February 23, 2009

Have you seen the movie “The Bucket List” with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman? If you haven’t seen it, the idea is that Jack’s character has a list of things that he wants to do before he kicks the bucket. He meets up with Morgan’s character, who is terminally ill, and the two of them begin to live Jack’s list, one adventure at a time.

The Bucket List (2007)

I was telling my coworker, SA, the other day that I had a list of things that I wanted to learn to cook or bake well, and she said that I should call it my “Cooking Bucket List”. I love the idea of having this list that I can always add to and work through one dish at a time. These bucket lists could also inspire people to cook more often too. These days, it’s become normal for people to constantly buy food when they’re out and about, but it’s much healthier and cheaper to cook yourself. For those wanting to learn how to cook, it might be worth visiting the Prepared Cooks blog to read some tips that might come in handy. Hopefully, that sort of blog will help people to learn the basics, ready for them to complete a cooking bucket list.

Here’s my Cooking Bucket List as of today. I want to learn to make these things, and make them well before I kick the bucket.

What other color would my bucket be?

Intimidating things I’ve never tried to do but really want to…

• Flour tortillas
• Vegetarian tamales
• Macarons – the French kind, not the coconut macaroon we commonly think of
• Mole sauce (vegetarian version)
• Bobby Flay’s Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Things I’ve done once or twice, but want to work on and perfect…

• Pavlova – I made Nigella Lawson’s basic recipe once and loved it, but her chocolate raspberry pavlova is calling to me
• Great pie dough – starting with the foolproof pie dough recipe from Cook’s Illustrated with vodka
• Biscuits – finding the ideal “go-to” recipe, although I love a good biscuit SO much, I could gain 10 pounds working on this bucket list item
• Awesome bread – I think I need to get the book “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day“
• Delicious homemade pizza with fabulously thin crust like Fratelli’s (not cracker-style like Pizza Hut, although it’s good)
• Vegetarian “sushi” rolls – Veganomicon is a great place to start

Failures that I resolve to conquer…

• Chocolate Silk – a multi-layered dessert that was the signature dish of a former co-worker. I made it once, and every single layer failed to set up right. I will not be defeated!

I’ll be posting from time to time as I work on my Cooking Bucket List. Meanwhile, I bet some of you have Cooking Bucket Lists. What’s on your list? How about you, LilSis?

~BigSis

February 22, 2009

The day that changed my life?  It was 8 to 10 years ago.  I can’t remember exactly when I first heard about the Chi ceramic flat iron, but I do recall that it cost me $140 at my salon (they were sold only through salons at that point).   I’d NEVER paid that much money for any hair tool, and haven’t paid that much since then.  But that first Chi lasted me up until 2 weeks ago with zero problems.  So was it worth it?  Oh yeah!  To go from big curly frizzy poofy Texas hair to smooth silky straight hair for only about a dollar a month?  No question!

After having such great results and endurance from my old Chi, I of course wanted to replace him with the same model.  Dance with the one that brought ya, right?  I got the new Chi home, unwrapped him, and prepared to enjoy his smoothing hotness for the first time.  Damn!  This guy couldn’t fill the shoes of my old Chi!  What the heck!!  He wasn’t hot and smooth!  He was draggy and warmish and pulled my hair!

Back to the store he went!  Still, I was loyal to my old Chi and got another exact replica of him.  Surely, I couldn’t be disappointed two times in a row.  Wrong!  Again, it felt like Mr. Chi wasn’t getting hot enough, but he did seem to be frying my hair and pulling the ends.  Back to the store we went for the third time.

I’m loyal, but I’m no fool.  Something has changed in Chi-land since I bought my first one many years ago.  It was time to switch teams, and that’s what I did.  The next applicant to be my new flat iron friend was the T3 Tourmaline.  Tourmaline is a precious crystal that is embedded within the ceramic plates somehow, and it is supposed to use negative ions to lock moisture in the hair, and to lessen the damage inflicted on the hair. It did cost me an extra $20, but I was willing to give it a try.  I can’t live without a flat iron, and the Chi wasn’t an option any longer.  As we say in Texas, he’d done split his britches!

Pink T3 Tourmaline Flat Iron

Did the T3 live up to the claims it made?  Yes yes yes!  I love this flat iron!  I’ve been using it for almost a week, and it honestly is very noticable to me that it is gentler on my hair.  It seems easier to get the ends to curve under, plus it’s much lighter weight than the Chi and the temperature is adjustable.  And did I mention that IT’S PINK??!!  I love this iron.  When your current iron poops out on you, this is the ONE to try!

