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Showing posts with label Bucket List. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bucket List. Show all posts

September Foodie Penpals + Cross That Off The Bucket List!

I have been so ill these past few days! Sorry to neglect the blog. I've missed you.

This month I participated in this amazing and genius program called Foodie Penpals, founded by Lindsay last September. It has been on my bucket list to have a penpal, and a foodie penpal at that?! I had to jump in on the fun.

FPP post Foodie Penpals


And I'm so glad I did! It was so much fun shopping for different local and unique items to send to my penpal. Now, the person I sent my package to is not the same person who sent me a package. I sent my package to the lovely Andrea O'Meara, and received my package from the oh-so-kind Marlys. I hope Andrea enjoyed her goodies, and I adored mine from Marlys!

 

















She read my about me section and found that I liked cookbooks. So she sent me a Yooper cookbook of recipes that Upper Michigan folks would make. I've already got my eye on a Wild Mushroom Soup recipe from it.




















She also read that I like caramel and meat (not together), so she got creative and found these deer droppings for me! Sike, these are really chocolate caramel balls :) And delicious at that!



















I didn't get an up-close photo of the other caramels that she sent, but they are in the whole-package shot. Soft, chewy, and so caramely. Just the way I like em.


She likes to explore African cooking on her blog, so I loved her hot pad from Ghana. Those beautiful African colors!


















She had also contacted me to see if I would like to try some African spices. Would I? Of course! Her letter to me also included some examples of ways she used the spices in her cooking. So thoughtful! Can't wait to put these spices to use!

























And lastly, her letter header had a beautiful photo of a lighthouse on Lake Superior close to her home. Lighthouses remind me of a little place called Kelley's Island up in Northern Ohio near Michigan, a major place in PJ's childhood and a place we've traveled to a few times.

I can't wait to get better to start cooking up some soups using those African spices! And those caramels and caramel balls are just about gone!

I'm so ready for next month! And here's to crossing another item off of my bucket list. Cuz you all know I love to do that.

Peace, and bacon grease!


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Cross That Off The Bucket List! {Use Deep Fryer + Use My DSLR for Food Photography}

Guys! I love to cross things off of my bucket lists. So now's the time to do it again...

I used my deep fryer and actually made something good! I did use my deep fryer awhile back to make "fried chicken" but that didn't turn out so well so I didn't want to count it since technically I didn't use the deep fryer successfully... but this time things went well.


So I got to use my deep fryer, and for the same recipe I only used my dslr camera for food photography. Usually I test some pics out on the dslr but resort to my old Nikon Coolpix since I actually know how to use it. But this time, people, it was all on the dslr. 

Go me!

Crossing #3 and #32 off my blog bucket list!

Feels so good!


Peace, and bacon grease!


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Cross That Off The Bucket List! {Get a photo accepted on Tastespotting}

Yay, it happened!

Tastespotting finally gave in and accepted one of my photos!





















This was a goal of mine on my blog bucket list. I have tried to submit other photos since, but only that one got accepted. I'll take it though.

I am now proudly displaying their badge on my sidebar. Hopefully I will be able to add more submissions to that gallery.

Now, if the folks at Foodgawker and Dessert Stalking could only be so kind...


Peace, and bacon grease!




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Cross That Off the Bucket List! {Take a Photography Class or Workshop}

Sup, yo?

You know those really long lists that I've made up?

You know the ones? Where I set high goals for myself to accomplish all while knowing I probably won't make it through half the list?

Yeah... those

Well, slowly I am knocking things off those lists. And I had a chance to knock one off the bucket list.

A few weeks ago, I purchased a dslr photography workshop for half off. I have been wanting to learn how to use my dslr since I got it back in December. Sad, right? Well the opportunity came a knockin and I couldn't pass it up.... half price and on a Saturday morning when I was free.

The workshop was taught by Okello Dunkley downtown at The Hilton. I would have liked to actually get out in nature and test out the camera... to learn by doing. But I did practice a bit in the room we were in. Nothing much exciting to photograph but it was still a nice experience. At first I was completely lost. Like, about-to-walk-out-and-waste-my-$40 lost. But then I started to get the hang of it. Kinda.


He taught us about aperture...
















and iso...















the importance of saving raw files...















how to focus (no, I did not even know how to do that!)....


















shutter speed, shooting in aperture or manual mode, and more. This was a beginner's class though, part one, so I knew I wasn't gonna be walking outta there knowing everything. I don't fully understand aperture and shutter speed, but I will only learn more from experimenting and playing around. 


I'm a creeper.


















Apparently I need a better lens, according to Okello. 

Boy, I've still got a lot to learn. Like how to get less grainy photos. And how to focus better. And so much more. But I'm proud of myself for crossing this off my bucket list!


Peace, and bacon grease!


