Horchata Marshmallows

I dream about horchata.
It may be my spirit animal drink.
I've raved before about the amazing horchata that Jeanne's husband TCP made for us during our big OKMH meet up in Houston earlier this year, and I could truly wax poetic on how drinking it basically tastes like fairies are dancing on my tongue.
It's seriously that good. Make it. You're welcome.

But instead of waxing poetic, I channeled my enthusiasm into making yet another treat inspired by this most delicious of concoctions. Because horchata ice cream just wasn't enough.
I do not regret my decision.

These marshmallows are so good that I told Husband to get the ones I didn't ship off to Kirsten (and I had to seriously think long and hard about shipping them instead of keeping/eating them) out of the house.
Which he didn't do.
So I ate them.
I do not regret my decision.

Horchata Marshmallows
adapted from Jenni Fields's Pastry Chef Online and inspired by TCP's Horchata

For the horchata starter:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 1/2 cups gently boiling water
• 1 3" Mexican cinnamon stick (canela)

For the marshmallows:

• 4 1/2 tablespoons powdered gelatin
• 1 cup cold horchata starter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups corn syrup (or rice syrup; agave nectar might also work)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional)
• splash water
• powdered sugar/corn starch mixture in which to toss the marshmallows

Combine the rice and boiling water in a blender (you may want to allow the water to cool just slightly before you turn it on, or things could go….awry); blend for 90 seconds. Add the canela; cover the blender jar and allow to sit on the counter overnight or up to 48 hours. Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve (discard the rice and canela) and refrigerate until completely chilled before beginning the marshmallows.
Combine the horchata starter, salt, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer.  Sprinkle gelatin over the mixture and whisk to combine, being careful to get rid of any lumps.  Set aside.
Spray a 9X13 pan with either pan spray or coat with oil (I use my Misto and olive oil).  Line the pan with plastic wrap, and then coat the top of the plastic wrap with oil.  Coat completely with your powdered sugar and corn starch mixture.  I've played around with how much, and what I've found works well for me is to coat completely and then tap out the excess.  This makes, for me, a less clumpy end product.  Set the pan aside.

Bring sugar, syrup, and cinnamon (and a splash of water) to a boil.  Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 244° (the soft ball stage).  

When the syrup mixture reaches about 235°, turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to low or medium low.

As soon as the syrup reaches the proper temperature, remove and pour into the mixing bowl, continuing to whisk on low/medium low.  

Gradually raise the speed of the mixer.  Continue to whip until the mixture has about tripled inside (read: you're fearful it will overflow) and it starts to come off the sides of the bowl in small threads.

Using a large spatula liberally coated with pan spray or olive oil, pour the marshmallow cream into the prepared pan, carefully spreading it out evenly.  Take a pause to lick the spatula before throwing it in the sink.

Sift the corn starch-powdered sugar combination over the top of the marshmallows, making sure that you can't see any of the shiny mallows under the snowy powder.  Allow to sit, uncovered, for several hours or overnight.

Once the marshmallows are set, invert the pan over a large cutting board.  Use the plastic wrap to easily remove the marshmallows from the pan.  Using a serrated knife, cut into one inch cubes, tossing each in more corn starch and powdered sugar before storing in an airtight container for about a week (or however long the mallows last).

Some serving suggestions (if you want to be more refined than cramming them straight into your mouth):

• These are excellent in coffee.
• They would be just as excellent as a topper to Kirsten's Mayan Hot Chocolate (this would also be a great gift pairing….if you can handle giving them up).
• They would be fantastic over ice cream.
• Ghirardelli now makes a cinnamon crunch chocolate square that would likely be a perfect mate in a s'more.
• I imagine they would also be great in coffee that had a splash of Frangelico. Probably. I haven't tested that theory….

However you take your mallows, I encourage you to enjoy them with friends, since friends make life sweeter than any marshmallow can.

One Kitchen, Many Hearts: The Run

While the main objective of our OKMH weekend was eating and laughing, a sub-objective was to make our Running Pack in the Sky a reality. 

