#like finding a new spice that makes your recipe taste better idk

[ichorblossoms]

i gotta find smthin new to hyperfixate on so i can figure out what happens next in ttw

[theda-rison]

Vanilla Chai Recipe

Not me running out of chai spice mix and having to look for the post about it  on my old blog because I can’t find ittttttt

Anyway, reposting (a slightly edited version of) it here for posterity:

(get ready for magic)

 (∩'ω')⊃ ．。．:･°✧ﾟ.｡ﾟ ੈ✩‧₊･｡♡*ﾟ･.★ﾟ♡｡☆ﾟ✿

So I was really pissed when I went to buy more Good Earth Vanilla Chai, to find that they had basically rebranded their look (again) and had gotten rid of it. The new one does not have vanilla (and it DOES have licorice, which I abhor completely), so I wasn’t about to buy it and put myself into a gustatory depression.

Because I possess the Too Much Gene, I decided to throw many many monies at Mountain Rose Herbs and buy all the spices listed on the side of the box so I could figure it out for myself.

Here is the result.

---

Vanilla Chai Recipe

(These are all ground or powdered forms of the spice, except for the pepper. Some are easier to get than others, Mountain Rose Herbs is where I got most of mine.  I used a teaspoon for all of these measurements. You can use whatever measurement as long as you’re counting the spoonfuls, the amounts of each flavor is in relation to the others.)

Spice mix:

2 chicory root

2 cinnamon

1 cloves

1 cardamom

1 ginger

1 black pepper*

½ anise seed

½ nutmeg

Mix all your spices well. Store the mix in a jar for whenever you want to use it. Make sure it’s airtight so you don’t lose the flavors or attract bugs.

When you want to make the tea, combine:

1 teaspoon of the mix

1-2 teaspoons of loose leaf Assam tea**

6 drops of bourbon vanilla extract***

Whatever amount of sugar you want

(I use a cloth tea bag for the spices, for easier cleanup****).

