Birthday

my desk at work.  I took over Meredith's desk... more space :-)  and notice the pickle card... my first bday card of the day! thanks JBear.

chocolate rum coffee bunt cake Mala made for my birthday :-)  very delicious!  

the amaretto cheesecake Mala made for Bienka's birthday last week.  Also very yummy :-)

I also woke up this morning with this song in my head!   I promise though, I'm not having the worst day.

My Favorite Things: Part 6

TRIVIA!

Trivia via Geeks Who Drink (at The Nodding Donkey, specifically) is one of my favorite things.  It's the perfect mix of feel-good (when you actually know an answer), silly (ok I can be silly anywhere, so this is nothing new), and learning (you never know when you'll need that seemingly useless piece of information... Strawberry Shortcake was originally an American Greetings character, and her cat's name is Custard!).

thanks to quizmaster JWarr for this beaut.  JBear (Jessica, not the other JB) and I were a bit goofy last night.    Poor John haha!

We had a bit of trouble distinguishing O-Town from Bryan McKnight too...

My Favorite Things: Part 5

This guy-->         Mike Tompkins      



That is all. So wonderful.  

My Favorite Things: Part 4

Well, after last night, I know that hockey (NHL specifically) is NOT one of my favorite things.  We went to a Sharks vs Stars game here in Dallas thanks to a nice discount from the graduate school.  I had never been to any sort of hockey game, so I thought I'd try it.  Let's just say their fake (read: staged) 'fight' set me off.  I think I said at least 5 times that I could not IMAGINE bringing my (nonexistant) kids to a hockey game.  Between the 'fighting' and 'cheerleaders,' I was unimpressed with the whole culture of hockey.  Bad bad bad.  But the Stars did win and I now understand the rules of the game a bit better (thanks John).



Now for one of my actual favorite things: BASEBALL!  I was certainly a late baseball bloomer... the summer after my first or second year in high school I started watching Twins games on TV with my dad.  I have a pretty hard time sitting still and keeping my mouth shut in most situations, and I think I drove my dad crazy between the hours of 7 and 9 each night with my endless clarification questions and what-ifs.  Anywho, I am so excited spring training has started and baseball is here!  I made it to only one Rangers game last year, but I'm hoping to expand my presence at the ballpark this summer.

Twins vs Cardinals Summer 2009.  I think it was 110 degrees at Busch Stadium this day!

My Favorite Things: Part 3

I forgot to post yesterday, so to make up for it, I decided to post some pictures with this one :-)

One of my favorite things: BACON!  My parents gave me a Mak'n Bacon Microwave Bacon Cooker for Christmas this year, and I've been eating my fair share of bacon for breakfast since then.  Note: we actually call this cool piece of plastic a "Bacon Wave" although that is a different product all together, and it certainly does not work as well.  

cooking time depends on thickness of slices and how crispy you like your bacon.  I think it's reasonable to start with  3 minutes.

My Favorite Things: Part 2

My favorite shows had new episodes tonight, so I figured there was no better time to gush about Shonda Rhimes. She's the main producer and creator of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal.   Ok, so I do not know anything more about her than her awesome shows.  I do know that, with few exceptions (Glee), these are basically the meat and potatoes of my television watching.

Grey's: sadly sort of going down the drain... maybe they just ran out of material?  all seasons considered, still one of my favorites though.  the eye candy is pretty delectable too.

Private Practice: although its last episode aired about a month ago, this Grey's Anatomy spin-off was pretty entertaining.

Scandal: the newest of Ms Rhimes shows.  Quality television with a political spin.  I like it.  And I hope it stays for a long time!




http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0722274/ 

My Favorite Things: Part 1

To celebrate BIRTHDAY WEEK 2013 I will be profiling some of my favorite things!  

This 'birthday week' thing is a vaguely formed idea from my sister in an attempt to infuse all sorts of awesome things into the days leading up to a birthday.  Basically it's a good reason to celebrate for more than one day. 