And so, despite having been stuffed to the gills the night before, on Sunday morning, Kat and I headed out for a loop around the neighborhood. Beka and Kirsten, the other two runners in the bunch, stayed back because of nagging injuries.

While being able to run outside not in snow in February was key for Kat, just running with her was a big deal to me. 

I don't run with humans. 

I run with Zooey. 

I mean, certainly I run races, which include other people, sometimes 30,000 of them, and when I am at a race with a friend, I'll run with them if our paces align, which is rare (like it's happened once?).

But I don't go for runs with people.

I don't say "hey, want to go for a run sometime?" Ever.

I don't look for running groups that I can join.

I don't live in hope that someone will invite me to join a run.

I just don't.

One reason for this is because I run at oh-dark-thirty most days, as this is what my schedule allows, and people generally are loathe to scrape themselves out of bed at that time for anything social and/or sporty. The only thing that gets me up that early is a cold coonhound nose in my ear. 

But the real motive for flying solo is that, even thought I've been comfortable calling myself a runner for a few years now, I'm not fast, and I never will be. I am the tortoise. And I'm OK with that (insert cliché about lapping everyone on the couch), really, but I am not keen on the idea of slowing anyone else down or asking them to go at my pace.

That being said, I wasn't going to NOT run with Kat. We have talked about running together. So. Many. Times. It just needed to happen.

That it made the French toast waffle and bacon breakfast prepped by TCP upon our return even more delicious (if not justified) didn't hurt either.

I'm eternally grateful that Kat let me keep the pace slow, and we looped around the route that Jeanne printed out for us (if you ever need directions ANYWHERE, Jeanne can get you there better than Google Maps), which took us about 30 minutes.

Along the way, we talked a little bit, but even though most of the weekend included uninterrupted talking, we spent most of the run just enjoying the outside, the weather (me maybe not so much on this end), the sound of our feet hitting the pavement, and one another's company. 

You might think that the silence we shared would be of the uncomfortable variety, as silence between people who have only recently just met is wont to be, but this was anything but. This weekend was truly like having a reunion with old friends, and that Kat and I settled into a relaxed mode almost immediately made that feeling even more apparent.

The humidity was approximately one billion percent.
You could SEE IT, for heaven's sake.

Who's got two thumbs and loves running outside in February?
THIS GIRL!

Oh, hai!

We were intrigued with the chicken tracks in the cement.
Jeanne later informed us that they were not chicken tracks because, duh, suburbs.

Post-run - sweaty, gross, euphoric.
Remind me never to wear that shirt in public again.

It was so great, that on Monday, we did it again.

One Kitchen, Many Hearts: All Together in One, Real Kitchen

A few weeks ago, the OKMH gang, after months and months and MONTHS of planning, got together in Texas for a weekend of eating, shopping, and nonstop talking.
It was glorious.
I truly can't even put into words the amount of joy the weekend brought me. These women have become some of my closest friends in the past couple of years, and to be in the same room with all of them at the same time was just…perfect.
In all honesty, I didn't take many photos. There were several moments that slipped through my fingers because I chose to leave my camera in my bag and just enjoy the moment rather than try to record it. That being said, there were some moments that just needed to be cataloged. You can see some of them already by checking out my Instagram feed or searching #OKMHHOU for all the IG pics the girls took over the weekend.
Friday was spent sweating it out in Phoenix as I waited for my flight to Denver, where I met up with Beka and Megan to head to Houston. All flights in and out of Denver were at a ground stop for a while, and I literally got off my plane, met Beka, and sprinted to the other gate, where Megan was waiting to hold the plane if necessary. After that stressful non-layover, I didn't stop shaking until we were back in the air, finally en route. Kat and Mads met us at the gate, having actually landed on time, before the five of us headed to Jeanne's house, where Kirsten had arrived some hours earlier. When we all made it, there was a fiesta laid out and ready, replete with tamales (5 kinds), carne asada, homemade horchata (OMFG), and a donkey piñata, whom we promptly named Kevin; he became our mascot for the weekend and went everywhere we did. Then we descended upon the feast like vultures; I am not sure that I even used utensils.

