a running post.

With plans to run a half marathon in April and not having run much the past two months, I'm not sure how well it's going to me. Ideally, I would have preferred going into January with somewhat of a base built up. For reasons of being burnt out, lazy, and finding no personal motivation it looks like I'll be heading back to square one. There isn't much time to work on speed, so I suppose this half will be used to determine my general fitness in preparation for the Sunburst half marathon, which I've been wanting to do for a while.

The winter months are always a struggle for me because there isn't much I hate more than cold. Except cold and wind. Thinking back to last year, this winter hasn't been quite as bad, but I'm not living in the past so it's bad enough. The other reason it's very important to have been running consistently is so that my running habit has been built up and I'm less likely to use the cold as an excuse, though it doesn't necessarily stop me from complaining about it.

What I've realized this past year is just how quickly a month goes by. Charting it out makes it seem like forever, though when you aren't really doing much your sense of time goes out the window. Next thing you know, it's the new year and in your mind it's still October. That's kind of crappy, isn't it?

So here's to starting over. Literally. Monday has some miles in store.

chocolate banana pudding pie and Nordic Ware Covered Pie Pan review

So it's been a while, but what better way to begin the first post of a new year than with pie? And a product review. A few weeks back I mentioned that I would be reviewing a product I got from Wayfair, and I chose the Nordic Ware Natural Commercial High Dome Covered Pie Pan. This 10-inch pie pan is constructed from rust-proof aluminum with galvanized steel wire around the rim for extra strength. I'm not sure why that's necessary, but the dish seems very sturdy and good for baking. Accompanying the pie pan is a vented plastic lid that secures on top so that you can store the pie in the same dish. Seems pretty cool.

When I first got the pie pan I opened the box to find that the plastic lid was cracked. There wasn't any padding in the box, though possibly it could have been from the cold. I called Wayfair to let them know the problem and they were quick to help out, sending a replacement order ASAP. The next box arrived without a crack in the lid, though the pie pan had a scratch. Nothing major that would prevent me from baking with it.

Since I was making an "icebox" pie, I blind baked the pie crust. The heat distribution seems good and the crust browned fairly evenly. I like the lip on the edging because it gave me handling room when i removed the pan from the oven. I started off with a chocolate cream pie filling, layering with 'nilla wafers and fresh banana slices. There was only enough room for 2 layers of wafers and bananas, but next time I would have doubled up on the wafers. I like the texture when they become a bit spongy from the custard.

With the egg whites left from separating the yolks, I made a meringue that I spooned and swirled on top and browned under the broiler.

Unfortunately, the lid didn't fit! If you make a nice, high crimped edging, the dome won't seal shut if the crust extends beyond the groove of the rim. Poorly thought out construction, surprising for Nordic Ware. It would have made more sense for the lid to attach around the underside of the rim instead of on the extended wire portion. This way, if you make an open-face pie the sides will still be high enough to accommodate the filling without being worried that it would overflow.

I like the elements of this dish, and I really like the pie pan itself, but I think for $16 plus shipping you could find another pie pan that's just as good unless you make the necessary adjustments with the pie crust sides so that the lid would fit. Overall it's a good buy if you remember about the crust.

One interesting aspect about buying from Wayfair is that if you shop at each individual store, such as Cookware.com, luggage.com, etc., the shopping carts will not be combined. To have your entire purchase in one cart you need to stay on the main Wayfair.com page and search for items you want there. This way, you can combine items to accrue free shipping if you wish, and you won't have to pay shipping twice.

Oh Nuts! Giveaway Winner

Hey Guys! I completely lost track of time and forgot to pick the winner. Oops. Anyway, thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. Today's lucky winner is Terri!

I'll be contacting you immediately to get your prize to you. Stay tuned for future giveaways, everyone!