First World Problems: Help the Oven Is OVERFLOWING

It's true that our job as food bloggers means quite a lot of time spent in our kitchen.  We are cooking and then baking and mixing.  All for the sake of those few perfect shots and of course the excellent taste.

As such we have found ourselves on a winding path of food.  We recently started attending the Chicago Food Swap.  We'd been considering going for months but never had the time.  Since we finally went last month, we decided from our good haul that we would go again.  Only we didn't learn from experience quite yet.  Never ever plan an event the day before a food swap.  Even if we have our recipes selected, generally they are new and untested.

Not that they are going to go horribly wrong, just that sometimes we don't realize just how ambitious making seven different flavors of cheddar crackers by hand is.  It is a lot of work.  A lot of hours in the kitchen with lots of slicing and rolling and peeling and placing.  Detailed work, which while the recipe is extremely simple in terms of ingredients: flour, butter, water and cheese; the process is time consuming.  Especially when your plan falls through and you don't find your electric cookie press and the handheld one turns out to be unreliable crafting giant cookie crackers.  We opted to do them by hand.

This was better in terms of sizing our crackers.  For the most part they are squares or you can tell that they were the sad corners which just got the short end of the dough.  The next fiasco was in cooking all of these.  We had our oven on for hours non-stop.  We'd mix a batch, roll and cut and just manage to get all of the little squares peeled off the wax paper and onto the waiting pan.  Which meant that we were going on pan at a time in our oven.  The crackers would cool perfectly on the rack in the time it took to make a new batch, by then we were finally fast enough to keep with our pan rotations.

Only by this time, we were hysterical.  Two of us in the kitchen, dashing from oven to counter to slicer.  It was madness as we tried to peel without breaking the pieces even smaller.  We were just saying words in front of cheese or crackers and laughing out of control.  Our sanity was pushed to the limits as the crackers took control of all we thought we knew about the world.  We had an oven which overflowed with cracker bounty.  Granted, they are delicious and cheesy.  Truly, they have more cheese than your average cheese cracker, but there were too many.   It was as if they multiplied in the oven as we moved them to the rack to cool.  For the longest time it seemed as if the amount of cheese we had yet to use was not changing.  We had a stack of cheese to use and the hours just ticked away and we despaired.  We were going to be cracker bakers.  Our family business had taken hold and I could see my children apprenticing in the cracker arts.  How to peel perfectly with your fingers.  How the spacing was necessary and precise.  How the timing was immaculate.  Everything flashed before our eyes as the crackers kept baking.

Then, this morning to our horror, we realized that our crackers had lost their crisp.  We had to start again the cracker baking.  We had to recrisp our crackers, this was much easier than an initial baking process, but it was still time consuming.  As our thousands of tiny crackers went back into the oven.  Finally, we were done and could manage to parcel them out into bags.  Hoping with all of our might that someone would want our cracker wares in seven different flavors in exchange for anything else because we are all cracked up.  No more crackers for us.  Too much of a good thing is enough to last us through the holidays.

First World Problems: City Driving

I suppose you may think I always complain about driving. While this is true, most cases are not nearly as bad as our drive into the city.

It seemed a good idea to avoid the highway and rush hour traffic.  This is possibly the first mistake.  Mind you we still left nearly ninety minutes early.  The first strike was the one lane that people treated as two. Confusion spread as cars went to the right and were isolated on one side. To panic and try to get back over without getting hit.

Followed by a lag from a tricky intersection. Not the first of the unknowable hold ups.  We stayed true those first few times.  Staying in a straight line not betting on the phantom right lane the third or fourth time we had little choice as the left turns piled up.

This worked out well for the first few blocks we were able to make it through green lights. Sadly this did not work out well when we decided to use the extra space to go around; the car in front of made it across and then stopped with no warning with her car still running and dropped something in the mailbox. While traffic stopped because we were trapped behind her with people wanting to turn right.  It was already past four PM. Which meant there was no reason she had to run out then blocking traffic. Her mail wouldn't even be picked up until morning and we passed many safer mailboxes with her still in front of us where she could have safely stopped.

Shortly afterwards there was a Honda with road rage. He pulled up next to us wanting to go straight.  Most obvious as he continually inched forward he wanted to be in front where there were parked cars and only one lane.  I was forced to let this crazy driver go first or cause an accident.

