Author / princesshotflash

by princesshotflash

The elephant has left the room

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My living room to be exact. The exodus has started and things are leaving. My rooms are starting to empty and walls looking bare.

The elephant chair will continue to live with a Thai family. And I’m sure it will be well used and loved. My two mirrors and 3 paintings also found a home with them. If you don’t know the story of the elephant chair, here’s the link from my old blog with the story.

 

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Elephant chair got some new pillows–elephant one, too.

Hopefully, I’ll get more takers. I would like to sell things but I got two creepy replies from craigslist posts that I’m not sure if I want to continue with the selling route. Maybe it just my destiny to donate and give away to friends my stuff.

 

 

by princesshotflash

Using up my supplies

I’m off to a 4th of July party today and I’m bringing blueberry apple crumb pie and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Pie ready for the oven

Cookies waiting their turn in the oven

This is a perfect way to get rid of whatever supplies I have left in my kitchen. I know it’s hot out but that’s what central air is for. I’m going to miss central air. And since I was in the mood I decided to make a batch of granola. I have way TOO much oatmeal.

Pre-bake granola

It all started with apples. I bought them to make apple bread pudding for some friends. That didn’t happen. Then I found some nice looking organic blueberries. I’ve been making a blueberry custard pie, which everyone loves. So I thought maybe I can combine the apples and blueberries with the custard filling and crumb top.

2 Golden Delicious slices for the pie

What I would do without the internet. I found this recipe as my guide. I added 1/2 cup extra blueberries and changed out the sour cream for plain yogurt. And eliminated the pecans because some at the party have nut allergies.

Tah Dah! Finish product right out of the oven.

Onward to the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Using my trusty hand mixer for the time being

This is the King Arthur recipe, supposedly it should be a little chewy. This sentence made me choose this recipe,

“Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown, with slightly darker edges. Their middles may still look a tiny bit shiny; that’s OK, they’ll continue to bake as they cool on the pan

Haha! The designer in me wanted to make this a pulled quote.

Their middles may still look a tiny bit shiny = chewy center. So this was the recipe. I remembered to take out the butter so creaming the butter and sugars was quick. 1/2 cup less of chocolate chips and my handy scooper to make the cookies equal size and even.

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dough

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done!

28 cookies later, ready for the party.

The last of the how to use as much oatmeal bonanza: Granola. Alton Brown’s Granola recipe with a few changes. Added walnuts, figs, cherries, and golden raisins plus cinnamon and turmeric. Remember this is an exercise in using up all my supplies.

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combining the dry ingredients

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wet ingredients

Two trays later, I guess I have a breakfast for me. Maybe I’ll give some of it away.

by princesshotflash

What I want to make : one

I can’t use my kitchen since I’m showing my house. Never know when you will get a moments notice that someone is coming to see it. I’m trying to keep it as clean as possible. But this has got me wanting to make stuff.

Here’s list one of a few links of stuff I want to make.

roasted tomato salsa

I make this every year, several time during the summer when I can good tomatoes. I’ll make the a batch on my little old grill for everyone at work. I’m sure they will be happy. Here’s link to my old post from my previous blog with the recipe.

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3 quarts of roasted summer tomatoes salsa

ruffle milk pie

This recipe I found from smittenkitchen.com. I had something like this on my epic bakery crawl I had with my girlfriend from HI and NYer guide at Pi Bakerie. I think the item was called Galaktoboureko Pi. It was so creamy and delicious. I don’t think it’s the same thing but sounds similar.

one last great cake

I LOVE LAYERED CAKE! and I want to make a cake before I go but . . .  MY LIST IS TOO LOOOONG! and I don’t have enough time to make them all with testing in between and keep my kitchen clean enough to keep showing my house. may something with curd like this cake or tea like this cake

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This is an Dorie Greespan’s recipe that I made for my Mom and Annika’s birthday

something savory

My list is long and I want to make everything. Not having a kitchen to use is really making me hungry and want to cook for myself. Yotam Ottolenghi is my favorite of recent. I love everything I make of his. Still my favorite is his Turkey Zucchini Burgers. I use this link to make it. But I really want to make is a the top left next to the colorful bars–Onions Bhajis. I never had one but it looks like a crispy onion fritter. yum!

