Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

All this time off at Christmas really makes me long for summer vacation when I can actually enjoy cooking and blogging, but since it's basketball season and the school year, that gets shoved to the back burner. I'm lucky if I even read a book once a month. Let's just say that this week was much-needed. Another recipe I've been meaning to try is this pulled pork from November's Food Network magaine. I'm not usually a huge pork fan, but after this dinner tonight, I longed for more and more and more.

So here it goes:

3 T. light brown sugar
2 t. hot paprika (I used cayenne)
1 t. mustard powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 3-4 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat (I left it on for flavor)
2 t. vegetable oil (I used olive)
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar (I used 1/4 c. apple cider, 1/8 red wine, 1/8 white because I ran out :) )
3 T. tomato paste*
6 potato buns
Barbecue sauce and prepared cole slaw, for serving (I didn't have the coleslaw)

1. Combine 1 T. brown sugar, the paprika, mustard powder, cumin, 2 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture on the pork.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the pork and cook, turning until browned on all sides-- 5 min total.
3. Remove pork, set on a plate, add 1/4 c. water into the drippings and whisk.
4. Transfer liquid to a 5 - 6 qt. slow cooker.
5. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, the remaining 2 T brown sugar, and 2 c. water to the slow cooker. Whisk to combine, add the pork, cover, and cook for 8 hours.
6. Remove the pork and set on a cutting board.
7. Pour slow cooker liquid into a pot and bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, until reduced by half. Season with salt, if desired. (I didn't).
8. Scoop one cup of cooking liquid and the pork back into slow cooker and serve.

Calories: 508 cal; 20 fat; 152 cholesterol; 1270 sodium; 31 carbohydrate; 3 figer; 49 protein**
* If you ever need 1-2 T of tomato paste (very rarely do we use a whole can), take the excess, measure out tablespoons and place in a plastic bag and freeze for future use--viola.
** This is including the coleslaw, which I didn't use and it depends on what you choose for buns.

I used spicy Sweet Baby Rays. Also, served with broccoli in a beer cheese sauce from FN (it was not very good and not worth posting the recipe)

Poooork!

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Since it is Christmas break, I finally have some time to make some of the recipes that I've stored away and this one has finally, after a year, made its way into the kitchen. A coworker of mine always has the most delicious breads and she baked me a loaf last year for Xmas and gave me the recipe. This is fresh out of the oven so the lovely, nutty flavor is lingering in my mouth as I write this. If you are going to make this, please note that the starter dough has to ferment for at least 12 hours and dough has to then be mixed, and rise for another 2.5 hours at least and then bake for 45. So, this will take some time to mix.

My advice is to mix the dough at night, leave it on the counter to ferment, and then spend a Saturday kneading, and letting the dough rise. This bread is delicious, and there's something special about making your own bread without the use of a machine.

Starter dough
2 c. cooked oatmeal, let cool until about room temp.
2 c. room temp water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 T. salt
1 T. dry yeast
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. flax seeds ( I used ground)
1/3 c. sunflower seeds

1. Mix water and oats
2. Mix oil, salt, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, and yeast.
3. Add flour, even more if you need. It should look like thick-coated cereal.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and leave 12-24 hours at room temperature. Once fermented, it can be refrigerated for up to a week before making the bread.

To make the bread:
1/4 c. sweetener (barley malt or maple syrup)
2 c. whole wheat flour
3-4 c. whole wheat or I unbleached white flour (I used white because I ran out of ww flour)

After the 12-24 hour of fermentation, add sweetener to the starter dough and stir. Add whole wheat flour. As you add the white, the mixture will become difficult to stir. Knead it by hand in the bowl and continue to add white flour. When dough is less sticky, transfer it to a floured surface and knead 10 minutes until dough is soft and springy but not too sticky. ( I had to continuously add small amounts of white flour to keep the dough from sticking to my hands. Place dough back in a bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 1.5 - 2 hours.

Baking the bread:
Form 2 loaves 2 lbs. each (I just divided it in 2). Let it rise, again, for another 45-60 minutes until they have doubled in size. Test for readiness by pressing the dough and if it stays in, and has a little spring, it's ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray bread pan with olive oil and dust with flour to prevent sticking. Bake for 45 minutes and let cool.


