Perfect Party Snacks

Once upon a time, there was a girl who went to a party, and she was really hungry. But when she got to the party, there weren't any of the savory party snacks she craved. So she went home and made the perfect party snack. 

Ingredients:

1 Sleeve Water Crackers

1 Pack Sliced Smoked Salmon (Lox)

1 lb. Cream Cheese

Chop smoked salmon into quarter-sized pieces. Spread approx. 1 teaspoon cream cheese on each water cracker. Top with smoked salmon and enjoy!

For a vegetarian option, salmon may be swapped with avocado or tomatoes.

Place on party platter and enjoy! 

My Favorite Brand of Water Crackers

Blondies, Blondies and More Blondies!

Okay, so my best friend Lola, a blogger at Thingologies and a guest poster/contributor of this blog (hence her post Vegetarian Eats) will be having a birthday soon-ish. So, being the control-freak I am, I have already started (and mostly finished) her present. I am making the ultimate blondie cookbook for her. 

If you have any awesome blondie recipes, please send them to me in comment form!

Btw, if you don't know what a blondie is (not the Debbie Harry rock-band from the late 1970's), it is the not-so chocolatey cousin of the brownie.

http://whatsgabycooking.com/

Gelatin

Gelatin- is it a liquid? or a solid? I guess the world will never know. I've been asking myself the same question for months now, ever since I heard it. Somewhere, although I actually don't remember where. 

Actually, you can know! Yay! We are saved! If you Google "Is gelatin a liquid or a solid" many answers will come up, but the first one is a link to this website: https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=1719.

So go out and get yourself a pack of gelatinous Jello!

Eggs in a Nest (or Basket)

Okay, so here's a recipe that is so easy, a 12-year-old could do it. Seriously. I know a pretty awesome 12-year-old who has done this countless times. 

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread (once again, i prefer white bread, but this time for taste preferences. You can use any type of sliced bread. I recommend a thick slice, though)

2 medium eggs 

2-5 (depending on the size of your pan/skillet) tablespoons oil

3 slices bacon (optional)

Cut medium circles in bread (not too big, the egg has to sit inside. Keep cut-out part! It's perfect for dipping). Toast bread to a golden brown. Place pan on a medium flame. Add oil and coat entire pan. Add toasted bread to pan. Crack one egg into each hole in the bread. Turn oven to broiling mode (350º is recommended). Wait until most of egg is cooked, then remove from flame and put in broiler/oven. Monitor bread and eggs to make sure it isn't overcooked. It should be a golden-brown/runny egg texture. Optional: Add your bacon on the side if desired.

Sorry, picture is sideways

Vegetarian Eats (guest post)

Hi! I'm Lola, Alyson's friend. You may know me from my quote...

"You're like, practically the Queen of Grilled Cheese in an Oven!"

As well as a grilled cheese enthusiast, and blogger at Thingology (heheh go look plz now), I'm a vegetarian. Alyson asked me to post about vegetarian food. But first, let's go over a couple frequently asked questions:

Yes, I drink milk, eat cheese, have honey, use butter, and all that. Not having anything from an animal is veganism; not having its flesh is vegetarianism. I don't eat fish, either, but some vegetarians do.

Yes, I get enough protein, and yes, really.

No, I do not live off of tofu.

My parents raised me as a vegetarian, so bacon/ham/salmon/other meats do not tempt me. I've had meat accidentally a few times, and it tasted horrible. My stomach didn't like it, either.

So what if you're out to eat with somebody, and the person you're with says that saying that's so infamous among vegetarians and vegans: "How do you live without bacon?" And the restaurant's menu only has two vegetarian meals: "Tofu with a side of tofu" and "Broccoli with Steamed Broccoli and Carrot Puree"?
Here's what you do. Ditch that person, go home and save yourself the trouble of picking between tofu madness or veggie-fruit-puree abominations by making this. Optionally vegan.


Ingredients:

However much pasta you'll be eating (linguini and farfalle are best)

Carrots (1 carrot is enough if you just want some carrot bits, go for two if you want a bunch, 3 if you're making it for several people)

Marinara sauce/olive oil/some pasta sauce

(if you eat butter) 1 or 2 pats of butter


Directions:

Rinse and peel the carrots. Chop at a slight diagonal so you get a good amount of long oval-shaped carrot pieces.

Once the carrots are chopped, fill a pot about 2/3 full with water and put to a boil.

Prepare a frying pan with some olive oil. If you're using the butter, melt it in the pan. Put the pan on a low heat and pour on the carrots. NOTE: The carrots can require some patience. Keep the pan on a LOW heat, and stir it occasionally. It will have to cook for a long while. They should taste warm and carrot-y, but also visibly cooked.

While the carrots are sitting, put the pasta in the pot and let it cook for about 8 minutes or until it has reached it's desired softness. Drain in a colander.

When both are done, combine in a large bowl with some sauce. Or, you can just use shredded parmesan. Anyway, eat.