Snack Feast

Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:29:00 +0000

What have I been eating snackwise for the past two weeks? Relatively speaking not much, but then again, now that I think about it, I haven't been depriving myself.

I tried these tasty sandwich cookies from Back to Nature, they're peanut butter creme to be exact. These were oh so good and tasted like the kind I used to eat (brand or brands I have since forgotten) as a child, and as a grownup. These cookies are a bit pricey, but again out with the nice coupons at the check-out counter and they became quite affordable. I have a box of these chocolate and mint cookies to look forward to - I'm sure they will be equally delicious.

A weekend or so ago, I (along with my sweet Chad) devoured a bag of Ruffles potato chips and a tub of Dean's French Onion dip...divine! We did so in two days, which is not a record by any means, for me at least. I've been known to throw down and eat an entire bag, or at least the entire tub of dip and almost all of a bag of potato chips in one day (eating nothing else, if that makes it sound less piggy). But that was when I was much younger with a much more active metabolism. It probably wasn't the best thing for my body even then, so I don't recommend it by any means. Practicing moderation is a good thing, even when it's very hard to do.

I know it's kind of laughable that I think practicing moderation is eating chips and dip in two days instead of one, but for me that is a big step forward. Saying that, I (with some help yet again) went through a bag of Spicy Doritos in two days as well. Sigh...it was a chip feast to be sure but we really needed it. And we don't do this often at all, once in a blue moon really. Justify, justify...

Currently, we are very slowly (yes!) going through a tub of Dreyer's Fun Flavors Nestle Drumstick Sundae Cone ice cream. It is just like eating a drumstick, but you eat it with a spoon! Quite yummy. At the same time, we're eating Dreyer's Mint Chocolate Chip. That's good too, very minty.

I'm sure we've eaten some other snacks along the way, which I can't recall right now. But anyway, there's more eating to be done in the next few days. I'll be making pumpkin cheesecake and apple pie from Nigella's Feast cookbook (what else?). Sweet and soothing. Just what we need. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

[Photo of Back to Nature cookies is from Back to Nature and photo of Dean's French Onion dip is from Dean's]

Clif Kid Z Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:22:00 +0000

Our snack of choice when biking these days is Clif Kid Z Bars. When I say snack of choice, what I really mean is these are the most portable, easiest-to-grab, best source of energy snacks available at the moment. Just grab and pop into lime green backpack for quick nourishment on the bike path. What more could I ask for?

In terms of taste, these resemble Nutri-Grain bars, at least how I remember Nutri-Grain bars to be. The texture and consistency is similar, although I think these Kid Z bars are denser and have a more concentrated flavor. The flavor is a bit strong at first, but I soon got used to it. I've eaten Chocolate Chip so far, and boy are there ever chocolate chips in there! It was quite good.

The other flavors still waiting to be tasted in my pickle jar are Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, Chocolate Brownie, and Peanut Butter. There are also Spooky S'mores and Honey Graham flavors available.

These bars are made with whole oats, and contain none of the bad stuff - no hydrogenated oils, no high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, and no artificial flavors or colors. Plus they're USDA Organic. Sounds pretty good to me, and they taste pretty yummy too.

You feel like you're eating something substantial, even if it's in the shape of a little bar. And although I suppose they were made for kids, they satisfy adult snack needs just as well.

FruitaBu Organic Smooshed Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:48:00 +0000

These organic fruit rolls are reminiscent of the fruit roll-ups that I grew up with. But are they a bit different? You bet.

I bought two boxes that were on sale at Krogers, with Mambo Sprouts coupons added on top of that. The discounts made these snackeroos a pretty good deal, but otherwise, they would be pricey in my book.

The FruitaBu box that I opened first was one of my favorite flavors of all time - strawberry. In fact, FruitaBu calls it Smooshed Strawberry, providing one serving of organic fruit per roll. Their really cute website, as well as the box itself, talks about how the fruit is smooshed, swirled, and twirled. Indeed the fruit roll is rolled up in what appears to be a fairly thin, and fairly long, strip of parchment paper.

The strawberry roll itself is an interesting shade of brownish-yellowish-red. That sounds pretty blech but it actually looks better than my inept color description makes it sound. I think that they don't use any artificial coloring, hence the blander appearance than say supermarket fruit roll-ups. When you bite into it, you can tear pieces off quite easily with your teeth. Its surface is definitely tacky, sticky but not too sticky - I think denture wearers might be able to eat these...I think.

The texture is pretty soft, and while it's sweet, it's not cloyingly sweet. Plus as you chew, they don't stick to your teeth, so I feel better about my dental health in that regard [no sugary clumps hanging around my enamel for lengths at a time]. The taste is of apple first, which might seem strange in a strawberry fruit roll, but it says right on the front of the box, in the lower right hand corner - organic apples, organic strawberries and natural flavors. There is a hint of strawberry to it, but I'm not sure whether that's my imagination telling me that hey, I'm eating strawberries here!

These snacks are USDA Organic, with ingredients including organic apple puree concentrate, organic apple juice concentrate, organic white grape juice concentrate, organic strawberry puree concentrate, organic apple, organic palm fruit oil, etc. etc. If you're looking for something alittle bit sweet, a bit on the fruity side, that you can grab on the go, and is very compact indeed, these FruitaBu fruit rolls might be up your alley.

I haven't yet measured how long each roll is...perhaps on a rainy day...

A Mid-day Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Almost all of our candy was given away for Halloween. Almost...

There were a few gumballs, a few Sweet Tarts, and [yeehaw] a few candy bars left over, which are sitting in a bowl on my bookshelf. An orange bowl - for Halloween. Butterfingers, Twix bars [my fave out of the bunch], and Reese's. I supplemented our dwindling Reese's bars with a few more from CVS, as they were on sale and I needed to buy about two dollars worth of something to use a $3 coupon. Good, yes?