Voila! You've just made your own bread!

'Tis the Season, I Guess.

If you know me well enough, you know that I absolutely hate Christmas and pretty much everything along with it. However, Mr. X had a hankering for something sweet so we decided to put our bah humbug attitudes aside and make some Christmas cookies. This recipe is from my friend's mom, Ann Marie, the sweetest women on the planet. I've done the research, it's true.

Colors of the rainbow

Recipe:
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt


1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Cream the butter and sugar
3. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla
4. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt
5. Add wet ingredients to dry.
6. Dust the counter top with flour and roll out the dough.
7. Cut out cookies and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 5-7 minutes. For our oven and thickness of cookie, it took 7.

Icing:
about 1 c. powdered sugar and 1 T. milk-- add more or less to desired consistency and 2 drops of color

My icing skills are surely lacking :) Happy Holidays!
I didn't do the calorie count; I'm just telling myself that they're calorie free.

Books in Review

As I am in three book clubs, I always seem to have a stack of books that grew all the time. I never get to the bottom of these stacks, but I still try.

First up,

Perks of Being a Wallflower

Source

I just finished this young adult book and I thought it was a great read for anyone, but especially a teen. There are some inappropriate parts (isn't that high school though?), but there is a lot of relatable events: puberty, feeling alone, not fitting in, parties, crushes, etc. The whole book is written in letter format to an unknown person. If you want a trip back to high school, pick this novel up, you'll finish it in two days like I did. Also, I pledged to read books before seeing the movie, and I'm excited to see this one.




The Kitchen Daughter

Source

I read this quick tale last month-- another quick one. It was an endearing story about a young girl living life on the autism spectrum. You see the world through her eyes. She copes with problems in life through cooking-- some excellent recipes also. The story isn't what I expected-- it's not another story about autism; it's about so much more. If you choose to read it, you'll see some patient parenting as well as a strong bond between sisters. Set aside a night or two and you won't be disappointed in this book.


Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

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Another book for book club, this is a love story set in England. All the ladies raved about the book. I, however, was annoyed by the main character's uppity, British attitude, especially since he hates on Americans at so many points in the book. I also was annoyed with his firm stance on manners and pedigree. It is a cute love story and I'm not sure why, but I love romances with older characters. Major is in his sixties and he falls in love for the second time in his life. I find it refreshing that love isn't just something that happens in your teens or twenties, but at any point in life-- it's never too late. If you love the Brits and romance, pick it up. It took me about a week to read.


Dress Your Family in Corduroy

Source

My bestie ReRe and I swap books whenever we get together and this was one of her recommendations. I absolutely loved it-- so great. This is a collection of autobiographical essay/stories of David Sedaris's life growing up. I found it hysterical, light, and definitely something I could relate to. Sedaris obviously loves his family and shows it by making fun of their idiosyncracies. I also loved that it was a book I could pick up, laugh, put it down and a week later, I could do it again.

Gone Girl

Source

This book was the first choice for our first attempt at creating a book club with friends, so cleverly named: Book to the Future. I loved the book. Normally, I'm not into thriller/mystery/murder stuff, but this was well-written and maddening. It also was a story I couldn't figure out for the longest time-- a twist at every corner. It was a long book, but worth the read. The suspense will keep you flipping. I managed to read this book in two days in the summer when I had the time.


Middlesex

Source

Lastly, is the book Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. My good buddy Jules (who has quite an adorable baby, I must say) suggested this read the last time I posted about books to read. I then suggested this for Book To The Future to read as our second book. I, unfortunately, didn't like the book as much as I wanted to. The premise is a young girl who is born hermaphroditic and then she lives life as a male when she enters her teens. I found that part of the book extremely interesting and it was the whole reason I wanted to read it. However, the first 350 pages is a detailed historical account of her family emigrating from Greece to the U.S. Again, interesting, but not my style of book. I liked that it took place in Michigan, since I am a Yooper, but the historical aspect was too much for my brain. If you are a patient reader who is into history, then I think you'll really love it. I was also very busy and it took me about 3 weeks to read this because I didn't have a lot of time and I couldn't get involved and invested like I wanted to. I must say the last 150 pages were quite intriguing though.