Let the brew steep for 5 minutes. Take the bag out - drain it, cloth tea bags tend to take on a lot of water - and enjoy!

~~~

*I measured this as peppercorns and then crushed them for ultimate freshness and spiciness

**An Assam tea bag should work the same, I think those things only hold about a teaspoon anyway. I went with loose leaf because I had originally intended to make the whole thing a loose leaf blend, but I couldn’t find some of the spices in a non-ground way. Next time, though, lol. If only for even easier cleanup. Cleaning ground spices out of cloth tea bags is ANNOYING, it would be so much easier to just dump everything from the strainer into the compost.

***I don’t recommend using vanilla bean, as it’s very expensive and you get no flavor out of it. When I originally made this version of the mix with vanilla bean you could NOT taste it at all. Flavor what? Vanilla who? Apparently she deigned to not show up. Never met her. Using vanilla extract brings a better flavor. I also recommend using Pure Bourbon Vanilla. While more expensive, it has a stronger and better flavor than imitation vanilla. (Like, in my experience, imitation smells more like vanilla than it tastes like vanilla, and it sucks for flavoring ice cream; I think the cold knocks out its ability to smell or taste like anything, never mind vanilla, but because pure vanilla is plant oils in alcohol, it’s fine? Idk, I’m not a food scientist but artificial vanilla sucks so we do not stan. The extract is more expensive, but if you’re literally just buying it to make this, you’ll get a lot of use out of it. I took an old glossier Super Bounce bottle that I had cleaned, and put some in there so I can get the right amount of drops. Make sure to take it all apart - even pop out the glass part of the eyedropper too - and clean all of it if you do the same.)

****I got the cloth tea bag from Mountain Rose Herbs as well. You can get a pack of like... five? ten? I also find it easier to let them dry out for a day and then flip it inside out and pull the dried spices out, so having a lot makes that easier.

[future-dregs]

Can I ask what do you love the most about cooking? I'm not trying to diss you at all, I'm just curious. I bake mostly, and I love how everything comes together in the end and then watching bread rise in the oven. Not to mention the smiles that can come from someone enjoying your food. Your thoughts?

It's about the love, and exploration.

I'm a big fan of travel books, specifically food and travel. Finding out about all sorts of new recipes, and new ways preparing and cooking food, it's fun!

That's where the exploration comes in, trying new things, bettering the ones you already know, new ingredients, new flavors, new tastes, you can travel the world from your kitchen. It let's me be creative and its frickin' amazing!

As for the love....

Idk. It feels like an act of love for me.

Let me feed you, let me provide for you, let me make something special, or good, that makes you feel good and loved. Take my love into you and let it make you strong and healthy, let it bring you a quick burst of joy as you taste it.

You take the time (because you WANT to) to pick out nice ingredients and spices from the store, you prepare them, taking care to clean and wash them properly, creating the recipes to fullness of its ability, making it look and taste just as good as you possibly can, all because you care that the person(s) you're cooking for eat well.

That is my love.

[edengarden]

Hiii!!! I'm here for that regular bnha matchup👉🏿👈🏿 I really love the hq one u did omg!! It's *chef's kiss* kekdjdjdkdhd!!!! Here's the info:

Appearance: I'm fem, black, 5'1, slightly athletic & curvy-ish figure (lol), short? (mid-neck) hair, straight, dark brown eyes, size 9 shoe size (I still dk if it's relevant but oh well lmao)

Personality stuff: infp-t, Hufflepuff, Taurus sun, scorpio moon, sanguine, chaotic good, ambivert, a BuzzFeed quiz told me I'm a Pinto bean and a pumpkin spice mocha (do what you will with that info jdskdj)

Positive traits/qualities:

I'm super enthusiastic!! I love hyping people up and being energetic in general! I'm always down to try new things and have fun! If anyone is not feeling appreciated I'm ready to make sure they know that they're a queen/king and they're amazing!!!

I'm optimistic! I like to look at the brighter side of things and I always try my best to find a silver lining in any situation! Positive thinking helps me get through tough spots in my life because there's always hope for something better in the future!!

I'm observant!! I usually like to sit quietly and observe my surroundings. Especially in a new environment. Irl I like to read people's body language to asses their mood so ik how to approach them lol. I also do little things like remembering what they (friends/family) like to order at restaurants or something they pointed out at random that they liked. (Idk if I'm making sense lol)

Negative traits/flaws:

I'm annoying. Sometimes I just like being a little shit and cause mischief (being the youngest child does that to a person) but I think sometimes I'm too enthusiastic/energetic that it can be seen as obnoxious/annoying so I usually try and tone it down so I don't bother people...

I'm argumentative. When I have something to say I have to speak up. I try not to step on any toes but I can't help but argue with someone when our views on something clash. I like hearing different sides of debates though so I always give others a chance to talk. I don't go picking fights but if I feel like my opinion is being disregarded/not heard I will argue until it's known!!

I'm forgetful. Sure I'll remember random stuff like 'what my friend said in that one coffee shop last year' but important things like appointments? Birthdays? Assignment due dates? Idk her 😭 I try my best to write anything important down cause my memory is a selective sieve and it'll keep the most useless/random shit.

Hobbies: I love: Reading, writing, listening to music, learning languages, playing saxophone (I'm still learning tho lol), swimming, watching anime and cooking!

Music taste: any type of rock (punk rock, grunge, j-rock, metal), pop, kpop, RnB, jazz, dubstep, lofi hip hop, rap, bangers from: Elvis, the beach boys, Khalid, Ateez, Kendrick Lamar, p!atd, mcr, fallout boy, Nirvana, BTS, mxmtoon, Marianas trench, twenty one pilots, stray kids, Jay Park, crush, Dreamcatcher, Skrillex, MJ, troye sivan etc

Traits I look for: idk kind, funny/fun, loving/lovable, loyal (idk I ain't picky)

Traits I don't like: (nobody's perfect, just don't be a racist, xenophobic, sexist asshole lol)

More fun facts:

My love language is touch! I live for hand holding, cuddling, hugging, tickle fights and more!! 🥺

I love learning new stuff and rn I'm learning how to draw, paint, play music on sax, a new language and new recipes! :3

I love traveling!! It doesn't even have to be too far, as long as I don't know where I am it's an adventure! I usually end up getting lost whenever I travel (rip) but it's fun finding your way around and makes the trip more exciting!!

My current aesthetic: Sunflowers, striped turtle necks, warm blankets, rainbows that come out after storms, friendship bracelets, watching movies cuddled up w/someone, the joy of being alive. <3

It's mostly the same lol I just added a little something at the end :D Can't wait to see who I'll get! Don't forget to stay healthy & drink lots of water!! Take care 💙✨

I’m matching you up with Tokage! (You didn’t specify your gender preferences I hope this is alright ;-;)

