what not to say when trying to find out whether or not someone has a kid

“I’m sorry, we’re acting like toddlers. Speaking of toddlers, are you growing one in your house right now?”

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

This one’s arguably one of my most popular recipes. :D! I’ve probably made it the most times out of…basically anything while I’ve been out here. :O Here’s the original recipe.

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:
-1 cup frozen strawberries, diced/minced (can also be fresh)
-1 tbsp cornstarch
-1 3/4 cups cinnamon graham crackers, finely crushed
-1/4 cup butter, melted
-2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
-1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
-2 large eggs
-1/3 cup lemon juice
-1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
1) Heat oven to 350 F. If you have a blender, puree the strawberries. If not, dice/mince em’ as best you can. No one complained when I did that, so you should be in the clear. :O
2) In a saucepan, combine the strawberry puree and cornstarch. Cook and stir until thickened. Cool.
3) Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press firmly on bottom of baking pan.
4) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well and pour over crust.
5) Drop strawberry mixture by spoonfuls over batter. Gently swirl with a knife or spatula. Bake 25-30 minutes until center is set. Cool. Cut into bars. Chill and serve!

[Take 2!]

[Take 3!] (no pictures: no lemon juice, but it turned out fine)

[Take 4!] Modifications: Fresh strawberries! <3

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炸醬麵/자장면 (Zha Jiang Mian/Jajangmyeon)

Another backdated recipe! Apparently, if you’re single, it’s tradition to make this on Valentine’s Day because this is a super messy dish, but since you’re single, you don’t have to care about what your face looks like when you’re done eating. So! We made this on Valentine’s Day for small group. :D

This is actually the Korean version, and is made with beef instead of pork because Melanie is awesome/I can’t eat pork. Don’t ask me what the difference between the Chinese version vs. the Korean version is because I have not a clue. ._.

炸醬麵/자장면 (Zha Jiang Mian/Jajangmyeon)

Ingredients:
-Beef eye round chunk
-Potatoes, chopped
-Onions, chopped
-Sesame oil
-Black bean paste
-Green squash
-Oriental style vermicelli noodles
-Cornstarch

Instructions:
1) Chop potatoes, squash, onions, beef.
2) Cook beef in sesame oil, then add potatoes, onions, and squash. Stir, then submerge in water and let it boil until cooked (use a potato to check).
3) Lightly pan fry the bean paste and transfer onto a dish.
4) Boil pot of water to cook noodles.
5) Add bean paste to the veggies/beef. (Add more as needed)
6) Add cornstarch to thicken.

reclaimed

My brother’s girlfriend and her sister are visiting from the Philippines for a couple weeks, so her sister’s staying in my currently “vacant” room.

However, if you remember the logistics of my family members, my beloved cat believes that my room is actually her room, and that she’s being the nicest living creature on the planet when I come home because she chooses to share it with me. She’s probably not far off from the truth because ever since I rescued her from the homeless shelter, she’s been living in my room more so than I have, because I’m always at school. My long-held suspicion is that she chooses to share it with me because somewhere deep down, she loves me, and because she thinks I’m really comfortable to lie on. I never mind this unless she (1) starts kneading my throat, or (2) decides to use my chest as a launch pad right as I’m about to fall asleep. Ninja’s not the slimmest of kitties, if y’know what I mean. (she’sprettyhefty.)

In any case, they arrived two nights ago and Ninja,  being Ninja, was pretty alarmed at the prospect of a stranger taking over her/my room.

N: An intruder that’s not Farrah? No, never!

So she did the only thing she could do. Sprawl across my full-sized bed in an attempt to take up as much space as felinely possible.

When my brother’s girlfriend’s sister (I’d totally give her a name if I knew what it was) tried to convince her to move off the bed, she started batting at her to keep her away. My theory is that Ninja thinks she’s replacing me, that I’m never coming back again, and this she cannot agree with, because I am one of the two people on this planet that she actually loves.

Poor baby. ;_; I wish I could hug her.

uncultured

I’ve been dubbed “uncultured” over here because there are so many movies I’ve never watched (not to mention, TV references that I never get because I didn’t watch TV for about 18-ish years of my life).

C: Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life.” Have you heard of it?
L: No.
(short silence)
F: Sure, don’t call Luke uncultured but call me uncultured for not knowing it. Haters.
C: Well, you really are. There are so many things you haven’t seen or heard of.
L: I mean, do you even know who Frank Sinatra is?
F: Of course I do! What do you think I am?!
L: Well, that’s questionable sometimes.
F: Scuse me!?

Haters, all of them.