Chick-quamegon 5K

I don't know why I get these "great" ideas for races, but I'm afraid that my friends are going to start hating me because of these bright thoughts. Anyone who signs up for and decides to participate in a 5k in November should be prepared for nasty weather, but it was raining and miserable. I can handle the snow and cold, but the icy wind and rain is definitely not something I signed up for. As you can see below from my beautiful friend:

Haha, sorry E$-- I had to

This was also partly the same route of the end of our half marathon, so it was like we were having terrible flashbacks. Somehow, I ran my fastest time. I believe it's because I wanted it to be over quickly. I ran it in 30:42, which for me, is FAST. E$ and I have been averaging one 5k a month, so we'll see what December brings. I also invited my new friend from work: Ms. K, who ran track in college-- not even fair. The race was a good time. It was women only and they gave out tiaras, a finishers medal (made from wood, a finisher's wood?), and since I paid the seven extra dollars, I received a sweet, pink hoodie. Definitely a race I would do again, hopefully without the rain.

Korean Beef Noodles

My favorite time of the year is here: hunting. This is a great week this year because I'm off from school and Mr. X is at camp all week. That means I get to make all my Asian, spicy recipes that I never get to make when he's around. This dish was simple, light, and so delicious. I changed it a little bit because that's what I always do when I cook-- change recipes. I also cut this in half because it's just me eating. Thanks Food Network!

What you'll need:
1 5-to-6-ounce package cellophane noodles
1/3 c. soy sauce
5 T, sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
12 oz. skirt steak, sliced 1/4 inch thick against the grain
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
Kosher salt
10 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (I just used regular)
1 c.shredded carrots (from about 3 carrots)
6 c. baby spinach (about 10 ounces)

What you'll do: There are some ridiculous steps in this. Instead, I just sauteed the vegetables, then beef, and combined, but this is the exact recipe:
1. Soak the noodles in warm water to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain, cut into pieces if you want. I didn't.
2. Combine the soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sesame oil, the garlic, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Put the beef in another bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce mixture.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the beef and stir-fry until just cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Rinse and wipe out the skillet, return to the heat and add 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Add the mushrooms and carrots; stir-fry 3 minutes.
5. Add the noodles and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry 1 minute; add 1/3 cup water and cook until the noodles are just tender, 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the beef.
6. Wipe out the skillet, return to the heat and add the remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Add the spinach and the remaining soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add to the beef and toss.
7. I of course added Sriracha sauce because life is always better with more sriracha.


Per serving: Calories 616 ; Fat 30 g (Saturated 7 g); Cholesterol 45 mg; Sodium 1,558 mg; Carbohydrate 69 g; Fiber 7 g; Protein 23 g

Creamy Polenta

We had our mid-week steak night and I'm getting rather sick of potatoes, and I found this yummy side dish in my folder of "Recipes to Try." Sadly, I don't know where this came from. I'm pretty sure it's Women's Health, but I'm not entirely sure.

A very yummy side dish

Makes 2 servings

Polenta:

3/4 c. low sodium chicken broth

3/4 c. skim milk

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. uncooked polenta

1. Bring chicken broth, milk, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

2. Add polenta, mix well and reduce heat until barely bubbling.

3. Continuously stir for 10-15 minutes or until it is tender and no longer grainy.

Nutrition: 177 calories, 1 g fat, 32 g carbs, 77 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein

Mushroom Ragout

2 t. olive oil

1/2 c. Vidalia onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 c. sliced white mushrooms (one package 8 oz)

salt

pepper

pinch of dried thyme

1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. tomato paste

1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium low heat. Add onion, saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

2. Add and cook mushrooms for about 5-6 minutes.

3. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. 

4. Mix well and combine, simmer for 5 minutes

5. Add to creamy polenta.

Nutrition: 95 cal, 5 g fat, 10 g carbs, 180 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein

This was very creamy and tasty and yet not a diet-killer. Mr. X claimed that this dish needed cheese to be complete. I disagree, but then again-- Is it ever wrong to add cheese? 