You guys. I can’t even decide where to begin. The ENERGY- oh my god, you’re so enthusiastic, she’s so enthusiastic?? And you also recharge each other’s batteries so it’s a never ending stream of optimism and cheers!! People can’t believe the two of you are together but then again they watch you two go and they wonder how you two COULDN’T be a couple.

And her?? Thinking YOURE annoying? Fucking never. She’s the same as you to an extent and we KNOW she wouldn’t doubt your affection for her, but for the love of god if it does bother you, talk to her. She’ll have you thinking differently in NO TIME. this girl uses her words and she uses them well. And the two of you ARGUE. but it’s mostly fun arguing, Tokage isn’t the type to be so cocky as to not admit when she’s wrong; she’ll fight for her point if she knows it’s valid. Otherwise, if YOUR point becomes the only valid one, she’s giving it to you. She wouldn’t want to lose you over some stupid pride thing.

Oh my god, she’s 100% the type of person who’ll go “hey remember like two years ago when...” and theN MENTION SOMETHING STUPID OR EMBARRASSING YOU DID THAT YOU COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT

Tokage loves physical affection, both giving and receiving. She’s just so proud to call you hers?? Let her hold your hand and watch her always call dibs on you during training (Vlad never lets the class choose their partners anymore because of you two lol). She’ll tone down the PDA if you’re uncomfortable or if others warn her that they don’t like it, but otherwise?? She’s always by your side unless you need some space.

My god the two of you just have SUCH a fun relationship!! It’s never dull or boring, trust me.

Songs!!!

- my boy, Billie Eilish

- Feel It Still, Portugal. The Man

- butterfly addiction, Cö shu Nie

- Let’s Spend the Night Together, David Bowie

[fuckinuchihas]

Hello! Could I please get a love story?My crush's Kuroo❤Idk about tropes sry! it'd be like doing daily a bunch of stuff together, feelings start blooming since the beginning "w/o notice" until one day is like IThinkI'mInLoveWithYou! MeToo! haha I'm 24 she/her super shy&nervous:( I've long brown hair&eyes I'm 5'18 my friends says I'm super cute kind &funny I smile&laugh easily I love to go to museums parks &restaurants i'm super serious about work/life stuff but otherwise I'm lazy haha thank you!

Seriously sorry it took so long my dude! I hope you like it!!

The day you fell in love with Kuroo was a day like a dozen others in the small apartment you shared. Nothing particularly crazy happened and there were no groundbreaking moments of realization.

But you loved him all the same.

“Kuroo where’s the new detergent?” you ask, wishing you hadn’t put your laundry off til the last minute.

“Huh?” he says from the kitchen.

You repeat yourself, this time moving closer as you ask, “Where’s the new detergent?”

When you get to him there’s a blush on his cheeks and an apologetic look on his face.

Those goddamn eyes.

“You didn’t get it,” you say, as you realize why he’s sorry.

“Sorry, I forgot. I’ll go get it now-”

“It’s okay, we’ll go after breakfast,” you say, shaking your head. “I’ll just wear something different for the meeting.”

“I’m really sorry-”

“It’s fine, You’re really good about these things but nobody’s perfect, Tets.’

“You’re too good to me,” he says teasingly as he drops a kiss to the top of your head.

It used to fluster you and make you into a stuttering mess but after months of sharing an apartment not too far from your job, you’ve become more accustomed to his friendly affection and easy touch.

“Okay but if you burn my pancakes I will have my revenge,” you say, pointing toward the stove where the slight burning smell is coming from.

★・・・・・★・・・・・★・・・・・★

“No,” you say, shaking your head before he can even ask.

“But look, it doesn’t even need anything!”

You turn to him and in a deadpan voice ask, “Does it need water?”

“Well that’s nothing though-”

“You know we both work too much to care for it, I just don’t want another casualty on my conscience,” you say, grabbing at his arm and pulling him further along the aisle.

“I’ll take care of it this time, I swear! It was just one time…”

“Rip SideshowBob,” you reply, trying to get him as far away from the living things section as possible.

Kuroo pouts but he doesn’t argue further and you promise yourself to do some research on succulents that apparently need little or no care to flourish.

★・・・・・★・・・・・★・・・・・★

“Okay I’ll be back around four,” you say, checking your hair in the mirror once again. You turn around to find a gaping Kuroo just staring.

“What? Do I have something on me?” you ask, going back to the mirror to check.

“No no- you um..you look nice,” he says, and is that...that’s a blush.

“Thanks,” you say, not knowing how to treat it.

“There’s a new expo at the museum...I think it’s based around the Greek Gods… you up for it tonight?”

“Sure, that sounds amazing.”

“I’ll get the tickets,” he says, and you nod.

“Okay, I’m off! See you later.”

★・・・・・★・・・・・★・・・・・★

When you get home a delightful scent surrounds you and you head toward the kitchen. You almost comment but your tongue goes a bit dry in your mouth when you see your roommate, your friend Kuroo standing at the stove in the most amazing maroon suit pants and a sleek black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He looks...ungh, why are you doing this again.

‘Get it together girl,’ you say silently as you try to shake yourself out of the trance.

“Wow something smells good,” you say, and he grins up at you.

“Good you’re home, taste this for me and see if it needs more seasoning,” he says, blowing on the bite before holding it out to you.

You feel your face warm and it’s not just the closeness to the stove.

It tastes like heaven, there’s enough spice to make it feel rich and cultivated on your tongue but not so much to overwhelm your palette. He truly is a master in the kitchen.

“I-wow, that’s-thats amazing. What is that?”

“It’s a secret family recipe, no way am I sharing it with you...not til we’re married at least.”

“We-WHAT?!!” you squawked, backing away from him with wide eyes.

“Oh so you’re...you don’t feel the same way then?” he asks, a strangely vulnerable expression on his face.

“What way, Kuroo?” you ask, barely able to believe your ears.

“Oh it’s nothing, just joking darling..” he says, trying to play it off but you won’t let him get away that easily.

“Tets...what way?”

“Y’know, like love and shit.”

“Love and shit,” you say, unable to hold back your laugh.

“You are the worst at this!” you say… “I actually expected you to have better game but you’re just a big nerd aren’t you?”

He shrugs.

“I love you too Tets...and yeah, I’d really like to know all the family secrets one day. But for now I’m gonna grab another shower and get changed into the outfit I actually wanted to wear today.”

“Sure, your laundry is on your bed...those pink things are nice you should wear those,” he says, grinning wildly as you chuck a dish rag at his head.

You’re pretty sure there weren’t any pink underwear in your laundry but all the same it’s the least he deserves for teasing you.

“Dinner will be done in twenty so hurry your cute ass along. Don’t wanna be late for our first date do you?” he says down the hall making you feel hot all over again.

Ugh, he’s such a tease.

Still, you’re going on a date with the guy you love...

It could certainly be worse.

★・・・・・★・・・・・★・・・・・★

MASTERLIST

[purplesurveys]

833

