an update on making the internet a place again

one of my earliest blog posts was about how i miss when the internet was confined to the family computer in the living room and having the old internet experience. back in april, i purchased a desktop pc, but we didn't have a desk or monitor for it right away so we just hooked it up to the tv. for a while, this worked pretty well. i could sit on the couch while surfing the web. it wasn't perfect but it was working. until my fiance moved in and then it didn't work so well. my fiance and i like to parallel play games. if we're play our switches it works great, but i tend to be a pc gamer and he tends to be a playstation gamer. so having both pc and playstation hooked to the tv did not work great. i started playing my games on my laptop again, which then turned into watching youtube or tv on it again, and before i knew it the internet was no longer confined to a place. i was using the internet constantly but i wasn't using the desktop very much. L hardly used it at all.

this week two exciting things happened. 1. we finally ordered a monitor. and 2. we took an old computer desk off my parent's hands. it was my grandma's old computer desk, and i remember waiting on her to hangup the phone so i could work on school work because she had dialup internet. it also has a sticker that i stuck on it when i was like nine years old. its awesome. we're still working on decorating it. but it has a spot for all our cds, we got a Webkinz mousepad off eBay, and the cats already love sitting on top and staring down at what i am doing on the computer. our computer is now in its own dedicated space that is comfortable and functional. i'm not saying i'll completely give up my laptop or surface. both have practical applications but hopefully, i can be more intentional with my time engaging with the internet.

let's talk about the youtube age restriction thing

i don't use social media. i deleted instragram, tiktok, and i haven't touched twitter in years. the only reason i have facebook is for work. but i haven't been able to breakup with youtube. on one hand i hate it because its under the google umbrella so i know its goal is to sell my data and then sell ad space to try and feed into capitalism. on the other hand, i love watching videos of people making crafts, cooking, or a well-done video essay with incredible videography.

i've tried to limit my youtube. i only watch on my laptop. i have my subscription box bookedmarked so i always start with creators i follow. i actually watch my watch later playlist. i rarely second screen anymore, with the exception of some creators who do 'craft with me' style videos that i put on while working on projects. while i don't feel addicted to youtube i will openly admit i don't feel ready to give it up

then the youtube age restriction announcement came out. i first heard about how it was being implemented in the UK and at first i thought 'sure, protect the kids' but the more i thought about it the more disturbing it felt. no social media account should ever require your government issued idea. period.

the common rebuttle i've heard is that they already have so much of your information from storing (and selling) your data that its not that big of a deal. two things: 1. if they have all that information they already know i am an adult. 2. my coworkers have gleemed a lot of personal information about me from working together, but that doesn't mean i'd give them my passport or drivers license. and i'm willing to bet neither would most people.

its bitter sweet to say but i think youtube's decision to implement this tomorrow might be what finally gets me to log off youtube for good. my fiance and i have youtube premium. the minute they ask for age verification is the minute we will cancel our subscription and log off.

for me, i will be sad to leave the channels that i have grown to look forward to. some of them i had been following back on tiktok and i was so glad to find their longform (and for most better) content on youtube. i will also miss the resource of being able to search for how to thread the bobbin on my antique sewing machine and being able to find a video of my exact model on youtube.

but none of that is worth giving them my id. so i'll find other things to feel my freetime. my library has great movies and shows available. i can watch all of Julia Child's cooking show by using the hoopla service they offer. i donate to pbs and they have a really fabulous streaming service. or (hopefully) i'll feel even less inclined to look at screens and do something productive and fulfilling irl.

4.22.2025

the sun finally poked its head out and it was such a nice day! my hot tub is all set up for a season full of margarites, cookouts, and late night chats. i tentatively agreed to a bike camping trip with my fiance and brother in the fall. its 12 miles to the campsite, then 12 miles back the next day. i mostly agreed because of fomo and i wanted to get in better shape before the wedding. today, i rode 2 miles and i felt pretty good! i forgot to check the air in my tires before i took off, so that made it a little harder than necessary. :/

i have tomorrow off and its supposed to be stormy, so im hoping to get some reading done. i need to run to the library and get some more movies to watch this weekend. i also need to clean my house :p

4.19.2025

never start a cheesecake at 8 oclock at night. its not that its difficult, its that it guarntees you will have to stay awake for 2 extra hours. also, dont stay in a house that has no backyard if you have dogs with you, especially if its forcasted to rain the whole weekend. also, after 20, avoid sleeping on a mattress on the floor. your bones will thank you for it. also, go play cards with your grandma. you won't win but you will definitely have a fun time.

