Overemployment, Tastiness, Strawberry Tarts, and a New Year

I went from being jobless to having six part time jobs. Aaaack! I'm teaching AND tutoring at TWO institutions and doing other stuff as well. I'm already tired and I'm not even into my new schedule yet. Anyway, one of my New Year's good ideas (heh) is to post here once a week since I can't seem to even post once a month

In other news, I am back in the kitchen. Granted, I'm practically sleepwalking when I get there, but as a bonus, recipes are easier.

On New Year's eve, Mr. B. decided he wanted to make cabbage rolls with beef and sausage. I talked him out of the STICK OF BUTTER the recipe called for. I wanted to be able to eat dessert after said cabbage rolls without feeling like dying. Yeah, it is a holiday, but I was feeling all healthy and virtuous from going to the gym. Yeah, that was it.

For dessert, I planned to make chocolate and strawberry crepes according to a recipe by Emeril. I started making the crepes while the cabbage rolls were in the oven -- after a four-hour prep time. The most essential part of cabbage roll preparation seems to be four trips to the grocery store. The crepes were bloody awful. They tasted like crep, that's for sure. I tasted one because they were sticking and falling apart, and the taste was horrid. I mean, ick! So, I decided to improvise, like I do.

A few months ago, in a fit of grocery ninja thrill, I bought some sweet pastry shells on clearance. They taste a bit like sugar cookies, but thicker and flakier. I pulled them out of my freezer and went ahead with the crepe filling that I came up with on my own, because I had at this point abandoned Emeril's suggestions. Here it is.
Soften one 8 oz. package of cream cheese.
Chop some strawberries and beat them with the cream cheese
Add 1/8 c. confectioner's sugar -- taste and decide if you want to add more.
Add vanilla flavoring and a little milk.
Put in tart shells
Tell yourself you are nothing like Sandra Lee and lie about how you made it when you serve it. To be extra fancy, drizzle then with melted chocolate.

The cabbage rolls were out of this world delicious (even without the butter) and I hope to one day get him to write here what he did. Granted, we didn't get to eat them until 1 a.m., well after we welcomed 2008 with glasses of cheap champagne, but they were worth the wait and even better the next day. And while they weren't strawberry chocolate crepes, Mr. B. dug the tarts. From a ridiculously obnoxious dessert to a five minute prep dessert. Amazing.

Oh, one other thing. I know I shouldn't be buying strawberries right now because they're not in season, etc., etc. I don't care. I wanted them, they were at Costco, and sweet goodness they were good.

So happy New Year!