Back in Arizona!

Current Weather: An abnormal 48 degrees, just chilly enough to wear my new warm sweater from the Gap!
Current Book: Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Current Coffee: Latte de soja a fait dans ma cuisine? My french is rusty. I made my own soy latte.
Blogging Incentive: To kill time before my lovely boyfriend shows up with my LAST pizza of the year :)Yes y'all, this girl is going on a strict diet as of the 26th :D

I haven't been in the blogging mood lately. Though you guys have received numerous text messages from me (not my readers, my actual physical friends), I decided to put together a montage of my favorite things about this break so far!

First, I present to you my night of drinking wine and reading a WONDERFUL book called 'Still Alice.' It's about this 50 year old woman who has just been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. Everyone that just conquered biology will LOVE being able to actually know what they are talking about. For example  one of the lines in the book is as follows:

Secretases were the naturally occurring enzymes that released normal, unharmful levels of amyloid-beta. The mutation in Alice's presenilin-1 secretes rendered it insensitive to proper regulation, and it produced too much amyloid-beta. Too much was harmful. Like turning on a faucet that couldn't be turned off, her sink was rapidly overflowing. 


I promise you I didn't search for that paragraph. It was sitting (rather electronically waiting) for me as I entered my password. WOW...it's weird to talk about books like that.

This next love of mine, my friends, is the ever-so-famous Hava Java that I ramble on about. Oh, how delicious my first sip was after a month without it! 

 Then I made red velvet cake cookies. They were part of a whoopee pie mix that I decided to transform into cookies with cream cheese icing. Imagine a gay guy saying "yee-um!" They're exquisite!

Last, but certainly not least, I present to you the process of making homemade raviolis. They were SO dense that eating one filled me up like Paula Dean...y'all need some more butter? My classy ass used a beer bottle (that I drank...hehe) to roll out the dough. 

[I'm adding these pictures as part of an edit I am doing to this post]

Here's how the raviolis turned out! :) I put some pesto, Alfredo, and dollops of marinara on top and had cheesy garlic bread on the side. This is part of my current eateverythingicanbeforeistartmydiet meal plan: 

Instead of two stockings this year (my mom does one and then my grandma does one), I was able to choose a mani/pedi for one of them! The lady asked me if I was engaged. I'm going to start messing with people and pretend I am about to go on my honey-moon so that they'll give me discounts. :D You know me...it's always my birthday if there is something free involved. 

Other things I'd love to tell you girls (and my readers....the sad few regulars[I love you guys!]):

After Christmas Will, his friends, his friends' girlfriends, and I will be hauling our warm clothing up to Pine Top to spend the week in the snow. I can't wait! It's going to be so wonderful and relaxing. I'll upload a TON of pictures showing you guys what I got for christmas. Y'all better do the same! 

<3 Love you all,

Momo Jenkins

Dearest Hailey

Weather: A whopping 27 degrees! Warming up here in Colorado
Latte of choice:  Starbucks Soy Latte

Friends I'm with: Nicole and Jen

Preface for those readers that don't know my friends:


HAILEY is from Bellevue, Washington. She is the most delightful girl in the world! If you're ever having a bad day, she's your girl to go to. Whether it's throwing teddy grams across the room or making garlic salt grilled cheeses, it's always a good time.
My favorite conversation with Hailey: "One of my baby sitters had sleep apnea." *long pause* "Oh wait no, that's my dad. My baby sitter had narcolepsy."

This is Hailey. I apologize for the 3rd grader's wall in the background, that was my old roommate.

JEN is a sweetheart from Colorado Springs, Colorado. She loves hockey and my home made lattes. I am so blessed to have met her (and all of my new friends!) here at college. She's got the same pet peeves as me (don't drag your Ugg boots) and appreciates delicious Alfredo. This is her below, on the left. Hailey is on the right.

NICOLE is my sarcastic fellow Arizona gal. She cusses more than any trucker I've ever met (though I admit to only overhearing truckers' conversations at dumpy general stores on the way to Texas). She is so much fun to be around (as are all of my friends) and will always correct our bad grammar. 

