Internet! And Earl Grey Tea Cookies!

I've been MIA again but this time I had a very valid excuse.

John was in Chatham, Ontario doing some work for the past week and he took his laptop with him to get some work done. That left me with no working computer. So as much as I wanted to I was unable to get onto the internet. I switched my phone plan so I have unlimited social stuff - facebook, twitter, etc, but I can't browse the internet on my blackberry.

Woah is me.

But I'm back!

I did the Mitsubishi City Chase with my friend Kashyap on Saturday and it was so much fun. We began the morning at Yonge-Dundas Square and were given a clue to find the location of our cheat sheets. Once we grabbed our cheat sheets from Nathan Phillips Square, we had to solve some clues to find the 40 locations where we could collect chase points. Once you found the location you travelled to it and then completed an activity. We did a photo scavenger hunt, ate organic dog food, pushed a car, played wheelchair basketball, and retrieved hockey pucks from a pool among other things.

It was a ton of fun and a great way to experience the city.

If there's one in your city or if there's one in a city you would like to see I highly recommend participating in it!

Before John left for his week away, I asked him if there was anything he would like to take with him. He told me one of the girls on his crew had requested earl grey tea cookies. I've made them a few times but to mixed results. The cookie is of the ice box variety and as such, often has waaaaay to much butter to hold its shape when I bake it.

Not wanting to get realy frustrated and throw out batch after batch of cookies, I changed the recipe slightly.

For delicious, fool proof tea cookies follow this recipe!

(and feel free to substitute any other type of tea you want in place of earl grey)

Jamie's Earl Grey Tea Cookies

• In a bowl, beat together 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 egg.
• In a seperate bowl, mix together 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 tsp baking soda. Cut open 8 earl grey tea bags and mix the tea into the dry ingredients. Stir into the butter mixture and mix until combined.
• Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out half of dough on a floured surface. Cut out cookies into desired shapes and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake for 7-8 minutes then let cool and enjoy.

My Drunk Kitchen (in London!)

Another installment.

Don't cheat and go to her youtube page.

Let me post them all for you.

Because everyone likes Mac & Cheese...

More Drunk Kitchen

Because I cam absolutely in love with this girl,

My Drunk Kitchen presents: Not Easy, Bake Oven.

"Cream together the butter? Oh, I really don't know what that means!"

I've only baked drunk once before. The result was the most amazing chocolate cheesecake I've ever had.
Perhaps it is once again time to go down this road...

Since I've been gone...

I'll start off by appologizing, once again, for my extended absence.

I've been working 40 hour weeks and surprisingly it's kept me busier than when I was in school AND working part time.

Weird.

Things I promise to update you on in the near future: my knack for softball, the things I plan on baking this summer, books I have and will read (and recommend you do too), and more.

I can't promise I'll be around to post too much this week, however, as I am taking a one week intensive class on Occupational Health & Safety.

In theory, one week of class is a much better idea then taking it once a week from September to December.

In theory.

In practice it is a lesson in patience and hard work.

My attention span isn't the greatest and I am a super fidgety person. I blame this fact for my constant knuckle cracking. I can't sit still from 8:30 in the am until 6 in the pm. It's too much to ask of one person.

Yes, we get breaks and yes, my bladder is too small to allow me to go more than 2-3 hours without urinating but it doesn't change the fact that I was not meant to sit for hours on end.

The class itself is alternately interesting and super boring.

I have my first quiz tomorrow morning and then the final 2 quizes on Friday.

The completion of the final quiz will subsequently lead into my wino-style drinking celebration of not having to sit in a classroom again until September.

Speaking of drinking,

my good friend shared this hilarious video series with me and I am hooked.

I think you will be too.

I'm angry I didn't think of this first, though admitedly I don't have Hannah Hart's comedic timing and wit (though I do in my day dreams - not the same thing).

Anyway, I will post a video for every day this week to keep you entertained and to make up for not posting more frequently.

Enjoy!

Hart & Co Present: TACOS!

Happy Birthday Aunt Wendy!

Hope it's full of love and laughter and lots of gifts!

Looking forward to the summer fam jam!

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Hello friendlies.

Sorry I've been completely MIA this week. When I wasn't at work I was running mile after mile in an effort to get my body back into half marathon shape. And I also had a horrrrrrible migraine on Wednesday night. Thankfully there was My Sweet 16 followed by 16 and Pregnant to listen to on TV while my face was hidden under a cold washcloth.

The worse the premise of the show the better.

Anyway, in my running-journal update I ran 5.5 miles on Tuesday, 6 on Wednesday, and then ran home from work for an hour yesterday - probably around 6.5 miles. Next week I'll run at least one 8 mile distance.

Sorry - I had to explain this to John as well, I measure in miles only cause that's what the treadmill tells me. Half marathon is 21 k or 13 miles so my 6 mile runs are barely half of what I need to be doing.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day!

Do you all know what you'll be doing for your Mama?

I got mine a book and I'm going to try and make this:

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

(from Everyday Food)

1.Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine 32 chocolate wafer cookies, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process until very fine crumbs form. Add 6 tbsp butter and pulse until mixture just comes together. Press crumbs firmly into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 20 minutes. Let cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips and pinch of salt. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups heavy cream to a bare simmer over medium-high. Immediately pour cream over chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is completely smooth. Pour chocolate into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes. To serve, remove tart from pan and scatter raspberries on top.

Sporting Life 10k!

The Sporting Life 10k was a success!

We didn't quite run as a team as we all had different paces but we all found each other after crossing the finish line and we raised some money for a great charity.

You can't see too well but we made those shirts last night before getting rested up for the big run.

I didn't manage to beat my time from last year (I actually went over by 2 mins - oops) but in my defence I hadn't trained as much this year. I really have to step it up exponentially if I'm going to make it through the half marathon I'm doing at the end of this month.

Yikes.

Either way, 53 minutes isn't too shabby...

Back to a regular work week now. I was spoiled by the Easter long weekend, don't know if I'm ready for a full week again! I am planning on running Tuesday through Friday this week though! Maybe I'll update on here to keep myself accountable.

Also I plan on baking some Eggies cookies this week to use up the bag that my mom bought me. Cause, you know, otherwise I will eat the entire bag within the hour.