I Have A Problem.

There comes a time in some people's lives where they have to address their vices, their addictions, and their demons. It is time for me to do the same. Hello, my name is Jessica and I'm addicted to Sriracha.

If you don't know what this is, it's a very spicy, very delicious, chili sauce that can be used on anything. I don't think anyone uses it as much as I do. I add it to eggs, I eat it with rice, I drizzle it on tacos, I spice up my soups...My family is begging for freedom from this spicy madness.

If you haven't tried it, go out and find a bottle!

Jonah Passed Away

My cat, Jonah, passed away. He was eighteen (18) years old.

No Good, Very Tiring Day

It feels as if I haven't been around for a while. I'm here, I swear, just exhausted. I think my body is still recovering from a month ago; all I want to do is sleep and drink a ton of water. Perhaps I'm fighting off a cold or a virus.

I went to Macy*s this past weekend. Sure, the economy sucks but that means the stores were throwing massive sales to get people to shop. Sure I don't have any money but I have something better than cash: A Macy*s Premier Gold Card. I rationalized that if I could pay off whatever I bought in two months, it was okay. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was handing over my card and a sales assistant was handing me a Nine West bag in Java.

Isn't it lovely? Even better, it only cost $35. This is my first Grown-Up Bag and I'm excited to have something I can feel sophisticated wearing. I'll probably always use Spongebob wallets and Hello Kitty makeup cases but at least I have something in my closet I can go to a serious function with. Effin' A.

I have a turkey in the oven. Gravy, green beans, and mashed potatoes will be the sides. I'm sure the leftover turkey will appear for dinner tomorrow as well. Mmm turkey soup.

Until next time,
<3>

Beef Stir-Fry

Mofongo

Mofongo is a fried plantain dish that is usually served with fried chicharron (pork crackling) or any other fried pieces of meat.

Yes, the ingredients alone make most people clutch their chests. I admit it's not for the calorie-conscious but it is one of Puerto Rico's most treasured meals and deserves a try. (Actually, there's been a debate for years whether it originates from the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico. I'm both Dominican and Puerto Rican so I can claim it either way. :) )

There are so many variations of the meal I'm going to link to one of my favourites: This recipe from Dominican cooking is wonderful. At some point I'll probably add my own recipe to the site but for now, definitely try this one.

Buen provecho! <3

Grocery Shopping - 03/13/2008

Meats and Fish - $66.27

Tilapia (3lbs) $5.82

Top round, thin sliced (forgot the weight) $13.75

Pork Shoulder (8lbs) 10.25

Whole Turkey (12lbs) $14.17

Sliced chicken breast filets (3 lb) $6.00

Chicken leg quarters (10lbs) $4.78

Ground chuck (3lbs) $5.98

Salted Cod, (2lb) $5.52

Deli and Bakery - $22.35

Baby Swiss (deli, ½ lb) $4.58

Smoked Turkey Breast (deli, 1.2 lbs) $6.34

Honey Maple Ham (deli, 1lb) $6.86

Provolone Cheese (deli, 1/2lb) $3.24

Bread $1.33

Dairy and Eggs - $8.44

18 Large Eggs $2.78

Milk 2% (gallon) $3.68

Shredded Mozzarella (1lb) $1.98

Produce - $19.39

Extra firm tofu (1lb) $1.78

Won Ton wrappers $1.97

Edamame, 1lb $1.88

Nori (20 sheets, for sushi) $1.98

Mixed organic salad, $3.38

Nectarines (4) $1.38

Green plantains (6) $2.28

Organic baby spinach $3.38

Mango $1.36

Grains, Beans, Dry Goods - $27.71

Long Grain White rice, 20lbs $7.98 (ouch)

