#Yes I just had to give a full-on chicken recipe

[harrywavycurly]

I’d love to see Eddie telling Wayne that Reader is finally his girlfriend❤️❤️

Hiii babes!! Well since you’d love to see it I’d simply love to give it to you! I hope you enjoy💖

*this is when they go to Wayne’s for dinner mentioned in part 18*

-find all things One Night Stand Eddie here✨

“Wayne!” “Hey sweetheart you seem in a go-” “guess who get herself a full on boyfriend!” “Jesus…you don’t have to shout it at him…” “if she wants to shout that you’re her boyfriend then let her…you should be damn glad she’s happy about it.” “Yeah Edward you should be damn glad I’m happy about the fact you’re my boyfriend.” “This is a glimpse into my future isn’t it? You two just ganging up on me?” “Well don’t say stupid shit and we won’t have to…” “I agree with Wayne..just stop saying stupid shit…oh Grandpa Wayne…Dotty was wondering if chicken nuggets could be on the menu for dinner?” “I had a feeling she’d want that..go look in the kitchen.” “You’re already spoiling her and she’s not even-” “oh my god you made Mac and cheese too? This is why I love you…you’re just the best.” “Love you too now tell me…how’d he finally ask you to be his girlfriend?” “Oh you’re gonna love this..” “oh god…don’t tell him…please don’t tell him it was in-” “it was in a text message.” “You’re shitting me…in a damn text? Son I raised you better than that.” “I asked her in person when I picked her up! I just wanted to…make sure it was gonna be a yes before I embarrassed myself…” “did you do something different to the Mac?” “Now I know you’re not over there eatin out the pot when it’s not dinner time yet….” “It smelled too good I had to taste it…sorry.” “I added some garlic powder and onion powder.” “Someone’s feeling fancy…” “oh hush it boy…you better learn the recipe because we both know there’s about to be nothing left in that pot by the end of the night.” “He’s right Eddie…you should learn this recipe…Dotty loves it.” “Well in that case…write it down for me will ya old man?” “I’ll show you old man when I shove my foot up your-” “Okaaayy! I think it’s time to eat! Wayne…plates and napkins…Eddie you’re on utensils…Dotty and I will be in the living room.”

[halfbakedideas]

Curry. It's Blue

The Doctor makes a curry. It’s surprisingly really good, if you ignore the colour.

Inspired by this post by @whatsfourteenupto.

hi; sorry it's been so long since i posted one of these, i got distracted by uni stuff and hurtcember, oops. this one is almost laughably short, oh well.

i am still writing these. sort of. i've got a couple more in various stages of completion but hurtcember takes priority, so don't expect a new W14UT ficlet 'till early january at earliest.

—x—x—x—

The Doctor had managed to convince Sylvia to let them cook dinner that night. She had argued, resisted giving up control of the kitchen to the one who had burnt the pasta that he had been entrusted to watch over less than a week ago but she did eventually relent.

“You better not burn down the kitchen,” Sylvia warned.

“Or make anything explode, again!” Donna chimed in. She still wouldn’t let live down the microwave-toaster incident.

“I won’t!” the Doctor told them.

It would not help his case right now to mention that the only kitchen that they had ever managed to not only set fire to but completely burn down was the TARDIS’s.

“Now, go get out of here,” They shooed both Sylvie and Donna out of the kitchen.

Those two had cooked dinner the last time that everyone had been around but he had found a curry recipe on a sticky note in the TARDIS’s library that they wanted to try making. Not to mention that both ladies needed a break (yes, they were looking at you, Sylvia, at that last bit).

With the kitchen to themself, the Doctor set about making his curry. They headed into the pantry for the spices and a pot. Then he went out into the TARDIS for the recipe. Donna had stared at them rather intently 

Everything that followed after that seemed to go smoothly until he got to the chicken. Specifically deboning the chicken.

In the end, after a relatively minor internet rabbit hole, they decided to just use the sonic to do it.

Meanwhile, earlier…

Donna headed down the hallway, in the direction of the laundry, only to be stopped by her mother who had just came down the stairs. The two of them were far enough away from the kitchen that they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Do you think they’ll be able to pull it off? Making an entire dish without burning it or mucking it up?”

“I have no idea; we’ll just have to see at dinner,” She headed into the laundry and picked up the washing basket, balancing it on her hip. “It’s been half an hour and nothing’s exploded or randomly appeared, so it should be fine,”

“Nothing has appeared or exploded that we know of,”

Donna passed by her mother and the kitchen on her way to the washing line outside. When she passed the kitchen it was to see the Doctor Ponting the sonic at a full chicken and pulling out its bones a moment later.

…So it had a deboning setting. Yeah; dinner will be fine.

In the end, by the time that everyone had arrived for dinner, the Doctor had finished whatever they had made. What turned out to be an oddly-blue chicken curry and a very normal looking vegetable casserole.

“Is it…safe to eat?” Melanie asked, eyeing the chicken curry suspiciously.

“Yep,” he popped the ‘p’. “The colour’s from a spice that should be completely safe for human consumption,”

“‘Should be’?” Sylvia echoed, concerned.

“Blue or not blue, that curry smells delicious,” Shaun chimed in, reaching for the serving spoon and dishing himself some of the curry.

The rest, the Doctor included, watched as Shaun tried some of it. Waiting and watching to see if anything happened.

Nothing did.

A minute passed. Two. And even a third. Yet nothing happened to Shaun at all.

“That is very good curry, Doctor,” he concluded.

That was all the confirmation that the others needed to try it for themselves. Rose, meanwhile, went straight for the almost-suspiciously normal looking vegetable casserole.

[forever-fixating]

Some Sentences Sunday

Thanks to @priincebutt @onthewaytosomewhere @dragonflylady77 and @piratefalls for the tags! I've actually been doing quite a bit of scribbling this week on two different projects, and I was torn on which one to share. So I decided to say "fuck it" and share snippets from both! Below the cut are snippets from A Tournament for His Heart and living in a new normal! THH is quite angsty, so I figured I'd add some sweet from LNN to temper that. Enjoy!

A Tournament for His Heart

“Roland told me about Bea’s outburst last night,” Henry said, picking at the grass. “I should have been here.”

Phillip sighed. “Minari advised me against it. She was so gone last night, Hen, there was nothing you could have done.”

“You don’t know that,” Henry snapped. “I’ve seen her at her worst. You don’t have to treat me like a child!”

“That isn’t fair,” Phillip replied. Henry looked at him and saw frustration in his eyes. Phillip pointed in the direction that Bea disappeared. “She was my priority in that moment. I know you don’t like it, feel excluded when we don’t call on you, but I can handle her in those moments better than you can. She is your twin. I know you feel her absence more acutely than I ever could.

His previous irritation melted away as Phillip’s words hit right at the heart of him. It was a hard adjustment at first, to be so disconnected from the person with whom he once shared everything, even a womb. She was his other half. Now, he was a friendly stranger in her eyes. A foolish part of him hoped Minari would find something that would bring Bea back to them. She sent messages to fellow healers from different parts of Lerasea and beyond, only to continue to come up empty-handed. She once told him, “Magick can only do so much, Henry. Wounds of the mind are tricky and not so easily healed.”

“I feel so lost without her, Pip,” Henry whispered, his vision swimming. “Giving up Alex was hard enough, but I told myself then I could survive it as long as I had Bea with me.”

He sucked in a breath and felt Phillip’s hand on his back.

“But without her?” Henry continued. “Having to publicly fight with you, be looked down upon by the court and Mary’s counsel…at times, it feels unbearable.”

living in a new normal

(Alex is in italics, and Henry is not. Based on their texting styles, I figured it would be obvious, but I added the italics just in case.)

whats ur go-to comfort meal?

Yes, hello, love. How are you? I’m fine, thanks. Was there a conversation started I missed somewhere?

adhd, baby. im always in the middle of a conversation.

go-to comfort meal, go!

