Saying Yes and Recipes

Dear readers, I have been so good at saying yes this week! (Disclaimer: I've only technically said it twice and one of these was more of me just doing my duty rather than saying yes, but I'm getting there!)

Although it has been another hell-week for me at work, I have tried my darndest to not let that interfere with life after 5. I probably royally sucked that up on Monday and Tuesday. In fact, I KNOW I did. I was pouty and miserable Monday--not to mention hungry. I mean, for real, do not mess with me when I'm hungry. Monday was yet another day when The Universe decided to work against me. I got an email about professional life stuff that was more than disappointing--it was kind of heartbreaking. The printer delivered 700 invitations ($1,100 worth!)--700 INCORRECT invitations. I needed these invitations the next day so that the 10 volunteers I had scheduled to show up would have something to stuff in the 700 envelopes that were correct. (It all worked out in the end.) And something else happened, but I think I erased it permanently from memory, so you are spared that grief. I got home ready to commiserate but W had had a pretty rough day, too. And after a solid 10 days of him waking up at 4am, I decided to cut him some slack, plastered on a happy face and made him some southern delicacies.

We're talking white rice, cayenne pepper fried porkchops (I use brown rice flour #GFbaby), stewed zucchini and onions and corn on the cob. He was a happy man.

Fuzzy, but cuuuuuute!

Tuesday royally sucked. There's nothing like having to deal with crappy neighbors whose trees keep falling on your property. These neighbors also happen to be the (boy scouts), so you think trees and nature and destroying things would be right up there alley. Apparently not. Then, I had to spend all day with a bunch of women, who are great, really, but sometimes a bit much. My brain was mush and I'd been treated like a dumb intern all day rather than the ED that they pay me to be. So, I was little on edge and very cranky. Also: HUNGRY.

W and I decided our favorite Mexican would be a nice cure. He was sort of right. It was good and filling, but I sort of kept up the pouting for the rest of the night.

Wednesday was pretty much a repeat of Tuesday, except when W got home at 5:30, he said: We are going on a boat ride. Let's go.

And I saluted, "Aye, aye!" And went to change. The boat ride was lovely. It was overcast and moody. Sometimes, there's just nothing better than moody mountains. I fit right in! Y'all, I probably would have foregone the boat ride. I wasn't feeling very fit for human interaction, but I faked it like a champ. Windblown hair and windburned cheeks made me happy that its still summer even though all anyone can talk about is fall. And, I'm like, people!?! We just got here!! Don't you remember the winter that lasted through the first week of April? Let's leave summer alone. We've still got a month and a half left!

I've been darkening my brows since they are non-existent. I haven't plucked my brows since high school.

So, my next example isn't really a great one, because it wasn't so much about saying yes as it was about fulfilling my expected Junior League duties. I met with the communication committee last night and it was fun and exciting! I am one of the two newsletter editors, which I love. I am looking forward to my pseudo-leadership role in the league. This is why I joined. Its all about the small groups and committees--that is where you meet people and really connect. Also, I had the brilliant--if I do say so myself--idea to create a grandma meme to attract a younger generation. Who doesn't love memes featuring grandmas?? Tell me, who!?

Now, I will leave you with some of my favorite recipes. I get asked all the time for recipes, and I've barely talked my lazy ass into sharing them, but I'm feeling motivated right, this, moment. Momentum forward!

French Lentils
I made this up but it is based on an actual recipe that I tweeked a bit. These are delish!
Dice up (small--not fine) one small onion, 1-2 carrots and one celery stalk. (Celery isn't my favorite, so I only do one. You could do as much or little of both of these as you want.)
Mince one clove of garlic.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven.
Sautee without browning the onion, carrots and celery until soft. 5-10 minutes depending on how you like your veg/how high your burner is.
Add the garlic for the last minute of sauteeing the veg.
While the veg is sauteeing, rinse 1.5 cups of lentils (I used green but you can use whatever) in very hot water. You can even bring water to a boil, take it from the heat and throw in the lentils for a few minutes. I'm not sure what this does, but I find the lentils done this way don't hurt my stomach as much.
Once the lentils have been rinsed/soaked and your veg have sauteed, throw the lentils in with the veg and sautee for a minute.
Add 1/3 cup red wine. (DO THIS. ITS THE BEST PART. NO QUESTION.)
Stir around.
Add 4-6 cups of chicken broth, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Simmer 15-20 minutes until desired tenderness.
Holy Moly. I eat it like a soup. YUM. Enjoy!

