I'm in Boston!

When we landed tonight here at Logan International it was already dark or I would've taken a picture. Believe me there will be more to come. We were met at the airport by the Director of the Harvard Trade Union Program with no hiccups at all. And let me tell you, she is hilarious. I knew I liked her when we were stuck behind some idiot who couldn't figure out how to get out of the airport parking lot (hello, very good signage above!) and her response was, "Well for fucks sake!"

Spent the evening grabbing a bit to eat with the brothers that are here from Local 77 and a new compatriot from the UK (originally from Scotland). And, because I'm anal, I cleaned out all of my suitcases, hung everything up and distributed my stuff into the drawers and into the bathroom....and I may have made at least one list :)

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Registration and welcome dinner in store for tomorrow. Think I'll probably hit the grocery store and pick up some things to cook....although the restaurants around here all look intriguing.

I was so sad to leave this morning. It was everything I could do not to cry leaving my little ones and the hubs. But I figured it out and there's only 19 days until I get to see them HERE in Boston! I miss them terribly already but I am also super excited!

My form of schizophrenia

I do not claim to know what it's like to have schizophrenia. I have studied schizophrenia when I was working on my psychology degree and I understand the way it supposedly works. I can't imagine actually having to deal with the disease every day, all day. I have friends who have ADHD, and others who have children that are diagnosed with it. I've known people who have bipolar disorder and when they were manic it was kind of crazy. Again, I can read what these things can do to a person but I don't REALLY know what it's like.  I do, however, often call what I DO have, which is clinically undiagnosed, my own sort of schizophrenia/ADD/mania.

I don't turn off. My mind is always going. I have a hard time devoting full focus to one thing. As I type this I am watching a TV show, checking my phone and thinking about the information I need to pass on to my replacement at work while I'm gone. I know that "they" say that women are naturally better multi-taskers, but this is ridiculous. When I lay down at night I literally MUST read. It's the only thing that distracts my attention away from the thoughts that spin and swirl through my mind enough to try to induce sleep. When I'm awake, I'm constantly writing lists. Metaphorically it feels like if I write it down on paper I can remove it from my mind. And it does help.....until I start thinking about making lists on how to organize my lists. I have formal lists that I've typed up and I have scraps of paper/napkins/receipts with random things scribbled on them. I'm obsessed with buying cute notepads that are meant for lists - grocery, to-do, to buy, etc. - but I'm just as happy to write a list on the side of a gum wrapper.


I purposely left this blurry. I'm willing to admit my problem, you don't need to see the specifics :)

Seriously, these are just the ones I had laying around right by me that I could quick take a snapshot of. These are everywhere. And now that I have a more demanding job, with much more to keep track of, they've increased exponentially.

I'm writing about this right now because it's been at the forefront of my mind since I've been planning for this long trip I'm taking. I have so much to do; so much to get prepared for. I've created SO many lists. Sleeping has been rough. Reading hasn't been doing to the trick. Even texting myself the stuff on my mind in the middle of the night isn't always working (when I was in college they called this "brain-dumping").

The hubs has no idea what this affliction is like. (And subsequently I have no idea what it's like to get in bed, turn off the light, and fall asleep. Period. Like no time between head hitting the pillow and dreamland. What is up with that?) We talked the other night about what it would be like to be able to spend time in someone else's body - like "Being John Malcovich" - so we could see what it's like to be the other person. I don't know if I'd really want to know. Perhaps it would make me even more jealous?

So I have some form of schizophrenia. Or ADHD. And OCD. I don't know. I guess I will just keep doing what works for me until I get sent to the insane asylum.

Does anyone else share my affliction?

Here I go again

Every year I say that I am going to be better about blogging and every year I make it just a little bit further into the year. In 2013 I made it through to March and then I quit. Life got in the way, work got in the way and sometimes I was just being lazy or didn't feel like I had anything to say. And so, here I am again, with renewed ambition. We all have things that help us ease stress and induce calm. Writing does that for me - even if it's just talking about some new recipe I tried. Refocusing my energy away from work (especially now that I have a newer, more intense job) and towards something else is always refreshing and relaxing....and my family will tell you if it's one thing I need to do it's relax.