my fiance and i went shopping today and we made a list that we had to (mostly) stick to. I wanted headphones, a book Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, and he wanted cds of three specific artists, wired earbuds, and a fanny pack. i found my two items, plus a Blues Travelers CD and a collectors edition of original The Planet of the Apes movies. He found wired earbuds, but nothing else on his list. one of us clear stuck to the list better than the other. we also went to a new Barnes and Noble, i hate the 'new' layout of the stores. yes, it felt like there was more in the store, but i couldn't find anything very easily and you had to walk past a bunch of extra junk to get to the books, music, and movies. i really like the collectors editions of the A24 films. i am very tempted to get a few of my favorite

4.16.2025

i am exhausted. like dead tired, could sleep for a week tired. 13 hr day mostly on my feet. no time to make real food (thank you leftovers) no naptime, and no down time. i wanted to pack for easter weekend but i didn't have the time today, so i will just have to hurry and pack right after work.

too tired to write anything else. peace out, girl scout.

4.15.2025

i made salsa verde chicken last night and it was so good ive had it for lunch and dinner. ive been sick the last two days and im honestly dreading work tomorrow. i feel like a have to play catch up which makes me a little panicky. but i know the best way to get over that feeling is rip the bandaid off tomorrow and work!

my latest favorite third place has been my local library. what have a been checking out the most you ask? movies! okay, yes, ive been checking out books too but books take me longer to get through and i can check them out for a month. movies i can consume in an evening and they are due after only a week. ive also been getting some cds but they dont have a huge selection there. im hoping that if i keep checking out music, theyll take the hint and get more.

the whole reason i started going to the library so much is because i am making an effort to engage with my local community. my hope is that active civic engagement will grow the resouces and events in my community so that this is a place i am proud to live. each week, i pick one or two local third places that i want to support and i go out and support them. ive been going to my locally owned coffee shop more, i get my breakfast sandwiches from a local shop, and im trying to buy local and inseason produce at the grocery store. i dont know if it will make a noticable difference, but it feels nice and i already get so much out of it. i even found an egg plug! whats an egg plug? a friend who has chickens and is more than happy to sell them for less than the grocery store does.

on a bummer, my favorite subscription box Cooking with Bon Appetit is being discontinued. my fiance and i have been loving this box because it can be difficult to find good quality unique ingredients (like harissa) and i love making the fancy flavorful dishes with him. it also gave me access to Bon Appetit and Epicurious which i have been coming to rely on when i need a great recipe for an unusal ingregient (like preserved lemons). if anyone out there knows of a similar subscription let an online stranger know!

what we're cooking every week(ish)

for this week, i thought i would shake things up a bit. instead of telling you what i'm cooking this week, i thought i'd share what staples i routinely make so that i never run out. none of these are really a weekly thing. most are every other week or monthly.

creme fraiche

i used to avoid recipes that called for creme fraiche because i could never find it in grocery stores. little did i know you could make it at home! the first time you make it you'll take 1C heavy cream to 1T buttermilk and combine them in a clean container with a lid. Then loosely cover and place it on your counter (or in a cabinet if you have nosy pets.) leave it alone for a day, i set a reminder so i don't forget about it. it'll keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge. when its time to make more just replace the buttermilk with a T of your creme fraiche.

i use this instead of sour cream. i've also used it as a substitue for greek yogurt but it is a thinner consistency. i usually only make a half recipe because its mostly a topping in this house. when i bake with it i can easily whip up a bigger batch. my first crowd pleaser at a potluck was a toasted baguette topped with an apple slice and sweetened creme fraiche. i had a coworker flag me down so he could take extra home.

mayonnaise

i've had enough cookbooks tell me how easy and worth it it is to make your own mayonnaise. While i still enjoy dukes mayo, homemade mayo is really delicious. the key is patience. don't try to find a shortcut, you'll spend more time (and dishes!) trying to fix your mayo than if you'd just followed the directions in the first place. I usually use Sohla El-Waylly's recipe because the mustard and lemon juice really give it that delicious mayo-iness. also, very important don't use EVOO its a waste of oil because the olive oil overpowers everything else so you mayo just tastes like a spoonful of oil. any neutral oil is good. my last batch used locally made sunflower oil which gave it a beautiful color. i also wait until may emulsion has come together and all the oil is incorporated because i had the cold water.

i mostly use mayo for salad dressings. a lot of cookbooks will have you make what is basically a seasoned mayo as a dressing. i almost always take my homemade mayo and just added the seasonings instead of using 1/2 a cup of oil everytime i make a salad.

sourdough + discard

this isn't just one recipe but a launch point for a whole category of recipes i make every weekend or so. my sourdough (named Pilsbury) is thriving. i feed him once a week and keep him in the fridge unless i know i need active starter. i change the amount i keep around but lately 90gs per component is my preferred so i have more discard. i've even shared my starter with family. hopefully Pilsbury Jr. is thriving with my mom.

