May 31: National Macaroon Day

So there is a very important and very distinct difference between macaroons and macarons.

(The difference in spelling is that one has two "o's" and the other only has one.)

Anyways, after doing a lot of research, Macarons, are the colorful cracker cookies that having filling in them. They are commonly blue or red or green or purple.

This is a picture of some Macarons I took in Europe two years ago.

It's actually a Macaron tower!

But today is National Macaroon Day.

So I made Macaroons. Like this:

The coconut type. My dad and I LOVE coconut. It's a favorite around our place.

So I knew my dad was not going to complain when I made these.

Before baking.

 The good thing is, they are relatively easy, and they are supposed to look lumpy. So no one should every criticize them.

JazzyJ's Coconuty Macaroons:

Ingredients:

- 3 egg whites
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Lightly beat the egg whites. Add in the sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir well
2. Add in the shredded coconut.
3. Refrigerate for about an hour, to let the mixture stiffen up.
4. Place big spoonfuls of the mixture on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 -13 minutes, or until shiny on top.
6. Let cool.

See? That's it. Super simple, yet very tasty.

After baking!

These are sure to delight any coconut fan. They were a little crunchy on the outside, yet gooey and rich on the inside. They were quick and easy. And impressive. My family was very impressed!

May 30: National Water a Flower Day

My parents were gone for a few days and I was in charge of watering the flowers.

I don't normally mind this chore.

Key word: Normally.

Except when you go to water the flowers and you are already tired from working all day.

And you have to fill up the watering can except the sprinklers are going and you can't get to a single hose without getting wet.

So you take it inside and fill it up which isn't a big deal. But then it splashes water all over the floor as you go to lug it back outside. So you have to clean up the spilled water.

And when you are finally back outside and ready to water, you realize the sprinklers just went off, and if you had waited two minutes, this would have been much simpler.

So you water the flowers and call it good.

Except, about 20 minutes later, big thick grey storm clouds roll in, and drop about a gallon of water per square inch, every single minute.

And you realize, you didn't even have to water the flowers, because they got a heavy dunking of water from the sky.

You roll your eyes and laugh at the irony.

Except then the EXACT. SAME. THING. happens the next day. And you really wonder if you should ever water those plants ever again because it appears the universe is laughing at you.

So then you decide to run outside, and dance in the pouring rain until you are soaking wet and you don't even care. And your mascara is running and your hair is plastered to your skull.

And you are glad that you are still able to laugh when life throws funny things your way.

True story.

May 29: National Paperclip Day

Because you know, EVERYTHING has to have a day dedicated for itself.

And really, what would we do without paperclips? How would we hold loose papers together?

And how would we spell out very important messages like this one?

So Happy National Paperclip Day. I hope it was a good one.

May 28: National Hamburger Day

What's for dinner?
BEEF.

Have you ever heard that advertisement before? It's one of my favorites.

I have several different words (sounds?) that I make if I am either upset or excited or pretty much feeling any emotion.

My most common one is: Meefsk.

I've gotten a whole lot of other people to start saying it also.

There's also Hoofska and Umpfk.

And Beef used to be included too. But then I realized that "Beef" is totally unoriginal because it's actually a word. So I stopped saying it.

But I have a feeling, that one day, Meefsk is going to be in the dictionary.

Just watch and see.

Anyways, National Hamburger Day.

I just happened to go out to eat to celebrate my brother's birthday early, and I knew I should get a hamburger.

Now, I like my burgers pretty plain. Meat and bun. No cheese. Sometimes avocado and bacon. And sometimes a sauce.

This one here came with some very good and crunchy fries. I love fries/most potatoes in general.

I also had this very fancy cocktail. It had a whole bunch of stuff in it. Lavender flavored vanilla syrup and huckleberry vodka. It did not disappoint.

May 27: National Cellophane Tape Day

There is a lot of uses for cellophane tape.

The most common one is to help you with packing. You can tape up boxes.

You could also use cellophane tape to wrap gifts if you really want to wrap them heavy-duty.

However, my favorite uses is to use it in place of  a lint roller, to get dog hair off of everything.

I don't currently own a dog.

However, I am currently taking care of a dog.

And with dog's, come dog hair.

It's just a fact of life.

But it's very simple, roll up a piece of tape, pat your clothing with it, and you are dog-hair free in just a few moments!

What would we do without cellophane tape?

May 26: National Blueberry Cheesecake Day

It was like seeing a thousand bursts of falling stars, contrasted sharply against the dark night.

It was that feeling of making the green light that would otherwise cause you to be late (Hello SoCal traffic!)

It was like that first touch of rain against the dusty soil during a long and tiresome drought. 

It was the feeling of getting ten hours of continuous sleep right after finals.

All those emotions above combined, yeah, that's what the first bite of this blueberry cheesecake tasted like. There's simply no other way to describe it.