Picture courtesy Kirsten at Comfortably Domestic

At some point in the evening, we exchanged gifts, although I'm not sure how we managed to stay awake so late. Our gift boxes were a bit more haphazard, as they had to make the trip with us. I gave some goodies to Beka, so you can head over there to see her take on the weekend. Megan brought me goodies from Washington, but most of them were actually for HRH, in a peace offering for taking Mom away for the weekend. HRH scored - a Doc McStuffins water bottle (immediately christened the Very Important "during ballet" bottle), pink nail polish, pink sparkly hair ties, and more. I am happy to report that HRH was thrilled with all of them.
And while we all attempted to give Jeanne some sort of hostess gift, she outdid herself, making each of us our own - personalized - pillow case. She also made HRH an apron, which she's already worn twice helping me make noms like Kirsten's baked packzi.
Obviously, HRH is already one of the OKMH gang; she just isn't old enough to be our designated driver yet, so she had to stay home with Dad.
The next day, after a breakfast of soft fried eggs and tamales and enjoying the sun (while it was a bit cool for me, the northern contingent of the gang couldn't get enough of it), we piled into the van, and Mads chauffeured us to Brenham, home of Blue Bell Ice Cream (Mads is a great van driver, y'all). While we didn't tour the factory, the town is filled with other fun shops where we bought jewelry, jewelry, and more jewelry (and some other stuff, too). Katie joined us to make a merry band of 8, and we had more pie than is probably decent at a place aptly called Must be Heaven.

Photo courtesy Jeanne at Inside NanaBreads Head

While the other girls were in shorts, I had my leg warmers on in the morning.
Photo courtesy Kirsten at Comfortably Domestic

Kat and I went on two runs together during the weekend, too, but that needs to be another post.
On Sunday, we got to pet some miniature donkeys after doing a bit more antiquing. They were so dang adorable, I can see why Kirsten wants to steal them.

We luuuuuurved the donkeys!
Photo collage courtesy Jeanne at Inside NanaBread's Head

In between, we ate - brisket and more horchata and marshmallows and tamales and French toast waffles and 10 pounds of bacon (true story)… I think I came back ten pounds heavier.
And we talked. Oh, lord, did we talk. A huge shout out to Jeanne's husband, The Complete Package (or TCP for short) for putting up with SEVEN women clucking from dawn till dusk (and then some) for three days straight. He even cooked for us like it was his job.
And then, all too soon, the weekend was over, and we had to head home.
It wasn't easy for any of us.
Kevin took it especially hard.

We all lead busy lives, and it's easy to forget to slow down to enjoy life, so a girls' weekend offered all of us an opportunity to pause and recharge our batteries, all while strengthening a friendship with these wonderful women.
This is only one part of the story. To see all the sides and perspectives, check out the rest of the ladies' posts:
Our darling hostess, Jeanne (Inside NanaBread's Head)
Beka (Kvetchin' Kitchen)
Kat (Tenaciously Yours,)
Kirsten (Comfortably Domestic)
Mads (La Petite Pancake)
Megan (Wanna Be a Country Cleaver)
and check out Katie's post about our day in Brenham (The Hill Country Cook)!

It's a Wonderful OKMH

The holiday season is a time to reflect on the fortunes of good family and friends.  We are more than rich in both departments, and as such, this holiday edition of One Kitchen, Many Hearts was made  even more special knowing that I have been blessed with friends both near and far.

I adore shipping packages to people.  There something so fun and exciting about putting as much love in those "if it fits, it ships" USPS boxes and sending it away, imagining the glee with which it may be torn open in a few days.  Whenever I am saddened that we don't have all of our family near us, necessitating the shipment of Christmas gifts, I remind myself of the cheer that a package through the mail - instead of just those flyers that go directly into the recycling bin - can bring.
This month, I sent off a box to Mads.  Since she was actually in Minnesota, I sent it up there to meet her as she enjoyed a well-deserved vacation.
And as much as I enjoyed knowing that her package would be happily received, I have to admit that I really, really, REALLY looked forward to seeing what Jeanne sent me.  She is one of those amazing planners who can hoard away those "perfect" goodies for months on end.  I want to be her when I grow up.
And I was not disappointed.  Together, HRH and I tore into the package.  Jeanne always thinks of HRH when she sends her packages, and this month, among other goods, the purple sparkly nail polish sent her over the edge.  We've been playing "Beauty Shop" for days now.  My fingernails (and most of my top knuckles) look amazing.
Not to be left out, I also received red sparkly polish, with which HRH immediately absconded ("this is for me, too").  Someday I may be allowed to use it.
And as if Jeanne knew I would need something to make myself feel better after having so new a good stolen right out from under me, THESE MAPLE PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES:

These last three brave souls perished earlier this morning.

