Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Almost Done

Tomorrw is my last day of classes for the quarter. I'm so excited! I'm working to finish all of my homework for philosophy today so I can forget about that nightmare... that class literally gave me shingles. I have an area, about the size of and apple, of huge blisters on the bottom of my forearm. It's been so painful and really gross. Shingles are caused by stress, and my philosophy class is the most stressfull thing in my life for a long time.

I'm having spaghetti for lunch in hopes that a real meal will cure my headache, where a full night's sleep has not. Since Daniel's not home, I made the pasta al dente... I really love firm pasta :) Meat sauce with grass fed beef too, it's so yummy.

Tomorrow, I have my first job interview in more than 2 years! I applied at the coffee shop up the street last week and they actually called me back! I'm thrilled and really hope I get the job. I'm not looking forward to the extra busyness, but I am excited to have a paycheck. Just in time to buy some new clothes for Fall!

That's about all that's going on with me. Same 'ole same 'ole. Say a prayer tomorrow at 4:00, I really really want this job. I've always wanted to work in a coffee shop, especially one that is walking distance from my house!



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Cookbooks, Homemaking, and Visiting Sisters

I should be doing homework right now, but here I sit blogging. This is not a good week for feeling productive.

Last night I started a cookbook. I'm compiling my favorite recipes and some kitchen tips into a small cookbook to give out as Christmas gifts this year. Last year, we hardly spent any money on Christmas and were very selective as to who actually got gifts, and it was wonderful! It actually felt like Christmas. This year, I'd like to do the same thing. I'm trying to be very creative and frugal. I also want to have the bulk of the shopping done before Thanksgiving. (Fat chance, but I can dream, right?)

I survived September 13. It was the 3rd anniversary of the first miscarriage. So many awful memories. It was all I could do to make it through my class. I stopped in at the local coffee haus for something to calm me down, and ended up applying for a job. I really hope I get it. I'd love to have the spending/saving money. The coffee shop is almost walking distance from our house, which rocks.

Today, I desperately need to finish cleaning the kitchen, and the whole house for that matter. It's suffering. Also, Daniel's new slacks need to be hemmed and I need to mend his shorts. I really want to knock out a new book bag for next quarter too. Daniel's is too bulky and manly. I want something pretty. I have some great green floral that I've been saving for the perfect project... now I know what I want to use it for! I have to take advantage of my 9 day break and finish some extra tasks. I have no idea what the homework load is going to be like next quarter... I scared.

This weekend, I am going to Abilene with my hubby to stay with my sister and her hubby. I think her in-laws are going too... not so thrilled about that, but I'll make the most of it. Love my baby sister! I'm ready to spend some time with her.

Hope you are all having a nice week!


Saturday, September 11, 2010

Sweet Saturday

I love Saturdays like this one. I woke up to Daniel kissing me and then he was hugging me weird and I fell asleep with his arm under my neck... I have a painful crick in my neck now, but it's ok. We made breakfast together. I was the sous chef and he was so gracious to make the bacon for me (I hate getting popped by the grease). It was hickory smoked bacon and it was so tasty! We made some toast with just a little butter. He had scrambled eggs with his and I had a baked apple. I love baked apples, especially for breakfast, and most especially with bacon. We have a table right in the middle of our wonderful kitchen. It's so cozy and the best place to sit and enjoy a meal together.

We've spent most of the day playing games together, and soon we're leaving to go to my parents house for a tasty dinner. I love my parents. I love his parents too. I really love that our parents are next door neighbors, it's the best. I'm excited to spend some time with my daddy tonight. I truly don't get to see him enough.

I hope all of you are having the sweet Saturday that we are.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Enjoying the Quiet

It's about 4:00 here and I'm waiting on Daniel to come home. I had little bit of a stressful school week. I had a pretty heavy load of homework and was very grateful to have Monday off for some uninterrupted study time. Despite good intentions of finishing my paper early, I was up until 1:00am working on it. I did the wrong vocabulary assignment, forgot to study 2 chapters for the test, and it took an extra hour to get to school today because of "Hermine." The good news, I have a very strong A in sanitation and a B in Aesthetics (please oh please don't let that drop this week). I have to maintain C's, but I would like to keep A's in everything for scholarships and fun perks of being on the Dean's List (awesome colorful neckerchiefs, oh heck yes!).

