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Cookies, Chai, and a Great Big Sigh

8/26/2012

You know what's really annoying? Making mistakes at work. It's a smashing great job, but it always seems like I'm doing one little thing wrong after another. It's annoying to me on so many levels. And then, because my memory is fleeing me at a rapid pace, I'm can't remember if I rightly deserve the critique/chastisement or not. Nonetheless, now I know something I didn't know before. And my bosses are always kind. But for a girl who really does not do well having to get corrected, I feel pretty lousy right now. I can't imagine what it would be like having to work with people for my job. Kudos to all my friends who suffer through!

My internet was out for a few days, but now seems to be consistently back, which is quite a relief. And go figure, during that time I had a whole bunch of stuff to say/write, but now that I can actually get around to writing it, I have nothing. My brain is slightly fried. I'm going to go make some chai - maybe that will get my brain juices flowing. ....That sounded gross.

Mmmm. Got my Elephant Vanilla Iced Chai in my Lady and the Tramp mug - already feeling better. I'm a total fan of the Tiger Spiced Chai, but I gotta say, the Elephant Vanilla is really smooth. Glad I branched out and bought both this time around.

The only time I ever feel like cleaning is when my rm is gone. So, last night I tidied up the living room table - it's definitely not the disastrous eye-sore it had been for the past few weeks. It's actually pleasant again to sit in here and do my work :) Now, if I could only find that important paper I need... I really hate this new-found ability to lose things. It doesn't matter if it's important or expensive, or a piece of junk - I can lose them all just as easily. I really would've loved to not inherit this trait, mom. Sigh. And why I can only ever seem to get 2 or 3 rooms looking nice at the same time is beyond me. It's not like this place is a large house or anything. Ah well. Patience. It's the little things...

The show is coming along quite well - lots of fun/creepy choreography. The show times, ticket info, and creative team bios are up - check out the website, and if you haven't already, there's still time to make a tax-deductible donation. I need to start trying out the makeup I want to do for my circus character. I was going to try some ideas out tonight, but I'm feeling pretty tired. I think it will be all I can do to make dinner then crawl into bed and watch Pushing Daisies.

Speaking of Pushing Daisies, I've never been interested in owning a Golden Retriever, but Digby is totally making me change my mind. I could see myself with one :) Though I'd still get my Doberman and Saluki first! But they are wonderfully sweet dogs. And I want to bake pies. I think I've ever only baked 2 different types of pies - Pumpkin Pie (my mom's recipe), and an amazingly delicious Sunday Apple Pie (which utilizes 3 different types of apples). I should definitely make more pies - mound them up with fruit, learn to do cool crusts, make cup pies with honey baked into the crust, etc. etc. etc. :)

I did bake two different kinds of cookies this past week: Oreo Drop and Pumpkin Snicker-doodle. I had a bit of a mishap with the Oreo Drops. When I pulled the second batch out to check, it was one of those weird, almost slow-motion experiences where I saw the pan going towards the edge of the rack, thinking it would stop, then realizing it wouldn't; wanting to grab it, but being smart enough not to just reach out and touch it with my bare hand, and then seeing it crash onto the kitchen floor. Thankfully, only half that pan was lost, and the recipe made at least 4 dozen from the get-go. They didn't turn out like I expected, taste-wise. I guess I thought they'd be more creamy, or have a slightly different consistency. Still, they're quite good, and everyone who tried them loved them (indeed, one of my friends called them "...delicious. Almost evilly delicious.") With the Pumpkin Snicker-doodles, the first batch came out perfectly, but the next two batches didn't seem to cook as well, even though I left them in a bit longer - the middles never quite made it. So, I'm not a fantastic baker, but there is hope for me yet!

Oreo Drop Cookies (Orig. recipe)
2 sticks butter, room temp.
1 brick cream cheese, room temp.
1 C white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1 C dark chocolate chips
Oreo Crumbles (I used about 1/2 a package)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment/wax paper. In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese.

2. Add sugar and vanilla, mix well.

3. Add flour 1 C at a time, and stir until just combined.

4. Mix in chocolate chips with a spatula.

5. Put Oreo crumbles in a bowl. Take a spoonful of dough, roll into a ball, and then roll in the crumbles. Repeat. Many times. This recipe makes 3-4 dozen depending on how big you make them. I used a large spoon and made about 4 dozen (before I threw some on the floor :P).