I ate mine with some fresh spinach and shaved parm. Perfect.

Quick Marinara
I think I got this from Gwyneth. Yeah, Paltrow, because we are tight. Not really. I saw it on goop, but I don't think I make it exactly like her's.
You need as many tomatoes as sauce you want to make.
For a single serving (which I made quickly for lunch one day), I used a large orange/yellow heirloom tomato that I chopped roughly.
I diced up 1/4 of a medium onion and minced a small clove of garlic.
I heated up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauteed the garlic and onion for a few minutes. Don't brown them.
Then, I threw in some crushed red pepper flakes, a dash or two of dried oregano and then the chopped tomato.
I let it all sautee about 5-8 minutes until the tomatoes started to break down.
Then, I tossed in my al-dente (GF) pasta and let it soak up the yummy goodness for a minute or 2.
Then I tossed in some chopped basil, salt and pepper.
I garnished it with a few slices of yummy mozzarella and some parmesan cheese. (Garnish with cheese off the heat so it doesn't separate.)

Target has the best GF noodles--their Archer Farms brand.

 
Stewed Tomatoes 
Roughly chop 4-5 (or however much you want to make) large red (or heirloom) tomatoes. Place the tomatoes and 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a pan. Stew on medium heat (so they are bubbling) for 45-60 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a dash or two of sugar. ENJOY. With rice. On top of butter beans. On toast. On bread. On eggs. On grits. ON EVERYTHING.

The beginnings of the best stewed tomatoes ever.

You need to make these IMMEDIATELY. They are called Cowboy Candy. They are jalapenos that you pickle in sugar. They are firey hot but sweet at the same time. Incredible. We like to eat them on crackers with cream cheese.

Cowboy Candy above (my mom made them with yellow jalapenos) and cukes with cream cheese, red onion, smoked salmon, dill and lemon below. Hors'devours we had when my parents visited this weekend.

I also made these curried chick peas. Yum.

And, finally, I leave you with the piece de resistance. Scott Peacock's Fried Okra Pancakes. We made this last weekend when my parents were here. W doesn't approve of okra--I know, I swear he isn't southern either--so we made them with grated zucchini. OMG. There is no picture because they didn't last long enough. BUT MAKE THEM. IMMEDIATELY. And serve them with some Japanese mayo (mayo mixed with sriracha).

Have a great weekend! I look forward to saying lots of YESES!

-b

What I'm Loving

Life has been so busy lately.

Can you believe that half of April has already faded away in a sun-filled and blossom-frangranced blur?

I feel like it was just snowing.

Oh, that's right. It was.

Alas, time does not favor us mere mortals and flits and flies away at its own selfish pace.

It didn't help that for the entirety of last week, I was glued to a television screen or tuned into NPR awaiting updates on the Boston bombings. I think that the older I get and the closer I come to having children the more these senseless acts of violence affect me. I spent most of last week on the verge of tears and was hardly comforted by the capture of Suspect 2. I can't help but wonder at the wide and tangled web of which these two brothers were most likely a very small part.

Its scary. And I was scared and heartbroken and discouraged.

So, yesterday, I scrubbed the apartment and sat in the sun and read magazines and blogs and listened to good music and ate jalapenos on everything.

And that sort of made things a little better.

Now, instead of diving into Reading with Marilyn as I had planned (since her's is not a very happy story either), let's enjoy something light and lovely.

In honor of Spring in all of its pastel glory, I would like to shine the spotlight on some of my current loves.

Because, who doesn't need some LOVE right now?

1. I love everything on Design*Sponge, but lately, I can't get enough of the Biz Ladies Profiles on creative women entrepreneurs. Its fascinating and inspiring. Check them out! I also adore the Sneak Peeks--they make my Mondays sunny.

I am still reading (very slowly) Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates. It is fascinating. I can't wait to share with you all that I have learned about Marilyn. 

