For Di.

My Uncle Michael's girlfriend Diane is a TV Commercial Producer, and I cracked up when I saw this ad because she tells us stories like this when we see her....

Ok, 50 minutes.

So, it took 50 minutes to cook the squash, then you scoop it out of the skin, make sure you get all the goodness.

Put it in a food processor, add some cinnimon, and honey, a dollop of butter and a little salt.


Puree it up!
Put it in a little oven save dish...


I am going to top it with some brown sugar and bake it tonight as a side dish for dinner. I will probably bake it at 375 for about 10 mins just to melt the brown sugar and heat it through.

TA DA!

Um.

So, It's now taken over 30 mins to cook the squash... still not done...

I'm cooking.

Today's dish:
Butternut Squash Mush.
(I made that up)

first you cut the squash long ways.



Then you scoop out the seeds and stuff.
Then you spread some BUTTAH on them! All over the meat parts. This keeps the squash moist in the oven.


Get that buttah all over it.



Now, put those on a metal pan and put them in the oven butter side up like that, 350 degrees for 20-30 mins.

They are in the oven now... I will post the rest of the experiment er... um... I mean recipe, after they come out so I can take more pics.

OH blah.

I am so frustrated. I haven't heard from any of the boats that said they were interested in me. (Haha! At least it's boats and not guys!) I got a couple of nibbles on the bait this morning from other crew sites so maybe that will pan out. I even have Heather on Meerkat acting as my crew agent in La Paz. Sounds so exotic! (Thanks for asking Heather! I should print out some flyers with my resume and picture on it and you can post them around the marina! I could pay you in peanut butter.)

Anywhooooo, I went by the little shop that needed part time help and she had already hired someone. Oh well, I wasn't meant to work here. I have wicked heartburn and no motivation. I did buy some presents for upcoming birthdays and such. Nothing big, just fun stuff that will most definitely bring a smile to the faces of two very awesome ladies.

In other news, I lost my keychain. Not that it had any keys on it that still worked but it did have my caribeaner on it. And I can't have keys on a chain without a caribeaner or I will lose them. Oh wait. Whatever. I lost them in the shuffle of moving like 3 times in a month. Is that how you spell caribeaner?

I was a caribbeaner once....

So, I think I might call the guy that I interviewed with on Wednesday this afternoon just to touch base with him and let him know I am still interested. Why the hell do we have to capitalize weekday names? Grrrr.

One of the nibbles I got today was from a 108ft M/Y based in St. Pete, Florida. Sounds lame. The owner only uses it on the weekends. Sounds like that Australia job and I hated that shit. So, I will be declining that job. Also the dude only wants to pay 2800 a month for a deck/stew/chef!!! HAHAHA HE IS OUT OF HIS FUCKING MIND! I will tell him no one in their right mind would do it for less than 4000 a month and see what he says... tee heee. It's true though.

I am a picky bitch. But if you had been in as many shitty boat situations as I have you would be picky too.

OH I AM SOOOOOOOOOOO FRUSTRATED!

And, I keep having dreams that I can't distinguish from reality. Like I dream about everyday occurrences like cooking or talking on the phone. I had a dream last night that I talked to Justin on Avalon and he said they had decided not to hire me. So I woke up all sad and depressed and it seriously took me an hour to realize I had not talked to him. I'm losing it.

But .... I was really relieved when I realized I hadn't talked to him so that was good.

My Wordle...

Get yours here.

Blast from the past!

Let us take a trip back in time...

Me, Lowering the main sail on the Schooner Liberty back in dubya dubya two... or 2002... Just another day at work on the docks in KW. My roomie Dennis, me, and Scott.
A visit to Boston a couple of years ago, Me and Josh, this is one of my fav pics. Happiness.
My first time in Mexico, spring break 2007
Sean teaching my mom how to raise the main on Schooner Liberty in 2003. "keep the gaff like this" haha!
Geri (armless), Aaron, Aaron, Me. Just another day in Key West, nothing to see here... we rolled all the way to the schooner wharf bar like that, down the dock, (bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump) then we crashed into the bar, I was all shaken up from the vibration of riding on a skateboard down a warped wooden dock and laughing so hard that I threw up. Yep... right there. Haha! Thank god I got to the edge of the dock so it went in the wharf. The whole time i was barfing Christina (see previous elevator picture post) was on the phone, and all I remember is hearing her say , in her THICK Boston accent "yeeeah, yeeah, Jolea's yackin off the side of the dock, no, no, she's just wicked excited that's all."

HAHAHAHAH!
My roomie Sarah and Dave and Me, aboard the Liberty Clipper, wreckers race day, KW 2003
Me at work on the Fury, 65ft cattlemaran in KW 2004
The Florida Keys are lovely. 2004
Before I got "wicked excited"
More
My very first time on the bowsprit of Liberty, the sails are all down like that because we were doing man overboard drills where you just drop them real fast. I love that boat. The first boat I was ever on the ocean on... the boat I learned to sail on. I had so many fun times on that boat. :)

One more of Johnny O.

