Roosters and Recylcing

Ok, Oregonians are just weird. Hate me all you want, but seriously, a 9 foot tall rooster as a lawn ornament?!? I don't get the attraction. At all. And no, Amy, the rooster wasn't real!

Our trip into Oregon really began at the 7-11 just north of Keizer. On the way in my sister threw out her empty water bottle, not wanting to junk up the car. As we're walking in the clerk says something about 5 cents and, assuming she is talking to the person walking away from the register, we just ignored her. As we're paying for our new bottles of water, she proceeds to berate us for not recycling the bottle and how we just threw away 5 cents. My sister, smart as she is, fires back about the store not having a recycling receptacle and gives it right back to the clerk. We walk out of there with me laughing at the ridiculousness of it all and my sister vowing never to go in that place again. Thinking this is a one-off, my sister once again tries to dispose of an empty bottle by asking a clerk at Walgreens to throw it away for her. Since we'd bought the bottle at McDonald's, the clerk informs my sister that the bottle must be returned to McD's in order to get the 5 cent refund. After a few minutes of back and forth, the clerk still doesn't get it that we could careless about the 5 cents and just want to get rid of the damn bottle! Seriously? Can we not just throw the thing away? Again, we would have recycled if there was a specific bin for it, but of course there wasn't it! This same clerk then proceeds to give me some rant about how being married is overrated and can I tell she's divorced. Um, yeah, loud and clear! Somehow we get to talking about the ban on gay marriage in CA and how chickens have more rights than people. To get out of the conversation I say just kill the chicken and how "you can get another one for a $1.79." At which point my sisters laughs and we walk out singing sic 'em on a chicken. Let them think Californians are weird, at least we know how to recycle effectively!

BTW, there is no good reason why Taco Bell should be 50% more expensive just because you are in the backwoods of Oregon!

Home form Portland

This weekend wasn't as dreadful as it could have been. I am still saddened by the frailty of my grandparents and the constant reminders of mortality, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to see family and be able to provide any kind of help. My sister and I spent our three days in Portland doing some mundane tasks in preparation for the grandparents big move. We packed boxes, sorted through photo albums, and paved the way for the visitors who will follow. My grandma showed such strength through most of our visit, helping us divide up her possessions and taking care of papa. For a woman of 4'11", she demonstrates more strength than most people twice her size and half her age! I can only imagine how difficult it is to grow old and face situations such as this where life begins to slip away. My grandparents have been married for 66 (!!!!!!!!) years, and still share a love as sweet as newlyweds. To see how their union will one day be broken by the one vow allowed by God, is heartbreaking. If only we could all have a love like that.

It was such a joy to see them and visit for more time than we've had in years. Seeing my cousins Josh, Jenn and "baby" Sydney was so wonderful! Josh is the cousin closest to my age and has always been fun to hangout with. Seeing him as a new daddy is awesome! Jenn is a great mom and has been an amazing granddaughter to my grandparents. Sydney is as sweet as she can be with big blue eyes, a dimpled chin, and cheeks that go on for days. I can only hope that we will see them more once grandma and papa have relocated to San Diego!

Dreading the Trip

This next weekend I am flying up to Portland to visit and help out at my grandparents house. I posted an earlier entry about Family Drama, about how my grandparents are in poor health and the family is in the process of moving them down to San Diego. I am excited to see them and to spend the whole weekend with my sister and to see my new cousin Sydney Ann (born on St. Patty's Day). But I am dreading parts of the trip too.

It has been almost 2 years since I have seen my grandparents, since they came down to San Diego for my sister's wedding. At that point they were showing wear and tear, but still looked relatively ok. The whole reason we are moving them down here is that they are no longer ok. This scares me. I am afraid of what they are going to look like now, I know it will be heartbreaking. I also know that each time I see them try to do something that they can no longer do, my heart will break a little more. No one wants to face the mortality of loved ones, neither do I. When they do pass, as everyone does eventually, I hope I can remember them as the healthy and vital grandparents I knew as a kid, not the images I am faced with in the coming months. I am very grateful that my sister will be with me, she will be a great source of support. I hope this coming weekend with bring all of us closer and that my sister and I can do a lot for my grandparents while we are there.

I also know I will want to smack the crap out of my FT uncle! But that's not heartbreaking, that's heartstopping.

