tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49973965437769507322024-02-20T18:47:55.613-06:00some kind of (r)evolutioni think. i also write. therefore i write what i think. i think...right?pyroclasticluxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361869157184144937noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997396543776950732.post-77824140332610352852012-11-14T21:22:00.003-06:002012-11-18T11:38:14.836-06:00pain perdu au potiron<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><font-style="PT Sans Narrow">it's been ages since i've written here; in fact, i've only just remembered that i've an account. a lot has gone on since i've last written (i'll likely explain another time), but for now, i'm writing because i've got a pinterest account and want to post a recipe i created on a whim - which resulted in a dish i'm quite proud of!</span><font-family: arial-narrow="arial-narrow"></font-family:><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as a bonus, it makes the house smell amazing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seriously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i've a bit of an obsession with pumpkin-flavoured and pumpkin-scented things, which includes a number of candles. after baking this awesome dish, my flat is full of the scent - no flame required.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so here it is:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">pain perdu au potiron - or 'pumpkin french toast'</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- 200ml (between 3/4 & 1c) liquid egg whites</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100ml (just under ½c) skim(med) milk</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">-- </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">⅓</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or ½ can (425g / 15oz) of pumpkin (i used ½, but you can use less if you want more subtle flavour)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- 1-ish Tbsp of vanilla extract (i used a generous pour of <a href="http://www.jrwatkins.com/jrwatkins/productdetail.cfm?Store=3BAE0D90-00AE-630B-8F328117E7CDA7C8&Group=86634FC3-A5E2-0152-9F1D503F094A61CE&Family=8662E560-A5E2-0152-93E6B54AE38CBE70&Product=4A2C5EE0-D8BC-FAB4-0306ABF0AE697CFE&Country=Usa" target="_blank">JR Watkins' Vanilla Nut</a> - delicious!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- ground cinnamon (to taste)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- ground nutmeg (to taste)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- 1 Tbsp spiced-pumpkin-flavoured butter (i used <a href="http://www.countrycrock.com/product/detail/227412/pumpkin" target="_blank">Country Crock's Pumpkin Spice</a> - yum!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- 2½ - 3 Tbsp Splenda brown sugar (or equivalent) (separate 1 Tbsp for top)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- 8-12 slices whole-grain or whole-wheat bread</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- large mixing bowl*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-- casserole/baking dish, 23 x 23cm (9x9in)*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*i used ceramics for both - easier clean-up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">preheat your oven to 325ºF (170ºC / gas mark 3).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, & brown sugar (minus the 1 Tbsp). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">add the milk & egg whites and whisk until smooth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spray your baking dish with cooking spray, or grease it up with butter, and pour a thin layer of the pumpkin mixture into the baking dish. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TIbJn_VyUwGKFqD7RHXVVwSYgu9GJJwYHFNX69Hso488Ds4uT-Myg2qM_jKO7V8qrE7uQd_ykdtD6JZVhr4guFxXB-IJjLQQx9TeCo67xWeHJADjOkbCFOQ5xhiGnofhSWed9atrisw/s1600/close+%2528640x427%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TIbJn_VyUwGKFqD7RHXVVwSYgu9GJJwYHFNX69Hso488Ds4uT-Myg2qM_jKO7V8qrE7uQd_ykdtD6JZVhr4guFxXB-IJjLQQx9TeCo67xWeHJADjOkbCFOQ5xhiGnofhSWed9atrisw/s320/close+%2528640x427%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tear up the bread slices and spread them evenly in the dish. once they're all in, pour the remaining mixture on top of the pieces. make sure they're all covered; i used a spoon to spread the mix round a bit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">melt the pumpkin butter and add the brown sugar. mix it up a bit, and spoon it on top of the dish evenly (you can also use a spoon to spread it round, too, to cover it in full). sprinkle a few dashes of cinnamon & nutmeg on top, and pop it in the oven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[<u>a caveat:</u> my oven is wonky in that it's impossible to tell how long it'll take to cook anything. i've cooked two full cheesecakes <i>simultaneously</i> in 18 minutes (<i>without</i> first preheating the oven), and chicken that took me 25 minutes in my old oven took my current one almost an hours' time. there is no consistency. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plus, it's old.]