Nicole, on the right

Dear Hailey,

Nicole, Jen, and I are at starbucks "studying," or should I say face booking. If that was a major here at CSU, I'm sure we would all be graduating with honors. Today Starbucks had buy one get one free cold cups (you know how much I love those!) so I hauled my butt over here before they ran out.

Jen also bought two, while Nicole brought her free coffee from Durrell Express. We miss you so much!

Short but sweet, your hungry friends are going to go to dinner.

Love you!
Mo

Early New Year's Resolutions

10 New Years Resolutions to stick to:

1. Stretch every morning and eat breakfast every day
2. Stop buying lattes, only make them at home
3. Do something active every day
4. Make a home made meal every day that is healthy
5. Go to bed before midnight every day
6. Start blogging/face-booking/texting with correct grammar
7. Save up $10 each week to treat myself to a yummy meal for the weekend
8. Strive for straight A's
9. Volunteer my Saturdays preparing taxes for free
10. Join the accounting or management club

They don't seem too bad, agreed?

How Flaming Hot Cheetos Ruined Life (and my digestive track) *True Story*

Hiding out in the depths of a plastic bag are dozens of scrumptious scorching starchy sticks. These malicious sticks have a keen sense for susceptible mouths; they suck people into a horrid, dirty, spicy habit. Unlike any other Frito-Lay, they are fueled by hot peppers that ignite their incentive to kill taste buds. Among every person there is a hidden desire for the fire inviting Flaming Hot Cheetos. They do not suddenly appear in a shopping cart, but they inconspicuously hide behind other chips on the junk food isle, waiting to creep into a customer’s view when the time is right. Be aware: they are really just waiting for the perfect person to stumble upon their packaging. Once they have convinced the unsuspecting victim to purchase them, they initiate their plan to stain fingertips forever, through thousands of accomplices. They are not as innocent as they sound; they are a nasty, dirty, god-forsaken, bowel-destroying addiction that can lead to the destruction of the indulgent’s life, as well as digestive system. I should know; I was that unsuspecting victim two years prior to the record of this addiction. 

In the beginning Flaming Hot Cheetos are not posed as a threat; but a mere addition to any home’s junk food shelf. For me, it started with the simple task of craving a light, fluffy, airy snack, and attempting to satisfy that craving with a little spice. At first my taste buds rejected them, knowing that the Cheetos were up to no good yet I continued to have a few more here and there, when I wanted to spice up my meal. A handful once a week was all I believed necessary, but it was equivalent to a jailbird’s first civil tort. At first I only noticed little difference in the regulatory movements of my bowel, but I figured that was only temporary. I told my rectum to relax, it was only a one time thing. 

After that first bag, a craving for another is apparent: Flaming Hot Cheetos are on the grocery list for good at this stage in their evil plan to take over the victim‘s digestive system. No longer are the Cheetos at the level of a civil tort; they are creeping into the category of a criminal, but they are not yet on any ‘Wanted’ lists, as they have not become a threat to society. The only thing that can be tracked at this point in the addiction is their fingerprints-red, greasy, and smudged in various places. I had yet to experience any real problem socially until the time they secreted a mass amount of their secret spicy ingredient into my gastrointestinal system. I did not know true pain until one day, after a week of constant indulging of the Cheetos, I was out with my boyfriend on Valentines day. We had just finished dinner when I suddenly felt the effects of the Cheetos linger low in my intestines. Without saying a word, I clenched my butt cheeks and made way for the nearest restroom. What was once a simple snack was becoming a menace to not only my digestive track, but my love life. Obviously after that all romance of the night was lost (I was not so attractive after all of that grunting). Instead of glaring at the Cheetos for ruining my anticipated romantic evening, I grabbed the bag and ate until my fingers were red with Valentines day spirit. 

