Nothing like hitting the ground running! It has been nonstop craziness ever since my nonstop flight back to Chicago. My first day of class officially starts tomorrow (Tuesday), but there has been plenty to do in the meantime. In terms of blogging, this means I haven’t had a chance to answer questions you may have had on my last post – I will get to those soon! But I will say that Papa Bender greatly appreciated the birthday wishes and compliments you paid him 🙂 He loves being a mini celeb!
When I got home last night, I couldn’t wait to tear open a package I’d received while I was away. I’m a member of the new Foodbuzz Tastemaker program (great idea, by the way, Foodbuzz!), and was drooling over those Cowgirl Chocolates I had seen on other blogs during break. Now I finally have some of my own to try!
How cute is the box that they come in? I’m saving that little cowboy hat – I think it would make a cute necklace pendant!
After a long day of travel, I was completely and utterly unable to wake up for a workout this morning. I actually pushed my “snooze” button a little TOO long considering I had to go to work! I knew that by sleeping in I was forgoing a workout, but I figured I could use a day off – it was the jet lag talking. I scrambled to get ready for work and made myself a quick breakfast with what I could scrounge up (since I have yet to go to the grocery store to restock).
It ended up being quite the tasty combination! I used 1 serving of Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch Granola (a gift from the lovely VeggieGirl), 1 serving of Bear Naked Yumberry Goji Currant Granola (which is very “yum” if you don’t mind me and my puns), and 1/2 of a Weetabix Biscuit. All served with 1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk.
Then it was off to work. I grabbed a mug of Coffee Cocoa for the car ride.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned my new “work” on the blog before. I started a part-time job as an assistant editor for a publishing company last November. You’re not going to guess what I’m editing.
Think you know?
Oh okay, I’ll tell you 😉 I’m editing cooking magazines! It’s pretty interesting to learn about the process. There are even food photo shoots, which as a blogger are particularly interesting! I’m working as a temporary employee and it’s a nice way to use some of the free time I have, since I only have classes twice a week. I even mentioned that I have a blog when I first got there. I’m not sure if anyone from there is actually reading, but if so – Hi!
So anywho, I got to work and did my thing for a few hours before lunch.
Not exactly the most creative or wholesome lunch, but it was the best I could do as I was running out the door this morning. I made myself a turkey sandwich on an Arnold sandwich thin, and snagged a PB Cookie Larabar to go with it. It may be easy, but it was delicious!
After lunch and work, I came back and had to run to the news station to shoot a promo with K (the roomie) for a show we’re submitting to the student Emmy awards. It’s one of our best from my days as news director – keep your fingers crossed for us! Once that was done, I met up with Bobby at my place to make an incredible dinner.
I had almost forgotten how amazing Annie’s Mac & Cheese is. Good thing we made it tonight so that I can remember it and all its gloriousness. We split the box down the middle, and I topped mine with some reduced fat Mexican cheese for an extra dose of yum.
Along with Annie’s we pan grilled (is that an actual cooking method or did I just make it up?) two chicken breasts smothered in Annie’s Smokey Maple BBQ Sauce. I guess it was an Annie’s kind of night!
This meal definitely filled us up, but I couldn’t help opening up my box of Cowgirl Chocolates and doing some experimentation!
These are sweet and spicy gourmet chocolates that are “guaranteed to saddle up smiles” 
Love it. They come in awesome color coded wrappers, too! Bobby and I decided to try the Double Dark Chocolate. We started by splitting the mild version.
It was everything dark chocolate should be – rich and layered with different flavors. I was excited to see what the difference was between the mild and spicy version, so we tried spicy next.
It tasted pretty much the same…until about 5 seconds after I swallowed and my mouth started tingling! In a good way, of course – I love spicy food – but it was shocking! I never would have expected that from chocolate. I’m excited for future experiments – thanks, Foodbuzz!
After Bobby left, I met up with yet another friend to watch Gossip Girl – oh my, it was another great episode! It reminds me so much of The O.C., which I also loved.
Random Question
If bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?
Ha! I found a new site that’s full of more of those questions that you never thought about before. I’m not sure if anyone knows the answer to this one, but definitely tell me if you do and, if not, try to guess and tell me what you think the answer is. Trust me, I don’t know, either!
I’m off to do some serious blog reading!