The finished product, in all it's glory.

It took a little while to make, and then it had to be refrigerated over the whole night, but the patience involved, it was worth it.

So here's this fabulous recipe. You won't be disappointed. That's a promise I am willing to make. And I don't break promises.

The Crust:

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs (about 6 graham crackers)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted butter

Directions for crust:
1. Crush up graham crackers. I did this by putting them in a thick bag and lightly pounding them with a dough roller.
3. Mix in the sugar.
4. Add melted butter until the mixture is well moistened.
5. Press firmly into a 9inch spring form pan.
6. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.
7. Remove and let cool.

The Cheesecake Part:

Ingredients:
-3  cups thawed or fresh blueberries
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, separated
- 24 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 eggs

Directions:
1. Place the blueberries and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a food processor and blend until well chopped up.
2. Place in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside and allow it to thicken while you make the rest of the cheesecake.
3. Place all the cream cheese in a bowl and using a mixer, mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Mix sugar, remaining cornstarch, and salt. Add to the cream cheese mixture.
5. Add in eggs one at a time, blending well after each egg. This will ensure that your cheesecake is fluffy!
6. Pour batter over prepared crust.
7. Gently pour 1 cup of the blueberry puree over the batter and gently swirl with a knife to create a beautiful design of your choosing!
8. Bake at 325 degrees for 70 minutes, or until middle barely jiggles.
9. When done, place on a wire rack to cool, but do not turn off oven yet.

Grinding up those blueberries.

Ain't she a beauty? Aren't those great swirling skills I have?!

 The Topping:

Ingredients:
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Rest of the blueberry puree

Directions:
1. Mix sour cream, sugar, and blueberry puree.
2. Pour and spread evenly over the cooked cheesecake (that is cooling on the wire rack) and place back into the oven for 10 minutes.
3. Remove cheesecake from oven, run a knife along the sides to separate from the pan. Cool at least 8 hours in the refrigerator or overnight. Once it has been refrigerated for 8+ hours, remove the sides of the spring form pan.
4. EAT EAT EAT! Cover leftovers with plastic wrap.

The sour cream mixture will melt into the cheesecake, so you will be able to see more of the blueberry topping once it has cooked.

Like this.

Note: It's even better if you take the first bite with your eyes closed, that way you can savor it even more.

Note: The recipe I based this off of said to use wild blueberries. Like tame blueberries are even a thing?

I'm going to be making this again. Don't worry. It was rich and creamy and so very blueberryish.

Making this, made me want to open a bakery even more. One day, I keep telling myself. One day, I will own my little bakery.

And until that day, I will make peace with making all these goodies.

So here's to the future.

I can't wait.

May 25: National Wine Day

This day is dedicated to my Dad, Rod. (Not Rob or Ron or Rog). R - O - D. His name gets confused very often. He introduces himself, emphasizing the D on Rod, and the person will say, "Ron, nice to meet you." I was at a scholarship event once and they had pre-printed name tags. I had emailed my parent's names ahead of time. They still got my Dad's name wrong. We knew several people there and my dad was so embarrassed.

Anyways, my dad is a lover of wine. You seriously have no idea. He lives for wine. I should probably count the number of bottles he owns. Note: This is making him sound like an alcoholic. My dad is NOT an alcoholic, he just has fine taste in wine and enjoys collecting (and drinking) it. He is a responsible drinker.

So I celebrated by having some Moscato.

This is not my dad. (He's not that old.) This is my Grandpa. We are on top of the Switzerland Alps having a drink of wine. (It might have been champagne but it's close enough.)

So happy National Wine Day, this day is for you daddy!

I couldn't actually find a picture of my dad and I drinking wine. Strange.

May 24: National Scavenger Hunt Day

So the question was, what was I going to go on a scavenger hunt for?

The answer: Wine!! (Because tomorrow is National Wine Day)

Not just any type of wine, but my second favorite, Moscato. (My first favorite is Prosecco, but that can be a little expensive.)

I am often overwhelmed by the alcohol choices. I'm sure people don't think I'm old enough to be shopping for alcohol (I look young) and because I probably look awkward in the alcohol aisle.

Sorry this photo is blurry, I didn't want someone to see me taking a picture and think I am awkward.

And there was a whole other aisle. This is a small town grocery store we are talking about.

Do you see that brown thing at the bottom of the photo? Yes, that is my bread sticking out of the grocery cart. In my picture taking haste, I apparently wasn't focused on quality.

And remember, I live in Oregon, so hard alcohol is not sold in grocery stores. This is ALL wine.

Now you understand why I had to go on a scavenger hunt to find my Moscato.

And here it is, sweet sweet Moscato!

May 23: National World Turtle Day

I'm a little turtle obsessed. And when I say little, I mean a lot.