6. Cook 15 minutes. Remove and let cool at least 5 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely - otherwise they will break apart. As I also learned.

And yeah, that's my new Kitchen Aid Chopper - so much nicer and easier than thwacking them with a hammer in a plastic bag. Though, hitting things with a hammer can be quite cathartic.

Pumpkin Snicker-doodle Cookies (Orig. Recipe)
3 3/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 sticks butter, room temp
1 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

Coating
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
dash of Allspice

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Next, blend in the pumpkin. Then add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Lastly, add in the dry ingredient mixture.
3. Cover the dough and refrigerate 1 hour (you'll want to do this step - if you don't, it'll be super messy and really hard to roll the dough into balls. Just sayin'.)
4. Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet with parchment/wax paper. In a small bowl, combine the coating ingredients.
5. Roll the dough into balls (again, I used a large spoon, and made about 30 cookies), and roll them in the coating. Put them on the pan, about 2 inches apart. Use a glass (I used the bottom of a shot glass), dipped in water and covered in the sugar coating, to flatten out the cookies.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove when the centers of the cookies have set. Let cool on the baking pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack.

I know, I know - I really gotta start taking better pictures - but it's a struggle for me to remember to even take them, let alone pause long enough in my cooking/baking to make everything look pretty and aesthetically pleasing. Sigh. I should just get one of my photographer friends to take pictures while I'm in the kitchen, then I wouldn't have to worry about it.

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Kitchen Gadgets and Confetti Chicken

8/20/2012

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I do dearly love my kitchen gadgets. Almost every time I've bought something new for the kitchen, Carolyn will poke fun at me - for my air popcorn popper, salad shooter/chopper, grilled cheese maker, bunt pan, the list goes on. I tell her that she is not obligated to partake in their glory. I grew up with all those items, so when I moved to college and had a microwave and a stove top burner and had to make grilled cheese in a skillet, it was ok, but it was never quite right. And microwave popcorn's got nothin' on air popped. You can add however much salt and butter you like - unlike microwave, which I find rather grossly over-seasoned. Maybe it is a bit silly to have so many kitchen gizmos, but I use them, and they make my life that little bit easier. Like making dinner tonight - instead of chopping up or trying to shred carrots by hand or with the cheese grater, I just popped them into my salad shooter and voila! 3 carrots shredded as the recipe called for in a mere few seconds. Glorious. I suppose what would be appropriate to follow this is a series of pictures of me posing with my kitchen tools. Alas (or maybe Thank God), dear readers, that is not forthcoming.

I will share with you, however, something I did the other day that made me very happy. I am a fan of lists and organization (even if I'm not the cleanest person around - I have so much stuff), and I was going through my Pinterest Good Lookin' Recipes Board and felt completely overwhelmed. It had all the recipes I wanted to make, with all the ones I've already tried mixed in. And as there were over 500 pins, it took quite a while to sift through the pictures trying to find what I was looking for - original links for these posts, names of dishes, etc. So, I went and made a NEW board: Pinterest Food Challenge - Recipes I've Made So Far. This way, even if I haven't blogged about it yet, you can keep up with what I've made, which week it's from, and I can easily find the source material. I went through my Good Lookin' Recipes to re-pin and then delete. I also found I'd pinned certain recipes 2 or 3 times, so I did a bit of deletion there, as well. As I blog I'll post the corresponding post onto the actual pin - maybe my site will get seen by more people, too! Next will be condensing - since I've realized not everything on Good Lookin' Recipes is something I'll actually make - but rather cool stuff or things to help around the kitchen. I'm not sure which I'll keep and which I'll move to a different/new board, yet. But with this little tidy-up has come a re-invigoration for my goal. I have some fun new recipes to try out and foist upon my cast! :)

In the meanwhile, enjoy the following recipe from Wk 7.