Pssst, I don't really drink out of that Juicy Juice sippy cup.

Besides the candy, I've got something else to nibble on right now to while away the time. A plateful of buttery, carb goodness in the form of thickly sliced French bread, which I picked up from Sprouts this morning, slathered with good ole-fashioned buttah. Butter can be your best friend. And your worst enemy...

Nigella Lawson's Ghoul Graveyard Cake...

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:36:00 +0000

were turned into cupcakes this morning. They look decadently delicious with an almost black top, which I figure comes from the devil food cake-ness that Nigella talks about. I made everything in the food processor, which made the steps easy breezy. In the batter went, into 6 oversized muffin pans, and voila, cupcakes for a morning, afternoon or evening treat.

I omitted the frosting, because really it seemed like too much of a bother first thing [pretty much] Monday morning. Besides, there's enough sugar, cocoa, and butter in the cake itself - and it is just two people eating them. Also omitted were the freakish Halloween candy toppers, but...it is Halloween no longer.

I had planned to make these cupcakes, complete with frosting, for Halloween - but you know the deal about best laid plans and all. Instead I made two containers of Jello, in festivally appropriate shades of red, to resemble the disgustingly-named 'blood clots', courtesy of Nigella Lawson [again]. The recipe, as it is, appears in the same section as the ghoulish cake in Lawson's cookbook Feast. Basically, you make the jello according to directions, then fluff up with a fork once it's set, to resemble blood clots. And they do! Yuck.

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Today is the big day, perhaps the most important for all sugar-addicted kids everywhere [that celebrate Halloween that is].

Who are we kidding? This holiday is much-anticipated by kids of all ages, from three to ninety-three, as long as they can healthfully digest those sweet candies. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I'm not sure it's my most favorite, but it does maintain a special significance in my heart as being the kick-off to a celebratory extravaganza, lasting the next five months or so.

As I've grown older, the almost-fierce enthusiasm with which I looked forward to each holiday, beginning with Halloween and ending with Easter, and each with its own distinct candies I might add, has waned a bit. My focus has uncontrollably shifted from the candy, presents, and the special trappings of each holiday to...just life I suppose, and the stressors that come with being an adult. The upside to this is that I've become more reflective about the real, non-materialistic joys of the holidays - and that's to simply enjoy the company of my family and re-awaken myself to the true nature of each holiday. For they were originally not holidays per say, but had a particular historical significance behind them, usually of a spiritual, let's say rather than religious, nature.

With all that said, this year I've vowed to try and recapture the magic of the holidays, in its physical manifestations - not with anything very materialistic such as presents and things like that. But rather with food. Food to me spells comfort, and providing food to loved ones shows them that you care about them. It is a tangible way to show love and concern. Food that is paired up with it's own special day, a holiday and a season, also seems to conjure up a bit of magic, something beautiful, pure, and bolstering for our bodies, psyches, and spirits.

And boy, do we ever need some bolstering up - so today, I celebrate you Halloween! And with Halloween comes the understanding that your doorbell might ring many, many times tonight. And when you open your door, you are sure to hear the words 'Trick or Treat' yelled out by short [and maybe some tall] people dressed in unusual clothing. They will probably hold out a bag or plastic pumpkin, expecting something to be tossed inside. In order to comply, you will need to be well-equipped. Perhaps with some Jawbreakers, Bazookas, Dum-Dums, Smarties, and Swedish Fish. Lemonheads and Nerds should do quite well too.

Happy Halloween, everybody!

The Nefarious Case of the Shrinking Stomach

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Love this weather. Last night was the first time we turned on the heater this fall. But we set it to turn on at 60 degrees, which it never reached and so the heater never turned on. But what a monumental step towards beckoning in cold weather - that's here to stay, for oh say three months or so?

Lately, for the past few days that I've noticed, my appetite hasn't been very big. Wierd, isn't it, because as the weather gets colder one would assume that your appetite would get bigger, to insulate you from all of that frigid air. I've attributed it casually to a lingering malaise [nice word heh?] with accompanying symptoms of on-and-off runny nose, sometimes stuffy nose [one nostril is stuffed up while the other runs...you know], sneezing, a bit of coughing, a bit of a scratchy throat, and a general feeling of poopiness.

At first I thought they were signs of an allergy of some sort, things that are blowing around in the air. But I've resigned myself to the idea that I may have come down with a common cold...something that hasn't kept me in bed during waking hours, but that may have zapped my usually eager appetite to smithereens. It couldn't have come at a better time.

I'd been feeling like a piggie lately, consuming huge portions - but only twice a day, so really I wasn't eating all that much but the sporadic, heavy food consumption was probably shrinking then expanding my stomach too frequently and too regularly. Like a yo-yo. So now my blase attitude towards eating allows me to spoon out smaller portions, and well enough, I find I'm eating more [I don't want to call them] meals or foodstuffs, let's say. So my stomach feels pretty satisfied pretty much all of the time, give or take.

That isn't to say that I eat carrots and mung beans all day long. Or that I eat half a cookie and put the rest away for later. No way, Jose. Yesterday in fact, I was given three donuts all to myself, and I ate them all greedily but relaxedly in bed in front of the television [which is where I prefer to eat all my food], watching Keeping Up Appearances' The Boyfriend episode. They were good donuts, blueberry, chocolate glazed, and cream-filled. And I wasn't even bloated afterward.

See, when you eat smaller portions most of the time, you can pig out occasionally...and feel fine. Plus, it is cold outside and all, so we need an extra layer or two to keep us warm. Smart thinking.

[The photo above wasn't taken recently, unfortunately it hasn't snowed yet, but rather on November 30th, two years ago. Have high hopes that it will snow next month! And don't you love my fashion sense?]

