Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Tortellini and Artichokes in Walnut Sauce
I'm not here right now, I'm in Alaska! Please leave a message! Beeeeeeeepppp...
I left you some pasta to eat while I'm gone. Don't burn the house down!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Wegmans Buffalo Chicken
I'm ready to go on vacation, it's been a long few weeks at work! Yesterday was another long day in the lab and at my desk. Before we sail away into the Alaskan wild tomorrow, I have a few things to accomplish at work. I'm always responsible for doing chemistry and making new compounds every week. In addition to that, this week I have to finish making a presentation so that it's ready for when I return from vacation. Since I don't want to do too much work while on vacation, I'm working long hours this week!
At least I've finished packing my suitcase! I keep going back to it and trying to decide if I have enough layers, socks and workout clothes. Boyfriend was very jealous that all of my stuff fit into my suitcase, with room to spare. That's the bonus of being a girl, our clothes are smaller so we can pack more!
The cameras are charged, lenses are cleaned, my Kindle is stocked with new literature (chick lit and fashion magazines) and the apartment is almost ready for us to go away. Just a few more turns around the house to clean up and empty out the fridge. Not that we have much in the fridge this week anyways, I bought bananas at the grocery store this week, but I don't really want to return to fuzzy limes and milk that is more yogurt than milk. Luckily, dinner was made up of items that I always have in the house. And it's one of boyfriends favorite meals (minus the carrots).
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice
I have been cohabitating with boyfriend for just over a year now and while we have lots of fun and it's great to see him every day, there are some things that I miss...
My mess. When living on your own, any mess you make is your own mess. It's your own responsibility to clean up, or not clean up, your living space. My apartment was tiny, so it got dirty and cluttered pretty quickly. During the week, I would treat my apartment as a landing pad. I would throw down my stuff, eat a bowl of salad, change into my PJs and go to bed. Things would pile up. Dishes, clothes, books. Come Sunday I would clean it all up and start fresh. Now there is my mess and boyfriends mess. You don't even want to see our apartment right now.
My big fluffy bed. I bought a grown-up bed my second year of graduate school. It was a full size, double-pillowtop cloud of a bed. I had to climb into it at night and jump down in the morning. I piled it high with pillows and covered it in a white, king size, down comforter. While it was the most amazing bed ever sewn, it would be a little cozy for two people. I sold my beautiful bed to a fellow grad student and moved my fluffy pillows to New Jersey.
My all day cooking sessions in my tiny studio kitchen. When living in 300-square feet, with a kitchen that took up half of that space, the cooking took over the entire living space. I would have marshmallows setting on my TV stand, a cutting board on my tiny cafe table and two burners running on my stovetop. With working long hours in the lab all week long, I had to cram all my cooking into one day. These days I can cook dinner every night and spend my weekends with boyfriend.
All in all, I'll take the two-person mess, less fluffy bed and spread out cooking schedule. Boyfriend is a pretty fun roommate.
My mess. When living on your own, any mess you make is your own mess. It's your own responsibility to clean up, or not clean up, your living space. My apartment was tiny, so it got dirty and cluttered pretty quickly. During the week, I would treat my apartment as a landing pad. I would throw down my stuff, eat a bowl of salad, change into my PJs and go to bed. Things would pile up. Dishes, clothes, books. Come Sunday I would clean it all up and start fresh. Now there is my mess and boyfriends mess. You don't even want to see our apartment right now.
My all day cooking sessions in my tiny studio kitchen. When living in 300-square feet, with a kitchen that took up half of that space, the cooking took over the entire living space. I would have marshmallows setting on my TV stand, a cutting board on my tiny cafe table and two burners running on my stovetop. With working long hours in the lab all week long, I had to cram all my cooking into one day. These days I can cook dinner every night and spend my weekends with boyfriend.
All in all, I'll take the two-person mess, less fluffy bed and spread out cooking schedule. Boyfriend is a pretty fun roommate.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Chicken Stuffed with Peppered Goat Cheese
Since I just celebrated my one year anniversary at work, I thought I would take a minute to reveal...
My top ten favorite things about working in industry!
(for those of you who haven't taken the long road through grad school to your job, working in industry means working in the public sector, rather than in academia or for the government!)
1. The first time I heard "Your time is too valuable to spend it doing X.". When I heard this I just about fell over. No longer would I have to do menial tasks to save a buck. No more cutting TLC plates, no more pulling spotters, no more making Dess-Martin! (all very time consuming things that are terribly boring)
2. Paid time off. And you're urged to take your time off so that you don't lose it at the end of the year! Three weeks where you don't want me to come in? Deal!
3. Bagel day. What? Your company doesn't have bagel day every Thursday? Mine does and it's awesome!
4. Dressing up. Gone are the days of wearing the standard t-shirt and jeans to the lab everyday. Now I get to wear button down shirts, pressed pants and nice shoes. Sure, I could wear jeans to work, but when I dress nicely people don't ask why I look so nice.
5. Work hours. What does your standard grad student work week look like? Usually between 60-80 hours a week, depending on your advisor. Never again.
6. Coworkers that care! In grad school you want to work hard and get out. There is competition, gossiping and sometimes back-stabbing. In industry, teams work toward a common goal, the whole "we all succeed together" motto goes here.
7. Free lunch. That's right grad students of the world, there are
Lots of free lunches in industry. Usually they are associated with lunchtime meetings, but not everything can be great!
8. Mr Softee Wednesdays. Yup, you read that right. The ice cream man comes to my office on Wednesday during the summer and gives us I've cream. For free.
9. Robots. Robots to do work for me, save me time and make my life better. I'm going to name them all this coming year. That way I can say "Hi Bert! Ready to run that purification for me today?"
