Good morning,
It's Saturday morning. And I'm at work. And I got home from work last night at 10pm. I started today at 6:30am. Today is going to be a busy day. I have a costume ball at LACMA with my mother tonight and I haven't finished my costume. I am trying to get back into the grove I had going at our old place. I haven't been cooking much at all even though I now have use of a much better oven. I also need to get used to being around other people again. This is only really a problem when I am cooking or when I get home from work. I really can't handle anyone but Jono right when I get home from work. And the longer the day the less I can handle. When I'm cooking, as I have said before, I listen to my stories. This becomes an issue when other people want to come in and talk to me while I'm listening. Now anyone who reads a lot knows how annoying this can be. I have to stop what I'm doing to turn off the story to listen to them and then turn it back on. I get rather annoyed with this and it throws me off completely. Maybe this is why I haven't really been cooking. But I have hopes for this weekend. I hope to be able to cook at least something tomorrow. I have realized how unused to seeing people other then Jono at home I have become. I have to get used to dealing with other people. I've gotten so used to being by myself so much of the time. This is going to take a little getting used to.
hugs+kisses
mce
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
let the madness begin!
Good morning!
It's Tuesday. I know you may know this but I need to remind myself. I've been so busy over the weekend that I've lost track of the days. Do you want to hear about my weekend? Well if you don't stop reading right.....now.
We moved!!!!! Surprised? I am. We decided Friday night that the drive was no longer worth it for Jono. Before he was driving on the 405 at off hours so he didn't have too much traffic. But with his new hours he hits all the traffic. So we moved in with his mom again. Not ideal but it's better then where we were. We still have to pay rent for November so we didn't move all our stuff. Only our bed and a dresser. We moved into her guest room so we moved all the stuff that was in there out. We did all that yesterday. Needless to say I am completely exhausted. We still have most of our stuff at our other place and none if it is packed. Which is ok since we need to make room for it all in the garage before we move it. I didn't realize how much location really means to me till we moved. I am so much happier. We've taken the first step but there are a lot more to go.
I hope you all had a productive weekend!
hugs+kisses
mce
It's Tuesday. I know you may know this but I need to remind myself. I've been so busy over the weekend that I've lost track of the days. Do you want to hear about my weekend? Well if you don't stop reading right.....now.
We moved!!!!! Surprised? I am. We decided Friday night that the drive was no longer worth it for Jono. Before he was driving on the 405 at off hours so he didn't have too much traffic. But with his new hours he hits all the traffic. So we moved in with his mom again. Not ideal but it's better then where we were. We still have to pay rent for November so we didn't move all our stuff. Only our bed and a dresser. We moved into her guest room so we moved all the stuff that was in there out. We did all that yesterday. Needless to say I am completely exhausted. We still have most of our stuff at our other place and none if it is packed. Which is ok since we need to make room for it all in the garage before we move it. I didn't realize how much location really means to me till we moved. I am so much happier. We've taken the first step but there are a lot more to go.
I hope you all had a productive weekend!
hugs+kisses
mce
Saturday, October 22, 2011
New path
Good evening!
I'm back at work on a Saturday night. Thankfully it's only the twins and we are sitting watching movies till it's bed time. But that's not what I want to talk about.
I want to talk about life. Through all the issues I've been dealing with lately I have also been changing my life. And I am loving it! I have started to train with Jono a few times a week. It sucks, but in a good way. It hurts like hell when I'm doing it and I almost dropped a wight on my head last time but after I know I've done the right thing. I have been eating well. It's not been easy for me in any way and it's been a lot of changes I wasn't sure I could or wanted to make. But I have made them and feel so much better for having done so. I am sore from working out but I know it's a good thing. I know that I worked hard when I'm sore the next day. I know I put 100% into my workout and worked as hard as I can. It's not easy to be healthy. Needless to say I wouldn't be working at this if I didn't have Jono to help me. I don't think I've ever met someone who balances me out so well, other then family I mean. I'm just loving life so much right now and am so healthy I thought you all should know.
Hugs and Kisses
mce
I'm back at work on a Saturday night. Thankfully it's only the twins and we are sitting watching movies till it's bed time. But that's not what I want to talk about.
I want to talk about life. Through all the issues I've been dealing with lately I have also been changing my life. And I am loving it! I have started to train with Jono a few times a week. It sucks, but in a good way. It hurts like hell when I'm doing it and I almost dropped a wight on my head last time but after I know I've done the right thing. I have been eating well. It's not been easy for me in any way and it's been a lot of changes I wasn't sure I could or wanted to make. But I have made them and feel so much better for having done so. I am sore from working out but I know it's a good thing. I know that I worked hard when I'm sore the next day. I know I put 100% into my workout and worked as hard as I can. It's not easy to be healthy. Needless to say I wouldn't be working at this if I didn't have Jono to help me. I don't think I've ever met someone who balances me out so well, other then family I mean. I'm just loving life so much right now and am so healthy I thought you all should know.