Cozy Campfire Feasts

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:52:00 +0000

The past couple of days, by and large, have been enjoyably cool and the evenings colder still. When the temperature dropped considerably for the first time about a week or so ago, Chad announced that he was going to camp outside in our backyard. And I joked that I would bring him s’mores.

I don’t put it past him to unfurl our nice and sturdy little tent, and set up camp. He loves camping. He loves cold weather even more. Put the two together and it’s magic. The last time the tent saw any action, the only time in fact, was a couple of summers ago in Lubbock, Texas when we stayed overnight at a camping site, with our two little Chihuahuas. It was my first time camping, and I have to say I really liked the experience.

The only part of our camping adventure I didn’t like was the toilet situation. But that’s really my problem to come to grips with, and I’m not sure if I can fully overcome it. But while I’m working on it, camping in our backyard seems to be the best of both worlds, bridging the gap between prissy amenities-loving princess and full-fledged nature nymph. I really want to be the full-fledged nature nymph, I really do.

So if we ever do set up camp in the near future, with our kitchen a few short yards away, it will be quite easy to whip up some campfire food to take outside with us, to eat under the starlit sky amidst the noisily brisk winds howling in our ears. But even if we didn't have quick and comfortable access to a stove, oven, etc., creating filling and delicious feasts appears to be a piece of cake with these great resources by your side.

I came across this cool page at eartheasy about campfire cooking. It is a must read for anyone who wants some really good ideas for their next camping trip, no matter how far from home. It goes beyond the basic s’mores, although they do include it amongst their recipes for delicious, easy grub, such as bannock, shishkebabs, beer batter fish fillets, and corn fritters. In fact, there are even handy instructions on how to build a campfire for cooking purposes.

How about stopping by Chuckwagon Diner for more yummy and easy recipes for campers. A few interesting-sounding examples are Angels on Horseback, Breakfast Nests, Camp Out Sketti, Hobo Pizza and Wacky Taffies, to name but a few. Another site jam-packed with recipe resources for eating well in the great outdoors is Scoutorama. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner – they’ve got it covered.

So whether you love sleeping in the midst of Mother Nature, or in the comfort of your own bed [pretending to camp], cozy on up to your nearest campfire [or stove] and dig into some tasty treats.

[Photo of solar tent is from treehugger, photo of campfire food is from Cowgirl’s Country Life, photo of campfire food with shrimp is from Bangor Metro, and photo of campfire is from eHow]

Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:51:00 +0000

On November 1st and 2nd, in conjunction with All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, people in Mexico as well as people of Mexican descent living in the United States or Canada [or elsewhere still] celebrate Dia de los Muertos – The Day of the Dead.

This holiday is a time for people to gather, celebrate, pray for and remember relatives and friends who have passed away. When I lived in Houston for two years, these celebrations were clearly evident everywhere around me. During late October through early November, I saw such-themed decorations bursting out of small shops, galleries, and cafes.

But what I remember most about Dia de los Muertos, besides the small altars or shrines tucked away amidst a ton of candles and Catholic symbols, was the candy! Of course. And this wasn’t just ordinary candy.

Sugar skulls are instantly recognizable Day of the Dead sweets. Chocolate coffins and pan de muerto, which is a sweet bread, are also popular. There is a candy shop in Santa Fe called Todos Santos, which was visited by Giada de Laurentiis for one of her shows BTW, that has a fantastical display of Day of the Dead sweets, including skulls. I meant to take a peek into this unusual candyland while Chad and I were in Santa Fe last summer, but was waylaid by a heavy downpour of rain and no umbrella. Always carry an umbrella.

For the next week or so, I’m on the lookout for a few sugary macabre treats…and perhaps an umbrella.

[Photo of Day of the Dead sugar skulls is from Farstrider.net and photo of pan de muerto is from MEXonline.com]

On The Trail Again...

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:42:00 +0000

I've been on a trail mix diet it seems when it comes to snack food lately. I have also been eating Luna Bars, olives [another obsession], and cake that was previously frozen a few months ago - that I now eat for breakfast, mind you. But when it comes to buying snack food at the grocery store for snack-eating purposes alone, I am inevitably drawn to the bulk gorp aisle at Sprouts.

Sprouts is now my go-to place for bulk trail mix and grains. Whole Foods is of course very good, but it is more expensive - and so trail mix from there tends to be a rare luxury. I haven't found another place yet that beats Sprouts in terms of variety and cost when it comes to trail mix. They average about $2.50 or so a pound, and a pound of trail mix filled with nuts, seeds, chocolate and/or dried fruit can make quite a snack feast indeed. Right now I'm munching and crunching on a mix including Brazil nuts [one of my favorites], sunflower seeds, and raisins.

On Saturday, I'm going to get two different kinds of trail mix from Sprouts that are advertised on their weekly specials. Their Wild West or Western Trail Mix is $2.49 a pound, and looks like it has almonds and chocolate M&M-type candies in it. The other mix is Yogurt Raisin and looks delicious, for $2.99 a pound. Oh so satisfying and delicious...Can't wait!

[Photo of trail mix is from Nuts Online]

Spooky Toppers

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:08:00 +0000

For Halloween this year, I've already decided to make this fa-boo-lous looking cake from Nigella Lawson. This recipe appears in my most favorite cookbook of all time, called Feast. I love this cookbook so much I fervantly wish that Nigella will soon come out with a sequal, maybe called Feast 2, with the same seasonal/holiday-acknowledging format, the same everything - just new recipes. And lots of them. Please, Nigella, pretty pretty please with Halloween jelly lollipops on top? Thank you.

