St. David's Day

Welsh Bunting in my cubicle

For St. David's Day this year, I actually went all out.  Normally, I forget it's the first until about halfway through the day.  But I had purchased my Welsh Flag Bunting in the UK last year and I was determined to do it up right.  There is nothing like hanging decorations in one's cubicle to draw attention and I had the pleasure of explaining my celebration to many a passerby.  But this just wasn't enough for me. 

Welsh Cakes

My dad's friends in Bristol posted pictures of their homemade Welsh Cakes so I decided to research traditional St. David's Day/Welsh dishes.   I found two very tasty recipes for Welsh Cakes and one for Chicken and Leek Hotpot.  I invited my friend, Andrea Schwartz (of "Do As I Say" fame),  to help me.  The Welsh Cakes proved a little more challenging than I thought, thankfully Andrea had experience with baking, and the substitution of oil for lard did not hold the cakes together as well as I had hoped.  Overall, I was very pleased with the result and felt they were every bit as good as the ones I'd had last year.  I made sure to pack up half of them for Andrea and the other half for work. 

Chicken and Leek Hotpot

The Chicken and Leek Hotpot recipe was very attractive because it was cooked completely in the microwave.  I feel like I should have cooked the vegetables a little longer before adding the chicken but, again, I was not disappointed.  Next time I will also add more carrots for color.  I have three more meals out of this recipe and will definitely make it again.  I was unsure of whether or not I would like Leeks, as I haven't really had them before.  In my mind, I thought they were similar to onion and while I enjoy the onion flavor I don't particularly care for crunching on the pieces themselves.  But the Leek has a sweeter taste to it, possibly from cooking with the carrots, and I ate every part of the meal.

I sincerely hope that I am able to do this again next year and that this was the start of a tradition for me.  I think we only equate traditions with families or couples and we forget that it's just as important to create them on an individual level.  It helps us to connect with our friends and feel like we're a part of something important.  So here is to the start of a new tradition for me!

Rainbow Cauliflower

photo from OpenWalls.com

While visiting my friend, H, the other day I noticed several oddly colored cauliflowers on the cooking show she had on in the background. We had a discussion about the dangers of genetically altering food and the current numbers of people with food allergies.  But in researching the Rainbow Cauliflower today, I have discovered that it hasn't been genetically engineered in a laboratory but rather through cross-breeding the way one would develop a new flower.(Check out this link for Purple Cauliflower for some quick info.)

Apparently, the cauliflower is not the only vegetable that has undergone some changes through careful selection and breeding.  I have to say that I was surprised to learn that Carrots have not always been orange.

Until the 17th century most carrots eaten Europe were white, yellow or purple. The orange pigment was added by Dutch plant breeders looking for a way to celebrate Holland's royal family. (Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-514799/The-orange-purple-green-cauliflowers-scientists-claim-healthier-you.html#ixzz1Q1t2mypK)

There are certain foods that I've grown up to believe have a "natural" color.  Apples are red, Bananas are yellow, peas are green, etc.  But there are certainly different colors and varieties of Apples than the simple red ones featured on my grade school flash cards.  Why shouldn't there also be different varieties and colors of Cauliflower and Broccoli?  Would you eat Orange Cauliflower or Purple Broccoli or would you feel there was something "unnatural" about it?

It makes me wonder why we have these prejudices about food colors.  Is white Cauliflower more common because it's easier to grow and therefore easier to distribute to commercial outlets?  Were orange carrots more popular because of the connection to the Dutch Royal family and then simply passed into commonplace at our tables? Is there any chance of finding these other colors at a Farmer's Market?

A Pampered Chef is a Happy Chef

Tonight, I went to my friend's Pampered Chef party. (Really it was her mom's but she invited friends as well.)  I figured I would buy something small and be done with it, but I was captivated by this microwavable dish.  The woman actually cooked an entire meal in about 20 minutes.  The chicken was nice and tender, the pasta was delicious and I fell for it; hook, line, and sinker. 

I do have to say that I think there is a certain culture that goes with these types of parties.  And I really don't think it's my thing.  I can see there are certain "cult" elements to it.  How do I explain that so it doesn't sound as offensive as it does right now? Meaning that everyone is amazed by this or that gadget and the goal of the Consultant is to sell as much as possible, book as many parties as possible, and get someone to start selling the same product so they can be promoted within the organization.  It's kind of like a pyramid scheme, you know?

Yes, I did find something that will hopefully make my life a little bit easier and I paid a little too much for it.  But I don't really want to have a party for Pampered Chef, nor did I really care about the presentation in general.  I paid attention because it's polite, but I couldn't feign interest to save my life.  Maybe it's my age, maybe it's my independent nature, who knows....

Post-Valentine's Day

Last night was not as bad as I thought it would be.  Our steady stream of customers died almost completely around 7:30pm and we were able to start boxing stuff up for the mini-remodel today.  Closing was terrible as we were $15.41 short.  That makes a shortage the last three times I've closed.  I would be worried if two of the shortages hadn't been verified by keyholders at the time of shift changes, before I even arrived at the store. 

ReRock Boot Cut Jean
from http://www.express.com/

I had this feeling yesterday like everything was fantastic.  The weather was so warm, about 65degrees, and I broke through my weight threshold at weight watchers after two disappointing weeks.  I am officially down 32.8 pounds and can say that I weigh under 170lbs for the first time in over six years.  I had promised myself I would buy the uber expensive Express Jeans I borrowed from my sister, over winter break, once I made it past 170, but now I am wondering if I should wait a bit longer.  I don't want to spend $80+ on a pair of jeans I might only wear for another six months.  Though they are having a buy one, get one 50% off right now....