Confetti Chicken Pasta in Spicy Cream Sauce (Orig. Recipe)
Box Penne Pasta
Olive Oil
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cubed
salt and pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
chopped garlic
Veggies (anything you have on hand - I used red, green, yellow, and orange peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms)

Spicy Cream Sauce
2 TBLS butter
2 TBLS Flour
2 C Milk
red pepper flakes - adjust according to your taste for spice :)
1 pkg Feta Cheese

1. Start cooking pasta. In a skillet over medium heat, season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until brown. Remove to a large bowl.
2. Add more oil and cook the onion and garlic for 2 min. Add in other vegetables and cook a few minutes - until desired texture (I like mine done, but still with a bit of crunch). Remove veggies to the large bowl of chicken.
3. In the same skillet, melt butter then toss in the flour and stir, cooking 1-2 minutes.
4. Slowly add in the milk, mixing to avoid lumps. Sprinkle in the red pepper and simmer until it begins to boil, stirring occasionally. When the sauce begins to thicken, turn off the heat and mix in the cheese until it's deliciously melted.
5. You can either mix everything together in the skillet or a large bowl, or pour the sauce over individual servings. I added the chicken/veggies back into the skillet and mixed them all up. I put my pasta in a bowl and topped with the mixture.

This recipe is incredibly delicious! And I like to think it's healthy because of all the veggies ;)

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A Bit of This, A Bit of That

8/18/2012

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Sitting here on the couch with a mug of ice chai and a bowl of chicken stroganoff, it almost feels like the first nip of Fall is in the air. Too bad my living room is a complete mess, and living on the 5th floor means the apartment is always hot. I remember when I was first shown the apartment, it felt like the inside of a boiler, and that was in December. There have been several times in January we had to turn on the AC. Good times :P I wish I was curled up in a window seat, snuggled nicely in my comfy pants and a sweater as I write this. Alas. But maybe that will happen in the not too distant future - nothing's set in stone, but I'm toying around with the idea of going home for a visit. I almost bought a plane ticket a few weeks ago, but I got the feeling to wait - like something important was going to happen. And voila! I am now in a show, which would have crossed over the time I was thinking of going home. So, I'm being cautious and not buying a ticket yet until I feel sure I want to go, when and for how long, and that nothing awesome is going to come up here in NY.

Rehearsals are going great. I am absolutely loving the show, the environment, the people, the whole process. It's all very professional, which is such a nice change of pace - it's what I've been craving, but often don't get as non-eq. Only 5 ppl (including the stage manager) on this production are non-eq. Too bad we can't get EMC points. We've learned choreo for 2 songs, and let me tell you, they're pretty sick! It's going to be awesome. If you haven't been awesome like my parents and donated yet, please feel free to check it out and do so here: madamfury.com. I believe more info will be up on the site soon - performances, cast/creative team bios and pics, etc.

So, today I got up early for work, was blessed that all the dogs were sweet and caused no trouble, went and rehearsed music for the show, deposited last week's paycheck, and then went to TJ Maxx. I don't know why I'm like this, but I have an ENORMOUS guilt complex. I bought a green wrap, a jar of blackberry/raspberry jam, cajun seasoning, and a Kitchen Aid chopper doodad for a total of $35. On the escalator down, I felt an almost crushing sense of guilt. Why?! $35. Big Whoop. I am financially stable, and honestly I can't remember the last time I went shopping - I only ever really grocery shop. I don't have any pants that fit me anymore, and this green wrap is the first piece of clothing I've bought quite possibly in years (thankfully my sister Rebekah keeps me from being completely boring by sending me some terrific shirts every now and again from S. Korea :), and it was on sale. I needed Cajun spices for a recipe. The chopper wasn't a complete necessity, but it'll be much easier to chop up peanuts and other things instead of putting them in a bag and bashing them with the hammer. I was all about doing things cheap and dirty in college, but now I'm slowly growing out of that phase. And the jam was inexpensive and sounded delicious. So, why do I need to rationalize every little thing, and then, for some unknown reason, still feel bad about spending money??! I seem to have this deep-seeded NEED to hoard my money. Not just save - but hoard. Because even in an emergency, I know it will be difficult for me to actually spend what I've worked to save. So, why do we save and save and save but have such a hard time spending? I know there needs to be a healthy balance, and I am thankful I fall on the more cautious side of the spectrum - I'd rather save and be a bit of a miser than to blow all my money. But still, I am not a fan of feeling guilty over buying things. I guess I'll pray about it - I'm not sure what else there is I can do.