In England, a full English, with the Welsh variation of laverbread instead of beans on toast.

just googled what that is. wtf???

Don’t know it until you’ve tried it, love.

In America, grilled cheese and tomato soup. When I moved here, I was determined to start cooking for myself and that was one of the first recipes I learned.

my dad would make us tomatillo soup when we were sick

ill send u the recipe

oh! or we can make it together when u come to austin

i got a badass kitchen set-up

So, is that your go-to comfort meal? I can’t wait to try it.

probably

that or my mom’s king ranch chicken casserole

ur turn to ask a question

What five movie when you show someone as a snapshot of who you are and why?

fuck, that’s a tough one!

A/N- Have a great week!

[fanaticsnail]

Yandere Doffy Anon here

I love how everyone is on board with Grand Line Radio. I regret nothing.

Continuing onto the ideas, imagine if both hosts had a special like late-night individual radio where they just simp freely over their men.

And one time, Cora actually calls in trying to get Doffy-girly to just... Just not. Doffy-girly then says "okay, if you give me your and his baby pics, we can settle on me lowering it from a 1000 to a 100."

In short, Corazon contacts Sengoku to get some baby pics of himself and Doflamingo.

Bad thing is, Doffy-girly just squeals over that instead. 🤣

Also, I like the thought that at one point Rosinante just goes to get dinner with Doffy-girly and then starts the radio on accident and he's trying to be silent but he crashes into the table and on the other side of the transponder snail is none other than Doflamingo.

"Why the fuck is Rosi there?"

Man knows it's Rosi by Rosincrashing to the floor 🤣 brother instincts

Awkward attemps of explaining "it's just a dinner between friends."

Yandere Doffy activate. "Well, if my brother and you are having dinner, then I should join, too."

Cue Rosinante having a heart attack. Doflamingo is flying to the house, Rosinante is running out the house.

Rosinante jumps into a small ship full of freshly caught fight, buries himself in the pile right as a shadow passes over the sea and enters the city.

He feels so bad. But he doesn't know what Doflamingo will do if he sees him face to face.

Law tells him he stinks on fish the next morning. Better to stink on fish than have bullets filling his body, Rosinante thinks, but doesn't say.

Also, can we have a cooking bit where Sanji shares all his recipes or something? Also, if Croc-girly has Smoker & Beckman, I suggest for Doffy-girly to have Rosinante & Sanji.

Also, maybe a therapy bit, but they're anonymous and the voice doesn't reveal them. I think Baby 5 would be calling it a lot, saying how Doflamingo killed another one of her fiances. Law always chickens out before he can call it. He wants to, though.

Rosinante calls it a few times, too.

Love to all the anons, the 🪶anon, to everyone, and to you, Snail.

- Yandere Doffy Anon

It continues!!! Yesssssss!! I am obsessed with the drama!!!

I love how you've casually chucked Sanji in on the mix for Rosi & Doffy girly. Hell's yeah, get your men. I love it!

Poor Rosi jumping ship in fear of Doffy 😭. What makes it funnier is if Doflamingo enjoys the Doffy-simper smiling over him and gets a little jealous over the Rosi interaction. Yandere Doffy is just a good flavour 🤌.

Yes to the cooking segment. Could have special guest call ins from the chef's aboard each ship for their specialist recipes: Lucky Roux, Thatch, Penguin, Killer, and special guest Chef Zeff 🥹.

I love these thoughts, and you Yandere Doffy Anon!

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Cooking Masterlist

All I Wanted For Christmas This Year Was You (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan and Phil are having a Christmas party and get a little distracted along the way

A sight for sore eyes (ao3) - HeartSkipStyles

Summary: Dan teases Phil whilst they're cooking in the kitchen.

a room full of my safest sounds (ao3) - snsk

Summary: day five: domestic fluff

Dan and Phil Make 'Food Stew' - The Howlter Family Edition (ao3) - gerardopoly

Summary: Dan and Phil feature their son Dil in a special episode of their "baking" series. They both had thought it would be a great way to display their relationship as a family on film, and a way to change their content up a bit. However, the roles are switched around when the couple play the sous chefs, and their son, as the head chef. Come on down and learn to make the perfect 'food stew' on this special episode of cooking with Dan and Phil (+ Dil).

Don't start fires, darling (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Phil wanted to expand his and Dan's repertoire of dishes, so they didn't need to live off of stir-fry and delivery. He thought that cooking lessons would be an awesome way to do that and have a fun date activity. The people in the restaurant do not agree but he and Dan find the humour in it.

EXTREME TRIPLE CHOCOLATE NESTS (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan and Phil cook some Easter nests.

Home With A Heartbeat (ao3) - JenCollins, WordsAblaze

Summary: Uni’s hard, so sometimes Dan ends up missing lunch. This time he goes to Phil, who gives him not only worried looks, a meal, and cooking skills, but also a home.

Jealousy in a Less Obvious Form (ao3) - razortotherozary

Summary: Phil looked at his door briefly and then back at the camera. "Also," he said, pausing for a few seconds and taking another big breath. "I'm in love with someone. Though, they don't know it." Phil looked slightly sad in this moment, glancing at the ground. "And they'd hate me forever if they found out."

kitchen hazards (ao3) - manchestereye (orphan_account)

Summary: dan and phil take cooking lessons, only for shit to hit the fan

Magical Healing Properties (ao3) - adorkablephil (kimberly_a)

Summary: Phil’s sick and wants his mum’s chicken soup

Night In (ao3) - antiadvil

Summary: Phil feels bad after a five second fight with his boyfriend. He is extra soft to make up for it.

Of Cats and Smoke Alarms (ao3) - thatsformetoknow

Summary: In which Dan is the neighbour that keeps setting off the smoke alarm in the building and Phil is the neighbour that offers to give him cooking lessons, tired of his Buffy marathons and sleep schedules being messed up. Throw in a few house plants and Dan's cat that Phil happens to be completely in love with, if a little allergic to, and love is sure to blossom, right?

pancakes (ao3) - howelllesters

Summary: Dan tries to make Phil breakfast in bed. Instead he just makes a mess of the kitchen, Phil’s pyjamas, and his own hand.

ready to cook with fire (ao3) - CapriciousCrab

Summary: That time when unwanted cooking lessons end up being the best gift ever

security! (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan comes home to Phil after tour rehearsals. They cook, kiss and banter. And Dan reflects on the word "security".

the sanctity of fajitas (ao3) - kishere

Summary: prompt: dan and phil cook something without the recipe, because phil is confident they know how to cook it from memory

The whisk fic (ao3) - BREAD2000yeet

Summary: dan and phil get down with a whisk

Yes, Chef (ao3) - letspartyrightnow

Summary: Dan is really into his cooking lessons. And other things.

[castielsprostate]

WAIT WAIT WAIT.!!!! so edward bakes cakes and treats for garth right??? do you think garth makes edward like, blood pudding or something?????????????????? like in a heartshape????????/

OH MY GOD YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!! do. do you think it's.. it's his own blood? like he just. hes a dentist, he has tools. i can probably draw blood, right? what if he made it with his own blood 🥺🥺🥺

my immediate thought is the concept of the taylor swift blank space cake!!!!! but he fills it with his own blood pudding🥺🥺🥺

And the thing is, Garth loved to bake and cook. He was very specific and particular in the ingredients he used, he had often spent hours researching what the best sorts of flour were for different types of bread, cakes and cookies or what different types of sugar do. When his college girlfriend, Bess, had gone through his laptop's internet search history she was fully prepared to find porn- not cooking websites.

Each site was a different recipe, ranging from simple toast dishes to salmon wellingtons and blueberry lemon key pies, mentioning spices she'd never even heard of and cooking utensils she'd never even seen. Bess had known Garth could cook, experienced it herself even, but this, this was beyond her imagination- especially considering the 74 tabs of recipes open in his browser.

