Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

As a testament to just how good these rice crispy treats are, I'll admit I had to make them 3 times before getting a picture of them. Each time I made them we either ate them all or gave them away. I am in no way complaining about that though because these rice crispy treats are amazing. Brown butter and salt add an interesting depth of flavor to traditional crispy treats, making them irresistible to me. Honestly, it took some severe willpower to limit myself to one (or two) of these per day, and I could have easily eaten the whole batch. Now I just have to find an excuse to make them again......

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
Source: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter or coat with non-stick spray an 8-inch square pan with 2-inch sides.

In large bowl, combine the rice krispies and salt; stir to combine.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as the point between nuttiness and burnt butter happens very quickly. (this whole process took 10-15 minutes for me)

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color and you see brown bits in the butter, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. If the residual heat from the melted butter does not melt the marshmallows, turn the heat back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal. Quickly spread into prepared pan, using hands or a spatula if necessary to ensure top is even and corners filled in.

Let cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Wednesday: Split Pea Soup

Possibly the most unappetizing picture ever, but I promise it tastes better than it looks! We've had a ham bone in our freezer since Thanksgiving so I finally gave in to the hubby's request for split pea soup. I have no recollection of ever having this soup before, so it was kind of scary because I'm not really a fan of ham or peas. Surprisingly, this soup only has subtle flavors of each and was actually pretty good! Super easy to prepare and paired with some crusty bread, it made for a pretty comforting dinner!

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Source: adapted from Whole Foods

Ingredients

1 (16-oz) package dried green split peas, rinsed

1 ham bone 

2 cups diced ham (less if your ham bone is pretty meaty)
3-4 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups low sodium chicken broth

Directions
Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given, adding the broth last. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on high 4—5 hours or on low 8—10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off the bone.

Enjoy!

Herb Crusted Pork Roast

I've mentioned before that the hubby's most requested meal is this pork roast. When he once again requested it the other day, I took the opportunity to try something new. As much as I love the go-to pork roast, I have a fear of over using it and getting to the point of never wanting it again. So when I saw this recipe I figured it would be a good one to try, although the flavors ended up being a little similar.

This recipe comes together relatively quickly, and does not require any marinating time. The breadcrumbs give it a nice crust while the herb paste keeps it juicy and tasty. I'm going to have a hard time deciding which roast to make next time it's requested!

Herb Crusted Pork Roast
Source: Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients:
2-3 lb pork loin roast
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/4 tsp dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack in the middle, set aside.

In a flat dish combine the panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, minced shallot, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Using a fork, toss the mixture until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated with oil.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Process until smooth.

Rub the outside of the roast with the herb paste; coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the roast on the prepared wire rack and baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-75 minutes or until the thickest part of the roast registers 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Creamy Risotto with Edamame

We do not have risotto often in our house, however it is often a favorite of mine at good Italian restaurants. Although risotto takes some tender, loving care to produce, that is not the reason we don't have it often. To be honest, every time I have made it at home it ends up being a bit too rich for me! And also, I often don't want to open a bottle of wine to make risotto unless I know I am able to finish drinking it. But after taking a few bites of this risotto I knew it was different and would be an instant favorite in our family.

This recipe totally breaks the standard of risotto, instead of Parmesan and wine.......laughing cow cheese wedges and beer! Now beer I can handle because it is easy enough for the hubby to finish off the can, and we always have laughing cow cheese around because it is an easy, healthy snack. This recipe got 2 big thumbs up from the hubby, and he really enjoyed the subtle flavor of the beer. I think the substitution of these two main ingredients creates a lighter tasting dish that I fear may allow it to become a staple side dish around here!

Creamy Risotto with Edamame
Source: adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium shallots or 1/2 onion, very finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup arborio rice

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup light beer (we used Coors light)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 wedges Laughing Cow cheese, garlic and herb flavor

Directions

1. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook until tender, about 5 minutes; drain. 
2. In same saucepan, combine the chicken broth and beer; season with salt and pepper. Heat through over low heat until ready to use.
3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the shallots/onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup of the beer broth to the rice and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding more. The rice is done when it's al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy liquid, about 17 minutes total. Add the edamame and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Cake Batter Cookies

Do you ever see the 10 for $10 sales on boxed cake mixes at the grocery store? And then think, "hmm, that's a good deal but why would I ever need multiple boxes of cake mix?" Now of course I know that you don't have to buy 10 boxes to get them for $1, but sometimes I have a hard time passing up a good deal. Nonetheless, I usually skip by the cake mix sales, but now that I discovered these cookies I may have a harder time next sale.