I'm not even sure how I became fascinated by turtles.

I have a turtle tattoo.

I have a five-foot long inflatable turtle floatie for the water. This is the second one I have owned. The first one, met his doom tragically at my Grandpa's lake. That was a hard day for me.

I seem to have a weird comb over thing going on with my hair. I don't normally style my hair like this, but, it does have a mind of it's own so I'm not that surprised. Also, see-through sunglasses? Yeah, creepy. Those were a bad idea.
I have an Etsy shop named TrendyTurtles. Because obviously turtles are trendy.

It doesn't matter if they are sea turtles or land turtles.

Grand Cayman has a turtle farm. Yes, sadly, some of the turtles there are killed for their meat. But I try to forget about that and instead focus on the fact that some of the turtles raised there are released to the ocean so they can live long and happy lives. It is at this place, that you are allowed to hold the juvenile turtles. Knowing me, I want to hold them all. There are probably about 100 of the young guys that you can hold.

I seem to be having a weird semi-comb-over happening in this picture as well. But I'm rocking those sunglasses! And clearly, my turtle friend looks thrilled as well!

If you happen to have a non-turtle obsessed brother (as I do) he will NOT be happy to stay at this place for hours as you hold turtle after turtle after turtle. The chances that your parents will let you stay at this turtle paradise all day is very slim (read, practically non existent). But if you are lucky, (as I am) you will get a chance to visit this turtle heaven, not once, but twice. This turtle sanctuary holds a very dear spot in my life.

Here are some other random turtle-themed things I own and love.

 

 

Call me crazy. But I'm a girl who knows what I like!

One year for Christmas, my parents sponsored a sea turtle in my name. I got to name it. Obviously I named it Excalibur The First.

Happy World Turtle Day! This day may even be better than Christmas.

I also have several pairs of turtle underwear and even a turtle bathing suit. Except the world doesn't need to see pictures of those!

May 22: National Vanilla Pudding Day

This was an easy day to celebrate! It involved a box of vanilla pudding mix and two cups of cold almond milk.

I found it interesting that the box said the pudding will not set if you use soy milk. My almond milk didn't seem to create an issue, but the mix was a little chunky. There were not clumps when I ate it, as it tasted smooth. But you could visibly see chunks. It was interesting. But it still tasted cool and refreshing.

Notice how it almost looks like tapioca? Do you see those little lumps? A mystery of pudding I guess.

May 21: National World Meteorology Day

In high school, I was going to be a Meteorologist. Specifically, I was going to be a Tornado Chaser. My obsession with tornadoes and tornado chasing started after I first saw the movie Twister, you know, the one with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton.

Something about it looked thrilling. The lightning and thunder, and oh yeah, the tornadoes.

And then I realized that tornado chasing isn't really an occupation.

So I turned to meteorology. Specifically, I wanted to be a News Reporter.

But then I found out that not a lot of people have a lot of trust in news reporters. Come on, give them a break, like you could predict the weather.

There was a school in Pennsylvania that focused on meteorology.

I live on the West Coast and wasn't ready to travel that far away.

So I went to an in-state school and got a degree in Elementary Education.

But I still have a fascination with tornadoes. From a distance. I have a fascination with tornadoes from a safe, safe distance.

And who doesn't love the quote, "We got cows."

May 20: National Pick Strawberries Day

It's very convenient that my dad decided to grow strawberries this year. We haven't grown strawberries since we moved almost 14 years ago. So far, we have one tiny red strawberry growing.We are hoping it will be a promising strawberry year.

In middle school, one of my dear friends had her birthday at the coast and we picked strawberries. There is something very calming and therapeutic about picking strawberries. However, that one bright and sunny day, I had some issues. First of all, I some how got slimy mud all over my legs. Second, I attracted a ton of spiders I had to keep flicking off of me. And lastly, I was crouched down picking strawberries when I realize there was a snake sliding between my legs. I waned to faint. However, I survived all of that and the strawberries were really good. It made for some good laughs.

There's nothing better than fresh, organic fruit.

So here's the one strawberry I managed to pick for National Pick Strawberries Day.

I'm calling it a success.

May 19: National Devil's Food Cake Day

So how does Devil's Food Cake differ from chocolate day?

Well I did my research (I'm surprised I still know how to do research because I've been out of college almost a whole year!)

Devil's Food Cake is fluffier because it contains twice the usual amount of baking soda. It is also darker than normal chocolate cake.

But why is it called Devil's Food Cake? After doing my research, I still don't know! If people gave reasons, they sounded stupid. Someone suggested it is called Devil's Food Cake because the cake is reddish color (umm, hello it's a dark brown color, not reddish) and that red is associated with the devil. Not buying that.

I'm gonna go with the fact that it is sinfully delicious.

