Banana Pudding

Every time I go to New York City I want to stop by Magnolia Bakery for banana pudding. It's the creamiest, lightest, best tasting pudding ever. Kind of like banana cream pie, and I love banana cream pie. After one of these trips I decided I wanted to recreate the recipe for my roommates. And I made it, and it was good, but the texture wasn't right. It was delicious and pudding-y but it wasn't as light as the Magnolia Bakery version. Since it was good, I made it a few more times but it just never fully compared to the "real" stuff.

The "real" stuff. Photo from Flickr

Until this weekend when I basically hit the jackpot. And I think it was because I made the pudding and didn't use Jell-O. So, I'm going to share the happiness with you:

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
Adapted from Crepes of Wrath

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 cups whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large bananas, sliced
1 box nilla wafers (I didn't use them all but you'll want enough)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch, egg, egg yolk, whole milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk together until combined, then continue whisking for 8-10 minutes, until the pudding begins to bubble like hot lava (thick pudding with bubbles that sound like a ‘plopping’ noise). Add in the unsalted butter, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and whisk until completely melted. Pour the pudding into a separate bowl, then allow to sit in the fridge until cool. (It's a couple hours.)

2. Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until very stiff.

3. When the pudding is cool and the whipped cream is finished, fold the cream and pudding together until there is no more visible yellow. Don't stir because you will loose some of the air in the cream.

4. When the pudding is ready, begin to layer your pudding. Alternate layers of pudding, Nilla wafers, and bananas until you have used all the pudding. Then let the whole thing sit for a few hours (overnight is best) until the Nilla Wafers are soft. 

Serves 8 but you might want to double it because it's so good.

Seriously, you should try it. I promise you won't be disappointed. And if you do try and you've had the real stuff, let me know how it compares. I'm really interested to know if it needs something else or if it's as close as I think it is.

Snow!

My house. Picture taken this morning around 8:30.

I like how DC shuts down in the snow. That's probably because I don't have anything urgent to attend. I just get to wake up later, spend a little more time making my breakfast and getting into work late without feeling guilty. It's so ideal. Getting to work after 10 is so nice.

But this morning there were frustrations with the bus because we waited a good solid 30 minutes without one ever showing up even though there were three on the schedule to arrive. We ended up walking.

But the good thing about walking is that everything is a little more peaceful and we met neighbors we've never known before (because they were shoveling their walks) and said good morning to a handful of people we've never seen before. And, it's really pretty.

My street with the plowed road no visible neighbors yet.

iPhoto

My computer crashed in August and for some reason, my iPhoto wouldn't work. I couldn't get it to open. I couldn't get pictures to upload. Finally, yesterday, after months and months of not having a working iPhoto I went to the Mac store to get it fixed. The embarrassing part of the story is that there was NOTHING wrong with my iPhoto and the guy opened it without a problem. Nothing wrong with iPhoto and it hasn't worked for me in MONTHS. The guy thought I was an idiot.

But, I found some great pictures from the the summer:

Rita's! Mmm!

4th of July concert at the capital. Actually, it's 3rd of July dress rehearsal concert.

A little tattoo fun at the Montgomery County Fair in Maryland after the demolition derby.

Lisa's baby niece was born and we visited in the hospital!

I'm really wishing for summer. But I'm glad to have a working iPhoto again so I can start posting more pictures.

Procrastinating

I want to procrastinate right now. So I am. I can't write a lot because I have a lot to do.

I had a fabulous weekend. Peter, a friend from college, was in town and I haven't had so much fun in a long time. Maybe it was because he mixed up a bit. But that's probably mostly because he's male. Or maybe because he's really funny. But I feel like the majority of my social life is spent with women, which is usually more fun anyway, because then I don't have to be on "good behavior". And you know what? The weekend might have been fantastic for the sole reason that we cooked ALL day on Sunday! Woohoo! I love cooking! I made apple German pancakes with buttermilk syrup for breakfast, then helped Lisa make a delicious rainbow birthday cake (that is the birthday girl in the link. Yes she's only 2. Yes she needs a six layer cake...) while preparing a roast for dinner.  Everything turned out delicious. Well, except my roast. I felt like it was a little dry. Gravy was necessary.

On Monday we hit up the Wizards/Jazz game only to have my first time rooting for the Jazz be a bad luck charm because they lost to the Wizards. The worst team in the NBA. How embarrassing for Utah. Better luck next time Jazz fans.

The long weekend was closed out with Good Stuff Eatery, SNL videos and Grey's Anatomy. I think it was basically the best weekend ever. Well, the best long weekend staying at home and not venturing off to some new city.