Hugs and Kisses
mce
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Midweek break
Good Morning!
So it's been a few days since I updated. In that time I went to see my family, came home, and worked. I'll start with the weekend.
I drove up Saturday morning. It was a really nice drive. I took the new car (I truly love that car) and a few books on my ipod and just drove. I've never made that drive on my own though lord knows I've gone up there enough times. I was a little worried since the second half (from Santa Barbra to los osos) always makes me tired. even when I'm driving down that part is always the hardest. But I made it just fine. We started cooking around 2 and I actually got everything I was trying to make done and on the table only a half hour behind our original dinner time. Pretty good I would say. I always love cooking with my family and in that kitchen. People wonder in and out and join the conversation as they come. There is always music playing in the background and laughter from the other rooms. So overall I would say dinner was a success.
Sundauy we had pancakes. For those of you who know grandma Marti's pancakes no more needs be said. For those of you who don't you are missing out. They are thin and have a different flavor. They are not those cakey pancakes you get in restaurants. They are truly amazing. After breakfast my dad, uncle david, and I went into Moro Bay. I hadn't been there is a while and it was really fun to go see all the places I remember from my childhood. We had a lot of fun. It was a beautiful day and I wish I could have stayed longer. But I had to drive home that afternoon. The drive home was fine and I got home in good time and was able to get ready for work on Monday.
Monday was a little crazy at work. The mom is off work or something this week and so she picked the twins up around 1 so I got off early. It gave Jono and I time to go take Bella to a clinic to get her shots updated. Yesterday was less crazy and I got to go in 2 hours later then normal.
Today I plan on cleaning and finish the filing (I left it all over the bedroom floor in piles). Here are the recipes I used this weekend. Hope you like them!
Roast Chicken with pancetta and olives
From gourmet Italian kitchen
serves: 8
active time: 25 minutes
start to finish: 1 1/2 hours
Ingredients
2 Chickens (about 3 1/2 lb each), backbones cut out and each chicken cut into 12 pieces (wings, drumsticks, thighs, and each breast cut into 3)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped Thyme
1 Tbsp chopped Rosemary
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp hot red-pepper flakes
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (1/4 inch thick) slices pancetta, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine
24 oil-cured black olives
Preheat oven to 450f with rack in middle.
Toss chicken with oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, red-pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon pepper, rubbing mixture into chicken.
Arrange chicken, skin side up, in 1 layer in a 18-by-13 inch heavy rimmed baking sheet. Scatter garlic and pancetta on top and roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Drizzle wine over chicken and roast 8 mintues more.
Scatter olives over chicken and roast until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes more.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Souffléd Gnocchi
from Gourmet Italian Kitchen
serves: 6
Active time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish: 2 hours
Ingredients
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup semolina (3 oz. sometimes labeled "semolina flour")
3 eggs
7 Tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Bring milk with 3/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add semolina in a slow stream, whisking, then simmer, stirring consantly with a wooden spoon, 12 minutes (mixture will be very stiff).
Remove from heat and stir in eggs 1 at a time, then stir in 6 tablespoons cheese and 3 tablespoons butter.
Spread into a 1/2 inch thick slab on an oiled baking sheet using a lightly oiled rubber spatula, then chill, uncovered, until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
Cut out rounds from gnocchi with cookie cutter dipped in cool water (incorporating scraps as you work) and gently transfer rounds (they will be VERY soft), slightly overlapping, to butter baking dish. chill gnocchi uncovered, 1 hour.
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450 f
Melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and brush over gnocchi, then sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake in upper third of oven for 10 minutes, then switch dish to lower third of oven and continue to bake until gnocchi are slightly puffed and lightly browned, about 10 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes: This I also prepared the day before. The gnocchi can be chilled up to one day after cut and placed into baking dish. You just cover it after 1 hour.
Hugs+kisses
mce
So it's been a few days since I updated. In that time I went to see my family, came home, and worked. I'll start with the weekend.
I drove up Saturday morning. It was a really nice drive. I took the new car (I truly love that car) and a few books on my ipod and just drove. I've never made that drive on my own though lord knows I've gone up there enough times. I was a little worried since the second half (from Santa Barbra to los osos) always makes me tired. even when I'm driving down that part is always the hardest. But I made it just fine. We started cooking around 2 and I actually got everything I was trying to make done and on the table only a half hour behind our original dinner time. Pretty good I would say. I always love cooking with my family and in that kitchen. People wonder in and out and join the conversation as they come. There is always music playing in the background and laughter from the other rooms. So overall I would say dinner was a success.
