There were several choices of what to celebrate today. One was Adopt A Shelter Pet Day. I don't think it would go over too well in my house if I came home with a new pet.
I could celebrate National Bugs Bunny Day, but I'm not entirely sure what I would do.
So I decided to celebrate National Honesty Day. I'm still not sure how to celebrate this day though. I know I should be honest. So I don't think I told any lies today. (I don't lie, I just tend to exaggerate...a lot.)
So I guess I will be honest with you all.
My name is not JazzyJ.
It's Janelle.
(This will not be a shock to some of you.)
That's the best I have.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
April 29: National Shrimp Scampi Day
So you could take the easy way out and buy frozen shrimp scampi, heat it up in a pan quickly, and then eat it. And I wouldn't judge you if you did this. Trust me, my life is crazy and only getting crazier and sometimes you just don't have time to make home made shrimp scampi. But I did. And it was delicious. My only complaint is that I didn't make enough to have leftovers.
JazzyJ's Scrumptious Shrimp Scampi:
Note: I made this to feed four people. There were not leftovers. Some of us are big eaters, and one or two of us may have had third helpings. Please take this into account when cooking this for a group.
Ingredients:
- 40 shrimp (this was 10 per/person)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- linguini pasta (enough to feed the number you are serving)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- zest from 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about juice from one lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions:
1. Start boiling water, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the water, and when ready add the pasta and cook according to the directions. My linguini cooked for about 14 minutes.
2. In a large pan, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the minced garlic being careful not to let it burn.
3. Add the shrimp and pepper and sautee for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
4. In a serving bowl, add to the pasta, toss with the lemon juice and red pepper flakes and serve.
My friend Allison gets credit for zesting and juicing the lemon, along with making this beautiful salad pictured above. We paired our shrimp scampi with fruit salad, regular salad, garlic butter cheese buns, and red wine. It was a feast fit for kings and queens!
The fresh squeezed lemon juice gave the pasta a bit of a twang - which made for a refreshing meal. I'm going to start adding fresh lemon juice to more of my pastas.
And trust me, I will be making this meal again (more likely sooner rather than later.)
JazzyJ's Scrumptious Shrimp Scampi:
Note: I made this to feed four people. There were not leftovers. Some of us are big eaters, and one or two of us may have had third helpings. Please take this into account when cooking this for a group.
Ingredients:
- 40 shrimp (this was 10 per/person)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- linguini pasta (enough to feed the number you are serving)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- zest from 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about juice from one lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions:
1. Start boiling water, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the water, and when ready add the pasta and cook according to the directions. My linguini cooked for about 14 minutes.
2. In a large pan, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the minced garlic being careful not to let it burn.
3. Add the shrimp and pepper and sautee for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
4. In a serving bowl, add to the pasta, toss with the lemon juice and red pepper flakes and serve.
My friend Allison gets credit for zesting and juicing the lemon, along with making this beautiful salad pictured above. We paired our shrimp scampi with fruit salad, regular salad, garlic butter cheese buns, and red wine. It was a feast fit for kings and queens!
The fresh squeezed lemon juice gave the pasta a bit of a twang - which made for a refreshing meal. I'm going to start adding fresh lemon juice to more of my pastas.
And trust me, I will be making this meal again (more likely sooner rather than later.)
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
April 28: National Blueberry Pie Day
I love blueberries. My dad has planted several blueberry bushes in his garden. I consider them mine. Even though I have no part in taking care of them. I do, however, occasionally water them. I probably eat about 3/4 of them myself. But, considering my love of blueberries, I have never had blueberry pie!
THIS IS THE EASIEST AND THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE EVER!!
I might be a little biased, considering this is the only blueberry pie I have ever had. But my friend Allison and my parents raved about it. And it was easy! You could easy make this before having company over.
JazzyJ's Blissful Blueberry Pie:
Ingredients:
- 5 cups blueberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 package refrigerated pie crusts (or you could be fancy and make your own crust)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle washed blueberries with lemon juice and set aside.
2. Fit half the refrigerated pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan.
3. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add blueberries and stir gently so the dry ingredients coat all the berries.
4. Pour into the pie pan that is lined with a bottom layer of crust. Cut up the butter into small pieces and lay on top of the berries.
5. Place the second half of the refrigerated pie crust on top and pinch the edges. Cut several slits on top to allow the pie to breathe.
6. Brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle sugar on top.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
I served mine with vanilla ice cream but home made whipped cream would also be a good choice!
This pie is sure to be eaten quickly, so it might even be a good idea to make two of these.
Adjectives you might use to describe this pie:
scrumptious
delicious
mouth watering
juicy
blissful
perfect for a summer afternoon
fruity
THIS IS THE EASIEST AND THE BEST BLUEBERRY PIE EVER!!
I might be a little biased, considering this is the only blueberry pie I have ever had. But my friend Allison and my parents raved about it. And it was easy! You could easy make this before having company over.
JazzyJ's Blissful Blueberry Pie:
Ingredients:
- 5 cups blueberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 package refrigerated pie crusts (or you could be fancy and make your own crust)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle washed blueberries with lemon juice and set aside.