JazzyJ's Sinfully Delicious Devil's Food Cake Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla

 Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Add coffee, applesauce and buttermilk and mix well.
4. Add in eggs and vanilla and beat for about three minutes.
5. Pour into two 9-inch cake pans or cupcake molds (makes 24 cupcakes)
6. Bake for 30 minutes if making a cake, or 15 - 18 minutes for cupcakes.

Kahlua Chocolate Frosting:

Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-  4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup kahlua
- 1/3 cup whipping cream

Directions:
1. Mix together melted butter, vanilla, kahlua, whipping cream and cocoa powder.
2. Gradually add in powdered sugar until taste and consistency is what you want. You may need to use more or less powdered sugar.

When cupcakes are cool, frost and decorate to your pleasing. I would recommend decorating with colorful and snazzy sprinkles.

Sprinkles make everything better!

And fun cupcake wrappers make everything even better!

My mom and I might have a small addiction to fun and zany cupcake wrappers. My favorite might be the hipster looking bunnies. They are supposed to be Easter-ish, but you can't really tell, so I think you can use them year-around. 


 P.S. - I also have a love for sprinkles. You can't really tell, but some of those "devilish" cupcakes have bear, dolphin, and dinosaur shaped sprinkles on them.

Quote from my dad: "Scrumptious and delicious and with that special kahlua flavor, made them delightful!"

You know they are good because my mom ate two of them before I even made the frosting. She then ate another one with the frosting!

I'm not sure that 24 was enough! Maybe I should have made more.

You should make these cupcakes. You won't regret it. I promise.

May 18: National No Dirty Dishes Day

Today is my day to do the dishes. Which ended up being ironic because it's National No Dirty Dishes Day.

I came up with a list of instructions of how to properly do the dishes. I also came up with a super safe dish washing outfit. Because as every girl knows, it's all about those accessories!

Please take note of my rain boots, my poncho (yes, those are animals on my poncho), bandana, eye safety goggles, and super thick rubber gloves!

Note: Yes, I am wearing shorts under that poncho. Doing dishes pantless could cause several safety issues. You could burn your legs with water. And you could scare your neighbors.


JazzyJ's Super Suds No Dirty Dishes Directions:

1. Don an apron (or better yet, just put on a rain poncho)
2. Use a LOT of soap (I'm talking like about a cups worth of soap) (OR, use fun scented bubble bath)
3. Put on super thick rubber gloves (you don't want to get any germies on you)
4. Place safety goggles securely on your face to avoid getting soap in your eyes. Tighten straps if necessary.
5. Secure a mask over your mouth to avoid accidentally ingesting any flying bubbles (or germs). If you don't have a mask, a bandana will work.

6. Wear rain boots to provide better traction as water and bubbles will go flying!

Note: If you use bubble bath on your dishes, they will smell nice also. Always an added bonus. Because who doesn't want to eat dinner off of scented plates that smell like bubblegum?

Now that you are all set, wash those dishes. I prefer to use circular motions while cleaning those dishes, but you may choose to use a back and forth washing method.
 

And another picture just because they make me laugh.

Can you see those bubbles? They blend in nicely with the sink but I can assure you, there were bubbles in the hundreds.

May 17: National Walnut Day

In kindergarten, there was a walnut tree outside of my classroom. We would routinely gather the nuts, learn about them, and then smash them open using the side of our tables. I remember devouring them.

But now I can't stand walnuts.

So I had my mom celebrate National Walnut Day.

She put them on her salad and devoured.

And that was that.

May 16: National Love A Tree Day

That's me. I'm loving a tree by giving it a hug. Please ignore the fact that I am wearing bright pink running shorts and black flats. It's an eccentric outfit. I'm an eccentric type of girl.

I had to pose for this picture quickly because this was the best hugging tree available in my yard and the sprinklers were about to come on. I wasn't about to get caught in those sprinklers. It's an overcast day here and I'm not down to take an outdoor shower right now.

So there you go, Happy National Love A Tree Day.

May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day

Melty, chocolatey, gooey, rich, warm. That's the way I like my chocolate chip cookies.

It seems like there is always a plethora of dessert around my house. In order not to overwhelm my parents with a variety of sweets, I decided to make chocolate chip cookies in a mug to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day. (That way I didn't have extra cookies hanging around).

It was quick, easy, and satisfying. Although, they tasted a little more like chocolate chip muffins than a chocolate chip cookie. But you won't hear me complaining!

JazzyJ's 60 Second Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 heaping tablespoon chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Place the butter in a mug and microwave until melted.
2. Mix in the sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
3. Mix in the egg, then add flour and chocolate chips and stir well.
4. Microwave for 40-50 seconds.

And that's it! 

You have a chocolate chip cookie in a mug!

And there you go! I used a rather large coffee mug but I can assure you, this was the perfect size for one person! And there are chocolate chips in there, they are just hiding a little.