Sundauy we had pancakes. For those of you who know grandma Marti's pancakes no more needs be said. For those of you who don't you are missing out. They are thin and have a different flavor. They are not those cakey pancakes you get in restaurants. They are truly amazing. After breakfast my dad, uncle david, and I went into Moro Bay. I hadn't been there is a while and it was really fun to go see all the places I remember from my childhood. We had a lot of fun. It was a beautiful day and I wish I could have stayed longer. But I had to drive home that afternoon. The drive home was fine and I got home in good time and was able to get ready for work on Monday.
Monday was a little crazy at work. The mom is off work or something this week and so she picked the twins up around 1 so I got off early. It gave Jono and I time to go take Bella to a clinic to get her shots updated. Yesterday was less crazy and I got to go in 2 hours later then normal.
Today I plan on cleaning and finish the filing (I left it all over the bedroom floor in piles). Here are the recipes I used this weekend. Hope you like them!
Roast Chicken with pancetta and olives
From gourmet Italian kitchen
serves: 8
active time: 25 minutes
start to finish: 1 1/2 hours
Ingredients
2 Chickens (about 3 1/2 lb each), backbones cut out and each chicken cut into 12 pieces (wings, drumsticks, thighs, and each breast cut into 3)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped Thyme
1 Tbsp chopped Rosemary
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp hot red-pepper flakes
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (1/4 inch thick) slices pancetta, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine
24 oil-cured black olives
Preheat oven to 450f with rack in middle.
Toss chicken with oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, red-pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon pepper, rubbing mixture into chicken.
Arrange chicken, skin side up, in 1 layer in a 18-by-13 inch heavy rimmed baking sheet. Scatter garlic and pancetta on top and roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Drizzle wine over chicken and roast 8 mintues more.
Scatter olives over chicken and roast until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes more.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Souffléd Gnocchi
from Gourmet Italian Kitchen
serves: 6
Active time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish: 2 hours
Ingredients
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup semolina (3 oz. sometimes labeled "semolina flour")
3 eggs
7 Tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Bring milk with 3/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add semolina in a slow stream, whisking, then simmer, stirring consantly with a wooden spoon, 12 minutes (mixture will be very stiff).
Remove from heat and stir in eggs 1 at a time, then stir in 6 tablespoons cheese and 3 tablespoons butter.
Spread into a 1/2 inch thick slab on an oiled baking sheet using a lightly oiled rubber spatula, then chill, uncovered, until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
Cut out rounds from gnocchi with cookie cutter dipped in cool water (incorporating scraps as you work) and gently transfer rounds (they will be VERY soft), slightly overlapping, to butter baking dish. chill gnocchi uncovered, 1 hour.
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450 f
Melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and brush over gnocchi, then sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake in upper third of oven for 10 minutes, then switch dish to lower third of oven and continue to bake until gnocchi are slightly puffed and lightly browned, about 10 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes: This I also prepared the day before. The gnocchi can be chilled up to one day after cut and placed into baking dish. You just cover it after 1 hour.
Hugs+kisses
mce
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday!
This is what my view out the window at work looks like right now. Beautiful isn't it. I wish I had a better camera to show you these amazing sights I see all the time. I actually think that the camera on my Iphone is better them my digital. I find that very sad. I would actually take pictures of the food I make more often if the pictures ever came out nicely. Oh well. While we are on the subject of wishes, I wish I had a dutch oven. Have you seen those beautiful le creuset ones? I swoon every time I see one in a store. If only the price tag wasn't so big. ugg. That is my next piggy bank project. Do you have any idea how many recipes I have right now that call for one? A lot. And trust me they all look amazing. I also want a kitchenaid stand mixer. Another object I swoon over often. Some of these are on my wedding present list. Yes I know it's still 5 years out and I very well may be able to get these things myself within 5 years. I just thought I would start the list now and add and subtract as I go. Kinda like a master wish list. I can dream.
SO does anyone have any idea what this heat is about? It is crazy hot here in LA. I'm glad to be getting away for the weekend. Speaking of getting away this weekend...packing is a hassle. Needless to say I have yet to start it. I'm hoping (figures crossed) to get out a little early today, so I can go home and clean and pack. The main thing I need to pack is cooking things. I feel like I should be writing the list on my arm so I don't forget anything. I'm glad that I can leave early tomorrow so I have plenty of time to cook and mess up. I have high hopes and big plans!!
hugs+kisses
mce
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Weekend Cooking
Good morning!
And it is a good morning. The sun is shining in a clear blue sky and the twins are playing in the backyard. I am sitting in the garage and listening to their laughter and music. It's that cool clear day that you know will heat up fast so you better get in a little chill while you can. As I sit here I am going through my weekend plans. They came together slowly and the next thing I knew I was planing to drive up to see my family. I can tell you that I am really excited.