2. Fit half the refrigerated pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan.
3. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add blueberries and stir gently so the dry ingredients coat all the berries.
4. Pour into the pie pan that is lined with a bottom layer of crust. Cut up the butter into small pieces and lay on top of the berries.
5. Place the second half of the refrigerated pie crust on top and pinch the edges. Cut several slits on top to allow the pie to breathe.
6. Brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle sugar on top.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
I served mine with vanilla ice cream but home made whipped cream would also be a good choice!
This pie is sure to be eaten quickly, so it might even be a good idea to make two of these.
Adjectives you might use to describe this pie:
scrumptious
delicious
mouth watering
juicy
blissful
perfect for a summer afternoon
fruity
Monday, April 27, 2015
April 27: National Tell A Story Day
Today is recognized in honor of telling stories. They can be bed time stories or a story from your memory. Any type of story counts. I'm going to tell you a story about my best/worst Halloween costume.
I've always had eccentric taste when it comes to Halloween costumes. When I was growing up, think early elementary years, I wanted to be a toaster! I have no idea why except I knew it would be pretty epic. I would not be a toaster until I was a sophomore in high school. Yes, I still went trick or treating in high school.
My 8th grade year, I decided to be a bag of jelly beans. My parent's had recently ordered a lamp shade which came with this handy clear stretchy bag which was open on both ends, yet had elastic on both ends. It is hard to explain. But if I put this bag thing on, the elastic held it on to my body around my hips, and then the bag went up and the top elastic held it right below my arm pits. I blew up a ton of different colored small balloons, put them in this bag thing I was wearing, and there you go! I was a bag of jelly beans. I believe we also put a big bow on my head. I was a hit at school (once people figured out what I actually was.) People also kept trying to steal my jelly bean balloons which was maddening.
But there was one small issue, I was in Yearbook and I was taking pictures at recess which was held in the gym. I had a camera around my neck and I was running for some reason. Knowing clumsy me, I tripped. But I knew I had to save the camera. So instead of catching myself with my hands when I fell, I used both hands to hold the camera up above my head behind me so it wouldn't hit the floor. That hurt. I stood up and the whole gym was silent. And they were all looking at me. I had only fallen, I had no idea what everyone was staring at. That's when one of my friends ran over to my laughing, and dragged me into the hallway. That's when I noticed what happened. I was completely deflated. I have at maximum, maybe five jelly bean balloons left. When I had fallen, all of my balloons had popped, creating a series of very loud popping noises. That's why everyone was rudely staring at me. Somehow I failed to notice this. I spent the second half of the day walking around trying to keep my five remaining jelly bean balloons from being stolen.
It started out as a super cool costume, but it ended up being a dud costume. Sadly, I can't find a picture of me dressed like this. I did however, look on the family computer hoping to find a picture of either my toaster costume or my jelly bean bag costume. I only found some very creepy pictures of me dressed in all black (complete with fish nets) and my face painted like a cat. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF THIS. It's very creepy. I will not be posting a picture here.
So that's my story for National Tell A Story Day.
I've always had eccentric taste when it comes to Halloween costumes. When I was growing up, think early elementary years, I wanted to be a toaster! I have no idea why except I knew it would be pretty epic. I would not be a toaster until I was a sophomore in high school. Yes, I still went trick or treating in high school.
My 8th grade year, I decided to be a bag of jelly beans. My parent's had recently ordered a lamp shade which came with this handy clear stretchy bag which was open on both ends, yet had elastic on both ends. It is hard to explain. But if I put this bag thing on, the elastic held it on to my body around my hips, and then the bag went up and the top elastic held it right below my arm pits. I blew up a ton of different colored small balloons, put them in this bag thing I was wearing, and there you go! I was a bag of jelly beans. I believe we also put a big bow on my head. I was a hit at school (once people figured out what I actually was.) People also kept trying to steal my jelly bean balloons which was maddening.
But there was one small issue, I was in Yearbook and I was taking pictures at recess which was held in the gym. I had a camera around my neck and I was running for some reason. Knowing clumsy me, I tripped. But I knew I had to save the camera. So instead of catching myself with my hands when I fell, I used both hands to hold the camera up above my head behind me so it wouldn't hit the floor. That hurt. I stood up and the whole gym was silent. And they were all looking at me. I had only fallen, I had no idea what everyone was staring at. That's when one of my friends ran over to my laughing, and dragged me into the hallway. That's when I noticed what happened. I was completely deflated. I have at maximum, maybe five jelly bean balloons left. When I had fallen, all of my balloons had popped, creating a series of very loud popping noises. That's why everyone was rudely staring at me. Somehow I failed to notice this. I spent the second half of the day walking around trying to keep my five remaining jelly bean balloons from being stolen.
It started out as a super cool costume, but it ended up being a dud costume. Sadly, I can't find a picture of me dressed like this. I did however, look on the family computer hoping to find a picture of either my toaster costume or my jelly bean bag costume. I only found some very creepy pictures of me dressed in all black (complete with fish nets) and my face painted like a cat. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF THIS. It's very creepy. I will not be posting a picture here.