Given the chance, would you ever go into space? I’ve answered this exact question on a recent survey...but yeah absolutely, as long as it was a free opportunity. Outer space has always interested me so it would be awesome to actually get there. What is your all-time favorite thing to snack on? A local brand of chips called Nova, corndogs, powdered fries, and pizza. I couldn’t choose just one :( Have you ever been jealous of anyone's socks? Not in a toxic way but I have seen socks that made me go “damn, I wish I had that” and it’s usually socks based off of famous paintings like Starry Night, The Scream, etc. Do you match your clothing, or are you careless about fashion? The most I’ll match is colors; I’ll make sure the colors I wear complement each other. But I’m not likely to buy outfits that come in parts, like a matching top and skirt that have their own price tags. It’s an annoying scam that makes you have to pay more money for one outfit lol. Know anyone that has amazing fashion taste? There’s a professor in the communication research department of our college that dresses SOOOO well. She’s never recycled an item of clothing either. She dresses literally exactly like Audrey Hepburn, except with more printed clothes.

Do you know or wish you could knit? I don’t know how to knit and have no desire to learn.

Like earmuffs? They’re alright, I guess? I never have to wear them, so I don’t have much of an opinion. Have you ever had the roof of your mouth sore? Yeah, that one time I ate takoyaki while it was still burning hot and I burned off the skin on the roof my mouth. Do you like orange juice? I’ll drink it if it’s served or if it’s free, but I never crave for it. How many times a day do you brush your teeth, honestly? Once or twice. Do you think anyone really looks good in a jumpsuit? Yeah. Well it’s since become a trend so that’s really all there is to know about people’s preferences nowadays. I have several jumpsuits that I feel really good in. Have a collection of anything? Not anymore. Ever ran out of something that made you very upset? Sometimes my family will bring home leftovers from a really good restaurant. When we finish them all up it bums me out. Biggest lie you ever told? Saying ‘yes’ with a big ol’ smile on my face to my high school guidance counselors whenever they ask if my situation at home is good. Is there a song that makes you want to rock out? For sure. I have my fair share of favorite punk/rock bands. Do you have a religion? No. Believe that there is a point to churches? Not a single one. How do eat Oreos? I just bite into them. Never really got into the whole twist-lick-dunk thing because 1) I don’t want to bite into something I had already licked (even if it’s my own saliva lol), and 2) I can’t consume a lot of milk, anyway. -This or That- Sunsets or sunrises? Sunsets. I’ve seen more sunsets than sunrises with Gabie, so I have good memories of them. I don’t like the idea of getting up early just for a sunrise either. Pennies or dimes? Can’t relate because we don’t use these concepts. Coffee or tea? Coffeeeeeeee. Never been a tea person, actually. Windows or Mac? Mac. I did use Windows for a while, but when it comes down to it I would rather get a Mac. Headphones or speakers? Headphones. You get more of the sound when you listen to music, so the listening experience is a lot better. Loud or soft & quiet? Depends on the context...I like my concerts loud, but I obviously prefer soft and quiet when I’m doing something like going to bed. Odd or even numbers? I don’t really have a preference lol. The cookie dough or the actual cookies? Cookie dough, heh. Speaking of, I recently found a recipe for edible cookie dough but I keep putting it off... Mp3 players or iPod? iPod, mostly because MP3s went out of style like, a decade ago. Calm or rock music? Again, depends on my mood. I’d listen to rock music if I’m pissed off or going through a similar emotion, and I’d prefer hearing calm music when I wanna focus on something, like if I’m doing surveys. Love or lust? Love. I don’t feel lust for the most part. Converse or Vans? Converse. They’re AJ’s favorite and I find them more comfy. The few times I borrowed my sister’s Vans I always got blisters at the end of the day. Lipsyncing or actual singing? I would prefer to lipsync than to let people hear my actual singing voice; but if I’m watching a performance obviously I’d want the performers to be using their real voice. Walking or running? Walking. I find strolls to be relaxing. Dancing or watching others dance? Watching others. Dancers are crazy talented. With friends or by yourself? When it comes down to it, I wanna be with friends. Local concert or a popular band? Popular band. It’s rarer, so I find it more precious. I still support local though! Blond or brown hair? Brown. Idk, I just don’t know a lot of people who are blonde. Red or black? I like both, but I like black slightly more. Blue or green eyes? Green. Having fun or being asleep? Having fuuuun. Carnival or park? Park. I can’t go on rides anyway, so a nice stroll and picnic at the park sounds lovely to me. -Favorites- Favorite thing to buy? Uh food, I guess? I’m super easy to please lol. What do your favorite pair of socks look like? My bacon and eggs one. Kind of tea/coffee? Iced tea/iced caramel macchiato. Way of communication? Face-to-face with Gab, instant messenger/text for everyone else. Time to sleep in to? Midnight is most convenient for me. Band to dance to? PARAMORE. Also helps that their music has turned dance-y too. Favorite gum? Don’t really have one. I’ll chew on any kind/flavor of gum. Type of cereal? Cookie Crisps. Color of hoodie? I don’t mind color, as long as the hoodie is comfortable and keeps me warm. Spice? Cumin smells lovely. Favorite thing to touch/feel? Dogs. Website? Probably Twitter. I’ve been on it the longest and still have no reason to be tired of it. Person in your life? My girlfriend...but also my dogs, if they can count. -Would you Rather- Hire one of your friends, or fire an enemy? Hire one of my friends, as long as they work well without me. Firing an enemy seems a little bit more unprofessional, especially if they objectively perform well. Be a contestant on American Idol or America's Got Talent? I’d go with AGT I guess? I’ve watched some snippets of the show and their judges seem more nice, whereas on American Idol the judges tend to laugh or embarrass you if you do badly. Live in Britain or Australia? Australia. I feel like it’s a more Filipino-friendly country, not that Britain isn’t but yeah. Travel by plane or helicopter? Plane. Aren’t helicopters loud? I think I’d be more relaxed in an airplane. Trade places with a male or a female for a day? I’d rather remain a woman, thanks. Shop at Wal-Mart or Target? I don’t know. I’m honestly curious though – for the Americans survey-takers, what’s the difference between them and what do y’all prefer? Hahaha Read Shakespeare or Artistotle's work? I internally winced at both lol but when it comes down to it, Shakespeare. I do like his work, as long as I’m reading a modern English version. I hate philosophy straight up, so that’s a definite no on Aristotle. Have a regular donut or donut holes? Regular donut. Spell better or smell better? Smell. I can already spell well. Rather be in a tornado or a large earthquake? This is horrible, no one ever *wants* to be stuck in a natural calamity. 80's or 90's music? I like the 80s sound better. Eat a plain peanut butter sandwich or PB & J? Peanut butter sandwich. I tried PB&J before to see what the hype was about, and it just didn’t work for my Asian tastebuds. Wear a uniform every day or go half-naked? Wear a uniform. I wore one in Catholic school for 14 years and survived, so it’d just be the same thing. Would you rather Santa or the Easter Bunny actually exist? Santa. I’m more familiar with him. The Easter Bunny’s not really a part of our culture so I don’t actually know what it’s supposed to do. Apple pie or Pizza pie? Pizzaaaaa. Y’all should know me by now haha. Spend an afternoon cleaning or clean things later? I’d rather work early so I can be satisfied earlier. Flying or X-Ray vision? Flying. Dentist or Doctor? I guess dentist? There’s fewer reasons to be scared when you go to the dentist because the health problems are just limited to your mouth, I guess. Would you rather spread gossip or start a fight? Both sound awful. I’m never one to start a fight and I never initiate gossip myself, though I do take part in it sometimes. Get rid of your favorite shoes or your favorite pants? Pants. I love my shoes. Visit Florida or New York? New York. Myspace or Facebook (or do they both suck)? Facebook. It sucks, but at least the memes there are hilarious as fuck.