Welcome back to school! I’m uber jealous of your part-time job! Food photo shots – a dream! What cooking magazines might these be?
Weetabix! I can’t believe I haven’t had that in a couple weeks now or so it seems. What have I been thinking?! I miss it!
You edit cooking magazines?! That is SO cool! What are some of the main things you get to do? I seriously think that is such an awesome job.
I’m also completely drooling here over your mac and cheese, bbq sauce-smothered chicken AND amazing chocolates. Too much food decadence in this post, I can hardly take it all in.
Have a good day back to classes tomorrow!
Glad you made it back, sorry about the jet-lag though! At least you had GG to cure your exhaustion tonight 🙂
That dinner with Bobby looks sooo good, Annie’s IS the best!
haha fun question, the only thing I can think is that deli meat is sliced from “round” pieces of animal flesh (sorry for the graphicness) so it’s naturally shaped like that. I guess if we invented round bread pans, all would be good.
Editing cooking magazines? THAT IS THE BEST JOB!
Ooooh, fancy spicy chocolate, nice!
love that mac and cheese I need to get some for the hubby! And that chocolate!!!
If you are an editor, you must be a word nerd like me! Yay for us! I was the copy editor of my high school paper, so I can only imagine how fun it would be to proof cooking magazines.
All your food for the day looks delicious. I love pb cookie larabars, bbq sauce and chocolate!
Glad you are settling back in!
I mean, bread has a REASON to be square (pans). But to make meat square is kind of counter-intuitive, since usually animals are more round-ish. Especially the grain-fed kind. 😉 (sad, too)
I’m going to have to research this nifty Foodbuzz program!
Congratulations on your gig. That’s pretty awesome. 🙂
Oh, and I TOTALLY cheated on New Moon and skimmed about 200 pages, waiting for the letter “E.” It finally came around, again, and I started reading. But then…Eclipse…is losing my interest, for some reason. I think the tactical aspect of war just doesn’t intrigue me.
And Midnight Sun? The best thing since square-sliced bread. Or, rather, since Twilight. Hahaha.
Hey girl! Glad you made it back safely! Your new job sounds really interesting and exciting! I can’t wait to hear all about it! Breakfast looks so good (especially the fun treat from Veggie girl). Hope your first day of classes goes well!
I am so jealous of your job!! Can I ask if you have much editing experience or if you have any tips on getting in the industry? I am guessing you have a journalism major? I am having a career-search crisis since graduating!
Annie’s night looks amazing!
Wow – I never thought of the round vs square thing. Maybe that is why Arnold’s Sandwich Thins are round?
Glad you made it back to school safely. What a cool job, especially for you. That will be a great learning experience.
I’m happy for you that you only have classes 2 days a week. That will you give you time to enjoy your last few months at school. I had to take so many hours my senior year in order to graduate on time. (I spent my junior year abroad which messed up my hours a bit). Anyway, I had so much studying to do senior year, and I envied those who didn’t have quite the load I did.
Those chocolates sound good – love me some dark!
My food never looks so artistic before I eat it. Usually it looks like something that randomly came together- or worse, something off the floor. 😉
PB Cookie Lara + Cereal mess +Chocolates = YUM!!
I’ve never had mac & cheese w/ BBQ but now I’m going to try it =)
To answer your question…umm wait I have no idea!
That part time job sounds really cool!
I have yet to try Annie’s Mac & Cheese but if I ever come across it I’m buying it for sure. I’ve been craving mac&cheese lately 😀
In regards to the random question…I have no clue! I don’t think I’ve even ever noticed that before, lol!
I’m totally missing out on these chocolates! I see everyone have them and I want some too. 😀
Glad your flight back went without a hitch and awesome about the new part-time gig!
My guess about the lunchmeat is because it’s processed and put back together (ew sounds icky, I know) so it’s easier to make a round shape. Some are oblong and rectangle though!
i’m glad you made it back to school safely. good luck with your classes, i can’t wait to hear all about them!
as for the random question: i don’t know, but sandwich thins to the rescue!
Foodbuzz goodies!! Fantastic part-time job!! Delicious eats!! FABULOUSNESS!! And you KNOW I have my fingers crossed for you and K, about the student Emmy – good luck!!
Great chocolate reviews!!