2. I love, love, love smearing this lotion all over my face. It makes you glow, I swear! And, it has SPF 15. Aveeno Ultra-Calming Moisturizer, $14.99

3. JALAPENOS. My new favorite thing. Here are a few tried and true recipes with the sassy pepper:

Jalapeno Hummus

Mario Batali's Fettucine with Lemon, Hot Peppers and Pecorino Romano - my ALL-TIME favoritve (I don't de-seed the jalapenos when I make this. Bring the heat!)

Michael Simon's Corn Salsa with Jalapenos - he serves this with double-cut porkchops, but seriously, I could eat this stuff with just a spoon. We had it Sunday night with porkchops and rice and black beans. W keeps asking when we can have it again!

4. When we first moved to Lewisburg, one of the first purchases I made for my wardrobe was a bright yellow infinity scarf from a crazy expensive boutique. It was the cheapest thing in there at $25! I wear it all the time (year around), so I feel like it was worth the investment. Yellow infinity scarf, $14.00 (On Etsy: handmade and hand-dyed scarf that looks just like mine for a fraction of the cost!)

5. Are you as excited as I am for the finale of Project Runway this Thursday night?! I might have to indulge myself in some champagne and chocolate to celebrate. And, yes, I would be doing that alone.... Project Runway Finale, Thursday, April 25 at 9pm ET on Lifetime.

6. I cannot stop listening to the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros station on Pandora. It is so good. W concurs. Give it a try!

7. With Spring came my renewed obsession with La Croix grapefruit a la all of high school. I was addicted to flavored sparkling waters. And not because I was some health nut. My stomach (pathetic, sensitive organ that it is) cannot handle sugar-packed sodas, so the fizzy alternatives became my indulgence. Its ba-ack! And, of course, W is NOT happy about it. Oh well.

I love white wine, but W prefers red, so I indulge him. There is nothing better than a glass of red wine, good tunes and lounging on our newly transformed porch-ony.

Porch-ony. See Below:

Our fragile porch-ony is accessed from our living room. Its a tight space, hence the terrible picture angle and the name--not quite a porch but more than a balcony. I added some lighting, two beautiful ferns and a dill and basil plant from the farmers market, and some accessories I found while, ahem, basement diving. We then picked up two, cheap, plastic adirondak chairs since the porch-ony is exposed to all elements. We didn't want to invest in anything too nice that we would also have to haul across a few states when we move for residency.

Next on the To-Do list, is to find and buy: an outdoor rug to hide the hideous, moss-covered astroturf; pillows/cushions for the chairs; a low, weatherproof ottoman; a low table.

Here it is at night, seen through our very dirty window. So romantic though!

What are you loving right now?

-b

Dinner Planning is Not Just for 1950s Housewives

source

To be perfectly honest with you, the stereotypical image of the 1950s housewife (see above), domestic goddess, etc. makes me cringe to my very depths. I don't get it. At all. Yes, I know, it was another time and another place, but I still don't get it. Maybe, I just don't want to get it.

Anyways, while I would never consider myself a housewife and doubt I would ever strive to be such, I do partake in many habits that I think would make the housewifiest of the housewives smile in domestic bliss.

I have started planning out our weekly meals to make grocery shopping a little more, er, successful. I hate coming home, starving and brain-dead, with an idea for dinner firmly in place only to find I have about 3 of the needed 20 ingredients. Nothing starts the night off worse than having to scramble to the store at grocery-rush-hour to dodge carts and children with nothing better to do than camp out in the cramped aisles and then wait 10 minutes in the speedy checkout line behind the person with more than the suggested 15 item limit and coupons to boot!

I have decided that meal planning is, alas, the only way to go.

Also, I am now gluten-free. I know, out of the blue, right? Well, when you find yourself curled up in the fetal position with only one pantleg on because that's as far as you got, and you're clutching your throbbing stomach and wishing for a an entire gastrointestinal transplant, while texting your boss that you are going to be late for work because of--what, severe stomach cramps (?!?)--you are suddenly ready for drastic, life-changing decisions.

Gluten free is a major life-change for me.

Bread and pasta and I go way back. And, its deep.

So, in that moment, I decided that I just couldn't live with writhing and unpredictable insides. I had actually been considering taking the leap since Christmas and this episode was just the straw that broke, well, my gut.