(read more because this got. LONG)

So yes, Garth loved to cook- and bake. It was his main love language, even, one which he practiced with such care and consideration he'd often tune recipes to those he was cooking for. Like Bess' favourite pasta dish, a light lemon chicken with a hefty white alfredo sauce and spinach, he'd make for her birthday or Dean's favourite pie, crumbly and juicy apple with a hint of honey and vanilla, he'd always give as a thank you.

But those were all humans, well, mostly humans. Even after Bess had turned, she could never turn down her favourite pasta prepared exactly to her tastes. So rather, he had never made anything for anyone non-human that he hadn't known before- though Benny had eaten a piece of the cherry blossom pie that one time- he'd also been quick to expel it again.

But in walked Edward. All shrouded in mystery and . So Garth needed a peculiar dish for a very, very peculiar man. A superfluous challenge but man, did Garth love a challenge.

He plucked a few books he thought could prove useful from the modest shelf in his living room. Most of them were copies of Bobby's, hand bound on weekends he could squeeze it in during his dental program. Two of the books he grabbed had come from Carlisle Cullen, one of Garth's attendants during his residency rotations.

He waddled his way back into the kitchen, dropping the books onto the small island counters. Garth had some basic knowledge on vampires, for one that they could eat human food, but they'd have to expel it, mostly willingly as Benny had said. Other than that, he had come up empty.

He started to flip pages, indexing to the 'vampire' chapters. Much was the same, basic anatomical facts, how to kill a vamp, the weaknesses and strengths, but nothing useful. Sure, there were paragraphs filled with how a vampire feeds and drains- not nothing about how a vampire eats.

What started as a simple research sesh, had quickly turned into hours of dead ends and loose threads. Garth groaned, a headache blooming at his edges. He needed help. He needed someone with a greater arsenal of lore anyone's ever known and knew exactly where to find it in and instant. Someone that would leave no stone unturned and no leaf thoroughly examined- and he knew exactly who to call.

With a sigh hanging at the tip of his tongue he pressed the number saved under '🩸📚🤪🔪🫎', impatiently waiting as the ringing filled his kitchen, tapping his fingers on the wooden table.

It took three full rings before,

"Hey, Garth- why are you calling at... eleven AM?" the man that answered on the other side sounded a little far away, both physically and mentally, the sound of something Garth couldn't immediately make out was ringing in the background.

"Hiya Sam!" Garth chirped, despite his earlier annoyance it felt good to hear Sam's voice again, it'd been too long, really, "I was researching, er, something but I couldn't find anything conclusive,"

"Uhm, give me a moment-" Garth couldn't really make out the rest from what Sam was saying, the only bits being 'I told you to not-' also 'no, Dean-" and "he set the kitchen- fire-". Most of it was unintelligible, but he could fill in the blanks easily enough.

Garth skimmed some more of the pages he'd pulled out as the grumbling on the other side continued

"Okay, what do you need exactly?" the background noise had mostly faded, replaced by the occasional soft footstep of what Garth assumed to be Sam's.

"I'm-" Garth paused. He hadn't actually thought this far ahead, he hadn't even really thought this through at all when the realisation of what he was doing hit.

He was calling Sam Winchester, a fellow hunter not known for his kindness towards monsters and a disturbingly impressive kill count, on what a vampire would be able to eat.

Love made blind, or something like that.

"Garth?" Sam's voice boomed, "are you still there?"

Another beat of silence before a meek "yes," sounded with an added, "I'm just- figuring out how to word this without it sounding, hm, weird?"

"Hit me, I've heard worse,"

"Alright," Garth sighed, quickly tacking on, "what do you know about vampires and eating human food?"

Garth had predicted a silence, a long, achingly pressing beat of silence to befall upon them as Sam Winchester would study his words and grind them to a pulp in his head trying to make any sort of sense out of it.

He hadn't predicted the immediate hostility of, "Garth-" there was fight laced in Sam's tone, a cold lilt edging along.

"Sam, I- please? He's- he's a good one, and you know I can handle myself," Garth was rambling, his arms flailing, "and truthfully, I was skeptical at first as well but-" Garth hesitated, his heart pounding in his throat as the other side was deathly silent, "it's just a thank you, Sam,"

It was silent for a second too long, Garth felt his neck heating, his cheeks burning before a loud and loaded sigh rung through the air.

"Right, so," Sam grumbled, the slices of pages turning filling the dead air, "it says here- hold on-" a rattle and a fuss later, the man sighed, "right, vampires can usually hold their food, it gets rejected later, blah blah, hm- alright, it says here that 'if it's interlaced with blood the vamp will be able to hold it down and process it like regular blood'- there's nothing else except a few doodles of vampires eating,"

Garth nodded absentmindedly, knowing full well Sam wasn't able to see him, as he mulled over the words.

"So, I just- add blood? How much of it?"

Sam huffed a laugh, "This isn't a cookbook, man, I don't have measurements for you,"

"Okie dokie," Garth rubbed his temples between his thumb and index fingers, "well, thank you, Sam, I think I can actually get somewhere now,"

"Call us if- you know, just call us, yeah?"

"I will, tomorrow," Garth quickly added, "don't breathe a word of this to Dean,"

Sam was slow to agree, but did so in the end, something Garth was incredibly grateful for. He didn't need Dean to pester him about this or worse- show up and 'handle it' himself.

They gave their farewells, with a promise on Garth's end to call to say he was either alive or a cry for help, and a promise for Sam to keep quiet to his brother.

Garth allowed himself a moment of silence, staring at the books and papers in front of him before scooting his chair back and scavenging his home for whatever he had. He had needles around somewhere to practice injecting anesthetic to his dental patients, and he should have some sort of a tube to connect to it.

He grabbed some other things during his hunt, some bandages and a few vials, alcohol. The basics. His heart thumped in his throat as he put everything down on the counter, ranked from first to last needed.

He was doing this. Actually, really doing this. Garth gingerly grabbed the needle, denying himself the second thoughts niggling at the back of his mind, hissing as he slid it under his skin and into his brachial artery.

He drew three vials, filled to the brim with his blood.

He took a deep breath, setting them down next to the flour and sugar, and went to work. Carefully writing each step of the 'recipe' he winged down, next to every precisely weighed ingredient and where to acquire it.

His night went on with adrenaline buzzing in his veins.

Garth let out a grunt, wiping his forehead with a satisfied smirk lining the quirks of his mouth. The kitchen was surprisingly spotless- cleaning up along the way really was one of his most prized skills.

The sweet he baked sat proudly on the counter as he snapped a quick picture to send in the groupchat, and one for his baking Instagram, and one to print out for his booklet of personalised recipes he'd collected over the years.

With a sigh he began to clean the last out of place pans, carefully placing the cake in the refrigerator and wiping down the counters one last time before retreating upstairs.

It was morning, Garth thought it was at least, meaning he powered through the night without a second thought, and Edward wouldn't be over for another solid few hours.

So he took a nap, a well deserved and very much needed nap.

"I made you something," Garth fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, "I researched a bit, even called someone with more knowledge about it,"

Edward eyed the man in front of him, how his jumper had a spot of white dust clinging to it, how his hair was slightly disheveled and unruly and how the rims around his fingernails were puffy and pink. He looked homely, utterly exhausted, but oh so sweet- like a drop of fresh honeydew, intoxicatingly addictive.

"It's," Garth gestured towards the small kitchen table, just below the south baywindow. He'd gotten some fresh flowers from his garden after his nap, lavenders- Edward's favourite- and even replaced the runner with a lilac floral trim white one, matching the colours of the vase, "not much, really, but I wanted to, well,"

A simple white cake sat atop a cutting board, heart shaped with perfectly imperfect piping lining the top and bottom edges. A black hilted knife laid next to it, glinting under the LED light kitchen light.

Garth pulled the hem of his jumper, the details that felt out of place sticking out like a sore thumb.

But Edward didn't seem to care about the creased table cloth, or the skewed chairs- his gaze was steadfast on the man in front of him, making Garth squirm.