I know that it's not quite the new year, but I thought maybe I would start now. I'm really only two days away anyway. And I'm totally stressing out about the next 6 days. In 6 days I am flying to Boston where I will be staying for 6 weeks! I'm worried about leaving my work behind, I'm worried I'm not going to pack the right stuff, I'm worried about the unknown that will meet me in Cambridge, I'm worried that I'm going to miss my husband and kids so terribly that I'm going to be miserable, I'm worried about making friends, and on and on and on.

I'm working on quelling some of my fears. I've already written list after list after list for packing. And, if you follow me on Pinterest, you'll know that I've been compiling outfits that are inter-related so that I can maximize pairing different things together. I've done my best to get things taken care of at work ahead of time but I am still leaving in the middle of contract negotiations with a sensitive group that has already been through a lot.

 Mostly, the main root of my fears is that I feel selfish for pursuing this schooling (at Harvard! Did I mention that?) at the expense of the hubs and my kids. I'm going to miss my daughter's birthday. I'm going to miss countless wrestling matches and basketball games. I know they'll be ok and can make it without me, but I work hard to make sure our family life runs smoothly. Perhaps I won't be scarring the kids for life - heck, maybe they'll barely notice - but either way I hope that I am at the very least showing them what it means to take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that are presented to you and finding a way to make it happen.

Now, I have to get back to creating my family notebook for my mom. (She's going to be staying here off and on while I'm gone.) As I've been typing it I almost think it would a nice thing to have around all the time - contact info, medical stuff, dog care, kids chores, their schedules - but I hope that it helps her.

I know that I will be reachable by phone. And I hope to be able to Skype with them every night. And, we even are taking the opportunity to fly them out to see me for a week. But I still won't be here at home.

Menu #5 of 2013

Well it's easier to make a menu when you get to carry over a bunch from the previous! I'm kind of excited about this menu because there are many times that we get to the end of the menu and I've either put off all the things that take a little longer or I just don't feel like cooking the couple of things that are left. That's the dilemma right? Trying to make sure you have 2 weeks of stuff you actually want to eat. It's just so fun in the beginning of the menu period when you have 14 delicious meals to choose from. When you are down to two time-intensive meals, both of which are not what "you feel like tonight," it's much harder to resist running to a restaurant.

So here's Menu #5:

• Thai Peanut Wraps
• Chiken Broccoli Packets
• Flank Steak with Chimichurri & Homemade Sweet Potato Fries
• Crockpot Zuppa Toscana
• Tortellini Soup
• Steak w/Chicago Marinade & Baked Potatoes
• Italian Chicken & Noodles
• Shrimp Scampi
• Salmon (AGAIN, I actually made this last week) with Roasted Vegetables
• Baked Eggs & Hashbrowns
• Hamburgers & Buffalo Cauliflower
• Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage
• BBQ Pork Fried Rice
• Chicken Fajitas & Mexican Rice

Tonight we had the Pesto Pasta and it was delicious! And fast! I really recommend this one. The kids were immediately saying this one was a keeper and Logan doesn't even like pesto. We didn't hardly modify the recipe so here it is, copy and pasted from Gimme Some Oven: (my notes are in purple)

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts  

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 lb (16 oz.) orecchiette (or any pasta) [I used whole grain medium shells]
• 4 chicken sausage links (I used spicy Italian), sliced into 1/4" thick coins [I used 5 - Aidell's Apple Chicken Sausage from Costco]
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup pesto
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together brussels sprouts, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined.

 

Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the brussels sprouts on it evenly. Roast for about 20-30 minutes, stirring once partway through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. (My batch of tiny sprouts only took about 12 minutes to cook.) [We cooked ours for 15] Remove from oven and set aside.

 

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until nearly-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned.

 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. (I begin heating my water while preparing the brussel sprouts, and added the pasta to the boiling water just after beginning to cook the sausage.)

 

Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and brussels sprouts. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra moisture.

