come too close, and you might was well be dead to me.

I'm talking to you, birds...

Hi I'm Natalie and I have an oreo problem.

Ever heard of the saying "give me an inch, and I'll take a mile"? Well, folks, give me an oreo cookie and I'll eat the whole box.

Which is why I only eat them maybe twice a year.  Now, here comes the problem. I just learned how to make homemade oreos. seriously.  They are as good as the nabisco ones except bigger. problem.

Now here's the other problem... I made many of them..

My only saving grace was the trip home to KC... I was able to bring them home to family members to eat.  Otherwise, I would have eaten them all. seriously.

On top of making entirely way too many delicious oreos, I also decided to crank out some buttermilk pies.  

Ladies, put on your pretty apron and pearls and make this pie.

(can you tell I was born in the wrong generation?)

The pictures aren't great, so I'm going to opt out of posting the pictures and make you use your imagination... or you could just make the pies and see for yourself :)

Okay, now I'm sorry for having waited a week and a half to blog. I would have written sooner but with the graduation party, family in town, and my separation from mac, writing was just out of the question.  My goal for this week: write everyday.  It's a pretty hefty goal considering I have so much to do, but I will certainly try to squeeze it in during or between Law and Order: SVU episodes.

Hint for tomorrow's blog:

you'll just have to wait and see.

p.s.: If you would like very informative and interesting political views, visit our newest friend to the blog world.  It's fascinating.

Disappointment.

I have absolutely nothing to complain about.  I'm sitting in bed, listening/watching it storm outside, watching Pleasantville on tv, and drinking my delicious coffee.

However, I'm feeling bummed.  When I want to complain about petty things, this is where I go. sorry.

My sister, a 6th grade english teacher, was blessed with never getting sick (seriously, it's a running joke in the family).  Even when she worked with all those kids for a year, she never got sick.  However, I am currently sick and am going to blame my sister's recent visit.  I think she passed on the diseases that 6th graders have to me.  I have a sinus headache right now that makes me want to chop off my head.  seriously.  I got 4 hours of sleep last night because of this said headache.  When I woke up from my "nap", the headache was still there.  taunting me.  It has made my week of freedom an uncomfortable one, and I'm ready for it to skidaddle.

On top of this nasty cold/ sinus thing I've got going on, my favorite food blogger somewhat disappointed me. Actually, not 'somewhat', she really did. Last night she posted a pretty difficult recipe for a braided lemon bread.  The instructions were a bit confusing, so I worked up the guts to comment on her blog.  This may not sound like a big deal but, people, this lady has THOUSANDS of followers.  For me to comment and her to respond would be like a celebrity talking to me (I take pleasure in the little things in life... if you haven't noticed).  I was so excited to comment and have her respond to my question.  But you know what? she didn't.  And she has now responded to two people that posted comments after me.  Apparently there are such things as stupid questions, and I guess I asked one last night that was not worth responding to.  I'm bummed.

I hope I can get out of bed to make it to my movie this afternoon.  I feel like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. Ohhhh bother...

no rhubarb... blame the rain.

Well kids, no rhubarb.  Actually, no farmer's market.   Thunderstorms kept me (and I'm assuming most of the farmers as well) in bed. Have no fear! Another attempt will be made on Saturday! In about 2 weeks I'll be in Kansas City for good and its farmer's market is to die for... Aside from finding any sort of fruit (seriously... fresh cherries, oranges, bananas, etc) or vegetable your heart desires, there are also all kinds of specialty shops like indian food stores and seed/spice stores  (and nothing compares to the baked goods the amish farmers bring). Please come visit us so I can take you there :)

I did visit some antique stores today (mom, you would be so proud).  If you are ever in Fayetteville and love to antique, may I suggest the Fayetteville Trading Post. I didn't find anything, but they had some pretty interesting things.

What's in store for tomorrow, you ask? Going to see a movie... not sure when or what, but I'm thinking a movie by myself is just what the doctor ordered.  Probably a horribly sappy, oh-so-wonderful chick flick like Letters to Juliet or something.

For a graduation present, my lovely sister gave me a tart pan.  I'm looking for a great tart recipe to use it.  any ideas?

lessons learned...or not?

I'm going to admit a few things here...

1) I judge a book by its cover.  Actually, I judge just about everything by its cover.

2) I'm prone to habits.  I rarely stray from what I'm used to and what I know works.

This brings me to my most recent food attempt.  Strawberry coffee cake.

Okay, so what's not to love about the title of this recipe? I recently bought fresh strawberries at the farmer's market (yes, folks, it's strawberry season... which means rhubarb is just around the corner!) and have been looking for a recipe to use them.... I love strawberries. I love coffee. I love cake. HOW could I have not made this?

So, to begin with, I strayed from the usual, tried and true recipe finder.  I borrowed this recipe from another food blog I follow (which brings me back to number 2.... I stick to things that work for a reason).  I followed the recipe exactly like it said, but, unlike my usual food blogger I turn to, this blogger did not get rid of the kinks in the recipe.  For instance, the batter was entirely way too thick to deal with, and like I guessed it would, it turned out pretty dry.  So, yet again, my ridiculous, non-risk taking personality was confirmed and will probably stay.