Enough grumbling. Want to hear something awesome? I've recently come to realize how fantastic Trader Joe's is! I'd heard of it, and even remember going there once or twice with my mom when we would visit my siblings in Chicago or Michigan, but it wasn't until this past week that I became fully aware of what a gem it is. There's a TJ's up on 72nd that I've gone to occasionally, but I never cared for their split level set-up. However, the other day on my way to rehearsal I saw someone walking with a TJ's bag, so I looked online to see if there was one in the area. And lo! There is one 3 blocks up from where we rehearse. Score! As one of my favorite activities is to browse around grocery stores (is that weird?), I traipsed up the avenue to check it out. And how wonderful it was, dear readers. What makes this location (21st and 6th) so great is that it's laid out like groceries back home - one large floor of goodies, wide aisles, plenty of light. So often groceries in NYC don't have any of those characteristics, let alone all three. They have a wide selection, and while not everything is as dirt cheap as some places where I shop, I know the quality at TJ's is good. I mean, where else can you find a large bag of Honey Wheat Pretzels for $1.99? Pine nuts and dried cranberries for only $7.99 and $1.99, respectively? And, they have one of my favorite drinks, Blood Orange Italian Soda, for only $1.99 - where everywhere else I see it, it is more than $4/bottle. I dearly love to drink it as I'm cooking. Stiles has been letting me down lately with their lack of carrying items they normally stock (spinach, grapefruit juice, asparagus, etc.), which is irritating. And the Amish Market, where I used to buy Cranberries and was one of the few places I could find Pine Nuts, is pretty pricey. They increased dried Cranberries from $4.99 to $6, and Pine Nuts were $10, heretofore the cheapest I could find!!

You know what's also awesome? Buying a weekly metro card. With rehearsals downtown I'm using the subway at least twice a day, so instead of just putting $20 on a card, I bought the unlimited weekly for $29 - it makes me feel like I have so much freedom. Head out to Queens for the evening? No problem - I'm not spending any money for each ride. Pop up to work to pick up a key? Sure - I'm not doing anything and it won't cost me $5. So, yeah. It's nice to just decide I want to go somewhere and be able to hop a train, and not mentally tally my spending in the far recesses of my mind. Because I do that, you know. I keep track and tally and score of pretty much everything. I can't help it. I'm jus' doin' what comes natur'ly!

Well, I just drank the last of my chai. Guess that means I will be hoppin' a train down to Christopher Street to hit up that great little tea shop. Funny - Guatemala had the same Chai brand, the David Rio animal ones - Tiger, Elephant, Flamingo, and Tortoise. I had a canister of the Tiger Spice Chai - absolutely delicious. And as Fall is right around the corner, it's time for me to stock up! Thanks to my unlimited metro card, I can just jaunt on down there, and to Chinatown, since it's been a while since I last visited. I'm cravin' me some real dumplings!

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Saturday Encounter

8/11/2012

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So, I went to the Union Square Farmer's Market this morning. I don't know what I was thinking wearing long pants, socks, and shoes. Silly Julia. It was crazy hot out. But the Market was hoppin', and I do enjoy getting down there of a Saturday. I always wish my mom was with me - we used to hit up the Appleton Farmer's Market almost every Saturday during the summer, though it was usually just to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Today, I was actually looking for some vitals. And I picked a good week, because everyone had Heirloom Tomatoes. I bought a container of mixed Heirlooms, a massive bunch of fresh Basil, a yummy, crusty French baguette, and a snack of apple cider donuts washed down with some fresh pressed apple cider. Mmmmm.

On the train back uptown, I was sitting in my own little bubble of reality, blissfully smelling my fresh Basil. I love herbs, but I must say, I love the smell of fresh Basil the absolute most. It has such a...tangy dirt scent that is so delightfully refreshing and makes me feel like I'm a cat with catnip. If I could roll it and smoke it, I would. That is how much I love Basil. I'm currently sitting with the huge bunch in my lap. Talking of it made me go grab it from the kitchen and start sniffing it again. I also cut off the end of the bread, and, dear readers, I am a firm believer in buying bread from the Farmer's Market now. The bread I get from Stiles is good, but is absolutely bland compared to this fresh baguette. It is so crispy and chewy and smells like wine :) Mmmm. Guys, seriously. I'm in heaven right now.