Nigella's Ghoul Graveyard Cake does indeed come topped with jelly lollipops in the shape of witches, vampires, ghosties, and Frankenstein monsters. My big question is...where do I find such lovelies? That is the task at hand. It appears that finding those particular lollies might prove to be very difficult, especially here in the US. To find suitably spooky candy toppers locally, I'm thinking I should check out World Market's candy section to see what they have in stock. There's one practically down the street from me that I've wanted an excuse to go into, and what better reason is there than to explore candy!

Another place that I love exploring during Halloween, because of their tiny but awesome seasonal candy display, is Central Market. They would probably have something similar to Nigella's ghoulish lollies. They may even have regular Halloween jelly candies [not lollies], which would be a fine cake topper too. Some of their candy novelties can be a bit on the pricey side, but if you're just going to get a few things [especially from the bulk bins], it might turn out all right. Really any type of candy will do, whether it's jelly or gummy or chocolate, or whether they're lollipops or not. Anything remotely scary and Halloween-ish should fit the bill like gummy worms, scary pumpkin heads, and spiders.

I'm looking forward to my first Halloween cake, or actually cupcakes as I'm going to pour the cake batter into 12 cupcake liners. The cupcakes should provide a decadent ending to a yummy [boo] feast!

[Photo of Nigella Lawson's Ghoul Graveyard Cake is from Nigella.com courtesy of James Merrell, and photo of Halloween jelly candies is from Oriental Trading Company]

Super Moist Banana Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:53:00 +0000

Because we had three extremely ripe bananas to use up, yesterday afternoon I baked Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping from Bon Appetit, my new best friend. This recipe is attributed to Alison Barakat, owner of Bakesale Betty bakery in Oakland, California. Mental note to self: next time I am in the Oakland/San Francisco area, go to aforementioned bakery. This banana bread is GOOD.

You can get to the recipe by clicking on the link above. This doesn't happen often, but this recipe called for ingredients that I had on hand - all of them. I followed the recipe to the letter except I omitted the cinnamon crumble topping. I'm sure it would have tasted even better, if that were possible, and sweeter if I had used the crumble, but wierdo me, I just don't like crumble toppings all that much. Especially when I'm baking, 'cause they tend to make a mess when I take the bread out of the pan to cool. And also I do prefer breakfast breads on the less sweet side. For example, on the rare occasion that I make scones, I don't sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar like recipes instruct, and as bakeries and restaurants serve them.

The other little deviation I took was I added a spoonful of flax seeds to the batter after everything else was mixed, and just before pouring into the pan. Just because I had them and I think they're good for you. Oh and I mashed up two bananas - the third is on its last leg and needs to be eaten asap. Will do so in a few minutes.

This bread was/is divine! Sometimes when I bake with bananas, like muffins and such, the inside remains really sticky and when I insert a chopstick in to test doneness, it almost always comes out with bits of banana stuck to it. Even when it's way past cooking time. This time around, the bread was done ten minutes early in my oven, and the inside was perfect. The chopstick came out clean. And the outside wasn't burnt! In fact it's the outside, or the crust, of this bread that I love the most.

Don't get me wrong, the inside is incredibly moist and delicious with a super flavor from the bananas and cinnamon. But the crust has a bit of crunch to it, just slightly, and I love that. The bread kind of reminds me of gingerbread for some reason, although there's not a hint of ginger in the thing. I think it has to do with the consistency between the crust and the inner crumb. In any case, the bread is super-scrumptious, and that's all I can really ask of my bananas. Thank you, bananas!

Apple-Picking We Should Go

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:05:00 +0000

It's apple season, and boy it's about time! It's nice and cool outside, and after months of enduring high temperatures with accompanying humidity, this dip in the thermostat makes me feel almost cold. Definitely jacket weather. Yes, welcome to fall!

Whether you like to crunch apples in their purest form, or use them in recipes, the world wide web is full of great ideas for you and me. Some are recipes, some are autumn mood-enhancing commentaries, and some are alittle bit of both. Anyway, here's what I found while perusing some of my favorite sites.

Reading about apples, orchards, and cheese on Under the High Chair helps get me into the spirit of the season. From Bon Appetit, read about Molly Wizenberg's experience with apple turnovers, Parisian-style. Then take a gander at this recipe for Chaussons Aux Pommes, or French apple turnovers. They look utterly divine, and the number of ingredients needed is ridiculously small!

How about something warm and tasty in a bowl, like everybody likes sandwiches' baked oatmeal with apples? Hearty, filling, and good for you - a winning combination. For decadent fun, and perhaps for your Halloween bash this year should you choose to have one, have a go at caramel apples from 101 Cookbooks. You will need a candy thermometer for her recipe.

So...if you're lucky to live near gorgeous apple orchards, or even better, have apple trees growing in your backyards, grab some bushel baskets [or any suitable container for that matter] and head on outdoors. Pick as many apples as you can carry, and look forward to some bountiful apple-filled feasts in your near future. If you don't have apple trees nearby but have a farmer's market within a reasonable vicinity, by all means visit and have fun exploring the many, varied autumn offerings on display - and then grab lots of apples. For the rest of us who don't fit into any of the above categories, a trip to the grocery store [although not as exciting, adventurous, or charming an experience] should yield satisfactory results.

I, funnily enough, don't have any apples on hand at the moment. Instead I've got three very ripe bananas sitting on the kitchen table. But come Saturday afternoon, that situation might very well be rectified.

[Photo of apples is from Food Vu, photo of French apple turnovers is from Bon Appetit, photo of baked oatmeal with apples is from everybody likes sandwiches, and photo of apples in farmer's market is from City-Data.com courtesy of Paul79UF]

Crispy, Salty, Sesame

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Last week, we bought some bulk rice cracker mix and sesame cracker mix from Sprouts for snacking. Boy are these good.