These cookies would be perfect for a quick sweet tooth fix, or those nights you remember you are supposed to bring treats to school or work. They are super easy to throw together and a lot easier to eat than a piece of cake! And while they taste a bit like cake (obviously), the addition of chocolate chips make them taste more like a traditional cookie.

Cake Batter Cookies
Source: All Recipes
Makes ~2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil; mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Slow Cooker Wednesday: Chicken Taco Chili

 

(sans fixings on top, I was hungry!)

In my quest to utilize my slow cooker more often I have realized that I seem to be in a slow cooker rut. Meaning almost everything I make is some sort of soup/chili/stew. But I decided, screw the rut because I wanted to make this chili. Such a simple, healthy, comforting meal to come home to on a cold night. And even better, this hardly took any time or effort to prepare. I mixed everything up (except chicken) in a big Tupperware the night before, kept it in the refrigerator, and in the morning all I had to do was dump it in the slow cooker and add the chicken. And obviously because I can't get enough, this is healthy enough for me to add extra cheese on top:)

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili
Source: Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans, drained
1 16-oz can kidney beans, drained
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (Rotel)
chili peppers, chopped (optional)1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For garnish: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese

Directions:
Combine all ingredients through chili powder in slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in, cook for remaining 30 minutes. Top with your desired garnishes.

 Enjoy!

Weekly addition

I've decided to try adding something new to my blog. Lately I've been feeling that in addition to regular posts, I thought it would be fun to add a weekly (sometimes every 2 weeks) post dedicated to the slow cooker. With a new baby coming soon I imagine I will be looking for easy meals and thought this would give me a head-start. Since I also usually work late a couple nights a week, it is always nice to come home and have dinner ready. So tomorrow I will be introducing Slow Cooker Wednesdays! Stay tuned:)

Sugared Cranberries

If you've never tried one, cranberries straight up are pretty sour and tart. While I am not really a fan of cranberry anything, I knew other people would be and I thought these would be a nice snack to have before Christmas dinner. These cranberries are super simple to make, requiring only a few ingredients and a little prior planning. The result is a festive, sparkly snack that is still a little tart, but balanced nicely with the sugar.

Sugared Cranberries
Source: Pink Parsley, originally from Cooking Light

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar (or granulated sugar processed for 30 seconds in a food processor)


In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat, being careful not to boil or the cranberries will pop when added.  Stir in the cranberries, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.  Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Drain the syrup from the cranberries, reserving liquid if desired.  Place the superfine sugar in a shallow dish, and add the cranberries.  Stir lightly to coat completely, then transfer the cranberries in a single layer to a baking sheet.  Allow to dry at least one hour before serving.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to one week.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

I tend to think that shrimp tastes the best when flavored with lemon and garlic, so this dish did not disappoint. As an accompaniment to a steak and lobster New Years Eve dinner, I actually didn't have enough room to eat as much shrimp as I would have liked. No real worries though, the flavor goes a long way in this dish. Even though it's highly unhealthy, my favorite part of this dish was using crusty bread to sop up all the melted butter yumminess hiding under the shrimp!

*Note, I halved the original recipe, making enough for 4 people

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 pound Raw Shrimp, Deveined, Shells On

1 stick Cold Unsalted Butter Cut Into Pieces

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 cloves Garlic, Peeled

1/8 cup Fresh Parsley

1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 of a Lemon, Juiced

 

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and red pepper. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles evenly over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly, roughly 10 minutes.

Serve shrimp and melted butter with hot crusty bread.

Chinese Egg Rolls

 I like to think I have made it through this pregnancy so far without many cravings. However, one thing had been on my mind for weeks.......egg rolls! Since we are trying to cut back on frivolous spending (but really, are pregnancy cravings frivolous?!?) I decided to attempt making my own egg rolls. The actual assembly of the egg rolls was no big deal, but believe it or not this was my first attempt (ever) at frying food! I have a number of recipes saved that keep getting pushed back because they require frying and I have always been intimidated by the idea of frying food. What kind of oil do I use? What do I do with the leftover oil? How can I attempt to eat healthier if I'm frying food?

