Reign of the Blueberry

Well, there goes my first week back in Halifax. I've since settled in nicely, and as of Thursday I'm back to the old school work grind. The flat my housemates and I have been living in needed to be cleaned up considerably, so we've been cleaning stuff up all week. I'm really glad to be back, though, and doing my own thing--even if that means making my own meals! This week it has been iffy in the meal department, and I haven't quite replenished my food supply, so what do I turn to when I've run out of ideas for dinner? Pancakes. Betty Crocker pancakes, to be precise. With a helping of lovely Nova Scotia blueberries to add to the mix, and they are lovely this time of year.

Betty Crocker's (Original) Pancake Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons shortening, melted, or vegetable oil (I got away with canola)

1 tbs sugar

3 tsps baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat egg with hand beater until fluffy; beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. For thinner pancakes, stir in additional 1/4 cup of milk. Grease heat griddle if necessary. (To test griddle, sprinkle with few drops water. If bubbles skitter around, heat is just right.)

Pour about three tablespoons batter from tip of large spoon or from pitcher onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown. (To keep pancakes hot, stack on hot plate with paper towels in between.)

On the road again...

Here we are, at the end of summer once more. Once more, I'm ready for another year of adventure in Halifax. I can't believe it's already September again--where oh where did the time go?? The weather for the past few days have been ridiculously hot. It's cooled down a bit today, but you could have fooled me otherwise into thinking it was July. Ah well, if the weather can't convince me that fall is on its way, the changing leaves certainly can.

These last few weeks I haven't been doing much, other than lounging in the backyard. I started packing yesterday, a nice slow process. I'll be leaving this Friday, so chances are I will still be packing. Starting a list really helps.

Taking back my new favourite mug. Words to keep me going on those late nights writing essays.

Can't forget these babies! I took them home to re-sew the ribbons.

The finished results... So far.

Just Peachy

I think I've found a new favourite dessert. For the past few weeks since my sister's big wedding, the fam and I have been living off wedding cake. It wasn't all eaten at the reception, unfortunately, so we had to take the towering delicious beast home. We gave most of it away to our neighbors, but we still had a ton left over. Finally we got rid of it last week, when the bottom layer was found to be moldy (even beneath that fondant).

The moral of the story is that we were, and still are, caked out.

So, seeing as it is August (gasp!), and the peach season is at its peak, I took advantage of some leftover peaches we had on the counter this week and tried my hand at a peach crumble recipe. I got the recipe from here, because it was an easy recipe, and it how it stated the number peaches that were needed, rather than going by cups and 'lbs', which I find more difficult to measure. The end results were impressive, and the kitchen smelled so good as it cooked.

Peach Crumble
serves 4

½ cup flour
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
pinch salt
¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
4 large or 5 small peaches, peeled and sliced into thick pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl.
Cut the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until crumbly.
Arrange the sliced peaches on the bottom of a buttered baking dish.
Cover peaches with crumble topping then sprinkle the nuts over, if using.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy warm with ice cream, whipped cream or on its own.

Paul McCartney!!!!

Saw him this past Monday when he came to the Air Canada Centre, and seriously it was the best concert ever. He's such a good performer, and so funny! Ahh, needless to say he won me over with his charm. If he comes back next summer, I'm so on it.

New camera! Huzzah!

First picture taken on it. That's my doggeh, Beau.

I finally got it. It wasn't a Nikon or Canon, but a Sony a330. So far it has served me well; I used my housesitting money for it, a very nice way to treat myself! I've been experimenting with it around the house, taking shots of just about everything. As time goes on, I'll get more adjusted to it--first I have to get used to the SLR lingo...

Looks like this could be one of those pictures on your Windows desktop

Oh Snap!

Hi guys! I was pleasantly surprised when I dropped by Lizzy's blog (after not having done so in awhile) to see I had been tagged. Merci, Lizzy!

The rules:
1.) Get very excited that you won. YAYYYY!
2.) Choose ONE of the following options of accepting the OMB award.
a) Get really drunk and blog for 15 minutes straight or for as long as you can focus. (I do not condone this one!)
b) Write about your most embarrassing moment.
c) Write a "Soundtrack of Your Childhood" post.
d) Make your next blog post a vlog (video post). Basically talk to the camera about whatever you want.
e) Take a picture of yourself first thing in the morning before you do anything else (hair, make-up, etc.) and post it.
3.) Pass the award to at least 3 (or more!) other bloggers, but don't forget to tell them!

I thought it would be fun to do the soundtrack of my childhood. Letters A,B, and E were not an option, mainly because they'd result in something potentially awkward. Then again, awkward is my middle name. (I liked the sound of D, though, but I can't figure out my cam!) Any how, heeere goes:

-Macarena, Los Del Rio

-Bittersweet Symphony, The Verve

-Anything Spice Girls

-I Saw the Sign, Ace of Base

-Together Again, Janet Jackson

-Backstreet's Back, BSB

-Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind

-MMMBop, Hanson

-Hit Me Baby One More Time, Britney Spears

-Mambo No. 5, Lou Bega

-Don't Speak, No Doubt

-Space Jam, Quad City DJs

-No Scrubs, TLC

-Jump Around, House of Pain

Oh gosh, there are so many more I could add here! These songs bring back a lot of nice memories. They are also a testament as to how old I'm feeling right now.

Righto, I now tag... You. Meaning, everyone who comes across this (and hasn't done this yet). This is because my social network isn't that large, (ahaha) and therefore my pickings are slim.

Doo-Wah-Doo

Allo, again; happy summer! I figured it was about time I got back into the swing of blogging, after my month and a half hiatus. The pic above was from a few summers ago, when I was living the life of an Ontario Ranger. I was on... A lake. Ready to embark on a bracing, all-day canoeing adventure into the wilderness! Ahh, good days they were. But this summer, I've stuck around at home. I'm unfortunately jobless this summer, but that's ok, because big things are in store. One particular "big thing" of note is my sister's wedding! I'm telling you, from what new family members and friends I'm going to be introduced to (and the usual gang), it's going to be an excellent night. And morning. Hehe. Also, now that I think of it, I'm not completely jobless. Not if you count a house-sitting/bird-sitting job for a few weeks. I made a new friend in the process; her name's Teeny. And for a small bird, she can certainly make a lot of noise! But she's a darling, and fun to watch when she knocks down her climbing ladder, and swings on her perch. I also make fart noises with my hands to her--while she seems to like them, she can't quite figure them out.

It's been absolutely roasting outside, which means I've been swimming a lot. It also makes for fervent desires for iced cappuccinos. Particularly those from Tim Horton's.

Ok, in other news: I haven't been baking anything as of late. However, since it's summer fruit season I hope to get around to making something with peaches or blueberries. I've had my eye on a peach betty recipe and one for a blueberry buckle. Mmm.

Everybody follow the World Cup?? I personally didn't... I did however keep up with Paul "the Oracle" Octopus (count on me to do that sort of thing). He seems to be a very laid back fellow.

Picture from Kansas City.com

Paul's all like, "I chuz diz box like a gud octopusseh so i can haz moar foodz"

Also, coming up this August in concert news:

KAPOWY.

But not together, unfortunately. Just Sir Paul. Unless Ringo decides to make a surprise appearance. But I'mma supa excited! (picture from here).

And seeing as it is Wednesday, here's something to make it more happy. Aaah, I love it!

Ciao!!