Complicated - Done and Done

After much back and forth, much lost sleep, and hours of agonizing, I made my decision yesterday. I'm usually the type of person who makes up her mind and runs with it. This time was so much harder, and I'm not altogether sure why. Hopefully I will still agree with my decision in the coming months. I read an article in Glamour magazine about the 10-10-10 rule for making decisions. It suggested that you should consider how a decision will affect you in 10 days, 10 months, and 10 years. I used this to make up my mind and found some merit with it, but still it didn't help crack my subconscious. And boy did my subconscious have some stuff to say! I think my poor brain was working out the issues all night Thursday night! I felt like I hadn't slept at all, but the decision was still not made. I had given a deadline of Friday, so delyaing the decision was not an option at that point! Ultimately I said I'm going to go. And then five minutes later decided to stay, doh! Either way, I am done and done!

In the process of deciding I posted a Facebook status mentioning the struggle in my head. I figured it would get response, as I left it kind of vague. Well the one person on my friends list who I really didn't want to comment, did. In a disgusting manner! I realize that we all have a different mix of friends on there, but mine happens to include coworkers and family members. You know, the kind of people who sex paraphinalia really shouldn't be discussed with? Yeah, them! So of course this guy posts something obscene...I respond to his post with a clarification that my decision was life changing and that I would appreciate it if he kept his comments PG/PG-13. Of course he had to respond in an even more gross manner. Not wanting other people to see this, I thought the only way to get rid of his comments was to delete him. Which I did. Apparently that doesn't remove their comments....so then I had to delete those as well. At that point I was so creeped out by the exchange that I felt no remorse for dropping that person. I guess he noticed I deleted him and made some status of his own about how is joke didn't go over too well....duh! I still don't feel regret, as my current facebook status says "Yeah I deleted him, I'd do it again too!" I feel for the wonderful person I know who is deeply connected to him, but people have different boundaries and tolerance levels...he crossed mine. If he had respected my response, maybe I wouldn't have deleted him.

What's funny about this, is if we were celebs or some big deal, this would totally be the start of a beef or a fued! I won't lie...that could have been fun!

Complicated: The Finale

I have been struggling with the decision created by Complicated for the last week and a half. Its a life changing decision, as it would affect at least 40 hours of my life every week. The pros and cons list have been long, the discussions have been frequent and exhaustive, and my entire thoughts have been centered on this issue for way too long! I still have yet to decide what I am going to do. And I am pretty sure I have driven most everyone I know crazy! For that I apologize, hopefully its not for not....hmmm.

Easter Recipes

For my recipes this week I took on a pressure-filled challenge! ;-) Ok, so I decided to take on the Easter ham and dessert. In looking for recipes to try, I stumbled over my mom's Martha Stewart Living mmagazines. Normally I look at those recipes as one of three things: 1) disgusting, 2) incredibly challenging, or 3)full of ridiculous ingredients. Well this time it looks like Martha actually wanted people to actually be able to make the recipes! On the menu: Pineapple-Mustard Glazed Ham and Raspberry Custard Pie. We also had AMAZING mashed potatoes a la Kelly and Justin, a yummy salad from mom and dad, and some delicious peanut sauce and veggies from my cousin Andi.

My kitchen sorcery continues!

Pineapple-Mustard Glazed Ham

• 2 medium pineapples, peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices (I used pineapple out of a can - much easier to prepare and equally delicious)


• 3 cups sugar


• 2 cups water


• 1/4 cup country-style mustard


• 1 smoked, bone-in ham (10 pounds) trimmed of excess skin and all but 1/4" layer of fat


• 40 whole cloves


• 1 cup dry white wine


• mustard greens, for garnish (I ended up not using these...as I am not Martha Stewart)

1. Bring pineapples, sugar, and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, skimming foam. Cook until pineapples are translucent and mixture has reduced to 4 cups, 60 to 80 minutes. I didn't cover the pot and the pineapples never turned trasnlucent, still tasted awesome!


2. Preheat oven to 350 degreeswith rack in the lowest position. Score ham with a sharp knife in a pattern of 1 1/4" diamonds. Press a clove into the center of each diamond. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan; drizzle win over top. Coat ham with half the glaze. Cover with parchment, then foil, and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven. I didn't have parchment, this didn't seem to be a problem.


3. Increase over temperature to 425 degrees. Uncover ham, and coat with remaining glaze. Bake uncovered, basting occasionally, until browned, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer ham to a cutting board; let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings and pineapple. Garnish with mustard greens if desired.