So that's my story for National Tell A Story Day.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
April 26: National Pretzel Day
I contemplated making fresh pretzels out of dough. But then I had an idea. Why not make pretzel rolls! If you have never had pretzel rolls before, you should try them. They are a little chewy and salty and surprisingly taste like pretzels - just in a roll form!
JazzyJ's Proud Pretzel Rolls:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups warm milk (about 100 - 110 degrees F)
- 1 1/2 cup warm water (about 100 - 110 degrees F)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 1/2 to 8 cups flour
- course salt to sprinkle on top
To Boil:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup baking soda
Instructions:
1. Mix together yeast, milk, oil, and water using an electric beater. (Trust me, you want to use an electric beater because this makes a lot of dough and your hand will get tired from stirring.)
2. Add the salt. Slowly stir in flour until the dough is soft. The dough should feel a little more stiff and less sticky than regular dough.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let sit for about one hour.
4. Once the dough has about doubled in size, separate dough into 16 pieces and roll each one into a little ball.
5. Place the balls on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
6. While the dough balls are sitting, boil a large pot of water and dissolve the sugar and baking soda in it.
7. Taking one dough ball at a time, pinch the bottom of the dough ball together to form a tight ball. Drop in the boiling water and turn over after about 30 seconds. Once the second side has cooked for 30 seconds, drain using a spatula, and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Using a sharp knife (be careful though) cut two slits in the top of each dough ball, being careful not to deflate the dough ball.
9. Cook for 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven.
10. EAT.
So they don't quite look like a typical pretzel roll. But they deliver on taste. They are a little crunchy on top, a little chewy in the middle, and fresh all around. And I think they look fancy too! They might not be roll shaped (as in, they aren't totally round) but they were a good size! They are very filling but aren't overly heavy. Make these and be happy.
JazzyJ's Proud Pretzel Rolls:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups warm milk (about 100 - 110 degrees F)
- 1 1/2 cup warm water (about 100 - 110 degrees F)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 1/2 to 8 cups flour
- course salt to sprinkle on top
To Boil:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup baking soda
Instructions:
1. Mix together yeast, milk, oil, and water using an electric beater. (Trust me, you want to use an electric beater because this makes a lot of dough and your hand will get tired from stirring.)
2. Add the salt. Slowly stir in flour until the dough is soft. The dough should feel a little more stiff and less sticky than regular dough.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let sit for about one hour.
4. Once the dough has about doubled in size, separate dough into 16 pieces and roll each one into a little ball.
5. Place the balls on a lightly floured surface, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
6. While the dough balls are sitting, boil a large pot of water and dissolve the sugar and baking soda in it.
7. Taking one dough ball at a time, pinch the bottom of the dough ball together to form a tight ball. Drop in the boiling water and turn over after about 30 seconds. Once the second side has cooked for 30 seconds, drain using a spatula, and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Using a sharp knife (be careful though) cut two slits in the top of each dough ball, being careful not to deflate the dough ball.
9. Cook for 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven.
10. EAT.
 |
| Pinched and ready to boil. |
 |
| Boiling! |
So they don't quite look like a typical pretzel roll. But they deliver on taste. They are a little crunchy on top, a little chewy in the middle, and fresh all around. And I think they look fancy too! They might not be roll shaped (as in, they aren't totally round) but they were a good size! They are very filling but aren't overly heavy. Make these and be happy.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
April 25: National Zucchini Bread Day
Of course, I couldn't make just regular zucchini bread, so I made chocolate chip zucchini bread. It was a hit and I was happy with how much it made. My friend Allison helped me again with this recipe since she was up visiting for a week. We made a special small loaf so she could take it back home with her but it was sadly forgotten in the freezer :(
JazzyJ's Chocolate Zucchini Bread:
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Beat together eggs, sugar, and applesauce.
2. Add the zucchini and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3. Bake in two greased bread loaf pans at 325 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.
This makes two bread loaves. It freezes really well also!
I didn't have two loaf pans so I used one loaf pan and two smaller ones. I cooked the smaller ones for about 45 minutes and they were perfect and cute.
The zucchini bread got two thumbs up! It was really easy and I didn't even notice I was eating some vegetables. I normally can't stand zucchini, but baked in a loaf with some chocolate chips, and I didn't even know I was eating it.
JazzyJ's Chocolate Zucchini Bread:
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Beat together eggs, sugar, and applesauce.
2. Add the zucchini and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3. Bake in two greased bread loaf pans at 325 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.
This makes two bread loaves. It freezes really well also!
I didn't have two loaf pans so I used one loaf pan and two smaller ones. I cooked the smaller ones for about 45 minutes and they were perfect and cute.
The zucchini bread got two thumbs up! It was really easy and I didn't even notice I was eating some vegetables. I normally can't stand zucchini, but baked in a loaf with some chocolate chips, and I didn't even know I was eating it.
