Houseguest

When I say “Houseguest”, you may be thinking of that mid nineties movie staring Sinbad and Phil Hartman. That isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m talking about my dawg… well, my parent’s dawg, Dawson. He came and stayed with me for the weekend.

It was smooth sailing outside of the couple of instances where he refused to get into his doggie house. I felt like I was torturing him or something; it was kind of awful. However, I would really prefer that he be mad at me for 5 minutes for caging him than let him redecorate my house with stuffing from my couch cushions turning my tiny abode into his own little winter wonderland.

He thought the glasses were cool until I gave him a mirror. He barked out, “I’m not some hipster douche bag!"

Sorry Dawson.

Pest...Oh

There isn't much better on a pizza, mixed up with mayo for a sando, tossed with some pasta or just to dip some bread in than fresh pesto. Oh man. I make a chicken sando that I use this pesto with and it is out of this solar system! One time I bought some pesto at the store and it tasted like your grandma's garage smells. So... I won't be making that mistake again. And I mean really, It's kind of weird that your grandma is storing all that pesto in her garage before it makes it out to the grocery store.

5 Cups Basil Leafs

5 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled)

1 Cup Olive Oil

1 tsp salt (to taste really…)
1 tsp Pepper
¼ Cup Pine Nuts
¼ Cup Walnuts
2 Tblspn Lemon Juice

½ Cup Grated Parm

It’s easy silly! Just put all of that stuff in the food processor and blend until smooth. Then put it in a jar or a bowl or something and just dig in. It’s real good.

Shoot. The day has gotten away from me a little bit and I'm meeting Hey Marseilles manager Christen along with Samuel, Matt and Philip at Cafe Arrabica on Capitol Hill in 30 min. OOPS! Well, on the upside we're going back into the studio this weekend so I'll have another update on our progress from there. Makin' hits and stackin' paper. That's how we do.

Making Your Neighbors Fold Your Laundry

This may not be the nicest way to conduct one’s life but it’s fueled by the purest of intentions. A sense of family and home is longed for by me and many others like me living alone in the big city. This is like living with your parents without all of that nasty stigma and awkward conversations following failed pickup lines at bars.

You have to begin by believing that your neighbors will fold your laundry and match your socks and stuff. Here are a couple of easy steps to get this done.

Wait until late Sunday afternoon and throw a load of laundry in. Everybody realizes that all of their clothes are dirty on Sunday as they anticipate the work week ahead.

Don’t forget to take your clothes hamper with you after you put your load in. If you leave it there is the chance that your clothes won’t be folded but be tossed into the hamper. Leave the space bare.

Now grab a beer or something and make yourself scarce, like, act like you’re not around.

I took the risk of checking my laundry’s progress during this trial just for scientific purposes. As you can see my upstairs neighbor Katie has put a load in the washer and dried my clothes in the process. She even used the medium-low heat setting!

I retreat to my lair and played the waiting game. I heard Katie come down the stairs and then go back up again about 8-10 minutes later. I waited 5 minutes and returned to find my clothes dried and folded. Boom.

Thanks Katie!!

Strawberry Shortcake

It’s like almost Summer and stuff and although I’m not going to make one of those McNasty cakes with blueberries and strawberries and whip cream making the American flag I will be serving up some Strawberry Shortcake because it doesn’t taste gross and stuff.

Yes, all intended offense to aforementioned patriotic picnic treat (shudder).

“Should I eat it? Should I use it to clean my dishes?” angel food cake is unacceptable. I like to use Fisher Fair Scone Mix. It’s just add water and puts shame to that Bisquik in your cupboard that you’re thinking about using.

Grab about 5 cups of Strawberries and cut their tops off. Now you can either throw them in a food processor or just chop them up really small and add ¾ cups sugar, two tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Just mix that stuff up and your topping is ready.

Don’t forget the Cool Whip!! Split that scone in two and fill it up with strawberries and a huge dollop of Cool Whip and it won’t matter how much BBQ you just ate. You’re going for seconds... Well, unless you're making this as a stand alone desert for a lady that you're trying to impress. In that case she might just grab thirds and then fourths and then start talking about whether to send your kids to public or pirvate school...You've been warned.

up in the studio me and my drank

After playing out first Seattle show since last summer last night at SPU Hey Marseilles is back in the studio at Avast in Greenwood starting off our day recording the tune "Intro".

If you don't know about Avast check out the bands that have recorded there in the past. Nbd.

I can't share too much but here is a little glimpse.

making the your place like a house and stuff

Another rainy day in Seattle provides opportunities to accomplish and reflect upon the most important dwelling called home. Cleaning and organizing and stuff should definitely happen and projects that you’ve been putting off can be put off can be put to rest.