This pic is circa 2002, in Key West. This is the original Schooner Bum Crew. Good lord look at me. I look a fright! Apparently I was eating and drinking well for being so damn poor!!!

Haha!
Clockwise from Top left, Christina (in the red hat), Judy, Johnny O (beer in hand), Me, Josh.
We were in the elevator at the La Concha Hotel, the fancy shmancy tallest building in KW. Who let us in there?

Congratulations to Captain Johnny O'Keeffe!

My dear friend Johnny O is now officially a 1600 TON MASTER OF OCEANS! That's a HUGE license... Here are a few photos of this extremely qualified, dedicated professional who I love very much!

Thailand anyone?

Uh oh here we go...

I got an email from the Captain of the Schooner Raja Laut today.

Click HERE to see it...

I'm not sure how I feel about Thailand.

It also depends on the money, and what I find out tomorrow about Avalon.

The photos are beautiful! Wow...



Something even stranger than being contacted by someone in Thailand is that I was watching the movie "The Beach" and thinking, "I would love to see those islands..."

Creepy.

LA LA LA, LALALALALA, LA LA LALALALAAAAA!

I got a phone call today... from the Capt. of the 108' Sailing Yacht, Avalon!

It went really well, the job sounds amazing!

Here is the run down:

Home is ST. BARTS.


We stay there for the winter, we sail around, we go down island, St. Kitts, Nevis, blah blah blah yackety schmakety...

It's a private boat so no charters, but the owner is only on the boat for 2 weeks out of each month, we are off for the other 2 weeks so we play and do maintenance and sail around for fun... (young fun crew)

The captains words "we live the good life" are ringing in my head...

We head up north in the spring, stopping in my old stomping ground, St. Thomas... :)

We summer in NANTUCKET.


But first we stop for a month in NEW YORK CITY,

to do sunset sails and coporate events for the boss man.

Yeah...

He also said the owner is really cool, and likes the crew to have personality. He said you don't have to pretend you are a servant who stands in the corner wearing white gloves and never speaks, you can be yourself.

Awesome.

FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED EVERYONE!!!

The captain said he would call me in a few days and let me know because the whole crew are going up to Charleston to see the Dropkick Murphys play tonight and wont be back till late tomorrow... I FARKIN LOVE THE DROPKICK MURPHYS!!!


He doesn't need anyone till Dec 1st, so it turns out I will still be here for THANKSGIVING AGAIN!!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

p.s. the boat is in Savannah, Georgia right now in the yard, the same yard I was in a year or so ago... I love Savannah!

Jolea's Movie Review.

Tuesday Night Edition.

I just watched the movie "Waitress", starring Keri Russell. Oh my. Oh pie!

It was scary, and sad, and wonderful all mixed together. I cried, I saw flashbacks of decisions I have made in my life, then got scared all over again.

I am so thankful I have a good head on my shoulders and that my Mom brought me up to make good decisions most of the time. And I am thankful I am so damn selfish because if I really gave a damn about not hurting anyone's feelings I wouldn't be here at my parent's house taking a break from traveling the world, I would be living in a trailer house
out towards Anna, Tx.

with a plumber for a husband

hating my life and plotting

my escape.

You think I'm joking about that.

I'm not. Thank god I ran away that weekend and never looked back.

Thanks to my Mom for accepting my craziness and never turning me away.

Tomorrow I'm gonna make "Thank god I went to the river that weekend" Pie.

Watch the movie. It will scare the shit out of you.

I better get back to work.

I've decided...

to wear my jeans tucked in to my rodeo boots today. I'm going to the grocery store with mom in a little bit, hopefully we will run into someone I know... I will tell them I just got back in town from Rodeoing full time and damn my ass is sore. They wouldn't bat an eye at that explaination...



Can I have a cold Lone Star Beer now please?

Something else I love...

Bioluminescence. Some of you sailing types may have seen this with your own eyes, it's truly amazing...

Found a great clip of some in Australia...



They are throwing water into the water...

Grow your own HERE!

IT'S CUBAN DAY GET OVER IT! enjoy... siempre coca-cola.

Ooo! Look what I found!

I can't even begin to tell you how much I LOVE Benicio Del Toro, but what a wonderful combo....

The new movie "Guerrila" about Che Guevara has been in production for years but keeps being pushed back due to politics I think... But I have been browsing through pics from the film's production and dman, Benicio makes a great Che...

Look at this!

Feeling Festive???

Pan Cubano (Authentic Cuban bread recipe)

courtesy of Cocina Cubana Club (please join) / Pascual Perez and chef Sonia Martinez



Cuban bread is ideal for making Cuban sandwiches, especially Pan con Lechon(*) Fresh Cuban bread is also wonderful served with a small slab of guava paste or dollop of guava marmalade and cream cheese!