And for my breakfast biscuits (or straight from the spoon… whatever):

Status: hoarding

For those girl's nights in with me, myself, and I (which, in true OKMH mind meld, Megan also received from Kirsten - I'm dying right now):

LOLOLOLOLOL

But this apron.  OMG.  Jeanne said she found it months ago and KNEW I had to have it.  I mean, OBVIOUSLY.  You may have noticed that I adore Germany and German things and the German language (I have a degree in it and used to teach it).  True, Lederhosen is worn by men, but a dirndl apron may have been a little… risqué?  The beer stein pinned to it was Jeanne's addition, and I just LOVE THIS.  In fact, I'm terrified to wear it.  I don't want to get it dirty.  

PROST!!!!

Thanks so much, Jeanne.  I LOVED opening this package, and so did HRH. 

I'm so lucky to have met all of these ladies, four of whom I've even met in real life.  They are all wonderful women, and I hope that in 2014, all of my friends and readers will take inventory of the blessings we call friends.

Click here to see what I sent Mads.

Also check out what Mads sent Kirsten.

And what Kirsten sent Megan.

And what Megan sent Kat.

And what Kat sent Beka.

And finally, what Beka sent Jeanne.

One Kitchen, Many Hearts - Real Life Edition

Have you ever given your home address out to a bunch of random strangers you met on the internet so that they could send you stuff?
Probably not.
So then, you probably haven't said to those same random strangers, with whom you now speak every single day, "Hey, if you're ever in my neck of the woods, come stay with me!"
Well, I have, and I'm all the better for it.

Look at us - we don't look AT ALL like internet crazies.
Totes safe.

Sidebar -- I am a huge HUUUUUUUUGE fan of Alton Brown.  Husband and I have used many of his recipes and techniques over the years; in fact, Mr. Brown's corned beef recipe is the only one I will use.  We adored Good Eats and mourned its end.
As such, I read the announcement of the Edible Inevitable Tour with utter giddiness, and I was delighted that he made a pass through the East Valley.
Not being alone in my adoration, Beka immediately checked the tour schedule and, realizing that there would NOT be a stop in the Pacific Northwest, made plans to come down and go to the show with me.
Timing being what it was, her trip overlapped with her being assigned my name for our One Kitchen, Many Hearts gift swap.  So basically, this trip was Meant to Be.
Before I get back on track: y'all. If Alton Brown is coming to your town, GO TO THE SHOW.  It was hilarious and fun and oh my gosh pray that someone in the front row is late.

A little teaser - you need to go to the show to see what happens.

Anyway.

On to the goods, as it were.
Most importantly, I am the new proud momma of an actually rectangular 9 x 13" pan for marshmallowing.  Previously, I had been making my mallows in my Pyrex pan, which is awesome.  But if you have a Pyrex pan, you know that the edges are rounded.  No big deal for casserole dishes, etc., but when you want to make something that is a "perfect" cube, those rounded edges make for some waste.
OK, so I used those "butt" pieces to take selfies with marshmallow mustaches and to "quality control" the hell out of every batch.  BUT STILL.  This new pan, which can also double (I guess...sigh...if I have to....) as a roasting pan will add at least five or six more mallows to every batch.
So far, they've been used to make two new fabulous mallows flavors.  I don't have a picture of those mallows, though, because, um, well.... I ate them.

This is the last of the expresso-honey mallows we made...
they are my favorite flavor to date, and incredible in coffee.

