Every Valentine's Day So Far

In the early days, we would decorate brown paper bags with cut out hearts. Mine were never symmetrical. I still can't draw a perfect heart, but I've learned to find beauty in imperfection. Then we'd spend an hour on Heart Day passing around store-bought cardboard cards with cartoon characters, terrible puns, and a bite sized Snickers bar. So no one was left out, we each brought enough for the whole class.

A little older, I would obsess over those chalky candy hearts with the sayings. I'd dump out each box I had received and use the phrases to write silly songs and poems, such as this instant classic:
Be mine/ All mine
Kiss me/ So fine
Be mine/ So true
Love me/ Miss you
Be mine/ So fine
Why not/ Cutie pie

In middle school, the days of cards for every classmate had ended. Instead, secret notes were tucked inside lockers, taped on top of desks, and passed down through a series of giggling girlfriends until they made their way into the hands of the crush of the week. We'd dress up in ruffles and kitten heels and hit the school gym. Friends of her arranged with friends of him the next slow dance. At the end of the night, more hearts were broken than hung from the ceiling.

One year, I hand made cards for each member of my family. I painstakingly cut (slightly better, but still crooked) hearts from construction paper and came up with my own witty phrases. I was the only one to deliver Valentine's that year. The next year, I made none, and each of my parents and siblings gave me a card instead - surprise! Love's not only romantic, especially when you're a preteen.

Flowergrams were the big thing in our teens. We'd buy them for friends, donating the funds to heart disease foundations. Yellow meant friendship. Pink meant crush. Red meant forever. On one, I quoted a mutual favorite song and never signed it. I never should have pursued that boy anyway. The dances still happened, but the dancing was closer. So were the chaperones. We left in groups, girls heading home for sleepovers and all-night gossip sessions about the boys they danced with.

College nights meant fancy meals at the dining hall, with pink, heart-shaped pancakes one year. A later year, the night was Chinese take-out and watching the Olympics on a tiny tv in the corner. Sometimes, I'd see people in movies get dressed up to go on elaborate dates. I wasn't sure anyone did that in real life. I'm still not totally convinced.

Last year, I got a puppy. She cured my lonely mind and curled up in my lap. This year, I spend the evening with her in my arms again. The Boy is working late, but it's okay. There's no need to send a photo of the pup that says "Life is Ruff," because he'll see her when he's home in a few hours. We'll all hug, and eat homemade ice cream on the couch. We'll get up together and make breakfast.

I'm pretty sure I've perfected Valentine's Day, finally.

Dress Up Tess: My Chihuahua Valentine

The Boy is working late on Valentine's Day, but that's okay. It means there's literally no pressure to make a reservation and get dressed up and go out to eat a prix fixe dinner that is far too overpriced. It also means that I get to spend the evening instead cuddled up with my little Muffin.

This dog has so many nicknames, but Muffin is one I probably use the most (other than her actual name, Tessa) if you include all of its various incarnations. Muffin became Puffin - a combination of puppy + muffin, which became Puff.

Her full name, which honors her Arizonian heritage is Teresita Cascabel. It means Tiny pepper of the earth, which is pretty appropriate for an itty bitty Chihuahua. I like portmanteaus when coming up with nicknames for Tess, so I often call her Tessabel. Occasionally she's Fluffkin, a matchup of fluffy and pumpkin.

The dress she's wearing in these pictures was a Christmas gift from Aunt A, my best friend in the entire world. I thought the soft red skirt was perfect for my little Valentine. You may recognize the heart pillow from my Disney-themed living room. Enjoy the photo shoot, hopefully more than Tess did!

Because the dress was a gift, I don't know where you can find this exact one. However, I found one that's similar. Note: that is an affiliate link. If you click on it and make a purchase, I can earn a little money at no extra cost to you!

Super Bowl Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

I swear, I grew up thinking that bacon wrapped water chestnuts were a secret family recipe. We made them for any and every event, party, and potluck. And each time, they'd disappear, and magically transform into a pile of toothpicks. Seriously, if you can name a holiday that involves gathering, we probably made bacon wrapped water chestnuts.

 

This year, I made them for the Super Bowl. I also made an intense plate of nachos. Nobody left hungry. This was my first time watching the super bowl for real. I watched it last year in a bar in Chicago, on a business trip with a coworker. If it wasn't for the good craft beer on tap, we would have retired early to our cozy hotel beds.

But this year, we did the whole big party in someone's living room thing. I wanted to host, but our friend did a fine job, and I still got to cook. Maybe next year. For the first time, I watched the game actually knowing something about how it works. Not only did I understand, but I actually explained the rules and concepts to a few people. I was pretty proud of myself.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the teams, but it was good that the game was so close, right until the last play. It kept me involved. The halftime show was entertaining and spectacular, and I loved the cameo from Missy Elliot - what a throwback! The commercials were weirdly depressing, but I loved the Invisible Mindy for Nationwide and Liam Neeson's Clash of Clans.