Pancake mix $2.04

Cake mix (yellow cake) $ .88

Cake mix (carrot) $ .88

Brown Sugar oatmeal $2.98

Hot cereal (farina, 1lb) $3.13

Dry chickpeas $.98

Dry lentils $1.16

Cereal $2.92

Rotini (1lb) $1.04

Sugar (5lbs) $3.72

Canned Goods - $10.39

Tomato sauce (4 8oz cans) $1.00

Tomato paste (2 cans) $.66

Diced tomatoes (28 oz) $0.97

Marinara sauce $2.00

Tuna, in water (2 cans) $1.12

Dark kidney beans (2 cans) $1.00

Black beans (2 cans) $1.00

Pinto beans (2 cans) $1.00

Salmon (1lb) $1.64

Frozen - $23.45

Green Beans (2 bags) $2.00

Broccoli (2 bags) $2.00

Mixed Vegetables (1 bag) $1.00

Stir-fry (1 bag) $1.44

Coconut Fruit Bars (6) $2.98

Tamarind pulp (makes 1 gallon of juice) $1.88

Orange Juice Concentrate (makes 5 gallons) $12.15

Oils and Condiments - $15.29

Vegetable oil, gallon $5.88

Pancake syrup $2.38

Honey mustard $2.33

Salsa $1.86

Cake frosting (2 containers) $2.84

Soda, Chips, Etc - $5.00

Pepsi (24 cans) $5.00

Household - $9.04

Paper towels (3 rolls) $1.68

Fabuloso All Purpose Cleaner $1.97

Pledge Wipes $2.92

Dawn Dishwashing Liquid $2.47

Pet Goods - $20.63

Tidy Cat Cat Litter $5.36

Whiskers Cat Treats $1.07

Fancy Feast Cat Food (24 cans) $10.88

Cat Pan Liners, (10) $3.32

Total - 227.96

That list, plus a few things I already have in stock, will cover two weeks worth of food for six people, three times a day (and three cats, of course). The dogs are all stocked up on food and treats and we have enough toilet paper to cover a mansion. Plus I already had a few things in the pantry and enough spices to buy a small country. Since those items aren't on this list, it's not a complete look at what we go through. I estimate the household runs efficiently on about $500 a month (that means grocery, household items, pet food, pet supplies, toiletries, etc). I don't think that's too bad but don't have too much to compare it to.

I actually bought a few splurge items during this shopping trip. My mom was craving soda (which I usually do NOT buy) and cake. I'm too tired to make a cake from scratch so I bought her two cake mixes and their respective frostings. The pancake mix, syrup, and cold cuts were also a request from Kyle and I've been spoiling the brat lately.

So there you have it: What I spend, more or less, to keep my house going.

Until next time,
<3 Jess

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Hard Lemonade

Yesterday I said I was going to post pictures and a recipe. Remember that? It didn't work out that way.

My kitchen faucet broke. Not only that, but the kitchen sink cracked. Not only that, but the dishwasher backed up. It was as if the Kitchen God looked down upon me and said "No more!" Sigh. The good thing is these are all things that I knew had to be replaced someday and I suppose it's nice to finally have them out of the way and have shiny new objects. Of course, I really didn't have the $700 it took to fix it all. have I mentioned my mom is *still* unemployed?

I think I'll take that drink now.

Until next time,
<3>

A $20 Vegetable

At least, that's what my list seems to say. I did end up going food shopping and bought much more than this. I don't understand why I try to write my list down by hand. Ultimately I end up with a long printed one that is still short 5-10 items. I almost wish I could run to the store to pick up one or two things like most but one usually turns into ten. The plight of having a huge household, I suppose. I'm exhausted though; three hours in Walmart will drive anyone insane. So I'm off to bed with promise of pictures and a recipe tomorrow.

Until next time,
<3 Jess

Shhh, I'm Sleeping

Chicken Stirfry

Meet Fraffy

Frafavelle, Fraffy for short, is a six year old girl who loves Popsicles more than any other food in the world. She also likes daisies, dresses, and is eagerly awaiting for her grown-up teeth to grow in. She's also excited to be the new face of my etsy shop, Popsicles For Dinner. There's nothing in the store yet but I'll update when there is.

Edited 12/10/08: Changed my store to Wrapped in Fiber. It fits better.

"Mom, I'm A Boy..."

That might be what my cat has been trying to tell me for months. That's right, Missy is a boy cat. When we dropped her/him/it off at the vet this morning to be spayed, my mom confidently checked off "female" on the paperwork. We honestly thought he was female! About two hours later we received a phone call with the clarification. "A boy?" I thought. "What kind of surgery are they doing over there?!"

Eventually we had to decide whether or not we wanted to change his name. Since "Missy" is short for "Misfit" the answer is a firm no. Missy will just have to deal with it.

Speaking Of Blue...

My favourite corner of the house belongs to the birds. We keep them in a Tudor-style cage which they know how to get out of. The birds, Nana and Panic!, used to fly around quite often. Their old age (9 yrs, give or take) has made them homebodies.

In other news, here are two dinners I've meant to post and then forgot about. The first is Stuffed Shells. I just used a simple ricotta mixture and some marinara sauce. I've posted the recipe here before, I just actually took the time to individually stuff each shell this time.



I served this on my favourite plate. If the company hadn't gone out of business I would have bought a whole stack of them. *shakes angry fist* Damn you, recession!

Tonight's dinner was a bit of a mix of things. I roasted some cornish hens seasoned with rosemary and lemon (my favourite combination) and served it on a bed of rice with some green beans. Then my mother requested biscuits and my grandmother made her amazing black beans with potatoes. Our plates couldn't decide if we were eating gourmet or a peasant meal but our mouths didn't complain.



I'm not skilled in the art of bread products but the biscuits were flaky. Next time I need to hold back on the butter and salt.



Tomorrow I think I'm going to try to catch up on my crochet. Dinner is a bit up in the air but steak is on everyone's minds. Steak fajitas, anyone?

Until next time,
<3 Jess

PS: Trying out new fonts. For some reason spacing hates me. I might be doing some funky stuff so bear with me for the next couple of days. Thanks!

Random: I Want Some Blue

Not the most exciting thing I've blogged about, but I want blue hair again. I was much happier as a bluehead and I just think it looked best on me. I'm not comfortable sharing pics of myself all over the internet but here's a myspace-like closeup of my hair...and my eye (sorry about that). See? Isn't that fucking awesome? Who doesn't want a little bit of blue in their lives?

I think I'm heading over to the beauty supply store this weekend. Someone's getting some hairdye.

<3 Jess

Happy March!

I'm a day late, I know. Here's a picture of dinner from a few days ago to make up for it.

White rice, red beans, and pan-fried porkchop seasoned with garlic and oregano.