Recycle

A long time ago, I told my sister about these funny warnings that came with some really cheap and sketchy pasta pots that we were given for our wedding. After I read the warnings to her, she posted them on her blog. But since it's been years since the post and now that I have a blog and now that we were joking about these the other day, here they are for all to enjoy. (And enjoy again, if you have been a longtime Jen's Log reader.)

Reading these never fail to make me laugh. In fact, I glued them into my Book of Things That Make Me Happy. Also, the wording and spelling here are 100% consistent with the original instructions, so read carefully.

WARNING

1. The products cannot be allowed to be wash on the non-stick surface by metal scourer/other metal cleaning utensil.
2. The prosucts cannot be allowed to operate by metal kitchen untensil for cooking (suggest to be nyloin or wood material).
3. The products cannot be burned/fired without the liquid putting inside of the products over 2 minutes.
4. The products cannot be cleaned up by dish washer machinery.
5. The clean up the products is allowed to clean by water and then using the cloth to dry up.
6. The burning/fire temperature cannot be allowed over 220 degrees Celsius.
7. The bakelite handle cannot be directly fired.

Take special notice of #2 just for the spelling fun ("nyloin"? I don't want to use anything made out of that) and the wording of #3. What? I also like the incredibly interesting uses of the word “allow,” as if the pots have a mind of their own so they shouldn’t be “allowed” to “operate by metal kitchen untensils,” even though they might want to. I also like how the word “burn” is used all the time, as if that’s how we cook in this country. We burn and fire things. And we may have tried to directly “fire” the bakelite handle, for no reason, if not for the warning. That’s just a funny visual for me, imagining someone holding just the handle directly over the stove in an attempt to cook something.

Princess Fever

Otherwise known as the Obligatory (Yet Understandable Because She's So Adorable) Halloween Post.

Anna wanted to be a "golden princess" this year. She was very specific about this request, as she loves all things princess, and since I was born wearing homemade, hand-me-down, or scrounged-up Halloween costumes (I'm pretty sure I sported quart jar rings for gigantor earrings more than once or twice), I decided I would make her a golden princess dress. Myself. I wanted her to have a good ol' fashioned Halloween, like the kind I used to have. And since this is basically her first coherent Halloween, I wanted to start her off right.

And, what in the world was I thinking. What a job. But I'm actually glad that I did it. I don't think I'm going to become the next... (who's a famous seamstress?) ... Julia...Bernina, but I'm glad that I can now follow a pattern to some degree and that her dress mostly resembled the picture on the front. And I'm a little more self-sufficient, now. So if you can get past a few quirky alterations and a somewhat wonky zipper, I think it turned out fine.

And she loves it. I've seen more twirls in this thing than any other dress. So mission accomplished, I say.
Also, I really liked how, while we were out trick or treating and when people would compliment her on her dress, Anna was quick to inform them that she wasn't just dressing up—because she was, indeed, a real princess. She was so in character.

And continuing the princess ailment she is currently suffering from, she even wanted a princess carved in her pumpkin. She did the digging and I carved a pretty cute freehand princess, if I can toot my own horn yet again. Let's retitle the post something about that, since that's apparently all I can talk about.

Here is my latest work of art. Post your compliments below.

Nature bracelets

I know the time may be long since past for this particular activity for some of you (snow, anyone?), but Anna and I had such a good time doing this that I had to pass it along.

I found an idea online where you make a bracelet out of clear tape, with the sticky part out, and stick on cool flowers and things you find outside on a walk. Anna LOVED it and I think the bracelets even turned out pretty cute. I'd totally wear them.

Favorite books from my childhood

I loved any book about Amelia Bedelia.
Whoa. Tiny picture. In case you can't read the title, this one's "Parakeets and Peach Pies."
The slightly-unnerving "Doctor De Soto." (You shouldn't write children's books about animals in danger of being eaten. It's just not right.)
This one was a favorite of my mom's so it became a favorite of mine.
"Tikki Tikki Tembo"
"The Magic Fish." (As a sidenote, I think it's funny that I grew up thinking I had read Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" because I got the title confused with this favorite. Strangely, Hemingway's book is nothing like this one.)
Basically anything about the Berenstain Bears
And anything about the Little Critter
And the nightmare-inducing "Mr. and Mrs. Pig's Evening Out." Have you read this one, the one with the wolf babysitter? What were they thinking?
I love this little guy.

And these were just a few off the top of my head. I love finding some of these at the library and taking them home to read to Anna. They totally take me back.

What are some of your favorites?