Let me tell you a little back Baywood. Baywood is about 3-4 hour north of LA. I will always think of childhood when I go up there. It's quiet and calm and relaxing. There is nature everywhere and right on the bay. I love every moment I am there. This was a very last minute trip. I am driving up by myself in our new car (yay!) Saturday morning and driving home Sunday afternoon. Saturday night I am making dinner for my family Saturday night. I am excited about this. My grandmother's kitchen is always full of music and laughter and talking and love. I've only helped before never actually cooked. I've chopped and flipped and taken things out of ovens and tasted. But never actually cooked a meal. My family doesn't put any pressure on me about it but I am kinda nervous about it. It's a new kitchen to cook in and I will have family there. I think it will be amazing fun. I know no matter what my family will eat what I make, even if they spit it out later. It's like a run through for thanksgiving. I'm hoping to make something in that crazy mass of food and cooks and fun.
I'm also excited about the drive up. It's a drive I know well from years of going up there. I will be making it alone for I think the first time. I will have our new car and books to listen to. It will all be fun. I can't wait!
Of course because it's me I want to bring and make a ton of things for everyone up there. I already have dinner planed but I still have lunch and dessert to think about.
kisses+hugs
mce
And it is a good morning. The sun is shining in a clear blue sky and the twins are playing in the backyard. I am sitting in the garage and listening to their laughter and music. It's that cool clear day that you know will heat up fast so you better get in a little chill while you can. As I sit here I am going through my weekend plans. They came together slowly and the next thing I knew I was planing to drive up to see my family. I can tell you that I am really excited.
Let me tell you a little back Baywood. Baywood is about 3-4 hour north of LA. I will always think of childhood when I go up there. It's quiet and calm and relaxing. There is nature everywhere and right on the bay. I love every moment I am there. This was a very last minute trip. I am driving up by myself in our new car (yay!) Saturday morning and driving home Sunday afternoon. Saturday night I am making dinner for my family Saturday night. I am excited about this. My grandmother's kitchen is always full of music and laughter and talking and love. I've only helped before never actually cooked. I've chopped and flipped and taken things out of ovens and tasted. But never actually cooked a meal. My family doesn't put any pressure on me about it but I am kinda nervous about it. It's a new kitchen to cook in and I will have family there. I think it will be amazing fun. I know no matter what my family will eat what I make, even if they spit it out later. It's like a run through for thanksgiving. I'm hoping to make something in that crazy mass of food and cooks and fun.
I'm also excited about the drive up. It's a drive I know well from years of going up there. I will be making it alone for I think the first time. I will have our new car and books to listen to. It will all be fun. I can't wait!
Of course because it's me I want to bring and make a ton of things for everyone up there. I already have dinner planed but I still have lunch and dessert to think about.
kisses+hugs
mce
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Routine
Good Morning!
Today I would like to talk about routine. We all have our own little routines we go through during the day. Some of us stick more closely to these and others just have loose ideas. I never really like routines before. I hated doing the same thing every day. If I did the same thing too many days in a row I would get upset about it, and have to change it. This was before I started working. I was never good at keeping to a routine. But this job makes me love routines so much more. Now when life or circumstances change my routine I get testy and tense. With the family I work for routine is a foreign word. The only thing that is the same almost every day is the time I have to get to work. When I get off fluctuates about 3-4 hours either way. Which kids I have can change and what I need to do with them changes. Each week is different. For example today. Today is Wednesday. Supposedly my day off. Not today. I was told at hour 12 of a 13 hour work day yesterday that I needed to work today. See what I mean? This week started with a 8 hour day (it wasn't supposed to be as of that morning but by 4 the mom had picked up all the kids so I was done) yesterday was a 12.75 hour day. And who knows how long today or the rest of the week will be. With Jono's new change in schedule even life at home has changed. It makes me very outsy. I have made little routines for myself to try to keep level. I wake up and make my lunch. I let the twins watch cartoons and play in the living room in the morning. I drink my coffee ( I bring from home) and read my blogs, check my email, and write some. I leave about an hour early to get the kids at school and the twins start their nap on the way. I listen to KCRW in the car and sit in the parking lot at the school for about a half hour to an hour while I wait for the kids to get out. Once they get out that's where everything changes. I sometimes take them to the library. I drive around for a while to get the older two to nap ( doesn't always happen) and end up back at the house somewhere between 3-5. That's the end of anything I can predict. I try to keep the mornings as much the same as I can. I feel like it gives me a fighting chance to handle the rest of the day.