Right, anyway, back to the story. On the train, in my own little world of sniffing my Basil, I notice this guy standing by the door fiddling with a little bunch of herbs - tearing off some of the stems. As the train pulls into the station, he walks over and hands them to me, smiles, and walks away! It was Oregano, which smelled pretty good. I was surprised and touched. It was just a very odd, neat thing. Humanity might be totally messed up, but sometimes the smallest little gesture can make me see goodness in the world again.

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Booked It!

8/10/2012

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So, good news, dear readers: I booked it! "It" being Madam Fury's Traveling Show. I wanted to wait 'til things got going a bit before saying anything. I'm pretty excited - I liked the show when I first read it, and getting to meet everyone involved and actually hear the music put any anxieties I had to rest. Today was our second rehearsal - we did a meet and greet, got the details of the production, and had our first full read through and added in the music we learned yesterday. Everyone is professional and the rehearsals are well run (ie, not a lot of wasted time, people goofing around, un-organized, etc.).

The only person I went into this show knowing is the choreographer, Kristen Beth Williams. Though today I did finally figure out how another girl and I recognized each other - we did a reading at a friend's apt months ago, and she's in the current production of a musical I did ages ago, Holiday In Heaven (oh, the stories to be told...). I love how you are constantly running into people you recognize, and then end up getting to know them better. Anyway, I got this job because Kristen posted on her FB she was looking for dancers for a project, and it fit perfectly into my time frame of being in NY before heading home for a visit, so I messaged her and voila! Of course, we haven't gotten to any of the dancing yet - I hope I don't get fired! :P

Madam Fury's Traveling Show is set in 1930s Oklahoma - the Dust Bowl. It centers around a young girl searching for her father who gets caught up in this crazy, magical circus. It will be a fully staged/choreographed/lighted Equity Showcase Production, partnering with the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), and performing at the 45th St. Theatre main stage. There will be 9 performances the first week of September. I appreciate how candid and honest with us our director is. I've been in 45th st. before, but not their main stage area. She was blunt about the crappy conditions, and shared what exactly this production will be. This is the first staging of this show, and the point is to hopefully get some creative producers on board to take it into the big leagues. So, much about the show will be pretty bare bones, as regards to set, and costuming is mainly going to be pulled from our own closets. It will be the story and the actors pulling the concept together on the stage (because if it's already a fully fledged production, why the need for a producer?). Everyone working on this show is volunteering - no one is getting paid (that includes the director, MD, PSM, Choreographer - not just actors - well, unless you count donuts and Jelly Bellies. :P) It's a labor of love I am happy to join, because this is actually a worthwhile piece and I get to work with some terrific people. All too often I've ended up working on a "show" that was absolutely awful, had no creative team, and was something I was embarrassed about even being in, and most certainly would not invite my friends to see. Many times new work has poorly written songs that sound the same, don't further the plot/add anything, are A-tonal, etc. Madam Fury's has terrific writing (book and score) and I can't wait to dive into characters - I'm doing ensemble work, so I get to create several different lives.

I heard at college the only reason you should do a job is for these reasons (preferably at least 2 out of the 3):
-Money
-Love
-Connections

Obviously, since we're not getting paid, you can scratch Money off the reason list. But the creative team is passionate about this show, and so am I, and it's great getting to meet and work with so many new and talented people. Because, as I am so clearly finding out, it truly is all about who you know. I believe all of the jobs I've gotten are because I knew someone working on/connected to the project, not because I gave a brilliant audition. I don't mind auditioning, but I guess I'm not particularly adept at it. It's hard and disconcerting auditioning all the time, and not getting anything, then out of the blue a friend is looking for people and BAM - you have a part without even having to "prove" yourself. And for some reason, not auditioning puts that little niggle of doubt in the back of my mind of, "Am I really good enough?" What is "good enough" anyway? I sure would like to know. I've also been told time and again that it's not all about the talent. You can be the most talented person in the world, but if you don't focus/prepare/do the work, it doesn't matter. Dedicated passion is on my side - while I may not be the best singer in the world, I will work hard at it, learn those harmonies, figure out the right placement on my own, become the best me I can for this show. And I think too often I put too much stock in what people say - I believe things too easily. Time to focus on myself and my beliefs, and what I even do believe to be true. Fin