for active starter recipes, i mostly stick to basic loafs. my best loaf was a potato sandwich loaf that felt like a cloud. i have a small dutch oven so my loaves are only 6-in in diameter, which is just about perfect for my fiance and i. i invested in a bowsaw knife so that my slices are more even (gamechanger!)

discard recipes are my real favorite for sourdough. i started with discard crackers which taste like a cheezit even without cheese added. my fiance likes everything-but-the-bagel seasoning on top and i just like flaky sea salt so i do half and half when i make a batch. they last about a week and taste great paired with cheese

i also love sourdough discard waffles and tortillas. the waffles are the perfect balance between sweet and savory. i am dying to try them with chicken and waffles (fingers crossed i figure out a recipe to share with yall) and they are perfect for copy-cat scooters waffle breakfast sandwiches. just take a couple of waffles from the freezer, reheat them in the toaster and assemble with breakfast sausage, steamed egg patty, and cheese if you want it. super filling!

quick pickled or marinated vegetables

between the farmers market, and my own vegetable garden, this time of year i end up with so much produce that i don't have the heart to let go to waste but also don't have a big enough yield to justify full on canning (nor do i have the shelf space) so i like to make batches of fridge pickles or marinated veggies that with last anywhere from a week to a month.

my quick pickles are just cucumbers, a salt and sugar brine and then whatever seasonings call to me. my brother still talks about my italian herb pickles from 5 years ago. my last jar has homegrown dill and fresh fennel seed. garlic and chili flakes are also great additions. other veggies i've pickled include red onion and jalapenos.

my marinated veggies are more varied. during the summer i marinated fresh slide tomatoes in balsamic vinegar with basil and mozzarella pearls to make a caprese-esque salad that i can either put between two slices of toasted bread or just eat straight from the container. don't both making this in the winter it is just sad without the fresh tomatoes. this winter i am going to try out these roasted tomatoes and see how they compare.

another staple is some kind of asian cucumber salad. i've used matty mattheson's, i've used justine_cooks, i've even used that one guy on tiktoks. at this point i use whatever i have on hand. soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, chili crisp, and MSG (duh) are pretty common. i also like to add kewpie mayo, some lime juice, and if i want some protein i'll mix it with packaged tuna right before serving.

green beans and asparagus marinated in EVOO with garlic, lemon zest and oodles of herbs is also a delicious side. it packs a lot of punch and uses up the spring veggies i've been hoarding in my freezer since last spring. the only downside is that they have to be used up in a week or else they go nasty. so if you make this, expect to eat it every day until its gone.

that's a summary of (some) of my staple recipes. if you liked this please let me know and i can share more!

what we're cooking this week 8.4.2025

this might be the last chance L and i have to cook fancy meals on weekdays as we are both heading back to work next week. i've been working halftime during the summer and L is currently doing onboarding for his new job. next week we are both fulltime five days a week so i expect lots of naps and quick meals. but this week is still open to fancy meals and too many leftovers.

Sunday - Nicoise Sandwiches

normally, our weekly menus start on monday, but we decided to get a head start so L could take leftovers for lunch. this nicoise recipe is basically fancy tuna salad sandwiches (which i ate a lot of as a kid). i bought croissants from the local bakery, made my own mayo, and sourced most of the veggies from our own garden. the only adjustment i made was leaving out the olives because L hates olives. I figured if i really missed them i could add them in on my own sandwich

Monday - Baked Ziti

we had blue cheese that needed to be used up so L made this delicious baked ziti that was super cream with three kinds of cheese and heavy cream. this recipe is from this cookbook which is our go to when we don't know what to make.

p.s. if i don't specify where a recipe is from it is almost always from this cookbook

Tuesday - Bacon Scallops and a Tomatoe/Corn Salad

i just got Wishbone Kitchen's new cookbook and i was eager to test it out. it has summer coastal vibes which is exactly what i want as i hold onto summer. L also really wanted something with scallops. we're a seafood family

the tomato/corn salad came together flawlessly. the tomatoes and corn both came from our local farmers market so they are peek freshness. i did not have chili-infused olive oil so i used dried aleppo pepper because i thought the spicy sweet taste would pair well with the sweet corn

the scallops didn't go as smoothly... it was mostly my fault. i picked bay scallops which are much smaller than sea scallops. they were also frozen because i live in a landlocked state. i started to thaw them first think in the morning because i thought an overnight thaw might make them go funky. instead they weren't completely thawed and held too much water so they could sear very good. i also browned the butter on accident so even the this dish was edible (and according to L very tasty) it didn't have the fresh bright vibes i was going for

Wednesday - Alfredo Tater Tot Casserole

i didn't really get why L was so excited to make this dish. we both grew up on casseroles but rarely cook them for ourselves. i've tried making tater tot casserole in the past and i was not a fan. but this casserole was delicious! another recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook so of course its a win. it uses jarred alfredo sauce, rotisserie chicken, and gouda cheese to make for a creamy sauce that goes so well with the crispy tater tots. its then topped with green onions and diced tomatoes.