10. All of the learning I still get to do on a daily basis. Pharma is an ever evolving industry and you've got to keep on your toes to stay in the game!
It seems that three of my favorite things involve food... Well, here's a recipe for the food you saw throughout the post, we'll keep up the theme!
My top ten favorite things about working in industry!
(for those of you who haven't taken the long road through grad school to your job, working in industry means working in the public sector, rather than in academia or for the government!)
1. The first time I heard "Your time is too valuable to spend it doing X.". When I heard this I just about fell over. No longer would I have to do menial tasks to save a buck. No more cutting TLC plates, no more pulling spotters, no more making Dess-Martin! (all very time consuming things that are terribly boring)
2. Paid time off. And you're urged to take your time off so that you don't lose it at the end of the year! Three weeks where you don't want me to come in? Deal!
3. Bagel day. What? Your company doesn't have bagel day every Thursday? Mine does and it's awesome!
4. Dressing up. Gone are the days of wearing the standard t-shirt and jeans to the lab everyday. Now I get to wear button down shirts, pressed pants and nice shoes. Sure, I could wear jeans to work, but when I dress nicely people don't ask why I look so nice.
5. Work hours. What does your standard grad student work week look like? Usually between 60-80 hours a week, depending on your advisor. Never again.
6. Coworkers that care! In grad school you want to work hard and get out. There is competition, gossiping and sometimes back-stabbing. In industry, teams work toward a common goal, the whole "we all succeed together" motto goes here.
7. Free lunch. That's right grad students of the world, there are
Lots of free lunches in industry. Usually they are associated with lunchtime meetings, but not everything can be great!
8. Mr Softee Wednesdays. Yup, you read that right. The ice cream man comes to my office on Wednesday during the summer and gives us I've cream. For free.
9. Robots. Robots to do work for me, save me time and make my life better. I'm going to name them all this coming year. That way I can say "Hi Bert! Ready to run that purification for me today?"
10. All of the learning I still get to do on a daily basis. Pharma is an ever evolving industry and you've got to keep on your toes to stay in the game!
It seems that three of my favorite things involve food... Well, here's a recipe for the food you saw throughout the post, we'll keep up the theme!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Chicken Tacos and Corn Relish
What happens when it's time to celebrate something huge?
Taco night!!!
That's right, we're celebrating in the Wilde household today because I've made it one whole year at my new job! Well, technically my anniversary was July 6th, but we were busy doing the fourth of July thing, then I was busy being sick, so TODAY we celebrate. (And by today, I mean we had this for dinner last night... Stay with me on this one).
Yes, I have passed the one year mark as a medicinal chemist and it feels great!
When I was a student for all those years, I looked forward to being done and moving on. The five years I spent as a grad student in Madison were great, but I couldn't wait to defend my thesis. The two years I spent as a postdoc were fun, busy and intellectually stimulating, but I couldn't wait to start job hunting. Now that I'm in the real world, with a job working in my chosen field, it's a total change in perspective - I want to stay right where I am.
I've learned so much this year and there is still so much more to know. My job is special. Why is that? In order to become a really good medicinal chemist, I need to know what is going on in every facet of a project. I need to not only understand the chemistry and chemical matter, I also need to know the biology, pharmacology, genetics, clinical indications, formulations and still more things that I don't even understand yet. I've still got a lot of information to stuff into my brain! Here's to another year working hard in the real world. Let's celebrate with tacos!
Taco night!!!
That's right, we're celebrating in the Wilde household today because I've made it one whole year at my new job! Well, technically my anniversary was July 6th, but we were busy doing the fourth of July thing, then I was busy being sick, so TODAY we celebrate. (And by today, I mean we had this for dinner last night... Stay with me on this one).
When I was a student for all those years, I looked forward to being done and moving on. The five years I spent as a grad student in Madison were great, but I couldn't wait to defend my thesis. The two years I spent as a postdoc were fun, busy and intellectually stimulating, but I couldn't wait to start job hunting. Now that I'm in the real world, with a job working in my chosen field, it's a total change in perspective - I want to stay right where I am.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Peanut Chicken with Asian Slaw
Happy birthday America! You're looking pretty fine for being over two hundred years old! As a patriotic citizen of your shores, I plan to spend your big day enjoying the glory of the outdoors. I'll be biking over your hills, playing frisbee on your glens and resting under your trees. Thanks America!
How are you spending your Fourth of July? Personally, boyfriend and I went to see fireworks on Monday, along with hearing the musical stylings of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. There were little kids running around, families picnicking on the lawn and adorable older couples dancing at the stage. Come sundown the announcer called for fireworks and we enjoyed a serious half hour of colorful explosions, loud bangs, crackling sparkles and arches of fireworks that looked like "anti-aircraft fire" according to boyfriend.
For today we'll be taking it easy and not fighting with the crowds of folks heading to Manhattan and Hoboken for the Macy's fireworks (we did that last year!). Whenever you drive to fireworks, you wind up spending just as much time waiting in traffic to get home. Luckily the events on Monday were at a park that was only three miles from our house. Boyfriend and I biked ourselves over to the park, a workout and fun, all in one!
I hope you have a great Fourth and get to have some relaxing time of your own!
How are you spending your Fourth of July? Personally, boyfriend and I went to see fireworks on Monday, along with hearing the musical stylings of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. There were little kids running around, families picnicking on the lawn and adorable older couples dancing at the stage. Come sundown the announcer called for fireworks and we enjoyed a serious half hour of colorful explosions, loud bangs, crackling sparkles and arches of fireworks that looked like "anti-aircraft fire" according to boyfriend.
