Thursday Thoughts - Here everybody has a neighbor everybody has a friend

1. Let the record reflect that I got an old cavity fixed up at the dentist Tuesday and I didn't carry on about it like I always do NOR did I reward myself with gifts. I have to go back for the one on the other side on Monday. That might earn me a pedicure but still no stuff gifts. 

2. I loathe how shitty photos get (see above) as planned obsolescence occurs in phones. I've got the 11Pro coming my way and I can't wait.

3. We've reached the time of year where I look washed out AF and contemplate bronzer that I keep long after its expiration date for just such times but ultimately decide to skip all face makeup as always and just look like a ghost of myself until about April. Cheers.

4. It's wrong to eat condiments like they are the actual meal, right?

5. If you're looking to kick the ziploc bag habit but don't want to put out a lot of cash for Stasher bags, check out  Qinline bags. They work great, are easy to clean, much cheaper than the Stasher bags and I actually like them better.

6. The other night in an Instagram story I asked people for their favorite dips and seriously I've been salivating since. Bitches love delicious and easy dips and I love them for it. I am going to go on a dip odyssey this year and make the ones that sound good to me and share them all. I'm starting with chive mascarpone bacon dip and a new jumbo lump crab dip in the crock versus how I usually do it in the oven. The Year of Dip. Get ready. Considering a Dip Birthday party for myself. A dip birthday party...what a wonderful world. 

7. My circadian rhythms are off. I get into bed by 10 and am up until 1. I need to reset.

8. For your consideration: these words from Aja Barber or from ShiShi Rose on why I have not and will not be sharing any OpEds on anything in Kobe Bryant's past written by white women, especially not when Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, Brett Kavanaugh, donald trump, and others are out there in celebrityville and about a million Brock Turners, Judges letting Brock Turners go, and white men making laws that hurt women’s autonomy and place women in peril daily are under our noses, traveling somewhere on our circles, sitting at our barbecues unchallenged. We need to get after our own, white ladies, before we say a damn thing about anyone else's. File under know better, do better: I would have written reams about this in the past, waving a big feminist flag. You know who else waves that flag? Black women who have typically had their voices and words drowned out by white women. No, our voice is not needed on Kobe Bryant’s hotel incident from 2003. Better make sure our house is clean before we run a finger across the top of a picture frame in someone else’s. 

9. Reminder: via Women in Illustration

10. Ecards: da da da da daaaaaa da da da da da da da dadadaaaaaaaaa

Hasta la vista, baby. I said that in a Tone Loc voice. 

What appears after the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts is a song lyric to whatever I'm listening to when I start to write the post. This week is Long Walk Home by Bruce Springsteen

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard

Anyone who knows me knows I like to be well stocked in the kitchen. I rarely run out of things and my cabinets are always full, for which I'm very thankful. With this stuff on hand, I feel confident I can throw together a meal on the fly without having to go to the store. Things that can always be found in my pantry:

Condiments
Oils - olive, vegetable, grape
Vinegars - I am a vinegar ho.
Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce - MFD's. I don't touch the stuff, although I may add some to a recipe if I'm feeling saucy.
Soy Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Mustards - yellow, spicy brown, dijon.
Hellman's mayo
Ranch and italian dressings. I also use creamy caesar for marinades.

Spices
Salts: coarse kosher salt, sea salt, regular salt.
Beyond that, I have a robust collection of spices. The ones I use most often and find necessary on a weekly or daily basis: chili powder, dill, cumin, garlic salt, garlic powder, ground dry mustard, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme.

Dry Goods
Pasta - spaghetti, elbows, rigatoni, bowtie, orzo. I like Barilla Plus or Healthy Harvest, but I keep regular on hand so MFD doesn't have a shit fit.
Quinoa
Brown Rice
White rice
Quaker Oats - I love the Quaker Oat man.
Barley
Lentils
Ramen
Bread - I prefer Sara Lee. I'm also a sucker for rye.
Panko breadcrumbs. If I need regular, I'll make my own.
MFD's requirements: Lipton noodle soup, Kraft Mac & Cheese

Cans and Jars
Beans - pinto, black, and kidney. I make my own black beans from dry and freeze them.
Tomatoes - diced, crushed, and whole peeled plum. I prefer Tuttoroso.
Tomato paste - I use what I need from the can and then freeze the rest in ice cube trays
Peanut Butter - Peter Pan mostly.
Jams and jellies - I love a variety. My least favorite is grape.
Peppers - roasted red, banana, jalapeno, chipotle in adobo sauce
Capers
Pickles - always dill, never sweet or bread & butter
Olives - green and black. Sometimes kalamata. Opa!
Chicken broth - I make my own whenever I can and freeze it, but I always have some on hand in the pantry as well.
Tuna

Baking things
Flour - all purpose and whole wheat
Sugar - white, brown, confectioner's
Cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips and Baker's chocolate
Pudding - vanilla and chocolate, instant

Beverages
Dunkin Donuts coffee, green tea bags and black tea bags.
CranGrape juice
Assorted sodas

Fridge
Milk - skim for me, 2% for MFD
FF half & half
Greek yogurt - I substitue it for sour cream often.
Sour cream
Cheese - feta, blue, parmesan, extra sharp cheddar, some type of jack. Block over pre-shedded. Nine times out of 10, I grate my own.

Freezer
Homemade marinara sauce, frozen flat in ziploc bags
Veggies: I always have chopped onions, chopped spinach, broccoli crows
Shredded cheese
Bacon
Shrimp
Shredded chicken bagged and frozen in one and two cup portions
Homemade soup - either leftovers or made specifically to freeze.
Ellio's pizza
Chicken breasts and thighs
Garlic bread

Produce
I always have celery, carrots, and potatoes
I usually have cucumbers, peppers, and another veggie.
Fruit I buy the most: naval oranges, granny smith apples, berries, grapes, bananas, stone fruits

Snacks 
Tortilla and regular chips, Utz special dark pretzels, Ritz crackers. I keep all of those on hand in case an impromptu party arises that we are either hosting or attending. If MFD has his way we also have Oreos, gummy bears, Nutty bars, and other assorted processed bad stuff.

What's in your pantry?  Big Hungry Shelby posted on this topic a few weeks back. Check out what she stocks here.

Tomorrow, tommorow, I love ya, TOMORROW!
Tomorrow I'm giving away a Target gift card because I love you.

Kiss kiss.