Friday, April 24, 2015
April 24: National Pigs In A Blanket Day
The last time I can remember having pigs in a blanket was my 10th birthday party. It's been a while. I decided to use chicken and maple breakfast sausages as the "pigs" because maple sausage is one of my new favorite things! Plus, I don't really eat pork (unless it's in the form of bacon) so I like chicken sausages better.
How To Make Pigs In A Blanket:
Ingredients:
- some type of small link sausages (I cut mine in half because they were a little long)
- crescent roll dough (you can find this in the refrigerated section of a grocery store)
Directions:
1. Unroll the crescent dough (it should come out of the package in rolled up triangles).
2. Roll each sausage up in crescent dough. Sometimes you have to be creative. You might have to patch some sausages up in order to cover them. That is okay. One package of crescent roll dough covered 20 sausages. It was the perfect amount.
 |
| This is an example of a "patched up" pig in a blanket. |
Thursday, April 23, 2015
April 23: National Picnic Day
My mom won a picnic basket set a few years back in a fundraiser. The picnic basket is one of my favorite things! It came complete with an African Serengeti themed tablecloth, pillows, and napkins. I do like to picnic. However, today wasn't the best weather. My friend Allison was up visiting and we decided to brave the cold and the wind and go picnic. Let's just say we ate our lunches very fast and then went to get coffee.
This whole picnic set up makes me laugh. The picnic basket is very plain but then it came with African Serengeti supplies? It just cracks me up. It's very random. And those pillows? Am I supposed to sit on one? I know that a lot of times people picnic on the grass, so I guess pillows would make more sense then.
I have two super cute picnic themed pillowcases available for purchase on my Etsy shop!
This whole picnic set up makes me laugh. The picnic basket is very plain but then it came with African Serengeti supplies? It just cracks me up. It's very random. And those pillows? Am I supposed to sit on one? I know that a lot of times people picnic on the grass, so I guess pillows would make more sense then.
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| Pondering life while enjoying a simple picnic. |
I have two super cute picnic themed pillowcases available for purchase on my Etsy shop!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
April 22: National Earth Day
How did I celebrate Earth Day? Well it started out with me shoveling bark dust for a good three hours. Why? Because tough works makes you stronger. (And the fact my dad was paying me good money.)
But shoveling bark dust does tie in with Earth Day. Bark dust helps keep moisture in the dirt which is good for the plants and requires less water to feed the plants. It's always a good idea to preserve water. (In case you haven't heard about the drought happening in my beloved California.)
I also decided to bake a cake. Because cake is always good. And I had a really good idea in my head that only kinda turned out on the cake.
I have never understood how to frost a cake with white frosting and not get any cake crumbs in the frosting.
See? It's the Earth! And clearly you should be able to distinguish the continents based on their very realistic outlines. Three people commented on this cake and told me to take a geography lesson. So maybe the outlines don't quite look like continents. One continent features cow sprinkles, another dino sprinkles, and the third colorful bear sprinkles. See those little green and blue sprinkles? Those are dolphins swimming freely in the ocean. What do you do when you don't have blue sprinkles? Well clearly you distinguish the ocean from the land using blue M&Ms. Obviously.
Pure deliciousness. Happy Earth Day!
But shoveling bark dust does tie in with Earth Day. Bark dust helps keep moisture in the dirt which is good for the plants and requires less water to feed the plants. It's always a good idea to preserve water. (In case you haven't heard about the drought happening in my beloved California.)
I also decided to bake a cake. Because cake is always good. And I had a really good idea in my head that only kinda turned out on the cake.
See? It's the Earth! And clearly you should be able to distinguish the continents based on their very realistic outlines. Three people commented on this cake and told me to take a geography lesson. So maybe the outlines don't quite look like continents. One continent features cow sprinkles, another dino sprinkles, and the third colorful bear sprinkles. See those little green and blue sprinkles? Those are dolphins swimming freely in the ocean. What do you do when you don't have blue sprinkles? Well clearly you distinguish the ocean from the land using blue M&Ms. Obviously.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
April 21: National Kindergarten Day
I used to volunteer in a Kindergarten classroom. There is no one as happy as a Kindergartener. They say the cutest things, they do the cutest things, and they are cute.
They made me this sign when I had to leave.
There is one incident that taught me the importance of thinking on my feet. I had a small group I was working with. We were practicing rhyming words. One student wanted to rhyme with the word "duck." I knew where this was headed. So I said, "Let's change things up again and come up with a new word to rhyme with." Luckily, they are Kindergarteners and they are pretty easy going. No one questioned me. Thank goodness.
One of my friends volunteered in the same kindergarten class as me at the same time. Her experience was a little different playing this rhyming game. A student chose the starting word as "sit." Sure enough, the next little kid yelled, "tit." My friend played it cool and no one reacted. And in case you are wondering, a tit, is actually a small bird. So nothing to get riled up about.
Gotta love Kindergarteners.
They made me this sign when I had to leave.