So, there it is, in brief. If you want to donate, please check out the website (all donations are tax deductible!). I'm sure I'll be posting tidbits here and there. But now, it's time to work on some music, and do a little research - I've always wanted to be a Circus Freak! And maybe I'll even get to do some makeup... :)

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PFC weeks 5 and 6 Roundup

8/6/2012

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I've been doing a lot of thinking this past week - more than usual, I'd say, contemplating a lot of things I've grown up believing, what I should do, who I thought I was, and who I am. It's fascinating and confusing, and I've barely scratched the surface. So, instead of vomiting stray thoughts all over this here blog, I'm going to do some PFC catchup. Enjoy these recipes :)

Lemonade Jello Shots (Orig. recipe here)
12 Lemons
1 C pink lemonade
1 Box (4 little packets) plain gelatin
1 C vodka

This recipe wasn't very precise, so I improvised based on my gut instinct.

1. Cut lemons in half lengthwise - scoop out the insides. This was by far the most time consuming and annoying part - and be sure you don't put a hole in the flesh, or the liquid will run out before it sets.

2. Put lemonade in a sauce pan, and sprinkle gelatin on top. Let sit for 2 min.
3. Heat lemonade over low heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved - about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in vodka. Pour into lemon halves - I used a turkey baster.

5. Refrigerate until set - about 4hrs.
6. Cut into wedges and serve!

Notes - ok, this recipe involved a lot of guess work on my part, because the original recipe isn't very clear. I ended up adding more lemonade into the mix (probably around 1/2-1 Cup extra) because I was worried the lemonade flavor wouldn't be strong enough, and that it would just taste like gelatin/pig. Gross. I think this recipe could definitely be made using a regular packet of lemonade (or whatever flavor you want) jello.

When I first took them out of the 'fridge and tried them I was not impressed. They were hard with not a lot of flavor - I was worried the grill out I was taking them to would be disappointed (well, not technically the grill out, but the people AT the grill out...anyway..). However, it was super hot out, and walking the whole 8 blocks to the party, they started "melting", and by the time I got to the roof, their flavor had really burst out. They were softer and the lemonade flavor mixed nicely with the flavor of the lemon rind - so they were actually pretty delicious! And the presentation of a jello shot in the lemon rind = win. You'll be the hit of the party with these babies! Though scooping out the insides was a pain in the tush.

Aaand, you'll probably have extra. Enjoy!

Vodka Rootbeer (If you really care, here's the original recipe)
Ice
Vodka
Rootbeer
Whip Cream
Cherry

1. Fill glass with ice. Cover in Vodka, add Rootbeer. Top with whipped cream and a cherry. Drink as you make the following recipe from week 5.

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Penne (Orig. recipe here)
4-6 Cloves Garlic
1/3 C Pine Nuts
1/3 C freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 C Jarred Roasted Red Bell Peppers
1 C fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Penne
Rotisserie Chicken
*cherry tomatoes - optional topping
*1/2 C heavy cream - I didn't use any cream or milk, because I thought it was rather unnecessary. The recipe is totally delicious without it, and cream has a tendency to make me feel sick (and is more fattening, anyway). Feel free to use it if you want to thicken it up, but it's also fine without.

The lovely players.

1. Start cooking your pasta. Put garlic in a skillet and heat with the cold olive oil - this way the oil becomes flavored (versus heating the oil in the skillet first, then adding the garlic).

2. Add pine nuts to the skillet and heat 1-2 minutes. I'm drooling just looking at this.
3. Add oil, pine nuts, and garlic to blender/food processor and pulse until they are a fine paste.
4. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse.

5. Add the Red Peppers, salt and pepper, and pulse again. I added a bit of the juice from the Jarred Peppers because it wasn't blending well.

6. Add Basil and pulse.

Mmmmmm. Yummy.