If that weren't enough (it seriously would have been - I am already planning like ten more flavors), Beka took me shopping.  I remember back in the day BC (Before Child) when I'd watch What Not to Wear and swear that I'd never become "that mom" - you know the one: the mom who puts herself last and then forgets how to shop and what looks good on her.
Guess what I turned into.
(Spoiler alert: "that mom" - I turned into "that mom")
When I attempt to shop for items for myself that are not running gear, I usually end up feeling guilty about buying something when I work from home and can basically wear yoga pants if I want to, getting frustrated when I don't find anything that works (I have a standing rule that I will not purchase anything unless I love it), giving up on fashion altogether, and using the money to buy something for Her Royal Highness, who, because she insists on growing constantly, is always in need of some item or other.  When shopping with Beka, I was not allowed to 1) have hangups about buying something for myself, 2) have limited time (yes, I still feel guilty about spending time in a store when I could be home with HRH), or 3) give up easily.
Shockingly, it's easier to follow the rules when someone holds you accountable for them.
Beka has a fantastic sense of style and an eye for what will work on a person.  We had planned to have a shopping day already, but the big surprise was that she bought this houndstooth dress while we were out.
And I ADORE IT:

She also tutored me in such remedial courses as Why We Buy Nude Shoes 102 and How to Overcome Your Fear of Jewelry 130.  Thankfully, I didn't need to go back to Handbags Are Your Friend 080 and nabbed the above teal number without too much assistance, although goading may have been involved.
All in all, I bought two dresses, two shirts, two pairs of shoes, a jacket, a handbag, sunglasses, a necklace, and a bracelet.  I love them all.  I got nothing for HRH.  I felt no guilt.  It was glorious.

Honestly, though, the Most Wonderful Gift that Beka brought me, which can't be packaged up, was her company.  It's been a bit of a stressful fall at work, and the respite from Groundhog Day, the Sequel, and the hilarity that ensued over the long weekend, was exactly what I needed.

Of course, after Beka's plane landed, I immediately took her to one of my favorite local breweries, San Tan Brewing Company, where we snapped a terribly blurry but hilarious selfie.

I swear it was just one beer.
OK.  Maybe Two.

 We drank plenty of wine.

We mustache you for another glass of wine.
Please don't shave it for later.

We also had plenty of beer.

We bought the same shirt on purpose.

I look like A DORK.

We made and/or ate OMGSOMUCHFOOD.

Southern-style seafood risotto, collards, and blackened (sort of) shrimp

Brunch: Bloody Mary and soft fried eggs over risotto cakes
with asparagus and duck fat potatoes

Smoked pork burger at Angel's Trumpet Ale House

It was seriously The Best Weekend.

Now, not everyone got to hang for a full weekend for a gift exchange, but I can't wait for you to see what I sent to Kisrten (second spoiler alert - marshmallows from my new pan were involved).
Make sure to check out the goods in this Free For All Stuff Whatever You Can Into the Box theme.  After all, the holidays are coming, and you never know when or where inspiration will strike.
Beka/Kvetchin' Kitchen
Jeanne/Inside NanaBread's Head
Kat/Tenaciously Yours,
Kirsten/Comfortably Domestic
Mads/La Petite Pancake
Megan/Wanna Be a Country Cleaver
Then get out there and see if you can't ship off a Package of Surprise Fun to someone to see how your day can be made by making someone else's.

One Kitchen, Many Hearts - The Office Edition

While I'd love to be able to tell you that I sit around all day and think of hilariously pithy things to post in Twitter, the fact is that I have two full-time jobs.  I teach, and I am a mom of one very busy four-year-old.  Since I actually work from home, those two jobs generally overlap, and sometimes I just want to run screaming from the house because of everything on my to do list that I know will never be place on the done pile.
The rest of our One Kitchen, Many Hearts "gang of seven" are in similar situations.  Among us, we're juggling parenthood, school, and careers.  Our blogs allow us to have an outlet where we can be creative and even selfish when we need to be.

As such, we felt that it was appropriate to theme this month's round of gift giving as "Office Essentials."
And while I love new office organizational tools and get a little giddy each time I buy a new calendar (which I use as my running log), we naturally allowed a creative license to be taken, as sometimes essentials for work aren't just needed 9-5.
Kat, who is my soul sister in so many ways, shipped me exactly what I needed to keep on keepin' on in my home office, where sometimes my main essential is to try to see my desk under all the princesses, My Little Ponies, and fairies.