The Oriental rice cracker mix has rice crackers in various shapes, all with a satisfying crunch. Some are square-ish, some round like a ball, and some resemble a white flower. Some of them have a hint of fried nori, or seaweed, on them and I love those the best. There are also these green peas that are super-hard and if you bite them the wrong way, they might just break a tooth. [The peas in my cracker mix weren't wasabi.] But there was heat or spiciness in this snack mix in the form of spicy peanuts. Hot!

If you look closely at the photo at the top of this post of the rice crackers, you'll notice a few sesame crackers that somehow got mixed into the batch. [I just noticed that now.] These sesame crackers are full of sesame goodness. I love them so much. Each of these long, thin crackers is embedded with sesame seeds baked right in, and the crunch followed by the powerful taste of sesame is just awesome. Included in this mix is what appears to be fried kernels of corn, that are super crunchy and have a hint of heat to them - perhaps courtesy of some spice-age?

These mixes are pretty addictive and you can unknowingly eat an entire container-ful while sitting at the computer, if you aren't careful. This I know all too well.

Constant Craving

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:30:00 +0000

I'm ashamed to admit that a whole box of Cheez-Its was polished off by yours truly within, let's say, a small number of sittings. That number is less than 5 but more than 1. [Barely.] Yes, I went on a cracker eating spree this weekend, and it was well worth it. I'm glad these sprees don't come around but once a blue moon, which in layman's terms equals once a month or so?

Cheez-Its are so very cheesy, not cheezy, and would satisfy anyone's cheese cravings immediately. The next best thing would be to actually eat a hunk of cheese, with your favorite crackers or fruit of course. Cheez-Its are bite-sized, crunchy, and have a sprinkling of salt on each cracker that balances out the sheer cheesiness of it all. Granted, for me these crackers are a tad bit saltier than I would prefer, but not by much. I had the original cheese flavor, but I've eaten the White Cheddar before and it's pretty yummy. I also wouldn't mind trying the Cheddar Jack. Take a gander at taquitos.net for some taste tester reviews of the many varieties of Cheez-Its.

Okay, I'll come clean and reveal that I gobbled up half a box while I was watching the movie Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The Thirteenth on Saturday night. I had never heard of this movie before [probably because it was released straight to video], and was astonished to find out that it's been out for 8 years now.

Then I munched up the rest of the box last night while watching the British mystery Rosemary & Thyme, episode 'The Memory of Water'. I just love Rosemary & Thyme and wonder first off, why they stopped making the series, and second, will I ever be lucky enough to have a garden like the ones featured on that show? I sure hope so.

Back to the Cheez-Its. I have at least one more box in the pantry, but I'm over my Cheez-It obsession for now. It will be safe for another month or so, I almost guarantee.

[Photo of a box of Cheez-Its is from RPP Supply]

Ready, Set, Go...Clog Your Arteries!

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:39:00 +0000

Last night we set out for the State Fair of Texas. With backpack at the ready, we anticipated seeing all of the colorful sights, smelling all of the delicious aromas intermingling with each other, and waving howdee to Big Tex. But best of all, we were ready for some food...some fried food.

The State Fair of Texas is well known for their unique fried foods that they introduce each year. And every year they have a contest among the new fair food, which I believe is always fried, to see which is best tasting and which is most creative. Not to say that all the food at this fair is fried - no way, Jose. There are corny dogs, foot long hot dogs, burgers, burritos, greek food, cajun food, salt water taffy, pizzas by the slice, jerk chicken, ay ay ay, that's just the beginning...the food I tell you...the FOOD. The State Fair is food paradise.

Whew, but I digress. I think the food's got to be fried to enter this competition. Anything that you can eat, sweet or savory, and even drink seems to end up fried at the Fair during one year or another. Sometimes these popular foods might even make return appearances year after year. For example, last year's best tasting winner was fried cookie dough. I saw one booth selling it this year. Also do you know that they can fry coke [the soft drink]? How about fried latte? They can and they're selling it at the fair.

Well this year, the new batch of fried foods up for competition included fried Jelly Belly jelly beans, fried Banana Splits [which won most creative], chicken fried bacon [which won best tasting], fried chocolate truffle, deep fried chocolate s'mores, and fried grilled cheese sandwiches. The fried grilled cheese sandwiches were awesome. We ate them by this little fountain. The sky was dark, they were just about to start the evening fireworks display, and the colors everywhere seemed so much more vibrant at night, especially at the Midway. That's where all of the rides and games are located.

Back to the grilled cheeses. The sandwich was a combination of American and cheddar cheese [I believe] on white bread, dipped in egg, then dipped in panko bread crumbs, and fried to perfection. They cut each sandwich into quarters, paired it up with tomato soup dip, and added a good sized serving of crisp shoestring potato chips and a pickle. Whooee, and they each cost 8 coupons, which is basically $4. That's a pretty good price considering a turkey leg cost about 12 coupons? Or was it 15?

We brought our own water in sports bottles, which was a good thing considering how expensive everything really is. I noticed that as you got closer to the entrances/exits, the price of everything, including drinks, just soared. So even at a fair, it's location, location, location. We also paid just $1 each for admission, because we brought 6 cans of food with us [3 for each of us] to benefit the Food Bank of North Texas.

We ended the night splitting a fried twinkie, sprinkled in powdered sugar. It was good, but I was so stuffed from the grilled cheese, I couldn't quite finish my half. I really wanted to try the fried Banana Split, but the booth that was selling them was so far away from where we were. Our legs just couldn't take us there, after we had walked the entire grounds. That's alot of walking for us! The Fire & Ice, which was deep fried pineapple ice cream, wouldn't have been bad either. Its picture in the State Fair program showed it in a waffle cone covered with whipped cream. It looked decadent. Ah, but alas it too was being sold far away from us. Alas, alas.