I hope you have a great Fourth and get to have some relaxing time of your own!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Pesto-Yogurt Chicken
It's been almost a year. An entire year at my new job. A full loop around the sun living with boyfriend. And it's nearly my anniversary of doing a double-river commute through Manhattan. Whenever I tell anyone where I live and where I work (my commute being from New Jersey to Long Island) they gasp, wince or give me a look of pain. Everyone feels sorry for me and my long commute, but I have learned so much in this past year. I have also read A LOT of books (and cooking magazines!).
What have I learned? Having the right attitude about being a commuter is half the battle. Being positive and relaxed about my commute helps to make the days go by easier. It can also be a lot of fun if you look at it as a casual observer.
Commuting has the inevitablity of being very predictable. Here are a few things you can always count on...
~ Someone is always late. Inevitably, at almost any time of day, there will be someone running through Penn Station to catch a train.
~ That guy next to me is in a hurry. How can I tell? As soon as the track number for his train is called, he takes off running. Usually swearing out loud if it isn't on the track he's standing near.
~ When I need to be at a 9:00 meeting, the trains will conspire to make me late. Always.
~ Trains can be late for a wide range of reasons. Each more ridiculous than the last. The LIRR is often prone to "rain conditions," "heat conditions," "police activity," "wind conditions," "signal problems," and my favorite "DELAY."
~ The Starbucks near the ACE subway has a shorter line than the one in the center of the station. Don't tell everyone my secret!
~ People riding peak trains are quieter than those riding off-peak trains.
~ The person who sits down next to me thinks their headphones contain the extremely loud "music" to their earbuds. The "music" is terrible.
~ If there is only one train line that is delayed, re-routed or cancelled, it will be my line.
Are you a long time commuter or are just starting out your weekly treks to work? What have you learned in your time on public transportation? Do you find yourself a magnet for talkative types? Does your train always have a few empty beer cans rolling around? Does your bus driver think he knows your name?
If you're not a commuter, enjoy the quiet solitude of your car. And don't pity us commuters, we read a lot of books. Or take a lot of naps, try doing that in your car! Wait, don't nap while driving. It'll be better for everyone.
One Year Ago: Baked Pasta Casserole
I always have a container of Greek yogurt sitting in my fridge. It's useful in so many different recipes and I reccommend getting yourself a container of plain yogurt as well! This pesto yogurt sauce can be used to marinate chicken or you can toss cooked new potatoes in it for a tangy side dish.
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp basil pesto
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Combine ingredients and use!
6 Chicken legs
1 batch pesto-yogurt sauce
Toss chicken legs in pesto-yogurt sauce and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil, then parchment paper. Place chicken legs on top, being sure that they aren't touching. Bake for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through cook time. You want the meat to reach 165 F.
What have I learned? Having the right attitude about being a commuter is half the battle. Being positive and relaxed about my commute helps to make the days go by easier. It can also be a lot of fun if you look at it as a casual observer.
Commuting has the inevitablity of being very predictable. Here are a few things you can always count on...
~ Someone is always late. Inevitably, at almost any time of day, there will be someone running through Penn Station to catch a train.
~ That guy next to me is in a hurry. How can I tell? As soon as the track number for his train is called, he takes off running. Usually swearing out loud if it isn't on the track he's standing near.
~ When I need to be at a 9:00 meeting, the trains will conspire to make me late. Always.
~ Trains can be late for a wide range of reasons. Each more ridiculous than the last. The LIRR is often prone to "rain conditions," "heat conditions," "police activity," "wind conditions," "signal problems," and my favorite "DELAY."
~ The Starbucks near the ACE subway has a shorter line than the one in the center of the station. Don't tell everyone my secret!
~ People riding peak trains are quieter than those riding off-peak trains.
~ The person who sits down next to me thinks their headphones contain the extremely loud "music" to their earbuds. The "music" is terrible.
~ If there is only one train line that is delayed, re-routed or cancelled, it will be my line.
Are you a long time commuter or are just starting out your weekly treks to work? What have you learned in your time on public transportation? Do you find yourself a magnet for talkative types? Does your train always have a few empty beer cans rolling around? Does your bus driver think he knows your name?
One Year Ago: Baked Pasta Casserole
Pesto-yogurt sauce
Inspired by Easy Everyday
I always have a container of Greek yogurt sitting in my fridge. It's useful in so many different recipes and I reccommend getting yourself a container of plain yogurt as well! This pesto yogurt sauce can be used to marinate chicken or you can toss cooked new potatoes in it for a tangy side dish.
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp basil pesto
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Combine ingredients and use!
Pesto-yogurt chicken
Inspired by Easy Everyday
This dinner was very fast to put together. I left boyfriend a note to put chicken in a bag with the sauce an stick it back in the fridge. That way the chicken was marinated and ready to go in the oven when I got home. The sides you see on the plate are simple glazed carrots and sauteed spinach. While I went with chicken legs this time, I would definitely use chicken breasts next time around!
1 batch pesto-yogurt sauce
Toss chicken legs in pesto-yogurt sauce and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil, then parchment paper. Place chicken legs on top, being sure that they aren't touching. Bake for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through cook time. You want the meat to reach 165 F.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Paradise Chicken
Since I shared with you an island drink yesterday, I thought that today I would tell you a little bit about that island. St Kitts, home of Ting, is part of the Caribbean country including its neighboring island Nevis. Boyfriend and I spent a week there a few years ago and loved every minute of it.
If you are looking for a quiet island with lots to do, this is the place to book your next vacation. Boyfriend and I were drawn to St Kitts with its promise of lush rain forests, clear blue waters and monkeys!
Yes, monkeys! The monkeys that live on St Kitts are not naturally from the island and were brought there by the French as pets in the 1600's. Now they abound in the rain forests and you can even find them by the beaches, drinking your cocktails. (Enjoy a laugh and google drunken St Kitts monkeys!)