Like any good baker, you must always try your creation before serving it (okay, so that's really only my rule.  I'm just always terrified of serving people something nasty I've created). The first bite was not so good.  You couldn't taste any strawberry, it was entirely way too dry, and it just lacked the umph that I was so hoping for.  I didn't throw it all away, but I did dismiss the recipe as a fail (back to point number 1... I always judge the cover).

This morning, I decided to try one more attempt.  This time, I went for a piece in the middle.  And, oh, how I was mistaken!! The strawberries were perfectly juicy, the cake was perfectly moist, and the topping was perfectly crumbly!

With that being said, I'm going to chalk up this failure (well, half of the cake was a failure) to using the wrong baking pan.  I used a dark non-stick pan causing the cake to bake faster and thus, the edges to be dry. (smittenkitchen would ALWAYS prevent me from making such a mistake ha).

I guess in this case, the first piece of the cake was the cover and I most definitely judged it.  I wouldn't say NEVER bake this cake (the middle is rather delicious), just use a clear baking pan.  Or, if you insist on using a dark one, cut the baking time down about 20 minutes.

Thursday morning farmer's market tomorrow... guess who will be there? searching for her rhubarb?

I came up with a theory while heating up my frozen dinner box this evening... I have become a regular food blog stalker.  From what I have stalked, rhubarb is a HUGE hit when its season arrives.  Most serious bakers can't wait for rhubarb season! seriously! So, I'm thinking that last year when I grabbed the rhubarb from the farmer, I was grabbing the bottom of the barrel rhubarb.  The kind nobody wants... because it's not pink! I'm thinking if I want the good stuff, I gotta get there early.  So, that's the plan for tomorrow.  Let's hope I can get me some rhubarb (pink rhubarb that is)!

Brisket and poptarts make the world go 'round...

aghhhhh it's been so long! I haven't blogged in ages, and my fingers have been DYING to type!

I'm exaggerating, of course.  Sometimes I get in moods where I just don't feel like blogging.  Is that bad? I did miss you, blogspot.  Just not enough, I guess. No worries, friends, I still check it everyday to see everyone's updates.  I religiously stalk you, actually.  Don't be too creeped out.

Anywho...  I know you have all lost sleep about how my brisket turned out. Have no fear, your restless nights are over.  The brisket was fan-tas-tic.  Every syllable of that word should be highlighted.  The recipe is fool-proof and amazing.  My apartment smelled like brisket for a week. (which actually doesn't sound that appetizing?) mmmm.... I'm remembering it fondly.

onions doing what they do best... caramelizing.....

Reminds me of meals as a kid.  soooo good.

Seriously, folks.  PUH-lease make this brisket soon. Whoever you make it for, even if it's just for yourself, just make it. It's fabulous.  And I'm pretty sure it can draw any man in.  It's that good.  Tad swooned for about 2 hours after he ate it. For all you gentlemen reading this... I swear. you'll LOVE it. and you'll love anyone who makes it for you.

Now on to poptarts.... poptarts, you ask? Yes... poptarts.  I now know how to make them.  (and no, not just unwrapping them and putting them in the toaster).

Guess what?  The homemade ones are better.  No, they do not have the fake, sugary icing, but these have the flaky, buttery, sugary pie crusts that everyone loves to eat (unless you're tad).  They are filled with your own homemade love, whether that's jam, cinnamon sugar, or something savory. I have to admit something though... I love smitten kitchen (yes, we all know this, and no, this is not what I'm admitting) but this recipe was a a little bit more difficult than advertised (like 1.5 hours more difficult).  I had a lot of trouble with the dough.  Maybe I just cook in too warm of a kitchen.  Regardless, the end product was worth eating every morning for seven days straight (Did I just admit that?)

I made mine with raspberry jam... superb.

notice how imperfect my poptarts are? Apparently I can't make 3x5 rectangles.

Again, people, please try this recipe.  I live in a shoe box, so I'm sure the rest of you will have no problem with the 'sticky dough' and 'too warm kitchen' troubles that I ran into ( by this, I mean, when I turn on my oven, the apartment heats up like I turned the heat on in december) .  If you do happen to live in a space the size a mouse would be comfortable in, no worries... The recipe is still fun (trust me).  It just takes a little longer with the sticky dough!

Now, I would like to thank you all for the WONDERFUL birthday I had.  It definitely trumped last year's.  I'll just leave pictures of the great day...

The amazing sunset I woke up to (5:00 am) when I had to study for the biochem final... on my birthday.

Mexican food and margaritas for lunch? yes, please.

The OH- SO- AMAZING birthday cake I was surprised with... love you, family.

To top it off?? Vanilla cake with strawberry jam filling on top, chocolate cake with whipped cream filling on the bottom...A-mazing.

Beautiful lavendar flowers delivered.... doesn't get much better.

All in all, a great birthday.  seriously, great.  Now, because I'm writing this so behind, I just so happened to finish my last final of my undergrad today.  This is what freedom looks like...

(If you happen to notice, I got a pedicure on Monday:) great birthday present from the tadster)

Guess what's in store for tomorrow morning?

Thursday morning farmer's market...I know you're hoping I bring home some rhubarb....