Oh, and I cleaned my room really really really well on Saturday, so I was really productive too, getting the one thing done that I really needed to get done. I'm awesome.

Ducks

I may have considered wearing black today since my Ducks lost last night in the BCS National Championship football game. But then I realized that was overly dramatic and I opted for a black cardigan instead. Actually, I was happy with the way the game was played. At least Auburn only beat the Ducks by a field goal with 2 seconds left. And our touchdown and subsequent two point conversion to tie was so exciting my roommates woke up and got out of bed to come watch. (It was midnight by then. Blasted time difference!) And then when they scored we jumped up and down in our pajamas (and Ducks shirts).

But, good game played and I'm proud to have grown up a Duck.

My roommates are also proud to be new Ducks.

Do not ask me to explain my face. I know it's unflattering. I will never make that face again. You're welcome. Also I apologize for the poor quality. We forgot our cameras and had to settle with a phone picture.

And, we rather enjoyed their uniforms.

Picture from GoDucks.com

And lets be honest, whose uniforms look cooler?

Too bad it wasn't a fashion contest. We would have blown them away.

The Nutcracker

My sister Rachel (the youngest) has been dancing with the Eugene School of Ballet since she was in kindergarten and almost every year she participated in The Nutcracker. (Either the Eugene Ballet production or the Eugene Youth Ballet production.) Last year she was the Sugar Plum Fairy. This year she was the Spanish Dancer. Here are a couple pictures we took after the show of her last performance in The Nutcracker ever (she's graduating from high school in June).

PS. My mom embellished the tutu and remade the bodice. Isn't it cool?

30 Day Shred

Yesterday Lisa and I started the 30 Day Shred. I've heard it takes three weeks to build a good habit and only one to break it. (Don't quote me.) So, by the time we've hit day 21 on our 30 Day Shred we'll only have 9 more days to go and hopefully then we'll have made a good habit and good motivation to continue getting up at 6:30 and doing the video.

The plan:

• 6:30 am every day do "the shred". (I'm hoping the pinched nerve in my arm goes away so that I could actually do more than a half-hearted, struggling push up, but maybe that's just because I have weak arms and chest muscles...)
• eat healthy to optimize results
• take before and after measurements so that we can see the numbers there and on the scale
• do a longer gym work out at night since "the shred" is only 30 minutes

The projected results:

• loss of pounds and inches
• look more toned

Today was a struggle to get up. (Say that like this: struuuuuuugle.) But, I did it, jet lag and all. I might be getting to bed at 9 tonight but that will hopefully only make it easier to get up tomorrow morning.

And since healthy eating is important to 30 Day Shred, we cooked up a storm last night after our workout to get ready for the week. Fresh Vegetable Soup? Check. Crock pot chicken and potatoes? Check. Purchased ingredients for Green Smoothies*? Check.

I'm feeling so productive with all my New Years Resolutions. Isn't that how we all feel the first week of January though? Hope I'm still feeling awesome and productive with the resolutions in June, and again in September and then feeling really satisfied that I was successful in December. (And able to do the splits...)

*This would be a basic smoothie with a heaping handful of spinach blended in.

New Year. New Resolutions

Don't ask me to tell you what my resolutions last year were because I have absolutely no idea. I have been thinking about resolutions a lot this year though and I think I have some really good ones that will make me a better person and I think will make me happier. (Not that I'm UNhappy, but really, don't we all want to be happier?) So, without going into the deep, dark psyche that is my brain, I will give you the condensed, and public version of my goals. P.S. I always do them in categories.

1. Personal--keep my room clean (this might be my hardest goal)
2. Spiritual--take more time to build my faith in and relationship with God (I'm pretty sure this one might actually be the key to helping me be happier.)
3. Physical--less baking more healthy cooking (and this will do miraculous things to my waistline. Actually, doing the splits is also under this category too.)
4. Intellectual--read 4 books a month (one has to be non-fiction)
5. Social--start a book group (so I like reading... and I'm thinking a Saturday morning tea would be really fun)
6. Financial--increase knowledge about fancy accounts and use them (should have taken basic finance in college...)
7. Family relations--talk to my family more (if I had done that last year, I wouldn't have been surprised with an impromptu ski trip. I would have known it was planned in advance.)

I also just ordered the Liahona in Polish, I think that is intellectual, spiritual and maybe a little physical all rolled in one.

(Yes, I know the picture of my cute dog Ellie has nothing to do with my resolutions. But I wanted a picture and this was sent to us from our family friend who took pictures at our house during the Rose Bowl. Isn't she pretty? Well, I guess you'd only think she was cute if you liked animals. I know there are animal haters out there... cough, cough, Chelsea...)