You should definitely judge your vacation location depending on its lack or abundance of monkeys.
We also spent a good portion of time hiking through the rain forest and walking through Basseterre. We ate locally made ice cream in the port during the day and barbecued chicken on the beach at night. There was always an abundance of empty beaches with calm water for snorkeling and wave-filled beaches for the acrobat in your family.
We lived on chicken while we were on St Kitts. The many different beach huts we frequented all offered their delicious poultry options. For our Caribbean dreams menu, chicken had to be the main course. I chose a dish with heat, traditionally found on St Thomas. If you're not a fan of spicy foods, just remove the habanero pepper!
You should definitely judge your vacation location depending on its lack or abundance of monkeys.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Thai chicken salad
We've been back from vacation for a whole week now and I guess we're back into the swing of things. I could always use an extra day of vacation after returning from vacation, but sadly I had to get back to work.
Thankfully, I had a slow week to return to. My calendar was unusually sparce as the directors were heading out of town for a big meeting. This left me with little to do but work in the lab and made me a happy chemist.
Years ago, during my first organic chemistry lab, my lab partner and I would count down the weeks of labs remaining. From check-in the first week, we would trudge to lab like we were heading to break rocks for six hours. As the weeks went on, we would break glassware, spill precious product and try to understand why we were doing what we were doing. At the end of the semester we happily checked out of lab and were so happy the semester was behind us.
As a sophomore in college, I had no idea what I would be doing in ten years. If you told me that I would gladly spend my hours working away in a lab, I would have told you that you were off your noggin.
The difference now? I actually know what I am doing. When you start organic chemistry labs, you don't understand what is going on in your flask. As a PhD chemist in the lab these days, I have a much better view of the atoms and molecules at work. And I love it.
Lesson? You never know what you'll be doing in ten years. I wonder what I'll be up to in 2022?
Thankfully, I had a slow week to return to. My calendar was unusually sparce as the directors were heading out of town for a big meeting. This left me with little to do but work in the lab and made me a happy chemist.
As a sophomore in college, I had no idea what I would be doing in ten years. If you told me that I would gladly spend my hours working away in a lab, I would have told you that you were off your noggin.
The difference now? I actually know what I am doing. When you start organic chemistry labs, you don't understand what is going on in your flask. As a PhD chemist in the lab these days, I have a much better view of the atoms and molecules at work. And I love it.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tarragon Chicken & Pesto Potatoes
Have entered to win the candy giveaway yet? No? Head back to Tuesdays post and be sure to get in on the action! I'll wait...
Okay, welcome back! I'm still off in the Caribbean, sailing around on a floating city. This is actually my fourth cruise, third one with boyfriend. The remaining cruise? I took that one with WildeMom!
A few years back, WildeMom and I descended on Florida from our northern locations of Buffalo and Madison. We sailed out of the port of Fort Lauderdale to celebrate WildeMoms 50th birthday! The plan was just two crazy girls, living it up on the high seas! And that's just what happened.
It was a fantastic trip for both my mom and I. We never had, and haven't since, had so much time to spend together. A whole week of mother-daughter bonding time. Lots of time to relax together.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Grilled Chicken & Potatoes
I'm back from Chicago and back to work. For some reason I decided that I didn't need to change the time on my watch while I was away. People kept suggesting that I could easily change the time (with a simple turn of the knob!) and just change it back when I returned. I told them not to be silly. My phone acts as my real clock, my watch acts as the minute hand.
Think about it. How often do you find yourself not knowing approximately what time it is? Almost never. Usually only in the middle of the night, when you are thrown awake from a dream, having no idea where you are and what time it is. Well, maybe that was just me this week, sleeping in my big hotel room bed.
By keeping my wristwatch on east coast time, I feel like I saved myself at least a whole minute of time. Now I just have to get back onto east coast time! I don't think that you can say that you have jet lag when you've only flown from one time zone to the next. Also, half of my company was at this conference with me. I don't think it will go over well if I'm dragging and complaining today, when everyone else is in the same boat! Better go get some caffeine and get some work done. I've got to put all my new conference knowledge to use!
Think about it. How often do you find yourself not knowing approximately what time it is? Almost never. Usually only in the middle of the night, when you are thrown awake from a dream, having no idea where you are and what time it is. Well, maybe that was just me this week, sleeping in my big hotel room bed.
By keeping my wristwatch on east coast time, I feel like I saved myself at least a whole minute of time. Now I just have to get back onto east coast time! I don't think that you can say that you have jet lag when you've only flown from one time zone to the next. Also, half of my company was at this conference with me. I don't think it will go over well if I'm dragging and complaining today, when everyone else is in the same boat! Better go get some caffeine and get some work done. I've got to put all my new conference knowledge to use!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Lemon and Honey Chicken
It's been just over a month with my shiny new braces and I thought I would update you on how it's going! Here are some answers to the most popular questions that I have been getting...
Shiny braces? First, I should say that they aren't shiny at all. My braces are clear. They aren't the invisalign, retainer-style braces. The brackets are actually made of a dense, clear ceramic. It takes people a few minutes to realize that I actually have a full set of braces on my teeth. From a few feet away they are completely unnoticeable, it isn't until you are talking face-to-face that you finally see them. The only bit of metal that you see is the arch wire that connects the brackets together. I'm very happy with the look of them, I actually kind of like them!
How does it feel? Like I told you before, the first few days that the braces were on I was acutely aware of each and every one of my teeth. It was a strange feeling, but that eventually subsided. I was really concerned about the pain that the braces would inflict, mostly because of all of the stories my coworkers were telling me. It seems that 80% of the people that I work with had orthodontia work in the past. From their tales of pain and woe I was bracing myself (ha!) for the pain and stocking up on Tylenol It really hasn't been that bad.