In general this turned out amazing! Sweet, tart, tangy, and perfectly moist! Other than being time consuming, it is worth the effort. And I promise it doesn't taste like mustard, that dissipates nicely!

Raspberry Custard Pie

First you have to make the crust, or the Pate Brisee...(aka crust!)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon sugar


• 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces


• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture begins to hold together


2. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Rasperry Custard Filling

• Pate brisee


• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for the surface


• 3/4 cup sugar


• 1 large egg


• 1 cup heavy cream


• 1 pound (3 1/2 cups) raspberries, plus more for garnish


• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll pate brisee to 1/8" thickness on a lighly floured surface. Fit into a 9" pie dish, and trim edges, leaving a 1" overhang. Tuck so overhanging edges are flush with rim, crimp edges. Prick bottom of dough with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes. Line dough with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges begin to turn gold, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Bake until crust is light gold and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Ok, I call bullshit on this! My crust came out overcooked, and at this point it still has to cook more for the filling! Maybe half the time would be better...And I didn't have a rolling pin or a flat surface upon which to roll out the dough...see pictures below. Can't knock me for being unimaginative!


2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Whisk flour and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Add egg and cream, and whisk to combine. Toss raspberries, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt in a medium bowl. Spoon berries into crust, then pour in cream mixture, filling to just below the rim. I used less raspberries, a miscommunicational incident, it still came out well, but would have been better with more berries.


3. Bake until custard is set, but still a bit wobbly in the center, about 45 minutes. Let cool in dish on a wire rack. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with fresh raspberries, and serve cold. So as I was typing this I realized I never saw this part about refrigerating for 2 hours before serving, Oops! It was still yummy slightly warm, but it would be stiffer if served cold.

If you want to make these items to be served at the same meal, my suggestion is to cook the pie the night before! I have only one oven and ran short of time..>

P.S. If the ham is covered, you can put the pie in at the same time! ;-)

This Week's Recipes

I think I may finally be caught up on my resolution! I made two more recipes this week just to catch up. On the docket for a dinner at my parents house, leading up to the much loved game night, was Calico Rice and Teriyaki Chicken Skewers. These both turned out really well! I am still working on my timing, getting things on the table at the same time has become a bit of a problem. In all fairness, I don't have a team of prep cooks working for me to get things done with I fail around and figure what is going on... ;-)

TERIYAKI CHICKEN
Recipe courtesy of Cooks.com

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. chicken, cut about 1/2" thick
1 c. soy sauce
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. grated onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
18 chunks canned pineapple
18 sm. mushroom caps
2 tbsp. pineapple juice
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Cut chicken into 1" squares.
Mix together soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger, onion and garlic. Add meat; marinate 3 hours.

Place chicken, pineapple and mushrooms on skewers, starting and finishing with meat. Broil or grill about 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked to taste; turn once or twice to brown evenly.

Mix pineapple juice slowly into cornstarch. Add marinade; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Serve with kabobs. Yield: enough for 6 to 8 skewers.

CALICO RICE
Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 tablespoons picante sauce or salsa
1 tablespoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups water
Sour cream
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DIRECTIONS
In a skillet or saucepan, saute peppers and onion in butter for 3 minutes. Stir in the rice, soup mix, picante or salsa, cumin, garlic, salt and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Garnish with sour cream if desired.

I made a couple changes to this one...since I forgot the garlic, I used garlic salt. It turned out pretty well and wasn't overpowering. Also, I didn't use all of the cumin and onions. Those both can be a bit too much, but it was awesome with out it!

UnInteresting Girl Gets a Promotion

After several years of pining for forward motion in my career, it has finally happened! When I got laid off from my previous job, I figured I was doomed to go backwards or be stuck in the same rut for another year. Then I was offered my current role, but it was originally listed as a lower position. The step backward I had been fearing. Luckily my new manager saw some serious potential and upped the position so that it would be a step forward for me! Oh happy day! I even negotiated a raise out of it, with the idea that another increase was possible if I performed to expectations. Well, at work I perform very well! Outside of work is not up for discussion! ;-) So last week I had my 90-day review and, needless to say, it went well. So I earned that extra bump in pay, and I got a promotion! Its like I skipped the step I had been waiting years for the step where I knew I was supposed to be by now. It feels amazing...

But, I haven't closed things with the Complicated situation. I don't know what to do, and the person I would ask is the person trying to tempt me away.