Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Dinner Tonight
Panko crusted halibut with serrano aioli
Parmesan, olive oil and roasted garlic oven fries
Sauteed zucchini with garlic
Wow. It was excellent. The recipe is from Cooking Light magazine. The halibut is actually supposed to be "cornflake crusted" but I could not for the life of me find just plain ol' corn flakes at the store. I always have panko on hand at home (they are Japanese style bread crumbs). I overcooked the halibut slightly which does not surprise me as I do this often. I rarely cook fish and am always paranoid to under cook it. I know, that is nearly impossible. I'm learning.
My fingers are burning like crazy. Apparently the oils from the serrano chilies have leaked into my skin. I washed my hands about 3 times really well, but it still burns.
I highly recommend this meal and the best part is from start to finish it is only 30 minutes! My kind of meal. My goal is to make one new recipe a week to build a larger repertoire of weekly meals. I've realized I spend all this money on foodie magazines but don't try new recipes as often I'd like. When I make something gross I'll post that too. Trust me, it isn't so rare!
Parmesan, olive oil and roasted garlic oven fries
Sauteed zucchini with garlic
Wow. It was excellent. The recipe is from Cooking Light magazine. The halibut is actually supposed to be "cornflake crusted" but I could not for the life of me find just plain ol' corn flakes at the store. I always have panko on hand at home (they are Japanese style bread crumbs). I overcooked the halibut slightly which does not surprise me as I do this often. I rarely cook fish and am always paranoid to under cook it. I know, that is nearly impossible. I'm learning.
My fingers are burning like crazy. Apparently the oils from the serrano chilies have leaked into my skin. I washed my hands about 3 times really well, but it still burns.
I highly recommend this meal and the best part is from start to finish it is only 30 minutes! My kind of meal. My goal is to make one new recipe a week to build a larger repertoire of weekly meals. I've realized I spend all this money on foodie magazines but don't try new recipes as often I'd like. When I make something gross I'll post that too. Trust me, it isn't so rare!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Random ramblings
I have a mild headache right now. How annoying. I *so* don't feel like making dinner. Husband doesn't want me to cook either - feels I need a break (awww) as he has been gone for 2 days. I want a HUGE bowl of pasta for dinner. I swear I could polish off a pound of it on my own. And I don't mean that gross whole wheat stuff either. I do use whole wheat spaghetti but any other shape is WAY TOO chewy and gross. Sorry, I guess I just love the white flour and extra carbs. Yummy.
Rachael Ray bugs me. I used to like her. I have even made some of her recipes and they are pretty good. But HER - I don't like. I have heard from a few people that she is a real pill whose head is just way to big to fit into the door of Food Network. When I hear gossip about celebrities, I take it with a grain of salt because there is no way to know what's true and what isn't. Besides, I like to remain my naive little self when it comes to thinking that some, if not most, are nice normal folks who don't cheat on their spouses and make ridiculous demands of the poor people who get stuck serving them.
Okay, I have a confession to make. I have been sucked into the latest MTV reality show, Maui Fever!!! Yeah, I admit it. In addition, I watch The Hills, Dancelife and The Real Word. I know, I know but I LOVE IT!!!!
Today is a special day - 3 years ago tonight, my husband proposed to me on the water after a nice dinner. The next day we left for a month long trip to Guam, Japan and Australia. Now three years later, we are married, own a home and have a beautiful daughter! Time flies.
Rachael Ray bugs me. I used to like her. I have even made some of her recipes and they are pretty good. But HER - I don't like. I have heard from a few people that she is a real pill whose head is just way to big to fit into the door of Food Network. When I hear gossip about celebrities, I take it with a grain of salt because there is no way to know what's true and what isn't. Besides, I like to remain my naive little self when it comes to thinking that some, if not most, are nice normal folks who don't cheat on their spouses and make ridiculous demands of the poor people who get stuck serving them.
Okay, I have a confession to make. I have been sucked into the latest MTV reality show, Maui Fever!!! Yeah, I admit it. In addition, I watch The Hills, Dancelife and The Real Word. I know, I know but I LOVE IT!!!!