Its been 5 days, and I feel incredible. TMI to follow: I no longer have cramping and bloating following meals. And, after day one of no gluten, I dropped 2.2 lbs. like snap-your-fingers fast--2.2 lbs. GONE. W says that doesn't mean anything, but I think that it was my body quietly whispering thanks for ending the gluten torture.

Anyways, a gluten-free diet paired with my busy schedule has led to meal planning, and I don't plan on going back to my haphazard, disorganized ways.

Below is my menu for Monday through Sunday with links included. I sit down Sunday night or Monday morning and plan out the entire week's menu, making my shopping list of ingredients that I don't have on hand. I will freeze meat that I plan to use at the end of the week and set it out to thaw the morning I plan to use it. If we have a lot of leftovers from a meal, we will have it again for dinner a few nights later. Then, I will have a dinner already planned for the next week! W and I also like leftovers for lunch, so I usually do not cut the recipes in half.

Here goes:

Monday night:
lentil soup recipe
cornbread recipe

Tuesday night:
slow cooker sweet and spicy chicken recipe
with rice and sauteed spinach

Wednesday night:
pork cutlets with parm and lemon recipe
with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus

Thursday night:
salmon patties with creamy dill sauce (recipe from mom below)
(gluten-free note: use leftover cornbread from Monday night for breadcrumbs)
crunchy potatoes
sauteed zucchini and onions

Friday night:
crockpot carnitas

Saturday night:
smoked sausage
mashed potatoes
sauteed cabbage

Sunday night:
chicken tikka masala
(chef's note: limit cornstarch to 1 1/2 tablespoons or it is really, really thick)
with rice and broccoli

I used Martha Stewart's website for recipes as well as Pinterest.

**Mom's Salmon Patty with Dill Sauce Recipe

Salmon Patties
onion
celery
fresh parsley
1 can of salmon
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
bread crumbs or panko (gluten-free: cornbread)
pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Saute onion and celery. Mix salmon, egg, mustard together. Add celery, ionions, breadcrumbs and pepper and mix. Shape into patties, 2 1/2 in. thick. Brown in skillet and EVOO. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place browned patties on sheet and back for 15-20 mins.

Creamy Dill Sauce
Mix together the following ingredients:
1/4 cup of mayo
1/4 cup of yogurt
2 scallions, sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
ground pepper

Do you meal plan?

Long Time No See

Thanks to Cap for keeping the blog going during the last two weeks. My apologies on being MIA. I decided that Hurricane Sandy was the best excuse yet to forego media of all kinds (blogs, facebook, twitter, internet in general, tv, cable, hulu, etc.). Sandy also knocked out the internet for four days. I spent most of Sandy and the past weekend curled up on the couch with Harry and a heating pad. I wasn't sick or hurt. I just really like laying on a heating pad. And by Harry, I mean the wizarding one. You know, Potter.

Despite all of my curling up and reading, I found myself surprisingly busy as well. For instance, I just spent the last two days in a strategic planning meeting with about 15 other women (wooooo...) for the museum. I then had to attend a Junior League Board Meeting (snooooze... when you're not on the board, its not very interesting) to make my provisional requirements. I sound like I know what I'm talking about, don't I?

I spent all day Monday and Tuesday thinking that it was actually Wednesday. Today, I keep thinking its Friday. I am obviously very confused.

I have also taken on some extra-curricular work that requires hours upon hours of computer work. But at $30/hour, I am NOT complaining. Not one bit.

So needless to say, all of this combined with a water spill on my dear, beloved Mac that found him (yes, personified) resting in a box of rice for two days means that I have sadly been unable to blog! Interestingly, I have hardly contemplated clever ways of murdering W for the past two months. Progress on this whole how-to-not-murder thing!

However, I did want to murder him and his school when I found out that we won't know his days off (positively assuming he will have at least one) for Thanksgiving until the Monday of Thanksgiving week. WHAT. That is ridiculous. I am not happy.

I also wanted to murder him and the federal government when I got another call from collections because our insurance company wouldn't pay for a medical related expense, and none bothered to send us a bill. Where's my affordable healthcare, Mr. President?

Sorry. That's not really a political statement. That's frustration with all of the promises of Obamacare of which this hardworking, tax-paying woman has seen ZILCH. Not that I agreed with it in the first place, but if we are all being "helped" by it, I would like to experience this help. Just saying.