L and i usually sit at the dinning room table for dinner but tonight we opted to watch The Sopranos while we ate

Thursday - Egg Drop Soup

L works late tonight so we needed a quick dinner that i can throw together when he gets home. i'm currently working through the temperature control chaper of Sohla El-Waylly's cookbook and L is loving it because he. loves. eggs.. its not really "soup weather" but we love soup in this house so all weather is soup weather. i might also make some corn on the cob because i have two ears that we need to use up

Friday - Day Night

we have to pickup our CSA this week so that means date night! i planned our last date night so its L's turn and he likes to keep it a surprise. as long as we get food i will be happy lol

i do know we are going to do some shopping for work clothes for L and i need to swing by ulta to get more lipgloss

Saturday - Who Knows!

we have some wedding planning appointments on saturday which means a 2 hr drive to get to the big city. one of those appointments is charcuterie tasting so thats good. we will definitely be eating out for dinner so we have the energy for the long drive home.

what we're cooking this week 7.28.2025

My fiance lovingly refers to our weekly meal planning as ‘consulting the tomes’ because I have a tendency to pull out all my cookbooks and have several tabs open to Bon Appetit and NYT Cooking. I usually cover dining table or sit on the living room carpet with all the books open in front of me.

A few days ago I decided it was time to start a freezer and fridge clean out so I wrote out a inventory of our two freezers and fridge. In my mind its like a game, for every ingredient we need to use up I get a point. Seasonal food and using what we have definitely drives my meal planning.

This also led to a deep clean of my cookbook shelf, a reset of our fridge calendar and some how I made creme fraiche, mayo, and quick pickles because my kitchen is a slippery slope.

Monday - Boyfriend Salmon and A Chopped Salad

I tease my fiance that he missed out of boyfriend salmon because I didn’t discover it until after we got engaged, but I’ve been craving salmon and Justine’s recipes are divine so he’s in luck.

Our CSA last week included a lot of salady things, (ie butter lettuce and kale) so I am using Julia Turshen's formula for a chopped salad to use up some of those tasty fresh veggies. Also her mustard vinaigrette is my go-to salad dressing.

Tuesday - Grill Day #1

This is the last week of summer break for L and I (#teacherlife) and we are trying to pack as much summer into this week as we possibly can. That means lots of evenings grilling and relaxing in the hot tub.

L is planning on grilling burgers (his grandpa’s recipe) and jalapeno poppers. Our garden is producing fantastic jalapenos but they are smaller so we had to pick some big ones up from the store for stuffing.

P.S. A hot tub is a lot like a boat. I probably spend more time taking care of the tub than I do sitting in it but I still love it.

Wednesday - Stir-Fry

Heavily inspired by the Bon Appetit 56 Basil Chicken Stir-Fry but tweaked to use up shishito peppers, our homegrown basil, and ground turkey.

For some reason we can never reliably find ground chicken at the grocery store in town. I usually substitute turkey or pork depending on what I am feeling that week.

Fun fact about the peppers, when we were at the farmers’ market a farmer ended up just giving us the peppers because he was so desperate to be ride of them He “picks them in the hundreds” and just wanted to let us try them out.

Thursday - Grill Day #2

Remember how I said we are trying to jam-pack summer into this week? Yeah, welcome to grill day #2. Have you ever tried the American classic of putting a beer can up a whole chicken and grilling it? Neither have we but we can’t stop thinking about it.

We’ve talked about it so much that we have nicknamed it “butt chicken” which just sounds delicious right? L is doing a Cajun rub on the chicken and using a Modelo tallboy for the beer.

I also am making a tomato aguachile from Bon Appetit’s latest issue because our garden is exploding with tomatoes and I just can’t get enough of them.

Friday - The Best Pasta Ever

One of the first dishes I ever cooked for L was a pasta dish. He loved it so much and asked me what it was called. As a joke I told him I wouldn’t tell him because then he would go and make it for himself. The joke is still going and I still haven’t told him what the pasta is called. I even covered the title on the recipe card. L doesn’t use substack so I think its safe to tell you the dish is called Pasta Amatriciana.

I’ve cooked a ton of different versions of this and picked up parts I liked from each different recipe so its never exactly the same but the key components are the same. The bacon and pepper flakes are what makes this dish stand out for me.

This time I am using beautiful orange cherry tomatoes from our CSA and I am so excited to see how the sauce turns out color-wise.

Saturday - Baked Enchiladas

I told L I had a craving for tex-mex and this was what we settled on. Filled with chorizo and refried beans. Covered in a homemade enchilada sauce. I am super pumped!

Sunday - Fend for Ourselves

thanks for reading!