Nail polish and beer.  Specifically, a sampling of one of Kat's favorite breweries, New Glarus Brewing Company.  Pictured above was their Two Women lager, a collaborative effort with a sister brewery (almost literally - both breweries are run by women), and Moon Man No Coast pale ale.  I am not normally a fan of pale ales and really don't care of IPAs, but holy pine!  This was fantastic!  I'm sold.
Now, you may be worried that since the beer came in a package intended for the office, I'm drinking on the job.  Fear not.  My office is blue.  But it's nice to know that after a long, hard day, there is something delicious waiting for me in the fridge.
As for the nail polish, well, duh.  The necessity of colorful mitts and paws in any situation, office or otherwise, goes without saying.

Case in point - my first taste was the Berliner Weiss, which was crisp and citrusy and refreshing to the point of ridiculous.  In the best way.

And then.  

This.

And yes, it came out of the package just like this, emitting an almost holy glow that spoke of the wonders inside.
Kat has talked about Dragon's Milk for... ever.  She told someone the other day that it is "the best of all beers" and recommended to me that I savor it with a cookie, which I plan to do this weekend after my long run (it just so happens that Jeanne sent HRH and me a batch of oatmeal cookies that, if I can keep my grubby mitts off them, I can enjoy with the Dragon's Milk).  I will keep you posted, but if the other three bottles were any indication, this one is going to be heavenly.

There were also some chocolate candies that Kat picked up while she was on the European adventure of a lifetime, but sadly, they did not survive to have their photos taken.  I can assure you that their deaths were delicious.

Now, HRH has gotten to an age at which she assumes any package that comes to our door is actually for her.  She's cute like that.  I guess Kat knew she was expected to provide, and provide she did.

HRH directed this photo shoot to prominently feature her ponies.

At nearly five, HRH is actually able to comprehend books that are more in depth than this, but this is actually perfect for her right now.  The princesses are a given.  She loves them.  But right now, we've taken a few steps back with her books in order to practice her new-found reading skills.  She gets a little overwhelmed when there are too many words on a page, and if there are unfamiliar words, she'll start to shut down.  This book only has a handful of words per page, and HRH can read this one with comfort, and even though it's really, really, REALLY repetitive for us, that repetition is giving her confidence as a reader.
So much, in fact, that she took the book to school for Show and Tell today.  Her plans are to read the book for her classmates.

***INSERT MOM SLASH ENGLISH MAJOR HEART EXPLODING WITH PRIDE***

Kat also sent what is probably the most essential office item - a new coloring and activity book for HRH to use while I'm working.  HRH is at that age at which she can play by herself a lot of the time, but she also wants to do things with me, and I'm increasingly feeling guilty about the fact that I just can't.
This was a fantastic and fun spin on what I might need to fight the daily office drudgeries, and I"m immensely grateful to Kat for putting so much thought into it.
Also, we are currently negotiating a marshmallows-for-beer swap situation that I think will benefit both parties immensely.

But check out all the other office goodies that were sent; you may discover something you didn't know you needed for YOUR office.

• Megan at Wanna be a Country Cleaver (I sent a package to her this go round)
• Beka at Kvetchin' Kitchen
• Jeanne at Inside NanaBread's Head
• Mads at La Petite Pancake
• Kat at Tenaciously Yours,
• Kirsten at Comfortably Domestic

One Kitchen, Many Hearts - Picnic Time

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

I'm not sure I would want to have that face looking back at me while on a picnic, but they are SOOOOOO FLUFFFAYYYYYY that I couldn't help sharing it.
It's time for another OKMH gift exchange round-up.  The theme for this month is all about picnics.  I love picnics.  HRH does, too, and she's been begging me to take her down to the park at the end of the street to have a picnic again.  I would love to, but I'm not super keen on having my picnics when it's over 100°, so we likely won't be heading out again until....November.
Fortunately, when you have a fun group of friends, a picnic is basically ready made, and I don't have to schlep a basket to the park in the sweltering heat.