Here's another change to routine. I might, key word might, go see my family this weekend. I feel like a little weekend get away might help relax and calm me. It would also be better then sitting at home which is what I will do if I don't go. Since Jono works the whole weekend now I will be by myself all weekend. Doesn't sound like my ideal plan. But like I said it is all up in the air. I feel like my whole life is up in the air at the moment.
hugs+kisses
mce
Today I would like to talk about routine. We all have our own little routines we go through during the day. Some of us stick more closely to these and others just have loose ideas. I never really like routines before. I hated doing the same thing every day. If I did the same thing too many days in a row I would get upset about it, and have to change it. This was before I started working. I was never good at keeping to a routine. But this job makes me love routines so much more. Now when life or circumstances change my routine I get testy and tense. With the family I work for routine is a foreign word. The only thing that is the same almost every day is the time I have to get to work. When I get off fluctuates about 3-4 hours either way. Which kids I have can change and what I need to do with them changes. Each week is different. For example today. Today is Wednesday. Supposedly my day off. Not today. I was told at hour 12 of a 13 hour work day yesterday that I needed to work today. See what I mean? This week started with a 8 hour day (it wasn't supposed to be as of that morning but by 4 the mom had picked up all the kids so I was done) yesterday was a 12.75 hour day. And who knows how long today or the rest of the week will be. With Jono's new change in schedule even life at home has changed. It makes me very outsy. I have made little routines for myself to try to keep level. I wake up and make my lunch. I let the twins watch cartoons and play in the living room in the morning. I drink my coffee ( I bring from home) and read my blogs, check my email, and write some. I leave about an hour early to get the kids at school and the twins start their nap on the way. I listen to KCRW in the car and sit in the parking lot at the school for about a half hour to an hour while I wait for the kids to get out. Once they get out that's where everything changes. I sometimes take them to the library. I drive around for a while to get the older two to nap ( doesn't always happen) and end up back at the house somewhere between 3-5. That's the end of anything I can predict. I try to keep the mornings as much the same as I can. I feel like it gives me a fighting chance to handle the rest of the day.
Here's another change to routine. I might, key word might, go see my family this weekend. I feel like a little weekend get away might help relax and calm me. It would also be better then sitting at home which is what I will do if I don't go. Since Jono works the whole weekend now I will be by myself all weekend. Doesn't sound like my ideal plan. But like I said it is all up in the air. I feel like my whole life is up in the air at the moment.
hugs+kisses
mce
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tea Cookies
Good Morning!
It is the beginning of a new path. Life isn't easy but when you have great people in your life it can be a little easier then you would think. I have great people in my life and am grateful for every single one of them. I am also realized this past weekend how much I've grown up.
This weekend I cleaned, which before I would not have done on my own. I also cooked a lot so that I have lunches for the week. Before I wouldn't bother with lunches. I never took care of my health and would rather just grab something at work then worry about eating right. I have realized that this is not a good way to deal with your health. So I made a very healthy salad. But I also made cookies.
Now let me talk about these cookies. The original recipe called for Early Gray tea. I didn't have any on hand and did want to buy a box of tea just for a little bit of tea. So I used PG tips. This is more of an English breakfast black tea. Jono likes it so we have a box of it in the house most of the time. It is a slightly darker bolder tea. You can use any tea you have on hand I would think because you don't get a very strong flavor from the tea. I find them to be really cute. I love the look and the fact that you can just bake up a few and leave the rest of the dough log in the freezer till the next time you want cookies.
Earl Grey Tea Cookies makes 2 dozen
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon black tea leaves (cheap works better due to the fact it's finer. I used PG tips. )
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
Add vanilla, water, and butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed. Form the dough into a log onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Wrap the paper around and roll the log smooth. Freeze now, or chill for at least 30 minutes.
When chilled, slice the log into 1/3 inch thick pieces. Place on baking sheets and bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
I would also like to share a little shortcut recipe with you. Potatoes. I love crispy fried potatoes but normally they take forever to cook and I never have the time or the energy to cook then from raw.
ingredents
3 small potatoes ( I tend to keep small red or multi-colored potatoes on hand)
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
olive oil
Take the potatoes stab them with a fork a few times. Then microwave them for about 2 minutes. I check after each minute to see if they are soft by sticking the fork back in.
When they are mostly soft I take them out and slice them.
Toss them with a little garlic power, Italian seasoning, and salt/pepper.
Throw them in a pan where they can all lay flat and cook them in a little olive oil over midiun high heat.
Cook about 2 minutes per side or till they look golden brown.
Over all the whole thing takes about 10 minutes and you are crispy cooked potatoes. They go great with anything! Any time I'm making dinner and don't know what to make as a side I tend to fall back on this recipe.
Hope you all have a great day!
hugs+kisses
mce
It is the beginning of a new path. Life isn't easy but when you have great people in your life it can be a little easier then you would think. I have great people in my life and am grateful for every single one of them. I am also realized this past weekend how much I've grown up.