</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhxQiHpQIpqWH5VfG9H0vYTluUBoev5Ze4Hl9VA8F1pvmGSJHhwKBkJtRKcRrzMAaNsMAoxJrV3tztxp22SCnH9I6PhkdiPQ_tI6W2q96RjoNi7x4Y4Wng6eVJJBf796RxcMJ_yxpqSk/s1600/crumble+%2528640x427%2529+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhxQiHpQIpqWH5VfG9H0vYTluUBoev5Ze4Hl9VA8F1pvmGSJHhwKBkJtRKcRrzMAaNsMAoxJrV3tztxp22SCnH9I6PhkdiPQ_tI6W2q96RjoNi7x4Y4Wng6eVJJBf796RxcMJ_yxpqSk/s320/crumble+%2528640x427%2529+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my assumption is that you'll probably cook it for about 10-15ish minutes, but honestly, just keep watch over it and take it out when you think it's time. leave a comment if you've got a better number, haha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this is best served hot with syrup (i only have sugar-free, and it was good).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i might try this again and add some neufchâtel to the mix. i'll let you know how it goes if i do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and if any of you readers end up making this for yourselves, tell me what you think of it. thanks for reading! ( 8</span></div>
pyroclasticluxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361869157184144937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997396543776950732.post-72102591431184889822010-09-01T17:48:00.004-05:002010-09-02T17:04:26.827-05:00thinking in rap<span style="font-size:100%;"><font-family: arial="" narrow=""><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">a mate brought me eminem's new cd the other day, and i've listened to nothing else since. i'm not a big rap fan, but his work is one of few exceptions. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">of course, i'm going to geek out a bit here:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">musically speaking, his lyricism has always intrigued me (the meter and word-play), and he's like the ella fitzgerald of rap where diction is concerned. aside from being nice to look at, i think he appeals to both my love of languages and music theory - though modern rap music would seem to me, admittedly, an unlikely source. regardless, even with all the profanity, i just get so into it. it's like an auditory roller coaster.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">however, since i've been listening to so much of it, now i find myself thinking in rap-style a lot. when i speak, i have to fight off adding a rhythmic quality to everything; when i think or type, i find myself wanting to rhyme a lot more (or, at least, i notice more often when i say things that do). i thought my subconscious compulsion for mimicking only extended to accents; evidently, i was mistaken.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">i've an appointment tomoz at a women's clinic to figure out what in hell is going on with my system; let's hope it's nothing too bad. (a warning: if it is, you'll probably see an entry following this that just says, 'DAMN IT ALL TO HELL.' or something similar.)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">now that the huzzy and i are in the house, we're finding all sorts of things to do with it. the huzz [TH] finally set up our surround-sound system; however, it's all a bit obnoxious, visually. the sub-woofer sits awkwardly under the coffee table, not sure what to do with itself, and cords lie tangled behind it haphazardly like a big pile of thick black webs spun by a cognitively-delayed spider-man.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">TH would like me to make some sort of table-cover; i'm not all that great at sewing (which means: i can't sew for shiz), but i'd like to give it a shot anyhow. i'd like to perhaps put some prints together or something; once it's actually done (which may be a while, i'm not gunna lie), i'll put some photos up.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">it's been awhile since i've done anything terribly artistic; i'll have some free time coming up, however, so i'd like to at least paint something again. i also have loads of ideas for pillow designs & clothing & other things that require sewing, but i'm hoping my best mate lady cassa can help me with that. (=</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">i'm optimistic. ;)</span><br /><br /></font-family:></span><br /><font-face="arial narrow=""></font-face="arial>pyroclasticluxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361869157184144937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997396543776950732.post-88024804757255779552010-08-23T00:13:00.003-05:002010-08-23T00:25:06.447-05:00somewhere out there, i'm still alive.<span narrow=""><br />i should be asleep and am going to crash soon, but i wanted to put something down before i do.<br /><br />it's been some months since i've last written, and i intend to change my frequency (rather, going from nothing to something). i'm shifting the focus as well; i'm not entirely sure what my goal will be with this, but i'm sure i can work it out. you'll be seeing more rants, recipes, general contemplation, and opinions.<br /><br />and some do-it-yourself stuff, too, i'm sure.