Sometimes I feel I've been living under a rock...

HOW is it that I have never heard of this??



Oh, I am so game.

My name is Cassi and I am an Etsyholic.

Virgos are givers, naturally, so I want to make sure and share with everyone the Internet's greatest gift: Etsy.  To many of you reading this, or perhaps all of you, Etsy is not a new thing.  It is my homepage, my #1 source of inspiration, and my go-to place for gift shopping.  My Etsy profile can vouch that I am an avid buyer, but I won't regurgitate all of my past purchases--just a couple.  In the past month, I bought two really awesome items, packed with personality, one for Mom for Mothers' Day, and one for the hubs.

The former is a very personal gift for my Mom;  she is from Kentucky and has very fond childhood memories of eating at Cracker Barrel.  I found it at Vintage Home Recycled's shop.  I stuffed it with these reusable produce bags for her gift, which I found thanks to Jen.  I was just over at her house for supper the other night and saw this jar filled with candy on the kitchen counter... just one of many ideal uses.

The latter was a little somethin' I picked up just for fun for the hubs, whose name is (spoiler alert!) Gabe.  It's a vintage ash tray--neither of us smokes--that reads: "GABES - THE STEAK HOUSE OF THE SOUTH - OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY - FAMOUS FOR FOOD SINCE '22."  I just love that last line because it's kind of odd.  I mean, usually restaurants claim to be famous for a specific type of food --burgers, shakes, tacos, biscuits--but Gabes is famous for "food."  I found it at eclecticamiami --such a fun shop!--whose owner requests and shares photos of the items in their new homes.  Great idea.
The first photo shows its current location, which could change instantaneously because I'm a habitual re-decorator.  Really, I get sick of things so easily, it's actually my reasoning for never getting a tattoo.

The hubs knows he's lucky because he's the one thing I've never gotten sick of.  :)

What gems have you purchased on Etsy?  Please. Do share.  And please, feel free to buy me anything from my Etsy profile Favorites page. *wink

A forkful of pasta helps combat rainy day blahs

It's icky weather here in the capital city today and I am to blame:  I washed my truck yesterday for the first time in like a year.  I spent three hours cleaning the inside and outside of my dog taxi, only to wake up to cloudy skies this morning.  Sorry, Sacramentans, it is all my fault.  Knock on wood, it has only barely sprinkled so far...

Luckily, I had some inspiration logged away in my short-term memory, thanks to Kristina, and whipped up a zesty, vibrant, and very satisfying dish for lunch on my [short] lunch break.  I don't have a name for it, as I am simply filing it under what I call "Pantry Pasta", which is ever-changing.  I also often make "Pantry Cous Cous" and "Pantry Quinoa."  As you have probably guessed, these dishes consist of whatever I have on hand and am craving.  "Cluelessness is the mother of invention" - Lorelai Gilmore. 

I was too hungry to list all the ingredients and preparations neatly, so as you can see in the photo, I messily jotted down what I threw in this batch, just in case I inhaled the whole thing before getting it down on paper. 

If anyone is interested in making this dish, here's how I did it this time.  Oh yeah, I apologize to the Virgos looking for exact measurements...I only measure when I'm baking, not cooking.

carrots (these carrot 'chips' were on sale the other day, bonus: no peeling or slicing)
fresh ginger root
shallots
olive oil
penne pasta
fresh Italian parsley
fresh cilantro
fresh squeezed lime juice
capers (no surprise there!)
toasted fennel seeds
sun-dried tomatoes, julienne (must get Cal Sun∙Dry, seriously. why? well, that's another post)
ks & p to taste (we always always always use kosher salt and fresh ground peppercorns)

1. Roast carrots in baking dish with thinly sliced shallots, diced peeled fresh ginger, olive oil, and ks & p, turning occasionally.  I adjusted the temp a few times, but kept in the range of 375°-425°
2. Boil water and cook pasta until al dente w/ a healthy sprinkle of ks
3. In a bowl, squeeze in lime juice then add all ingredients, except toasted fennel seeds.  Stir to combine.
4. When roasted veggies are brown and at desired consistency and color, remove from pan and dump in the bowl of premixed ingredients.
5. Using a slotted spoon, scoop a spoonful of pasta, drain, then add to bowl.  Repeat until all pasta is removed from pasta water.
6. Sprinkle desired amount of fennel seeds into pan used to roast veggies and return to oven to toast.  Meanwhile, mix everything in the bowl.  NOTE:  toasting only takes a quick minute or two, so don't forget about your seeds.
7. Top your dish with hot toasted fennel seeds and ENJOY.
Another NOTE: if the dish is a bit dry for your taste, just add some reserved pasta water and stir.

The hubs is at home today, so he had better not eat the rest that I left in the fridge.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers cold tomorrow, once they've sat in the fridge overnight...mmmm...

Every so often, it's fun to be impulsive and indulgent...

