So, my office is closed today. And even though I work from home, I don't work on days when the office is closed. Alec does have to work, so I was all set to enjoy a "me day." My plan for the day was:
Sleep In
Watch the two Nora Roberts movies I recorded recently
Read
Dinner with Alec as a belated birthday celebration (sushi or takeout sushi, we haven't decided)
Movie (P.S. I Love You) delivered from Blockbuster online (since there is nothing good in the theatre)
Here's what has really happened so far:
7:50 am - River wakes me up because she is hungry. No problem, I'll feed her, let her out & go back to sleep, just like I do on weekend mornings.
8:00 am - Get back in bed to go back to sleep.
8:10 am - Orkin calls from the call box at our gate because they're supposed to do some work here today. I don't know anything about that. Also, the feature that allows us to open the gate from the phone isn't enabled so I can't let them in. Which I wouldn't do anyway, since I did not call them and frankly I can't be sure it's actually Orkin so I'm not about to let them into the complex. I tell them to call the landlords.
8:20 am - Evidently Orkin got in touch with the landlords, and whatever they're doing involves making a whole lot of noise in the other half of our duplex. So much for sleeping in. I decide get up and make breakfast.
8:50 am - Another call from the gate - what's up with this? It's Alec's photographer. Alec said to meet him here. Alec's not home, though. I tell the photographer to park in the parking area outside the gate b/c I can't open the gate. I call Alec. He's on his way. Also, the gate does work now; they fixed it yesterday and Alec forgot to tell me.
9:00 am - Settle in with my coffee and cereal to watch the first movie Midnight Bayou. It's very good. I don't really remember the book, so I have no idea how well it follows that, but it's a good story. Also, it has Jerry O'Connell (so cute!) and Faye Dunaway (so awesome!).
11:00 am - Start the next movie, High Noon. Whatever Orkin is doing is getting progressively louder.
12:00 pm - The movie is getting suspenseful. There's a knock on the door. Orkin is evidently drilling holes in our foundation. They need to get in our backyard, but I can't remember the combination for the lock on our gate. I tell them to call the landlords. They get the combo, but I can't get the lock open. I let them come through the house. They get the lock open - must have been stuck since it hasn't been used all winter (it mainly gets opened when they come to mow the grass). While I am trying to open the gate, the landlord leaves a voicemail - Orkin is treating the building for termites and they may need to get in the yard - no kidding. The drilling makes it too loud to watch the movie anymore.
12:30 pm - Instead of watching the movie, I am playing on the Internet. It occurs to me that I haven't gotten an e-mail from Blockbuster saying they received the movie I returned, or that they shipped the next one in my queue (the aforementioned P.S. I Love You that is supposed to be my it's-my-birthday-I-get-to-pick-the-movie treat for tonight). I go on-line and check my account. It says that I still have the previous movie, which I mailed on Monday. I can report it and they'll send the next movie in my queue. I decided to wait & see what we end up renting from the store in case we can get it there. Luckily, we have another movie we haven't mailed back, so we'll get a free rental at the store.
1:42 pm - They are still drilling in my yard. I am going insane. I just heard them say "only 20 more holes to go."
Will they ever stop the drilling? Will I ever get to finish watching High Noon? Will the Blockbuster store have a movie I want to see?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Recipe of the week for 3/28 - Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tacos
Yet another version of Mexican chicken! Yes, I'm addicted to Mexican food. What can I say? It's normally pretty easy, plus it tastes good! I adapted this one from Prudence Pennywise. It's meant to be a slow-cooker recipe, but for whatever reason, I didn't get a head start on it, so I made it into a stove-top recipe. You can get the slow-cooker version here. I am sure you could do it with frozen chicken breasts, like I did for the Mexican Chicken I posted a while back.
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tacos
adapted from Prudence Pennywise
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 c. brown sugar
Taco shells
Taco toppings (lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese - whatever you like)
Directions
Put chicken breasts in a pot & fill with water until they're covered. Add about 1/2 t. red pepper flakes and the garlic cloves. I just peeled the garlic, then gave it a good whack to crush it a bit and tossed them in. You can add more of the red pepper flakes and/or garlic if you like things spicier. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken and let it cool for a bit.
Dump the water out of the pot. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and 1/2 t. red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until bubbly.
While the tomato mixture heats up, shred the chicken. I usually just use my fingers, but you can do it with two forks.
When the tomato mixture gets bubbly, add the chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the chicken heats up, warm up your taco shells.
Fill the tacos, top as desired & enjoy!
The Photo
Here they are. I got those cool flat-bottomed taco shells that stand up on their own. I served the tacos with refried black beans (from Amy's Organic - yummy!).