But let's go back to how W is a 3rd year medical student, who is required to have health insurance to be in school, and so has to pay for it out of pocket since his wife (me) is lame and works for a non-profit that doesn't have insurance and pays her pennies. Let's also talk about how expensive this health insurance is each and every month. Then, let's talk about how it pays for NOTHING and then doesn't alert us to not paying for the nothing.

How ironic that my medical student husband and I cannot afford "affordable healthcare".

Off soap box.

So, the issue of days off for Thanksgiving and health insurance have been the only episodes that might have threatened the well being of dear W. Fortunately, I have learned to take out my frustrations in the kitchen.

Here is what I have been dishing up lately with links to recipes:

 (from left to right: jalapeno cheddar, plain, rosemary, lemon zest and gruyere)

I have made 3 loaves of this bread and will be making a loaf to take to my Junior League recipe exchange this weekend. (I know, I hate myself a little for saying that.) I have made cheddar jalapeno and rosemary, lemon zest, and gruyere. The latter is definitely a favorite!

I made this Hoppin' Johns inspired recipe. I wish that I had used smoked sausage or ham instead of chopped up pork. Other than that, it was a hit! I love one pot meals. I used 20 minute rice and frozen black eyed peas that I cooked beforehand.

Then, on the day that Sandy hit and it SNOWED in OCTOBER, I made this homemade tomato soup. All I had in the cupboard was a can of tomato sauce/puree and half and half instead of heavy cream. It was still delicious! Just add more stock/water if you use tomato sauce/puree.

My new breakfast of choice is a smoothie, and its delicious. Ingredients: half of a frozen banana, 8 frozen or fresh strawberries, 1 large handful of spinach, 1/2 - 2/3 cup of skim milk, 1 heaping tbs. of peanut butter, 1 tsp. honey, 1 heaping tbs. of yogurt. Blend and enjoy! I just started adding plain Greek yogurt. I am NOT a yogurt fan but wanted extra protein and the good stuff that yogurt has, so I started adding what I could handle. Yogurt unfortunately triggers my gag reflex. So far though, I don't really notice it in the smoothie.

If you like mustard greens, this recipe with onions and pasta is delicious especially with a side of kielbasa!

This is one of my favorite pork loin recipes. I make variations of it all the time. The most recent was this Sunday, when I made a pork roast in my dutch oven with carrots and potatoes. I didn't have white wine, so I used chicken stock instead. I LOVE lemon with roasted veg and meat. Yum.

So, who's coming for dinner????

-b

A Most Successful Sunday Funday

This past weekend promised to be a major flop. After weeks of nonstop running around like a crazy soccer mom on a mission--these women are INSANE--I decided that this past weekend would be lazy, peaceful, calm.

I forget that deep down in the very depths of my soul, I am one of those crazy soccer moms, minus the snotty-nosed brood for the next couple of years, who have only one speed and no time for lazing.

Friday morning, I felt the itch. It starts on the back of my neck. I start to get antsy. Soon, I can't sit still. I can't focus on anything for more than a few minutes. I am so over work. I check the clock. 1:17pm. Damn. I check that the intern is steadily working away like a good little intern. Cue major guilt trip at my ADD onslaught. The thoughts begin.

Oh, W.

We should do something tonight.
I wonder if anything is going on.
God, I would love to go to a pumpkin patch.
Maybe, we could pick apples on the way to the pumpkin patch.
The flea market is in the morning, too.
Google things to do, charleston wv, october 2012
There's a chilli cook-off downtown tomorrow!
And fireworks!
There's a pumpkin festival 30 minutes west of here.
LET'S DO IT ALLLLLL.

Pies and Pints Pizza Date Night: Chicken Gouda and Mushroom Garlic.

And so, we did most of it. I had to work for a few hours on Saturday, so that saved our weekend from becoming one, long, drawn out activity.

Don't get me wrong, I love wanting to do things and actually having things to do, but it does get exhausting. Ask W.

Our Friday ended up with some light shopping and date night that consisted of pizza and beer. Awesome.

W glows in the dark at the State Museum.