Today is a special day - 3 years ago tonight, my husband proposed to me on the water after a nice dinner. The next day we left for a month long trip to Guam, Japan and Australia. Now three years later, we are married, own a home and have a beautiful daughter! Time flies.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Inspired
Sometimes my obsession with The Food Network yields fabulous meals. I have been so inspired this week by the foods that my favorite chefs have been whipping up. Tonight I'm making sloppy joes (a recipe from my favorite nutritionist) with roasted asparagus. Yesterday I made a fabulous lemon broccoli pasta with pine nuts courtesy of Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten). Tomorrow I'm making another recipe from a nutritionist - meatloaf (with ground turkey breast), steamed broccoli and roasted garlic and rosemary new potatoes. This weekend I'm going to make a lentil and rice salad and a spinach salad with prosciutto and an orange vinaigrette. YUM!
Husband thinks it's cute that I get excited to make such all American dishes like sloppy joes and meatloaf. I never had any of these growing up as my mom was a pretty traditional Chamorro cook. Things like pork adobo, kelaguen, finadene, white sticky rice & kadoo (that spelling is so weird but my mom says that's correct). I thought the term BBQ meant meat marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and onion. It wasn't until I was in high school and was invited to a friends BBQ and looked at her puzzled when I tasted the traditional American BBQ sauce. How embarrassing. It's not like Chamorro food is well known around here. My poor husband rarely get potatoes with dinner - it's always rice! White sticky rice. Trying to cut back on the white rice but brown rice just isn't as good when you grow up with the white stuff.
Watch Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on the Travel Channel. He is hilarious. I love his wit and humor. He travels around the world sampling various cuisine and meeting other foodies in the area. Be prepared to laugh and/or be grossed out.
Daughter awake! More later.
Husband thinks it's cute that I get excited to make such all American dishes like sloppy joes and meatloaf. I never had any of these growing up as my mom was a pretty traditional Chamorro cook. Things like pork adobo, kelaguen, finadene, white sticky rice & kadoo (that spelling is so weird but my mom says that's correct). I thought the term BBQ meant meat marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and onion. It wasn't until I was in high school and was invited to a friends BBQ and looked at her puzzled when I tasted the traditional American BBQ sauce. How embarrassing. It's not like Chamorro food is well known around here. My poor husband rarely get potatoes with dinner - it's always rice! White sticky rice. Trying to cut back on the white rice but brown rice just isn't as good when you grow up with the white stuff.
Watch Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on the Travel Channel. He is hilarious. I love his wit and humor. He travels around the world sampling various cuisine and meeting other foodies in the area. Be prepared to laugh and/or be grossed out.
Daughter awake! More later.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Naps & Gagging
I think daughter is transitioning to one nap. I know I've said this before but this time I think it's really happening. I need to adjust it back a bit though. She is now going down around 10:30 and waking at 1:30ish. From 1:30pm to 7:30pm (bedtime) is kind of a long time for a 14-month old (today is her official 14 month birthday)!
So, I cancelled her oral surgeon consult and got her one with an ENT (ear, nose, throat doc). In my research I've found they are the ones who do it most although it is such a simple thing that dentists even do it. Little miss butt-head from daughter's dentist office pissed me off though so I'm not even going to ask them. Hmmphf. My mom sent me a doctor's slide-show on some of his before and after patients who had the surgery. Interesting. One of the side-effects of not having the surgery is painful breastfeeding for mom (HELLO -wish someone would have checked daughter for this earlier), bed wetting once potty-trained (no idea why), speech impediments, self-esteem issues (duh), and digestion problems (apparently it affects swallowing). The doc stresses that while it is such a simple and common procedure, the benefits are HUGE! To bad this doc is in Kansas City. The doc I found was on the "country's best doc" list so I'm happy with my choice. Please pray, send good vibes, meditate, chant or whatever you do for an easy procedure. Consult is Jan. 9. Gonna be harder on me no doubt.
Now I have a VERY strong stomach. Almost NOTHING makes me feel ill or gag and it is hard to gross me out (at least with the usual things) but lately my daughters diapers have been really bad. I did almost gag on one of them. I don't know what it is! I always dump the crap in the toilet and then throw the diaper away to eliminate smell in the house and let me tell you the walk to the bathroom with said diaper in hand was so difficult. Doesn't help when you can feel the warmth of the fresh crap on your hand coming through the diaper. Isn't that lovely?