"Go ahead,"

Edward took it as permission, almost, and grabbed the knife, raising it slowly, then down all at once, Garth's reflection getting caught as the knife plunged deep into the cake. You couldn't see it immediately, but you'd know- the scent of iron penetrating your very being as the thick, dark liquid oozed out little by little.

Garth really regretted putting down a white runner now.

"Is it- I didn't know where to get blood on short notice," Garth bit back his embarrassment, barely, as he replayed the events of the night before. Researching, calling Sam of all people, drawing his own blood like a sacrament. Was he losing it, he wondered, ghosting his fingers over his arm.

Edward's expression was unreadable, his eyes trailing the drips of blood. Garth bobbed on the balls of his feet, his fingernails softly digging into jis flesh as he carefully watched the vampire's every little twitch and stir. The crease on Edward's forehead smoothed over ever so slightly, barely a hint of it happening if it wasn't for the few millimetres his eyebrow dropped.

"Thank you," Edward said, the quirk of his mouth ticking up, "you don't comprehend what you just gave me,"

And that's when Garth Fitzgerald IV, a shoddy half edged werewolf, knew that he would give anything for and to Edward Cullen, a bloodthirsty, ice cold vampire. His home, his blood- his own heart freshly carved out of his brittle chest by his own hands and serve it on a platter.

[isadora-greenhall]

Hii! 😺🍫 for Glenn or Henry :D hope you have a nice rest, Isadora

hello countless! thanks for the ask 🥰

headcanon asks

Glenn

😺 An animal related headcanon

Nick Jr is not the first rat in Glenn Close's life! When he was a teenager, and spending months on end without seeing his dad, he found a small next of rats in the back of his closet and decided to look after them until the babies were grown. He emptied an old shoebox and put some warm winter scarfs in it to keep them cozy, came up with names for them all, and imagined them as a family on the run from the government who was trying to persecute them and he was the kind soul who sheltered them on their journey. He had a whole elaborate backstory for them. He'd strum his guitar for them when they were sleepy and accidentally conditioned them to fall asleep on him when he starts playing 😭❤️ when they got too big (and when he found out bill was on his way home) he took them to the local golf course to release them on the next leg of their journey. He saluted them as they left. He cried. A lot.

🍫 A headcanon about food

99% of meals glenn has ever eaten have been fast food. He's an horrendous cook. However, the one thing he can cook at home is rice, in the ancient rice cooker he inherited from Christine. She always told him to have rice in the house, and it's the one lesson of hers he actually internalised. When days when he can't be arsed reaching for his phone to order uber eats he'll just eat a plain bowl of rice and think of his mum ❤️😌

Henry

😺 An animal related headcanon

i can't get over the moment after the for knights tournament when the prize giving dog refuses to get pats and henry scoffs and says "that's dogs for ya" with sooo much disdain ahaha. so! i think henry isn't really a dog person (he's a WOLF person ;P). they only got laserwolf fartblaster because the boys wanted a dog, so he had to put up with it. i think that this stems from his youth in the forgotten realms, as all things do for henry. Horsy Sy'Oak had a minion called Pup Py'Oak who was one of those yes men kinda people; they were too chicken to pick on beay ry'oak's kid on their own, but they were more than happy to stand behind horse sy' and go "yeeeaaahhh" and "ooooohhh" every time horse sy' insulted henry.

🍫 A headcanon about food

i have a couple, but i'm gonna put the second under a readmore because it involves eating disorders; i won't go into detail but i know that can be triggering for some people so heads up ❤️

first, i did research a couple of months ago about ecuadorian vegan food and apparently there's not a whole lot. so when the oak-garcias visit their family in ecuador they rarely go out to eat, they make a lot of homecooked food so they know what's in it. mercedes brings a new vegan recipe to ecuador every time she visits, and her favourite cousin has a cookbook full of them so she can practice them between visits to feed mercedes and her family 🥰❤️

henry often had food restricted for him in oakvale as a punishment from barry, so he has a pretty unhealthy relationship with food that he has worked extremely hard on with love and support from mercedes ❤️ his beautiful boys have full access to food 24/7, and once at a party someone made a comment to lark when he reached for another cookie about how many he's already had and henry went absolutely apeshit on them.

[crackedpumpkin]

“Chicken and croffles” I had flashbacks at that man. There’s this person I watch and they were telling their story of trying to rizz someone through food, and by rizz I mean they tried to impress an attractive waiter, but fumbled a bit and ordered chicken and waffles. He got so nervous they ordered the first thing he saw, which was chicken and waffles. How attractive was this waiter? So attractive that his friends literally had to warn them and also tried to clean him up a bit to look more presentable LMAO

Really liked this chapter!!! Love the sceneries and how Miles and “Ray Paynt” interacted!!!! Something about how you write feels real, like even in the little things with Miles’ “It’s a choice.” And when dragging him along to the cafe at an unexpected notice. Stop writing food so deliciously it’s nearly 8am for me and I’m wanting some nice fruit-ade or something!!! 😭/pos

From one Michael to another, MICHAEL STAHP WITH THE TOUCHING YOU’RE GONNA GET YOUR WILLYIAM CHOPPED OFF FR

omfg i felt that fr im not even kidding. what i would give to be on the receiving end of that starstruckness.... okay in all honesty I'd probably be that very dude dropping my utensils.

WAIT OKAY STORY TIME BECAUSE IVE GOT ONE OF MY OWN:

So i recently went to korea in june and i went with 2 other friends who went to queue up at the NIKE store in the morning for their customization stuff right? So I wake up later and i go grab a coffee first at this store my friend recommended because it's cheap + rly good.

As such, I casually stroll along the street with my earbuds in bc im cool and swag and feeling myself right? I finally find this coffee shop and step up to the counter to order, except what do i see?

A GORGEOUS, STUNNING GIRL MANNING THE CASHIER.

At this point i am in full blown panic. I have never met anyone so pretty in my life. Her hair was silky smooth and dyed a light platinum-ish shade, and her makeup was flawless. her skin? dewy like a morning glory in bloom. Her entire figure and being? goddesslike.

at this point i am sweating buckets just from the thought of talking to her. but it's fine, right? its just a cup of coffee. i can do this.

i then proceed to ABSOLUTELY FUMBLE MY WORDS.

I just wanted this pretty drink called a franobe guys. thats all i wanted. but i got so shy and she couldnt hear me saying franobe so she kept going 'ah, latte?' and guys. i almost died on the spot.

I repeated it like 2x before she got what i was trying to say. Quick PSA that i am not fluent in korean at all, and understand more than i can speak. she asks me something in korean and i just go 'ne?' with wideass eyes like id just seen my newborn child or some shit.

anyway i finally manage to pay and get my drink and i walk away with my head practically in my hands. up till this day i am paranoid she thinks im an idiot. this is my chicken and croffles story for all you guys out there.

also im straight but this is one of the rare exceptions i lost my composure fr. what can i say? im w e ak.

im really glad you liked this chapter !! if it's one trait i could've given my characters or reader oc its the endless funds to go cafe hopping. cafe hopping is so, so fun, but so, so expensive like goddamn let me live my main character life in peace fr....

it's euphoric to hear that you liked the little moments !! i enjoyed thinking through those and just going like ah yes, he would say this! i really love writing or thinking about the small moments that lead up to the big picture. (also @buthowboutno-spamming gave me such great advice regarding this, and i wouldnt have been able to flesh out my fic and vision if not for his advice)

michael deserves to get his dick chopped off fr. but it's okay!! I plan for all my characters to go through developmental arcs lmfao, ive gotten too attached to the two idiots to let go of their potential now :)

Go get some fruit-ade or make some yourself bro it's super easy super good. lmk if you want a recipe and im more than happy to provide~

[xneon-lucidx]

Headcanons on how well I think the teachers can cook:

Sketch - Can make very basic foods but also likes to add food colouring so yes they will be making you a bright blue mac n cheese (they also eat like Buddy the elf so that mac n cheese will be covered in chocolate and sprinkles)

