FF Segment #8: Favorite Things

Sigg Bottle and Elephant Ears

I went to a bakery in Chinatown recently and had myself a giant elephant ear, Chinatown-style. Ever since, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, so I made myself a quick batch using Pepperidge Farm puff pastry. Et voila! Cinnamon Elephant Ears. These and my fancy Sigg bottle from Gilt Groupe are a real personal treat.

FF Segment #7: Biscotti and Blush

Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti

1. I had a glass of Rose with dinner tonight. Hence, the red cheeks!

2. Hell yes I just made these pistachio and cranberry biscotti from scratch!

3. I've got pinky nude nails!

4. Going to enjoy these with a cup of coffee now!

FF Segment #5: Cookies and Reflection

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These were absolutely fantastic, warm and chewy in the center, and much easier than I initially anticipated. It's strange to think that my month of baking and frolicking and tippling and yoga-ing is almost at an end. Truth be told, I haven't once looked at my resume, or at a job posting database for that matter. Even when I'm sitting alone on my sofa, reading a book in silence, or when I'm standing in the kitchen, waiting for cookies to cool. The thought of doing so is always at the back of my mind, like a little blue post-it with my own handwriting scrawled on it, but I haven't been prepared to address the task just yet. 

A friend of mine recently likened unemployment to the "Five Stages of Grief," which made me laugh at first, but now I can definitely see the parallels between the two. This month has been a slow process of coming to terms with the situation: what happened (how and why), how I've dealt with it, what my next course of action is, etc. I believe a lot of people tend to fall into illogical patterns of thinking, assuming that it was their fault, their failure. I never once saw it as a moral failing on my part. The situation simply was what it was, and it was time to move on. For me, the scariest aspect of this entire process has been the part where I ask myself what the next step in my professional game plan is. That part is coming up now, but I thought I owed it to myself to have a little fun before I returned to being an adult again.

Anyways, I think I'll finally take a look at my resume tomorrow and make some adjustments to reflect what I've been up to in the last eleven months. But that can wait until tomorrow. First I need to play a few rounds of bingo and get myself piss-drunk tonight!

FF Segment #4: In Which I Bake Cookies

Ginger Cookies

Who has two thumbs and just made these dericious (yes, that was on purpose) ginger cookies from scratch? This girlllllllll. Awww yeahhh. After they cooled, I brought a plate of them over to my neighbor's apartment where I sat and played with his dog while he devoured them with a glass of milk. We talked iPads, Parkour (he's been doing it for years), having a job you look forward to every morning, yoga (I'm teaching him balance), and the perfect cookie texture (mine were thankfully up to par!). A great night to cap off the perfect afternoon spent reading and people-gazing along the Hudson River. All in all, I'd say it was a decidedly solid Thursday.

P.S. Yes, that is, in fact, a heart-shaped dessert plate. I have a set in all different girly colors. No shame!

P.P.S. If you read my blog and enjoy the nonsensical things I talk about, 'Follow Me' on Google (to your right)! Do it! Go ahead! I know you want to. Don't be scared, I won't bite. Or at least leave me a comment to pique my waning interest. Yawn.

A Cookie A Day

Samoa Bars // Jam Thumbprints

Okay. I know, I know, this whole baking frenzy thing must come off as a little odd. Or, at the very least, totally random. Especially given the fact that most of those who know me well know that I spend about 1/100th of my life in the kitchen (aka NO TIME AT ALL). But I can't explain it, I've just been on this serious baking streak. So serious that people left and right are starting to make cookie requests (gasp!). So I figure I'm going to roll with the doughy punches and continue churning out goodies until someone tells me to stop. Baking makes me happy because it makes everyone around me very happy. And that's all I really want, I think. That, and a cookie of course.

P.S. My favorite were the Samoa Bars.

Passing Time

A little known fact: when I'm upset and unable to get past something, I turn to baking to pass the time. Or to stall, I guess. It's a nice diversion because all you have to do is follow someone else's instructions. I was a little disappointed recently, and needed something to make me feel better. Et voila: chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzel bites. I brought these into the office this morning and they were promptly demolished by the end of the day. See? When it comes to baking, everybody wins.