There is one incident that taught me the importance of thinking on my feet. I had a small group I was working with. We were practicing rhyming words. One student wanted to rhyme with the word "duck." I knew where this was headed. So I said, "Let's change things up again and come up with a new word to rhyme with." Luckily, they are Kindergarteners and they are pretty easy going. No one questioned me. Thank goodness.
One of my friends volunteered in the same kindergarten class as me at the same time. Her experience was a little different playing this rhyming game. A student chose the starting word as "sit." Sure enough, the next little kid yelled, "tit." My friend played it cool and no one reacted. And in case you are wondering, a tit, is actually a small bird. So nothing to get riled up about.
Gotta love Kindergarteners.
Monday, April 20, 2015
April 20: National Look A Like Day
A lot of people tell me I look a lot like my older brother. I can't figure out if that is more of an insult to me, or more of a compliment to him. Anyways...
My dad is a sneaky person. He has this habit of calling me down stairs to ask me a stupid question a couple minutes before we are going to leave to go out to dinner or the movies or something. But he has an alternate motive. He is checking out my outfit. He then quickly changes clothes to match me as close as possible. However, I never notice until we have already left the house. Then I'm stuck out in public with my dad who is wearing a similar outfit to me. So sometimes my dad looks like me.
My dad and mom also wear very similar clothes. Once, my family was traveling somewhere. I noticed, in an airport, that my mom was wearing a light pink shirt. My dad was wearing a light orange shirt. And I was wearing a light pink and light orange striped shirt. This life of mine. So sometimes my family looks like each other.
I have a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. I was interning in a 4th grade class once, and one of my male students was wearing a Batman shirt that I also owned. Yes, I do some of my shopping in the men's department. I'm glad I have similar clothing style to that of a 4th grade boy. To be honest, they have a better selection of Batman merchandise. However, I do own a very feminine Batman sweater that I bought in the men's department which leaves me wondering if a guy would actually wear this sweater? So sometimes I look like another Batman fanatic.
Anyways, I will leave you with this cute picture.
My dad is a sneaky person. He has this habit of calling me down stairs to ask me a stupid question a couple minutes before we are going to leave to go out to dinner or the movies or something. But he has an alternate motive. He is checking out my outfit. He then quickly changes clothes to match me as close as possible. However, I never notice until we have already left the house. Then I'm stuck out in public with my dad who is wearing a similar outfit to me. So sometimes my dad looks like me.
My dad and mom also wear very similar clothes. Once, my family was traveling somewhere. I noticed, in an airport, that my mom was wearing a light pink shirt. My dad was wearing a light orange shirt. And I was wearing a light pink and light orange striped shirt. This life of mine. So sometimes my family looks like each other.
I have a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. I was interning in a 4th grade class once, and one of my male students was wearing a Batman shirt that I also owned. Yes, I do some of my shopping in the men's department. I'm glad I have similar clothing style to that of a 4th grade boy. To be honest, they have a better selection of Batman merchandise. However, I do own a very feminine Batman sweater that I bought in the men's department which leaves me wondering if a guy would actually wear this sweater? So sometimes I look like another Batman fanatic.
Anyways, I will leave you with this cute picture.
 |
| They always look a like! |
Sunday, April 19, 2015
April 19: National Amaretto Day
I have a very exciting post coming for this day, Amaretto French Toast! However, I can't make it today because I am going out to dinner. But it's scheduled to be for dinner tomorrow night! So I will post then. It sounds absolutely superb.
But, I did mix amaretto with my coffee this afternoon. It was good, but it didn't have the strongest flavor but that's probably because my coffee is naturally strong.
I didn't have amaretto on hand at home. Neither did my parents. Yes, I raided their liquor supply. Considering I am only 22, my liquor supply is almost more impressive than theirs. I went to the local liquor store (here in Oregon you can't buy liquor in a grocery store, you have to go to a liquor store. This is one of the things I miss the most about California. But on the other hand, liquor in Oregon doesn't have sales tax. You just can't have everything in life!)
First of all, the boy in the liquor store didn't know his liquor. I use the word boy because he was very young looking and not that knowledgeable. I just wanted a very small bottle of amaretto. He hands me something else and says, "I think this is amaretto." It was called something else. He then yells into the back room and asks if this amaretto. I told him amaretto has an almond flavoring. He leads us into an liquor aisle where this is a large bottle of amaretto and next to it, this other thing he had previously shown me but in a bigger size. So I bought the smaller bottle of the other thing which we determined is a fancy Italian version of amaretto(?) (We kind of just made this up, I'm not sure if this is correct). However, upon tasting it at home, it is definitely flavored almond! Very very strong almond flavor in fact. I fancied it upon tasting! My mom really liked it!
Note: Upon doing some research on the internet, it turns out this Disaronno liquor is amaretto-flavored. It also claims that it's original amaretto flavored formula is unchanged since 1525. This old stuff is good! So the liquor store boy, while seemingly unknowledgeable, might know a little more than I gave him credit for.
Long story short, amaretto is tasty. Buy some!
But, I did mix amaretto with my coffee this afternoon. It was good, but it didn't have the strongest flavor but that's probably because my coffee is naturally strong.
