Mi Casa para Los….Holidays

(Anyone who knows how to say “holidays” en Espanol??)

Finals are over, and the semester is done.
I’ve traveled afar, to a place that sees sun.
Back in the Southwest with my family and friends,
to celebrate the holidays and bring the New year in.

It feels wonderful to finally be back in New Mexico for a nice loooong break from school! With no homework or tests to think about I can actually relax. Since arriving last night I have unpacked, finished Christmas shopping, and baked S’mores brownies. My sister is always baking something, so these were the first of many delicious desserts that I’m sure will be made over the next three weeks. She is a freshman in college this year, but already plans on getting a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, and then going on to Culinary School to specialize in Pastry Arts. Basically, we always have good desserts on hand. We love to go through magazines like Cooking Light (be weary of the cookies, but everything else is usually So good!), Kraft (of course!), and Bon Apetit. The recipes in Bon Apetit are usually a little more complex, but she’s learning and every time I’m home she is making something more and more complicated. Yummyyyy.

Today we went with something simple, the S’mores Brownies. This recipe can be found on the side of the box of Brownie Mix. As usual, we added a little “twist”. Obviously if you love s’mores, it doesn’t get any better than this! Except for the fireside golden-brown marshmellow melting the chocolate on the graham cracker. BUT, since most of us are spending out time inside during the winter, these make a perfect match!

S’mores Brownies

1 box Brownie Mix
3 cups Mini-Marshmellows
5 Honey Graham Crackers (crushed)
1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

Prepare the brownies as directed on the box. Bake for the time designated in the recipe (Or, if you prefer your brownies a little “soft” like we do…bake for about 3 minutes less). After they have baked and are still warm from the oven, add the marshmellows and peanut butter chips on the top. Place the browneis back in the oven for 2 minutes. Top with the crushed graham crackers.

Eat & Enjoy!!!

these boots are made for Walkin’

…or puddle Jumpin’. Depending on the boot. Yesterday I wore my new rain-boots, or “Wellies” as those good ol’ Brits call them, for the first time.

Let’s just say I’m a little behind the times. Or say that I did not adapt to the East coast weather very quickly. The first afternoon that it rained my freshman year, I looked out the window and thought:
“Well, it’s not a very far walk to my class, and I don’t feel like carrying an umbrella. I probably won’t get too wet.”
Funny thing about living in the desert; you have no idea what a real afternoon-rain is. Following a five-minute walk to class, I was soaked. And cold. And shocked. Yet another thing I had to learn (can we add this to the list? Football, check. Rain etiquette, pending check). I finally figured out that if the weather even suggests that it may rain, bring an umbrella. It took me a little bit longer to adjust to wearing shoes that are weather appropriate, and to the fact that after walking around campus, the bottoms of your jeans (or any form of pants for that matter) soak up a lot of water. It also took me even longer to adjust to the idea that it can rain for an entire day. Nonstop. Pouring. Rain. Oh, my.

That’s not how things happen in the desert. Hello, East Coast.

After countless days of not expecting the rain but getting it, bringing an umbrella but still being soaked from the shoulders down, wearing flip-flops and slipping left and right, stepping in puddles that I couldn’t see, looking out the window and not seeing the rain but walking outside and Whoa there it is, and sitting in buildings waiting for it to stop and then realizing that it’s just not going to….I have rain-boots.

I should probably mention that even after 3 years of all this business, I didn’t even buy these boots for myself. That’s how stubborn I am. I received them via the U.S. Postal service on my 21st birthday. They were a gift from my younger sister (I love you, Lauren!). She came up here for her spring break last year, and what do you know, it rained most of the time. She saw Emily’s rain-boots, wore them, loved them, even took pictures in them. We desert-folk aren’t quite used to this fashion statement. Maybe I’ll bring it back West and get it started.

I guess Lauren recognized that clearly I needed these rain-boots. Not only because of the plethora of reasons listed above, but also because this is one fashion-trend that I had to get my hands on. Thanks baby, you’re always looking out for me!