After the first encounter with the consequences of Flaming Hot Cheeto addiction, the indulgent no longer regards the complications-instead, they become blind to the problems that are arising in their life. I should know, I experienced this from Valentines day forth, when Flaming Hot Cheetos took a toll on more than just my love life. My little brother had become addicted at a faster rate than I had. Being the older sister, my parents blamed his problem entirely on me. I wanted to turn the Cheetos in to the police, but I was in denial. They were not the criminal, no, not at all. My brother and I were simply innocent bystanders to a false accusation. I was no longer alone in this battle; my little brother and I went through two bags a day. We were on a taste bud killing spree. One day my boyfriend came over unexpectedly, catching me in the act of placing a Cheeto in my mouth, and snatched the bag from me. He threw them into the old chandelier in my entry way, unreachable to anyone. I tried to resist the urge for a week, but went in to full blown relapse one day after running on an empty stomach. Not only did I retrieve the bag by drastically jumping off of my staircase, grabbing the Cheetos, and landing on the couch with perfect form, I rescued the Cheetos from imprisonment. This should have been a sure sign that I was an addict at my peak, but I mindlessly inhaled the entire bag. Instead of having a irritating reaction in my rectum, the very beginning of the GI system rejected the Cheetos: regurgitation occurred. Of course, after this I had to get the funky taste out of my mouth. Luckily there was a bag of Cheetos nearby. 

After Flaming Hot Cheetos successfully destroy the indulgent’s GI system and personal relationships, they either continue their path to complete and utter destruction or they are found guilty on many counts and thrown forever into a garbage can. After my little brother was sent home from school for having diarrhea in his pants, he swore it upon himself to never have another Flaming Hot Cheeto in his life. Though I was twice his age, I agreed completely. I made it my summer goal to extinguish the fiery addiction. At first, I had trouble eating regular foods. Thanks to my caring doctor, I obtained a daily dose of a drug that would restore proper acidic levels in my stomach. By the end of the summer I had regained the nutritional trust of my family and my boyfriend finally forgave me for ruining so many dates with my excessive bathroom visits. Now, I cannot say that I have not had the urge to purchase a bag, but I find that when I have a relapse, I quickly lock the Cheetos up in a little jail I call my handy garbage can when I realize what I am getting myself into. It’s been a long time since I had my last bag, and I have no desire to indulge in such a criminal of a Cheeto ever again, I think my butt would personally throw me in jail. 

The account of becoming and kicking the addiction of Flaming Hot Cheetos has helped me realize the extent of what my addiction truly was. Luckily, the Cheetos are guilty as charged and remain behind bars under the surveillance of local grocery store cameras. My gastrointestinal system is back and functioning better than ever-I recently wrote a letter to my rectum apologizing for all of the damage I must have caused it during my addiction. If ever I find myself craving just one little nibble of such a fiery snack ever again, I will be sure to take a few Exlax, just to remember what it was like. 

Latte Lovin'

How to make an amazing Iced White Mocha Latte:

What you'll need...
An espresso machine! They run for as low as $40 at Target. If you just start saving your money you spend on lattes outside of the house, you'll have $40 in no time!

-Have espresso, ground to your espresso machine's preference (I use a local coffee shop's imported espresso. It runs for about $13/lb but you can get a lb of sbux espresso at the grocery store for about $8)
-Have some 2% milk (or Soy milk...I use Vanilla Soy Dream)
-Torani White Chocolate Gourmet sauce
-Ice!

Get some hot water from your faucet (this will cause the espresso to brew faster)

While you are waiting, squirt the sauce into your glass (that can handle boiling hot liquid).
For a super sweet latte: About one and a half tablespoons
For a mildly sweet latte: One tablespoon
For a less-sweet latte: About a half a tablespoon
For a barely sweet latte: About a teaspoon

Please note the amount of flavor differs if you are using vanilla soy milk...I usually do a "barely sweet" amount of syrup for the vanilla soy milk. For regular soy milk, I do a less sweet latte for a putty sweet one because it still has a sweet taste to it. You'll just have to experiment :)

You're going to have to estimate what these look like^^ If you're not sure, try it out with water first to see what you'll be using. I have the perfect amount measured out to taste and I know exactly where it must hit for each cold cup I own.