I made a trip to IKEA to add cabinet doors to the kitchen island I purchased last fall. The island was originally priced, including the base cabinets and cabinet doors, around $950. Due to the discontinuation of the behemoth piece of kitchen furniture I’ve built the entire piece including the addition of cabinet doors for around $250. I acquired the knobs from RE STORE in Ballard at a price of free fifty because all I had were large bills (ballin’!!) and they were only $2.50.

Being that it is springtime I spent a few minutes getting some starts going for the garden that will hopefully happen. I have two varieties of tomatoes, sugar snap peas and cucumbers going right now. The tomatoes are just too delicious homegrown to not have and the cucumber and sugar snap peas are seriously easy.

I’ve had a couple of posters that I’ve been meaning to get framed at Annie’s in Ballard but you know, it costs like $60 bucks and who has the time!?! Well, I do. I mean, I have the time and stuff. Maybe I’ll just get one framed up for now and wait a couple of weeks to do the next.

I along with everybody else love Bon Iver and his album never gets old. I saw him play the first time he toured the US at Nectar in Fremont which was truly amazing. The second time I saw him play was to a sold out crowd at Neumos on Capitol Hill and that show rivals Tallest Man on Earth for the most obnoxious show I’ve attended. I just can’t decide if I despise front row hippie dancers or bros with their girlfriend on their shoulder screaming the lyrics more…

This American Life? Enough said. I think it’s better than Radio Lab.

Finally,my Glassy Baby. You might think to yourself, “It’s just a votive.” On this one you are right and wrong. They’re handmade at a studio around Greenlake here in Seattle and create colors while lit that completely warrant their $40 price tag.

My girlfriend Jennae bought this one for me for my birthday. It’s called “wet dog” but should probably just be called “Howard” which is the name of our future Bernese Mt Dog.

The day is getting a little late and I still have plenty to do. Return my studded tires to storage, grab my beer making equipment, get a workout in and hopefully stop by the brewing supply store and pick up some ingredients to make up a batch of IPA.

After all of that it’s off to Hey Marseille practice. We’re going over the songs that we’re recording at Avast this weekend and will be enjoying an 8 pizza dinner pre-practice at the Anderson’s Columbia City house (Chartwell). Maybe Nick will be mixing up some delicious beverages at their in-house WWII themed bar called “Churchill”? We’ll just have to wait and see I guess.

Carlos and Donde Esta.

Penne Vodka

Wednesday night at Hey Marseilles practice Jacob and Pam made up some delicious lamb chops with rice and Mediterranean salad from Mawada Café. Not that I’m competitive but I had to attempt to show them up tonight. I’d made this sauce a week prior and if I have once piece of advice it would be to not let anyone see you adding the heavy cream… my girlfriend walked in right when I was and made a growing sound and looked defeated. Apparently some of the dishes I serve up are not for calorie counters…

Vodka Sauce

28-32 Ounces Canned Crushed Tomatoes

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

1 Cup Vodka

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

5 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 of a Large Onion

Salt

Pepper

I started my day with a trip to Ballard Market in uhh, Ballard. It felt a little like being an old person because I took a shower and got dressed and everything for my big outing of the day. Well, I actually took the shower and got dressed because I recently realized that I’m spending far too much of my day wearing Jordan shorts and my Patagonia fleece around town.

I love BM.

I do enjoy cooking alone, preparing a meal for others of course, but sometimes it's nice to have some friends join in. Here are Jose and Manuel. I picked them up in addition to my tan from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Start off by mincing the garlic and chopping the onions. Heat some olive oil on medium or even medium low depending on how hot your stove gets. Add a pinch of salt and let those things cook down but don’t let them get too brown or anything. Ideally they would stay white and do more of a sweaty cook down.

 After cooking down for 10 minutes or so you can add the 28-32 ounces of canned crushed tomatoes, vodka, chicken stock and heavy cream as well as your salt and pepper to taste.

Finely chop up about 20 basil leaves and add them to the sauce as well.

Now I just let the sauce cook at medium low, so it isn't bubbling, burning or making a huge mess on my stove... and let it cook down for about 45 minutes letting all the flavors combine while getting a little bit thicker and stuff.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I had Jacob run to the store and he grabbed two chicken breasts that I pounded out flat, salt and peppered and pan fried to throw into the sauce. Good call Jacob.

This is a great recipe to add to your weekly routine which has probably been super lame until you stumbled upon my blog. I mean, ground beef tacos twice a week and a Digorno on Friday?!? I mean, you could at least go for Papa John’s. I mean, they give you pepper and garlic butter for the crust, mmmm…

I’m posting separate recipes for the remaining pieces of this meal. It’s pretty cool when you can say that you made pretty much everything your own and stuff. Like, if I was single I wouldn’t be for long making dinners like this.

Don't sneak up on me when i have a knife... Seriously.

Hey, I'm Jacob. I don't care what my girfriend is saying, I'm playing Words With Friends.

Thumbs up ala Matt Bishop.