Mango Shrimp Curry

From Mondays post I learned two things. First, deep fried foods appeal to everyone! Second, apparently I’m the unusual one for my lack of running and arm-flailing in the presence of bees. Most people seem to cringe at the sight and sound of bees. I’m more of the slowly saunter away from the bees-type of person. I say “Hey bee, you’re cool over there. I’m cool over here, but why don’t I get a little further away from you? Thanks!” Bees and wasps totally freak me out, but I try not to let them know, it’s my little secret. To show you I’m normal, how about some bug stories from my childhood? Always a good time.


Gather your ingredients

My childhood home is beautiful. A cream and brick tudor that sits on a hill, it overlooks an acre of bright green grass. That room with all the windows on the second floor? That’s my room. It sits on the corner and gets a nice breeze in the summertime. It also has gaps in the baseboards.

We had lived in the house for at least ten years before the Japanese beetles invaded. One year, no bugs, the next year, swarms of red beetles. And they bite. They smell like lettuce when you squish them. How do I know this? Read on.



Bring them all together

For some reason, the Japanese beetles decided to take up residence in my room. The beetles were in no other room in the entire house, just my room. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl and I was into Bath and Bodyworks in a big way back then. Maybe the beetles had heard about the nice breeze that flowed through the room. Maybe they are just stupid and I hate them. For whatever reason, the bugs started their migration.

Just a few bugs showed up, at first. I would find them crawling along the wall, flying around the light and generally beetling about. Until one night, when it all went down. Me versus the beetles! Or, as it turned out, the Shop Vac versus the beetles!

Late one summer night I returned home from what I can only assume to be a day full of rollerblading and Dorito eating. I walk into my bedroom, flick on the light switch and I’m greeting to a veritable swarm of Japanese beetles! Hundreds of the little buggers (ha!) beetling all over my stuff. Screams and cries ring out and I run from the room. Here’s the fact – I don’t do well with LOTS of bugs. Especially not in my room. Not cool Japanese beetles.



I run downstairs and find my dad, inform him of the situation and wait for rescue. “There are bugs! Lots of bugs! In my room! Help!” Waiting, hoping for dad to come to the rescue. That’s what dad’s do, they kill bugs. What does dad say? “Shop vac is in the garage.” Humpf, not what I was hoping to hear.

I spent the next hour sucking up Japanese beetles with the Shop vac. I also discovered they were sneaking in through the gaps in the floorboards. A whole box of tissues later my room has been beetle free for the past ten years. You’re welcome parents!



Cookie Dough Egg Rolls

I know, I’ve been missing a few posts recently. It’s been a busy time here in the Wilde household and lab. Deadlines abound at work this month and I’ve been spending weekends in the city, thereby cutting down on my cooking time. Don’t worry, I’ve brought you something extra special today. Thanks for waiting!


I have so many great memories from my five years in Madison and so many places that I miss. I wish that I could head to the terrace after work to enjoy a brat. The Dunkin Donuts are barely donuts in comparison to the heavenly pieces of deliciousness you can get at Greenbush Bakery. Connecticut pizza can’t hold a candle to the Southwest pizza at Glass Nickel. And no other restaurants dessert menu has the creative crazy choices as Bluephies.

What's hiding in there?  What's with the ice cream?

I was originally introduced to Bluephies at the Taste of Madison. It was my first summer in the city and also my first summer away from home. Boyfriend was visiting for the week and we went to the Capitol square for the annual Taste of Madison. The plan was to hunt around the vendors and find some great new places to eat around town. With over 80 local restaurants represented, we had many options for eating. What we weren’t counting on, were the bees.

Yep, bees. Lots of them. Madison, Wisconsin is lousy with bees. Something about the perfect combination of water, heat and flowers? Maybe, I actually just made that up. All I know is there were a ridiculous number of bees at the Taste of Madison. And do you know who has an irrational fear of bees? Boyfriend. He’s not deathly allergic or anything, he just had a traumatic bee episode as a child. Now he runs around erratically when there are bees in the air. There were lots of bees at the Taste, so there was lots of running.

Once we discerned that the bees liked to congregate around the trash bins we were okay. Just avoid the trash and we’ll be mostly bee free. Thankfully we figured this out, otherwise boyfriend might have sprinted right past the Bluephies tent. I might have never known the amazingness of their chocolate chip cookie dough egg roll.

It's filled with gooey, melty cookie dough!

Yup, you heard me right. Cookie Dough Egg Roll. It is seriously the most delicious and simple dessert I have ever had. You take some cookie dough, roll it up in an egg roll wrapper and fry it to crispness. Then add some ice cream for good measure, maybe some chocolate sauce too. If you are ever in Madison, be sure to stop by Bluephies for dessert. Their lunch and dinner menus are also pretty amazing. Most of you will never get the chance to visit Bluephies, but here’s your chance to enjoy their signature dish.

Chocolate-covered Cherry Fondants

In the washing machine, on top of the stuffed deer head, behind the mint green ball gown. What do all of these places have in common? They sound like a pretty random series of locations, but they have one very important thing in common. The Easter Bunny thought they would make pretty good places to hide my basket of chocolate.

These are the hiding places that I remember best, because it took forever to find my Easter basket those particular years. The Easter bunny is crazy sneaky, even hiding my brothers basket in his room while he slept. It took him hours to find it, even though his whole room smelled of chocolate.

Sneaky sneaky Easter Bunny, always hiding my candy. Well, except the year you hid it in the fridge. That was silly. A girl wakes up in the morning and what’s the first thing she’s going to do? Get a bowl of Lucky Charms! Ta-da! Basket full of candy in the fridge! Who needs cereal, I’ve got candy now! That was a very hyper Easter Sunday.

Now that I no longer live in my parents’ house, the Easter bunny has resorted to using the U.S. postal service. It’s a surprise in a big brown box! It’s just waiting in my mailbox, full of deliciousness and wanting to be opened and eaten. I know there is a Easter box on its way to me soon, but until then I will have to make my own candy.

I know, two candy posts in a row, but it’s Easter time! To me, that means pastel candies and daffodils. These cherry fondants are smooth and creamy. The chocolate coating gives them a great crunch and makes them look extra pretty!

Did the Easter bunny use to stop by your house and hide your basket?  Where was the craziest place the bunny hid your treats?  I love a good, basket in the oven story!