[dancing-with-dichotomies]

Trio of Towns Recipe Problems? PART 1

Okay, so, I got beef with Trio of Town’s recipe section. And it’s not just the lack of beef. XD;;

Though real quick, why DON’T we have the option to make our animals into meat? Look I know they’re cute and we love them, and you shouldn’t HAVE to, but there’s really no good logical reason why not. The game allows you to make fish dishes after all? Are fish not living creatures? Plus the game kills off your animals due to old age anyways, and it allows you to sell your animals at any time. So why not have a butcher in town? Again, no one has to use it if they don’t want. But for those who do, as long as nothing gross is shown, why not?

Anyways, besides the chicken and beef recipes I’m missing out on, here’s a few other issues I’ve noticed. I've tried my best not to comment on recipes I just don’t think sound good and stick to what I really believe is incorrect.

SALADS

Potato Salad - This is labeled as a Westown Recipe. However, I think this version of Potato Salad is one that Japanese/Chinese/Eastern people in general are more familiar with. This recipe calls for “Potato, cucumber, carrot and mayonnaise”, with the toppings being either “beans, pepper or radish”. Where I’m from, however, potato salad’s ingredient list is “potato, cucumber-pickles, eggs, and mayo”, with topping picks being “Salt/Pepper, Onions or Olives”. Perhaps there could be two potato salad recipes in the future, one from Tsuyukusa and one from Westown? Sharing and/or quarreling over different versions of recipes could actually be a plot point for future games, too. 

Mashed Potatoes - Recipe is fine but needs more topping picks. Should add butter and cheese. Also maybe sour cream as a new topping/craft? Sour cream isn’t available in TOT but maybe you could make it in a future game? Milk in the fermenter logically sounds like it would make sour cream, right?

Milk Salad - Okay I PROMISE I won’t comment on recipes I just find weird for the most part but... Do people really do this??? Just, pour milk on vegetables like cereal...? XD I have to ask, which specific vegetable is usually used with this recipe? I just cannot fathom which veggie tastes good with milk...?

Coleslaw - Again, must be a different version of the recipe. Ingredient list here is “cabbage, radish, apple, honey, yogurt” with topping picks as “salt/pepper and mayo”. Where I’m from coleslaw is “Cabbage (a red and green cabbage variety would be nice too), carrots, yogurt/mayonnaise and lemon juice”, with the topping picks being “Salt/pepper, onions or celery”. Perhaps one recipe could be “Sweet Coleslaw” and the other one “Savory Coleslaw”?

Fruit Salad - I could perhaps be wrong about this one, but cabbage and spice seem like odd toppings for this sweet fruit salad...? Were these toppings mislabeled, or do people really add these toppings to fruit salad? I would say better toppings would be either honey or other types of extra fruit, like grapes, banana, strawberry or kiwi. OR, perhaps there could be different versions -- A Westown Fruit Salad, a Tsuyukusa Fruit Salad, and a Lulukoko Fruit Salad, each with signature fruits from their respective towns.

SOUPS

Spaghetti Soup - Again, maybe this is a different version of the recipe from another culture. I personally have never had spaghetti soup, I just eat spaghetti, but it sounded like it probably shouldn’t have pumpkin in it...? I looked up the recipe for Spaghetti Soup and it seems like most people have it as it sounds, as a soup version of tomato sauce spaghetti. Perhaps there could be a “Vegetarian” spaghetti soup option from Tsuyukusa with the pumpkin, and one that more closely resembles what most of us recognize as spaghetti from Westown?

Bouillon Soup -- Nothing wrong with this recipe per se, but if there were meat options in the future there could be a vegetarian version of bouillon and a meat one, with salt/pepper as toppings to make it better.

Tom Yum Goong - I believe this recipe should also include lemon/lime and possibly chilis and maybe some herbs? Adding lemongrass as a herb you can forage would make this really authentic.

Minestrone - This isn’t TOO big a bone to pick, it’s pretty similar, but maybe add flour as a topping since minestrone often has noodles in it too, and pepper.

Fish Chowder/Clam Chowder - If celery was a veggie you could grow in future games, these and a few other recipes could use some celery.

GRILLED/FRIED

Vegetable Stir Fry - Really why not just let people add whatever kind of veggies they like to this one, there’s so many ways people like to mix and fry veggies? But I’m thinking it should also call for carrot or broccoli at least, and maybe have beans, pepper or soy sauce as a topping pick too? OR, maybe like the Fruit Salad, there could be a different signature vegetable stir fry recipe for each town? The Tsuyukusa Stir Fry, the Westown Stir Fry, and the Lulukoko Stir Fry!

Pizza - A really lovely simple pizza recipe we got here, but again along with the veggie stir fry, there could be more options. If meat were options that could be it’s own thing. But even just going with the veggie toppings we have in the current game, you could also add spinach, bell pepper, or pineapple as extra toppings. Maybe have an extra Veggie Pizza and Fruit Pizza recipe in addition to the Classic Cheese Pizza, and Meat Pizza if that was a future option?

Omelet/Mini Omelet - Cheese as a topping? OMELET DU FROMAGE PLZ...

Baked Beans - Seems like a Tsuyukusa recipe? A Westown recipe for ‘Baked beans’ would call for beans, tomato/ketchup, sugar/honey, maybe garlic or mustard if those were options in future games, and if meat were also an option, ham or bacon for sure. 

French Fries - If we can make tomatoes into ketchup later, well, duh.

Roasted Corn - Butter, Mayonnaise and maybe chili/spice as toppings.

POT DISHES

Cabbage Rolls/Stuffed Tomatoes - These bother me a little. WHAT is rolled into the cabbage? WHAT is stuffed into the tomatoes? We have NO IDEA. Please tell us! XD I’m thinking other veggies/mushrooms/rice/cheese makes most sense, maybe meat. Also there should maybe be a recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers and/or Stuffed Mushrooms too?

Deep-FRIED Monkfish/Deep-FRIED Catfish/FRIED Shrimp/FRIED Tofu/FRIED Tofu Fritter/Deep-FRIED Fish Cakes - G...Guys... GUYS... “FRIED” WAS LITERALLY RIGHT IN THE NAME OF THE DISHES, COME OOOON... XD;;

Boiled Corn - Salt/Pepper and Butter as toppings.

Ahi Poke SALAD - Again... SALAD...? IDK, is it a pot dish despite the name...?

RICE DISHES