The Verdict
I liked these a lot. I did not drain the tomatoes, but I think you should. The mixture was very liquid-y and made the taco shells too soft. Alec thought it was a little too sweet. I actually cut the brown sugar down from the original recipe because I know in the past he has not liked sweet/spicy dishes I've made. But, it was still a tad too sweet for him. Maybe next time I will just get some hot sauce so he can spice his tacos up, because I thought they were just fine!
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tacos
adapted from Prudence Pennywise
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 c. brown sugar
Taco shells
Taco toppings (lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese - whatever you like)
Directions
Put chicken breasts in a pot & fill with water until they're covered. Add about 1/2 t. red pepper flakes and the garlic cloves. I just peeled the garlic, then gave it a good whack to crush it a bit and tossed them in. You can add more of the red pepper flakes and/or garlic if you like things spicier. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken and let it cool for a bit.
Dump the water out of the pot. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and 1/2 t. red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until bubbly.
While the tomato mixture heats up, shred the chicken. I usually just use my fingers, but you can do it with two forks.
When the tomato mixture gets bubbly, add the chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the chicken heats up, warm up your taco shells.
Fill the tacos, top as desired & enjoy!
The Photo
Here they are. I got those cool flat-bottomed taco shells that stand up on their own. I served the tacos with refried black beans (from Amy's Organic - yummy!).
The Verdict
I liked these a lot. I did not drain the tomatoes, but I think you should. The mixture was very liquid-y and made the taco shells too soft. Alec thought it was a little too sweet. I actually cut the brown sugar down from the original recipe because I know in the past he has not liked sweet/spicy dishes I've made. But, it was still a tad too sweet for him. Maybe next time I will just get some hot sauce so he can spice his tacos up, because I thought they were just fine!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
I'm on Twitter
Last week, Alec convinced me to sign up for Twitter. I haven't "tweeted" because Alec is the only one following me. He usually knows what I'm up to.
If you have Twitter, and you want to follow me, look me up. Well, I think you can look me up. I tried to search for myself and I didn't find me (am I have an existential crisis?). I had my profile set so that I have to approve my "followers" because in the first two minutes I got two random followers and that's a little strange. So, I took that setting off and I still don't show up in the search results. Then I put the setting back on.
So, if you do want to follow me, I'm not really sure how you can go about doing that. Unless you just search for Alec (using his real name, of course) and then you'll see me as one of the people he's following. He actually does come up in the search results.
That is, of course, if you care that much about my life. It's really not that interesting.
I do, however, think it's fun to follow other people. I'm not really following anyone I actually know, except Alec. One friend came up when I searched using my e-mail address book. Other than that, so far I have: Martha Stewart; Elisabeth Hasslebeck & Sherri Shephard from "The View" and two bloggers I like, Pioneer Woman & Bakerella.
If you have Twitter, and you want to follow me, look me up. Well, I think you can look me up. I tried to search for myself and I didn't find me (am I have an existential crisis?). I had my profile set so that I have to approve my "followers" because in the first two minutes I got two random followers and that's a little strange. So, I took that setting off and I still don't show up in the search results. Then I put the setting back on.
So, if you do want to follow me, I'm not really sure how you can go about doing that. Unless you just search for Alec (using his real name, of course) and then you'll see me as one of the people he's following. He actually does come up in the search results.
That is, of course, if you care that much about my life. It's really not that interesting.
I do, however, think it's fun to follow other people. I'm not really following anyone I actually know, except Alec. One friend came up when I searched using my e-mail address book. Other than that, so far I have: Martha Stewart; Elisabeth Hasslebeck & Sherri Shephard from "The View" and two bloggers I like, Pioneer Woman & Bakerella.
Recipe of the Week for 3/7: Quickest Weeknight Tomato & Basil Pasta
This is another one from the Prudence Pennywise blog. I don't really have anything else to say in the way of introductions, so I'll just get right to it.
Quickest Weeknight Tomato & Basil Pasta
from Prudence Pennywise
Ingredients
1/2 lb. whole grain angel hair pasta
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 T. minced fresh garlic
1 T. dried basil or 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. brown sugar
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese (plus more for passing)
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta in colander and let it rest there for now.
To the same cooking pot, add butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic & cook for 1 minute. Add dried basil (add fresh basil at the end), crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, salt & pepper. Stir in tomatoes with juices. Bring to a boil & simmer for 2 minutes. (Add fresh basil now if using.)
Add pasta back to pot and toss to coat. Stir in Parmesan. Pass more Parmesan at the table.
The Photo
There isn't one . . . I forgot . . . again
The Verdict
I think I halved this recipe for just Alec and me. I never measure my garlic, I just use a clove or two depending on the size. There's a strong possibility I didn't have any butter and just used all olive oil. I do remember very specifically that I used the low-sodium diced tomatoes and we both felt that it was too bland. So, either get the regular tomatoes or up the salt a little. I used dried basil because we didn't have any fresh. I'm sure it would be better with fresh basil!
