Whew!

Last week I finally received my ice cream maker in the mail.

Lets say there was a little bit of a disaster that came with making my first batch of ice cream.

First of all I couldn't decide on what to make and I finally decided on a creamy Key Lime ice cream. I ended up not having enough Key Limes because they were getting old and it turned out that I didn't buy enough way back when I bought them.

Secondly, while I was juicing my limes, I had the thermometer in the custard that was on the stove. I was keeping my eye on it as I was right next to it. Well I ended up taking too long to look back at it and it was almost 8 degrees over where I wanted it to be. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it's just about the difference between a smooth tongue-coating creamy ice cream and chunks of egg forming in that custard.

I freaked out and quickly transferred the custard to a Glad bowl so it would cool faster and began beating it like a crazy-lady with my whisk. I whisked that sucker for about 15 minutes straight so that any lumps that had formed in the custard dissolved, afterwards my arm hurt.

Then I realized I had put my bowl on to the stovetop where the custard just had been cooking. Thankfully the bowl had only minimally melted on the hot stove piece (I've got a gas stove here, woo!). Not enough to actually make holes in the bowl, *sigh of relief*

Once I finally put the juice and vanilla extract into the custard for flavoring I was finally calming down from all the commotion.

I put the lid on lightly so that it could cool faster in the refridgerator.
I picked up the bowl, grabbed it in one hand, and then proceeded to open the door of the fridge...



then the bowl dropped...
then I started laughing histerically because I couldn't believe what had just happened.

The bowl managed to land right side up, but not without splattering my entire kitchen with Key Lime custard. I had to clean my fridge, floor, cabinets, oven door, my favorite pants, and my pretty new shirt. It was everywhere.

After cleaning and waiting for the remenants of the custard to cool, I put it into the ice cream maker and watched as it churned my first batch.

It came out perfect.

I took it to a friend's dinner party and although it was only a little bit, everyone said it was amazing because it was so rich. I was proud of it, despite the fact that it seriously caused me to doubt that I'm actually up to surviving the CIA.


I'm such a klutz.




Since last Thursday I've made two sorbets, a Ginger-Raspberry Lemonade one that came out just a little too tart for my liking, and I froze a can of Jones Berry Lemonade that was pretty good, although it wasn't carbonated at all when frozen like I was secretly hoping. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next, but I think I need to figure it out soon since I'm going to a potluck tomorrow night.

Pancakes

So I just whipped up some pancakes for breakfast.

I used a blini (fried pancakes) recipe because I didn't have any baking soda to use for the regular pancake recipe and the blini used baking powder which I did have.

I chopped up some apple and slathered it with lime juice, sugar, cinnamon , and a pinch of both ground ginger and cloves, and stuck that in the microwave with the butter.

Only I had way too much batter for only little ole me.
I made four pancakes and I could only eat two.
I let my roommate eat the other two since I couldn't.

She gave me one of the best compliments I've ever received in my life.
"These are the best pancakes I've ever had in my life, and my family prides itself on making homemade pancakes! I need to tell my mom that grandma's recipe is no longer the best one!"

To surpass a grandma in her grandchild's opinion....wow.
I don't even know if I'm comfortable having her say that.

well....ok, maybe I am, but still...
:)

Food blog maybe?

So maybe I'll turn this into a food blog?
It is already called pan de dulce....

I've been working on some mexican recipes from my childhood that my grandma would make.
So far I've whipped up:

Gorditas - They're on their way to getting made right, I still need to figure out just how dry they need to be before cooking. They were just right stuffed with cheese and I need to make bigger ones if I'm going to keep on doing the mushed with butter and salt thing.

Nopalitos with beef - Next time I need to use pork. Also I need to cut the nopalito pieces smaller so that the tangy-too-green taste can cook out of them better without over-doing the outside. Also....I need to not burn my onions or garlic. >.<

Carne Guisada - The first day I worked on the batch I did not cook it in the right order or long enough. I need to add the flour after I cook/saute the meat thoroughly. Also less flour. Then cook it for at least 40 minutes after the tomato sauce and seasonings are added. Also no tobasco sauce - it didn't work, maybe instead chile peccin (I don't know how to spell it). Waiting a day to finish cooking it was too long to wait. It already needs so long to stew, why draw it out longer?

and Roasted Corn - I need to not leave the apartment and forget I have corn roasting in the oven. Even if I did remember just in time and the corn came out just right...I need to not be a dumbass in the first place.