[site owner's note: for those who email me asking, there is only one website I know of to buy Cuban Bread online, click here to visit their site. They send it fresh from La Rosa Bakery in Miami, it's traditional and tastes incredible]


Day-old Cuban bread makes the best bread puddings I've ever tasted! Or if you have some left over bread, the next day, slice it thin, spread a bit of butter and toast it!

The distinctive taste is due to the use of a starter, which is made the day before. Also the dough is enriched with lard. You can substitute the lard with solid vegetable shortening if you prefer, but the bread acquires its' basic smoothness through the addition of the lard.

STARTER
3/4 tsp active dry yeast(1/3 envelope)
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup bread or all-purpose flour

The day before baking; mix the starter ingredients, dissolving the yeast in the water first. You want a thick paste when you add the flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let "ripen" in refrigerator for 24 hours. Leftover starter will keep for several days in the refrigerator and can be frozen.

DOUGH
4-1/2 tsp active dry yeast -(2 envelopes or 2 cakes of compressed yeast)
1 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 cups warm water
3 to 4 Tbsp lard or solid vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 batch starter (see above recipe)
1 Tbsp salt
4 to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 3 tablespoons of water in a large mixing bowl. When the mixture is foamy (5 to 10 minutes), stir in the lard, the remaining water, and the 1/2 batch of starter.

Mix well with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Stir in salt and flour, 1 cup at a time. You want to get a dough that is stiff enough to knead. You can also mix and knead in a mixer fitted with the dough hook or in a food processor fitted with the double blade, as the processor dough hook will not handle this job easily.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary. The dough should be pliable and not sticky.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles its' bulk, about 45 minutes. Punch down.

To form the loaves, divide the dough in 4 pieces. Roll out each to form a 14-inch long tube, with rounded ends (sort of like a long meat loaf) Put 2 of the loaves on a baking sheet, about 6 inches apart. Cover with dampened cotton dish towels and let rise in warm, draft-free spot until double their bulk, about 1 hour. If you want to let it rise at a slower pace, you can do it in a cooler spot and even in the refrigerator, but give it 3 to 4 hours instead.

Preheat oven to 350 F

Lay a dampened piece of thick kitchen string or twine (about 1/8 " thick) all along the top length of the loaf. Bake until the breads are lightly browned on top and sound hollow when lightly tapped, about 30 minutes.

Let them cool slightly and remove the strings. They will leave a distinct little ridge on top. Transfer loaves onto a wire rack for cooling.

(*)Pan con Lechon can be found in many little luncheon places all over Miami. Literary Bread with Pork. The pork is roasted Cuban Style, with the mojo marinade.

The storm has passed...

And it was a lovely one. We didn't lose power at all, just some thunder and lightening and a lot of rain. It's good for the area to get a good soaking every once in a while! I can't sleep because I am stressed. Haven't been sleeping well for a couple of weeks actually. I stay up late looking for crew agencies that I haven't found yet. As if there was one. I swear I am a member of every crew agency out there. Even some that I am pretty sure are just crabby old salts lookin for love in all the wrong places. Who knows, I may get that desperate. I am going to look for a part time job here close to the house to keep me busy while I wait for another yacht job to come around. It's the one thing that I never ever ever ever wanted to have to do. Get a job in my home town. I used to feel so sorry for the ex-cheerleaders that ended up working at the Sonic for like five years after we graduated and then got knocked up by some other guy who never got the hell out of this town and ended up never seeing anything but north Texas. Not that there is anything wrong with that... Ahem. I really don't want anyone from High School to see me here in town. I hate seeing people I went to school with. I think it's because they never understand what I do for work and walk off thinking I am a maid on a Carnival Cruise Ship. I'm not. I am awesome! I have had some awesome jobs and seen awesome things but they are so fucking confused when I say I worked on a yacht in the Virgin Islands, I can't even begin to explain what that means before they say "Oh laaiiike a cruuuze shiap?" (did you get that hick accent?) Then it's all I can do to roll my eyes and tell them with a fake smile "no, like a luxury yacht owned by one billionaire. i get paid a lot of money." But now, now that I have decided to take a job while I wait for my badass job to come back, if someone asks me what I have been up to, they probably wont believe me when I say that. They will say "why are you working at the resale shop then?" and I will say, "WHY ARE YOU SHOPPING IN ONE HOE GET OUTTAMYFACE!!!" Oh man. This is a mean nasty blog and I will delete it right after posting it. But I'm gonna do it anyway.

Keep an eye on the weather.

It's coming...

I am using my hands...

To write out postcards I have had since the Delivery job from hell last year. If you want a post card now or even in the future please give me your mailing address! Email me at joleacruzan@yahoo.com. :)