Tony - The only thing he can do right is timing how long the food needs to cook, he has no idea what he's doing with ingredients or mixing (He and Sketch struggled for a while when it was just them)

Shrignold - Only knows how to make sweet things like cake and pie but not proper food, everything he makes is full of suger

Colin - Doesn't eat but has memorised random recipes due to boredom and had a mental breakdown when he saw Tony add an egg to spaghetti once

The food band - Actually know what they're doing but are very strict on what foods they will serve but at least nothing is burnt or covered in sprinkles

Larry - Crackhead recipes, is banned from the kitchen when Spinach Can caught him eating nyquil chicken, only allowed to eat things made by other people

Briefcase - Too busy with work to cook, survives off noodles mostly, if you want him to eat actual food you must bring it to him

Coffin - Has catered a few funerals so actually knows how to make a decent meal

The twins - They're only allowed to cook with easy bake ovens, probably injured themselves by sticking their fingers in it

Warren - He has never cooked in his life, diet consists of microwaved meals and fast food

Choo choo man - Only cooks 50s food recipes, no one will eat them because that shits nasty

Electracey - Also doesn't eat, forgets other people eat when she invites them over and just never gives them food but will apologise and feel bad after

[laurkamkitchen]

I have several chicken pot pie recipes saved, all because it's one of my dad's favorite dishes. This one looked above and away the best, with an insane amount of 5-star ratings, so I chose to make it for him as a special treat after a procedure.

I made this in full using a red onion (we didn't have any yellow) and leftover deboned chicken from a party my parents had catered. My pastry I made about 2 hours in advance to give it time to chill in the fridge.

If you're used to baking with pastry and are willing to put in the time here, this recipe is actually not too difficult and surprisingly forgiving. I had no issues making my filling, even the roux. And even as someone who is indifferent to chicken and doesn't like mushrooms, believe me when I say that this filling is insanely good.

My pastry rolling was unsurprisingly a bit haphazard, especially with the top disc, where I'd been a bit loose with measuring the water (that is to say, it was a bit wet). I would say, unless you are truly striving for perfection, don't worry too much about rolling out a perfect circle. I used some of excess piece to patch up gaps where needed.

However, take that with a grain of salt because, unfortunately, part of the top pastry on the side was a bit too heavy and not very well secured, so in those first few minutes in the oven, a few chunks melted off and started burning off down on the bottom. This made for a very smoky baking process. The pie itself was alright in the end, but it ended up being a smoked chicken pot pie on accident.

It didn't matter, though, because this was insanely delicious. The filling was amazing, the pastry crisp and perfectly golden on top, while soft and just slightly doughy underneath, a perfect bake in my opinion.

So, yes, I made a mess in the oven, but it was all worth for this absolutely amazing dish and especially to make something comforting and delicious for my dad!

[tga-ines-soares]

PIES

When was the pie invented?

The Ancient Egyptians were the first to invent a dish close to what we know as a pie today. They had a honey filling covered in a crusty cake made from oats, wheat, rye or barley. A recipe for chicken pie was also discovered on a tablet carved prior to 2000 BC.

what can be in the national of Britain?

They gave us roads and running water and the Romans are also credited with giving us pie the first example of a meat filling enclosed in a basic pastry made of flour and oil can be traced back to ancient Rome.

Bake Off fans cry fowl over 'creepy' Ian's roadkill pies: Viewers left shocked after baker tells of 'passion' for using animals he finds in his creations

what I think people that can bake pies with dead or alive animals with I think is disgusting because it could carry insects and virus and diseases. but yet again if you haven't had anything eat in days so its understandable. using dead or alive animals was a good, yes's if you don't have enough ingredients but still disgusting.

Find a couple of other weird ones from around the world

Chimney Cake, Czech Republic

It's a sweet bread that looks like a chimney but taste like heaven! You are walking through the streets of Prague in the Czech Republic and you get a urge for something to nipple on. you found a small market full of street foods. Being in Prague, you know that the best you can try will be the chimney cake. But without knowing what that is you ask a local stall owner about it and he or she had gladly produces something that looks like well a chimney. Behind the stall owner are rows of hot spit with dough wrapped around them ,cooking over heart source. This is chimney, but what does it taste like, you ask ? well its sweet. Fill it up with some ice cream and its even sweeter.

While it's the official dessert of Hungary, the chimney cake has made its way to the Czech Republic, where it has been perfected into the favourite street food of locals and tourists alike.

This is a spiral pastry is so delicious that will want to shell out for a couple, just to make sure that you have something else to munch on while you continue to browse through the stalls of the local market.

what i think of the Chimney cake, i think its quite cool that they made it to a chimney, for me it looks extremely tasty

Poutine, Canada

This is an Canada's Unoffocial "Official side dish and street food." Many people have actually heard of Poutine, seemingly the office snack of Canada, but a lot of people may not know what they are. Well, it is so popular in Canada that city of Ottawa actually has a Poutine Festival where you can try over 100 different types of recipes for the street food snacks, along with contests that related to the stuff. So what is anyway? It is probably one of the simplest street food out there, just smothered fries. Smothered with cheese curds and gravy, to be exact. Poutine mean "messy," and this street food really is not meant to be eaten without a fork. But imagine when you bite into the cheesy gravy gooeyness covering the crispy hot fries. you will be glad that you stopped at the festival in Ottawa or at any of the street vendors throughout Canada that sell Poutine. Not exactly a delicacy, but definitely something associated with Canada and warm home-cooked snack or side dish or light meal. Poutine puts together some of the greatest flavour's into a food combinations that is not to be missed if you happen to be visiting Canada. Of course, it is so simple to make that you can find it else where, including if you want to make it yourself.

what i think of the Poutine of fries, i think its quite unique how they mixed gravy and cheese with the fries and it actually looks quite nice to eat.

Biltong, South Africa

This is south Africa , Now that's jerky!. In south Africa, you keep hearing about something called "biltong" and you figure you figure you should investigate what is it. In the streets of a Johannesburg, you stop in a little shop with a sign advertising that they have the best Biltong available. Inside, you see another sign above racks of what looks like dried meat. Beef jerky? Not exactly, you are told. It is jerky, but is is an exotic animals, like ostrich and kudu. But, is it still jerky? The shop owner shakes his head and declares that is it cured in apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar then rubbed with spices like black pepper, coriander, and brown sugar. This is getting interesting. The slices are very thick, bordering on small slabs of meat, so you buy one, maybe two for good measure. This is unlike any jerky you have ever tried. The flavour is so intense, so concentrated, it tastes different that you have expected, partly because it is such a thick piece of meat. You are told that it is not smoked. It is jerky at its essence. Stepping back out into the street, you decided that you made a good choice stopping and seeing what Biltong is all about.

[lamarckianenterprises]

Finding the Joy In Cooking: Cream of Mushroom Soup

Nothing pairs better with a cold and rainy (or snowy!) day better than a bowl of piping hot soup to warm you up from the inside. And in my experience, the simplest, easiest, and yet paradoxically fanciest dish I’ve made is the humble cream of mushroom soup. 

A rarity ‘round these parts. ‘Good’ cream of mushroom soup is often priced at a premium in the fancy european bistros that sell them (we are ignoring the existence of instant dried cream of mushroom soup which are uniformly a disgrace), and it’s easy to be led astray by the price tag into believing that it’s a particularly involved or demanding dish to make. But what if I told you that was a lie?

Yes, despite its reputation, all it takes to make some of the best cream of mushroom soup you’ve had in your life are some basic knife skills, a working stove, some of the most common herbs and spices known to man, a good pot to stick it all in, and maybe a blender if you’re feeling fancy. 

I first learned how to cook cream of mushroom soup from my uncle. A very kind man who despite no longer cooking himself due to the trauma his mother (God bless her soul) inflicted on him as a young adult through imposing her misogynistic views on what a man’s role in the kitchen should always be (not in it). Thus, she stifled the one guiding passion in life that she allowed him to cultivate all the way to trade school before ruthlessly snuffing it out to conform with societal expectations. 