This weekend I cleaned, which before I would not have done on my own. I also cooked a lot so that I have lunches for the week. Before I wouldn't bother with lunches. I never took care of my health and would rather just grab something at work then worry about eating right. I have realized that this is not a good way to deal with your health. So I made a very healthy salad. But I also made cookies.
Now let me talk about these cookies. The original recipe called for Early Gray tea. I didn't have any on hand and did want to buy a box of tea just for a little bit of tea. So I used PG tips. This is more of an English breakfast black tea. Jono likes it so we have a box of it in the house most of the time. It is a slightly darker bolder tea. You can use any tea you have on hand I would think because you don't get a very strong flavor from the tea. I find them to be really cute. I love the look and the fact that you can just bake up a few and leave the rest of the dough log in the freezer till the next time you want cookies.
Earl Grey Tea Cookies makes 2 dozen
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon black tea leaves (cheap works better due to the fact it's finer. I used PG tips. )
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
Add vanilla, water, and butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed. Form the dough into a log onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Wrap the paper around and roll the log smooth. Freeze now, or chill for at least 30 minutes.
When chilled, slice the log into 1/3 inch thick pieces. Place on baking sheets and bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
I would also like to share a little shortcut recipe with you. Potatoes. I love crispy fried potatoes but normally they take forever to cook and I never have the time or the energy to cook then from raw.
ingredents
3 small potatoes ( I tend to keep small red or multi-colored potatoes on hand)
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
olive oil
Take the potatoes stab them with a fork a few times. Then microwave them for about 2 minutes. I check after each minute to see if they are soft by sticking the fork back in.
When they are mostly soft I take them out and slice them.
Toss them with a little garlic power, Italian seasoning, and salt/pepper.
Throw them in a pan where they can all lay flat and cook them in a little olive oil over midiun high heat.
Cook about 2 minutes per side or till they look golden brown.
Over all the whole thing takes about 10 minutes and you are crispy cooked potatoes. They go great with anything! Any time I'm making dinner and don't know what to make as a side I tend to fall back on this recipe.
Hope you all have a great day!
hugs+kisses
mce
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Changing tides
Hello all,
For those of you who have been reading the past few weeks you may have gotten the impression I was a little frantic. You would be right. I have felt that I haven't been able to get my balance lately. Between the uncertainty of my job and the whole ordeal of moving I've been feeling very off balance. At this point I don't feel as off balance, or I've just gotten used to it. But we got a big shock yesterday.
Jono's hours at the gym have been cut dramatically. He went from 5 days a week down to 2. I will admit I did have a small panic attack when he called to tell me. This is an issue but not as big as you may initially think. So let me tell you have I have decided to think about this.
This is great. Ok great may be a bit of an over statement but it is not bad. Now there are bad things about it, like the timing. The fact that we have given 30 day notice and are leaving our apartment by November 20th. The worry of having enough money to move into a place we like. But now let me tell you why I say it's great.
As some of you know Jono's job at the gym was selling memberships. He was not aloud to train any clients there at all. For all that I love about the man, he is not a salesman. He doesn't push people and is very up front and truthful about everything even the parts that won't help the sale. This was not the job he wanted. He wants to train. That's where his heart and passion are. So his goal was always to be able to train at the gym. Now he can. Some of the provisions to his cutback was that he got a raise and he can train at the gym. This not only gives him the time to take on more clients outside of the gym but he will get paid more per hour when he trains a client at the gym then he did doing sales. So as sudden and panicking as it was at first it is actually what Jono has been working towards this whole time. It just came a lot sooner and more suddenly then we expected. It also means we will have more time together. We will be able to see each other everyday for the most part. We will be able to have nice sit down dinner together again. I think this change will make everything more stable. He will now have time to do things at the apartment that he never had time for before. I'm very excited for him. And for us.
hugs+kisses
mce
For those of you who have been reading the past few weeks you may have gotten the impression I was a little frantic. You would be right. I have felt that I haven't been able to get my balance lately. Between the uncertainty of my job and the whole ordeal of moving I've been feeling very off balance. At this point I don't feel as off balance, or I've just gotten used to it. But we got a big shock yesterday.
Jono's hours at the gym have been cut dramatically. He went from 5 days a week down to 2. I will admit I did have a small panic attack when he called to tell me. This is an issue but not as big as you may initially think. So let me tell you have I have decided to think about this.
This is great. Ok great may be a bit of an over statement but it is not bad. Now there are bad things about it, like the timing. The fact that we have given 30 day notice and are leaving our apartment by November 20th. The worry of having enough money to move into a place we like. But now let me tell you why I say it's great.
