Friday, July 29, 2011

"New" Recipe

Yesterday in my questions I posted about trying a new recipe for today, to make the day better. For those of you that don't know my life schedule right now (which includes little work) this slight change in a day does make the day better.

Since I've gotten married I've fallen into a diner routine. Mondays are chicken and rice, Tuesdays are salads (usually made with left over chicken), Wednesdays are tacos, Thursday is spaghetti, Fridays I rotate through recipes (i.e. casseroles, whole chicken, roasts, meatloaf, etc). Friday's I try to make enough to have left overs for the weekend. Though the schedule seems redundant it has helped me and my husband actually settle down and look forward to dinner. Before the schedule we would just graze on snacks until we were full or I would have to keep running to the store to buy things to actually make a meal. This schedule has even helped us stick to a food budget. Now I only go to the store twice a month. I make one big run and buy all items I will need for the month to make the meals. Two weeks later I have to run to the store again to purchase items that may have run out or are perishable (milk, vegetables, etc). As for the budget I always allow room for a fast food run about once a week, a night out for dinner, and even a pizza night.

Yes, I understand that all of this may seem a little crazy and uptight. But hey, it works for us and there is always wiggle room.


Anyway . . . about the "new" recipe. There quotation marks around 'new' because it is nothing fantastic, nor did I actually create something new. All that was new was that a different marinade for our chicken. Jerome and I have our favorite marinade (italian dressing) and that is what I always use on on chicken and rice nights. Well after a few weeks of that I was ready for a change. Previously we have used a dry rub from Penzeys Spices (Galena Street: Rib & Chicken Rub) and have liked it, but either there would be too much or too little spice and the chicken would always come out dry. So to make it into a marinade I combined six table spoons olive oil, two tablespoons white vinegar, and a few shakes of the spice.

As I was preparing to put the chicken on the grill all I could think about is "this is not going to come out right." I even sent Jerome a text and told him to start thinking about what else he wanted for dinner! All I could smell from the marinade was the vinegar (which, I dislike). Needless to say after grilling the chicken it turned out GREAT! I patted myself on the back and bragged about it the rest of the night. Now I know how to turn my favorite spices into a marinade! Quick, easy, and much cheeper than trying to buy a marinade from the store.

For the marinade you could use a different form of acid other than vinegar, such as lemon juice. And I'm sure you could use a different type of oil than olive oil. But just remember that it is three parts oil for every one part acid. I love using marinade over a dry rub because it seems to penetrate the meat better and I don't have to touch the raw meat!



1) What did I learn today? How to make a marinade with spices
2) What did I accomplish today? The "new" recipe
3) What can I do better tomorrow? Not doubt myself if I try something new
4) What did I enjoy today? Dinner!
5) What am I most grateful for today? Sharing with loved ones





Here's to delicious food!
--Cheers--

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Childhood Memory - Recipe

This blog post if for my friend Amanda. As I was lounging around the house this afternoon I got a hankering for an Elephant Ear. And no, not the kind that you can get from the Red Barn at the Greatest Fair on Earth (although those do taste better). These you make and they are super simple with ingredients that are always found around the house. Here is the picture of the recipe book:


This deliciousness is in the Alpha-Bakery Children's Cook Book that was published many many years ago.


Ah, this brings back so many memories of middle school sleepovers with the best of friends. After the parents would go to sleep we would always want something to eat, but could never go to the store. So, we had to do with what was around the house. We would make macaroni and cheese, and these elephant ears. Those were such great memories and I enjoy reminiscing over those times as I enjoy these treats once again.



1) What did I learn today? Our oven cooks hot
2) What did I accomplish today? Reliving a childhood memory
3) What can I do better tomorrow? Try a new recipe
4) What did I enjoy today? Devouring the elephant ears
5) What am I grateful for today? Cinnamon and Sugar



Here's to keeping childhood memories alive!
 -- Cheers --

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Guilty Pleasures

Summer is here and I have became painfully aware of my guilty pleasures as the weeks past by. TV is a large part in my life as it is used for background noise, a night light, information, and entertainment. Every weeknight there is some ridiculous show that has sucked me in and I must watch. It is sad really.

Here is my nightly TV lineup:
Monday - Secret Life of the American Teenager
Tuesday - 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom
Wednesday - The Middle, Modern Family, Cougar Town
Thursday - The Office/Jersey Shore

Also since it is summer and I'm not working full time I also get to enjoy day time television which includes: Maury.

Goodness I need a life that does not revolve around TV programing.


*Polls are not a virus or an advertisement. They are embedded by me to get some reader feedback!





Questions
1) What did I learn today? I watch too much TV
2) What did I accomplish today? Visiting school to start getting ready for September
3) What can I do better tomorrow? Wake up earlier to prevent the stress of running late
4) What did I enjoy today? Seeing coworkers in the school
5) What am I grateful for today? A career that I love



--Cheers--

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Underlying Theme

A blog with no direction or nothing for readers to look forward, is well, BORING! So, I decided to create a direction for my blog. A reason to sign in and update often even on days that I'm short on words and having nothing to share with my follower and fellow bloggers. This theme will be "five questions" that I will ask myself to follow up my day in regards to life. I'm not always as positive as I should be and am trying to have a brighter outlook on a day to day basis because life is amazing

Therefore to help me focus on life's positives there are five questions to ask myself everyday:
1) What did I learn today?
2) What did I accomplish today?
3) What can I do better tomorrow?
4) What did I enjoy today?
5) What am I grateful for today?

Now, even when things are slow I will still have something to share and something to focus on. If I can't answer these questions daily, then I shall seek out ways to fulfill the answers.


For today:
1) What did I learn today? Even when I think I'm being nice, the way I phrase things can still makes me sound sarcastic.
2) What did I accomplish today? Successful first day out of orientation of new job, got new glasses, and ordered new contacts!
3) What can I do better tomorrow?  Stay firm with my decisions.
4) What did I enjoy today? The new Secret Life of American Teenager
5) What am I most grateful for today? Vision Insurance


Here's to becoming a better wife, daughter, friend, teacher, person, and maybe even a little more interesting.





Oh and I'll sign off with a toast to life, in all its glory!

 -- Cheers --

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Beginning Of The End

This is my very first blog, so please, bare with me. One of my dearest friends started blogging, and well, I now stalk her blog and find it very interesting and entertaining. Follow her at http://love-like-laughter.blogspot.com/. Although my blog will not measure up to hers and will be on more of the level of my best friends blog who you can follow at http://loving-life-one-day-at-a-time.blogspot.com/. Love-like-laughter stays current with her blog updating at least weekly if not daily, where as loving-life-one-day-at-a-time blogs about once a month, maybe. Either way, I love them both.


I have labeled this post the beginning of the end because I don't usually conform to what is popular. For example: facebook doesn't know what I am doing 24/7,  twitter is still a new word in my vocabulary, this is my first blog, my friends have to inform me about new technology, and well my fashion could use lots of support from love-live-laughter. Therefore, the end of being "too cool to conform" has finally come and I'll join the rest of the world in this technology era. 


Lets hope this takes off to what eventually becomes a readable blog and doesn't get lost in the "things to do" lists that gets buried.