J.C. Isabella

In my first posts, I talked about writing, something I love. I am a writer, but I’m also a cook. I love to cook and bake. When I’m not elbow deep in a novel, I’m elbow deep in the kitchen. This happens in spurts, kind of like my writing.

So today, Saturday, my grandparents came over for a big family dinner. This is a frequent, almost weekly thing. No big surprise. Last time we had the usual Italian dinner, but this time, we went all American. Burgers and hot dogs….but there was still that bowl of olives in the table….

Now, last time they came over, I made affogato. It’s a shot of espresso or really strong coffee over a scoop of ice cream or gelato. My grandparents love this. I stick an Italian cookie in it and it’s like the grown up float, with coffee instead of root beer.

But this time we were doing American. Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob. So for dessert, I made my version of apple crisp. Some call it Apple Betty. I call it awesome :)



Whenever I bake with apples, I always use organic and combine a few different types. My go to, Fuji and Granny smith. I LOVE to bake with Fuji apples. They have the best flavor. But that’s just my preference. I use the granny smith to add a little pucker and tartness.

The difference between my recipe and others is that it’s gluten and cane/white sugar free. I sweeten with agave.

So I started off with a ton of apples. Really, I lost count at how many I peeled. Maybe….8 I think it was. (I’m the kind of person that eyeballs it and uses my hands to measure.)


So I chopped them up, and added a handful of gold raisins, regular raisins, and dried cranberries.



I baked it at 375 degrees, until the apples were tender and the top was golden brown.

So I consider myself to be a quieter human. I like my routine. I don’t stray from it too often, but when a wrench gets thrown in the works, I can roll along with whatever happens. But yesterday, it was one of those days I was tempted to walk outside, stand in the yard with my arms spread wide and ask, “Is that all you got?” Or maybe it would have been more of a, “I could really use a break right now…please!”

I had high hopes yesterday. I was up at 6:50. Ready to leave the house at 8. My cat Bailey was packed in her paw print carrier, ready to visit the vet she hates with a purple passion. Then, I was going to drop her home, snag my laptop, and find one of my favorite haunts to write at for the rest of the day.

If only…..

So at the vet, a routine visit, the doc says Bailey has a chipped tooth. She needs a root canal within six months, or she’ll need to get it pulled. I’m like, how and when did you chip a tooth, and do I need to get you a mouth guard and crash helmet?

That will be eleven hundred for a trip to the pet dentist.

Sigh.

Okay, no more rough housing.

Then, on the way out, the vet asks if she’s been micro chipped. I’m like, no, but I’d like her to be.

Cha-ching.

I swear, these people see me coming a mile away!

Then, we are finally in the car, headed home, after the longest trip to the vet in my life. I get the cat in the house, take her out of the carrier, and discover she has peed her pants.

Well, she doesn’t have pants, but she, I guess, was so RELIEVED to be on the way home, she let it all flow. AND I MEAN ALL. I did not know so much pee could come out of such a tiny kitty!

So I’m in the bathroom, scrubbing her up with the baby shampoo, and it hits me.

New car.

My brand new Prius.

*Hauls ass outside*

Yes, it went through the canvas carrier, and soaked into the nice new cloth seat.

Cut to me wanting to beat my head on the hood of the car.

Think positive, I kept telling myself. You’re car is not going to smell like cat piss. Why couldn’t she have peed in the Jeep? If I had made the appointment a couple months ago, she would have peed in the car I didn’t care about.

*Drives to Toyota dealer*

Sorry, can’t help you. Maybe try an air freshener?

*Drives home dejectedly*

Google is my new best friend! Seriously. I Googled mobile detailing, and found Detail Daddy. The name kind if threw me. I was worried the guy would show up in a low riding cadi dressed like Mr. T and have a full set of gold teeth. But he was the only guy who could be at my house within an hour, and save my car.

He. Was. Awesome. He cleaned the seat, after soaking it with tons of cleaning stuff, then he sucked all the water out, and gave my car a clean bill of health.

Car and cat are back to normal.

Though once all the drama was over, I ended up on the couch next to Bailey staring blankly at my computer. She agreed that I could have the rest of the day off to chill.

I’ll write tomorrow.