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just a part of the savory list on Pinterest

getting rid of my supplies

The end is near and I liked to use up my supplies by making stuff for friends. I have a big box of old fashion oatmeal, a bag of Thai tea, bottle of malted milk powder. . . I hope I not much more. I’d like to make a more butterscotch oatmeal cookies, granola, Thai tea cupcakes with condensed milk buttercream, malted milk biscuits

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Thai Tea Cupcakes that I made for the restaurant

by princesshotflash

Home

It will be changing soon. I’m moving from my 4 bedroom colonial in the Northeast back into my old childhood bedroom across the Pacific with my 2 cats. Oh my, that sound so sad. But it really isn’t. It’s only temporary, till I build a 1 bedroom apartment for me and the boys on top of my parents’ garage.

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Can you see it? A tiny mid-century 1 bed apartment about the garage?

I’m moving back to be near to my parents to help with day to day issues. I guess it’s about time for this move–34 years and 363 days living away from Hawaii. I can’t even believe it’s been that long.

My Parents

The folks are in their late 80’s and need more help as Dad has given up driving. They have an aide that comes to house 2 day a week for 3 hours to help them out with things around the house or doctor appointments. I’ll be there to help out with other things and get them out and about and not stuck at home so much.

Beside me and the cats adjusting to this big move, my parents will need to get used to me being there. My old bedroom is currently functioning as a very large walk in closet for my mom. She is slowly cleaning thing out.

When I told her she needed to clean the room out for me, she said “the whole room?!” My response was “Well, I really don’t want to sleep in your closet, Mom.”

And I’ll be working remotely on east coast time so I’ll be up at 3:30 and probably asleep by 9:30 (I hope). Yes! 3:30am! Need to start work at 4:00. I got to get up earlier to feed the cats. Yes, I’m a good cat mom.

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How can resist these two?

Catching Up and Day Dreaming

In the meantime, before the house is sold and August 14th creeps up quickly, I’ve been getting caught up with all my stuff before I leave and day dreaming about designing my 1 bedroom apartment above my parent’s garage.

Catching up means dealing with car stuff and catching up with the paperwork both personal and restaurant is in order for the move and what I really need to take with me. Lots of sorting and shredding is involved. All things that I hate and procrastinate.

That’s why 1 bed apartment is becoming more of an mild obsession to me. I’ve thinking small and efficient and as green as I can afford and worth the resale.

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this what happens on sleepless nights

I’ve been pinning too many floor plans, mid-century and Scandinavian style items on my home board. Just things that will work with my eclectic taste. I’m also bringing home some furniture (chairs and a little desk) that I want to finish for my place.

More to come when I have more really and solid plans or news to share. Been busy keeping the house cleaning for all the showing. Cats love the open spaces to run and chase each other. Man, such the cat lady.

by princesshotflash

NJ Sharing Network 5k Celebration of Life

I forgot to post pictures from Team Cheery Oats walk in NJ Sharing network 5k Celebration of Life on June 3. Our team raised $1230. Thanks so much for all the support and the generous contributions. The original Cheery Oat would be proud of use.

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L to R: Kate, Chris, Teddy, me, Steve, Amelia and Alia

Team Cheery Oats were seven strong on that Sunday morning. It was a coolish morning perfect for a 5k through the town of New Providence, NJ. Our t-shirts looked as goofy as I hoped it looked.

just a walking pace
our youngest team member
She was all smile at the end

Made some sweets for take away gift for my team members. Butterscotch Oatmeal cookies and blondies with chocolate and white chocolate chips. I only got the blondies right out of the oven. Hope they like them.

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