The first few days, my mouth was tender and I ate a lot of soup and sipped many smoothies (and lost a few pounds). Now I feel a whole lot better and even ate those tasty chicken wings last week. I generally steer away from foods that I consider "hard to eat" (such as sandwiches) or "hard to clean-up" (like anything with seeds!). Occasionally I'll have one tooth or another that is sore, but I know that means something is working and it's worth it.
What about the dreaded monthly tightening? I was really concerned about the tightening. I was picturing the orthodontist with pliers, wrenches and other medieval torture devices, tightening the wires and brackets in my mouth. Let me tell you that I was nothing like that. In fact I was in and out of the office in five minutes. After a quick check of my progress, the orthodontist removed the old bands (the ones that hold the arch wire to the bracket) and replaced them with new ones. Done, braces tightened. I was pleasantly surprised.
Have I noticed a difference yet? Yes! I have been told that as an adult with braces, I'll be much more aware of the changes happening in my mouth. This must be because I am used to my teeth and bite, any change will be obvious to me. It's so true! Each day my bite feels a little different or I can notice that a tooth isn't in the same place it was before. Even my crazy tooth (some call it a snaggle tooth!) has begun to line up with the rest of my teeth. I can see my new smile taking shape, only 17 more months to go!
If you are an adult considering getting braces, you should totally do it! Join me in my adventure, it will be worth it! Just buy yourself a good blender first. Not only because you'll want the occasional easy to eat breakfast, but because smoothies are delicious!
Shiny braces? First, I should say that they aren't shiny at all. My braces are clear. They aren't the invisalign, retainer-style braces. The brackets are actually made of a dense, clear ceramic. It takes people a few minutes to realize that I actually have a full set of braces on my teeth. From a few feet away they are completely unnoticeable, it isn't until you are talking face-to-face that you finally see them. The only bit of metal that you see is the arch wire that connects the brackets together. I'm very happy with the look of them, I actually kind of like them!
How does it feel? Like I told you before, the first few days that the braces were on I was acutely aware of each and every one of my teeth. It was a strange feeling, but that eventually subsided. I was really concerned about the pain that the braces would inflict, mostly because of all of the stories my coworkers were telling me. It seems that 80% of the people that I work with had orthodontia work in the past. From their tales of pain and woe I was bracing myself (ha!) for the pain and stocking up on Tylenol It really hasn't been that bad.
The first few days, my mouth was tender and I ate a lot of soup and sipped many smoothies (and lost a few pounds). Now I feel a whole lot better and even ate those tasty chicken wings last week. I generally steer away from foods that I consider "hard to eat" (such as sandwiches) or "hard to clean-up" (like anything with seeds!). Occasionally I'll have one tooth or another that is sore, but I know that means something is working and it's worth it.
What about the dreaded monthly tightening? I was really concerned about the tightening. I was picturing the orthodontist with pliers, wrenches and other medieval torture devices, tightening the wires and brackets in my mouth. Let me tell you that I was nothing like that. In fact I was in and out of the office in five minutes. After a quick check of my progress, the orthodontist removed the old bands (the ones that hold the arch wire to the bracket) and replaced them with new ones. Done, braces tightened. I was pleasantly surprised.
Have I noticed a difference yet? Yes! I have been told that as an adult with braces, I'll be much more aware of the changes happening in my mouth. This must be because I am used to my teeth and bite, any change will be obvious to me. It's so true! Each day my bite feels a little different or I can notice that a tooth isn't in the same place it was before. Even my crazy tooth (some call it a snaggle tooth!) has begun to line up with the rest of my teeth. I can see my new smile taking shape, only 17 more months to go!
If you are an adult considering getting braces, you should totally do it! Join me in my adventure, it will be worth it! Just buy yourself a good blender first. Not only because you'll want the occasional easy to eat breakfast, but because smoothies are delicious!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Fish (or Chicken) and Mango Salsa & Honey-roasted Parsnips
This past weekend was a sweet one. In preparation for April 2012 (the month I have declared "Candy Month!) I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Some successes, some failures, a whole lot of sugar, chocolate and spices.
Since I spent the majority of my time working with sugar, I wanted something quick to eat for dinner. It was then that I remembered that I had not yet taste tested my Mrs. Paul's Parchment Bakes! I was very excited about being selected as a tastemaker for the particular product because I am terrible when it comes to making fish. Go ahead and have a look in my recipe archive, you will find zero recipes that include fish.
I always have the same problems when it comes to cooking fish. First, the house always smells like fish for days! No matter how fresh the fish is, it always leaves its scent behind. Second, I generally overcook it. I haven't quite gotten the skills to determine when a fish fillet is done. Finally, I never know what to pair it with. Since I don't cook fish a lot, I never know what kind of sauce to pair with it. I've made some bad decisions in the past!
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mrs. Pauls took care of all of my complaints! I went with the classic grilled tilapia since I wanted to add a mango salsa to the fish. It went in the oven (in its own little parchment bag) and came out perfectly done. The fish was flakey and moist. The sauce was mild and paired well with the salsa. The final bit of wonderful? While the fish was flavorful and tasty, the house didn't smell like fish at all. Mrs. Paul's, you've got yourself a winner here.
As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a sample of Mrs. Pauls Parchment Bakes. All comments and opinions are my own. If you want to give this product a try, here is a coupon for buy one, get one! (Good through March 30)
Since I spent the majority of my time working with sugar, I wanted something quick to eat for dinner. It was then that I remembered that I had not yet taste tested my Mrs. Paul's Parchment Bakes! I was very excited about being selected as a tastemaker for the particular product because I am terrible when it comes to making fish. Go ahead and have a look in my recipe archive, you will find zero recipes that include fish.
