If Life Gives You Lemons, Throw Them At Douchebags

I am on the hunt for a new book. It is strange for me to long for a book and not have one. I can go into a bookstore or library and find oh, about twenty books at any given time that pique my interest. Alas, I have not been to the library or a bookstore in a few months. I have been hosting travelers from Airbnb recently. They pay me decent money to stay in my spare bedroom. Chloe, a doll from the U.K. gave me a book to read. It was light, girly, but something to read. And I lost it...??? How does that happen. Then I started a book about Cuba. Seemingly gone too. Is this a notion that I haven't found the book I should be reading right now? Hmmm....I gladly take suggestions. I love travel stories, historical foreign fiction, something moving, something funny, what books can you recommend?

On a different topic, I am super eager to get my creative juices flowing. Every day I am doing the research on etsy.com, looking at my mom's shop and garnering inspiration from her and my friend Jackie who makes really awesome jewelry. I want to learn how to knit, I want to dabble in painting and I want to sew some stuff. It's so hard to get into the groove. I have so much energy at work and then I go home and I'm exhausted.

For some entertainment, I present you with the "Chicago" part of this blog. The streets of Chicago are teeming with unique opportunities and quirky outlandish, awe inspiring or just plain old random things to catch your attention. I quickly forget that I live in one of the most amazing cities in the world. And it bothers me that I don't share all of the idiosynchrasies of Chicago with you. You NEED to know these things! Ready for this random?

Friday after work I had to go on a different route after work as I had left my bike on the corner of Fullerton and Milwaukee after imbimbing in one too many glasses of wine at Melissa's house for Grey's Anatomy on Thursday thus taking a taxi home. Needless to say, on the way to my bike is 1) my favorite restaurant Revolution Brew and 2) a thrift store, which I have been wanting to check out because I am in dire need of winterizing my summer wardrobe. Since it's Friday and I am free and feeling good about the day, I decide to treat myself to some Wisconsin Cheddar Ale Soup and Eugene, Revolution Brews in house Porter. As I sit there, enjoying my tasty soup, sipping on my tasty beer, doing a little bit of work...I notice a telephone sitting outside on top of a bike rack.

Eh, ok, not too unusual, people place things in random places for the hell of it sometimes. But I AM planning on further inspections. Finish my food, go outside for a gander, and there is a couple who had just left Rev. Brew and were telling people walking by "It's for you, take it". Nobody indulges them in their fun, but I do. I pick it up to hear the song "Me So Horny" by 2 Live Crew playing. There's a phone number on the phone, the creator of said phone installation is -Bored. I WILL get to the bottom of this. I call the phone number and it's an automated computer voice and a voicemessage. I leave HIM a message and get a text message back in the morning. I post an Instagram photo and hashtag it with #bored #mesohorny #revolutionbrew and get a "like" from a @wearebored. His Instagram account has followers but no pictures. There's a website posted...which is a static page and says "If life gives you lemons, throw them at douchebags". I'm hoping this guy is good looking....and single....I may have found my future ex-husband. ha ha!

Memorializing The Shiitake Mac & Cheese Cupcakes

I only have this recipe in print. I have lost it and found it several times. I am bound and determined to memorialize it forever, or as long as the internet still exists and my account therefore with blogspot. Maybe I should put the paper version in a lock box. It is THAT good! Enjoy.


1/2 lb elbow noodles

olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

1 pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, destemed and sliced

4 Tbsp butter + more butter to cupcake pans

2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 c. flour

2 c. whole milk

2 c. gruyere cheese, grated

1 c. sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper

panko breadcrumbs (less than two cups)



Preheat oven to 375


Boil noodles according to package direction. Drain, toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.


Saute shallots in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until wilted, about one minute. Add mushrooms and saute until browned, about 5 more minutes. Toss with butter, thyme, season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.


In small saucepan, warm milk over low heat. In large sauce pan, melt butter, Add flour to the butter and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously until smooth and bubbly. Slowly pour the warm milk into the butter mixture and stir or whisk to combine. Let liquid come to a boil; mixture will start to thicken. Add the grated cheeses and turn off the heat. Stir until the cheese has melted.


Pour the cheese mixture in with the noodles and mix. Fold in mushroom mixture and thyme. Adjust for salt and pepper.


Grease mini cup cake pans with butter. Sprinkle pan liberally with panko and shake pan to adhere the panko to the sides. Dump out extra panko. Spoon mac and cheese into the top of each cupcake mold.


Bake for about 20 minutes, or until edges and top are golden.


Remove from oven, let cool slightly. Flip pan over onto a plate or sheet pan to remove cupcahse. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.

Crossroads

I am really digging several websites right now, and as long as they continue to be in existence, I will continue to follow them. One is brainpickings.org. It is an intellect's delight, as well as the artist or really anyone culturally curious or otherwise. Today there was an article posted that referred to the original "Mad Men", David Ogilvy. I had been having writers block for quite some time now. What should I talk about, and thinking about how good the other blogs are I read. They seem to have flow, and structure, and intent with each paragraph. Alas, like my life at the moment, chaos ensues. So be it. The one point I took out of the article is that you should never write more than two pages on any one subject. Tell that to Ayn Rand or any of my professors or someone writing a thesis. Ok ok ok, so there are certain times one must be held accountable for more than two pages. For right now, that is going to serve me well, because it means writing on my blog is no longer daunting.

10 Tips On Writing From David Ogilvy