Overall, I'd say this was an okay dish. I think I'll make it again, but add a touch more salt to the sauce and use fresh basil.
Quickest Weeknight Tomato & Basil Pasta
from Prudence Pennywise
Ingredients
1/2 lb. whole grain angel hair pasta
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1 T. minced fresh garlic
1 T. dried basil or 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. brown sugar
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese (plus more for passing)
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta in colander and let it rest there for now.
To the same cooking pot, add butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic & cook for 1 minute. Add dried basil (add fresh basil at the end), crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, salt & pepper. Stir in tomatoes with juices. Bring to a boil & simmer for 2 minutes. (Add fresh basil now if using.)
Add pasta back to pot and toss to coat. Stir in Parmesan. Pass more Parmesan at the table.
The Photo
There isn't one . . . I forgot . . . again
The Verdict
I think I halved this recipe for just Alec and me. I never measure my garlic, I just use a clove or two depending on the size. There's a strong possibility I didn't have any butter and just used all olive oil. I do remember very specifically that I used the low-sodium diced tomatoes and we both felt that it was too bland. So, either get the regular tomatoes or up the salt a little. I used dried basil because we didn't have any fresh. I'm sure it would be better with fresh basil!
Overall, I'd say this was an okay dish. I think I'll make it again, but add a touch more salt to the sauce and use fresh basil.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Recipe of the Week for 2/28 - Kay's Parmesan Crusted Chicken
This is another recipe from Kay, guest blogger on The Pioneer Woman Cooks! Though we didn't love her Stuffed Onions, I saw no reason to totally discount her recipes!
Kay's Parmesan Crusted Chicken
from Kay, guest blogger on The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Ingredients
1/2 c. Hellman's mayonnaise
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 sun-dried tomatoes (jarred in oil)
1 t. Italian herbs
1 t. basil
cayenne pepper
for crumb topping:
2 T. breadcrumbs
Lawry's garlic salt
1 T. Parmesan
1/2 t. oregano
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425.
Place 1/2 c. of Hellman's Mayonnaise in a medium sized bowl. Add 1/4 c. of grated Parmesan cheese to the mayonnaise. Next, add a good pinch of cayenne to spice things up a little. You can add regular pepper if you don't care for cayenne. Next, add 1 t. frozen or dried Italian herbs or your favorite Italian seasoning and 1 t. dried or frozen basil. Finely mince two oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and add it to the mayonnaise mixture. Stir until combined.
Now grab another bowl and measure 2 T. breadcrumbs, combine that with 1 T. Parmesan, 1 t. dried oregano, and a generous amount of Lawry's garlic salt. You can also use a little garlic powder wtih regular salt, of course.
Place 4 chicken breasts in an oven-proof dish and spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top generously. Next, cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. (Longer cook times will be required for thicker pieces of chicken. Flattening thicker pieces of chicken with a tenderizer beforehand will help reduce over-all cook time.)
The Photo
This photo is not from the actual debut of this recipe. We've had it several times since then (see The Verdict) and this one was taken last week. That time, we had it with noddles tossed in garlic olive oil. The first couple of times, we had it with rice.
The Verdict
We really liked this one! In fact, we've had it twice since I originally tried it and it's on the menu for the upcoming week. It comes together very quickly - I usually have the mayo mixture and breadcrumbs ready to go before the oven even gets heated up.
The first time, I made it pretty much as directed. However, I am a Duke's Mayonnaise girl, so I used that. It was great, but the mayonnaise didn't seem that healthy.
The second time, I decided to try it with plain yogurt instead of mayo. It came out okay, but it was not as flavorful as with the mayo.
Last time, I decided to use Greek yogurt, which we've really enjoyed in a similar recipe, Yogurt Parmesan Chicken. When we sat down to eat it, though, it seemed a little sweet. Alec asked me what kind of yogurt I got. I said it was the plain Greek yogurt and I didn't understand why it was so sweet. Alec solved the mystery when he looked at the empty yogurt container and realized I had actually used honey yogurt! Oops!
Like I said, it's on the list for this week, and I really did buy the plain Greek yogurt so hopefully the 4th time will be the charm!
Kay's Parmesan Crusted Chicken
from Kay, guest blogger on The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Ingredients
1/2 c. Hellman's mayonnaise
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 sun-dried tomatoes (jarred in oil)
1 t. Italian herbs
1 t. basil
cayenne pepper
for crumb topping:
2 T. breadcrumbs
Lawry's garlic salt
1 T. Parmesan
1/2 t. oregano
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425.
