Massive Stack of French Toast

Growing up we had a tradition of eating pancakes and sausage for dinner the first time we got a significant snowfall. So with all the polar vortex driven cold weather lately, I've really wanted to hole up and eat some great breakfast food for dinner. Last weekend I had to work on producing video clips to demo our software at the OETC, so Lauren offered to make French toast. We got a loaf of Italian bread from Donatelli's and she went to work. By the time she finished she had a mound of thick, golden brown slices of French toast piled high. We ate some and froze the remainder. I stacked the leftover slices between sheets of parchment paper in a Tupperware container and put it in the freezer. I just ate a few pieces now for a snack.

First 30 Day Challenge in the Books!

That just about does it. I've reached day 30 of my first 30 day challenge -- no alcohol. I had no problem reaching this goal, although I do plan on having a few beers tomorrow to celebrate. I feel like I missed out on the social scene more than anything. But I even went out to the bar a few times and didn't drink. I also went to a party (ThanksPatrick's Day IV at Dan and Erin's) alcohol free. I didn't really miss anything by drinking ginger ale, although I did get bored quicker. Tonight I'll enjoy a nice hot chocolate, but tomorrow I plan on getting slightly wasted. ;-)

No Alcohol 30-Day Challenge Update

I've taken it upon myself to enjoy many different beverages recently, during my 30 day no alcohol challenge. I've had a lot of coffee and ginger ale. Take a look at just a few of the drinks I've enjoyed...

6-pack!

a glimpse of my spreadsheet

Decoupage Lack Table with National Geographic Collage

Attractive, practical finished product

I wanted to inject some color into my brown living room, so I took one of these cheap, classic Ikea Lack tables and decoupaged an orange color themed National Geographic collage. 

I coated it with a polyurethane finish to make it shiny and waterproof and use as a coffee table. I might still need to paint or do something with the legs to finish it off.

First I cut out images and pages from my Nat Geo magazines. I cut out all sorts of different pictures before deciding on this theme. I laid out the final design and then cut out enough yellow strips to use as a border and fill in any uncovered areas. 

In a bit of minor prep work, I used my multitool to sand the table. Then I used Modpodge decoupage glue and foam brushes to apply the collage. First I did strips of yellow along the top and bottom edges, so they would show through as a "Nat Geo yellow" color base beneath the images I applied over top. I also applied the yellow strips underneath where there would be frayed edges or gaps between the main collage images.

Next I did the bulk of the decoupage work, applying the main images on the top and sides of the table. I ended up getting a lot of air bubbles underneath my paper, which kind of sucks. Nevertheless I think it turned out well. I coated it first with a polycrylic (water soluble) finish, but that wouldn't work well with drinking glasses and other every day usage. I wanted a shiny, sort of thick, protective coat. So I lightly sanded it and used a polyurethane finish, which worked perfectly. 

As you can see, this room needs a pop of color!

Started with a standard, cheap Ikea table

The tabletop did not start in great condition.

Orange themed collage -- segmented using National Geographic yellow border style

Patterns or repetitions themed the sides of the table.

Butterflies match the middle tabletop segment

The antlers silhouette echoes the same graphical theme
as the branches on the tabletop above.

The flash dulls the color a bit in this picture.

A view from what I consider the "other side"

the alternate "bottom side"

I consider this view the "right side up" perspective --
with the antlers/trees side as the bottom.

Olympic Nelly

Introducing .... Nelly ... I taught her a trick.

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

I like to make this simple cake a few times a year, especially because you can substitute fruit for some of the sugar. I just took a basic cinnamon crumb cake recipe,  reduce the sugar, and added chopped up apples. The sweet, brown sugary, buttery, crunchy-crumbly topping really makes this cake. The apple chunks give the cake part a nice crunch and texture also. I recently found these pictures from the Summer. I can never get the top to crumble as much as I'd like, though...

Combine the dry ingredients and a diced apple or two.

Mix the wet ingredients.

Prepare the butter and brown sugar topping.

Combine the wet and dry.

Add to the pan.

Crumble/Spread the topping over the cake mixture.

Like they do in cartoons, I cooled it on the window sill after baking.

Look at the apple cinnamony goodness!

JoeSoChallenges

Some, like Matt Cutts in this TED talk (see below), suggest that it takes about 30 days to make (or break) a habit. They don't necessarily mean an addictive habit, like smoking, but getting in the habit of doing something positive that you've always wanted to do. He says that if you "force" yourself to do something for 30 days, like exercise for an hour a day, you can create a new habit. As it becomes habit, it gets easier and easier to keep doing. You build up some momentum and make it semi-permanent. You just have to get through the hardest part -- the beginning. 

He makes some other great points too. After doing some of these 30-day challenges he observed that the passing of time -- month by month -- became much more memorable. It gave him a way to think about that time period -- the month I ate no meat, the month I read instead of watching TV, etc. That part of it appeals to me as much as anything since I consider myself both a dabbler and a 'documentor,' so to speak. Doing these challenges combines both documenting and dabbling -- all in an effort to improve yourself as a person. I love it.

A friend of mine recently mentioned he and his wife have planned out some challenges for the new year -- no meat in January, using 1 car instead of 2 in February, and so forth. So I decided to start with no alcohol this month. Ten days in, so far so good, and I think I'll have a fairly easy time finishing this one out.

Next I plan on reading at least 30 minutes a day, which I think I'll have no problem with, since I used to have that habit anyway. Cutts says to think about it this way: you can do anything for 30 days. Start with some easy ones. Build up your confidence. In March I want to do morning stretch + no caffeine, then follow that up in April with daily exercise. I made a spreadsheet to track each challenge each month, and then I can also use the chart to mark off days that I keep up a habit after the month is over. So, if I do no TV for 30 days, then I can continue marking off days in the future that I don't watch TV. That gives me a way to follow up with the "new habit" once the initial 30 day period ends. Besides, I just love to create data in spreadsheet format. 

Perhaps after a lifetime of 30 day challenges I can create the JoeSoHabits Data Base.

Pot Roast

I found this easy pot roast recipe and made it in my new Dutch oven.

You just need oil, a piece of meat like a chuck roast (about 3 pounds), a few onions, some carrots, broth or wine, and rosemary and thyme.

Season the meat all over with salt and pepper. Cut the onions in half and the carrots into 1-2 inch slices. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and brown the onions on medium-high for a couple of minutes. Remove the onions, brown the carrots for a few minutes, then remove them. Brown the meat for a minute or so on each side, including the edges, and remove it.

Pour some broth or red wine into the pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom. Put the meat back in and add liquid to cover about halfway. Add a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme to the liquid. Put the onions back in and then the carrots -- some in the liquid, some on top of the meat. 

Cover and bake at 275 for about 60-90 minutes per pound.