I always have the same problems when it comes to cooking fish. First, the house always smells like fish for days! No matter how fresh the fish is, it always leaves its scent behind. Second, I generally overcook it. I haven't quite gotten the skills to determine when a fish fillet is done. Finally, I never know what to pair it with. Since I don't cook fish a lot, I never know what kind of sauce to pair with it. I've made some bad decisions in the past!
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mrs. Pauls took care of all of my complaints! I went with the classic grilled tilapia since I wanted to add a mango salsa to the fish. It went in the oven (in its own little parchment bag) and came out perfectly done. The fish was flakey and moist. The sauce was mild and paired well with the salsa. The final bit of wonderful? While the fish was flavorful and tasty, the house didn't smell like fish at all. Mrs. Paul's, you've got yourself a winner here.
As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a sample of Mrs. Pauls Parchment Bakes. All comments and opinions are my own. If you want to give this product a try, here is a coupon for buy one, get one! (Good through March 30)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Why Bother? 2012 - Buffalo Sauce
Why Bother? Because I'm from Buffalo, that's why we bother! Sure, I haven't lived there in almost ten years, but it's in my blood (we undergo a transfusion of wing sauce as children, it's how we stay so warm in the winter). Not only am I going to share with you my favorite Buffalo wing sauce recipe, I am going to lay down the rules when it comes to chicken wings. This is very serious business. Get a pad of paper and a pen, you'll want to take notes.
Rule #1 - Do not EVER bread your chicken wings! Buffalo chicken wings are naked, never breaded. Ever. While in Madison, WI I ordered some Buffalo wings from my favorite pizza place (Hello Glass Nickel!). They arrived with a thick, crunchy, bread coating. I was appauled. Stick with making your delicious pizza, you're doing it wrong with your wings.
If you bread your chicken wings, I do not know what you are doing. Perhaps you're making yourself a little fried chicken drumstick? Maybe you're thinking the sauce needs something to stick to? Don't be crazy and put down the breadcrumbs.
Rule #2 - If it isn't spicy, it isn't Buffalo sauce. I have had a series of butter-rich, lack-luster "Buffalo wings" in the past. There is a place right around the corner from our current apartment that sells Buffalo wings, touted as "Nuclear!" Either I have fried all my taste buds, or someone forgot to add the hot sauce. You need the heat! I'm not telling you that habanero peppers need to be involved, but you've got to sweat a little! They should be just spicy enough that you think twice about rubbing your eye after eating a wing.
Rule #3 - Serve 'em with a side of blue cheese. I do not want to hear of anyone eating their buffalo sauce with ranch dressing. It is so very, very wrong. This is a mistake that I have seen many a midwesterner make. It most often happens when someone offers you a Buffalo chicken sub sandwich. To get it clear, a Buffalo-style chicken sub should be as follows (and no different) - crispy chicken tenders slathered in wing sauce, lettuce, blue cheese dressing and provolone cheese. Make this sandwich now, it will change your life.
That's it. Those are my simple rules about chicken wings. If you don't want to follow the wing rules, you must call your food "chicken wings" sans the Buffalo.
If you want to take your wings to the next level, you make your own sauce. This is the wing sauce that my family has been making all my life. It's spicy, sweet and tangy. If you are lacking one or two of these ingredients, I'm okay with the tried and true "melt a stick of butter, add a bottle of hot sauce" method. You might even be able to find the original Buffalo sauce on the shelf at your supermarket. If you come across "Anchor Bar" Buffalo sauce, that's the one, the original. Buy the hottest variety that they sell and whip up a batch! Just don't bread your chicken.
Are you originally from the Buffalo area too? What are some of your Buffalo wing rules?
Rule #1 - Do not EVER bread your chicken wings! Buffalo chicken wings are naked, never breaded. Ever. While in Madison, WI I ordered some Buffalo wings from my favorite pizza place (Hello Glass Nickel!). They arrived with a thick, crunchy, bread coating. I was appauled. Stick with making your delicious pizza, you're doing it wrong with your wings.
If you bread your chicken wings, I do not know what you are doing. Perhaps you're making yourself a little fried chicken drumstick? Maybe you're thinking the sauce needs something to stick to? Don't be crazy and put down the breadcrumbs.
Rule #2 - If it isn't spicy, it isn't Buffalo sauce. I have had a series of butter-rich, lack-luster "Buffalo wings" in the past. There is a place right around the corner from our current apartment that sells Buffalo wings, touted as "Nuclear!" Either I have fried all my taste buds, or someone forgot to add the hot sauce. You need the heat! I'm not telling you that habanero peppers need to be involved, but you've got to sweat a little! They should be just spicy enough that you think twice about rubbing your eye after eating a wing.
Rule #3 - Serve 'em with a side of blue cheese. I do not want to hear of anyone eating their buffalo sauce with ranch dressing. It is so very, very wrong. This is a mistake that I have seen many a midwesterner make. It most often happens when someone offers you a Buffalo chicken sub sandwich. To get it clear, a Buffalo-style chicken sub should be as follows (and no different) - crispy chicken tenders slathered in wing sauce, lettuce, blue cheese dressing and provolone cheese. Make this sandwich now, it will change your life.
That's it. Those are my simple rules about chicken wings. If you don't want to follow the wing rules, you must call your food "chicken wings" sans the Buffalo.
If you want to take your wings to the next level, you make your own sauce. This is the wing sauce that my family has been making all my life. It's spicy, sweet and tangy. If you are lacking one or two of these ingredients, I'm okay with the tried and true "melt a stick of butter, add a bottle of hot sauce" method. You might even be able to find the original Buffalo sauce on the shelf at your supermarket. If you come across "Anchor Bar" Buffalo sauce, that's the one, the original. Buy the hottest variety that they sell and whip up a batch! Just don't bread your chicken.