There’s actually nothing I can notice wrong with the rice section, seems pretty solid. Good job on this part, guys. Maybe just add a few extra curry-rice recipes?

NOODLES/BREAD

Bread - Mugwort and Sugar seem slightly odd for toppings? Maybe make a few new breads, like an Herb Bread so you can use mint/mugwort/whatever to make it fancier, and the sugar could go in a Sweet Bread recipe along with maybe honey/maple. For plain Bread, salt or butter as a topping makes more sense.

Corn Bread - Still needs milk and egg to the corn meal to make it corn bread? With butter or honey/maple as toppings? Corn meal alone is just... corn meal...

Vegetable Bread - If vegetables are stuffed into the bread instead of mixed into the batter as depicted in the picture, doesn’t that make it a sandwich? Maybe separate the Noodles and Bread section have a new sandwich section added to the Bread category if meat is added in a future game? Sandwiches could add several new recipe combinations.

Fruit Bread - There’s really quite a few different fruit bread recipes and I feel the game could expand this just a little/add a few varied pictures. Maybe an Apple-Cinnamon Bread, a Raisin Bread (this is already in the game but it’s in with the noodles, not the bread?) and a Berry Bread.

Crackers - Should also be with the breads and not the noodles. Maybe also an extra recipe for fancier Herb Crackers.

Spaghetti - Maybe I haven’t unlocked it yet? There’s a ‘Spaghetti Soup’ and a ‘Spaghetti Aglio e Olio”, which is made with chilis, but...? Is it unlocked later in the game or is there just no regular Spaghetti recipe...? *confused* ^^;

POST TOO LONG, CONTINUING THIS LABOR OF LOVE IN A PART 2...

[jumpingpools]

Money saving tips/hacks for broke hoes

Here’s what I’ve learned about saving money. From one new adult to another, from one broke hoe to another, let’s share the knowledge!

Medical:

buy off brand over the counter drugs-cheaper and work just as well

Prescriptions (in the US) don’t cost the same everywhere (I didn’t know this at first). CVS might be more expensive than RITE Aid vise versa and etc. so compare prices first. My doctor told me about the app “GoodRX” it tells the price of your drugs at different places and has coupons!

If you can’t afford your medical bills, ask for a payment plan, hospitals/doctors’ offices usually will give one to you without interest (a bit difficult to get though).

I’m pretty sure you can stay on your parent’s medical insurance until you’re 25 in the US

Food: Depending on where you live, food can be pricey:

Buy fresh food when it’s in season. check farmer’s markets, might be cheaper

Don’t go out to eat!! Cooking is a pain sometimes but you’ll save so much! (yes, even if you order off the dollar menu)

Eat healthy on a budget:

Smoothies: bananas are cheap. Frozen berries in the grocery store are generally cheap along with other frozen fruits, and milk. BAM you got a smoothie AND vitamins

Rice: make some rice:  put cooked rice in a skillet with some olive oil and season with a sauce of some kind (soy etc). Add an egg or two and chopped onions (both cheap). BAM you got a filling dinner/lunch

Beans/other dry goods. Look I hate beans, I don’t eat them, but you could.

Tofu: You might be like “ew so squishy and gross” but like it’s like mushrooms where it absorbs flavors and pretty easy to cook. Google recipes. Tofu has a lot of protein and usually costs around a dollar. A hell of a lot cheaper than meat.

Eat less meat. Meat is expensive!! Depending on where you live, seafood may be a much cheaper option. or eggs (Or tofu!!)

Pasta sides: and other instant cheap foods. Pastasides is about a dollar and has lots of vitamins and fills you up. (not paid by them to advertise)

Grow your own food!!!  I know you’re like “bitch I’m not a farmer” or “I live in an apartment” but like trust me, you got a window you got some food. Peppers and tomatoes are generally easy to grow outside in a yard/deck/porch. Just water those thirsty hoes. Mint, cilantro and other spices are easy to grow inside. Make a food trade with family/friends that also grow their own things. Example: I give mint to my neighbor and they give me basil. A tomato plant is like generally ~$2 and makes around 15 tomatoes a season so you get a good deal.

Microwave a kitchen sponge (completely wet) for 2 minutes to cleanse it.

Make your own bread/pasta/pasteries/cookies/soup. Homemade tastes better anyways and is cheaper than store bought. Ask an elder for their recipes (my grammy makes some DANK bread). Or google it. Youtube knows all.

Canned goods! They last a long time and are tasty. Canned pasta sauce is cheaper. Canned veggies and soups are a good idea too. Canned meat (ew) but cheap!

Pot luck with friends. Get a variety of foods!

Look yall, if you’re going to go out on the town, if you’re going to hit up the bars, pregame you dummies! Get drunk on liquor at your place or sneak that shit in in your purse like idk but bar drinks are expensive, like only buy one or two when you’re out.

 Coupons! google coupons for things while you shop, screen shot those hoes and scan them at check out. There’s probably apps to help too idk.

Buy damaged foods (cans, boxes) make sure they’re still safe first. My grocery store has a section of damaged goods that’s much cheaper and still good!

Invest in a rice cooker and a crockpot. Both of which you can get used. They are very useful.

 THRIFT STORES!!!!

Furniture, appliances, kitchen supplies, washers, dryers, clothes, bags, outdoor supplies. Like anything you can think of they probably sell it. Habitat Restore and Goodwill are common, but local ones might be cheaper. Buying second hand lets you SAVE THAT MONEY. Also some places of worship sometimes have thrift stores so check those out too. Make Macklemore proud.

Look online like on FB for resale pages in your area! I got a couch for $30! I got a coffee table for free!!

Other:

Cancel subscriptions. No Netflix, spotify, hulu etc. I know, it sucks, but in the long run it drains that money. Ask a friend to share one or ask someone with a cable subscription to have their login and password to watch things on the channel’s website like nbc or fox etc. You can usually watch a few free episodes on their sites anyways. Consider watching foreign shows on Dramafever or Viki (full seasons free and legal) bc of copy write laws and such.

Put your toothbrush in the dishwasher to clean it

Hang dry clothes to save money on electric and keep the clothes in better condition

LED lightbulbs!! They last forever and save so so much on electric!

If the weather is nice, open windows and turn off AC/heat

If work/shops are close, BIKE! I bike 3 miles to work and I have great quads and save so much on gas, especially during rush hour.

Public transportation: not available in a lot of areas, but if it is, probably cheaper than driving.

If you can’t bike, MOPED! Invest in a moped. Mopeds are cheaper than cars and so so so much better on gas! Also fun. Much more common outside of the US

Just graduated college/highschool etc? Live at home if you can. I know it feels LAME but like you can save up so much! offer to pay rent/buy food/take care of siblings (a lot of parents will say not to). Leave the nest after a year if you can. Don’t stay too long.

Hydrogen Peroxide gets blood out of anything

Use bar soap instead of liquid (much cheaper)

Leave a bar soap in closets to make them smell nice instead of using sprays etc.

Make your own laundry detergent!! HERE! Or HERE! There are so many recipes and options. You will save so much money! If you’re not down for that, buy liquid soap instead of pods bc it’s cheaper.

