Breakfast bread puddings. At least, that’s what Phil’s taken to calling them because he’s wholeheartedly against my calling it “French Toast Casserole.” Casserole, quite simply, is an ugly middle-America word that conjures up images of upturned gelatinous soups, chicken legs, and overcooked egg noodles. Basically cellulite but with more structure. “Besides, French toast is crunchy on the outside.” Yes, it’s pan-fried in oil, and you need a plateful of paper towels at the ready. My “Breakfast Pudding Bake” deserves no towels, no plates at the ready. I can bake a tray of it on the weekend, serve some, then divvy up portions for the rest of the week-freezing two servings at a time. Also, it’s not all about the kids. It’s perfect to have at the ready for when guests pop in. Not that I ever have unexpected guests, but I like to think that I live in a kitchen that can accommodate extraordinary circumstances, from hurricanes to hangovers. Wrapped in foil, from freezer to toaster oven, in five miles minutes, they have a puffy, eggy, soft breakfast pudding worthy of childhood comfort and memories. Sometimes you make a meal and you just know ”This is what they’ll remember when they’re older.” Hell, it’s what I’ll remember when I’m older.
MAKEUP
Makeup brushes, what each one is used for, makeup tutorials, creative Mac shadow combinations, new fall nail polish colors: Nars Galion, Chanel Paradoxal, and Deborah Lippman Fashion (near dupe: Essie Brooch The Subject). I am wholly engaged with reading up on makeup dupes. There are sites out there that will actually tell you the duplicate Wet an Wild color for a Mac color. That kind of thing. Now, I’m obsessed with having every single non neon color Mac makes. Just to have it, if I should need it, after watching some makeup tutorial on YouTube that will give me the perfect Kardashian eye.
PERFUME
I’ve been complimented on my latest perfume purchase exactly five times in the past two days. Sharing the name of this perfume is like revealing that I watch The Bachelor. But, I do. So, here it is. The perfume I love to love and hate and love: Boyfriend by Kate Walsh. Go ahead, hate me. I’m used to it.
DINNERS
Do ahead Dinners. “Dream Dinners” and freeze ahead meals, wanting to have dinner party meals in moments. I’m obsessed with Dore Greenspan’s At My French Table, and I can’t understand how she doesn’t weigh more than the Arc D’ Triumph. Two dishes I’m making this week, “Pumpkin stuffed with everything Good” and ‘Chicken, apples, and cream a la Normande.”
STICKY RICE
Another obsession of mine: my coconut sticky rice. It is insane. My mother made us rice pudding with “the wooden spoon.” I make this instead. You need the right rice and methods, timing, and planning, soaking rice in a bowl overnight
Another obsession: PHO. Where in South Florida does a girl get her hands on some authentic Pho?
Today I’m making a “Zero points” Watchers Points Plus soup with Chinese cabbage, bok choy, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, cilantro and lime. Add a protein on top, from egg to nuts to chicken or beef, long slippery noodles for the kids.
This week, I also baked a Derby Pie. Because I want to be Southern like that.
I want to look up Nora Ephron plays. There’s a play she said she wrote but that wasn’t published.
I want to read it. Speaking of my imaginary best friend—this morning we spoke about Teflon and anti-egg white omelets. I love her more and more each time we talk. Thankfully she feels the same way, so there’s no awkward friendship chase. What can I say? Nora Ephron and I are total besties, especially considering how much we both despise that word.
I am obsessed with crustless pumpkin pie. I just devoured the center, the entire filling, using only my finger. Right now I’m staring at the remaining pie shell wondering if I should bake something new into it, call it “Double Unsanitary Pie.” I bet I could make a fast filling with my vita-mix.
I have to get over these cedar fever allergies I picked up when I was back in Austin. It’s strange, although I’m here in Florida now, this week, today, I still feel like I’m in Austin, still think when I get in my car, I can jet over to Central Market, that I can still call friends at the very last minute with a text inviting them to meet me for drinks and a movie in fifteen minutes at Alamo Drafthouse.
What I miss most about Austin are the people. They’re all so different, unique, easy. If however, I grew up in Texas, I’d probably prefer different, wouldn’t much mind living in Boca Raton, where people dress to be seen. I dress to keep my food down. The homogeneousness is killing me… almost in a good way though, because now I’m motivated to get back to work.

Loved this. My perfume? Fantasy by…..Brittany Spears. I win.
Ouch! I got given that as a present and really couldn’t get into it. It’s probably somewhere in my room gathering dust!
I’m going to need you to reveal the website that tells you which Wet ‘n’ Wild lipstick can sub for a MAC–that sounds potentially life-changing, considering how many MAC lipsticks I covet.
Also, speaking of Central Market, I saw you there about two years ago in Austin and got way too excited for anyone’s good. I’m really surprised you didn’t see me gawking at you from behind the cheese counter. Believe it or not, it was my Hill Country grandparents who turned me onto your blog years ago after Gma saw you in the paper. I’ve been a fan ever since.
My comments were pretty random–but I think that works given the post!
Jenn – http://www.temptalia.com/makeup-dupe-list – i LOOOOOOVE her website! Great reviews, and gives ou dupes for every review as well!
That dark eye makeup is really aging.
That’s so ridiculously unnecessary to say. Really?
That eye is smokey perfection! how’d you do it ladyface?
Mmmm…Derby pie. Be still, my heart!
Paradoxal was last fall, and Lippman polishes are never worth $18.
Agreed on the 18 beans. And yes, I extracted that bit from my journal (I’m behind in posting, and I wanted to get my notes up for my own records). What colors will be in for spring, now that we’re phasing out the grays and mattes?
Oh, and just saw this one, too! I LOVE these colors. Can’t wait for March: http://fashionista.com/2011/12/the-hunger-games-nail-polish-line-is-back-on/
Okay I need that zero point recipe please!
Same! It sounds delicious. I just made an asian slaw with peanut dressing and I can imagine adding chicken or long noodles and bean sprouts to freshen it up. Yum!
Not my favorite beauty blog, but Temptalia has the “Dupe List” feature that will help you find cheaper alternatives to high-end brands.
Lately I’ve been obsessing over eye makeup too. Just before Christmas I managed to get the Clinique lady at Macy’s to help me out and I’ve been applying it a little better since then, but I never get it looking how I really want it. Can you PLEASE PLEASE post a link to the tutorial video? I’m pretty sure I heard about a really good Vietnamese restaurant in Boca. I’ll ask around for you because I remember several people talking about how good it was.
Love the eyes…was hoping to read an entire post about your Austin trip!
Sorry about the Cedar Fever – I’ve found the only way to avoid it is to always have antihistamines in your system. I take them every day now.
Austin post is coming!
Do you use the immersion blender on the WW soup or just let it all hang in the broth? How much cilantro and lime?
Great post as usual.
:)
I feel like you’ll have another big creative success (akin to Straight Up and 30) around age 37. These things seem to work in seven year cycles. Sounds like you are gearing up for it!
Try beautybroadcast.net. It’s written by a news anchor in Nebraska– or thereabouts– so of course there’s no makeup person, and she does it all herself. She’s got something like six hundred youtube tutorials, reviews, dupes etc. You could spend a week straight watching them. Excellent time waster and reason to buy more makeup!
I just wanted to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. I love your obsessions. And the fact that you obsess. I do, too. I just wish my obsessions were as fun as yours. :) Suck it, haters. I’m going to the store to give that Kate Walsh perfume a sniff. :)
Can you share the soup recipe? Sounds good.