Are you originally from the Buffalo area too? What are some of your Buffalo wing rules?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Chicken Francais & Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables
I just finished our shutterfly scrapbook from our trip to Thailand. That means only one thing, it's time for another vacation! This is how it usually works out, although not all the time. We went to Saint Kitts in 2009 and I still haven't finished putting the photos in the album. I blame myself. I should have done one of those fancy shutterfly bound books, but I got prints. I was somehow thinking I had lots of time on my hands and I could scrapbook. Those photos are still sitting, unbound, inside of the book I plan on putting them into.
Generally, boyfriend and I are pretty terrible at pre-planning our vacations. We booked out flight to Thailand, exactly one month before we left. Last year, we planned out cross-Europe adventure a mere ten days before heading to England. I've been on several "surprise" vacations that I had the evening to pack for. Our trip to Costa Rica was so close, I did one of the worst jobs packing in my entire life.
This time is different, I took charge and booked our spring vacation two whole months ahead of time. In the weeks since, I've bought a new bathing suit, stocked up on sunscreen and looked at excursions. At the end of April, we're heading to Puerto Rico and setting sail on a week long cruise! The only problem now, it's so far away! I have to wait six more weeks before going on vacation? There is something to be said about last minute planning!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Pasta with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
What would you choose as your last meal? Would it be a big, juicy steak with a heaping side of mashed potatoes? Or maybe a creamy asparagus soup topped with crunchy croutons? Perhaps you would go for a large cheese pizza with some chicken wings. Thinking back, I wish I had gone for the pizza and wings, but no, this was my last meal.
No, I'm not dying, but I won't be eating chicken wings any time soon. Yesterday evening I journeyed to the orthodontists office and had my brand new braces affixed to my teeth. Yep, I'm thirty years old and I just got my first ever set of braces.
I always thought that I needed that I needed braces when I was little. It's not that my teeth are crazy out of place, they just need a little rearranging. When I was in middle school, everyone had braces, it was not uncommon for half of the people sitting at your lunch table to have them. I was even a little jealous of this one girls braces, I liked the way she talked with them on her teeth.
When I went to my new New Jersey dentist this past fall, he told me something that I didn't really want to hear, that I would need to wear braces for at least a year. I had just turned thirty the day before and this was not quite the birthday present that I was hoping for. I made appointments with local orthodontists and went over my options. In the end, I told myself that 18-24 months in braces was a small time in comparison to the rest of my life with straight teeth, so I scheduled my appointment.
Tuesday night I cooked boyfriend and I a lovely Valentine's day meal, pasta smothered in a creamy sauce along with crusty bread and a chocolatey dessert. This would be my last real meal until my braces come off.
Now, with my new ice-clear braces adhered to my teeth, I dust off my smoothie cookbooks, buy cans of oatmeal and jars of arborio rice. I'm ready to perfect my egg-making skills and become an expert in panna cotta preparation. I'm also reaching out to all of you, you former wearers of braces, for your favorite food options! Help me out in my time of need!
No, I'm not dying, but I won't be eating chicken wings any time soon. Yesterday evening I journeyed to the orthodontists office and had my brand new braces affixed to my teeth. Yep, I'm thirty years old and I just got my first ever set of braces.
When I went to my new New Jersey dentist this past fall, he told me something that I didn't really want to hear, that I would need to wear braces for at least a year. I had just turned thirty the day before and this was not quite the birthday present that I was hoping for. I made appointments with local orthodontists and went over my options. In the end, I told myself that 18-24 months in braces was a small time in comparison to the rest of my life with straight teeth, so I scheduled my appointment.
Now, with my new ice-clear braces adhered to my teeth, I dust off my smoothie cookbooks, buy cans of oatmeal and jars of arborio rice. I'm ready to perfect my egg-making skills and become an expert in panna cotta preparation. I'm also reaching out to all of you, you former wearers of braces, for your favorite food options! Help me out in my time of need!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Ravioli di taleggio con salsa alle spugnole
After our journey through Paris and our trials in getting a rental car, we made our way through Switzerland into Italy via train. We decided that it would be a bad idea to try and learn how to drive a manual transmission car and drive it through the Swiss alps. This was the best decision of our entire trip. While we ended up missing out on a day in Interlocken, we gained so much more time by travelling by train.
Rather than focussing on maps and driving directions, we took our time on the rails to learn about our next destination, play games and talk with fellow travellers. We travelled through the mountains, skirted lakes and pulled into Venice, from our window seats.
After we checked our luggage at the baggage drop, we made our way through the winding streets of Venice. A pair of American tourists gave us their vaparetto passes (their friends gave us a second pair, which we passed along to a couple on their honeymoon), which allowed us access to the Venice boat busses.
We rode the vaparetto along the grand canal and under the Rialto bridge, passed by gondolas and ancient churches. As the grand canal opened up into the lagoon boyfriend turned to me and "This is completely surreal." Even though we had seen so many famous landmarks, climbed an unbelievable amount of stairs and taken hundreds of photos, this was truely a surreal moment.
Of all the days we spent travelling across the continent, I remember that day in Venice so vividly. Our walk around Piazza San Marco, the amazing mushroom tortellini from a hidden bistro and the hazelnut gelato we ate while watching a crazy house dog, all combined for a perfect day in such a unique city. It would have been a perfect day, had our hotel not given away our room and sent us to the Hotel Marco Polo.
We rode the vaparetto along the grand canal and under the Rialto bridge, passed by gondolas and ancient churches. As the grand canal opened up into the lagoon boyfriend turned to me and "This is completely surreal." Even though we had seen so many famous landmarks, climbed an unbelievable amount of stairs and taken hundreds of photos, this was truely a surreal moment.