One thing that completely grosses me out is bad breath. I know we all have it sometimes but the psychiatrist I used to work for - oh lordy - it was BAD. Smelled like a combo of moth balls, dog shit, coffee, and cigarettes (he didn't even smoke!). This would not have been a problem except that he was one of those breathy speakers. You know how some people just breathe all over you when they talk? He was such a great guy though so that made it even more difficult to hide my disgust during our meetings at work. During the early part of my pregnancy, meeting with him with a queasy stomach was too much.
Okay, she's awake - back to mommyhood! :)
So, I cancelled her oral surgeon consult and got her one with an ENT (ear, nose, throat doc). In my research I've found they are the ones who do it most although it is such a simple thing that dentists even do it. Little miss butt-head from daughter's dentist office pissed me off though so I'm not even going to ask them. Hmmphf. My mom sent me a doctor's slide-show on some of his before and after patients who had the surgery. Interesting. One of the side-effects of not having the surgery is painful breastfeeding for mom (HELLO -wish someone would have checked daughter for this earlier), bed wetting once potty-trained (no idea why), speech impediments, self-esteem issues (duh), and digestion problems (apparently it affects swallowing). The doc stresses that while it is such a simple and common procedure, the benefits are HUGE! To bad this doc is in Kansas City. The doc I found was on the "country's best doc" list so I'm happy with my choice. Please pray, send good vibes, meditate, chant or whatever you do for an easy procedure. Consult is Jan. 9. Gonna be harder on me no doubt.
Now I have a VERY strong stomach. Almost NOTHING makes me feel ill or gag and it is hard to gross me out (at least with the usual things) but lately my daughters diapers have been really bad. I did almost gag on one of them. I don't know what it is! I always dump the crap in the toilet and then throw the diaper away to eliminate smell in the house and let me tell you the walk to the bathroom with said diaper in hand was so difficult. Doesn't help when you can feel the warmth of the fresh crap on your hand coming through the diaper. Isn't that lovely?
One thing that completely grosses me out is bad breath. I know we all have it sometimes but the psychiatrist I used to work for - oh lordy - it was BAD. Smelled like a combo of moth balls, dog shit, coffee, and cigarettes (he didn't even smoke!). This would not have been a problem except that he was one of those breathy speakers. You know how some people just breathe all over you when they talk? He was such a great guy though so that made it even more difficult to hide my disgust during our meetings at work. During the early part of my pregnancy, meeting with him with a queasy stomach was too much.
Okay, she's awake - back to mommyhood! :)
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Food
I love food. I love to make it (when I have time) , look at it, read books and magazines about it, and watch people prepare it. I am addicted to The Food Network. If the TV is on during the day (not often) it is ALWAYS on The Food Network. My 3 favorites are Ellie Krieger, Giada DeLaurentiis and Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa). I get absolutely mesmerized by watching them cook. I hope my daughter shares this love.
I love to ask people what their favorite meal or food memory is. I have so many. A few that stand out: 1)Eating an early dinner with my dad in Monterey, CA on the way to visit UC Santa Cruz. The restaurant was on pilings on the water and was called The Fish Hopper. We could see sea otter frolicking in the kelp just 50 feet away. I had the BEST pasta primavera there. 2)Eating a pizza with my fiance (at the time) in my college dorm room while stoned. I remember I had taken out my contacts and had my glasses on, we were listening to Bob Marley's Catch A Fire album and I was IN HEAVEN! He started laughing hysterically because I was drooling and didn't even know it. He had come to surprise me for the weekend. 3)My cousin Karen made a beef tenderloin with a mustard sauce over it one summer night. I ate SO much - I couldn't believe how great it was. Neither of us has been able to re-create it. I'll stop here. It's funny how great food memories are often not necessarily the food, but the ambiance, the people/person whom you shared it with and the circumstance that brought you there.
I am over my emotional crisis. It was mostly due to the fact that my husband was gone for the past two days and I was totally flipped out over my daughters "tongue-tie". After doing a lot of research and learning how common it is and my husband telling me how not a big deal it is, I feel better. We did make a consult appointment with an oral surgeon on Feb. 6 just to get his opinion. Just before dinner my daughter stuck out her tongue. You would have thought I won the lottery. I was excited. It wasn't far, but hey it was out! Anyway - she has a robust flap of skin above her two front teeth that attaches to the underside of her lip too. You can't tell unless you lift up her lip but the dentist showed me and said it could cause a gap in her permanent 2 front teeth (her baby teeth already have this). I think we'll likely have that clipped for sure. Ugh, I hate thinking about it.
