Thinking Out Loud #93

Hi hi hi happy Thinking Out Loud Thursday! My blog broke on me last week when I was working on my end-of-the-week posts, and then my uncle arrived with his girlfriend while we were watching the Ohio State game, and I opted to catch up with them over figuring out technology. I have an Apple appointment today, so let’s all just hope I don’t need a new computer right now. That sounds like a great time, doesn’t it? NO, it doesn’t, but thanks for playing.

I hope you’re having a fabulous short week (short weeks always feel longer than usual to me???) and I’ll catch ya tomorrow with some faves!

1.) I have become best friends with my dog again.

I will often complain that she likes my mom more than me – which only makes sense given that I’m not here eight-ish months of the year – but we’re BFFs right now. I’m here for her longest walk(s) of the day, and since the weather has been all kinds of wonderful, it’s been the best. Yesterday she ran through the grass at the park with me, which isn’t that far, but it is freaking cute. Plus, she has little legs and I was wearing flip flops, so it was plenty.

2.) Also, yesterday I was peeling apart a rotisserie chicken for dinner and she was OUTSIDE, but thirty seconds after I started, she barked once to let me know she was ready to run inside and sit at my feet in order to be fed chicken scraps. We’re best friends, remember? And that cute little nose knows food.

3.) And the weather, horrendous though it has been in the south, has been ridiculously amazing here. These sixty-degree days are my personal heaven.

4.) These are some of the richest, fudgiest brownies I have ever made. EVER. I have a great habit of making new-to-me recipes for gatherings and praying they turn out. (It usually works.) They’re super simple and you should get on that really fast. And send me one.

5.) I know I just started watching One Tree Hill, but then I got my mom into it, which means I now only watch it when she’s not at work. So, I had to start a new easy-watching show while I was (poorly) painting my nails the other day, and Gossip Girl won. It’s ridiculous and I love it endlessly. I am getting really good at this unemployed, unschooled life, guys. Netflix and nail-painting.

6.) I’ve started running again! Early last week, I ran a mile. A few days later, a slow mile plus some sprints. And then I ran 11 miles in 4 days, which was not the smart, slow way to ease myself back, but… it sort of works. I’m taking some days off now in an effort to be smarter, but yay for finally getting back to it!

7.) I went to The Guild House with my family for dinner, and we were treated quite well.

Good bread to start. I was really excited to see it because it looked like some sort of fancy jalapeño cornbread.

Wrong! Turned out to be good fluffy regular bread with olives. Turns out, I still don’t like olives, despite my deep love for other briny foods (pickles, mustard, pickled everything, sauerkraut). 

We split an appetizer of avocado and burrata toast topped with pickled onions.

I’d have upped the amount of avocado, but I could say that about anything, so there are no legitimate complaints here.

Then I ordered a warm salad of Brussels sprouts with pecans, white cheddar, caramelized onions, and honey dressing that was pretty much crack, even if a touch sweet for me… kind of like the vegetable form of dessert.

To balance the sweet, I got smoked trout, which was freaking fabulous. It was all minced up with onion and capers. So good.

And then… dessert. We all know I can polish off too much dessert with no trouble, so when our waiter told us that the chocolate torte was smaller than a coupon and only about an inch tall, I was pretty sure that we needed two of those, plus the carrot cake my dad opted for. Also, we know one of the employees there, so she brought out their famous (?) pea cake. Let’s just check in – that brings us to four desserts for three people. Anyway, they all come out and are amazing. 

The chocolate peanut butter torte is so rich that even I only finished half of one. (I could’ve done more, but I was happier because I didn’t.)

The pea cake doesn’t taste like peas (much like carrot cake doesn’t taste like carrots), but it’s super dense and tender with a perfect cream cheese frosting.

And the carrot cake is light and fluffy and tastes like my grandma’s spice bread.

Gah. So much goodness. We ended up bringing most of the pea cake and half my torte home. Lots of delicious sweets. 

8.) I’ve been sleeping a lot lately and it’s kinda weirding me out. It’s good, I’m sure, but waking up after 6am throws me for a little bit of a loop. I know, I’m ridiculous.

9.) I hadn’t had Jeni’s all summer till a few days ago, and that needed to change before I leave for a few months.

Darkest chocolate + sweet potato eclair enjoyed al fresco with my mommy.

10.) And now I want to leave you with some of my favorite recipes + reads from the week:

• Life motto: put an egg on it. –> Breakfast Egg Roll in a Bowl
• I eat pumpkin all year, but I’m glad it’s socially acceptable now. –> Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bars
• This looks like magic. –> Giant Grain-Free Pumpkin Pop-Tart with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
• I’ve grown to love being outdoors – and it’s good for ya! –> September Challenge: Get Outside
• Never would’ve even looked here for beauty products… –> The Best Beauty Products from Trader Joe’s

Life lately: bonding with my dog, beautiful weather, and a bounty of dessert. #thinkingoutloud Share on X

Your turn:

Do you like olives? Pumpkin?

How’s your weather? Everybody safe?

Anything else I should know?