Life can be a bitch that way.  A part of me wonders if the reason why he’s so eager to give advice, and see the fruits of my labor, is because it allows him in some small way to peek beyond the door he was forced to close on himself way back when. Still, I hope I’m making him proud with this perfectly savory, earthy, and all around delectable cream of mushroom soup recipe.

Servings: 4-5 approximately servings (I tend to serve it three ladlefuls at a time, adding more depending on the amount I’ve cooked today)

Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes prep, 20-30 minutes on the stove (These aren’t exact measurements)

Requires: Cutting board or plate, common vegetable knife, iron pot, any form of stove, spatula (wooden preferred), ladle, blender (optional), tablespoon

Ingredients:

250 grams - 750 grams of common white or brown mushrooms sliced thinly lengthwise from head to stem. (Sometimes you just can’t get nearly a kilogram of mushrooms

One to Two whole onions diced

Three to six cloves of garlic diced

Fresh parsley to taste

Fresh leek to taste

Three to eight tablespoons of white flour (Depending on intended thickness)

At least one cup of full cream milk (Called Whole Milk everywhere else) or cream

One to two cups of clean water

Salt and pepper (to taste)

One to two beef or chicken bouillon cubes

Chicken, pork, or beef stock/broth (optional)

Butter or margarine (margarine comes in flattened squares here, at least a quarter of a square)

Vegetable Oil (one or two tablespoons)

Directions:

1. Sautee the parsley, leek, diced onions and garlic on medium heat in the butter and oil mixture until the onions are softened and the mixture gives off a pleasant smell.

2. Stir in the mushrooms with a spatula, making sure to coat them liberally with butter and oil, and let it simmer for around 5-8 minutes, or more accurately when they have reduced in size by about a quarter and are starting to brown. (If you lift up the mushrooms you will notice that the butter and oil mixture has turned into a sort of brown watery liquid, this is normal, mushrooms contain a fair bit of water which is released throughout the cooking process. DO NOT THROW THE WATER OUT.)

3. After the mushrooms have been reduced, add the desired amount of flour to the pot, and use your spatula to liberally spread it around, reduce the heat in order to keep the flour and other ingredients from burning, but let it simmer for at least a minute to render the flour into an impromptu roux.

4. Add the desired amount of milk or cream, broth, and water to the pot, and add bouillon cubes, salt and pepper to taste. If using milk do not raise the heat above a steady simmer to keep it from curdling.

5. Once the taste is to your liking, take the pot off the heat, and serve. I prefer it served hot with toast or garlic bread, and with a raw egg cracked inside. For a more flavorful soup with a thicker, rougher texture I recommend blending it, especially if it is to be served hot almost immediately after cooking. (The butter and oil tends to pool at the top when it’s hot, making for a very visually unappealing soup if served as is. But blending cuts through all that and traps the butter and oil in the mix. Also no one can complain about not getting their fair share of mushrooms if it's blended)

[survey--s]

578.

Have you ever seen an emu in real life, whether in captivity or the wild? Yeah, both in a zoo and in the wild - they're evil fuckers lol.

When was the last time you visited your state’s biggest city? I've actually never been there.

Do you remember what colour the eyes were of the last person you spoke to? He has blue/grey eyes.

Have you eaten pasta in the past week? I've had ramen if that counts? I guess it does - it's noodles after all.

Did you pierce your ears yourself or have it done by a professional? All my piercings were done by professionals.

Are you wearing any shoes right now? Nope.

How many letters are in your surname? Six.

Do you enjoy Burger King? I actually don't dislike the food but it always gives me the shits lol.

Have you ever worn bell bottom jeans? Sure.

How far away from your house is the nearest ice cream place? About two minutes drive.

What colour is your kitchen counter? White.

When was the last time you washed the dishes? About ten minutes ago.

Do you own a lot of cookbooks? I don't think we own any actually - I find all my recipes online.

How many rooms are in your house? Five plus a hallway. Six if you include the attic but it's not really habitable.

Have you ever seen American Pie? No. I was just a bit young for it when I came out and my dad never approved of stuff like that anyway.

What do you think of Leonardo DiCaprio? I don't really have an opinion on him - he's a good actor though.

Do you stay in touch with many people from high school or college? Not really, just a handful of people here and there.

Are you feeling nervous about anything right now? No.

How many cars can your driveway and garage hold? Technically two, but the garage is full of stuff lol.

When was the last time you were late for something? Today - we were going to my parents' and Mike took the wrong turning so we had to turn around and do a really long detour.

Do you own an iPod, and if so, what type? No.

Did you ever play Stardoll when you were younger? I have no idea what you're talking about, lol.

Is there a university in your town or city? No.

What’s your father’s handwriting like? Actually really neat - he writes in like, really professional looking cursive.

Have you ever lived on a farm? No, but I love the idea of it. I know farms are a LOT of work though.

Are you hung up on anybody right now? Nope.

Do you eat fries one by one or in big bunches? It depends on how big they are and how hungry I am.

Did you wash your hair last time you showered? Yeah, I always wash my hair when I take a shower.

Has anyone ever ransacked your bedroom? No.

Do you have any weird sleeping habits that people have told you about? I mumble in my sleep apparently - lots of people have told me that.

Do you enjoy That 70s Show? Yeah, I really liked it. That 90s show was a disappointment though.

Are there any clouds in the sky, and what colour are they? I can't see the sky from here, but I'm going to go with yes, and probably mostly grey.

Do you think you’re fast at typing? I know I am.

What was the last type of pizza you ate? BBQ chicken with peppers, bacon and onions, plus a cheese stuffed crust.

How old are you? 34.

Do you know anyone with an unusual middle name? I'm sure I do, but nobody specific is coming to mind right now.

Would you consider yourself to be intelligent? In some ways.

Have you ever waxed your eyebrows? No.

What does your shampoo smell like? Coconut.

Have you ever passed gas in front of your significant other? Of course, all the time lol. I mean, we sleep together every night so it's not like I can control it.

Do you have any big regrets in your life? Nope.

What colour is the ground or floor where you are right now? Grey.

Do you live on a street, avenue, road etc.? Hill.

Can you taste anything right now? BBQ sauce. I just had some with my sweet potato fries.

What was the last board game you played? Monopoly, I think.

Are you renting the house you’re currently living in? Nope.

Do you listen to Guns n Roses? Not really.

How old were you when you had your first boyfriend or girlfriend? Fourteen.

Have you ever been a bridesmaid? No.

Has the sun already set for the day? I think sunset is in about an hour.

Do you know how to tie a tie? Yeah, I had to wear a tie for sixteen years at school.

What are the age gaps between you and your siblings? I don't have any siblings.

Does your birthday come before June 19th in a calendar year? Nope.

Do you pay attention to the FIFA World Cup? If so, what team do you go for? I do not.

Are you on any medications right now? Nope.