 

Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

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Menu #4 of 2013

Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t posted ANYTHING since February 5^th! February has been a busy month though. The hubs had to go to LA for work for a good chunk of February so I was single-mom-ing it for a while. My last menu was made before Bud went to LA and, while I was pretty good at still coming home and making dinner, we did fudge a few nights.

Here’s menu #4 of 2013:

·        Chicken Broccoli Packets

·        Enchilada Casserole

·        Hearty Chicken Stew

·        Cilantro Lime Jalapeno Chicken Salad

·        Thai Peanut Wraps

·        Flank Steak with Chimichurri & Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

·        Crockpot Zuppa Toscana

·        Brazilian Shrimp Soup & Pao de Queijo

·        Grilled Pork Chops, Grits and Brussels

·        Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

·        Tzatziki Pasta Salad

·        Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

·        Salmon & Roasted Brussels

·        Hawaiian Grilled Chicken & Spinach

I wish I would've gotten this post up when I originally wrote the list but alas, life gets in the way. So there are some carryovers to next menu because of the following:

Lilly was having a VERY bad day one day and told me that she would feel better if she got to have Chinese food for dinner. So I stopped at Lucky Dragon on the way home. She was right, I saw her smile after that.

I hadn't been feeling great - and my back had been hurting - so one night I swung by Pizza Hut and let them make dinner for us.

Because we just weren't in the mood to make Enchilada Casserole, we decided to go to Playa Bonita instead. It was a Friday. I really needed a margarita. :)

Since Brandon was gone and I was still cooking we ended up having a good amount of leftovers so one night I took the easy way out and cleaned the fridge.

Another night I forgot to take anything out to thaw and the kids said they wanted hot dogs, so we had hot dogs...and a can of baked beans....and store bought potato salad. It was yummy but UGH the preservatives we ate that night!

Here and there I think I quickly made something that was easy to grab from the freezer too. I definitely can't say that this was the ultimate home cooking couple of weeks. However, I did manage to make a good amount of new dishes - even one from Brazil! - and mostly they were all delicious.

Since I'm so bad at posting recipes (or linking to them), if you find me on Pinterest you'll be able to find these recipes. If you want to know what I did differently just let me know!

Happy cooking....and better luck next menu :)

BLTA's & Mushroom Soup

Like many American's my family loves a good BLT. I mean, it's bacon, do I need to say more? The hubs and I have always liked our BLT's with tomato soup but my dear girl isn't much of a fan. When I found this recipe for Mushroom Soup I knew we had to try it - and what better to pair it with than a delicious BLT(A) - my way!

Mushroom Soup
Click on the link for the recipe I re-pinned. I only made super minor modifications

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups of white button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 3/4 cups of baby portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 c porcini mushrooms
1/2 c portobello mushrooms (gills removed) diced small
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 c vegetable stock
2 Tbsp flour dissolved in 2 Tbsp water
2 c half-n-half
Dash of nutmeg
Fresh cracked pepper
Wondra for thickening

1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add butter and lightly sauté garlic on medium heat.
2. Add in mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 6 minutes.
 

3. Add in chicken broth. Stir occasionally until broth boils, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4 Add diluted flour in, and stir constantly (while simmering) until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Finally, add half-n-half, and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off.
6. Serve hot in your soup bowl. Add freshly ground black pepper.

I specified the mushrooms I used and liked and also left out the choices of dried vs. fresh thyme (I aways prefer fresh herbs and I happen to have a ton of thyme growing outside). I also try not to use heavy whipping cream anytime I can avoid it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE vegetable broth and use it often in place of chicken broth. Usually I buy the Knorr brand vegetable broth cubes. They dissolve quickly and easily and have great flavor. Also, I generally totally shy away from the use of nutmeg - for some reason I can taste it in almost anything and, for me, it overpowers a lot of dishes, but I did use just a pinch and it really worked.