Place 1/2 c. of Hellman's Mayonnaise in a medium sized bowl. Add 1/4 c. of grated Parmesan cheese to the mayonnaise. Next, add a good pinch of cayenne to spice things up a little. You can add regular pepper if you don't care for cayenne. Next, add 1 t. frozen or dried Italian herbs or your favorite Italian seasoning and 1 t. dried or frozen basil. Finely mince two oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and add it to the mayonnaise mixture. Stir until combined.
Now grab another bowl and measure 2 T. breadcrumbs, combine that with 1 T. Parmesan, 1 t. dried oregano, and a generous amount of Lawry's garlic salt. You can also use a little garlic powder wtih regular salt, of course.
Place 4 chicken breasts in an oven-proof dish and spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top generously. Next, cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. (Longer cook times will be required for thicker pieces of chicken. Flattening thicker pieces of chicken with a tenderizer beforehand will help reduce over-all cook time.)
The Photo
This photo is not from the actual debut of this recipe. We've had it several times since then (see The Verdict) and this one was taken last week. That time, we had it with noddles tossed in garlic olive oil. The first couple of times, we had it with rice.
The VerdictWe really liked this one! In fact, we've had it twice since I originally tried it and it's on the menu for the upcoming week. It comes together very quickly - I usually have the mayo mixture and breadcrumbs ready to go before the oven even gets heated up.
The first time, I made it pretty much as directed. However, I am a Duke's Mayonnaise girl, so I used that. It was great, but the mayonnaise didn't seem that healthy.
The second time, I decided to try it with plain yogurt instead of mayo. It came out okay, but it was not as flavorful as with the mayo.
Last time, I decided to use Greek yogurt, which we've really enjoyed in a similar recipe, Yogurt Parmesan Chicken. When we sat down to eat it, though, it seemed a little sweet. Alec asked me what kind of yogurt I got. I said it was the plain Greek yogurt and I didn't understand why it was so sweet. Alec solved the mystery when he looked at the empty yogurt container and realized I had actually used honey yogurt! Oops!
Like I said, it's on the list for this week, and I really did buy the plain Greek yogurt so hopefully the 4th time will be the charm!
Wacky Weather
Keep in mind the following facts:
1) Today is March 28
2) Spring started 8 days ago
3) We live in Texas
And yet, this was our yard at 8 AM:
Then, this was our yard at 10 AM:
I realized this is nothing compared to what our friends & family in Colorado & Kansas experienced, I just think it's funny that it's still snowing in Texas in March.
1) Today is March 28
2) Spring started 8 days ago
3) We live in Texas
And yet, this was our yard at 8 AM:
Then, this was our yard at 10 AM:
I realized this is nothing compared to what our friends & family in Colorado & Kansas experienced, I just think it's funny that it's still snowing in Texas in March.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Recipe of the Week for 2/14 - Mexican Chicken
Look at me, being diligent with the blogging. Does 2 days in a row count as diligence? I'm not sure . . .
Anyway, here's another recipe - this one came from one one Alec's Facebook friends. I think it was someone he knew in junior high & has reconnected with. Anyway, she shared this recipe and so Alec asked me to make it.
I adapted the ingredient list a little, and then cooked it based on another, similar recipe I make often.
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
recipe inspired by Alec's friend
Ingredients
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 jar fruity salsa (we used a black bean & pomegranate salsa, I don't remember the name. Alec's friend suggested Newman's Own Pineapple)
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
tortillas
sour cream
Directions
Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. Yes, it's okay that the chicken breasts are frozen! Cook on high 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken. Serve in tortillas with sour cream.
The Photo
I can't find one. I guess I forgot.
The Verdict
This was a yummy twist on my usual method of making Mexican-style chicken in the crock pot. The salsa I used was quite spicy and thus the chicken was, too. But, we enjoyed it and I'd make it again!
Anyway, here's another recipe - this one came from one one Alec's Facebook friends. I think it was someone he knew in junior high & has reconnected with. Anyway, she shared this recipe and so Alec asked me to make it.
I adapted the ingredient list a little, and then cooked it based on another, similar recipe I make often.
Crock Pot Mexican Chicken
recipe inspired by Alec's friend
Ingredients
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 jar fruity salsa (we used a black bean & pomegranate salsa, I don't remember the name. Alec's friend suggested Newman's Own Pineapple)
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
tortillas
sour cream
Directions
Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. Yes, it's okay that the chicken breasts are frozen! Cook on high 4-5 hours.
Shred the chicken. Serve in tortillas with sour cream.
The Photo
I can't find one. I guess I forgot.
The Verdict
This was a yummy twist on my usual method of making Mexican-style chicken in the crock pot. The salsa I used was quite spicy and thus the chicken was, too. But, we enjoyed it and I'd make it again!
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