Make a list of wants and needs. Needs will be food etc. Make sure to prioritize.

Make your own furniture. You might be like “bitch what? I ain’t a carpenter.” like GURL neither am I but I can nail two things together and make a small table or shelves for a few bucks. Places that sell wood will usually cut it for you so like just nail those woods and make ya something good.

Side jobs: babysitting, dog walking, lawn mowing. Like do you have a skill? Sell it! Tutoring, rock carving, painting, like it doesn’t matter, sell it. Post yo skillz online like fb pages and such and make that dough gurl. (Meet only in public places, stay safe).

The dollar store pregnancy test works just as well as the expensive ones in CVS.

When you travel stay in a hostel. They’re fun bc you meet lots of cool people and a hell of a lot cheaper than a hotel. Or camp. That’s cheap too and yay nature.

Use rags/old T-shirts instead of paper towels. Throw them in the wash and reuse. Also use them instead of Swiffer pads.

Dilute your dish and hand soaps.

Learn how to change your own car oil. Youtube guys, it’s great. Or find a friend that can and like give them food in return.

Library! Libraries sometimes have movies and TV shows you can rent! Or you know, just books too. If you want to keep the book, buy used online/locally

Go to your bank and make them explain EVERYTHING to you. Like do you have a credit card or debit card? Make them explain how it all works, every little thing about it. How to pay on time, how loans work, what a CD is, best ways to invest etc. You may need to make an appointment. Don’t feel dumb or shy, tell them you want to be responsible and they will respect that.

Alright that’s all I got. Add your tips too so we can share that knowledge! Help out your fellow broke hoes!

[canaryatlaw]

alright. well today was fine. I slept until my 1:15 pm alarm went off, probably because it was like 2:55 by the time I actually got to bed last night, but oh well. I had my PT appointment for 2, so I got ready and was going to catch the bus set for 1:46, but then I had to cross the intersection at an inopportune time to make sure I got two pieces of mail in the mailbox, and ended up missing the bus by about 30 seconds, but it was fine because I had enough time to just walk anyway. I should probably give up on the bus method altogether when it really isn’t very far anyway, probably just like 8 blocks or so. So I got there on time, it was fine, I feel like I’m going to end up disappointing my new PT guy because he seemed super optimistic about making progress at first and like, I was not as optimistic lol and nothing’s really changed yet, so idk what he’s thinking. but it was good, I should still probably say something about the exercises, especially given how weak I’ve been proving myself to be lately when it comes to carrying things, so the exercises I’m doing should really be challenging ones. And I should do better about doing home exercises, because I really suck at those at the moment. So that was fine. Walked back afterwards and spent a while building a grocery list based off what was in the fridge and the pantry, and also on some recipes I’d like to make over the next couple of days since I’ll have free time, just stocking up on good ingredients to have on hand for baking and such. I think I’m gonna make caramels at some point soon, it’s been like, a year since I’ve made them lol and they were getting really good. this probably took about an hour, after which I grabbed my cart and walked down to the store. Shopping was fine, I had been really wanting to make a strawberry milkshake lately but was worried it’d be really unhealthy (being that milkshakes are generally like 700 calories) so I was like oh well what if I get some protein powder and if I mix it with like strawberries and ice cream and milk maybe it won’t suck??? so I got some that looked like it might be bearable. I grabbed a piece of flank steak because I wanted to make a beef and broccoli meal at some point, and the piece I got looked fine but the one next to it was starting to turn bad it was really nasty looking.....so I’m definitely going to use mine soon, probably tomorrow lol. I also wanted to get an extract of some sort to use for meringues, because the recipe I used last time came out really well in terms of crunchy and chewy ness, but pretty much just taste like powdered sugar, and the recipe said you can sub in another extract for the vanilla, so I thought I’d look at some alternatives. lots of interesting flavors of extract and such they sell (they legit had a pumpkin spice flavor, lol) but I ended up going with raspberry because I thought that sounded like a good choice. So I got everything and went to check out. There were two people ahead of me on line, an older lady right in front of me and a middle aged lady in front of her. the one at the front had quite the grocery load, and the older lady was like “you buying for a crowd?” and she was like “yes, I have three boys” and then the older lady started talking about her daughter and they talked about their kids and the older lady was saying she was thinking about moving closer to where her daughter was because she missed her and the front lady was like “you should do it, go be by the people who matter to you, that’s what’s most important” and I was really just watching this unfold while thinking about my family who left yesterday and what I’m thinking or hoping or planning for the future. My parents miss me a lot, that much is very clear, and I can’t really blame them, 3 out of 4 kids have never left the house, then there’s me who moved halfway across the country. And I love my family, of course, but I know living with them (mostly living with my brothers) can be bad for my mental health, and I’m in a fairly good state at this point and would not want to mess that up. And I mean, straight up moving back in with them is not really on the table at this point, if I go for the NY job I’d probably be there for the month of July while I do bar prep, but then after the bar I’d assumedly be moving to NYC because there’s no way I’m commuting every single day, and that much I’ve been very explicit about. But I keep coming back to thinking is that really what I want to do? I thought it was, but I’m not sure anymore.....but I’m also not sure if I want to stay here anymore. My emotions have kind of been in upheaval for the past month or so and it’s left me at a point where if I stay here I can’t really predict what my life would be like, and that worries me. sigh, I feel like I come on here and have the same conversation about all of this every night. still nothing on the email front, of course, as I continue to check each day. Sigh. Anyway. I checked out and managed to fit everything inside my cart (when I’m going shopping I’m always concerned I’m going to not be able to fit it all) besides my eggs, which I just carried which was fine. Got home, put the stuff away, and sat at the computer for a bit, and I think it was at this point where I checked to see if grades were posted, and I had a bit of a feeling it was going to be something this time, and I was right- as expected, my legal drafting grade was posted first since the assignments have all already been graded and there was no exam (and it really should’ve been posted sooner than this, but whatever), so there it was, a beautiful B+ in this class that has caused my so much anxiety and fear that I was going to flunk fucking child advocacy legal drafting, the class I should’ve fucking CALI’ed, but was instead thrown into turmoil because