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| At least it has one redeeming quality, it's PINK! |
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| Brining memories home with mushroom ravioli |
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Thai Chicken Soup
The weather has taken a turn for the worse here in New Jersey! Walking out of my apartment yesterday morning I was confronted with a torrential downpour. By the time I got to work, the temperature had dropped by ten degrees and the wind had increased by twenty miles per hour.
In an effort to warm up, spicy soup was in order. Luckily, this soup was ready in no time flat. The stock and chicken were prepared this weekend, the thing that took the longest time was cleaning the mushrooms! Boyfriend and I were warm in no time!
The weather seemed to deteriorate as the day went on. By lunchtime, the winds howled and a chill began to take hold. Shortly after returning from lunch we sat in our office (discussing highly intellectual things like chemical bonding and cell assays) (actually, I think we were talking about food), I looked out the window to discover hail bouncing off of the windows.
Waiting on the train platform everyone looked like cows, with their backs to the wind. Forty mile per hour gusts blasted us commuters, tearing through even the thickest jacket, scarf or hat. I was never so happy to see the train lights cutting through the night.
In an effort to warm up, spicy soup was in order. Luckily, this soup was ready in no time flat. The stock and chicken were prepared this weekend, the thing that took the longest time was cleaning the mushrooms! Boyfriend and I were warm in no time!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Why Bother??? 2012 - Stocks
Welcome to the first post of the Why Bother??? 2012 challenge! Have you had a look at the schedule of events for this year? Do you have a post that you are already looking forward to? I'm excited about this years challenge and I'm very happy that all of you were instrumental in creating it. All of the challenges for this year were thought up and posted by you guys, whether it be here on the blog, on Facebook or through Twitter.
While the challenges were set out by all of you, I took the liberty to choose when to complete each of these tasks. Condiments and buns wound up in the weeks prior to Memorial day weekend so that you could make some for your own summer parties. Jams are set to be prepared in the midst of the summer fruit season, when I can get the best produce from our local farmers market. Stock was set for the first post of the year because we are in the midst of soup season, with months of winter left ahead of us. Unfortunately, my friends in the southern hemisphere are on the opposite schedule as I am... Maybe we can meet up in the middle, spring and fall?
Boyfriend and I spent this weekend at home in New Jersey. We decided to relax at home and enjoy the nice weather in our town. I spent much of last week reading my many cookbooks, researching stocks in all of their incarnations. There are many options when it comes to making your own stock. First you must choose what flavor you would like, chicken, beef, fish, vegetable? Then you have to decide what your background notes will be, veggies, herbs, spices?
I decided to make the two stocks that I am always buying at the store, chicken and vegetable. Once I completed all of my reading, I discovered that it is a very easy task to make stock. Simply choose your flavors, cook them up in a big pot of water and strain to collect your stock. Do you own an 8-quart pot? Do you have some paper towels? Can you purchase food at the grocery store? If you said yes to those three questions, you can make stock.
The vegetable stock was beyond simple to make. I chose a variety of vegetables and some of my favorite herbs to make a flavorful stock. Fennel is used as the major flavor in this stock, with celery, onion and carrot as the milder flavors. The house smelled of herbs and anise while this stock was simmering. Boyfriend asked if I had spilled a jar of pepper on the floor. After simmering for two hours, filtering of the stock gave a golden colored stock with a pleasant aroma. I used this stock as the base for my cheese potato soup.
For the chicken stock, I decided to stick with classic flavors - celery, carrots, onions and parsely. My only concern was simmering the stock long enough to cook the chicken and impart the right amount of flavor into the stock. After averaging the times in each recipe, I decided that between 90 minutes and two hours was the right amount of time to cook the chicken and make good stock. This stock needs to sit overnight to allow you to skim off the chicken fat, so make it one day ahead of time. You'll see this stock in use this weekend in a tasty Thai-style soup.
Would I make stock at home again? I definitely would, the flavor varieties offered by making your own stock has made me a convert. However, I don't really need to make or buy more stock for a while. Each pot of simmering ingredients gave me about ten cups of stock. My freezer in now well stocked...
While the challenges were set out by all of you, I took the liberty to choose when to complete each of these tasks. Condiments and buns wound up in the weeks prior to Memorial day weekend so that you could make some for your own summer parties. Jams are set to be prepared in the midst of the summer fruit season, when I can get the best produce from our local farmers market. Stock was set for the first post of the year because we are in the midst of soup season, with months of winter left ahead of us. Unfortunately, my friends in the southern hemisphere are on the opposite schedule as I am... Maybe we can meet up in the middle, spring and fall?
I decided to make the two stocks that I am always buying at the store, chicken and vegetable. Once I completed all of my reading, I discovered that it is a very easy task to make stock. Simply choose your flavors, cook them up in a big pot of water and strain to collect your stock. Do you own an 8-quart pot? Do you have some paper towels? Can you purchase food at the grocery store? If you said yes to those three questions, you can make stock.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Thai Chicken Curry
It's been just over a month since boyfriend and I returned from our trip around the world. While we travelled through Thailand, we had three cameras and two iPhones. As you can imagine, we came home with over two thousand images and twenty gigabytes of video. It has taken me this long to go through the pictures! To celebrate the momentous occasion of finishing my photo editing, I decided to make some curry!
Keeping it simple today, enjoy some images from Thailand, then make some curry while you plan a trip of your own.
Keeping it simple today, enjoy some images from Thailand, then make some curry while you plan a trip of your own.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
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| The Beautiful Andaman Sea |
Phangnga Bay (as seen in this years Amazing Race!)
Thailand has some pretty flowers!
Now, on to the curry...
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