As Virgos, we live to plan, and many of us have difficulties being flexible to changes in plans or acting spontaneously.  Thankfully my [Leo] husband has taught me over the past ten years the joys of 'changing it up.'  For example, while he was getting ready to work the night shift at his job tonight, I had just finished watching the movie Julie & Julia (love!), and was majorly craving some food that I didn't have the energy nor the creativity to whip up, so I decided I would shower, get cute, and treat myself to a nice dinner downtown.  I told him I was craving French food (thanks, Julia, for all your talk on beurre blanc) and fish, and that I planned on going out to dinner.  He asked, "with whom?"  I said, "myself."  He thought it was a great idea! 

Since my Internet was unresponsive while I was getting ready, I looked up restaurants in an old Sacramento Magazine, which has reviews of all the local restaurants, and found a pathetically low number of French cuisine options.  Please, if any of you know of a decent French restaurant in Sac, do share.  I settled on Waterboy, which has been around for years and has consistently received good reviews.  I liked its central location and had walked/drove by it many times in the past, so I was intrigued;  plus, Sac mag classified the food as "Northern Italian/Southern French" fare.  I called to see if a reservation would be recommended, which for one diner, wasn't necessary.  A plus, I think.

I sat at a cute little table for two next to two businessmen, one local, one visiting from Indiana.  They were good company.  I brought a book I recently started, in case I had some 'down time' in between ordering, titled The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris, by Alicia Drake, which I picked up for free when I worked at Borders Bookstore a few years ago on the promo shelf.  Not bad.  Not great either, so far.  I'll report back on that at a later date, if there's anything to report.  I always like to hear the restaurants' specials, especially if nothing on the menu immediately grabs me.  I chose the fish special, which, oh man!, was seared filet sturgeon with fregola, porcini mushrooms, lima beans, and sauteed spinach, topped with a buttery and mild chipotle sauce...and a glass of Barbera, nothing worth naming.  It arrived very quickly, and I de-vou-red it.  I felt like eating it all over again afterward--until I heard the dessert specials, then I shifted my focus to the house-made strawberry rhubarb pie with some kinda nut-crusted topping and vanilla ice cream that I would soon be enjoying with coffee.

If you plan on eating there, know that the menu is quite small, and the wine list is even smaller--and honestly, a bit lacking--but I think their food selection is satisfying, and judging from my experience with the special, you'll be very pleased with anything you order.  I'm thinking of going back for the bouillabaisse, although I have a huge bias, because my aunt Cheri makes a legendary bouillabaisse, so I don't know if it is worth the risk, or the $25 test.  I also plan on bringing my own bottle of wine and swallowing the corkage fee...Oh yeah, and next time I'll bring others along, now that I can give the place some personal credibility.  Not that I didn't enjoy dining solo, it just baffles people, especially when they see a wedding band on your finger, and I'd rather save the explanations...   I wish I had pictures to share, but I already felt like I looked to the servers like a food critic, so I refrained.  Bummer. 

When was the last time you did something indulgent? 

And when I get my license, I fully intend to brake for animals...

Ah, nostalgia.

Last night while the hubs was at work, I decided to transport back to 1995 by indulging in one of my favorite and most influential movies:  Clueless.  Although I was a tomboy, this movie really spoke to me during my adolescent years, and truthfully, still does.

As a pre-teen / teenager:

• I had the poster hanging in my room of "'isms" (?) that defined words like "boink," "Betty," and "hymenally challenged."  
• I wore spaghetti strap tanks over crew neck tees.  
• My hair was exactly like Cher's.  
• I learned and used a new word every day to expand my vocabulary.
• I used the word "like" about ten times in a sentence. (annoying!)
• I got my Pop saying "buggin' and wiggin'" 
• I dreamed of one day having an automated closet like Cher's, but what girl didn't...
• Carrot sticks became my favorite after school snack
• I listened to the soundtrack all. the. time.
• My best friend Kelly and I bought dresses like the white CK dress Cher wore to the club -- mine was white, Kelly's was red; although, ours were cheapo's from Wet Seal.
• two words: FEATHER PENS
• I had a huge crush on Breckin Meyer (Travis)

I really did look up to Cher, and her character taught me to be nice to my fellow peers in school, even if we didn't run in the same crowds.  She was never outwardly rude or condescending to anyone, except in her spat with trampy Amber, but she deserved it.  ;)  I love how Cher was all done-up and lady-like, but had such a strong presence like she could kick your ass if you had it comin' to ya.  She remains one of my top female role models today, and I really hope I have a daughter with whom I can share this movie.  Not only to expose her to Cher, but to the 90s pop culture! OMG, the grungy skateboarders, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, exposed lip liner!

All of it.


How did this movie have an effect on your life?  What do you remember most from the 90s decade?  Did anyone else beg their parents for a white bikini top Jeep Wrangler?