Haha!! Can’t answer that question – it’s one of life’s great mysteries 😉
So glad you’re back in blog land and landed safely from your trip!
That is SO cool about the job you’re doing – I’m totally jealous. I would love a job like that full-time… Reading about food? I’d be a natural 🙂
You should be getting another package in the mail soon!
Glad to hear you made it back in the Chi safe and sound!!
Your new job – SWEET!!
Have you ever had the Enjoy Life cinnamon granola?! It taste like an oatmeal cookie!!
Hope your first day of classes goes well!!
Your part time job sounds really cool! I’m jealous 😉
I have no idea why meat is round and bread is square, it’s kinda odd now that I think about it.
Have a great first day of classes!
Fun job! How did you land it??? Congrats!
That is a GREAT part time job, and the skills you acquire there will really help with your future career!
Fun question! Well, I think it’s because the bread makers can’t make perfectly round loaves and still keep the same amount of surface area consistent for each slice, and the luncheon meat makers thought square lunch slices wouldn’t sell. Just a guess! It would be too weird to have round bread! I’m only there for the bread, though! No lunch meat for me, please!
What a fun new job! I really need to try that BBQ sauce!
your job sounds extremely cool.
My best suggestion is to use that square-shaped ham you can buy. But I suppose it’s like so many other things, why do hot dogs come in 8-packs and hot dog buns come in 6-packs (I might have the #’s reversed)?
I especially liked the presentation of Cowgirl chocolates and how each colored wrapper corresponds to a different flavor. I have yet to try them though, so much other chocolate to eat!
hooray for the chocolates, I love how they’re in color coded wrappers!
Your new job sounds AWESOME!! I would love to hear more about it and learn more of the details of what you’re actually doing! Have a great day! 🙂
Spicy chocolate sounds delicious!! And I’m such a sucker for cute packaging. Nice!
nothing wrong with an easy lunch lady!!
that dinner looks spectacular! bbq chicken and mac and cheesE? YUMO!
hope your first day of classes is going well!
So glad you decided to hit the snooze. 🙂 You must have needed the rest! I really hope you do make that into a pendent. It’s SO cute.
I can’t wait to hear more about your job. What a freakin’ coincidence!!
The chocolates are beautifully packaged and sound wonderful! I love that you added more cheese to the mac & cheese!
Is lunch meat round?
Umm…. can I have your job? That sounds like so much fun!
Glad you made it back home! Those chocolates really are yummy!
SWEEEET ass job! I’m soo jel- I want a job 🙁 Ha your question only made me think of Wendy’s! Do u have that in Chi-town?? Square burgers on a round bun! SO wierd. That is so nice about your class schedge- my last semester senior yr. I had class 3 days a week, which was SO much more enjoyable, and really made my senior year end on the best possible note! Yay I’m happy for u!
I love those kind of questions 🙂
The cowgirl chocolates’ packing is great. Very well thought out! (I’m a packaging nut.)
Your breakfast mix looks great!
I am not sure about the bread/meat issue. Wendy’s has the opposite problem, square burgers, round buns!
i can relate sort of … i just got back from travelling after break and i’m definitely being a little lazy now that i don’t have sweet home-cooked meals every day.
i’m clueless about the square bun round meat issue. and also the why hotdogs come in a pack of 8 and the buns come in a package of 10. or is it the other way around? haha.
anyway, i’m kinda rambling, haha. your job does sound neat 🙂
hey i just started a new wordpress blog and have been wondering on how to post a link on a page. any help?
and haha about the bread thingy. i never actually thought about it! although, some deli meat slices ARE square. lols. maybe it is for the visual effects. some circles some squares
Thank you all for the kind comments about my new job! I really got it just by being in the right place at the right time. See my next post for more details!
Nick ~ That’s so true about the hot dogs and buns!
jenjenwrites ~ There should be a button when you’re writing your post that looks like a chain link. If you highlight the text you want and then click that button, a box will come up where you can type in the URL. I hope that makes sense! Good luck with your blog – you should link to your site so we can all come visit!
Those chocolates look good!
Your job sounds so cool! I would love to do that!
Thank you so much for your quick reply on my blog! It’s so sweet of you to offer up more info. I’m sure it really helped that you are studying journalism. Damn me and my Political Science degree! ALL the best to you, can’t wait to read all about it!