We drove home feeling so tired, but was it ever a fun night! In an aside, we decided to leave the camera at home so unfortunately have no pics from the actual event to share. But these photos here are of the program! It's almost like the real thing, right?

[Photo at the very top of Big Tex is from Xellular]

If It's That Wicked, It's Got to Be Good

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:33:00 +0000

I came across a decadent yogurt, if yogurt can be decadent - which I think it can in this case, wrapped in an inviting package on a recent trip to Whole Foods. It's Rachel's yogurt. Their slogan is that it's 'wickedly delicious', and it is by golly.

Chad and I tried two different flavors from their Essence line, which pairs unique flavor combinations with a word to describe its effect. For example, we tasted the 'Refresh' with Pink Grapefruit and Lychee puree, and it was indeed refreshing. Probably the most refreshing yogurt I've ever tasted, due to that noticable but not overpowering hint of pink grapefruit. Delicious.

The other flavor we tried was 'Calm' with Plum Honey Lavender. If that name wasn't exotic enough, the flavors melded beautifully together and yielded something luscious. Yes, a luscious yogurt! I don't know whether it calmed me instantaneously, but perhaps my pulse slowed down ever so slightly as I oohed and aahed over this light but flavorful concoction.

Rachel's has another yogurt line called Exotic, which features different combinations of exotic fruits that remind you of tropical islands, like mango, pineapple, passion fruit, kiwi and guava. Here's an indepth review of Rachel's Yogurt from The Nibble.

Lately, I've been really into eating more organic foods as well as more whole foods. Incidentally I found this interesting article by the Mayo Clinic on organic foods, which brings up some important points to think about when deciding to opt for organic versus their non-organic counterparts, or vice versa.

On their website, Rachel's draws attention to the fact that they don't give their cows [from whence the milk that makes the yogurt comes] any artificial growth hormones. That's a good thing. Sorry, Martha.

I've also been interested in the concept of sustainable agriculture or farming, and how important it is to support local farms. So if I can, I try to buy food, snacks included, that fall into one, two, or all three of the categories above...if it falls within our budget. Unfortunately, right now staying under budget is most important, but I find that Mambo Sprouts coupons really help me nab those foods that otherwise would be too pricey to buy, especially when those foods are already on sale. I find my Mambo Sprouts coupons in booklets called The Whole Deal that are by the entrances/exits of Whole Food stores.

I haven't fully gotten there yet [right now I still have to have my Doritos every now and again...and again] but every effort I make, no matter how small, makes a positive contribution to our bodies, minds, and the world around us. That's a good thing too. Sorry again, Martha.

[Photo of the Essense flavors is from Rachel's, photo of the Exotic flavors is also from Rachel's, and photo of Rachel's 'Calm' Plum Lavender & Honey is from fete a fete]

Just Strolling...

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:35:00 +0000

Here is my lime green backpack that accompanies us on our bike rides and on our adventurous outings. This photo was taken outside of the Dallas Museum of Art in their outdoor sculpture area. It has lovely trees and areas like this wall of ivy, crammed in a relatively small urban space.

We rode the DART light rail into downtown Dallas, and I love carrying my backpack around on treks like that. It's very conducive to walking long distances, allowing me to vigorously move my arms and take photos nearly every minute. For me, a purse is much too hampering. Plus I can cram lots of things in my backpack, although after awhile that can really slow me down. A camel I am not.

When we go on bike rides, I put our snacks in my backpack. So far, I've stashed cans of Pringles, Rice Krispie treats, granola bars, and energy bars in there but I know I can get more creative than that. I could put a whole watermelon in my backpack if I wanted, although that could cause some balance issues. In the future, sandwiches, cookies, chips, crudites, fruit - a veritable lunchbox of things - can be stashed lovingly for picnic-style eating during long and lazy bike rides to who knows where.

It's always fun to explore new trails and roads because you never know where you might end up, and what cool things you might see there. Thankfully, we always find our way home.

A Steamy Cup of Hot Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:45:00 +0000

On the last day of September, I replaced my usual frozen slushie drink with a cup of piping hot hot chocolate at our neighborhood Quiktrip. It felt like it was the right time for such a transition. It felt like, finally, fall was coming.

Now we're into October, and here in north North Dallas, I'm really starting to see the weather changes. At night and in the early mornings, oh - before 9:00 am usually, the air feels cool and crisp. Not cold enough to have to rush back inside and grab a coat, or even a jacket, but still I experience an initial shiver and brrr. Then I smile.

The leaves haven't begun to change colors yet. I don't expect they will for a few weeks more? But while I'm biking or driving about, I'm seeing plenty more people putting big, round, orange pumpkins on the front steps or porches of their homes - and adding whimsical touches of hay or straw scarecrows, which I adore. All of this has gotten me into the spirit of hot chocolate drinking.

On the occasions that we walk into a Starbucks or similar coffee establishment, in fall and winter, I always get their hot chocolate. Always. I'm not much of a coffee drinker anyway, although infrequently, I will take a sipper or two of Chad's coffee. And sometimes during the hot months I may get a Java Chip Frappuccino or something along those lines. But when the temperature dips below 70 degrees, it's automatically hot chocolate time. Right now it's 58 degrees outside. Take me to a Quiktrip!

[Photo of a cup of hot chocolate is from askville by amazon]

Goin' to Sausalito...

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:50:00 +0000

Baking makes me happy. I didn't always feel this way - for a long time, I avoided baking. It seemed like a mystery to me, but not in a good way. It's hardly likely for me to turn down a good mystery, but there it was. Baking remained shrouded in a haze of exact measurements and preciseness. It just seemed too fussy, too stressful, and not worth the bother. Did I just say that?

But I slowly started getting my feet wet one batch of cookies at a time. I can't remember what spurred me on. Could it have been Food Network, later combined with acquisitions of lovely cookbooks, filled to the brim with luscious photographs of baked goodies that *gasp* didn't require a thousand ingredients and a million excruciatingly difficult directions? Whatever it was, I am thankful ever so much.