I didn't have amaretto on hand at home. Neither did my parents. Yes, I raided their liquor supply. Considering I am only 22, my liquor supply is almost more impressive than theirs. I went to the local liquor store (here in Oregon you can't buy liquor in a grocery store, you have to go to a liquor store. This is one of the things I miss the most about California. But on the other hand, liquor in Oregon doesn't have sales tax. You just can't have everything in life!)
First of all, the boy in the liquor store didn't know his liquor. I use the word boy because he was very young looking and not that knowledgeable. I just wanted a very small bottle of amaretto. He hands me something else and says, "I think this is amaretto." It was called something else. He then yells into the back room and asks if this amaretto. I told him amaretto has an almond flavoring. He leads us into an liquor aisle where this is a large bottle of amaretto and next to it, this other thing he had previously shown me but in a bigger size. So I bought the smaller bottle of the other thing which we determined is a fancy Italian version of amaretto(?) (We kind of just made this up, I'm not sure if this is correct). However, upon tasting it at home, it is definitely flavored almond! Very very strong almond flavor in fact. I fancied it upon tasting! My mom really liked it!
Note: Upon doing some research on the internet, it turns out this Disaronno liquor is amaretto-flavored. It also claims that it's original amaretto flavored formula is unchanged since 1525. This old stuff is good! So the liquor store boy, while seemingly unknowledgeable, might know a little more than I gave him credit for.
Long story short, amaretto is tasty. Buy some!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
April 18: National Animal Cracker Day
I didn't have any animal crackers today and I wasn't sure how I was going to get any! But ironically, the stars aligned and the most amazing thing happened.
First of all, since my dad is the best, he took me out to dinner, bought me a margarita, and then took me to a frozen yogurt place. It was at this frozen yogurt place, that I realized they had animal crackers for a topping! Talk about meant to be.
See those white things with sprinkles? Yep! Those are animal crackers. I love it when life falls into place.
First of all, since my dad is the best, he took me out to dinner, bought me a margarita, and then took me to a frozen yogurt place. It was at this frozen yogurt place, that I realized they had animal crackers for a topping! Talk about meant to be.
Friday, April 17, 2015
April 17: National Cheese Ball Day
We all know I love cheese. And how I have a stack of 52 informational cheese cards that each list facts on them. But cheese balls? I wasn't quite sure what one was. There's a million different cheese ball recipes. I found a really easy and a really good one. That is, if you like paprika and garlic.
Quote from my mom: "I feel like a dragon breathing fire after eating this." While this at first, may not seem like a compliment, it was a compliment. My mom just has a sensitive palate. I accidentally got confused with the garlic. But that's ok. Garlic is good for you!
JazzyJ's Paprika Garlic Cheese Balls:
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 large garlic clove (Note: This is not the same as a whole head of garlic)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons paprika
Directions:
1. Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes so it is easy to work with. Mix cream cheese, grated parmesan cheese, and 1 minced garlic clove together with a fork.
NOTE: I got confused and thought it said a whole garlic head. A whole garlic head is a heck of a lot of garlic. My mom noticed what I was doing and panicked. She scraped out a lot of the garlic and added it to tonight's soup. I probably ended up with 2 VERY LARGE cloves worth of garlic and that is why my mom said the quote about breathing fire like a dragon. Anyways.
2. Wet your hands a little and form the cream cheese mixture into a large ball.
3. Sprinkle paprika on a plate. Roll the cream cheese ball in the paprika until it is completely covered. You may have to add more or less paprika to cover your cream cheese ball.
Fun addition: Cut a fun shape out of some parchment paper and put the shape on the cream cheese ball before rolling in the paprika. It should easily stick. When the ball is entirely covered in paprika, remove the parchment paper and you have a pretty shape!
I tried to do a Mickey Mouse Ear shape. However, Mickey Mouse shaped ears are hard to cut out. I ended up going with a heart. It looked very eloquent and fancy!
Second Note: If you add too much garlic or paprika, your "fire-breathing mother" might have to eat the remainder of your mint Oreo cookie ice cream "to cool down" her breath. In order to prevent unwanted eating of the remainder of your ice cream, I suggest adding less paprika or garlic if your mother, who has a sensitive palate, is going to eat some.
Quote from my mom: "I feel like a dragon breathing fire after eating this." While this at first, may not seem like a compliment, it was a compliment. My mom just has a sensitive palate. I accidentally got confused with the garlic. But that's ok. Garlic is good for you!
JazzyJ's Paprika Garlic Cheese Balls:
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 large garlic clove (Note: This is not the same as a whole head of garlic)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons paprika
Directions:
1. Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes so it is easy to work with. Mix cream cheese, grated parmesan cheese, and 1 minced garlic clove together with a fork.
NOTE: I got confused and thought it said a whole garlic head. A whole garlic head is a heck of a lot of garlic. My mom noticed what I was doing and panicked. She scraped out a lot of the garlic and added it to tonight's soup. I probably ended up with 2 VERY LARGE cloves worth of garlic and that is why my mom said the quote about breathing fire like a dragon. Anyways.