On the soon to make list (along with the practice of the above):

Fideo
Frijoles Rancheros (not sure if it's 'Rancheros' or not...I think it might be something else but I can't remember, it's basically beans stewed with bacon, onions, cilantro, tomato, and chile (not chili))
Oatmeal like my grandma would make it (need raisins)
And others that I can't think of just yet.


Oh also....I want my ice cream maker to come in from Texas. I'm getting really upset with my friend for not mailing it to me. I want to make good ice cream sooo badly.

hmmm

I don't know what to write in here. I think I'm going to close this blog down since I have others.
Or maybe just leave it for pointless ramblings that I don't feel comfortable writing in my LJ.

Also I think those of you who used to read this aren't happy with me. I'm not completely sure why, though I do know I acted badly at that one party and I feel bad about it and I apologized to those that I thought needed it.
I'm really am sorry if you weren't happy with my behaviour and took offense from it. I'm not happy with what happened, though I don't think it was enough bad behaviour to not be friends with people anymore.
I honestly apologize.
I had some good times with everyone and I would hate to think that I would be ignored when walking past one of you down the street. While I'm not expecting a full-on BFF status with everyone, I still don't want to lose all the friendship that was built, even if it wasn't as strong in the more recent stages for various reasons.

I know people are busy.
I know people come into your life, move on with theirs, and sometimes that doesn't involve you.
I also know that sometimes, there's just not enough and you can't let yourself be spread too thin.

I hope you can forgive me and at least say hi to me on the street or in the grocery aisle.


Catch you on the flipside,
or whenever I'm in a rambling mood.

So much better

Already my life is looking up. I'm really happy with the way things are going now that I'm back.

Last night I went to a show and saw Andrew Jackson Jihad play and it was amazing and my heart was happy again.
It's odd how someone's (semi-)cynical view on life can totally make me so much more optimistic about it. That band's music is just tremendous to me, it blows my mind how honest they are in all ways.

I also got to visit Dan after the show and he and I had a good talk. It's been awhile since I've had one of those with the opposite sex. It's a good thing to have, it definitely helps to brings things into a different perspective. I'm also excited to try more of his home brews, so far the one I tried wasn't terrible and the one that's going now sounds pretty yummy.

Today I got more settled into my tiny apartment. It's wayyy too cluttered for two people. You don't realize it until you set foot in here, but it's pretty bad. I was expecting more but oh well, I'll live I suppose. I meet my roomie tomorrow, I really don't know what kind of person she is at all, I just know that she's not a total soroity girl like my last one so that's one up.

Yay for food.
Woot for coffee, I got a Kona Blend at Fry's today, we'll see how good it is tomorrow morning I suppose.

My heart hurts.

It's really hard for me to write about it. I'll try the few sentences at a time thing.

I went in.
Sara (new owner) told me she fired me for stealing so she didn't think the law applied to me. I went home, printed out the law, it says 'involuntary discharge' which is defined as the employer letting the employee go for various reasons, including 'cause or misconduct'.
I just wanted my check so I could be done with the shop, they hurt me firing me the way they did.
I just gave ONE friend a ONE dollar discount on a FOUR dollar drink. That's not even my full employee discount. I payed it back and fixed it on the register and everything and all she had to do was just tell me they shop was too behind to be doing that, I only had 2 more mornings left.
When I showed them the printed papers (the Texas Pay Day law says that if an employee is fired the employer is required to give them their paycheck within 6 calender days) they got on the defensive saying that they didn't know how much I could have been stealing.
Yeah, what with ALL the friends I have in San Marcos to give free drinks to.
They said they could file this and take me to court for stealing and whatnot.
Then they said they couldn't give me my paycheck anyways because Wells Fargo is handling it all and they won't have them until Saturday. Why would I steal from this place? I put my heart into this place.
I put up with bullshit because I believed in the shop for what it was. I stayed on for 3 months. 3 months of bullshit (minus Chele, she was pretty much one of the only redeeming people of the shop).
It just hurts knowing that they're always going to think of me as the girl who was stealing, and they're probably going to tell all my regulars about this and they're all going to think I was this terrible person.

I really just wish that they could just give me my paycheck and I can be done with it. I don't even want to file my taxes for this place next year because I don't want to think about it ever again after Saturday.

They're the boyfriend who you put everything into, you stress yourself out over, and then he screws you over right at the end. But they're worse than that.

