Thrifty Thursday: Buying a Secondhand Raincoat

Last week, when I found those amazing trenches, I also found a great raincoat. At least, I assumed it was a raincoat - the labels are all in a foreign language. So while I was pretty sure the coat was waterproof, I couldn't be absolutely certain. Naturally, I enlisted Roomie and Very Excellent Boyfriend to perform a scientific test.


It's been a rainy week, and my new coat has fared quite well. Yes, I do wish it had a hood, and it's missing its original belt, but I'm still happy with it. It doesn't leak, like my last coat, which is a huge step forward.

Gotta get a replacement belt.

Side note: Anyone know anything about this brand? I tried searching the webbernets, but I came-up totally dry. 

Hey, I made a raincoat pun!

Make-it-Monday: LOOK, Y'ALL - Dan and Adam Do It

I know so many creative people! Many of them even live in Atlanta. My Very Excellent boyfriend and his good friend Adam have started a webseries: Dan and Adam Do It.

(Hey, now you know V.E.B.'s name!)

Their first episode went up today; in it, the boys Load the Dishwasher.

If you incorporate their tips, your kitchen will be 20% cleaner than it is right now! 
Maybe.
Oh, and if you want to click through to watch their video on the YouTubes, that would be great (it'll boost their views).

Tasty Tuesdays: Breakfast for Dinner

You may have seen a sneak preview of this post last week - I accidentally published it without any hilarious and insightful commentary. What a tragedy! So here's the full story about making Breakfast for Dinner.

Roomie's Boyfriend got me something pretty great for Christmas - Glazed Donut Vodka.

Normally, I'm not a big fan of potato water - but this stuff is GOOD. It doesn't have a strong alcoholish smell, and it doesn't burn like hydrogen peroxide. The sweetness is really pronounced, and it does indeed taste like Krispy Kreme. One problem though: I don't really know how to drink it. Vodka isn't really a sipping alcohol - at least, not here in AhMURica.

Very Excellent Boyfriend suggested we try Screwdrivers. They were okay, but a little odd - like liquid creamsicles. Only not quite that tasty. I choked mine down, but I'll be sourcing a different mixer the next time I want a donut cocktail.

You know what wasn't a bust? THE BACON.

Do you normally fry bacon? Guess what? You're doing it wrong. The absolute best way to cook bacon is to bake it. Lay it out on a cookie sheet, like so, and heat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Set a timer for ten minutes, and then enjoy your Donut Screwdriver (or scramble some eggs). 

When those ten minutes are up, flip the bacon and let it cook another 10 minutes. This will produce the most amazing, crispy bacon you've ever tasted. It will literally disintegrate the moment it touches your tongue. 

Pair it with some eggs, a biscuit, and the drink you made earlier, and eat it after 6 PM. That's how you do breakfast for Dinner.

Tasty Tuesday: Tortilla Pizza

Once upon a time, I was in college. So was my Very Excellent Boyfriend. We went to the same school (it's where we met), and we were in the same program (how we met). He was a year older than me, and was therefore much wiser and handsomer (wait, no, I'm not handsome at all - I HOPE). 

We didn't know each other well at first. In fact, we barely knew each other at all. We had lots of mutual friends, but we didn't really spend much time together. He was very quiet, and I mostly hung around with the girls in my class. But every now and then, we ladies would go over to the apartment he shared with three friends. One night, while playing cards at their kitchen table, Future Very Excellent Boyfriend got hungry and made himself a tortilla pizza. 

In retrospect, that's when I started to fall in love with him. 

I know you're not very impressed. "Everybody makes those - WHO CARES? Microwave a tortilla with cheese, and WHAM, done." But this is about style, execution; what I learned that night is that Very Excellent Boyfriend does not half-ass anything. If he's making a tortilla pizza, it will be amazing. 

Since we started dating (four years ago, WHAT??) the tortilla pizza has become a snacktime staple. And a dinnertime staple. I love these guys - they're simple, delicious, and go great with a beer. 

Most things do.

Sometimes, I want one more than I want to order Papa John's. Since they boast a third of the calories, that's probably a good thing. 

Ingredients:

• Large flour tortillas (You could use corn ones, if you want this to taste terrible)
• 1/4 tablespoon butter, room temperature
• Red sauce with butter and onion (You can use whatever red sauce you want, I guess, but this stuff is like crack, and you know it.)
• Fresh mozarella
• Fresh grated parmesean cheese
• Other salty cheeses - pecarino romano is great
• Fresh basil (if you have it), dried if you don't
• Dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, even dried rosemary!
• Pepperoni, prosciutto, ham, bacon - whatever toppings you want

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the butter on the bottom of the tortilla. That way, when you heat it up, the bottom will get all delicious and crispy and brown.
• Flip the tortilla over. Yeah, some of the butter may get on your cutting board, but you'll get over it.
• Cover the tortilla with tomato sauce - you want a nice layer, but not too think. Too much, and you'll rip the tortilla. Leave about 3/4 of an inch of space empty around the outside. This is the "crust."
• Sprinkle some cheese over the top. If you're short on cash, only use mozarella. But if you can, mix it up and use a few cheeses; your tastebuds will thank you.
• Fresh basil is just about the best thing on earth. Shred a few leaves and sprinkle them over the cheese.
• Now, add other toppings. Pepperoni is my favorite, but we've made these with proscuitto, bacon, and other meats. You can also slice up some tomato for a Margarita pizza. 

• Now that your pizza is topped and the oven is warm, put the pizza directly onto a rack in the middle of the oven. This step is a bit delicate - make sure the ends of the tortilla aren't drooping in midair. This is why it's good to leave empty space around the edges - it keeps toppings from sliding off. 
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted. 

• Carefully slide the pizza onto a plate or large cutting board. Slice into triangles and scarf.
• Watch Don't Trust the B*** in Apartment 23 and weep for its cancellation. 

*sob*

Keep in mind that one pizza serves one Galen, and I have a smallish appetite. Boyfriend usually eats one and a half, or one with a large salad. 

The finished product -  I forgot to take a picture before I started slicing.

Anyone can slap some sauce on a tortilla and call it a pizza, but my Very Excelent Boyfriend does not cut corners. It's one of the many reasons I love him. And his food.