Baking cookies naturally led to baking brownies. Then, with great hesitancy and self-doubt, I attempted to bake my first cake. Then my first pie with homemade pastry crust. Turned out baking wasn't so bad after all. And I've got to admit, freshly baked cookies are so much more scrumptious than cookies from the cookie aisle at the store. They're moister, chewier, and have way more flavor that truly pops, crackles, and sings.

But, there are those times when store-bought cookies can bring you some much needed comfort, especially when you feel sluggish [i.e.lazy], and don't feel up to cleaning globs of sugar and soft butter from mixing bowls, handheld electric mixer beaters, and the kitchen floor. So I always like to keep some pre-packaged cookies in the pantry, for just such occasions. Right now I have Pepperidge Farm Sausalito Chocolate Chunk Milk Chocolate Macadamia cookies. They're pretty good...I ate four in one sitting...

These Sausalito cookies are pretty darn big and they sure do have good-sized chocolate chunks in them. I like that. My one wish is that the macadamia nuts have a stronger presence in the cookie, because I can barely taste them - even when I knowingly bite right through one. These are the crisp cookies by the way, not the soft ones. All in all, they are pretty pretty good, and do their job well. I am left feeling comforted, with a full stomach, from all that chocolate and don't have to suffer dishpan hands in the process.

I came across this interesting-sounding recipe for Sausalito-like cookie bars from Karina's Kitchen, which are gluten free.

Introductions

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:18:00 +0000

I would like to introduce Go Greenypants, my trusty bicycle sidekick. He is faithful and true, and takes me practically anywhere I wish to go.

It must be said that it took a day or two to get accustomed to riding Greenypants [for short], because I had never ridden an anything-speed bike before. One-speeds were more my cup of tea, and riding around in flat New Orleans as a youth, I needed no fancy gears or whatnots. The hand breaks also needed some getting used to; for my childhood Schwinn, all I needed to do was backpedal to stop. Riding Greenypants, I'm still fearful that the hand brakes will give out one day and I'll be sent speeding down a steep hill, going ever faster and faster... *shudder*

Riding around in a bicycle gives me a feeling of freedom, zipping around tight corners - what a sense of adventure and exploration it brings. You can cover so much more ground on a bike than you can walking. Greenypants isn't quite like Jessica Fletcher's bike in the tv show Murder She Wrote, which I coveted for years - more in my adult years when I didn't have a bike than in my earlier ones when I did. He doesn't have a basket for one. I'm not sure that it's possible to outfit him with one, considering all of those wires and things sticking out, running from the handlebars to the brakes, gears, etc. down below. But that's okay really, because I wear a lime green backpack whenever we go riding, to carry all of our necesseties, i.e.snacks.

One of the many cool things about riding bicycles is that the only energy you need to power the things are your legs and sheer stamina. No gasoline, no electricity even. How's that for helping our environment? To get to convenience stores, grocery stores, or anyplace relatively close to us, we don't need to fire up the car - we just need to hop on our bikes with backpacks on, and go. That is a huge plus, both in terms of being environmentally-friendly and helping us save money by conserving high-priced gasoline.

So Go Greenypants came by his name, partially from the slogan 'Go Green'. Also, because he's a pretty green color. The 'pants' part of his name just came about due to my silliness, ever-present. Then when I was riding around one day, 'Speed Racer' popped into my head and I immediately thought, Go Greenypants is like my Mach 5! He's super fast, so go Go Greenypants! It all fit so beautifully.

Isn't he beautiful?

Go To Bars To Go

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:08:00 +0000

Chad raved about these Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars yesterday, and told me in no uncertain terms to go forth and find 5 boxes to hoard immediately. He found them extraordinarily good, and I believed him - judging by the trail of empty wrappers flung willy nilly in all the places he had been.

As you can see from the box, the flavor was almond, with a good thick coating of almond butter at the bottom. There were 6 in the box, and bad for me but good for Chad, I only had one measly little bite of one bar. *sob*

They were all gone by the end of the next day. They were that good.

So Nature Valley Sweet & Salty bars, prepare to be hoarded.

Clif Has Mojo

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:12:00 +0000

Yesterday Chad and I went on another bike ride, this time close to sunset. As we headed for home, the sky became darker and darker. It was time to switch on our headlights - our rear blinking lights were already turned on.

It was so cool pedaling along at night with our small but powerful lights bouncing off the shadows. I guess they were pretty bright indeed, because a young girl who was practicing riding her bike with her parents walking alongside had to shield her eyes, quite dramatically I might add, from the glare. At that point, I felt pretty secure knowing that at least oncoming traffic would notice us.

About 2 and a half miles before, while it was still light out, we stopped at a little rest area on a trail next to a small playground - the half-way point of our journey. We sat down and whipped out our Clif Mojo bars for sustenance and energy revitalization. May I say my Mountain Mix was scrum-diddly-ociously delicious? It was! I spotted some chocolate chips stuck on there with lots of nuts and probably some dried fruit mixed in as well. It was crunchy and hearty without being heavy. And you don't want to feel bloated or sluggish while struggling to maintain your balance on a thin-wheeled bicycle, pedaling up a hill. No way.

Chad had the Clif Mojo Peanut Butter Pretzel bar. I didn't taste it, I was too busy devouring the Mountain Mix bar. But he said it was good, and anything with peanut butter really can't be half bad. We bought these at Walmart for less than 50 cents a bar, using coupons I clipped from coupon booklets at Whole Foods called 'The Whole Deal', located by their entrances. So wonderful - I'm excited they're putting these out!