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Recipe Bucket List

Finally, I'm putting it in writing (or typing?) all the recipes or foods that I want to make. Specifics, people. I borrowed some ideas from here, here, and here

  1. Beef wellington
  2. Eggs benedict
  3. Caramels
  4. Ice cream
  5. Scones
  6. Souffle (sweet or savory)
  7. Fried chicken
  8. Creme brulee
  9. Boston creme pie
  10. Croissants
  11. Pizza dough
  12. Cheesecake
  13. Angel food cake 
  14. Salted caramel sauce
  15. Lattice-top pie
  16. Coq au vin
  17. Salsa- Avocado Salsa
  18. Risotto
  19. Pineapple upside down cake
  20. Funnel cake
  21. Cake pops (use my babycakes maker!)
  22. Bananas foster
  23. Bagels
  24. New England clam chowder
  25. Fondant
  26. Fondue
  27. Chicken tikka masala
  28. Crab cakes
  29. Fried green tomatoes
  30. Red velvet cake
  31. Carrot cake
  32. Donuts
  33. Poached egg
  34. Stuffed burger
  35. Soft pretzel or bites
  36. Buttermilk biscuits
  37. Bouillabaise
  38. Gnocchi
  39. Grits
  40. Eclairs
  41. Scotch eggs
  42. Palmiers
  43. Buckeyes
  44. Pecan pie
  45. Trifle
  46. Key lime pie
  47. Spanakopita
  48. Amy's green bean casserole 
  49. Tortilla chips
  50. My mama's sausage, egg, and corn casserole
  51. Hush puppies
  52. Hasselback potatoes
  53. Polenta
  54. Cream of mushroom soup
  55. French onion soup
  56. Flour tortillas
  57. Ciabatta
  58. Bread pudding
  59. Beef stroganoff
  60. Stuffing
  61. Braised short ribs
  62. Guacamole
  63. Hollandaise sauce 
  64. Madelines 
  65. Foccacia bread
  66. Shortbread
  67. Chicken tortilla soup
  68. Beer can chicken
  69. Coconut cream pie 
  70. Bearnaise sauce 
  71. Macarons

I'm sure there will be more! Or if you have any suggestions what should make my list, just let me know :)

Be sure to check out my Life Bucket List, and my other Food-Related Bucket List.

Peace, and bacon grease!



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My Life Bucket List .... {Non-Food Related}

Yo.

I'm back with more goals for the future. I'm very ambitious today. 

This time the focus isn't food, though.

These are goals that I personally have that have nothing to do with food. Yes, I do have a life outside of food. A very lame one, but still, I have one.  These are goals to make that lame life a better, more fulfilled one!

  1. Vacation outside of the U.S.
  2. Visit at least 10 states
  3. Write a book
  4. Plant a garden
  5. Create a quote book
  6. Ride an elephant
  7. Swim with dolphins
  8. Go horseback riding
  9. Go on a cruise
  10. Reach my goal weight of 130 lbs
  11. Visit a major US monument
  12. Earn my Master's degree (on my way there!)
  13. Exchange handwritten or typed letters with a pen pal
  14. Take a photography class or workshop
  15. Volunteer for something psychology related
  16. Go on a hot air balloon
  17. Sell something on Etsy
  18. Sell something on Ebay or Craigslist
  19. Go on a road trip
  20. Get a renovated, updated kitchen
  21. Learn to play my guitar
  22. Go to the casino
  23. Take a salsa dance lesson
  24. Take a boxing or mixed martial arts class
  25. Go to a shooting range
  26. Learn another language
  27. Attend a concert
  28. Attend a Zumba class
  29. Have a penpal
  30. Own an iPhone
  31. Learn to surf
  32. Go white water rafting - the real thing!
  33. Visit a waterfall
  34. Go to an art gallery
  35. Go to Disneyworld or Disneyland
  36. Paint or draw something amazing using my supplies
  37. Solve the Rubix cube
  38. Scrapbook
  39. Go on a vacation with my mama
  40. Have a maid
  41. Buy a new car
  42. Go to a Reds game
  43. Go to a Bengals game
  44. Have a child
  45. Install a hot tub in our home
  46. Give to charity
  47. Go to the KY derby
  48. Host my own holiday dinner
  49. Cook an entire Thanksgiving meal
  50. Mud wrestle or do a mud run
  51. Learn to do a cartwheel
  52. Go to a live taping
  53. Get a tattoo
  54. Be on the "Amazing Race" (this has been on my bucket list for awhile now but realistically I dunno if I could do it...)
  55. Attend a murder mystery dinner
  56. Become a licensed counselor
  57. Go to Six Flags
  58. Go to Cedar Point
  59. Attend a parade 
  60. Learn to use html 
  61. Reach my reading challenge goal

This list will probably keep being updated as I think of more things that I wanna do before I die.  I know I'm forgetting some things.

Check out my Recipe Bucket List and my Food-Related Bucket List, too!

Peace, and bacon grease!


reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Food-Related/Blog Bucket List

Have you guys heard of making a 30 by 30 list?

I've seen it on several blogs now and knew I had to join in on the fun. I figured now would be as good a time as ever to post a list of my food goals that I wish to accomplish. My list came to be more than 30 so I can't really call it a 30 by 30.

These are food-related goals that I want to accomplish, or that pertain to my blog.

