Someone’s in the kitchen …

It’s rare that I get home and decide to actually turn on the stove and (gasp!) cook something. Tonight, a change of pace. You shoulda smelled the simmerin’ of the chili on the stove. And it was just how I like it: spicy? Never. Nice and bland, sort of like a hamburger goulash with a few cans of tomatoes, kidney beans, chili beans, garlic galore and just the tiniest bit of chili powder, for chili’s sake.

For dessert? A fresh batch of banana bread muffins (recipe, of course, below). It’s called “Gail Christianson’s Banana Bread.” Who? I’m sure she’s one of the many teachers my mom has worked with over the years. For as long as I can remember, they’ve shared recipes with notes in the margins that nearly tell stories themselves: “Best made before midnight, after ruining first batch, throwing away and starting all over again.” “I NEVER use that much! There were only five onions in that large pot.” “Governor Ed Shafer’s favorite recipe.” I’m now continuing the tradition … when passing on a favorite recipe, I always allow room for commentary on crisco, monologues on mixing bowls, and divulsions on dijon. When those recipes get passed on, reading them will be just as fun as enjoying the results.

Gail Christianson’s Banana Bread

COMBINE:
1 2/3 cup flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves (I’m generous on all the spices except the salt)

ADD:
1/3 cup soft shortening (Crisco)
1/3 cup water
1 cup of mashed bananas (just slice two up into the bowl)

Beat for two minutes, then add one large egg (don’t forget the egg, silly!) and then beat two minutes longer. Bake at 350 degrees in 5×9x3 loaf pan for 60 to 70 minutes, or in muffin tins for about 20 minutes.

Fresh! was due for a format change, don’t you agree? You loyal visitors aren’t so loyal anymore … my daily average visits are now down to 18 from 19 (the horror!). What’s a girl to do? How about write more … and write less. Yes, folks, as of November 28, I vow that although my entries will come less frequently (like that’s gonna be hard), you’ll get more for your money. Perhaps we’ll call each entry an exercise in creative writing. Or, perhaps we’ll just call it my own damn laziness. Whatever the case may be, folks, let’s get this show on the road.

Wonderful linky goodness!

Christine of maganda.org is cooking up something new and has just released Sari Sari. Can’t wait to delve into a few essays.
Gifts.com impresses me with their interesting gift offerings but not their prices. Forty five smackers for a cheesecake? Ouch. Impressed, however, with the online offerings at JCPenney’s. Slick navigation. Oh, help me! The Christmas consumerism is after me and it’s not even December!

Gotta love these search results. (I’m the seventh one on the list — how cool is that?)

I am thankful:

• That I don’t live in Buffalo, New York, and that Northfield only got one fourth as much snow as they did.
• For boyfriends and best friends and dads and moms and and little bros.
• That my grandma’s health is so well that at age 85 she’s shoveling her driveway, baking, and going to the mall.
• That I’m not allergic to turkey like my brother who gets to eat pot roast tomorrow.
• That I have a job and an apartment and that neither situation is really as crummy as I make it out to be.
• For the World Wide Web which turned my hobby into a job that pays pretty damn well.
• For a hairstylist I trust.
• For email. Most of the time.

My list could go on. But what are you thankful for?

A few cosmetic changes around here helped make lynsey.org a little more fresh for the holidays. Hope you like.

I just got off line with a “Lands’ End Live Shopper.” I had a few questions about an item I was interested in, so we chatted back and forth for a bit. When I couldn’t find what I wanted, she sent me to another web page. Before I knew it (and without a single click) a new page with her recommendations popped up in my browser! Impressive. And kind of spooky in a way. Even if you have nothing to order from Lands’ End, you ought to try out their personal shopper just for the fun of it.

Please believe me when I say I’m really not as boring in real life as I am in my weblog. Thank you.

Random:

Don’t you love Saturdays? A little good music, a lot of coffee, candles here and there, the newspaper, a good book, not to mention a smattering of trashy magazine articles, the smell of banana bread wafting from the oven, wearing pajamas til 2 p.m. Mmmmm.

Lots of exciting projects going on at work these days. Can’t wait to share with you … but until they’re live, they’ll be my little secrets.

Off to a friend’s covenant ceremony this afternoon … have to admit, my first one. Should be lovely.

Forget the hampster dance . . . it’s the Bush-Gore dance! (Make sure the volume’s up.)

All you boy fans will be especially excited about today’s post . . . all about makeup! (Yes, again!) So, after Eve.com ditched me, they told me to head over to Sephora.com. But what could beat the arrival in today’s inbox: a $10 gift certificate for Reflect.com, which allows you to customize your own cosmetics. By choosing several “soul notes” I customized my own fragrance in about five minutes. My own facial cleanser? Two minutes. I didn’t buy a thing, but my items are saved in my “organizer” (it reminds me of the good old days of Caboodles). I just might be back.

In today’s email:

Dear Eve Customer:As you may know, Eve.com recently closed for business. We really enjoyed serving you, and we thank you for your patronage and passion for shopping at Eve. In the future, we would recommend that you visit Sephora.com, a company for whom we have a good deal of respect and who we believe will serve your beauty needs well. Like Eve.com, Sephora is dedicated to all things beautiful, and we encourage you to check out their site at sephora.com.

Bummer. A site that I could count on with fast delivery, free shipping and free samples has gone by the wayside. Who’s next? And why do I feel so surprised?

This just in! Election Day answers!

1. Hmm. Is this some sort of snipe at Al Gore running around the country as a candidate or, perhaps, a critique of the veep’s weak strategy of not taking more credit for the good times our nation enjoys? Hmm.

2. Actually, she announced this fall that she was taking the year off to help her Mom campaign. “A once in a lifetime experience.” Or something like that.

3. Well that certainly is interesting question! I could be completely wrong, it appears to me that this is covered by the Section 3 of the twentieth amendment to the Constitution: “If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. [blah blah blah]” The electors would still vote for the dead candidate on December 18 and the joint session of Congress would still receive the elector’s decision on January 6. (I think.)

4. Vote for Nader. Seriously, the last polls indicate that Minnesota is looking more secure for Gore so you might as well have your vote reflect your beliefs. (Unless, you want to trust the valued insights of your dear old friend and vote for Gore!)

Did you?