Annacdotes, Part 5

1. Anna has a special blanket. I tried hard in the beginning to keep her from getting too attached to it, but ... like mother like daughter, I guess. I sucked my thumb, as a kid, while I rubbed silky material and she sucks on her fingers while she holds her pink silky blanket. It's a necessity for every nap and at night, and it makes several appearances throughout the day. Basically, it's her little buddy.

It's become such a large part of her life, however, that I sometimes still get a little nervous when I need to tell her it's time to wash it or she can't sleep with it tonight because we left it somewhere. But her response always surprises me. Even now. She's always totally mature about it, saying something like, "It's okay. I'll sleep with it tomorrow." or "Oh, good. Thanks for cleaning my blanket, Mom." Seriously. She really says stuff like that. So even though I totally failed at keeping her from becoming too attached to an inanimate object, at least she can still be reasonable about it.

2. After a recent interview, Anna informed us that she was going to have three children when she grows up. She will name them Moon, Chair, and Smoothie. She doesn't want to have a cat, but she will have a dog and a cow—which she will also name Smoothie. When asked if she will get married, she said yes, she will marry a man and his name will be Martha. A perfect plan.

3. Anna turned to me while on the potty the other day and said, "Mom, I like to wipe while I'm on the potty. That's one of my favorite akvickities."

4. Anna saw a wilted flower in the kitchen one morning that she had picked the night before. She got all sad and moaned for a while that her poor flower had died. But then she got a solemn and reconciled look on her face and said, "But it will be resurrected." I ask you what other 3 year old knows the word "resurrected" and knows how to use it correctly ... even if it's applied to a dead flower. She's brilliant, if you ask me.

5. When we were in the car the other day, Anna started singing the word "loser" over and over again to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Nice.

6. I have had to dissuade Anna several times from picking other people's flowers, and I make a big deal about her needing to ask first to see if it's okay. When we were out and about one day, I picked some little wildflowers for her and, after the exuberant thanks she gave me, she paused and looked at me reproachfully and said, "Did you ask Jesus if it's okay?"

How did she know they were Jesus's flowers, I ask you?

Little Red Riding Hood

What does it say about me that every time I read Anna the story of Little Red Riding Hood, my wolf-in-grandma's-nightgown voice has a very husky British accent?

In excess: bananas and giant zucchini

It is a truth universally acknowledged that you will never be able to eat all of the bananas you buy before they turn brown.

But if this unfortunate circumstance has led to the invention of banana bread, it's not all bad. Besides the traditional banana bread, which is always a favorite and almost always requires the addition of chocolate chips (though Trevor would disagree), what else do you do with old bananas? My sister makes a mean chocolate banana bread, which is moist and delicious. I also like to peel and freeze ripe bananas to put in smoothies.

But one of my favorite ways to use old bananas is to make chocolate banana muffins. (Since "muffin" is in the name of the recipe, I like to tell myself that they're a perfectly acceptable breakfast food. Totally false.)

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar (I use a little less)
  
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (I just use 3 bananas.)
  
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine bananas, oil and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Yield: about 1 dozen.

Now for zucchini.



(Don't you love google image searches?)



My sister also has a knack for finding good zucchini recipes. These Lemon Zucchini Cookies are SO tasty, and I'm also a sucker for the dense and delicious Chocolate Zucchini Cake she makes that she likes to top with ganache. Mmmm.... And I'm not kidding you. It's divine.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sour milk (or buttermilk)
2 1/2 c. flour
4 T. cocoa (my sister adds more, so it depends on how much of a chocolate freak you are)
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
2 c. peeled and finely shredded zucchini (press out any excess liquid)
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Sour milk:
1 t. vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 c. milk
Add together and let stand for 5 minutes

Ganache:
Melt together some chocolate chips and cream in a double boiler. (Sketchy directions, but my sister said she melts about a half a cup of milk chocolate chips and a handful (?) of semi-sweet and then adds cream to desired consistency. Does that help?)

Beat margarine, oil, and sugar well. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and sour milk. Sift dry ingredients and beat into mixture. Stir in zucchini. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Sprinkle top of batter with chips (or stir into batter if you want). Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until done. Cool in pan 15 minutes and carefully remove to finish cooling. Spread with ganache and enjoy.

*A quick tip: Don't try to make this in the off season when you get a craving and use store-bought zucchini. There is a bitterness and a stronger flavor to smaller zucchini, so opt for the milder taste it gets when it gets huge.

So what do YOU do with your old bananas? And even though the time is almost past for this year's zucchini harvest, did you find any recipes you're going to keep around?