the prof hated my writing. I knew I was able to pull it out in the end, but the final is only half our grade, and since I had been getting like, 50% on the other assignments, I was concerned my grade was going to come out to like 75% (47 out of 50 points from the final, then about half of the remaining 50 points, coming out to like 75) which is still like, a C, and I’d very much like to not have any C’s on my transcript, and I didn’t know how this was going to turn out, so it ending in a B+ made me quite happy. I’ve been trying not to add any more B’s to my transcript because I don’t like them (I have two currently), and then 3 B+’s, and the rest are A’s and A-’s, which of course I’m fine with. So I was pleased with this. I have anxious thoughts in my head about yeah but what if you fucked up your civil rights final because you didn’t have the cases printed, but I know that’s bullshit because I can tell when I’m killing it on a test, and I very much felt that I was killing it, even if I didn’t have all the information I should’ve. I feel like I’m gonna end up with an A-, which I would have wanted to be an A, but I can obviously live with it. Remedies I’m not at all concerned with, the entire grade is based on the final and I know I killed it, it’s just going to be a matter of where everyone else falls on the curve, and that can be hard to predict when your grade isn’t actually based on the objective number of questions you got right but on how many everyone else got right, but I’m fairly confident I’ll end up with a good grade. That just leaves Secured Transactions of course, which may have been eclipsed by Legal Drafting at some point as my most worried about class, but it’s still been one I’ve been anxious about. I felt like I had a fairly good handle on the final, as least for not knowing any of the material a week before and shoving it all in my mind that week, but of course that’s also hard to judge because curve and such. If I can pull at least a B+ out of the class I’ll be satisfied. If I end up with a B I’ll be disappointed, but not really that upset about it. If I get lower than that I will be straight up pissed, but hopefully that will not happen lol. Anyway. I spent a little while longer on the computer before deciding to make a blueberry dutch baby for dinner again because I’m low key obsessed with them, so I did that and then got ready to watch The Flash. Not terribly impressed with this week’s episode, it very much felt like a filler episode that didn’t do much to advance the plot other than occupy time before the main climax comes in the finale next week. All the flash time stuff I really didn’t find very interesting, and idk what they’re trying to do with Caitlin and her apparently having meta abilities before the particle accelerator?? like that more or less just sounds like psychosis, and I don’t think that’s what they’re going for. So I guess we’ll see what they do next week, hopefully they’ll at least pull out a decent finale. Overall though I was pretty disappointed by this season, I don’t know what happened but they just really missed the mark. After the episode I forgot for about 2 minutes that Rise was on right afterwards, then switched over to them for their season/series finale. It really sucks that they didn’t get picked up for a second season because I think it had a lot of potential and some very strong storylines I would’ve liked to have seen carried into the next season. I very much dislike that it was now left with “we’re shutting down the drama department” and like, that’s just it, there’s no fixing it, the end of the show is them shutting it down, and like.....that is not a happy ending lol, I’m not sure how they felt about whether they’d get renewed or not but it was a peculiar note to end on. Not gonna lie, I loved teacher dude (whatever his M last name is) basically being like fuck it, let’s put on this whole damn production as explicit as it is because art is art and it deserves to be heard, even when it’s offensive (and as someone who’s seen this particular show on broadway, it’s explicitness is incredibly crucial to the powerful message it conveys). I understand of course why they still decided to do “totally eff’d” and just end it with “totally fucked” because there’s only so far you can toe the line lol. I probably have overly strong feelings on this particular subject, but Lilette’s mom is irresponsible and neglectful and you could make the argument she is even being abusive by forcing Lilette into the role of being responsible for parenting her, which is a recognized phenomena among child welfare behaviors. So obviously I was not terribly keen on that. And Maashous (definitely just checked imdb to make sure I spelled it correctly, and I did), which I’m so sad we don’t get to see more of his story, because there was so much there to explore. but with teacher guy’s daughter obviously being so emotionally compromised over this and just seeing him with the family, man, that’s hard hitting stuff. The show did a lot things right that Glee got wrong, but I guess in the end it just didn’t have the wider appeal Glee did. I’m sad for Auli’i (just checked again on the spelling and I did get it right) because she’s obviously so ridiculously talented and it sucks for a project she’s attached to to get chopped, but I’m sure she has many opportunities in her future. So yeah, lots of different feels there. During one of the commercial breaks the upcoming news advertising said something about a story on at 10 regarding Justin Hartley and a bad fan encounter in Chicago, so I wanted to watch that, but had an hour to kill, so I watched some of The Good Place, and decided it was a good time to try out my strawberry milkshake idea, so I got the strawberries, vanilla ice cream and milk in the blender, and added two scoops of protein powder, which was the recommended dosage. Set it to go and tasted it and it was a big NOPE you can totally taste literally all of it, so I added more strawberries and ice cream to try and help but it didn't work so I ended up having to toss the whole thing which was disappointing, and now I wanted a strawberry milkshake, so I just ended up making a normal one.  At ten I tuned back to the news. the preview was basically like “he had a bad encounter at a Chicago restaurant” and then when they did the actual “story” it was like 30 seconds, basically just saying he was “in town for a convention” (so C2E2 obviously) and was at a restaurant when a fan just like, came up to him and started kissing him????? lol, um, that’s cringey, but they didn’t give any other details or like even name the restaurant so that was kind of lame, but whatever. I watched Jimmy Kimmel, then Seth Meyers while I was waiting for my roommate to get out of the shower. Once she did I started getting ready for bed and now I’m here. Trying to think if there was anything else I wanted to say....nothing formal to do tomorrow other than watch the Riverdale season finale I guess (not like I’m terribly interested in that) so I’ll hopefully finish up cleaning my room and maybe sort through my entire wardrobe and divide it into the categories of currently in my dresser, in storage, and for donation, because I have way too much clothing that doesn’t fit me or I don’t like anymore that I could definitely get rid of. So we’ll see how that goes, hopefully it’ll be productive but I’m also able to get some relaxation in, since this is my one week to relax before bar prep starts, and I have to start at the DV clinic on Friday anyway. But yeah, I think that’s for now. Goodnight babes. Sleep peacefully.