There was a car who tried the same trick to get around a blockage by using the parking lane, only to find a person in front of him had actually parked.  Which caused him to be momentarily trapped until he crazily decided to just drive in front of our car with no warning.

There were more close calls as a car with a highly suspicious 'license' plate pulled up alongside us at a red light.  The 'license' plate was a laminated piece of paper which they seemed to have printed themselves and was more than two weeks expired.  They proceeded to gesture towards us wanting us to roll down our windows.  As we refused since they had gotten way too close to us.  They decided to talk anyhow asking us how to get to the highway.  As if we knew at that point what direction anything was because we'd been in the car for nearly an hour and dealing with more and more bad drivers.

By far the worst driver we encountered was a black SUV.  The giant hulking form wanted to turn left in front of us while we were stopping at a red light about five cars back.  So, I let them because they seemed to want to park.  Upon finding that they would not fit in the space available, they blindly pulled in front of my car.  Lucky, I was paying attention or we would have hit them.  As we were turning right, I didn't realize that they were intent upon parking.  A space was available directly around the corner, and the black SUV pulled up fully prepared to parallel park.  Unfortunately, I had no idea this was the case because they failed to use a turn signal.  Also, there were other cars behind me and I could not safely slam on my brakes.  Not only were they prepped to park they proceeded to park without looking as they started backing up towards my car.  In full panic mode, I could only wildly turn my wheel.  Our escape was extremely close between this black SUV and a line of cars in the left lane which were waiting for the light to change.  There was just enough room to squeeze past the black SUV which was already beginning to park apparently having no cares about nearly hitting our car.  In conclusion, I wish that people would use their turn signals.  It is not a difficult task and I cannot understand anyone's ability to not use a turn signal when turning.  I actually have to concentrate to not engage my turn signal because the habit is second nature.

First World Problems

I have awesome news to share!  My dad bought us our first DSLR camera.  Up to now all of our photos have been shot with a digital point and shoot Sony cybershot.  The Sony is a great camera, but I'm super excited to be upgrading to the Nikon D7100.  I've been researching cameras and lenses since this summer and I'm stoked to be getting this.

Now for the bad news....I decided to order on amazon because they said with two day delivery it would be here Friday November 1st.  I ordered thinking that would be perfect because we're going back to Nielsen Massey Vanilla on Monday!!!  Unfortunately after I placed the order, my delivery date changed to Monday November 4th.  :(  

Needless to say I immediately contacted customer service, who was actually pretty great.  When they saw how much the I spent, the CS rep immediately told me they were getting their manager involved to make sure the packages were delivered on time.  In talking to the warehouse, they were only able to correct 2 packages but assured me they'd all be delivered Friday.  I checked Thursday morning and the most important parts, the camera and lense, were still set for delivery Monday.  :(  Another chat with CS and I was assured it was just a glitch in the system.  Everything should be here Friday!!!

Halloween.  Yes, we like Halloween as much as the next person.  Yet, our Halloween is always low key.  REALLY low key.  I think we only had about fifteen trick or treaters.  Seems like most people in our area suffered the same low numbers.  Of course, Miss Rosie is most distressed by Halloween as she is sequestered in a room for no good reason.  She would love to greet and announce the children at her door but the rest of her family members do not understand her love.  So, she was unjustly imprisoned even while dinner was cooking.  She could not clean the floor or ask for samples of the vegetables. She was left to smell from afar hoping that her humans would soon release her.  

First World Problems: Too Much Love?

There is one thing to be said about driving in the suburbs.  There is a lot of space.  So much so that you are almost never in close contact with other cars. This notion that my lane is my own space was obviously not true in the big city.  As a Chicago cab driver showed no hesitation joining me in the right lane meant for one car.  The tension was high as he was near inches from our car.  As expected he managed a fearless right turn.  While I told myself to avoid the right lane at all costs lest I lose another ten years of my life.

Thwarting scammers on the other hand seems usual practice.  Sadly, they were not clever enough to get a reply.  It is entirely unusual that my phone company would call me about my account since it's a family plan and they always text.  Much more sad, is the fact that when we called the phone company they were surprised to find scammers.  Worse still was their question of whether we had given any important information.   As if we were naive enough to give out private information over the phone.