I even got a few compliments on my fancy water chestnuts! It turns out they weren't a secret recipe at all, just really easy to make. My mom's method includes wrapping the chestnuts right out of the can with precooked bacon and then microwaving the treat until the bacon is crispy. For me, though, it's about more than just the two main ingredients in this appetizer.

I can't help but take advantage of the water chestnuts' ability to absorb flavors and signature crunch, and bacon's time-tested combination of salt, sweet, and fat. These two are so versatile that the real fun comes in the flavors. I used three very different marinades, and then proceeded to mix them all up while baking, of course. That's okay though; I like the surprise!

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Ingredients:

2 cans Whole water chestnuts (about 45 individuals)
Strips of bacon (half a strip for each water chestnut)
Toothpicks (1 for each water chestnut)

Ginger Teriyaki

2 Tbsp Soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp Brown sugar
1/4 tsp Grated ginger
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Onion powder
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Water
Sriracha to taste (optional)

Honey Mustard

1 Tbsp Honey
1/2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Ground mustard
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Onion powder
1/8 tsp White pepper

1/8 tsp Dill weed
2 Tbsp water

Maple Chipotle 
2 Tbsp Maple syrup
1/2 Tbps White vinegar
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Chipotle powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Water

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl for each marinade, except the water (and Sriracha for the teriyaki)
2. Once they start to be mixed well, add the water until you have a thin mixture. For the teriyaki, add a few squirts of the Sriracha to your taste
3. Separate water chestnuts into three equal groups, and place each group in its own plastic container with a lid (old cold cuts containers work well) in a single layer along the bottom
4. Cover each set of water chestnuts with its respective marinade, being sure to cover the tops and sides of all the water chestnuts
5. Close the containers and refrigerate overnight (or about 6 hours if you're making these for the same day)
6. Remove the containers from the fridge. Place parchment paper over a large cookie sheet.
7. Wrap each water chestnut in a half strip of bacon, and hold together with a toothpick. Place on the cookie sheet so they are not touching
8. Bake at 400 for about 15-25 minutes or until bacon is to your desired texture. I like mine a little crispier, so I tend to leave them in a bit longer.
9. Let rest about ten minutes and serve immediately. If traveling, place in a sealable container, toothpicks up, in multiple layers. Reheat on a paper towel lined plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until warm.

Holy 2014, Batman!

I've never been big on resolutions. Why should January first be the day for me to reinvent myself? There's a natural progression in which I'm reinvented on a fairly regular basis. Anyone who has known me for more than a few months understands that.

Friday Five Things [07/12/13]

My Fourth of July look from last week!

1. By the time you read this, I'll be in San Francisco. The whole family will be here by tonight because it's time for B's wedding this weekend! The actual wedding is on Sunday afternoon, but there's family events all weekend and then a hop down to Disneyland for some of us. After California, I might be flying back to the east coast but heading to DC with the Boy instead of going straight home.

Outtake from an upcoming post on deviled eggs!

2. I've rediscovered SwagBucks, which is an easy way to earn points for gift cards by doing stuff you do everyday - like searching the internet! I'm working toward getting some money in PayPal, and I'm really close to my goal. If you need a little extra cash, you should sign up here, and I'll get referral points!

Little creek through a broken window in a friend's garage

3. I've been working on my novel, and I hope you've enjoyed what I've posted so far. If you haven't read it yet, be sure to click on the Camp NaNoWriMo tab above where you can read some of what I have written. Please leave comments and criticisms!

4. Most of this week has been all about prepping for being out of town next week. That means laundry, packing, cleaning out the fridge, cleaning up my room a little bit, and making sure all my travel plans are in order. It also means writing lots of extra blog posts to post throughout the week. So don't worry, just because I'm gone doesn't mean there's no posts - there might just not be as many!

Some dippers from our beer and cheese fondue

5. The job market still looks dismal for me. Even with local businesses when I ask if they're hiring, they just say to apply online and then I never hear a word. How does anyone get a job anywhere? As for a career job, I'm working on it - lots of cover letters every single day and usually no response at all, even if I follow up! It's just disheartening.

Friday Five Things [07/05/13]

1. For the next two Fridays, I'll be in California! That's right, it's coming up on time for B's wedding and the whole family is packing up for our big west coast extravaganza vacation. A little bit of hanging out in San Francisco for a few days, including a farmers' market and dim sum. Then the wedding is Sunday. Then Monday through the following Friday I'll be in Disneyland with mom, dad, M and W, before taking the red eye back that night. One week in California - should be an adventure, right?

Nailed It: 4th of July

Fourth of July, huh. Yesterday, we passed the halfway point of 2013. Actually the Boy and I calculated it out and determined that halftime occurred at exactly 1 pm (local time) on July 3. 

My Dooney & Burke bag in Disney Cruise Line print!

Or if you live in one of those places that makes sense like Arizona where's there's no Daylight Saving Time, noon on July 3. Anyway, in honor of the holiday I did a pretty traditional patriotic manicure. At first I was thinking fireworks, but I actually own red, white, and blue nail polish now so I had to honor the flag.