Mac and Cheese Soup

Comfort food-- mac and cheese; warm food-- soup = Mac and Cheese Soup

Now that winter is just around the bend, it's time for some warm hearty foods (of course exercise is much needed). It has been a very long time since I have made some new recipes and we decided to start this week. Mr. X and I made BLT pasta last night. It was good, but not good enough to put 45 minutes into it. Too many steps and too much prep for the result. If you're really interested, here is the link.

Cheesy, gooey-- perfect. Did I mention I now have the new iPod and can actually use instagram?

Makes 7 servings

Recipe from Cuisine At Home Magazine

Serving Size: 1 cup

1 1/2 cups of dry elbow macaroni (6 oz.)

1/2 c. minced onion 

1/4 c. minced celery

2 T. unsalted butter

1/3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. dry white wine

2 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 t. dry mustard

1/8 t. nutmeg

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

2 c. whole milk

4 c. shredded cheese

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 c. crumbled bleu cheese

2 T. minced fresh chives

Cook macaroni according to package, drain, set aside.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a deep skillet and sweat onions/celery. (5 min)

Add flour and cook one minute

Deglaze with wine and simmer until evaporated

stir in broth, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne: simmer 5 minutes until thick. DO NOT boil

Add cheddar one cup of a time

When all cheese is melted, add lemon juice and salt

Serve garnished with bleu cheese and chives

There are, of course, ways to cut some calories: low fat cheese, half and half or 2% milk. Enjoy!

Nutrition: 475 calories; 28 g fat; 78 mg chol; 553 mg sodium; 30 g carb; 1 g fiber; 22 g protein

5 hour 5k

One way I got into running was because of my dad. He had me running 5ks with him in elementary school. One race we ran about 15 years ago was in Gladstone, MI. The only thing I remember about it was when we went for lunch afterward. We walked into a cafe and people stopped mid-eat to stare at us. Now, 15 years later, Dad called to see if I wanted to do the 5k again. It wasn't the same one, but it was in Gladstone again. Also, this is Dad's first 5k in six years. In order to run this on time, we had to leave Bessemer at 4:30 a.m.

Note to self: do not let Dad drive without making sure he has directions. When we got to Crystal Falls, he says, "Oh, I know a little short cut." This short cut added a good half hour to our already 3 1/2 hour drive.

We got to the race and it was about 30 degrees and windy. I ran 32:34, which for me is good. My last one in September was 36:01. I just want improvement. My dad tore his hamstring so he had to walk/jog. This I must add was the most unorganized event. The people were very nice, but it was strange. (Grand Slam 5k). They did all of the cleanup and then announced the awards, so we all had to stand in the windy, cold weather waiting to hear results, which were messed up. This resulted in that "chilled to the bone" feeling.

We then went to eat a sandwich at Culver's and they had cold air blowing on us. It was quite miserable. Now, this is when it gets good. As we left, I was grading papers and reading kids' essays while Dad was driving us home. He missed highway 2 and took us to Menominee, which is about 1 1/2 hours out of our way. When I saw a sign for Peshtigo/GreenBay I knew he was in the wrong. Yet, because he's a stubborn Finn, it took him some time to turn around. Also, the GPS on his phone wasn't working.

No matter what, it was an adventure. I love you so much Dad and we had fun, despite the 9 hours of driving. We could've been in North Dakota, but instead we went to Gladstone, MI, and never left the u.p. Father/Daughter bonding at its finest!

I'll have to look, but I'm pretty sure we have this same picture 15 years ago.

Mr. X's Bday Cake

This might be the best chocolate cake ever tasted by man. I found this through pinterest and it will be the only cake recipe I use from now on--- so moist (Does anyone else hate that word?). Since Mr. X is an excavator, I made this cake. Because of my awkward picture taking skills, it looks like a pile of turds with some toys on it. However, I had each appropriate toy completing its appropriate task: bulldozer pushing the cake, tractor backhoe digging, off road dump truck "dumping" frosting, and the roller "panking" the cake. Mr. X really dug this cake :)

Chocolate cake recipe:

makes 2 8” cakes
1 1/3 C flour
1 2/3 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa
1 1/3 tsp baking soda
2/3 tsp salt
2/3 C oil
2/3 C sour cream
1 C water
4 tsp vinegar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
oreos for decoration (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare your pans with spray and wax paper and flour.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the oil and sour cream.
4. Gradually beat in the water.
5. Add vinegar and vanilla and blend.
6. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well-blended
7. Divide evenly into two prepared pans and bake 25-30 minutes.
8. Let cool completely before frosting---very important.