[jsms01]

5 ways to change your mindset

When we’re struggling with our weight, it can feel like some things are out of our control – from the foods we eat to the everyday challenges that steer us away from making slimming-friendly choices. As experts in the psychology of weight loss, Slimming World will empower you to take back control and build new healthy habits that last.  Here, five inspirational slimmers share how being a member has helped them change their mindset around food and drink, and spurred them on to lasting success. Discover our latest special offers here

Yes you can… understand yourself as a slimmer

There are many reasons why we might struggle to lose weight. Some of them are known to us – like the foods we eat. Others might be just outside of our awareness. At Slimming World, we’ll help you uncover the deeper psychological barriers to your success, and then arm you with the tools to overcome them, so that you can develop healthier new grooves. MORE ON THE BLOG: 9 easy ways to make healthy habits stick

The support of her Slimming World Consultant helped Laura Allen understand the link between her emotions and her secret-eating habit… “I’d always been a big emotional eater and I used food as both a comfort and a reward, often eating in private so that my family wouldn’t know. When I joined Slimming World, it was such a relief to open up about my secret eating, and my group helped me to understand and gradually break the habit without ever feeling deprived. I finally have some control over my eating. Before, I’d pick my way through the day, snacking on crisps and chocolates and finishing with a takeaway. Now I cook my meals from scratch, making delicious Slimming World versions of my favourite recipes, like chicken tikka masala.” Read Laura’s full story here

Yes you can… stop negative self-talk

We’re much more likely to make healthy choices when we feel good about ourselves. However, that’s easier said than done, especially if we’ve fallen into the habit of putting ourselves down. Surrounding yourself with positive people who understand and genuinely care about you is vital when it comes to silencing that inner critic. In fact, our research found that 91% of our members feel more positive about themselves since joining Slimming World. MORE ON THE BLOG: The surprising stats that prove kindness is key to weight loss

Years of abuse about her weight had left Harriet Peacock feeling trapped in a cycle of negative self-criticism. But when she joined Slimming World, she found the acceptance she’d been looking for – and went on to lose a staggering 20st. “Over the years, I’d tried pretty much every diet going. They never worked and would usually end in a binge-eating session because I was so hungry, and with me branding myself as a failure who was destined to be overweight and miserable forever.  Group taught me that I was worthy of happiness and it gave me back my confidence. Apart from family and close friends, my fellow members were the first people who made me feel accepted. They just got it, were never judgemental and, as the weight came off, they cheered me on every step of the way.” Read Harriet’s full story here

Yes you can… fit changes around your lifestyle

You’re more likely to stick to healthy habits when they slot into your everyday routine. Our Food Optimising eating plan is fully flexible, so it can easily work with your lifestyle, whether you’ve got a busy family life, a full-on job, a packed social calendar – or all three! MORE ON THE BLOG: How to personalise Food Optimising to you

Before he joined Slimming World, Matt Symons thought he’d have to give up his social life to lose weight. Then a question from his Consultant changed everything… “I used to meet my friends in the pub after work almost every night, catching up over food and drink – I could easily get through 10 pints, then stop for a kebab or pizza on the way home. My weight crept up and up, but it didn’t occur to me to change my lifestyle. Then, just before Christmas 2016, a metal dining chair buckled beneath me at a friend’s house party. I joined Slimming World a week later. In one session, I talked about how I’d been avoiding the pub because I was worried I’d just regain all the weight as soon as I started socialising again. When my Consultant, Steven, asked me if I could change the way my social life was set up, it was a revelation. Everyone chipped in with ideas for nights out, and I started to meet up with my new friends from group for coffee dates and cinema trips. I also discovered that I really enjoyed tenpin bowling, and we started going for regular games. I was having a great time – without feeling hungover and low the following morning!” Read Matt’s full story here

Yes you can… get support on your terms

There’s no telling how or when life will throw up challenges to your weight loss. That’s why you’ll find lots of ways to connect with the Slimming World Community. Many of our Consultants have closed Facebook groups, where members can swap ideas, celebrate successes and help each other stay on track between groups. Plus, members enjoy exclusive 24/7 access to our app, with its 1,900 recipes, behaviour-changing tools, real-life success stories, progress tracking and the Slimming World barcode scanner, for support wherever you are and whenever you need us.  MORE ON THE BLOG: All about our barcode scanner

Member Charlie Morgan found the app an invaluable lifeline… “I downloaded the app immediately after signing up. On my first trip to the supermarket as a member, I used the Slimming World barcode scanner on my phone to check the Syns on anything I wasn’t sure about. I also checked the app if I needed a reminder about the basics of Food Optimising. In my first week, I was surprised by just how much I could eat on the plan – and even more surprised when I lost 5lbs!  That gave me the confidence to be a bit more adventurous the following week, so I looked up some of our favourite dishes and used the app to find slimming versions. My girlfriend is vegetarian, and we found lots of recipes that could work for both of us – we’d cook the vegetarian version and I’d add meat to my portion at the end.’’ Read Charlie’s full story here

Yes you can… let go of guilt and shame

These emotions are two of the most common stoppers to our weight loss success. Learning to shed the burden of them is a change most of us could benefit from making, and that starts with finding an environment where you feel safe and free from judgement – which is exactly what you’ll find in our groups and our online Community. MORE ON THE BLOG: Discover how Slimming World can set you free from guilt

A fear of failure meant Sophie Ratcliffe hid her slimming goals. By sharing her journey with other Slimming World members, she finally found the support she needed to succeed. “Before joining Slimming World, I never told anyone when I was trying to lose weight, as I was sure I wouldn’t succeed. My son was being bullied at school because of my weight, which made me feel so guilty, but I had no idea how to change things. It was September 2021 when I first walked through Slimming World’s doors. At 24st, I felt embarrassed by my size, but no-one made me feel self-conscious. The other members were such a lovely bunch, I instantly knew I was safe and that they wouldn’t be judging me. I left the session feeling hopeful for the first time in ages.” Read Sophie’s full story here If you’re looking for lasting weight loss, you’ll find a world of support waiting at your local Slimming World group or in our vibrant online Community. We’d love to welcome you!

Free 7-day menu

Would you love a taste of the Food Optimising plan? Enter your email address below to receive a full week of delicious Food Optimising recipes, as well as our regular newsletter packed with more Slimming World food, inspiring member transformations and exciting special offers.  Source link Read the full article

[tianarpowell]

“All right, a little bit of Kurobuta in the meatballs, and the rest for the second recipe to go with the chicken fried beets!” Tiana practically burst out. She beamed when Remy congratulated her on the promotion she’d earned! “Thank you, thank you for your kindness. I’ll remember about that raise! These are the things I need to tell myself to do…but, you know, Remy, if it hadn’t been for you and some other friends of mine really encouraging me the past couple weeks…I don’t know if I’d even be making this new food I’m getting to make at work now. Thank you sincerely for that. If I hadn’t met you, I’d be worse off. I’m being honest.” His easy kindness on the job and in conversation had inspired her to take that big step. And Tiana didn’t take kindness for granted, never ever.

“Now,” Tiana told Remy about that bread bowl, “on the MasterChef show, they did use a different type of flour for the bread bowl. It was the standard baking flour, I think. This is different, the one I asked you to bring. That was actually why I subbed in the unbleached flour for the standard bread flour—I’m thinking our flour will hold soup a lot better and have a more appealing texture if we want to eat the bowl at some point. On the show, they had to spend a lot of their time, the contestant did, on making the soup thicker so it would present well, like you’re talking about. But this avocado soup we’ll be creating for the dish, it’s naturally lighter. I don’t want to have to thicken something that just tries its hardest to stay light, you know? Anyway, that’s my reasoning.” Tiana listened as Remy started in on the pork meatballs and pushed the salt and pepper grinders his way. “I can taste those meatballs already,” she told him when he mentioned the meatballs absorbing their clove-and-wine-reduction sauce. “You go for it!”

“Remy,” Tiana said at his suggestion to use soy and ginger for their second recipe, “that’s brilliant! Absolutely genius! You’ve got a gift for flavors!” She meant that—she could tell, based on the things she’d tasted of his and the way he put together dishes, that his palate was very defined. “Please, do whatever you want to do for that part of the meal. I trust you one hundred percent!” She moved to the side so he could have more room for his workstation.

Tiana gladly accepted the jug of lemonade from Remy when he retrieved it from the fridge and poured them both full glasses. “All right,” she said, handing Remy his glass (a reddish cup that had been borrowed and never returned from her mama’s nice house). “Yes, yes, paprika and other seasonings are stored in a little rack I keep in this cupboard.” She opened it up for him over both their heads. “Go crazy with it! And whatever else you think is best…chef!” She grinned back at him. They were two peas in a pod.