As some of you know Jono's job at the gym was selling memberships. He was not aloud to train any clients there at all. For all that I love about the man, he is not a salesman. He doesn't push people and is very up front and truthful about everything even the parts that won't help the sale. This was not the job he wanted. He wants to train. That's where his heart and passion are. So his goal was always to be able to train at the gym. Now he can. Some of the provisions to his cutback was that he got a raise and he can train at the gym. This not only gives him the time to take on more clients outside of the gym but he will get paid more per hour when he trains a client at the gym then he did doing sales. So as sudden and panicking as it was at first it is actually what Jono has been working towards this whole time. It just came a lot sooner and more suddenly then we expected. It also means we will have more time together. We will be able to see each other everyday for the most part. We will be able to have nice sit down dinner together again. I think this change will make everything more stable. He will now have time to do things at the apartment that he never had time for before. I'm very excited for him. And for us.
hugs+kisses
mce
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Midweek day off
Good Morning!
The sun is out again in LA. It rained here yesterday. Through the rain we trekked up to the westside for more apartment hunting. We looked at 3 different places. One if them we loved the other 2 not so much. But I have to admit it was all a little stressful for me. Looking at so many places is mandatory if you want to be sure you have found a good place, but god does it take a long time. After a while all the rooms run together in my mind and I can't remember exactly how big this room or that was. It's all a lot of stress that I wasn't sure I even wanted to deal with. But then we had dinner.
Last night we had Oktoberfest at Jono's family's house. First let me clarify something. Jono as 2 families kind of. There is his biological family (his mom and brother) and then he has his other family. This is the Kecks. They live about 4 houses away from his mom and are pretty much family. So when I talk about doing things with Jono's family most times it's the Kecks. The Kecks have welcomed me more then I could have hoped for. They invite us over for holidays and are very supportive of us. I am more grateful then I can say to have them in our lives.
So back to dinner. We had been invited by Jono's brother (not the real one) at the last minute. Last minute as in I didn't have time to make anything. And we were given no information other then someone was cooking. no location till an hour before. So when we could no longer get a hold of his brother we just went over to his family's house. They had not been told we were coming but quickly put more chairs at the table and set out extra plates. That's the kind of people they are. Dinner was great. The food was amazing (as always at their house) and they are all really fun to hangout with. It really reminded me why we are doing all this searching. They were all excited that we will be moving back up near them so we can come over more often. To be able to go see them more often would be great. It makes all this running around and looking a lot easier when I remember what we will be able to do when we move. To see the people who are important to us more often would be great.
So I am once again excited to look and find the perfect place for us to live.
hugs+kisses
mce
The sun is out again in LA. It rained here yesterday. Through the rain we trekked up to the westside for more apartment hunting. We looked at 3 different places. One if them we loved the other 2 not so much. But I have to admit it was all a little stressful for me. Looking at so many places is mandatory if you want to be sure you have found a good place, but god does it take a long time. After a while all the rooms run together in my mind and I can't remember exactly how big this room or that was. It's all a lot of stress that I wasn't sure I even wanted to deal with. But then we had dinner.
Last night we had Oktoberfest at Jono's family's house. First let me clarify something. Jono as 2 families kind of. There is his biological family (his mom and brother) and then he has his other family. This is the Kecks. They live about 4 houses away from his mom and are pretty much family. So when I talk about doing things with Jono's family most times it's the Kecks. The Kecks have welcomed me more then I could have hoped for. They invite us over for holidays and are very supportive of us. I am more grateful then I can say to have them in our lives.
So back to dinner. We had been invited by Jono's brother (not the real one) at the last minute. Last minute as in I didn't have time to make anything. And we were given no information other then someone was cooking. no location till an hour before. So when we could no longer get a hold of his brother we just went over to his family's house. They had not been told we were coming but quickly put more chairs at the table and set out extra plates. That's the kind of people they are. Dinner was great. The food was amazing (as always at their house) and they are all really fun to hangout with. It really reminded me why we are doing all this searching. They were all excited that we will be moving back up near them so we can come over more often. To be able to go see them more often would be great. It makes all this running around and looking a lot easier when I remember what we will be able to do when we move. To see the people who are important to us more often would be great.
So I am once again excited to look and find the perfect place for us to live.
hugs+kisses
mce
Monday, October 3, 2011
Apartment hunting
Good morning!
Did you all have a good weekend? I hope you all got enough sleep. It never feels like it on Monday morning though. I took naps both Saturday and Sunday and I am still tired Monday morning. I'll never win. Oh well though. I did very little cooking this weekend. But I ate well. So lets talk food!
Saturday was date night for Jono and I. after going to look at an apartment (more about that later) we had no idea where to go. We have a few places that we always seem to go to. We wanted somewhere we haven't been. So we ended up at a Japanese restaurant Jono used to go to when he was little. It was amazing. I have never had eel as good as it was there. It was perfect.