They really hurt me, a blow to my weakest spot.

Score!

So I did end up breaking up with him.
The day after I wrote that post, he was an ass to me, and I just decided to end it. Everyone told me I should get rid of him, that I could do better. I finally took their advice, though that does sound really mean and makes me sounds like I feel like I'm better than him, but he really was pretty narcissistic and had a bit of a temper, and he didn't have his priorities straight at all.
I'm so incredibly happy. I actually had a good nights sleep last night, I was extra cheery at work today, and I got to laze around after work today and not worry about getting into a fight with him.
Oh yummy day.

Living in San Marcos

It's been another long while since I posted in here.

There's been so much drama at the job that I aquired that I can't believe I'm still there. I am the longest working employee and we've gone through three managers and are on our fourth and fifth at the moment...if that doesn't say anything then I don't know what else I would say. There's too much to write or even think about that's gone down there in the past two months.
I would have an assistant manager position there if I wasn't leaving in a month. That's a crazy thought to think. I wonder if I could have handled the responsibility.
I do however love being a barista, there is so much about coffee and espresso that I want to learn. I'm becoming an espresso junkie.

So I have a summer fling going on and there's drama with that too. I hate drama. I keep on saying "I don't know how long it's going to last" but I do, I'm too stupid to just say, "hey man, you're not the guy for me, not even for a month more" so I still haven't broken up with him and I doubt I will before summer ends. I tried once, but I ended up giving him a second chance. I know it's wrong to stay with someone just because I want some company here in San Marcos...but I can't seem to convince myself to be the mean person and just let him go. I keep on telling myself, "it's an experience- you've never been with a guy like this and you should experience it" but the more I 'experience' it the more I find I don't like it. I need to tell him he's on probation now because of his last stunt that I definitely don't really want to talk about.

One of my high school friends has gotten into Blow. It makes me nervous and I'm sad that she's going down that path. I hate seeing it happen, seeing her get into that stuff and get out of school. I can't really do much though, other than let her know that I love her I guess. She's in San Antonio and I can't go down there to hang out with her very often and she's usually not online when I am.
Some of my other friends from high school have lots of drama happening in their lives too. It's not the simple high school stuff anymore either.
I miss the girls we were in high school sometimes. Even if we/(mostly they) were a little over-dramatic sometimes.

I can't wait to get back to Arizona. I miss everyone. I have hopes for this upcoming year. I wonder if any of them will properly ripen. I've made a few calls with friends there, it makes me glad to know that they haven't forgetten me, I certainly haven't forgotten them. My life there just seemed so much more at peace than it's going here. I miss my live music the most I think. My heart hasn't been touched like it was all those nights at The Trunk Space since my last show there.

I have made at least one amazing friend here though. My uncle is fantastic. Not the one I'm actually related to, but his husband. I mildly suspected but didn't really think that I would actually bond with him so well. We talk almost every day about my drama and life and he's geniunely interested and gives me some great advice. I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't there to talk with me about my parents being so overprotective still. I practically broke down that day and he was there to talk to me about it and he even told me about his experience of coming out to his parents to relate, I thought that was amazing. He cooks with me and I've introduced him to SARK, not to mention he's a coffee freak too- he's really one of my best friends here in San Marcos. I can't wait to bring Shearm and Margaret here to meet both of them (and their most adorable little Eiffel-he's the best kitten in the world), we're gonna have dinner and it's going to be lovely. :D

Whew...I still have so much to rant about but I think that's enough for now.

Until next time,
Your Favorite Barista

I hate not being able to get work done

I locked my keys in my car this morning. It was just about the suckiest thing I could do to myself.
I had a whole long list of things I wanted to get done today. Instead I was stuck at home doing nothing pretty much.
I kept busy by organizing and throwing away unneeded things in the kitchen here. It was boring to say the least. (minus finding my great grandpa's moonshine, haha, :D )

I can't wait to start working and getting things done this summer. I want to get my dads bike fixed up. So far it looks like it's gonna cost me around $100 just to replace and install the tires/tubes/rimstrips, then I gotta get the brakes checked and maybe replaced also, not to mention getting a car rack....I can't wait to get a job to start paying for this. I think it's a cool looking bike and it's not a piece of junk, it's a low end of the high end stuff, plus it's an heirloom now so I really wanna get it fixed up to ride. My dad put thousands of miles into it while he was in Germany and it's still in great shape.