After the espresso brews, quickly (but safely!) transfer it into your cup and swirl the espresso around. There is usually a line that measures the amount of shots, do two shots to start out with :) Sometimes I do less espresso, the sweeter I want it (but since I'm a coffee feign I usually do about 2.5 shots).

Then you have a latte worthy of $5 :)

Midnight Snacks Mayhem

We all do it, but very few of us admit what we actually eat when we sneak into our kitchens at midnight. What do I normally eat? A sauté of some sort. Last night, instead of slugging to the kitchen (since I'm in Colorado and not home right now), I jumped down from my lofted bed to start cooking up the ingredients in my mini-fridge. Unfortunately, there wasn't much there. But this is what I found:

I had some quinoa from whole foods, this AMAZING freeze-dried basil I must have on hand all the time (I will even bring it to the dining hall), leftover pesto from the pesto Alfredo I made Thursday night as well as leftover parmesan cheese, and from the dining hall: kidney beans, broccoli and cherry tomatoes.

Used extra virgin olive oil, my griddle (I'm not supposed to have this but technically it's  approved because it transforms into a panini maker), and attempted to boil the quinoa in a small pot. That didn't work out so well...

But there was a seasoning packet containing cilantro. I wasn't sure if basil, pesto, and cilantro would go together.

I sautéed the veggies for about four minutes. After they were done I added the spices and cheese.


Pesto, Basil, and Cilantro definitely work out splendidly :) One of the best veggie dishes I've ever had.

Hey y'all, Mo here!

Weather conditions: A frosty twenty-five degrees on this lovely Colorado night
Coffee Drink: Medium soy latte with a small dash of vanilla, nutmeg, and chocolate powder.
Read of the night: The Guest by Albert Camus
A note to coffee chatterboxes: Be careful what you talk about in coffee shops. The acoustics generally allow conversations to bellow near others' tables. I am hearing things about these girls that no one should have to know. It's a Jersey Shore episode here at the coffee shop. Snookie and Sammie Q are discussing their relationship pasts (I apologize if I butchered their names; I just cannot grasp their characters...though maybe I weeded out the Jersey Shore lovers from my blog right off the bat).

Here's a little bit about me :) I'm a new blogger. In the past I've tried a few other sites but they started to become picture blogs. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a thousand words to one picture.

My name is Morgan, though I prefer people whom are close to me to call me "Mo" . It fits me more! No, I'm not a lazy cow that doesn't want to spell "moo," but it does sound cute coming from my loved ones. I drink coffee like it's water. I have an espresso machine on hand and make AMAZING lattes. They're so good that I'm considering opening up my own coffee shop later in life. I enjoy Starbucks every now and then, but the good old local shops always have the best beans. Any old coffee shop doesn't work for me though; it must fit this criteria:

1. Adhere to seasonal decorations. Sure, maybe it's not fair to only represent Christmas...so don't eliminate the holiday joy! Add a few dradles, make the christmas tree a hannukah bush, and have a few other celebrations of religion around the store. But please, play some Christmas music :) Or play some Sufjan Stevens. Comfy. Relaxing. Hearty :)
2. The crowd must be respectful. Now I know this cannot always apply, as new people come in and out of businesses every now and then. But please, recognize that there are many people trying to accomplish work. 
3. The coffee, of course! As a true coffee addict, I know when those beans are burnt. 
4. Location, location, location! Be creative with your real estate :) I like to see a homey environment-not some modern glass creation. Make me feel like I'm at grandma's drinking a lovely latte. 

I know, I'm so cynical and picky! I apologize readers, the few of you that I have, for I am a bit sarcastic. 

What my blog will withhold in the near future:

• My dorm cooking extravaganza. I recently bought a griddle (that doubles as a panini maker) and a crock pot. I'm determined to make my own recipes, with funny names. 
• A record of my Christmas break, home in Arizona for my friends here in Colorado
• Hiking trails, winter weather mishaps, snowboarding trips, and pictures of the squirrels that steal my Luna bars while I'm reading on campus 

:) Can't wait to begin recording this life I'm blessed to have!