Sunday was my little outing with Jane. The show was a little odd. Ok very odd. DIY and wigs and makeup. With lots of alcohol tastings. Very strange. But then Jane showed me a great little Peruvian place. It was amazing!!! I would go back today if it wasn't all the way in downtown. It did inspire me though.
Now back to the apartment. It was great. We both fell in love with it. It is a two story town home with a big patio in the back and a small one in the front. It has 2 bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths. We would have to cut back on some furniture since there isn't a lot of room but It is in Palms and within waling distance to downtown culver city. We still have to get approved for it but I really hope we do and can stop looking.
The one thing I did cook this weekend was a stew of a sort. I learned a Peruvian beef stew recipe from my Aunt when we went on our road trip this summer. After that great lunch yesterday what I really wanted was that stew or something close. Alas I had no stew meat. But I did have boneless/skinless chicken breasts in the freezer. So I modified the recipe to match what I had on hand. Here is the modified version
Peruvian Stew
4 boneless/skinless Chicken breasts
1 onion ( I used half white and half sweet)
3 Tomatoes (depending on size you may only need 2 I had small ones. they also get smaller while they cook)
5 small potatoes
2 TS olive oil
1 TS aji Pepper powder (you may need to go to a Mexican or South American market to find this. it's a very perticular Peruvian Pepper)
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp garlic powder
Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks. Marinate with Vinegar and salt and pepper. Leave for about an hour.
Cut up tomatoes and onions. heat oil in big pan and add spices. add the onions and tomatoes to pan.
In a seproate pan cook the chicken just till it begins to brown.
Once the tomatoes and onions start to break up and brown add the chicken.
Stir a few times then cover and turn to low. Cook for an hour.
While this is cooking cut up potatoes onto thick strips and cook in a pan till browned on all sides. Add them to the rest of the stew and continue to cook.
After an hour turn off heat and stir a few more times to make sure the spices cover everything.
Serve over rice or pasta or just plain!
Stews like this are great the day after and I could eat it for weeks. I will have to post the original recipe for you one of these days.
Did you all have a good weekend? I hope you all got enough sleep. It never feels like it on Monday morning though. I took naps both Saturday and Sunday and I am still tired Monday morning. I'll never win. Oh well though. I did very little cooking this weekend. But I ate well. So lets talk food!
Saturday was date night for Jono and I. after going to look at an apartment (more about that later) we had no idea where to go. We have a few places that we always seem to go to. We wanted somewhere we haven't been. So we ended up at a Japanese restaurant Jono used to go to when he was little. It was amazing. I have never had eel as good as it was there. It was perfect.
Sunday was my little outing with Jane. The show was a little odd. Ok very odd. DIY and wigs and makeup. With lots of alcohol tastings. Very strange. But then Jane showed me a great little Peruvian place. It was amazing!!! I would go back today if it wasn't all the way in downtown. It did inspire me though.
Now back to the apartment. It was great. We both fell in love with it. It is a two story town home with a big patio in the back and a small one in the front. It has 2 bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths. We would have to cut back on some furniture since there isn't a lot of room but It is in Palms and within waling distance to downtown culver city. We still have to get approved for it but I really hope we do and can stop looking.
The one thing I did cook this weekend was a stew of a sort. I learned a Peruvian beef stew recipe from my Aunt when we went on our road trip this summer. After that great lunch yesterday what I really wanted was that stew or something close. Alas I had no stew meat. But I did have boneless/skinless chicken breasts in the freezer. So I modified the recipe to match what I had on hand. Here is the modified version
4 boneless/skinless Chicken breasts
1 onion ( I used half white and half sweet)
3 Tomatoes (depending on size you may only need 2 I had small ones. they also get smaller while they cook)
5 small potatoes
2 TS olive oil
1 TS aji Pepper powder (you may need to go to a Mexican or South American market to find this. it's a very perticular Peruvian Pepper)
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp garlic powder
Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks. Marinate with Vinegar and salt and pepper. Leave for about an hour.
Cut up tomatoes and onions. heat oil in big pan and add spices. add the onions and tomatoes to pan.
In a seproate pan cook the chicken just till it begins to brown.
Once the tomatoes and onions start to break up and brown add the chicken.
Stir a few times then cover and turn to low. Cook for an hour.
While this is cooking cut up potatoes onto thick strips and cook in a pan till browned on all sides. Add them to the rest of the stew and continue to cook.
After an hour turn off heat and stir a few more times to make sure the spices cover everything.
Serve over rice or pasta or just plain!
Stews like this are great the day after and I could eat it for weeks. I will have to post the original recipe for you one of these days.
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