Its been nonstop since I've last posted. I haven't had a day off since I began working again! Granted, I do get home from my shifts at Macy's around 12 or 3 so there is some down time, but this waking up at 5 am is getting to me! I know, it's a good thing I don't have kids or an hour commute. I really am enjoying my work at the zoo and feeling more and more comfortable around all the new people. We'll see how it goes when show season starts and when we start doing more programs for audiances. I've done a few animal handling events (Children's Hospital, a small nursery Halloween event and the grand opening of the new Outlet Mall). I really hope a fulltime position comes up soon because I don't know if I can take this 2 job thing after Christmas.
I finally got to enjoy a day of on Friday! I did absolutely nothing.
Ok, I did make some yummy food.
Pumpkin Pancakes
We apparently used half the bag of white chocolate chips so I had to substitute a half bag of regular chocolate chips. These are soooooooo tastey. I don't remember where I got the recipe, but here it is:
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.
My Zoo boss gave me the recipe for the pancakes from a magazine:
Pumpkin Pancakes
Ingredients
2 cups dry pancake mix
3tbsp dark-brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp vegetable oil
In a large bowl, combine the pancake mix, brown sugar and pumpkin-pie spice.
In another bowl, mix the milk, pumpkin, egg, vanilla extract and oil.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or pan on medium high. Pour the batter onto the griddle/pan and cook until bubbles appear in the batter and edges brown. Flip and cook until other side is browned.
Makes about 20 pancakes.
Sam and I have been watching a lot of horror movies in honor of Halloween. I have yet to find one that scares me. They all make me laugh with their rediculous gore and crappy acting. I don't think Sam wants to watch anymore with me because I laugh and sort of ruin it for him. Some of the recent BAD ones were:
Daughters of Satan (1970's) - I couldn't thru the first 30 minutes.
An American Haunting
The Haunting of Molly Hartely
Hard Candy (not really horror but close enough)
Terror Train (1980 w/ Jamie Lee Curtis)
Drag Me to Hell
Candyman (sorry Sam)
Horror movies I love:
Zombieland
Hellraiser
the classics/standards (Exocist, Poltergeist, Psycho, The Birds)
Halloween
Return to Horror High (its bad I know, but its badness makes it good)
Evil Dead (same as Horror High)
Rocky Horror Picture Show
I really do love Halloween. But I never get to enjoy it anymore. We're both always working and don't get to go to any parties so dressing up would be pointless. I'd love to decorate more, but we're never home to enjoy it. One day we will.
I hope everyone had a great Halloween! And its time to start thinking about the holidays! I've got so much on my to make list. I hope 2 months is enough!