This 'profiling some of my favorite things' idea is a less exciting form of Oprah's favorite things episodes.  I won't be giving anything away.  Sorry. 

Today: music!  I cannot WAIT for the new OneRepublic album Native to be released March 25th or 26th, depending on the source.  

Here is a sampler of Native:  

Second-Best Steak

If you know me, you know I enjoy a nice steak, grilled by the ultimate grill-master, my dad. Barbecue Bob does a fantastic job using his Weber charcoal grill, searing steaks to perfection and leaving the middle of each slab-o-beef tender, juicy, and pink.

I've had very few if any steaks since I've been in Texas, which is a shame because this is the land of the BEEF!  It's hard to get excited about steak when the best griller is 750 miles away though.

With many thank-yous to my mom, I receive the Real Simple magazine each month, which is filled with great and quick recipes.  I finally worked up the courage to try some pan-seared steak, using the following recipe with a few modifications.

Spiced Strip Steak With Carrots, Onions, and Garlic

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m| Total Time: 40m

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  pounds  carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces and halved lengthwise if large
• 2  red onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 8  cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2  sprigs fresh oregano, plus leaves for serving
• 1/4  cup  plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1  teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  cayenne pepper
• 4  strip steaks (1/2 inch thick; about 1 1/2 pounds total)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots, onions, garlic, and oregano with ¼ cup of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Roast, tossing once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes; remove the oregano stems.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with the spice mixture. Working in 2 batches, cook to the desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
3. Serve the steak with the vegetables and sprinkle with the oregano leaves.

By Dawn Perry , February, 2013; Real Simple 

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spiced-strip-steak-carrots-00100000095020/index.html

I skipped their spice suggestions and made my own: paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and kept the coriander in there.  I also bought steaks that were about 1" thick and had some doneness issues.  Next time I will try to cook the steak a little cooler and a little longer.  Overall though, an awesome recipe!

The Ultimate Subject

two blog posts in one day?!? crazy, isn't it.  or a perfect way to avoid homework?  yep :-)  

I found this little bugger flying around my bedroom and let it outside.  Transportation fee: a brief portrait session.  I think it was a fair trade.

ladybug puke/highlighter?  so strange.

When baking with brown sugar...

...have you ever noticed the way it moves? I had the unfortunate experience of dumping a fair amount onto the counter via a hole in the side seam of the bag.*  The granules, unlike white sugar, didn't stop moving once they landed in a pile... they sort of formed small clumps, and each clump shifted away from other clumps.  Maybe it's the molasses?  Maybe this is all too deep for a Sunday morning?  Yeah probably.  Anyway, the next time you bake with brown sugar, pay attention to how it moves.  It's intriguing, really.


Now: the point of this post- COOKIES!  I think I may start a new tradition of starting each week (if we count Sunday as the start of the week.  this seems less scary than Monday being the start of the week) with a new baking recipe.  This has the potential to be dangerous, but I think the risks may outweigh the benefits :-)

My mom is nice enough to forward the Yankton Observer to me each week, and I've recently discovered Ms Gloria Lippert's wonderful recipes!  Below is the recipe for the cookies I made this morning... cookies that I highly recommend because of the easy of preparation, quick baking time, and super soft consistency.  One idea for next time: more chocolate chips!

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies- Gloria Lippert

2.5 cups      flour

  .5 tsp        salt

  .5 tsp        baking powder

1    tsp        baking soda

  .5 cup       shortening

1.5 cups      brown sugar

1    tsp        vanilla

1    cup       sour cream

2    eggs

3/4 bag      chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla, and mix.

Add dry ingredients, sour cream, chocolate chips, and blend together well.

Bake on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet at 375° for 10 minutes or lightly browned.

Remove from oven and let it on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

  *My family would probably tell you that I am the messiest baker and chef they've ever met.  This is true.