2. Wet your hands a little and form the cream cheese mixture into a large ball.
3. Sprinkle paprika on a plate. Roll the cream cheese ball in the paprika until it is completely covered. You may have to add more or less paprika to cover your cream cheese ball.
 |
| Add some crackers and you are good to go! |
Fun addition: Cut a fun shape out of some parchment paper and put the shape on the cream cheese ball before rolling in the paprika. It should easily stick. When the ball is entirely covered in paprika, remove the parchment paper and you have a pretty shape!
I tried to do a Mickey Mouse Ear shape. However, Mickey Mouse shaped ears are hard to cut out. I ended up going with a heart. It looked very eloquent and fancy!
 |
| This was my attempt at Mickey Mouse Ears. |
Second Note: If you add too much garlic or paprika, your "fire-breathing mother" might have to eat the remainder of your mint Oreo cookie ice cream "to cool down" her breath. In order to prevent unwanted eating of the remainder of your ice cream, I suggest adding less paprika or garlic if your mother, who has a sensitive palate, is going to eat some.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
April 16: National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day
I'm not quite sure what would happen if I wore my pajamas to my day-job. I would probably get fired. But, since I own an Etsy store, technically, if I wore my pajamas while I sewed, I would be wearing my pajamas to work.
I happen to have several (ok maybe many) pairs of Batman pajamas. I decided to wear my Batman footies to sew today.This pair even has a hooded mask and a detachable cape! (Which you can't see in this picture.)
Footie pajamas are my favorite. And I know you are wondering, so I will just tell you. I have only once dropped a sleeve in the toilet while peeing in the middle of the night. But I have never peed in my footies because I couldn't get out of them in time. And that, my friends, is a great accomplishment!
I happen to have several (ok maybe many) pairs of Batman pajamas. I decided to wear my Batman footies to sew today.This pair even has a hooded mask and a detachable cape! (Which you can't see in this picture.)
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
April 15: National Titanic Remembrance Day
Today is a day to remember Titanic.
Titanic is one of my favorite movies. It's a classic. And let's be honest - Leonardo DiCaprio was hot in it.
And what better way to remember the people who lost their lives on Titanic than by doing a puzzle.
I've been working on this puzzle for about a month now. As you can see - the progress is impressive. It's hard. Almost every single piece is either dark blue or black. But I do have one whole border side complete.
I'm excited to finish it. So take a minute today and think of all those people who lost their lives. And then think of Leonardo DiCaprio and smile.
Titanic is one of my favorite movies. It's a classic. And let's be honest - Leonardo DiCaprio was hot in it.
And what better way to remember the people who lost their lives on Titanic than by doing a puzzle.
I've been working on this puzzle for about a month now. As you can see - the progress is impressive. It's hard. Almost every single piece is either dark blue or black. But I do have one whole border side complete.
I'm excited to finish it. So take a minute today and think of all those people who lost their lives. And then think of Leonardo DiCaprio and smile.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
April 14: National Dolphin Day
When I was in Elementary School, I was going to grow up to be a dolphin trainer.
Dolphins were my life. I got to swim with dolphins in middle school when my family went to Mexico. I think it was Mexico anyways. There's a picture of me getting kissed by a dolphin and my face radiates happiness. I've never been the best at smiling. I often have a squinty eye and my smiles look fake. But in that picture of me with the dolphin, there's no doubt I was happy.
I had dolphin wall paper (probably until 8th grade when I finally painted my room.) I had dolphin curtains that my mom made me. I had every dolphin knick-knack possible.
And then I grew out of my dolphin stage. Today it's all about turtles and Batman. And let's hope I never grow out of turtles, because I have one tattooed on my back - so that would be awkward.
So in honor of National Dolphin Day, I managed to find two dolphin things in my room still.
So here's to my childhood love of dolphins.
Dolphins were my life. I got to swim with dolphins in middle school when my family went to Mexico. I think it was Mexico anyways. There's a picture of me getting kissed by a dolphin and my face radiates happiness. I've never been the best at smiling. I often have a squinty eye and my smiles look fake. But in that picture of me with the dolphin, there's no doubt I was happy.
I had dolphin wall paper (probably until 8th grade when I finally painted my room.) I had dolphin curtains that my mom made me. I had every dolphin knick-knack possible.
And then I grew out of my dolphin stage. Today it's all about turtles and Batman. And let's hope I never grow out of turtles, because I have one tattooed on my back - so that would be awkward.
So in honor of National Dolphin Day, I managed to find two dolphin things in my room still.
So here's to my childhood love of dolphins.
Monday, April 13, 2015
April 13: National Peach Cobbler Day
Peach Cobbler! MHHHMMM smells good to me!
Jazzy J's Super Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk (or almond milk)
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 cups peaches
- 1/2 cup butter
- cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top
- optional: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Directions:
1. Mix the milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.
2. Put the butter in the bottom of a 13" by 9" pan. Put the pan in the oven while it is heating to 375 degrees until the butter has melted and covered the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour the batter on top of the melted butter. DO NOT STIR.
