step aside, mr reese's

Somewhere along my brain-dead ride home from work tonight, I managed to extract a few things from the squishy gray matter residing in my skull. Many of those things were about what I would like to eat when I got home - specific things pulled out of the "everything" that I wanted to eat. Today was the kind of day where calories just shouldn't count and probably don't since I ran around like a lunatic who had recently escaped the asylum today (I do work close to where Byberry Asylum used to be) and adrenaline makes the metabolism speed up (and I was running on adrenaline most of the day). I was hungry and thirsty and couldn't stop thinking of everything I wanted to eat and drink - a lot of good ideas came out of that mess, but here is the best one:

a scoop of chunky peanut butter sandwiched between two pieces of 72% cocoa dark chocolate

A week or so ago, I was in Rite Aid picking up a few things. I couldn't tell you what I went there for, but I know that as I left, I saw a sale on the amazing and luxurious Ghirardelli chocolate squares. A bag of these babies -->
ordinarily sells for about $5, but I got it for $1.50. I could not pass that up. I don't know if you can say these are vegan, as they are manufactured in a facility that also processes milk and therefore the chocolate could contain trace amounts of dairy, but they don't put it into this specific product on purpose, so I picked them up. SO GOOD.

Actually, they're great on their own, but with a salty, chunky, peanut butter "filling" they are nothing short of utterly amazing. I thought I would just have one. I was wrong.

Anyway, I had the same dinner tonight as I did last night, so here we go... I made the Orzo Pilaf with Roasted Red Peppers and Peas. It was very good and came together exceedingly quickly, which surprised me. The recipe certainly gave the implication it would be a fast cooking recipe, but I really did not think the orzo would absorb the broth quite as quickly as it did! I tried to deny it, but cooking 12 oz of orzo (2 cups uncooked) in 28 oz of vegetable broth does not quite get the pasta to al dente. A full quart would probably do just fine, as I was able to get the pasta to Mister's specification of "fully cooked" by adding about 4 oz of water. It was a fast and easy recipe, reliant completely on pantry staples (dried orzo, canned broth, jarred roasted red peppers, frozen peas) which will make it a very convenient choice for future busy weeks. Of course, I'm sure my schedule will slow down soon...it's such a shame sarcasm can't be adequately communicated through the written word sometimes.

It sure it pretty, too, isn't it?

Since I missed last night, we'll do a "double feature" today. Here are the 8 things for which I am thankful today:

1. I am grateful for my Director's kind words and efforts to build me up in the presence of her peers.
2. I am grateful for my supervisor's confidence in my abilities and his willingness to share that with me when I feel nervous.
3. I am grateful that I did not have to participate in the new hire training today on top of the company-wide trainings I helped facilitate.
4. I am grateful for the sale on Ghirardelli squares I took advantage of when I didn't need chocolate, knowing there would come a moment when I did "need" chocolate.
5. I am grateful for the coupons I got in the mail from DSW and Macy's to provide the incentive and urgency I need to get myself new shoes.
6. I am grateful for Sarah McLachlan's willingness to share her angelic voice and fiery disposition for the last two decades. (I've been listening to Wintersong the past two days - amazing holiday album).
7. I am grateful for the quiet moments I had when I got home from an insanely busy, no-lunch-break, nine-hour-long day.
8. I am grateful that this Friday, two paychecks will deposit into our bank account.