I am in a very good place right now.  Professionally, personally, emotionally, physically.  And I just feel so positive about everything, I wish I could bottle it and sell it to people who are down on their luck.  Part of me is worried that things will change again and I'll be on the downward side of things, but another part of me keeps thinking, "it's about time."

After work, I met up with my boyfriend for a couple of drinks to unwind from all the Hallmark stress.  We had a great time poking fun at the different fitness commercials that came on the screens at Frisco Grille.  (The Shake Weight is probably my favorite right now.  There is just something very obscene about it.)  We just had a great time, enjoying each other's company.  Then, this morning he made me Eggs in a Basket for breakfast because he is just that awesome.  I appreciate these little things so much more than if he'd shown up with a dozen roses or some other cliché of Valentine's gift giving.  And the best part, is that I don't have to wait for one day out of the year for any of it.

A lot of my upbeat point of view right now comes from my own decisions and choices to make positive changes in my life.  But I would be lying if I didn't say that a big part of it is just being with someone like my boyfriend.  He treats me with respect and makes me feel great about myself.  We obviously don't have the same range of knowledge, but he never makes me feel bad about not knowing something.  Instead it's always an opportunity for discussion of the topic and a genuine conversation.  I just hope that he feels just as positive about being with me and that I offer the same care and support that he always shows me.

Valentine's Day

Yesterday was a nice day off.  I was able to finish reading the book I borrowed from my boyfriend and start on the new one I bought at Barnes & Noble.  I started to clean out my car and enjoyed the 50 degree weather with every spring-wishing-fiber of my being.  I am done with the snow, DONE WITH IT, and I could smell spring on the air yesterday.  Please, just stay like this for the next two weeks so my birthday is super awesome.  Then, I met up with my boyfriend for dinner.  (Though we realized we would have to make something at home since there would be a lot of VD Frenzy at all the restaurants.) We discussed the book, the new iPhone, and his alphabetical organization of his DVD/Blu-ray collection before curling up for the final disc of Fringe that had arrived from Netflix.

I did buy a box of Godiva chocolates from work before heading over.  It wasn't a Valentine's gift per se, but it was a special treat we could enjoy together.  When I arrived at his place with the gold box tucked under the borrowed book, is eyes lit up.  He was like a little kid.  (Godiva chocolate is his favorite, btw.)  "What is this?" he said in that tone of voice that says he knows perfectly well what a gold box means.  So we took turns selecting a chocolate and sharing it.  It was a really perfect day off.  Which helps to recharge the batteries for tonight's onslaught of half-crazed, last minute shoppers at Hallmark.

Kisir

My boyfriend invited me over for dinner last night and surprised me with this ethnic dish from his childhood.  It's called Kisir and he made it with a spicy pepper paste instead of the traditional tomato paste show on the wikipedia page.  He asked me to pick up a head of lettuce on the way over, but wouldn't tell me what for exactly.  We used it like the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's and put the Kisir in the leaves.  He had also cut up cucumbers, tomatoes, and red bell peppers to add to the mixture.  Though he did not have the sour pomegranate juice he would have added back home.

It was absolutely delicious!  And, after my long day at Hallmark, it was also very filling.  I had eaten a yogurt for breakfast and then a Healthy Choice frozen meal for lunch, but I was feeling hunger pangs long before the day was over.  My boyfriend warned me, however, not to eat until I was full as the bulgur would continue to expand in my stomach and make me feel stuffed later.  I have experienced this effect with the rice in Chinese food and Sushi, so I had two wraps and waited.  All in all I felt satisfied at the end of the day.

Dinner for Two

Tonight I made dinner for me and my boyfriend.  I am not a great cook, nor have I logged a lot of kitchen time over the years.  So I have to follow recipes and I still haven't figured out how to time things just right. Due to a delayed delivery of my bookshelves, my whole timeline was moved back and I didn't have anything started by the time my boyfriend arrived.  Correction: I had started the marinade on the steaks the previous day. 

I was very impressed with how everything came out.  The steaks were grilled on my brand-new, electric, indoor grill and the marinade was reduced down on the stove-top, as per the recipe directions.  The mashed potatoes were a little sweeter than I had hoped, but I think that has more to do with the type of potatoes used than anything I did to them.  Together, they were delicious.

Then we made a dessert together

Cookbooks

11:19 p.m.

I used up all but the restaurant gift cards I received for Christmas this year.  I bought an awesome corduroy jacket in my new size 12.  It's a little snug with my pullover so I think I'll be able to use it even after I lose the rest of my weight.  I've been hesitant to buy any clothes beyond necessity since I am still losing weight and don't want to waste money on a temporary wardrobe.  But I figured I was close enough to my goal weight that a jacket would be able to bridge that gap.  Plus, I am tired of wearing items that are too big and don't show off all of my hard work.  This jacket really displays the slimmer me and I like it.

I also picked up a copy of the Betty Crocker Cookbook.  I have never spent a lot of time in the kitchen and one of my goals is to pare down my spending as well as my waistline.  This cookbook gives detailed explanations of cooking terms and as well as pictures of foods and kitchen utensils.  So there is an entire section with pictures of different cheeses, shellfish, beans, etc.  There is even a diagram of the different cuts of beef and the part of the cow they come from.  In addition to all these informative sections, each recipe gives the nutritional information for that dish.  That should make calculating Weight Watchers Points a lot easier.  I already own the Weight Watcher's cookbook from years ago, but there were terms in there that I simply didn't know.  Sure I could look that information up on the internet, but when one is in the middle of cooking with hands caked in whatever gooey substance is being used it's not always convenient.

I've come to realize that being an adult isn't an easy thing to do.  My life has been full of difficult decisions and bad situations.  I know how to deal with a crisis situation, but the simple day-to-day things aren't as easy.  Like cooking.  It seems so natural for my dad and my aunt.  How did they get there?  What have I missed along the way that it's not as easy for me?