I had a dream about Africa the other night. I was on a safari and was sitting in a hot tub under the sky talking to some strangers. AAAAhhhhhhhhh so nice. What a cool trip to take with your kids. I WILL do this one day.
I'm craving s'mores. I think I'll make myself one. Good night!
I love to ask people what their favorite meal or food memory is. I have so many. A few that stand out: 1)Eating an early dinner with my dad in Monterey, CA on the way to visit UC Santa Cruz. The restaurant was on pilings on the water and was called The Fish Hopper. We could see sea otter frolicking in the kelp just 50 feet away. I had the BEST pasta primavera there. 2)Eating a pizza with my fiance (at the time) in my college dorm room while stoned. I remember I had taken out my contacts and had my glasses on, we were listening to Bob Marley's Catch A Fire album and I was IN HEAVEN! He started laughing hysterically because I was drooling and didn't even know it. He had come to surprise me for the weekend. 3)My cousin Karen made a beef tenderloin with a mustard sauce over it one summer night. I ate SO much - I couldn't believe how great it was. Neither of us has been able to re-create it. I'll stop here. It's funny how great food memories are often not necessarily the food, but the ambiance, the people/person whom you shared it with and the circumstance that brought you there.
I am over my emotional crisis. It was mostly due to the fact that my husband was gone for the past two days and I was totally flipped out over my daughters "tongue-tie". After doing a lot of research and learning how common it is and my husband telling me how not a big deal it is, I feel better. We did make a consult appointment with an oral surgeon on Feb. 6 just to get his opinion. Just before dinner my daughter stuck out her tongue. You would have thought I won the lottery. I was excited. It wasn't far, but hey it was out! Anyway - she has a robust flap of skin above her two front teeth that attaches to the underside of her lip too. You can't tell unless you lift up her lip but the dentist showed me and said it could cause a gap in her permanent 2 front teeth (her baby teeth already have this). I think we'll likely have that clipped for sure. Ugh, I hate thinking about it.
I had a dream about Africa the other night. I was on a safari and was sitting in a hot tub under the sky talking to some strangers. AAAAhhhhhhhhh so nice. What a cool trip to take with your kids. I WILL do this one day.
I'm craving s'mores. I think I'll make myself one. Good night!
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Feeling blue
I don't know why really - must be the hormones or something. I'm starting NuvaRing on Sunday so perhaps that will calm down my raging hormones. Menopause should be SO much fun. My mom is having a difficult time with it right now and I'm just praying I don't take after her.
My daughter had her first dentist apt. today. Me being the anal mom that I am , arrived 15 minutes early knowing I'd likely have to fill out 71 pages of crap (why don't they just mail it to me?). So upon walking up to the front door and trying to open it, I find that it is locked. Hmmm.....I try a couple more times, then peep inside and knock lightly. The lady mouths the words "o n e - t h i r t y" to me. Great. So we sat in the car and waited 15 minutes. While trying to fill out the paperwork, my daughter manages to rip the first of the 71 pages I have to fill out in half. When I go to hand them in the lady made kind of a stink about having to tape it together. I imagined reaching over the counter and choking her.
The hygenist was a weirdo. She brushed her teeth then decided to use that air-sucker thingy at that really scared my daughter. That was it. Then she tries to calm her down by saying "good job" over and over. Huh? Am I on TV? The dentist was SO much better. He examined her then says she has a short frenulum (the skin that holds down the tongue underneath) and she may have to get it clipped if it affects her speech later. Great. Now I'm upset and trying not to cry. My husband had this problem and got "clipped" and says it's no big deal. I cried the whole way home from the dentist and have been feeling teary all day now. Why does this upset me? Days like this are hard. Husband promises to come to the next dentist apt.
I promise to have a more upbeat post next time.
My daughter had her first dentist apt. today. Me being the anal mom that I am , arrived 15 minutes early knowing I'd likely have to fill out 71 pages of crap (why don't they just mail it to me?). So upon walking up to the front door and trying to open it, I find that it is locked. Hmmm.....I try a couple more times, then peep inside and knock lightly. The lady mouths the words "o n e - t h i r t y" to me. Great. So we sat in the car and waited 15 minutes. While trying to fill out the paperwork, my daughter manages to rip the first of the 71 pages I have to fill out in half. When I go to hand them in the lady made kind of a stink about having to tape it together. I imagined reaching over the counter and choking her.