The most unsettling of problems, this week and perhaps more to come, regards the convertible.  Recently,  I have changed cars to a convertible.  Weirdly,  almost every person on the road takes note of the  car and the occupants.   This in of itself is not unusual as many drivers will look around while driving, but most tend to not crane their necks.  Or to stare directly at you while making a left turn.  The amount of attention is disconcerting to say the least especially when the top is not down and the V-6  engine is silent.   This is almost certainly a problem of too much love for either us or the car.

First World Problems

Where to start this week?  Lets start with last Sunday.  We headed to the monthly model train show in Wheaton to check it out.  My dad has started giving us some of his trains to sell and besides eBay as a resource I don't know much about them.  Let me just say this train show was not the place to start.  Everything there was kind of old, dusty, dirty and big.  As far as I could tell there were no trains there in the same class as the ones we had.  Ours are all in original boxes and have never been opened.

On our way home from the train show we had a strange encounter.  As a car in front of me turned, there was a suddenly large gap in front of us.  As I began to accelerate, a car in the left lane turned on it's blinker and merged in front of me.  Perfectly normal and safe, yet the car behind them also attempted to the same thing.  Which did not work out for him.  He nearly hit us, as he tried to be first.  Then proceeded to in what I can assume was meant to be intimidating follow closely behind us, before pulling up next to us and yelling through his window.  Needless to say he had nowhere near the reaction he intended as we were laughing at how ridiculous he was.  Yet, the encounter has stuck with me as being another entitled driver who had only their own priorities in mind.  He obviously had no care as to whether we were safe and only wanted to be first.  Hilariously, and to my delight is often the case, we pulled up at a red light to see him also waiting.  His speed was for naught and we were further delighted.

Thursday it rained.  Which meant our plans to go shooting were cancelled.  So, instead we went shopping.  To which I was forced into winter coats and faced attitude for having attitude when my family clearly already know that I detest clothes shopping.  It's not my fault my dad and sister are shopaholics.  They'd spend all day in a mall happily.  I'd rather be chopping a bag full of onions with a dull knife.

Friday was salmon day.  Meaning that our local Whole Foods store had a sale on salmon. Sadly, the butcher cut me a piece bigger than one and a quarter pounds meaning that I shall have salmon for breakfast.  Alas, I did not want to trouble him to remove a small portion.

The people at the bank yet again requested that I open a savings account with them.  I can't believe that every time I go in that they ask the same questions.  Granted the person is always different but I dislike being judged for my lack of savings account at the same bank I keep a checking account.

To top it off, I realized yet again, that people are disinterested in details.  Mainly that my aunt did not know how to spell my name.  On a check no less, after seeing my name spelled properly in an email, which I failed to receive as I saw that she'd incorrectly typed my email address.  As my sister was incorrectly identified as my father for contacting a store about trains.  Apparently, reading is a lost art.

First World Problems

Starting this week, we're going to give you a behind the scenes update at Rosie Discovers.

This week, I forgot the power was going to be out on Tuesday due to a neighbors tree collapsing a few weeks ago.  The power company called last week to let us know, but I got the days mixed up.  I realized they were wrong when I came back from walking Rosie and saw the multitude of power trucks on the corner.  At this time it was too late to do anything about it.  I boiled water for the hot pot, but forgot to grind the coffee to use in the percolator before the power went out.

Also, no power means no hair dryer.  So I didn't shower until 2 on tuesday.  :(  I also couldn't work on my bread that I started the night before.  I'm brave about lighting the stove with no electric starter, but not the gas oven.

There's also the time suck of going grocery shopping, WITH MY MOM.  Enough said on that one.

There's an app for our library.  No need to have your card since it's in your phone.  But then there is a self checkout feature. You can check out books anywhere! Only it doesn't scan around a curve.  So you're left with a partial bar code. Plus people staring daggers at you for standing at the self checkout machine while seemingly doing nothing because you wanted to use the machine but couldn't find your library card in the app.  So you quietly stand there urgently pushing options on your phone only to realize that at this point everyone waiting in line behind you had already left.

The dog no longer feels the need to get up every time her humans vacate a room.  Yet, she despises being alone.  When she realizes you are really gone she barks.  LOUDLY and incessantly until she gets a response. The only acceptable one is for the human to find Miss Rosie.  If you're lucky she may actually be desperate enough to find you.  That is highly unlikely and you are better off holding the cat.  He's quieter