Tomorrow I got to get things done and also I'm going to a show with my sister and it will be fun, even if the crowd/bands will be a little more punky/skinhead(?) than I'm used to. I hope I don't get hurt if I decide to venture into the mosh pit...I think I'll not do that this time.

I hope I get that job in San Marcos...my uncles house that I would be staying in would be fantastic to live in. Who could resist living with three gay guys in a giant house with a HUGE fully-stocked kitchen, and your own guest bedroom with two beautiful views? It would be such a fun time. Not to mention the one job that I really really want is at a place that is perfect.

I think I'm done now.

I'm almost outta here!

I leave on the 10th from Phoenix and hopefully will get into San Antonio on the 10th also. It depends on how well my dad and I drive. I'm hoping he trusts me with longer streches this time. I'd rather drive back up here in August on my own so we don't have to waste money on flights. It's a long drive, but it's really pretty awesome, driving is one of my favorite things.

My new baby cousin was born one week ago today. 8lbs and 14 ounces. My aunt had to get a c-section because Sophia just didn't want to come out. They induced in the morning and she still hadn't come out before 7:00 PM. But I hear she's absolutely beautiful! I'll see her next Saturday I think.

I've got so much to do before I leave, these next few days are going to be crazy busy. I can't believe my first semester is almost over. I have 1 paper (due later today @4!!) and 3 more finals. I hope hope hope I do well in my classes and keep my GPA higher than 3.5, I'm really gonna need that buffer later I'm thinking.

I've been on Tastespotting just about every half hour of every day. I'm ridiculous. But it's sooo addicting and the pictures are so gorgeous. It makes me want to cook so much. I can't wait until I can make things this summer!

kk...I need to get to writing my paper!


"It's the moments that are gone that will lead us home."
-The Grassroots Campaign

The spoken word

In my chicano/a culture class there was a group presentation on the chicano/a spoken word. It was fantastic. I wish I felt creative enough in writing and such to be confident in writing my own poetry and whatnot.
I read some Sandra Cisneros aloud to myself earlier. It made me want to do a taco shop poetry readings sometime but I'm scared to ask people to come with me and I don't want to go alone. I think I'm scared they'll say yes and I'll have to go and read poetry to strangers. Do I really want to put myself out there like that? I'm conflicted. I think I do. I think it would be awesome to see reations to something like that...but am I really the kind of girl who would go do that? I would like to be. Yikes.

That Luna powder drink stuff is gross.

I have too much to eat in my dorm room. I went on a snack spree over the past few days and my mom sent me an Easter basket/box with a ton of candy and snacks...and I now have enough snacks to last me a very long time. It's time for me to take up doing some excercises again. It's been too long already. Yuck.

I don't want to look at the grade I got on my economics exam. I'm scared.
I'm a big fat scaredy?scairdy?scardey?scardie? cat.

I need to go to sleep so I can wake up around 8:00 to do homework before 10:30.
Goodnight blog and readers if you exist.

Hi again

I really don't know why I'm writing in here.
I have somewhere around four other blogs I could be writing in.
Maybe it's because I don't think that anyone actually reads this so I'll be free from scrutiny.
One of my other blogs was made for that. But I guess I don't want to post things off subject in that one. It takes away from the novelty of what it is. It's a sex blog by the way, so that's why this would be off subject because it's not about sex. Btw again...I'm starting to think I'm being way too 'OMG I HAVE A SEX BLOG' and it's starting to annoy even me. I'm sorry if I've been like that to you and it's annoying. Even though I doubt anyone is actually going to read this.

I've been so detached lately. I really feel like I need something new to happen in my life to ground me. As weird as that is...I need something new to make me feel more like myself? Wtf is that about? I'm odd.
I went to do some people observing today for my Soc. project. It was ok. I don't like going out by myself so much. I wish I had someone(preferably a girl) I could feel free to call anytime to just hang out with me. But every one is busy with their work or their social life or their significant other...all three of which I'm pretty much or very much lacking in.

I found myself looking at old pictures the other day from high school. I really miss San Antonio. I hope this summer I'm able to spend a lot of time with my friends. Dealing with loneliness in one way or another my whole life still doesn't take the blow off of it when it hits me hard like now.

bye for now, I think I'll go watch a girly movie. Pride & Predjudice perhaps? Eh...we'll see.

Hi.