[Photo of Clif bars is from Iateapie.net]

Searching For Zing

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:16:00 +0000

Suprisingly, I haven't been thinking as much about food as I normally do. I have been hungry, been eating, and been enjoying the flavors of the food, but the usual zing is missing.

I wonder if this unfortunate change stems from a shift in overall eating that I've made in the last week or so. In years past, starting with my first viewing of the sweet movie "Babe", I've gone on vegetarian eating binges you might call them lasting for several months - before I undoubtedly fall off the wagon. Usually I become a lacto-ovo-vegetarian where I eat dairy [I can't give up cheese] and eggs [ditto]. At times, when I've gone off red meat, I have maintained fish, chicken and turkey in my diet. I'm not sure if that is semi-vegetarian eating, or just regular eating minus red meat.

With the best of intentions and purposes, mainly because I think cows and pigs are so cute, I usually stay the course for at least a few months. I can't remember how long I've gone without eating red meat - perhaps six months? Maybe that's too long. In any case, eventually, I fall prey to my weakness for the smell and taste of bacon, and to a smaller degree hamburgers. But the thing I've realized about hamburgers is that it really isn't the ground beef itself that I love, but rather the combination of pickles, lettuce and onion with that fabulous combo of ketchup, mustard, and mayo.

This time though I think I can really do it. The key to my success at any rate will be variety, variety, and more variety because truthfully, if I have to eat the same things over and over again - the food lover in me will just cave in. I need to change my attitude if you will, or philosophy about certain foods and their emotional impact. Case in point, bacon. Especially when it's cold outside, whether it's due to nostalgia or just the plain fact that I love the smell of bacon frying up in a pan, [and the taste - well, phenomenal is a word that easily comes to mind], bacon is usually the culprit that ends my days as a lacto-ovo-vegetarian.

But wait! Do I really need bacon? There are so many other scrumptious things I can eat for breakfast on a cold winter's day. French toast with oodles of butter and maple syrup. Fried eggs & hashed browns…

Hmm, I suppose one could safely argue that bacon would be a nice accompaniment to a feast of french toast, or fried eggs. But wait again! Instead of a side of bacon, why not have a cheese omelet on the side - of the french toast, not the fried eggs. Or how about a bowl of fresh fruit? Not particularly on equal terms with bacon in the smoky fatty goodness department but fresh fruit is tasty in its own way, plus it’s good for you. Hmm…

Not to say that I've been eating healthily all this week now that I'm a lacto-ovo-vegetarian again. Cool word, isn't it? I still grab at bags of Cheetos and Doritos when I can [had one of each this past week in fact], but I try to stay away from the big bags. That can only spell big trouble.

Optimistically, I do foresee that this change in eating will be permanent - a life change that will last throughout the rest of my journey here on Earth. I like the sound of that. And with that thought, I have some decadent snack ideas, which mostly involve baking, swirling in my head. As the weather cools down, cranking up the oven doesn't sound half bad.

Going back to the original thought behind this post, if I can remember it - I wonder if my blase attitude towards eating and snacking lately is due to my increased fitness level?! Yes after close to a year of physical inactivity, I am starting to sneak in a little cardio in my daily routine in the form of fun-as-heck bike rides around the neighborhood. This is all possible because I finally bought a bicycle, which I've wanted for about a thousand years now. But that's a post for another day. Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps the next. But soon, because I want to share a picture of Go Greenypants. That's his name, and he's not a meanypants. He’s a Greenypants, and he’s a cute bike.

[Photo of Babe: Pig in the City is from This Distracted Globe, photo of bacon is from Blog Chef, photo of monsterous French toast is from GraceNotes NYC, and photo of some other person biking is from Tomichi Creek Trading Post]

Freezoni...Summer's Last Hurrah?

noreply@blogger.com (Geri) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Yesterday at Quiktrip, I was sorely tempted to snag a hot chocolate. It's late September, and hot chocolate is always my drink of choice during the cool, or better yet cold, weather accompanying Fall and Winter. Hot tea is good too.

But as I got out of the car, I quickly realized that although it was technically September 21, it didn't feel quite like September 21. It felt more like June 21. More to the point, it didn't feel like Fall was here, or would be here the next day. It felt more like Fall would be here in a few more months...yikes!

Technically, today is officially the first day of Autumn. Hooray!!! Ah, my favorite season is finally here. Although as I step outside from time to time, it still feels like summer. Bummer. But officially autumn is here. Which means that eventually, and hopefully very soon, things will start to cool off drastically in good ole DFW. Perhaps thermometers currently reading 84 degrees [courtesy of weather.com] will read 74 degrees. Or better yet 64 degrees. 54...44... Wow. Nice...

But I really shouldn't complain too much as I remember, oh so vividly, how our thermometers were reading 94 degrees and even 104 degrees, or temperatures thereabouts, on a daily basis. Quite recently. And that didn't feel good at all. So I do appreciate 84 degrees.

And so to celebrate the end of summer, I slurped down a watermelon freezoni at Quiktrip yesterday. Because pretty soon, I'll be needing something warm rather than cold to keep me feeling comfortable in the big old world outside my little home. And I know I will eventually miss drinking cold drinks such as these. But not for a while yet.

P.S. I want to go back to updating my blogs more regularly from this post onward. Hopefully I will do just that. But then having said this, I might not succeed. Hrmph. I've read quite a few wonderful blogs where people have written things down in order to stay accountable, and it works for them. For me, it usually has the opposite effect. In my Bizarro world, if I say something out loud or, even worse, write things down [such as resolutions and such], they usually end up not happening. But I muster great faith that - I will try my darndest to post perhaps...two or three, dare I say 4, of my oft unfocused musings both here and at British Mystery each week. Even if they are teeny tiny posts. I will try. Yes I will try. I always feel good after I do anyway.

[Photo of a mojito slushy is from Food Network.]