I Heart Podcasts

I am crazy into podcasts right now.  They are fascinating!  Err...at least the ones I've been listening to.  My brother, Eric, and his wife, Carlee, introduced them to me on our trip to Vegas in February and I have been a faithful listener ever since!

The podcasts I've become glued to are two from howstuffworks.com.  One is titled "Stuff Mom Never Told You" and the other is "Stuff You Missed in History Class" and the topics are interesting.  The people doing the podcasts do their research, and, for the most part, remain non-biased. I've learned about "How Typhoid Mary Worked", where the term "Peeping Tom" comes from, about the most two famous female pirates, about Barbie's secret past, what the deal is with pink and blue and about the ever intriguing Winchester Mystery Mansion.  

I highly suggest you check these out.  And the best part!?!?....they are FREE.  Just go to itunes or to the howstuffworks.com website and you can download them to your iphone at no cost. 

I'm off to learn about Lizzie Borden and her axe!

Woohoo!

I just took my last test for the semester.

Thank goodness.

A celebration is now in order.

Strawberry Shortcake

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I love dressing up.  Its fun to be someone else for a day. However, I am very particular about authentic costumes.  I don't want to just be a generic character of some sort.  If I'm going to be a witch, I'm going to be Winifred Sanderson from Hocus Pocus or The Wicked Witch of the West.  Don't just be a doctor, be Doctor House, you know?  Also, I think that you should dress as closely to the actual character as possible - meaning I quite disagree with women distorting the classic costume of Alice In Wonderland to be some sort of a whorish outfit.  It appears that dressing up for Halloween has now somehow come to mean dressing like a slut.  I find it fascinating that all these women allow Halloween to degrade themselves - unless they are glad to have an excuse to let their true colors shine...I'm just sayin'....

This Halloween  I decided to borrow my friend's costume from last year.  I tried it on and found that unfortunately the main dress didn't fit.  The hat and the apron would be perfect, but I asked my wonderful mother to make a new main dress for me, which she did.  She also made some super cute bloomers and a fluffy slip to add some whimsy to the costume.  I found some perfect green and white striped tights at the Halloween store and did my hair in pin curls to look as much like the character as possible. 

The result was me as the adorable Strawberry Shortcake.

I decided to celebrate the festivities and dress up not only for the actual event or for parties, but for work (at both jobs). I had many compliments and even won a costume contest.  But what I loved most was when little girls would see me and ask to have their picture taken with me!  "Strawberry Shortcake!" they would exclaim!  "Can I take a picture with you!?" It made my day!  I felt like a Disney princess in Disneyland!  Oh, there is nothing better.  A few years ago I was Snow White, which was also a hit with the little ones. Its so fun to see their little eyes brighten and the smiles break across their faces.  Oh, I'm so glad I decided to be Strawberry Shortcake.

Temptation

I'm tempted.  Should I?

Started

School started this past Thursday.  I'm taking two classes this semester; US History to 1877 and Microeconomics.  Taking only a couple of classes each semester is slowly marking off my lower division classes on my way to my teaching degree, but I'm making progress at least.

Wish me well!

Rosemary Focaccia Rolls - Recipe

So I've had a few requests for the recipe of these delicious rolls.  I got the recipe from www.ourbestbites.com.  You can find the recipe and other DELICIOUS ones here.
Or you can see below.  Though their website has better directions! 

Rosemary Focaccia Rolls

1 c. warm (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit) water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. Kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp rosemary (dried or fresh), divided
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4-2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly. While the yeast is getting bubbly, combine 2 C of the flour, salt, 1 1/2 Tbsp. rosemary, oregano and garlic powder.

Add flour mixture to yeast mixture along with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Mix well. (I put it in my stand mixer with the dough hook on). Slowly add remaining flour to make a very soft dough--try and resist the urge to add too much flour. You want a soft, wet dough.
 
Cover and allow to rise 45 min- 1 hour or until double in size.

Lightly flour your work surface and transfer dough onto this surface. Divide into balls for rolls and place on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cover and allow to rise another 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use remaining tablespoon of olive oil to brush over tops of rolls, discarding excess if you have any. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and some Kosher salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly golden-brown. Serve immediately (if you can) with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy...I did.

Rosemary Focaccia Rolls

My visiting teacher, Vanessa, brought me a loaf of this fantastic bread once, and both Husband and I keep wishing we had more, so I asked her for the recipe.  And I didn't have it for more than 48 hours until I broke down and made them (more like was bursting at the seams to make it).  And we enjoyed them with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Yum.  It was heavenly!