Well, I tried my hand at frying, and the results were amazing. Granted not healthy, but the perfect item to satisfy the craving and I can now say I accomplished something new in the kitchen.

If you decide to make these, I recommend reading the Egg Roll rules from the original blogger, Steamy Kitchen. This was so helpful to me, and includes step by step pictures. As you can see from my picture compared to her's, I could not find the correct wrappers and just went with the refrigerated wrappers found by the produce, resulting in the big bubbles when fried:/ While I still found them tasty, next time I may try harder to find the recommended wrappers. These are a bit time consuming, but one batch makes enough to freeze so you can have egg rolls at your disposal anytime:)

Chinese Egg Rolls
Source: Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients:

50 Spring/Egg Roll Wrappers (about 2 packages), defrosted unopened at room temperature for 45 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight
Water, for sealing edges
Oil, for frying

FOR THE GROUND PORK
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE VEGETABLES
2 to 3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
½ head of cabbage (about 11 ounces)
3 carrots, shredded
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms (or dried black mushrooms soaked overnight), stems discarded
1 tablespoon cooking oil (canola, vegetable, peanut)
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. To make the filling, combine the ingredients for the ground pork together. Marinate at least 10 minutes. In the meantime, shred the cabbage and the carrots using your food processor or by hand. Slice the mushrooms into very thin strips (or you could use your food processer and pulse a few times to get a fine dice.)

2. Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, push the meat to one side of the pan. Add the garlic, cabbage, carrots, ginger and the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the vegetables are softened. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and black pepper. Continue to stir-fry for another minute. Scoop out the filling to a baking sheet and spread out to cool. Prop up one end of the baking sheet so that it tilts, allowing all the moisture to drain to one end. Let cool for 15 minutes.

3. Discard all of the accumulated juices. Use paper towels to blot the filling to rid of extra oil or juice. Now, you're ready to wrap (see photos from Steamy Kitchen for instructions on how to wrap). IMPORTANT: Only use 1 heaping tablespoon of filling for each egg roll, the width of the egg roll should only be 1.25" diameter.

Keep the rolled egg rolls in neat, single layer and covered with a damp paper towel to prevent drying. If you want to stack the egg rolls, make sure you have layer of parchment paper in between the layers to prevent sticking. Keep wrappers also covered with damp paper towel to prevent drying. Refrigerate up to 4 hours until ready to fry or freeze.

4. To fry the egg rolls, fill a wok or pot with 2 inches of high-heat cooking oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) or until a cube of bread will fry to golden brown within 10 seconds. Gently slide in or lower the egg rolls, frying 4 to 6 at a time, turning occasionally until golden brown about 1½ minutes. Place on wire rack to drain and cool.

NOTE: To fry frozen egg rolls, do not defrost the egg rolls – just add them to the oil frozen, frying 4 to 6 at a time. Add an additional 1½ minutes to the frying time since they are frozen.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

Muffins that taste like donuts=genius! I made these way back in October while visiting my sister and her family in Dubai. We actually ended up making them twice, one batch for us and one batch to take to Mason's school bake sale. Mason was my little sous chef! I got the ingredients ready and he did all the batter mixing, filled the muffin tins, watched them bake, dipped the muffins in butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. He was quite the helper and I think he was pretty proud of himself.

These muffins come together in a flash and truly taste like a donut. I actually forgot about them for awhile, but I think I need to make them again soon.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
Source: Bella's Bistro, originally from Tasty Kitchen

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4C. Flour
1 1/2t. Baking Powder
1/2t. Salt
1/2t. Nutmeg
1/2t. Cinnamon
1/3C. Vegetable Oil
3/4C. White Sugar
1 Egg
3/4C. Milk

For the topping:
1/4C. Butter
1/3C. White Sugar
1T. Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In small bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

In large bowl combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add the dry ingredients and stir only to combine.

Bake in well-greased muffin tin, at 350 degrees, for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl.  Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.

Shake muffins out while still hot.  Dip muffin tops in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix.  Let cool.

Makes 12 muffins.