The hygenist was a weirdo. She brushed her teeth then decided to use that air-sucker thingy at that really scared my daughter. That was it. Then she tries to calm her down by saying "good job" over and over. Huh? Am I on TV? The dentist was SO much better. He examined her then says she has a short frenulum (the skin that holds down the tongue underneath) and she may have to get it clipped if it affects her speech later. Great. Now I'm upset and trying not to cry. My husband had this problem and got "clipped" and says it's no big deal. I cried the whole way home from the dentist and have been feeling teary all day now. Why does this upset me? Days like this are hard. Husband promises to come to the next dentist apt.
I promise to have a more upbeat post next time.
Friday, January 5, 2007
My Eyes (again)
Today (on recommendation of my retinal specialist) I went to see a GREAT doctor to see if I would be a candidate for LASIK surgery again. Turns out I'm not which I'm kind of glad since it's so much $$ - it would have been $7000 ($3500 each eye- YIKES!). I could have PRK but I'm not going to as the recovery is a month long and I could have lots of scar tissue. I don't want to risk it. My best options are contacts and/or glasses. I have not worn glasses since I was 13!! I used to hate them. I also plan to get contacts as well. I wore hard contact lenses for 11 years with no problems.
I was so nervous to go in for my eye exam for some reason. The assistants and doc where very nice and to the point. I was told that I probably shouldn't have gotten LASIK back in 2000 since my corneas are kind of skinny to begin with. They are now measuring 38 and normal is considered 42! I was upset upon hearing this but it is what it is and I can't change it. I got 6+ years of not having to wear contacts or glasses. Even though I now have to wear them, my prescription is much less than before (was -9,-10 and now is -3,-2) so that is good. No more coke bottles for me.
I also learned I have a slight astigmatism which must be new and I have unusually large pupils. Ha ha ha. The doc said that many women long for large pupils as it is a sign of beauty but unfortunately those of us who have them have bad night vision. Interesting huh? My night vision sucks. They have come out with a new type of glasses for people like me that helps with night vision and the halos we see around lights at night. Kinda cool.
Turns out I really shouldn't be driving with my eyes as they are. I am going to drop off my prescription for glasses and pick some frames TONIGHT!
Our monstrous 56" TV arrived today and my husband even went in to work late so he could set it up. This thing is HUGE! So funny how men love big TVs. Ours was a bit small for the niche in the living room I must admit. It will take some getting used to for me.
I know my blogs are all over the place - sorry - writing well with smooth transitions was never my strong point.
I watched the weirdest movie last night - Shop Girl with Claire Danes and Steve Martin. I just couldn't get into Steve Martin as a rich playboy.....strange. Not at all what I expected. I rated it 3 stars on Netflix since I didn't hate it.
I was so nervous to go in for my eye exam for some reason. The assistants and doc where very nice and to the point. I was told that I probably shouldn't have gotten LASIK back in 2000 since my corneas are kind of skinny to begin with. They are now measuring 38 and normal is considered 42! I was upset upon hearing this but it is what it is and I can't change it. I got 6+ years of not having to wear contacts or glasses. Even though I now have to wear them, my prescription is much less than before (was -9,-10 and now is -3,-2) so that is good. No more coke bottles for me.
I also learned I have a slight astigmatism which must be new and I have unusually large pupils. Ha ha ha. The doc said that many women long for large pupils as it is a sign of beauty but unfortunately those of us who have them have bad night vision. Interesting huh? My night vision sucks. They have come out with a new type of glasses for people like me that helps with night vision and the halos we see around lights at night. Kinda cool.
Turns out I really shouldn't be driving with my eyes as they are. I am going to drop off my prescription for glasses and pick some frames TONIGHT!
Our monstrous 56" TV arrived today and my husband even went in to work late so he could set it up. This thing is HUGE! So funny how men love big TVs. Ours was a bit small for the niche in the living room I must admit. It will take some getting used to for me.
I know my blogs are all over the place - sorry - writing well with smooth transitions was never my strong point.
I watched the weirdest movie last night - Shop Girl with Claire Danes and Steve Martin. I just couldn't get into Steve Martin as a rich playboy.....strange. Not at all what I expected. I rated it 3 stars on Netflix since I didn't hate it.
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