This month my girl Megan knew just what I needed: beer, jam, chocolate, and Pretty Things.  All of which are, naturally, PERFECT for a picnic.  Even if I take myself on a solo picnic and don't share the chocolate with anyone.  Just don't tell HRH that I didn't leave her any chocolate, OK?

The beer - Washington brews, including a Pacific Northwest Kilt Lifter in return for the Four Peaks Kilt Lifter I sent her last year.  I haven't cracked it open yet; I'm hoping to nab a bottle of the local label and do a taste test.  

The chocolate - Megan's own homemade Magic Shell.  My plan is to obtain a pint (or quart...whatever) of ice cream and indulge some evening after HRH has gone to bed.  No, Mommy doesn't always share.  She's just too young and hasn't developed a palate that would truly appreciate this deliciousness.

Various and Sundry - two homemade photo frames (she cooks, the crafts - she's the whole damn package!!!!), some decorative toothpicks (with which HRH absconded, determined that she use them on her strawberries), baby jams, a ceramic strawberry basket (which I adore - I have plastic ones, but this one is so sturdy - it's totally becoming a centerpiece for the summer!), and a some gorgeous picnic linens, all in bright colors and vibrant patterns.

I'm imagining myself sitting in the cool grass with some berries and still-chilled ice cream, onto which I might pile those berries, the jam, and the magic shell.  And then I'll wash it down with a beer.  Or two.  I'll let you know how that goes.

In the meantime, make sure that you check out the other picnic goods that were sent across the globe this month.

You'll want to see what I sent Kat.

And what Kirsten got.

And what Jeanne got.

And what Mads got.

And what Beka got.

And what Megan got.

And while it's too hot for a picnic here in Phoenix right now, I hope that you've been inspired to take yourself (and maybe your loved ones, if you're so inclined) on a picnic.  Pack yourself up some goodies and nibbles, and head out on the lawn!

Bloggers for Beka (Or, Kicking Crohn's to the Curb)

We all have those friends whom we can call at any time of the day if we're having a hard time; those friends will answer the phone and listen with a sympathetic ear.

Then there are those friends who will come over in the middle of the night to help you deal with an issue in person.

And then there are those friends, scarce in number, who will not only help you bury the body, but tell you the best spot to do so.

KIDDING.

Sort of.

Beka and Megan are in that last, rare class of friends.  Two friends who are so close that I can't imagine anything that could cause one to waver in her support and love of the other, even in the case of hiding the body of someone who had the temerity to say that Chili's is the best restaurant in Seattle.

KIDDING AGAIN.

Maybe.  I wouldn't risk testing it.

Beka has Crohn's; she can tell you about it here, and I think it's best that the words come from her, so please click over to understand what it's like to have Crohn's once the poop jokes have worn off.  While I firmly believe that humor is an important aspect of dealing, coping, or persevering through difficult situations, it can only get you so far.

Friends can get you further.

Last year, if you recall, Megan hosted the first Bake Sale for Beka, which raised funds for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, a group for which Beka will be running her first half marathon later this year.  This is a group that is important to Beka, and by extension, to Megan.  But in the last year and a half, these two women have become cherished friends of mine, and as such, the Foundation is important to me.  

So I am only too happy to participate in this year's Bake Sale for Beka, hosted once again by Megan over at Wanna Be a Country Cleaver.  While last year's event was a success, the sheer quantity AND quality of goods and goodies is staggering, and you will not want to miss out on getting your mitts on some of the amazing items up for auction.

For a preview and to become familiar with the rules and procedures, you can check out this post that Megan posted the other day.  The auction is live from 7AM PDT on Saturday, June 22 until 8PM PDT on Sunday, June 23 (that's three hours behind anyone on the east coast).  You can go directly to the auction post by clicking here.

For my part, I have donated a pan of homemade marshmallows in one of the following flavors (winner's choice): piña colada, lemon, berry, chocolate, or original (these are so good that you really can't call them "plain").