BLTA's
I know you probably know how to make a BLT. But I like to put a little twist on all of the sandwiches I make - just so you know I made it :)

Ingredients:

1 lb bacon
4 large leaves of iceberg lettuce
3 lg Roma tomatoes
1 lg avocado
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
mayonnaise
sea salt & pepper to taste
8 slices multi-grain bread

1. Cook the bacon. I don't know about you but I hate when I bite into a BLT and the bacon all falls out the back. I've seen this technique across the internet for weaving and baking bacon for burgers and so I tried it for our BLT's and it works amazingly well.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Separate bacon into 4 groups of 4 slices. With the four slices stacked on top of each other, cut one third of the bacon off.

Next, line a large aluminum pan (with a lip) with tin foil. Place each of the four bacon slices next to each other. Using the pieces you cut off weave the bacon through, starting by alternating one piece over, one piece under to make a woven piece of bacon the size of your bread. Repeat for each of the 4 bacon groups.

Put the pan in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

2. Slice tomatoes. Sprinkle with fresh sea salt and lemon pepper

3. Peel the avocado and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork until it looks something like a really chunky guacamole. (Simply slicing avocados and adding them to your sandwich will have the same "fall out the back" effect as the bacon and again, I hate that!) Add the lime juice, the garlic powder and salt & pepper to taste.

4. Toast bread.

5. Take the bacon out of the oven and drain on paper towels.

6. Assemble your sandwich by spreading some of the avocado spread on one side of the bread and mayonnaise on the other. Lightly sprinkle oregano on the mayonnaise. Add tomatoes to the avocado side, and lettuce on the mayonnaise side. Place bacon weave on the tomatoes, close the sandwich and cut at an angle (perfect for dipping).

Like I said, I know we can all throw together a BLT. I just like to give mine a little bit of flair!

Menu #3 of 2013

I can't tell you the elation I feel when I've gone through all of my Pinterest food boards, planned out my menu, looked through my cupboards, copied the recipes, made my grocery list and cut out all the coupons that I know I'm going to use before I go grocery shopping. Oh, and I usually clean out the fridge in the process too. But not this time.

I have been sick. I don't know about you but when I'm sick our whole schedule gets thrown off. The hubs, bless his heart, tries his best to pick up the slack but for whatever reason things still just don't go quite as planned.

Because of my being under the weather, our dinner plans changed a bit. Here's what our menu ended up looking like:

Corn Dogs & a can of Corn

French Dips & Mac-n-cheese

Tuna Melts & Salad

Shake-n-Bake pork chops & canned Green Beans

Chicken Pot Pie from IGA

Pizza

Lasagna Rolls & Caesar Salad (I found a homemade Caesar dressing that is delicious!)

Mushroom Soup & BLTA's

Leftover Lasagna Rolls

Baked seasoned Chicken, Roasted Green beans and Rice-a-Roni

Mississippi Roast (tweaked my way, of course)

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Appetizers for Dinner (we went to a friend's house)

Superbowl Sunday snacks and sandwiches

You know that I'm sick when Corn Dogs end up on the menu. I'm usually pretty against having any kind of processed foods for dinner. We get enough at lunch or other times. I like our dinners to be made from fresh ingredients. But when you feel like death-warmed-over I'm happy just getting something edible on the table.

Saturday we were invited over to our friends house. We had a great time. I had a little too much vodka and, even though I brought my stuff, I never ended up getting my grocery list done. Luckily, because of the last two weeks I have plenty of dishes to carry over to this next menu. Here it is:

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Greek Quesadillas & Greek Salad

Tofu Pad Thai

Flank Steak Rolls & Ratatouille

Turkey Melts & Baked Pickles

Enchiladas (see here's one of those favorites)

Shrimp Fried Rice

Crockpot Zuppa Toscana

Chicken Tiki Masala with Brown Rice and Naan

Ham Steak & Roasted Vegetables

Almond Chicken Pasta

Mexican Haystacks

Crockpot Honey Apple Port Roast & Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aoili

Steak, Baked Tomatoes & Bacon-wrapped Green Beans

For the recipes I have tried I will post them on the blog, with my modifications of course. I try SO very hard to make a recipe exact at least the first time I try it but sometimes I just can't resist. I've considered posting all of the recipes with the menus on these posts but I think it will make them too long.

Try anything new and exciting lately? I'm always looking for tried and true recipes that are not a part of our regular repertoire so send them to me!