On Saturday, we visited the flea market, which is honestly ALWAYS disappointing, but some lady bought a box of toys at a WV flea market a few weeks ago and found a $150,000 Renoir painting. I think I will keep being disappointed. After that we crashed a Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome on the Capitol grounds because we decided to be sheep and follow the crowd. We decided to tour the State Museum instead.

Ahhhhh, the Farmer's Market.

I went into work for a few hours, which offered W some relief. Then, I left W to his studies and went searching for accessories for this weekend's trip to the Greenbrier Resort. Swanky. More on that afterward...... It was extremely unsuccessful but no less satisfying. I also stopped by the Farmer's Market, you know, Heaven on Earth. I bought some fall essentials for the museum and the 150 demons elementary students coming for a tour this Friday. Pumpkin, check. Indian corn for the corn toss, check. Knobbly gourds for the gourd roll, check. Cheerios and yarn for the redneck birdfeeder craft, CHECK! Bring it, children. You WILL be entertained.

Kale and chicken and rice with carrots for dinner Saturday night.

On Saturday night, we watched incredible fireworks over the river. This town loves it some fireworks. I think the mayor must require fireworks for all events within city limits. Its like that 30 Rock episode where Jack gives broadcast television a spectacle not unlike the Oscars or a terrorist attack, The Rockefeller Center Salute to Fireworks. I think fireworks might be peak for this town. I am not complaining.

Exhibit A:

Cute, right? She was very tall.

Exhibit B:

Yes, these are fireworks cascading off the bridge into the river. Ah-maz-ing.

The fireworks were a part of a classic car show that happened all freaking weekend and closed down major roads and disrupted my life for far too long for a few hunks of rusted metal. I am not a classic car fan. The fireworks were, in my opinion, the most worthwhile part of the car show.

Sunday dawned and was sure to be a lazy day. It was cold. It was drizzly. It was perfect couch potato weather. But the soccer mom in me was waging a war on inflated food costs and had her Diet-Coke-loving heart set on a trip to Sam's and the dreaded Walmart. She quickly packed up W and bustled him off for a morning of bulk-shopping. Her pony tail had never swung more happily than speed-walking the wide aisles of Sam's as she handled the sturdy packages of 36 count paper towels and double stacks of paper plates and directed W on the proper placement of the precious savings in the cart. This soccer mom left Sam's with 36 rolls of toilet paper, 24 rolls of paper towels, 9 thick cut pork chops, 40 chicken tenderloins, a red wagon wheel of Brie, a carton of baby portobella mushrooms, 2 cartons of half and half, a gallon of milk, cereal, two 6 inch stacks of flour tortillas, and several Bolthouse smoothies and coconut waters for a mere $100. Happy soccer mom.

Hello, my name is Lo, and I am the most adorable kitten-cat you've ever seen. I like bathtubs--especially wet ones.

Walmart was and is always a terrible idea. But this fateful Walmart trip united soccer mom with her new lover.

Behold:

Lover, Mrs. Meyer's All Purpose Cleaner.

W and I spent a few good hours scrubbing the house from tip top to bottom with this delicious concoction. The lavender scent left the soccer mom in me drunk on sparkling cabinets, damp floors, and freshly vacuumed furniture. It was a warm and fuzzy feeling. W even felt it, too.

Then, it was only right that I don an apron and roll up my sleeves to begin on the evening's menu. Pot Roast. It was incredible. I used Pioneer Woman's recipe here, but added a few of my own ingredients like red wine, mushrooms, potatoes, and peas.

This is W's. He likes his on white rice. I am watching my carbs, so I went without the deliciously pearly grain.

Sunday night ended with an episode of Once Upon a Time (a show that I once loved; that W scorns; and that I too am beginning to think is a little bit ridiculous; what do you think?) and W's famous chocolate chip cookies. YUM.

How was your weekend?

Picture overload right? Right.

-b and soccer mom

On the Run

Today, after months upon months of--let's admit it--extreme inactivity, I decided it would be a brilliant idea to run. The first day back running is truly a misery.

I feel like half a person--like half of me is still out there running scuttling down that sidewalk, knuckles dragging on the concrete, eyes bulging and lungs heaving from the exertion.