~BigSis

February 21, 2009

Meow!  Did you get this adorable MAC Hello Kitty purse mirror before it vanished before our very eyes?

Hello Kitty Purse Mirror

No?  Too bad, it has sold on ebay for as much as $71 as of today!

What could be better than this cute mirror and the rest of the new MAC Hello Kitty collection?  If you missed out on some of these impossible-to-find items, how about a contest to win them?  You got it!  I got an email about this new Hello Kitty contest, and I entered it immediately.  You can enter once per day, up until March 31, 2009.

There are 120 instant win prizes, including brush sets, tote bags, t-shirts, bracelets, lipsticks, eyeshadows, makeup bags, plush dolls, purse mirrors (schwing!) and lipglass.  There are 8 Grand Prizes featuring all kinds of goodies, with the winners selected by March 25, 2009.  The complete MAC Hello Kitty contest rules are online.  If you missed out on the Hello Kitty items you wanted, don’t snooze annd miss your chance to win them!

~BigSis

February 19, 2009

Yep, you read that right.  I’m in love.  Head over heels, in fact.  But don’t start planning the wedding yet, SisMama.  The object of my affection is not tall, dark and handsome but instead is short, clear and square!  I’m in love with these OXO Good Grips POP Storage Containers that I found!

Oh.  My.  Gosh.  I know that I live in Picky Town, and that I have a bad case of Martha Stewart Flu, but these things are seriously off the chart.  I’ve been looking for a new pantry organization system for a while.  I know, it’s borderline pathetic that I just uttered that phrase, but bear with me.  I’ve been using this “system” for my baking ingredients.

Before...

It seemed messy and unorganized to me, and it certainly wouldn’t withstand a swarm of locusts or any other kind of varmint infestation that might befall my kitchen.  You never know, it could happen!  At the very least, a family of weevils could move into my pantry, so I ended up keeping the open bags of flours in the freezer, and my little freezer doesn’t have space for that.  It barely has room for all the bags of nuts and baking chocolates I keep in there, not to mention food for BigSis and the furkids.  So, I determined that I needed canisters that were 1) clear, 2) square or rectangular to be more space efficient and easy to scoop out of, and 3) airtight for freshness and bug-free-ness (if that’s a word).

Enter the OXO Pop Containers.  I bought 4 as a test to see how they worked out, and here’s the result:

...After!

Ahhhh.  Do you hear angels singing?  I do. These make me so happy!  The good news: I love these!  I almost had to smoke a cigarette after I got them filled and labeled, and I don’t even smoke!  The bad news: these are pricey little buggers!  I rewarded myself with these because I had a yukky doctor’s appointment the other day, and I always get myself a treat if I’ve been a big girl and not whined or cried about doing something I REALLY REALLY didn’t want to do.  I’d love a pizza reward, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of working my fanny off at the gym 5 days a week and trying to eat well, right?  So, my treat was the little pantry project.  The big 4 quart ones ($16.95)  hold a 5 pound bag of flour or sugar, and the smaller 1.5 quart ones ($9.99) hold just almost 2 pounds of flour.

Now.  I have many more items in my pantry that need to be tucked away inside these lovely little containers…cocoa, brown sugar, demerara sugar, pastry flour, bread flour, and so on.  Just imagine how beautiful my pantry would be!  I just need about $500 to finish the project! It gives me something to look forward to, right?

~BigSis

February 17, 2009

Here we are early in the week, approaching a new “Lost” episode!  I’m still not used to having a new episode every week after that long break, and it’s a fun little surprise when I remember that Wednesdays bring a fresh show!  You probably know there are tons of us crazed Lost fans out there, but did you know about all of these fun Lost things?  I didn’t until I started digging around, and then I couldn’t find a stopping place…there are gobs of these goodies out there!

• Sawyer’s Nickname Generator.  Have you see this?  You have to try it, it’s oodles of fun.  Sawyer’s nickname for me is Mighty Huntress.  I like it!  I think if he knew I was a long-time vegetarian, he might have another name for me, but for now Mighty Huntress it is!  And while we’re talking about Sawyer, let me bless you with another photo.  You’re welcome!

Finding these photos is hard work, but no sacrifice is too great for you!

• Josh Holloway’s Fan Site.  I don’t love the way this site is done, but you can make up your own mind.

• Video and Audio Podcasts.  ABC puts out new podcasts each week, which you can download to your computer or to iTunes.  The February 12 podcast featured some insights from the gentleman who plays Daniel Faraday, and ran a little over 4 minutes.

• iGoogle Widget.  I added this to my iGoogle home page.  This week we’ve gotten video, photo galleries and Lost news.