7. Add sauce to your cooked and drained pasta.

8. Add chicken.

9. Add toppings (cherry tomatoes/pine nuts/basil/cheese), serve with a nice red wine, and Enjoy!!

Notes - Seriously, this is one of the best recipes I've made from my PFC. Despite the number of steps, it's pretty fast and easy to make, and utterly delicious. The only annoying thing was I couldn't find pine nuts, and when I finally did they were $10!!!! For a tiny little container! But, they are vital to the recipe - so don't leave them out.

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Ruminations

8/3/2012

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What did people do before technology? I bet they were way more invested in other people - family and community life. Now we just sit alone in our tiny apartments, staring at a bright screen that has probably messed up our vision for life, "interacting" with the world. True, there are great benefits of all these technological advances - such as you being able to read what I'm writing wherever you are, making friends around the globe, keeping in touch with people is way easier these days than back in the age of the Pony Express. But then your gadgets and gizmos get all sorts of problems that you have absolutely no idea how to begin to try to fix, so you get super angry and annoyed and frustrated and want to just scream. And so much doesn't get done because you park yourself in front of the glowing screen and just waste time - looking at pictures, reading mindless cartoons and captions, or just waiting for someone to get on Facebook so you can "chat". And I am totally one of these people.

The great thing about going to Guatemala was that I was totally disconnected from technology for 9 whole days. My phone didn't work, I didn't have my computer, the only piece of equipment I brought was my camera. I could focus on myself, the people I was with, the reason I was there - I was forced to let go and relax, live in the moment. And it was wonderful. I did better when I first got back to NY about not being online all the time, but that has slowly slipped away and I find I'm using every spare minute online, just browsing around wasting time. There is a list of things I've been needing to do for over a week - and instead of doing them when I have all this random free time, I don't feel like "working" and just sit around instead. Oh Julia, what has happened to you?

So, Monday night I was depressed, but Sarah had said she'd go to Ballet w/ me, so I put on my tights and leotard and went. I'm so very glad I did. It helped me re-focus. I feel God's put me in this "patient" phase, where I'm supposed to be doing all I can do learn and grow in my abilities. It's frustrating, but if that's why I'm here right now, I need to be studious in my efforts. I'm growing in leaps and bounds with my singing, but this past month I've truly let my dancing slip. I used to take 2-3, sometimes 4, classes a day! So, I will be getting my tush into ballet, theatre dance, and especially tap a lot more this month. I should work double hard so I can feel like I've earned a short break - in case I get the chance to go back home in Sept.

And I honestly do need to start tackling all the things I've been putting off. I brought some produce today - so now I have food to eat = always a good thing. Next up, clean the bathroom, put sheets on my bed, update my audition book, and figure out why my kitchen smells. Ok, I pride myself on my kitchen - I am constantly making delicious food that smells wonderful. However, the past few days every time I come home, I'm hit with a whiff of...something. I've taken the trash out several times (chicken always smells gross, esp. in this heat), I've cleaned the dishes, I know it's not the cat, but I still can't figure out where the smell is coming from or what it is. I suppose it's time to move everything around and clean EVERYTHING. I honestly hope that fixes the problem. Carolyn can't ever smell anything different, but I'm not crazy - there's something rank in my kitchen. I will find and eradicate the perpetrator!

Also, this month I'm swearing off swearing. My brother John and his girlfriend are not drinking during the month of August, so I figured I could not swear for the whole month. It's a terrible habit I've gotten into since moving to NY. I've slipped up a few times, but I always catch myself. Time to figure out some better exclamations.

Because it's so hot, I'm going to share with you, dear readers, a PFC wk 6 recipe - flavored ice cubes. On Pinterest, they are made with fruit, but I had some lime and basil laying around, and wanted to use them up. I just had a glass of water with one of them in - and it was delicious. But, while you read the recipe, you should listen to this song by Vitas (because he's amazing):

Flavored Ice Cubes
Lime
Basil
Water

(This is such a difficult recipe. Seriously, guys, only try this if you're up for a challenge).

1. Cut up the lime into little wedges, tear up the Basil, put in your ice tray, cover with water, and freeze.

2. Pop in your beverage and enjoy!

*This can be made with any combination, and I see it most often with fruit - blueberries/raspberries/strawberries etc.

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