I ran just over 1.5 miles (in 15 minutes) and walked 15 minutes back home. You'd have thought I had just finished a marathon as I collapsed, noodle-legged on the floor and sucked back a tall glass of water. By the way, my face was purple. And splotchy. No wonder people were avoiding making eye contact with me as I ungracefully bounded, lead-footed past them.

Pathetic.

After finally catching my breath and regaining 30% of feeling to my extremities, I had to shower quickly and run off to work. This meant I spent most of the morning sweating through my work clothes as my body had still yet to cool down. I think my face was a light purple, attempting violet at this point. The splotches remained, red and angry below my eyes. I'm sure I looked lovely.

Now, I am sitting at work, ignoring the intense flu-like symptoms that tend to result from the first day back at not leading a sedentary life.

I will keep you all updated on my progress. (That is a very optimistic statement.)

So, how do I all of a sudden have all of this time to actually exercise?

Its called two-car freedom, baby!

We brought back my brother's jeep (since he has sold his soul to the US Army and won't be needing it). I am now able to set my own schedule.

WOW.

I almost don't know what to do with myself. I mean, I actually get to do what I want, when I want. NOVEL concept.

This means no more getting to work at 7:45am and not leaving until 5:30pm. Freedom, I say!

W is now in his Emergency Med rotation (8:30am to 8:30pm), which unfortunately takes place at a hospital literally in the middle of nowhere, 30 minutes west of downtown. During his Family Med rotation, he was at this same location, but the hours were a bit more doable, 8:30 to 5:00. However, I was still stranded and miserable sharing the car.

Now, I'm living the high life.

For instance, yesterday, I came into work at 9am. It felt like vacation at work.

Then, I left at 4:30 and went to the Farmer's Market. On a weekday. Crazy. Then, I went grocery shopping. On a weekday. And before 8pm. Again, crazy.

W's new schedule is an interesting change of routine for us both. It is also a nice trial period for what residency will be like.

Coming home yesterday afternoon had a very different feel to it. The empty hours stretched out before me. It was just me and the kittens. I felt refreshed. Not lonely. Not sad. I finally had time to do the things I usually put off to the weekends. I also had time to unwind from work and do things at my own pace. Now, I love W to death and would never want to spend my life without him, but his need for structure and routine and his constantly growling stomach tend to have an adverse effect on me. The push and pull of his needs/wants make me want to do the exact opposite. REBEL.

Examples:

W: "Babe, I'm kind of hungry."
Me: "YEAH, WELL, WHERE ON ME DOES IT SAY, COOK?!?!"

OR

W: "What's for dinner?"
Me: Silence.

So, in my true ironic fashion, with W miles away and hours from coming home, I decided to cook a stew! Since W works through lunch and dinner, he plans on bringing both meals instead of eating hospital food. I really don't blame him for that. I decided that I should continue cooking large meals even though I would be eating alone, so that he would have dinner to take.

Since I don't own a single cookbook and don't subscribe to every food magazine out there (MOM), I have found a very useful way to find the perfect recipe for the ingredients I have on hand.

I Google-d, "chicken breast, leeks, recipe."

This chicken stew by Jamie Oliver was the first hit and the winner. I was missing a few ingredients. My thyme plant bit the dust a month ago when I stopped watering my plants........ I have homicidal tendencies when it comes to green things that regularly require water for survival. I also didn't have mushrooms. Much to my deep disappointment, W despises the fungi. I would literally eat mushrooms whenever, however. I love them.

I decided to substitute peas for the mushrooms. I did not substitute anything for the thyme. I roasted some potatoes that were getting a little too soft and made white rice. It was delicious.

PROOF:

From my awesome weekend:

Hung out with the nephew!

 

Here is my nephew telling us the tale of Sleeping Beauty, his favorite princess by the way.

Hung out with my parents at their jungle house (my mom assures me that she was once as bad with plants as me--there's hope!), ran from their killer cat, and bought and framed two awesome Audubon prints for the living room.

-b

Not quite a 50's housewife...