<br /><br />get ready...<br /><br /><br />(=<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>pyroclasticluxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361869157184144937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997396543776950732.post-73920511489285656252009-11-08T22:17:00.005-06:002009-11-09T17:58:16.375-06:00lines<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial narrow;">where do the week-ends disappear to all the time? it feels like it's just friday eve, yet already i'm merely hours from starting a new work week.<br /><br />i've a theory about this: i think time slows whilst one is at work, and i think time passes twice as fast when one has time to actually enjoy doing nothing important.<br />i'm not sure about sleep yet, though i rarely feel as rested as i should - and i enjoy sleeping, so it probably also fits in the latter, speedier category.<br /><br /><br />my fiancé, M, and i looked at a few houses today, as we're trying to both do the whole 'we have adult responsibilities', shit-where-did-all-our-money-go? thing. the first of the three surprised the hell out of me and is, dare i say, my dream home.<br /><br />(in the sense of a home that is actually attainable, practical, and realistic - mostly - for our plane of existence.)<br /><br />it's a lovely house with an open layout; it's in a nice, quiet neighbourhood; it's priced reasonably well; and it has so many positives (which i'll not bore you with now, just trust me on this).<br /><br />so of course M is putting on the realist brakes, his attention on completely superfluous and unimportant things like: all of the appliances not included that we'll end up having to purchase (as a house is expensive enough on its own); possibly having to fix the garage roof, as there's a bit of mould growing by the tel antenna; how the hell we'll have the motivation to stain the house every few years (as it's made of cedar), and updating the circuit breaker, which he's not quite sure (yet) how to do.<br /><br />pffffft, i say; all relatiively minor issues compared to near -perfection!!!- in most other ways.<br /><br />financially, he's more adult than i.<br /><br />he's not ruled out the house; however, he wants to view more yet and get a better idea of what's available. i want to be open-minded, but i really am hopeful that we can make this one work; it actually felt like home.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>our wedding is in less than a week and i have the feeling that the amount i sleep this week is going to be far less than typical. i haven't got cold feet, i just get excited over even little things and end up working myself into a state over details. i'm trying to remind myself that some thing(s) will probably be a bit wonky but that it's normal. i'm looking forward to it, though, and i never sleep well when i'm so anticipatory.<br /><br />almost everything is paid off; it feels nice to not have to worry about that anymore, but this means that i spent a rather large sum in a very short period, which always makes me a bit nervous.<br /><br />i'm a bit new to the concept of saving, so it's disheartening that i managed to accumulate a decent amount (by my poor-arsed standards, anyway) only to have to give it up.<br /><br />i suppose that's just how life works, though.<br /><br /><br />time for bed....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>pyroclasticluxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361869157184144937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997396543776950732.post-83583465784603866632009-11-05T20:08:00.003-06:002009-11-06T11:56:24.919-06:00white aisles<span style="font-family:arial narrow;"><span style="font-size:10pt;"><br /><br />i've not done this before and am not entirely sure where to begin, really. i'm not new to having online diaries, but the concept of 'blogging' - or, at least, the term itself - seems to somehow require more intriguing topics than just a load of waffle about how agitated i get at work every day.<br /><br />i guess i might as well try to act like an adult. <br /><br /><br />it's experimental.<br /><br /><br />i'm political, but not intensely so; i'm not terribly religious, so usually spend what little effort i have debating at <a href="http://www.religify.com/">religify.</a><br />my family is rather normal overall, there aren't really any skeletons in my closet, and i live a pretty swell life.<br /><br />(...oh, i'm not supposed to come across as boring, am i? whoops.)<br /><br />i am getting married in a week from saturday, which should provide some entertaining bits (as free-flowing alcohol + special occasion typically does). the hols are also coming up rather quickly, so there may be some fun family fights i can lend some commentary to. ;)<br /><br />further, i have theories for just about everything; if nothing else, i can always fall back on those.<br /><br /><br />thanks for reading; if i'm lucky, you just might do it again. ;)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>pyroclasticluxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361869157184144937noreply@blogger.com0