  1. Use slow cooker
  2. Use fondue set
  3. Use deep fryer
  4. Get a photo accepted on Foodgawker 
  5. Get a photo accepted on Tastespotting
  6. Get a photo accepted on Dessert Stalking 
  7. Get a photo accepted on Tasteologie
  8. Take a (food) photography class
  9. Meet with a fellow Cincinnati food blogger (Katie, Aimee, Heather, Christine, Melissa, and Tanya) or any blogger for that matter!
  10. Make a facebook page for my blog
  11. Take a cake decorating class
  12. Reach 500 followers
  13. Take a cooking class
  14. Make a wine section on my blog
  15. Attend a wine tasting
  16. Use fondant
  17. Make something using yeast
  18. Go to a cookbook signing
  19. Meet a famous chef
  20. Enter a cooking/recipe contest
  21. Win a cooking/recipe contest
  22. Make a how-to cooking video for my blog
  23. Attend a food blogging conference
  24. Decorate a fancy cake
  25. Visit a food truck
  26. Eat a Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia
  27. Host a dinner party
  28. Start a cooking club
  29. Collect recipes from my mama
  30. Learn how to make PJ's mama's recipes
  31. Go to a farmer's market
  32. Make a meal using a unique, unusual main ingredient
  33. Use my dslr for food photography
  34. Make a layer cake 
  35. Make a photo recipe index for my blog or categorize by meal type and alphabetically
  36. Make a sidebar of my food photos
  37. Put a cool "print friendly" button on my blog

That's all for now! I'm sure I could think of more. But this is a start. Cuz we all know some of these just aren't gonna happen. But it's fun to dream, and pretend they will! Wish me luck on this journey :)

Check out my Life Bucket List, and my Recipe Bucket List.


Peace, and bacon grease!



    reade more... Résuméabuiyad

    Restaurant Bucket List

    I decided to finally make a list of all of the restaurants that I want to try in the Cincinnati area. I'll cross them off the list and add the link once I have finally gone to that restaurant and reviewed it. Oh, and I'm sure I'll be adding to the list as I hear of more restaurants out there waiting for me!


    10 West
    20 Brix
    Abigail Street (made Cincinnati magazine's top 10 list in 2013!)
    Alabama Fish Bar
    Ando Japanese Restaurant
    Aroma - review coming soon!

    Bangkok Terrace
    Bobby's Burger Palace
    Bouquet
    Cabana on the River
    Cafe de Wheels (food truck) - dive bar review coming soon!

    Celestial Restaurant
    Chart House
    Cloud Nine Sushi
    Crave
    Cumin (made Cincinnati magazine's top 10 list in 2013!)
    Dancing Wasabi
    Dee Felice Cafe - have Groupon
    Dilly Cafe 
    Eli's BBQ (made Cincinnati magazine's top 10 list in 2013!)
    Final Cut Steakhouse (in Hollywood Casino)
    Fireside Pizza Wagon (food truck) 
    Fusian  - review coming soon!

    Green Papaya
    Honey
    Hugo - review coming soon!
    Ichiban Japanese Cuisine 
    Jack Binion's Steak
    Jean-Robert's Table (made Cincinnati magazine's top 10 list in 2013!)
    Jeff Ruby's Carlo & Johnny
    Jeff Ruby's Precinct - (went there a long time ago but need to review it)
    Jeff Ruby's Waterfront
    Jimmy G's 
    Kaze OTR
    La Petite France - review coming soon!
    La Poste
    Lavomatic Cafe 
    Lime - review coming soon!
    Local 127
    M Wood Fired Oven
    Maki Express
    Mantra on the Hill
    Maribelle's Tavern - have Groupon
    McCormick & Schmick's
    Mei Japanese Restaurant
    Meritage (Glendale)
    Metropole
    Moerlein Lager House - review coming soon!
    Morton's Steakhouse
    Mr. Gene's Dog House/Weenies on Wheels (food truck)
    Mt. Adams Bar & Grill
    New Orleans to Go (food truck) - review coming soon!
    Orchids at Palm Court
    Otto's - review coming soon!

    Palomino
    Parkers Blue Ash Tavern
    Quaker Steak and Lube - have Groupon  - review coming soon!
    Quan Hapa
    Rafferty's
    Red Sesame Food Truck
    Ruth's Chris Steakhouse 
    Saigon Cafe
    Sakura Japanese Steakhouse 
    Seasons 52
    Sebastian's 
    Senate (made Cincinnati magazine's top 10 list in 2013!)
    Senor Roys Taco Patrol (food truck)
    SmoQ - have Groupon
    Stone Creek Dining Company in West Chester
    Taco Azul (food truck)
    Taste of Belgium
    Terry's Turf Club
    The Anchor OTR 
    The Capital Grille
    The Palace - have Groupon - review coming soon!
    Trio Bistro - review coming soon!

    Turophilia Quesadillas (food truck)
    Via Vite (made Cincinnati magazine's top 10 list in 2013!)
    View Cucina
    Virgil's Cafe - review coming soon!
    Vitor's Bistro 
    Zula
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