I Took of Pictures of Food. And, Oddly Enough, Food Doesn't Take A Good Picture

Internets, we've been half-assing dinners all week. No really! Monday was Taco Bell - did you know they have nachoes that are over a pound in weight?!?! And so delicious! Tuesday was the sausage spaghetti. Last night was grilled cheese with tomato soup.
...erm, Internets, I don't even like soup! But it was delicious! I added cheese and spices to it, and mmm, delicious. I promise. And grilled cheese with both regular cheese and cream cheese. You really must try.
Today was calzones.
If you have not had the magic that is a calzone, you really must try it. It's a...pizza. In a pocket. But not a pizza pocket, because those are microwave-y nastiness. Similar to a hot pocket. And if you like comedy, look at this, because it is great and it is about hot pockets.

So, it really is a pizza with a wrapping of dough. 
We put tomato sauce (with added spices, of course, because I add spices to everything), colby jack cheese, pepperoni, spinach, and a jalapeno.

D chopped up the whole jalapeno. Then passed it off to me to put in. He did not mention the part about how he was not intending me to add all of it, therefore there is a whole jalapeno in my calzone.
And it was delicious anyway.
Spicy as can be, but delicious.

Oh. And we used a Pillsbury thin crust roll out dough and I suggest the thin dough for sure. Since you end up eating two layers, a regular thickness of crust would be a bit too much.

The above pictures are of how I *wanted* it to look. At this point in the process, the outside was fully cooked, my cheese was melted, and the bottom was a nice golden brown.
I also took pictures to show how I made my pocket. Because it's an envelope of dough! It comes in a rectangle, and put all the pizza parts in the middle, and folded the corners in, like an envelope. Then put cheese on the top, to help seal it together. And it worked fabulously!

Annnnd, this is what we ended up having it look like. A bit messy. And yes, we had to put it back in the oven after the first pictures were taken - very doughy in the middle. So, very cooked cheese (but still good) and much more golden crust. But delicious.

I promise! And, it has spinach and a jalapeno in it, so that counts for vegetables, right??

xoxo, Jess (who is far too proud of her throwing-together-of-dinner-ideas)

Sad Things And Some Strange Wins

Internets, I forgot to get more thread tonight after work. I need more. Not that I got through a whole spindle (are they called spindles? I'm not sure). But I wanted to double up the thread - for heavier yet still lacy - instead of getting a larger string, just use two little ones! It's worked well in the past. I promise.

Also, dinner looked like mush. No really! But I've heard it was delicious.
You know how I was supposed to start a meal-planning activity of sorts? Well, this week we've been winging it. And just deciding at eating.
Monday was tacos. Tuesday was macaroni and cheese with hot dogs and garlic bread. Wednesday was chili (with hot dogs again!) and cornbread. And tonight was mush-looking.
Erm, it's delicious, though! If you get past the sickly pale colour.
Chicken, all cut up and cooked (seasoned to your liking - I like onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Tapatio sauce).
White Rice, all cooked up following regular directions.
And a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. The little cans, not the family size. This you leave uncooked.
Then, when the chicken and rice is done, put in a baking dish, add soup, mix together, and bake for ten-ish minutes at 200 degrees or so. You can guess, I promise.
And that was dinner, and I was told it was good. Not that pleasing to the eye, but good.

This is something I grew up eating, even, and had entirely forgot about it until last night, shame on me!

I will leave you with that, I suppose, seeing as my new projects of sorts are on halt for the evening. I need to go work on the red and black blanket. Should probably do some dishes, but that doesn't sound fun!

Oh, and this.

 

Yeah, that's a canning jar.
Yeah, that's a lid to drink out of on it.
And yeah, everyone says it reminds them of a sippy cup. But it is the most delightful way to drink your coffee. I promise. 

xoxo, Jess (one more day...and then the weekend shall be hers!) 

The Things One Can Do!

Internets, you would be so very proud of me. No really!
I went, last night, from this:

To this:

Thanks to this:

Yes, dear internets, I have dyed my hair. Well, it got dyed. By D, actually. He's done these things before, and I have not. Until now! I have red hair! It's actually a very dark red, which is good. I'm rather fond of it. No really! It's quite lovely!
I honestly wouldn't mind keeping it this colour. It suits my personality a bit more than my natural blonde does, anyway.

My first crazy act of 2013 - dying my hair. We, however, decided against cutting my hair into Bettie Page-esque fringe. I would love to have it someday, but my hair is rather thin, and in order for it to look right it would require a lot of primping that I am not quite ready to do.
So, I am fringeless for now.

But my hair is red! Oh I'm so excited Internets, you don't even know!

I have not yet started the meal planning. I know, shame on me. I discussed with D, and we are actually on vacation next week - and because of that we won't be eating home-cooked foods (except for possibly at his parents' house) often enough to warrant going grocery shopping this week.
However! I have managed to cook the past two nights! No really! First was spaghetti, with deer pepperoni meat, I think he said it was? It was good stuff either way. With Safeway-bought garlic bread, delicious. Last night was fake nachos. Which means there was a can of chili, some shredded pepperjack cheese, some cream cheese, and a lot of Tapatio sauce all heated up and melty with tortilla chips. It's not fancy, but I assure you it works up like a charm, in about ten minutes (even faster if you're good at grating cheese - I am not).
Tonight, I'm not sure what we are going to eat, but I do need to do dishes so I can at least have clean plans to make...something...with!!

And, the kitchen trolley.
Internets, it is done. I'm going to let it show itself off.

So, I apologize, the top really is a lovely peach colour. Not whatever colour you wanna call that off-pink-whiteness it's got there. There's clear contact paper on the top and the second shelf - holding the damask print paper down, and that way I can clean it off if I get it messy. Because I will get it messy. I'm not sure how yet,  that's just the way things go around here.

Happy New Year, Internets. There's lots of lovely images going around Facebook and Pinterest about it being a New Year and people getting shit done. But there's one that has warmed the insides of my heart to near bursting.

Image Found Via Pinterest - Original Source (via Pinterest)

Some reason, Internets, it makes my heart burst just looking at it.
So many things I want to do, that I keep putting off for no apparent reason, other than a few "what if's" that end badly. Well, who cares if it ends badly. It's worse off not having tried at all!

xoxo, Jess (newly red-headed!)