I Heart Faces Challenge: Dramatic B&W

So this week's challenge over at I♥Faces is dramatic black and white.

For even more amazing entries, check out 

I Heart Faces Challenge: Angles

This week at 
the challenge is angles. In an effort to enliven my photography, I attempted to take a picture while looking down on the subject (who happens to be my darling niece).

For even more amazing entries, check out I♥Faces

Why I Love Craigslist...

I have this thing with Craigslist. I really love trolling the random things that people are selling... generally my favorite category to browse is the "Free" section. This little gem, however, was found in the "Antique" section.
Please note the title: My hubs missed what was so funny.

Hope you got a laugh!

I Heart Faces Challenge: Jump for Joy

This is part of a weekly photo challenge hosted by I Heart Faces.

This is one of my favorite jumping pictures because Mackenzie looks like a super hero and the dog (that little black thing under her) is totally oblivious to what is going on. Not to mention this is on the beautiful island of Kauai...

In Hopes...

In hopes of hearing positive news on the job front (come March 16!), my sister and I got together today to start cooking our "freezer meals" to be stored and eaten on tired nights. We made (for three families): chimichangas, meatloaf, waikiki meatballs, and sloppy joes. Last night I made homemade chicken stock from a chicken carcass leftover from our rotisserie binge on tuesday.
While creating our tasty little meals, I was yukking it up with my sister. Wonderful observant chef that I am, I manage to hack off the side/tip of my middle finger on my left hand. That's what I get for not paying better attention to the proximity of the knife to my fingers. Whoopsie. Took 15 minutes to get the bleeding to stop. Thankfully sister E. is an ER nurse and told me I would be fine without stitches (despite being able to see my fat in the chunked off part). 7 band-aids later, I am now bloodied band-aid free. And yes, it is band-aid brand.
Now I'm eating a steak with a reduced red wine sauce. First it was undercooked (thanks guys!) and now I overcooked it. Lame. But it is still delicious.

Also was informed tonight that the student I tutor is "a good writer" (via his mother from parent/teacher conferences). Score one for the home team.

S. birthday is sunday, so tomorrow S., J., and I are going out to eat at Fogo de Chao. Yum!

Promise this will be the longest gap of posting. Because I do understand that some people like to read this blog as their evening entertainment. Or something like that? Break from work? Who knows.

Oh yes, did I mention that I am officially off dish duty due to my klutziness? Because I am. I am eating my steak and watching S. and J. clean the kitchen. I LOVE it...

I Heart Faces Challenge: Kisses

So this week's challenge on is: KISSES! (in honour of Valentine's day, of course). I snapped this picture of my sister and her husband when we were at the beach. I love how happy she looks!

Cheesecake Ice Cream

So on the wild off chance someone reading this is:
a) having a bad day
b) needing some ice-creamy goodness
c) has an ice cream maker
d) either has ingredients on hand OR is willing to go to the store

or:
a) really likes ice cream
b) really likes cheesecake
c) has an ice cream maker

or:
a) likes ice cream

have I got a deal for you!
This is seriously some of the most delicious ice cream I have made in a while. Let's please ignore the fact that I got the ice cream maker for Christmas in 2008 and just a month ago busted it out for the first time. I blame it on our renter, J., for inspiring me to once again load my stomach with homemade frozen goodness. I think it worked out pretty darn well though. Mmmm.
J. had been raving about this cream cheese ice cream he had made a few summers ago, so I decided to give it a whirl in my unused ice cream bowl maker attachment thing for the kitchenaid. And it was oh so good. I personally recommend crumbling a graham cracker on top of it. It really caps off the cheese-cakey-ness. If you were REALLY feeling exotic you could also top it with some fresh fruit.

adapted from epicurious.

Ingredients:
8 oz. softened cream cheese (you can use neufchatel cheese if you prefer)
1 c. milk (I used whole milk)
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice (lemon works too, but if you use REAL lemon use at least 2 Tbsp.)
3/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt (or a couple shakes)
1/2 c. Half-and-Half

Mix cream cheese, milk, lime juice, sugar, and salt in a blender. It should get frothy and smooth - make sure there are no chunks of cream cheese. Manually stir in the cream. Pour into ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions (for the KitchenAid this means pour it in after the paddle is stirring).

Once the ice cream maker is "done" freezing the mixture, transfer the ice cream to an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Scoop and serve topped with graham cracker crumbs.

Mmmmm.....

• 
  
•