Adorable child filching your marshmallows not included

This is an entire 9x13 pan full of mallow heaven.  Gigantic pillows of gooey, sugary delights that go SO WELL with graham crackers and chocolate.  Or by themselves over the sink so no one sees the powdered sugar evidence (pro tip: wipe off your face when you're done).  But my recommendation is to enjoy them with friends.  After all, friendship is what is getting you this pan of mallows in the first place.

Sure beats having to hide a body in the middle of the night.

One Kitchen, Many Hearts - Spring Fever

Ahhhh.... spring.  When the flowers are in bloom, the birds are constantly chirping, and it's already 95 degrees in Phoenix.
Thank goodness for air conditioning and great friends.

This month's OKMH box came, like all the others seem to, at the perfect time.  Last week was rough for the country, and as the end of the semester picks up, things have gotten even crazier round these parts.  Kirsten's completely overstuffed USPS boxes (two of them!) were the perfect pick-me-up for both HRH and me.

Behold, The Goods.

Do you see all of those gorgeous hand-written labels on those jars?  The threats of horrible repercussions should The Husband even think about looking at them were being composed the second I unearthed the first beautiful bit of homemade deliciousness.

Not only did Kirsten send me a jar of Wickles "Wannabes" (I've never had the real thing), strawberry jam made from strawberries picked by The Sons, a barbecue glaze that I MIGHT let The Husband use, should he fancy grilling, and some sweet and spicy zucchini pickles that I know I'm either going to have to eat all in one sitting or hoard after labeling it "My Precious," Kirsten also sent a jar of strawberry-rhubarb jam from her friends at Friske's Farm Market.  I can hardly stand it - I love love love rhubarb.  We had a big plant when I was growing up, and summer wasn't summer without rhubarb pies and rhubarb sauce (delicious over vanilla ice cream) and other rhubarb stuff.  The Husband also adores it, so this one is going to get its own safe.

I would have been happy to surround myself with these five new friends, but she had to go further and send me some gorgeous colors - blue and yellow, my two absolute favorites - to action on the mitts and paws ASAP, a so soft (like "it's so fluffy I could die" soft) scarf, also in blue, an "adult juice box" (AKA margarita in a squeeze bottle), and some Max-Freeze for those days when I feel my age after a morning run (we call those days "weekdays).

All of this in one cardboard box, friends.

But apparently, even this wasn't enough.  I think that now we have spent over a year getting to know one another, we've come to think of one another's families as our own.  Kirsten and HRH had an instant bond when we met up in Michigan last November; Kirsten got to spend some time with a pink-loving girl, and HRH got to get her favorite thing ever: attention.  It was a relationship made in heaven. Since then, we've been in discussions for an OKMH betrothal between HRH and one of The Sons.  

To sweeten the deal, HRH received her own OKMH-in-training package, containing a bazillion sheets of construction paper (we got through a lot of construction paper in this house), nearly the same number of sparkly Disney princess stickers, a few princess-themed markers, and some sparkly pink nail polish for her own mitts/paws situation.

HRH lost no time Stickering All the Things.

I call this one "More is More is More."

When I say everything got stickered, I mean everything.

The most wonderful aspect of receiving this package every other month isn't the contents thereof; it's the friendship that has evolved and flourished in these last 18 months among the seven of us.  We are all so very different people, but we have become close in spite of - or perhaps because of - these differences.  We complement - and often compliment - each other well.  And there's not a USPS shipping container big enough to hold the joy I have found in making these friends.  Thank you, Kirsten, for the lovely gifts and the even lovelier thoughts behind each one of them.

Now, I'm especially excited for you to see what I sent to Beka (Kvetchin' Kitchen) this month.  It was my first box of mostly homemade stuff, and I may have had more fun making them than she did unpacking them.  Although from the video that Megan sent me, she pretty much lost her (expletive deleted).

But also check out what Beka sent to Megan (Wanna Be a Country Cleaver), although since they live so close to each other, I'm not sure actual shipping was involved.

And you need to see what Megan sent to Mads (La Petite Pancake).

And also what Mads sent to Jeanne (Inside NanaBread's Head).

And don't forget to see what Jeanne sent to Kat (Tenaciously Yours,).

Or what Kat sent to Kirsten (Comfortably Domestic).

What's been in your mail lately?