Category Archives: Amazeballs

I Scream, You Scream!

Posted in Amazeballs, Food, Homemade by

So a while ago, I won fabulous vanilla beans from Angela via Vanilla Food Company. This weekend, I finally made use to some of them!

And, if you couldn’t guess what I made by the title of this post, I made ICE CREAM!

Okay, I made it in my ice cream maker, but still. I put the ingredients together and whatnot, so in my mind, I made it.

I got the beans out of five vanilla pods by cutting them in half length-wise and then running the non-sharpened side of the blade to scrape out the beans. It made my fingers smell deliciously like vanilla!

Here’s a close-up of the beans:

Now, to really get the flavour out, apparently you heat them up on a stove in milk and whatnot, but I’m lazy and didn’t. Next time!

Then, I mixed up my milk and sugar until my sugar was all dissolved, then I added my heavy/whipping cream and the vanilla. Then I poured the mixture into my handy-dandy Cuisinart Ice Cream machine:

The machine is SO LOUD! Like, ridiculously loud. But – the end result? Delicious ice cream!

The vanilla beans really make it look so much more gourmet! I had a little taste already and it’s SO good! It’s now in the freezer hardening up. Can’t wait to have a bowl – and maybe I’ll share. No promises though!

Have you ever made home-made ice cream?

I’m Spoiled

Posted in Amazeballs, Awesome, Birthdays, Kara and Kyle by

Kyle’s always been a little crazy when it comes to gift giving. (Not that I’m bragging) He’s also horrible at keeping surprises from me. So, as a result, I came home from work yesterday to this:

Taken with my cute little Sony Cybershot, lol

To try and surprise me, Kyle asked me to “help” him get something out of the back of his truck. We went outside and he said he was going to grab something for our little storage closet and asked me to open up the back door of his truck. When I did, this little beauty was sitting there waiting for me to love it! Oh man, do I ever!

So this is my early Birthday/Wedding present from Kyle, and I couldn’t be more excited! I can’t wait to (re)learn all the functions on it. I haven’t played with a DSLR since J-School, so it may take a while.

I’ve wanted a Nikon D90 forever – It’s like my dream camera, so for Kyle to get me one is sooooo amazing.

I’ll leave you with the first shot I took with her: (Yes, the camera is a “she”, and she still needs a name)

Of course I’d take it of Daphne!

Not bad for full-automatic mode! She’s looking a little scruffy though.

Do you have a dream camera?

For (A Different) Mike:

Posted in Amazeballs, Friends, Random by

Yesterday I couldn’t think of anything to blog about for today, so I took to Twitter and asked someone to suggest something, anything, for me to blog about. Whoever tweeted first, that would be my topic. Well Mike, you won, and your topic doesn’t really surprise me:

Alrighty then Mike!

So I first met Mike last year at Job #2’s Christmas party. Actually, I wasn’t even working at Job #2, but I was C’s “date” so I went. My first impression was probably that he was loud, lol. C, for whatever reason, referred to him as “Mikey P”.  I have no idea why, because as it turns out, his last name doesn’t start with a P.

Let’s move onto that. I can’t pronounce Mike’s last name, which is awesome. Seriously! lol. I think it’s Greek? Greek last names are pretty awesome. With all the syllables, they’re a lot cooler than my wham-bam Chinese last name. Stombolopolous, Rockotopolous, Anacondasnakeoplous … I dream of evolving into at least two-syllable name…

Mike also does a pretty good Cake Boss impression, or may it’s just a good Boston accent in general. Also? His Jersey Shoreness is ridiculous. Fist Pumps? Check! He’s quiet a riot to go to the bar with. And he has some pretty wicked dance moves, lol

He’s also involved with a group at the university called SIFE, short for Students in Free Enterprise. Now, I’ll admit that I don’t know much about SIFE, but I DO know that they do a little bit of non-profit work, helping students and businesses understand their finances. That’s pretty awesome, and therefore, Mike is awesome. And he cleans up rather well, lol.

So I need about 30 more words on explaining why Mike is awesome…

When he was still working at Job #2, he was always super helpful with the customers. I’m pretty sure I read a couple comment cards in the past giving Mike mad props.

Alright! I think that’s 250 words, but really, words just aren’t enough to explain the awesomeness that is Mike. You really have to meet him in person! One of my favourite old co-workers, for sure :)