I thought I would write about some of my fellow students. I go to a school that teaches only the arts. Therefore, you see some... interesting individuals around campus. I love that you can pick the culinary students out of the crowd as if they were painted purple. Most of them have on uniforms, but the ones that don't are still obviously culinary students. Usually, these are the students in more casual clothing with normal hair color, short finger nails, and comfortable shoes. To compare with high school cliques, the culinary students are the nerds. We also carry the majority of the weight too. Fatties love food, and foodies love to cook. I'm one of the thinest people in my class, that is sad.
Fashion students are painfully obvious too. Their homework may be to create a new fashion statement every week. I swear the girl that sat next to me in the library owns stock in Bedazzler. I have never seen so many rhinestones on one outfit. I was trying so hard not to stare at her while I took in the entire fashion statement. HUGE jewelry, very fake lashes, sparkling pink fingernails perfectly matching her shirt. She was a mess of white and pink shinies.

Everyone else is... artistically dressed. A lot of the skinny jeans, and trendy clothes. There's a sea of piercings and tattoos and neon hair. It's fun. I wish I wasn't so awful about staring. I don't stare just to stare. I like studying people's faces and expressions. Then Daniel points out that I look like a moron staring at them with my mouth hanging open and usually showing some sort of sign about what I think of them.

Now for the classmate showcase. "Asian Skater Guy."
I don't know his name (I know, but it's a huge class.) He's average size with a wicked scar across his mouth, he wears SUPER tight jeans, which I am convinced are the reason he shuffle-swaggers. He has a very interesting walk. He gets mad props for the Tom's shoes. He ALWAYS has his iPod on when he comes in. He wears his hair longish with his bangs over one eye. He comes in the door the exact same way every day, and it makes me smile. He shuffle-swaggers, stops just inside the door (he slouches a lot too) and while still staring at the floor with his hands in his pockets he jerks his head to "fix" his hair then continues to his seat at the back of class. I promise you could tape this everyday and it wouldn't change except for his outfit. It makes me giggle inside.

I love people watching; if only there were a job market for that. For our next classmate show case, "The Type A Pasty Chef."

Friday, September 3, 2010

Blissful Breeze and Chicken Salad

Every window in this house is open! It's gorgeous. It's in the low 80s right now and the sweetest smelling breeze is blowing through my house. I love autumn!

I will be celebrating the weather in the kitchen today. For lunch, I made my Festive Autumn Chicken Salad (recipe below). For dinner I'm making my special beef stew. So warm and hearty! Stew is my favorite on cloudy days; it's good for the soul.

Festive Autumn Chicken Salad

2 cooked chicken breasts (I make mine ahead in the crock pot with a little water and salt)
1 small apple, sweet
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup mayonnaise (adjust this amount per your preference of texture)
1/2 lemon's juice
dash of salt and pepper
dash of cinnamon (optional)

Finely chop the chicken breasts (I use a food chopper), and place in a medium bowl. Dice the apple into small pieces, add to chicken. Add pecans, craisins, and lemon juice and mix together. Add the mayonnaise and spices. These goes best on some fresh whole wheat bread.

I make mine in a lidded bowl for easy storage. Keep refrigerated and use within 7 days of cooking the chicken. If you used canned chicken, use within 7 days of making the salad.
Yesterday I was falling asleep driving home from school, so for the safety of myself and everyone on 67 I stopped in at Barnes and Noble. I found the most interesting book. It's called, My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals. It's 50 famous chefs' answers to the questions, "What would you eat for your last meal? What would you drink? Where would you dine? Who would dine with you? What music would be playing? Who would cook your meal?" I love some of their answers. Some want an elaborate meal with foods that I cannot begin to pronounce, much less spell. Some simply want something simple and comforting with their spouses and no one else.

So, it got me thinking about my last meal. For dinner, I want my pot roast with the freshest ingredients possible. On the side I want my roasted potatoes and the best French bread. Oh, and my Mom's sweet potato pie! I would, of course, be drinking milk. I love milk! I would like to dine next to a fire at sunset surrounded by giant trees. Something soft and Celtic would be playing quietly. I would want my last meal to just be with Daniel. I'd want it to last for hours; just the two of us talking and laughing, or just enjoying the quiet together. For dessert, my Mom's chocolate cake that she has made for nearly everyone of my birthdays. Fresh out of the oven with a little bit of homemade ice cream. At dessert, I think I'd like to have my family and close friends. After cake, the perfect cup of coffee. Not bitter, not too strong, and the perfect amount of cream and sugar with a hint of vanilla. I think I would like to cook this meal, as long as Daniel sat in the kitchen telling me how to cook ;) This sounds wonderful :)


What would your last meal be?