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is a winter staple, but when I am not sick it is not something I have cravings for. When I had turkey leftover from Thanksgiving I wanted soup, but nothing traditional. And then one day this soup magically appeared in my google reader and all was right in the world.

This soup is an awesome take on chicken noodle soup. It is a bit spicy, but the flavor is amazing. This soup also comes together in a flash, especially if you use leftover chicken/turkey, but that's certainly not a requirement! I also added in frozen, shelled edamame to incorporate some veggies. I can't wait to make this again!

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Source: adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally adapted from America's Test Kitchen

6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (substitute 2 Tbls white wine and pinch of sugar if don't have mirin)
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce (or to taste depending on your preferred spice/heat level)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
2-3 (3 ounce) packages of dried ramen noodles
1/2-1 cup frozen, shelled edamame (optional)
3 scallions, sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced (I omitted)
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
pinch of red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

Bring broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and chili garlic sauce to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the cut up chicken breasts to the pot and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through.

Open the packages of ramen noodles and discard the seasoning packet included. Place the dried ramen noodles and edamame into the broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just about cooked. Stir in the scallions and cilantro and serve in bowls. Garnish each bowl additional fresh cilantro leaves and a drizzle of 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. If you like things on the spicy side, sprinkle a few red pepper flakes for garnish.

 Enjoy!

Carmelized Chipotle Chicken

I was not expecting to like this meal as much as I did. Traditional barbecue flavors are not something I am drawn too, however the smokey, spicy flavor of this chicken was surprisingly delicious. If you've never tried chipotles in adobo sauce I encourage you to try this recipe. The chipotles give off a smokey flavor with quite a bit of heat, but the flavor is mellowed out by the additional ingredients. I served this with simple basmati rice which also helped tame the spicy flavors.

While this dish has a couple steps and may appear time consuming, it is not all hands-on so you have the ability to get other things done while sauce simmers/chicken bakes.

Caramelized Chipotle Chicken
Source: Pink Parsley, adapted from Gourmet, September 2009

• 1.5 tbls extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until golden, then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium and cook onion until golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 450.

Add the garlic and remaining ingredients, up to chicken, to skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and continue cooking until sauce is slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes.

Reserve half of sauce and set aside. Add chicken to skillet and coat chicken with remaining sauce in pan. Bake chicken 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with reserved sauce; continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce

A very simple and healthy meal that takes no time at all on a busy weeknight. These pork chops have a lot of flavor and were great served with simple buttered egg noodles.

Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce
Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

• 1 tsp butter
• 4 pork chops, 1 inch thick, trimmed of visible fat
• 1/2 tsp salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup fat free/low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, tarragon)

In a large saute pan heat the butter over moderately low heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium, add the chops to the pan and sauté for 7 minutes. Flip and cook until pork chops are browned and done to medium, about 7-8 minutes longer. Remove the pork chops and tent with foil to keep warm.


Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and boil until it reduces to 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in the mustard, herbs, and 1/8 tsp pepper. To serve, spoon sauce evenly over pork chops.
Enjoy!

Creamy Taco Mac

Just like Hamburger Helper, but better because you know all the ingredients. This meal is comforting, easy and delicious. We went through a phase where we made it quite often because of its simplicity, and it is a great meal for Andy to tackle when I am working late.

Creamy Taco Mac
 Source: Delish

Ingredients

1.25 lbs ground turkey
8 oz dry pasta + 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
4 Tbsp mild taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese*

1/2 cup sour cream *

salt & pepper
cheddar cheese (optional)

*you can successfully use low fat versions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta per directions, reserving one cup of pasta water.
Over medium heat, brown ground turkey and drain any excess liquid. Add taco seasoning and diced tomatoes; simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved water, cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until cheeses melt and all is incorporated.  Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Sprinkle with extra cheddar cheese.

Enjoy!

I'm back! (hopefully)

I cannot believe it has been 6 months since my last post. Since July I have finished my internship, graduated, been asked to stay on as an Associate therapist, and traveled to Dubai. Oh yeah, and I've been baking up a little man in my belly:) Now that life is settled down for awhile, I am hoping I can get back into posting about my adventures in the kitchen. In the hopes of getting back into things, the next few posts may be shorter on commentary!