In our first year of marriage, before medical school and being overcome with boredom, J and I lived in a studio apartment above his father’s garage.  The apartment was charming, cozy, and actually quite perfect.  Except for one small problem… There was no stove and no oven.  As a new wife eager to please (ha), it only seemed like a small set back.  I learned how to cook just about anything in a slow cooker, how to make blueberry cobbler in a toaster oven, and I even managed to turn a wardrobe closet into a pantry.  The adventures were endless!  Through all of the many science experiments, I will admit I failed NUMEROUS times!  Some things were not very eatable, but J (being the good husband he is) ate them anyway.  I did not. Wasted calories! Right? I do believe I’ve come quite a long way since those days and I hope J agrees.  I still have my occasional flop in the kitchen, but now I don’t have a toaster oven or slow cooker to blame it on.  Which is a bummer.  I have this crazy dream of wanting to bring back the classic 50's housewife, and I like to think my many attempts at cooking will get me there slowly.  I wouldn't say that I'm close to vacuuming in heels, wearing pearls, and toting a baby on my hip while a turkey is roasting in the oven... but maybe I will be by the time I'm 60.  (and maybe J can be Don Draper)

I’m no chief… Obviously, but I do have some amazing cooks in my family that I look up to and steal recipes from!  Being that they are 950 miles away now, I’ve had to lean on other resources.  Like cookbooks.  I love reading cookbooks… any and all of them!  J’s Nana gave me a cookbook called The Best Recipe when I moved into my very first apartment at age 18 (scary thought!).  It was a VERY intimidating cookbook for a ramen noodles and pizza roll kind of girl, but now it is my kitchen bible.  I use it at least three times a week.  I don’t always cook their exact recipes, but I do learn how to knead bread, tie a brisket, and fry the perfect egg while getting new ideas.  I’m also a huge fan of Allrecipes.com.  It is a great website to visit when you find yourself cooking the same meal over and over and over again… like me with fish tacos and guacamole.  

... Getting Sappy....

Cooking to me is not only a way to escape from the vast darkness that is medical school, but it is also comforting.  There is something about making a big pot of chicken and dumplings that instantly brings me back to childhood.  One bite and I'm dreaming of Minnie Mouse, Skip-Bo with my Mammaw, and Saints football.  Which makes it more than worth the effort.

I'm sure it isn't healthy for my waist line and as cheesy as it may sound, food makes me happy.  Deep down, warm heart, feel it in your toes kind of happy.  And that my friends, is something hard to come by!  So, I cook a lot.  

That is also my same excuse for eating chocolate ice cream every night in WV.

... end sap...

With that said, I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes…Spinach Dip.  I know spinach dip is a dish that seems to be EVERYWHERE, but I cannot help myself.  I love it!  It does not necessarily bring me back to the Minnie Mouse years, but it is still worth the effort.   I’ve tried lots of different spinach dip recipes, and I guess you can say I did what Glee would call a MASH UP!   I figured out what I liked about each one I tried, eliminated what I didn’t like, and now you have…

Cap’s Spinach Dip

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter           

1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach (drained in washcloth)

1 (14 oz) can chopped artichokes

1 (8oz) package cream cheese

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1 ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup Mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan and saute the minced garlic.  Add drained spinach and artichokes and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.  Add cream cheese, sour cream, 1cup Parmesan cheese, and ½ cup Mozzarella cheese.  Cook on low for about 10-15 minutes.

Transfer sauce into a medium baking dish. Top with remainder mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with Croutons. 

Speaking of Croutons…

J actually escaped from the study world for a few seconds to assist me in cooking dinner the other night.  While he was showing me around the kitchen, we discovered that (contrary to popular belief) he can indeed cook.  A little.

J’s Croutons 

Ingredients:

1 skinny loaf of fresh bread (we used a multigrain banquette)

I stick of butter (you won’t use the whole thing, but it makes it easier to grip)

Directions:

Cut bread in slices ¼ to one half of an inch thick. Rub the bottom of a cookie sheet with stick of butter and lay cut bread on sheet.  Rub the bread around the bottom of sheet (as to butter the bread) and flip, rubbing the opposite side as well.  Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 375 degrees, or until they are just barely crispy to the touch.  I like mine still a little soft in the middle.

Now that I’ve said all of that, I realize you’re probably wondering why I just explained how to butter bread… that was J’s fast way.  It worked out much easier than my OCD knife and tub of butter method.

Hope you enjoy, and let me know if you decide to try it out!

-Cap

Classic 2012 housewife with a store bought ham.