4. Add the peaches on top. I drained out about 75% of the peach juice because I didn't want my cobbler to be mushy. DO NOT STIR.
5. Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon and sugar on top.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes.
7. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired!
See? This recipe was super easy and it was really good. I imagine it would be even better if you added some blueberries in it.
It should be noted that I didn't quite have enough peaches. I only had about 2 cups because someone (Mom!) decided to eat some ahead of time. I put in the recipe 3 cups because I believe 3 cups would have been peach perfect!
Still...topped with a little bit of vanilla ice cream, this cobbler was a hit. I'll be making it again soon!
Jazzy J's Super Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk (or almond milk)
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 cups peaches
- 1/2 cup butter
- cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top
- optional: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Directions:
1. Mix the milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.
2. Put the butter in the bottom of a 13" by 9" pan. Put the pan in the oven while it is heating to 375 degrees until the butter has melted and covered the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour the batter on top of the melted butter. DO NOT STIR.
4. Add the peaches on top. I drained out about 75% of the peach juice because I didn't want my cobbler to be mushy. DO NOT STIR.
5. Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon and sugar on top.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes.
7. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired!
See? This recipe was super easy and it was really good. I imagine it would be even better if you added some blueberries in it.
It should be noted that I didn't quite have enough peaches. I only had about 2 cups because someone (Mom!) decided to eat some ahead of time. I put in the recipe 3 cups because I believe 3 cups would have been peach perfect!
Still...topped with a little bit of vanilla ice cream, this cobbler was a hit. I'll be making it again soon!
Sunday, April 12, 2015
April 12: National Licorice Day
Today is National Licorice Day. I hate licorice.
That is all.
P.S. - I didn't actually eat any, I just took a picture. I really really can't stand it!
P.S. - I didn't actually eat any, I just took a picture. I really really can't stand it!
Saturday, April 11, 2015
April 11: National Pet Day
Happy National Pet Day!
As you may know, I have a very cute kitty named Sophie.
She is rather silly. Her latest "thing" is to sit next to me at the counter and lick my elbow.
She has a lot of energy. One of my favorite Sophie stories is the time she went missing in the house. We all knew she was in the house, we just couldn't find her. Normally, when you call her name, she scampers over immediately. But this one night, she wouldn't come out. We looked under beds and in bedrooms. My mom was heading upstairs when she saw a little blur of movement out of the corner of her eye. Sophie was sitting in a fake plant, way up high on a shelf above the television. She was probably 10 feet up, nestled in the middle of a fake plant. What she was doing there, we have no idea. She knew she wasn't supposed to be up there, so she was remaining quiet. She hasn't gone up there since. But we love our Sophie, quirks and all!
As you may know, I have a very cute kitty named Sophie.
She is rather silly. Her latest "thing" is to sit next to me at the counter and lick my elbow.
She has a lot of energy. One of my favorite Sophie stories is the time she went missing in the house. We all knew she was in the house, we just couldn't find her. Normally, when you call her name, she scampers over immediately. But this one night, she wouldn't come out. We looked under beds and in bedrooms. My mom was heading upstairs when she saw a little blur of movement out of the corner of her eye. Sophie was sitting in a fake plant, way up high on a shelf above the television. She was probably 10 feet up, nestled in the middle of a fake plant. What she was doing there, we have no idea. She knew she wasn't supposed to be up there, so she was remaining quiet. She hasn't gone up there since. But we love our Sophie, quirks and all!
Friday, April 10, 2015
April 10: National Cinnamon Crescent Day
My friend Rachel came over to help me celebrate this day! There was one minor incident when I misread the ingredients and put in 3 tablespoons of cinnamon instead of 3 teaspoons of cinnamon. It was very cinnamon-y. You know I like cinnamon so I was OK with it, but it was still pretty powerful!
JazzyJ's Ultra Cinnmon-y Crescent Rolls:
Ingredients:
- 1 roll of crescent dough
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 TEASPOONS cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together to create a thick paste.
3. Unroll the crescent rolls so they form triangles.
4. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly on the triangles.
5. Roll up to create crescents. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes.
Do you see the crescent roll on the bottom left? That's because I tried to roll the crescent roll up the wrong way. I couldn't figure out why it looked funny. I looked over and of course, Rachel had rolled the perfect crescent. But it's okay, I figured it out.
These were super easy and quick to make. They were really cinnamon-y and delicious. I'd make them again.
JazzyJ's Ultra Cinnmon-y Crescent Rolls:
Ingredients:
- 1 roll of crescent dough
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 TEASPOONS cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together to create a thick paste.
3. Unroll the crescent rolls so they form triangles.
4. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly on the triangles.
5. Roll up to create crescents. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes.
Do you see the crescent roll on the bottom left? That's because I tried to roll the crescent roll up the wrong way. I couldn't figure out why it looked funny. I looked over and of course, Rachel had rolled the perfect crescent. But it's okay, I figured it out.
These were super easy and quick to make. They were really cinnamon-y and delicious. I'd make them again.
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