Now it was Tiana’s turn to start cooking. She turned back to the ingredients for the spaghetti sauce (a filetto, potentially, with paprika added in for a kick). She felt very content as she moved through the steps, dicing and pouring with a practiced comfort. This felt better than work ever felt to her. Why would that be? Maybe it was because they were making recipes they’d thought about themselves…or maybe it was because Tiana knew that she could trust herself and Remy with something they felt passionate about making. The love for cooking, and for giving things a try, in that kitchen was palpable. Tiana felt happier than she could remember feeling in the recent past. She wanted to show that to Remy somehow…but how could she be kind in a noticeable way to the kindest person she knew?

“Remy,” she said at last as she got that spaghetti sauce over the stove. “I haven’t talked about this much, but I…am bad at cooking with other people.” It was unfortunately true. “I always tell them things they already seem to be doing, so it makes communication really pointless and bad. But with you, I’m not telling you anything, I’m helping you. There’s such a big difference! Helping versus guiding…” Now that Tiana was saying it out loud, she was realizing that to “guide” someone while cooking, which inevitably happened to her in kitchens, meant that she was probably on a different level from them. And maybe, probably shouldn’t be cooking with them in that way at all…

“What I’m trying to say,” Tiana continued, “is that I’m able to relax and just have faith in your understanding. I feel really calm, for the first time in a while.” This was also true. And it was very fortunate that it was, because Tiana knew that Remy was someone who deserved a lot of faith in the kitchen…and a lot of leeway. That was abundantly clear. “What else can we do to mix things up, while we’re at this stage of the game? You suggested the paprika, which—” and Tiana gestured with her head to the saucepan— “I already added in just now! Tell me, chef…” Tiana actually felt that he would make a great head chef, but she didn’t say that yet. “What flavor can I add to those beets coming up? We’ve got the familiar flavor of the chicken, the sweetness of those beets, like you were telling me… Anything we can use to round off the flavor profile? Like you explained, it’ll be unconventional for sure. But I like unconventional. It’s actually my favorite kind of flavor.” Tiana smiled over at Remy.

.

"Oh, I don't know if we should use this pork for meatballs..." Remy said, rubbing his chin. "I mean, I feel like it's way too good to grind and mix... But, you know, if we could use just a bit... You'd still get some left for some insanely good pork chops," he suggested. "I mean, I can't lie and say that now I'm not curious about what Kurobuta meatballs would taste like." They were trying stuff out, after all. Risks had to be taken.

"A promotion? That's awesome!" he smiled. "Congrats! And hey, that's not small! You should be rightly proud of it!" He managed to stop himself in time before almost slapping her back in support, like he usually did with Emile and his cousins. "And remember to ask for a raise after the first few weeks... You deserve it, if you're moving on up to a harder more demanding task."

There was no time to settle in. There was work to do. And Tiana's excitement was contagious... As if Remy needed more reason to be excited. "That sounds just beautiful," he nodded, rolling up his sleeves. "Funnily enough, I don't think I've ever done a bread bowl, even though I work in the bakery. Do you do something to the dough, so the crust ends up hard enough to hold the moistness of a whole soup?" he asked. "Apart from, you know, the usual water-in-the-oven trick?" It felt so good to discuss these things with someone who knew what he was talking about. This looked up to being the best time he would have in a long while. "Right, I'll get to the meatballs," he said, picking up a knife and a cutting board. "Cloves, onions, garlic, here's the pork... Where do you keep the salt and pepper?" he asked as he moved around the kitchen, picking what he needed. "We need to get the sauce going first, so we can cook the meatballs in it. That way they'll soak up in it nicely."

Remy turned to look at the lovely Kurobuta pork. "My God, what an honor," he said earnestly. "What about making the pork chops with ginger and soy?" he suggested. "I mean... It's gonna end up being kind of a weird menu, I know, but it'll be really good. Some saltiness to cut the sweetness of the beets." And then Remy let out a laugh. "Remember to breathe... If you don't breathe every so often, we can't cook." He nodded again. He really hadn't expected to be so game to following someone else's orders. Remy knew himself to be sort of tyrannical in the kitchen; so the sheer fact that he was comfortable doing what Tiana asked of him really spoke to her talent for leading.

"Great," he said, opening the fridge door and looking for the lemonade so they could both have something to drink while they worked. "Do you have any paprika? I usually put it in my filetto sauce, it really gives it some spiciness and an amazing color," Remy said. "Just a little bit in the wine reduction, I think it might work some magic. Does that sound good, chef?" he asked Tiana, shooting her a glance and a smile.

[shockapella-sweet]

Get to Know the Blogger ^3^

Because an autobiography would be an absolute slog to get through. Also, I was tagged by @evieisstruck to do this. ^-^ Let’s get into this:

Name: Shockapella Dash Sweet (“Dash” is that embarrassing middle name we don’t talk about).

Height: 1.61 metres when I got myself measured at the pharmacy recently, 1.64 metres at the GP soon after. So at this rate, I’ll be over four metres next year.

Wearing: A light burgundy top (AKA my fancy going-out top) and charcoal-grey pants. To complete the look, my dusty, navy-blue slippers with the words “NAP QUEEN” written in silver on them. Which, I suppose, is a lie because I can’t nap to save my life.

Introvert or Extrovert: I’m an extroverted introvert, leaning towards introvert. Like, it really depends who I’m with or where I am; I’ve had people telling me that they would not believe I’m not an extrovert. But honestly, I’m a homebody who prefers solitude. The more cynical side of me would say that I love people, but I hate people as well. ^-^;;

Siblings: One. Four, if you count my dogs.

Following: 87.

Followers: Enough for a duck sanctuary.

Instruments: Learned to play the recorder in junior school. Also play a bit of the piano and drums.

Fandoms: Oh hell, LOTS. The ones I can think of right now are Mortal Kombat, The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Sims. 

Favourite Author(s): A lot times two. I do love me some Jeffery Deaver and Agatha Christie, and I adore Alexander McCall Smith for his humour and gorgeous descriptions. And of course, Jacqueline Wilson and Roald Dahl are among my childhood favourites.

Favourite Star Wars: Oh feck, Evie, did you put this question here? XD Um ... anything with General Grievous in it?

Favourite Genre Of Music: Anything that has a good sound and catches my fancy. Pop, Rock, Old School jams, 90s/80s tunes, instrumentals and film/cartoon/video game soundtracks are my go-to genres.

Favourite Musical Artist: LOADS. I can’t pinpoint one, but obviously Cascada has to be one of them. XP

Favourite Song: Kiss from a Rose by Seal. There are more, but this song gets me all the time.

Last Google Search: "montego dog food sale.” The siblings dogs gotta eat.

Recommend A Video Game: The Sims 2. Probably the best sequel in The Sims series. Great expansion packs, intriguing story plots, fantabulous soundtrack(s), addictive gameplay and N O T S I M S 4. Also messing with your Sims is entertaining.

Recommend A Music Album: Timbaland’s Shock Value. The sound will hook you in and take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. By the end of it, you’ll have it on replay.

Recommend A Book: Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie. Just because I finished re-reading it for the hundred thousandth time, and I’m still surprised every time.

Recommend A Recipe: Phwoar, apricot chicken and potatoes, guys. Get you a oven-proof dish, and put a few pieces of chicken and potatoes in it. Mix together apricot juice and brown onion soup, then pour it over the chicken and potatoes. Place in the oven on 200 degrees Celsius (hell knows what the US equivalent is) for 30 minutes. Take it out, douse them with more of the juice/soup mix already in the dish, turn them over, douse again, and pop back into the oven for another 30 minutes. Serve, enjoy, and feel fulfilled forever until you get hungry again. (Feel free to season the chicken and potatoes with salt and pepper before dousing ‘em.)

Share A Creative Thought You Had Today: It’s less of a creative thought and more of a philosophical one: “In all of Kronika’s infinite, pointless timelines/New Eras to the nth degree, are the souls in Ermac’s body still the same, or are they different ones each time?” Also thought about some MK intros, specifically a list with intros just from Johnny Cage. X3

I tag @fml-its-ashley, @sopa17362, @the-cryomancer-grandmaster, @whatamidoingwithmylifeman and @daku15, as well as anyone else who wants to do this. ^3^