• Jorge Garcia’s blog.  Did you know that Jorge (Hurley) has a blog?  It’s called Dispatches from the Island, and it looks like Jorge’s been blogging since 2007.  Check out his post on the cool cake that Duff and the gang from Charm City Cakes did for the show’s 100th episode!  You’ve seen the Ace of Cakes on Food Network, right?

• Lost Magazine.  I had no idea there was a magazine.  Trying.  Not.  To.  Subscribe.

• Lost-TV: the Unofficial Fan Site.  This site is so full of goodies: show transcripts, episode summaries and reviews, news, links, and more.

• Lost.com: another Unofficial Fan Site.  This one is jam packed full of features too, and I love the Puzzles section!

Another photo? I can't stop myself!

Oh dear, another photo?  How’d that get in there?  Oh well, enjoy, my friends!

~BigSis

February 15, 2009

MAC Hello Kitty is here! Meow!

Here kitty, kitty, kitty!  This MAC collection has been talked about, whispered about, blogged about, and meowed about more than any other MAC collection in recent memory.  Talk about anticipation!  Will MAC’s Hello Kitty collection live up to all the hype though?

The collection features Hello Kitty Mild and Hello Kitty Wild products, including two shadow quads, glitter eyeliner (I accidentally typed litter eyeliner…I guess litterbox wouldn’t be an appealing color.  Ha!), mascara, powder blush, beauty powder, eyelashes, lipstick, lipglass, tinted lip conditioner, pigment, glitter, and nail lacquer.  There is also a line of Hello Kitty accessories like a brush set, bracelet, purse mirror, makeup bags, tote bag, and a stuffed Kitty.

I got an email from MAC on Saturday with a free shipping offer on a $60 purchase, so I skipped over to the site to see what kinds of Hello Kitty goodies I might be tempted by.  Well, guess what?  Bunches of items in this collections are already sold out, and I don’t know if they’ll be restocked or not since the Live Chat feature on the MAC site isn’t available on weekends so I couldn’t ask.  I’m afraid this is a case of once it’s gone, it’s gone. My advice would be to grab what you want in this collection without delay, either through the web site or a retail store if you’re fortunate enough to live near one as I do.

If you think about hot pink, lavender, silver and deep sea green, you’ll have a picture of the colors in this collection.  They may not be for everyone, but that’s the fun of MAC.  If you wait five minutes, something new will come along that you’ll love.  Plus, who knows?  You may have never thought about a lavender lipstick, but when you try it, you find that it’s perfect for you.  Some of these colors and products wouldn’t be appropriate for my office life, but there are some standouts in the collection that I want.  You KNOW how I love pink, so this collection is right up my alley!

• Hello Kitty Lipglass in Nice Kitty (sheer neon pink with blue pearl) and Fast Friends (sheer bright intense purple with pearl).

Hello Kitty Lipglass

• Hello Kitty Lipstick in Strayin’ (frosty mid-tone pink).

Hello Kitty Lipstick

• Hello Kitty Blush in Tippy (mid-tone blue pink).

Hello Kitty Blush

Are these the cutest containers you ever saw?  I’m hissed off that I waited too late to get the nail lacquer, the tote, the purse mirror and the lip conditioner!

It looks like MAC Hello Kitty is a hit!  Get your favorites before they’re gone!  Even if you don’t need anything, or you’re watching your beauty product budget, at least go check out the collection video!  It’s fun and mystical in kind of a MAC Alice in Wonderland way, but the sado-masochistic Chippendale’s guys with the giant Hello Kitty heads scare me a little!  See what you think!

~BigSis

February 13, 2009

Valentine’s Day generates so much buzz, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to send these random last-minute ideas your way:

• Need a great gift idea for the animal-lover in your life? Sponsor a Snip in their honor…a neutering or spaying, that is!

Do it for the animals!

• Papa John’s is making heart-shaped pizza this weekend. You get a thin crust pizza with one topping plus Chocolate Pastry Delights (whatever those are) for $14.99. PJ isn’t my favorite pizza (I love you, my dear i Fratelli) but you can’t beat this price!

How cute is this?

• Eggs on Sunday has a really cute Valentine’s Day breakfast menu. Since the 14th is on Saturday, this is definitely doable!

Valentine's Day Breakfast

• This Green Rice Casserole from Lottie + Doof has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day, I admit it, but I’m so dying to have it this weekend! Perhaps it would make an unusual unexpected side dish if you’re cooking your Heart Day meal at home? You might serve it next to a crispy roasted chicken, but I’m imagining it piled into a nice tender portabella/portobello mushroom cap, and broiled with more cheese on top!

