Project ice cream space

Last night I processed some pictures. Pictures of a certain Lodge, a certain basset hound named Charlie, and a certain woman named Ree Drummond.  I’m thinking either Friday or Monday I will finally face the world with the PW Weekend series, part #1.

Why haven’t I snappity snapped out parts 1-70 already, you ask? Well, see, I have this guy that hangs around my apartment who likes to call himself my ‘husband’, and this man-creature has been requiring my attention for a couple evenings. I know–the nerve! But after all the busyness of the past couple weekends, we were waaaaay behind on our snuggling quota. And that may take priority over, um, blogging? Um, if that’s OK with you? So for today, a story of meat and ice cream and their ongoing battle in our home.

Are you upset that I’m making you wait? OK, fine.

Here’s a completely gratuitous picture of Ree. I snapped it last Friday night.

Happy?

OK, great. And now for something completely different.

I blogged a while ago about how full our freezer was, and conveyed my hopes of freeing up some space so that for the first time in over a year we could fit in some ice cream.

That hasn’t happened yet, but to spur ourselves on towards our goal, we have officially inaugurated the policy of using the food we have until the ice cream fits. I am no longer welcome to shop in the fish or meat section of our grocery store and refill the freezer gaps we create with new frozen delights. And I’ve only broken this rule about 3 times! I consider that a triumph. The only thing I’m truly dreading is having to cook that dang duck. Duck seems like the kind of dish that could go horribly wrong, doesn’t it?

Significant progress was made in Project Ice Cream Space a few Saturdays ago, when the late hour of 10pm found us immersed in a cooking tornado.

The second arm roast from my grandfather Big Jake, an unwieldly hunk of meat responsible for occupying a solid 15% of our freezer, had been defrosting all day. From experience, we knew this arm roast would not fit into one pot. So we did it again–we made two pot roasts out of the one arm roast.

Have you ever cooked late at night? It has a completely different feel to it. It adds a component of madness. And frenzy–a frenzy to get to the relaxing part of Saturday night. Knives, onion skins, and raw meat seemed to be everywhere.

I used the same recipe that I’ve shared before. It has blueberries, it has balsamic vinegar, and if you don’t try this amazing combination, the word ‘friend’ will hold no more meaning betwixt us. That’s right, it’s a pot roast ultimatum.

I just have to draw the line between ‘friends’ and ‘enemies’ somewhere, folks. I hold firm to my values of peace, love, truth, Balsamic Blueberry Pot Roast Delight, and justice.

Just kidding! Please keep being my friend. Thank you.

By the end of all the cookery we were ready to settle in and watch a movie. My dishwasher/sous chef was pretty beat.

I dutifully set my alarm for 6am the next day so that I could pop the roasts in the oven bright and early. . . and then scramble back into bed.

As a result of all this madness, soon our freezer will have room for some French Vanilla. Chocolate Caramel. Peanut Butter Chocolate. Mango Sorbet.

Since the theme of this post is obviously ‘excess,’ tomorrow I will be posting the result of another excessive venture: Mini Pumpkin Muffins. They are delicious. They are addictive. And the recipe made 72 of these little orange guys. That’s for a household of 2 people. I’ve been eating those guys for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and hoping that my metabolism can just pretend they never happened.

Dear Metabolism,

Please do some magical math and make the dozens of mini pumpkin muffins I ate become a smaller number. Please take any excess fat that may have been consumed and churn it into energy as quickly as possible. Do not allow the aforesaid fat to think it’s welcome to stay. It’s not! It must go! EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Anyway, I promise to do some leg lifts or something tomorrow when I have some more time, and we can make ammends with the laws of physics and biology at that point.

Thank you for your consideration,

Jenna

P.S. This is especially urgent since project ice cream space is about to allow more fat-laden foods into my home. Please get back to me with a response at your earliest convenience.

Recipe for mini pumpkin muffies will be up tomorrow! You may want to write advance letters to your own metabolism–or invite over 72 friends so that there is a ratio of only one muffin per person.

15 thoughts on “Project ice cream space

  1. TheKitchenWitch

    Oh, you are a naughty thing, making us wait so long to hear about Ree! But hey, the random picture will tide me over, I guess. And could you forward that letter to your metabolism to MY metabolism? I need it.

  2. Wendi

    Jenna, I feel your freezer space pain. Somehow my freezer has become completely full but I swear I don’t remember buying any frozen foods. I need to institute a Freezer Relief Plan as soon as possible.

  3. Weighting For 50

    I love the “use food until the ice cream fits”! That’s brilliant. Our freezer runneth over too. BTW, great picture of you and your husband, and I can’t wait to see the shots of Ree and Charlie and the farm. (I’m a little starstruck by her….) Have a great day!

  4. Circe

    That’s the problem with aparment living, space is at a premium, and my freezer is always full, grocery day is a tougher game of tetris every week. But it looks like a delicious roast, and I’m super jealous that you have a dishwasher

  5. alongtheohio

    1) You and Adam are too CUTE..
    2) We have similar freezer issues…except our space taker uppers tend to be ready-made veggie meals and frozen pizzas….and meat also..but mostly steamer bags.
    3) I can’t wait for the Pioneer Woman Pics & stories !!!
    4) I’m sure your metabolism will hold up – I mean, you were thoughtful enough to write a letter 😉

  6. Karenpie

    You are so silly! And . . . . can I make a confession here? I thought you were kidding when you told me you were going to The Ranch. It wasn’t until I logged on today and saw 1. YOU on PW, standing in her kitchen and, 2. HER on your site. And then I thought – !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How fun to see someone I know at the ranch! Well, kinda know. Can’t wait to see/hear the details!

    1. Jenna

      Heh heh, I don’t think I’d have the guts to even kid around about something so “serious” as meeting the PW herself! I’m working on the first post as we speak, covering the fantastic Lodge . . . it will be up Friday. =) I’m a much slower blogger than Ree, what can I say–she pumps out those posts so fast . . .

  7. comfortablydomestic

    A letter to your metabolism…brilliant! I’m sure all that I need to do to light a fire under my metabolism is to craft a letter. It will work, I just know it! 😉 With 2 arm roasts out of the freezer, you should have room for at least a pint or two of Ben & Jerry’s. Unless you get another shipment from Big Jake.

    1. Jenna Post author

      I have 2 Dutch ovens, 1 green and one black, and I love them both! Cast iron cookware is the BEST!

      1. Layla

        It doesn’t surprise me it’s from your grandfather’s basement, cast iron lasts forever. One tip I once got is to purchase it cheap at yard sales, instead of brand new, since it’s so easy to clean up and season!

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