It's not pink, but still looks delicious!

• And, last of all, in the spirit of loving your neighbor, check out this video!

Bonus Tip : Arrange for a small wine and dine at your place, followed by some adventurous, amorous trysts of lovemaking! Getting in the mood will be the relatively easy part, considering it’s Valentines’! You could watch some porn to get the ball rolling. However, it must be understood that few countries do have a ban in place for streaming, or watching porn. But fear not, search online for the best VPN to watch porn, and you might just get a solution to your problems! Also, did I tell you, the watching porn on Valentines’ day could apply for singles as well? Self-love is just as important you know!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! If you’re missing your sweetheart this year for whatever reason, we send you our love. God bless you!

~BigSis

February 12, 2009

Some people think Valentine’s Day was dreamed up by Hallmark or Russell Stover.  That’s a pretty cynical view though, don’t you think?  Most people do think Valentine’s Day is just for people who currently have a sweetheart, but I don’t buy that either.  I don’t have a Valentine this year, but it’s ok, really.  Don’t cry for me.  For me, Valentine’s Day is a genuine, validated, honest-to-goodness reason to celebrate my favorite color…pink!   It’s a beautiful thing.  Let me count the ways I love pink pink and more pink!

• Pink – in some shade – looks good on everyone, whether it’s clothes or makeup.
• Pink goes with every other color.  Think about it. Pink with neutrals: brown, gray, black, white.  Pink with brights like orange and yellow sends you off on a crazy fun 60s trip.  Pink with green is fresh, pink with blue is sweet, and pink with red is beyond fun and cheerful.  What have we missed?  Pink with purple?  With aqua?  It all goes together.  Can you say that about any color?  I think not!  Pink rules!
• Pink works in unexpected ways in decor.  It doesn’t have to be Barbie or Strawberry Shortcake.  It can be a subtle accent shade, or it can be a strong punch of unexpected color.  How brave are you?  I’m pretty brave…the condo I lived in for 10 years had pink living room walls.  I mean pink!  Ralph Lauren Duchesse Satin metallic luminescent pink walls!  Sadly, they discontinued this paint, so I can never recreate that room that I loved.
• Pink‘s music is a great choice for your iPod cardio playlist!

Pink being Pink!

• Pink food is almost always delicious!  Think about strawberry ice cream, raspberry mousse, pink lemonade, cranberry applesauce, that strawberry jello cake we used to make, vodka pasta sauce, and salsa cream cheese dip.  Oh, and then there’s the goat cheese roasted beet tortellini at Stephen Pyles in downtown Dallas.  Can you think of any yukky pink food?
• Pink is an awesome happy color in kitchen appliances.  Case in point, my pink Kitchenaid beauties!
• Pink is the universal favorite color of 90% of all little girls under the age of 10.  Want to make a friend with a little girl?  Admire her pink Dora the Explorer sandals!
• Pink is a gorgeous color in nature…roses, azaleas, fuschia, tulips, hydrangea, you name it.  And sunsets!
• Pink is so fabulous that it can be a project!  Check out JeongMee Yoon’s Pink Project!

So much perfect pink!

The next time you think about Valentine’s Day, remember it isn’t just about candy and jewelery and a dozen roses…it’s an excuse to celebrate the pinkness!

~BigSis

February 10, 2009

Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on us just like Christmas did, and 2009 did.  It’s February already?  Mid-Feb, in fact?  Oy vey, time goes by fast!

Now that I’ve made myself sound like a 110 year old woman – not that there’s anything wrong with that – let me get on with Valentine’s Day Food of Love!  If you’re looking for some new ideas for your Heart Day, check out these.  They aren’t your Grandma’s sugar cookie cut-outs, but again, nothing wrong with that.  🙂

• Strawberry Shortcake Trifle from Bakers Banter
• Fast and Easy Valentine’s Treats from Bakerella
• Heart Shaped Nutella S’Mores with Homemade Chocolate Graham Crackers from Baking And Boys
• Cherry Filled Chocolate Wafers from Little Window Shoppe
• Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Parfaits from Peanut Butter and Julie
• Valentine Treats from Pillsbury
• Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies from BakingBites
• Chocolate Mascarpone Cheese Pie from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy,Chewy
• Valentine’s Day Desserts from Joy of Baking
• Valentines Day Chocolate Desserts from Gourmet

Check back for more Valentine’s Day stuff coming your way this week!

~BigSis

February 9, 2009

There’s no better way to start off a Monday than with a laugh, right? This cracks me up.  I dare you not to laugh.

more animals

~BigSis