This cake was very moist and yummy. I used a buttercream frosting and it was system overload so I won't bother posting the frosting recipe. Enjoy!

Half Marathon-- Finished.

NaNa WOULD have 2 beers after the race :)

I'm turning into one of those absent bloggers, but between school, grading, two book clubs (I'm so cool), and training, I haven't had time. Well, that's not exactly true. I really just haven't felt like posting in awhile.

Here's how the half went down: I was really dreading this race and I'm soooo happy it's over. I can free up some time and stop thinking about this event. After 13 weeks of training, bruises, shin splints, animal attacks, achilles injuries, falling over many times, over 80 workouts, as well as tears, early mornings, and anxieties, I finally finished.

I was really nervous because the furthest I trained was 7 miles and that was run/walking. I ended up finishing 2:44. For me, that was exciting since there were training runs that hurt so bad in the beginning I had to turn around and come home. I ran for the first 45 minutes and the rest I did intervals and I will never, ever, ever, ever do the Whistlestop Half again. Nine miles of trail in one direction is way too monotonous. I'm glad I had my friends to keep me in check because I probably wouldn't have been up at 4:30 a.m. and riding a school bus to the starting line without their help and encouragement. NaNa came in around 2 hours, Lees around 2:15, and E$ around 2:30. We were all about 15 minutes apart from one another.

But, the best part? My dad surprised me at the finish line and suddenly, I started crying. It was a very overwhelming experience. The medic people were concerned, but I had to let them know they were tears of joy and confusion. I'm still trying to figure out how I fell over twice at mile 1 and 5. Thank Bob for my entourage of older women to pick me up. Thanks retired ladies-- for the running support and encouragement :)

Because of this commitment, I have lost 11 pounds, quit smoking, and enjoy a little 3 mile jog and can have some 5k fun.

Beauty of our Area

Fall is the best time of year for many reasons: color, pumpkins, football (for some), cool weather, warm food, hunting, and many others.

This past weekend Mr. X and I went on a little drive to hunt some birds and along the ride we stopped at Corrigan's Lookout. The view is mighty:

This looks so photoshopped, but Mr. X snapped this as I was sitting on the edge

Halloween Party Treat

This is so adorable that I had to make it, whether it tasted great or not. I, along with some college pals, created another book club: Book to the Future. Since one can never discuss a book without treats or wine, we have an assignment-- mine was the snack. For my favorite holiday, I made this festive cheese ball. It was adorable as well as tasty. (Thanks again Food Network Magazine)
***Note: This does need to chill for 2 hours before serving****

What 'cha need:
2 8-oz blocks cream cheese-- room temp
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3 T minced onion
2 T salsa
2 t ground cumin
1 t minced jalapeno
1 99-cent bag of Doritos
1 family size bag of blue tortilla chips
1 green pepper stem

What to do:
With a mixer, blend cheeses, onion, salsa, cumin, jalapeno
Scoop onto plastic wrap and form into a pumpkin-shaped ball-- chill at least 2 hours
To serve, unwrap, roll in crushed Doritos and serve with tortilla chips
Rip off green pepper stem and add to ball

C and D

C: creep

Until the age of eight, I was a very creepy kid. I was shy, quiet, anti-vocal, and lacked the knowledge of any sort of social norms. I remember selling Girl scout cookies in yet, another one of my bouffant dresses and I just awkwardly stood at the door handing a kind neighbor the order sheet. They knew what to do. In this case, my shyness paid off and I ended up winning prizes for selling the most cookies. My good friend Em even has pictures of us at her birthday parties where everyone is having a good time: eating cake, playing games, laughing, talking, and I'm in the background looking creepy, alone. I was too afraid to get involved and have to actually talk to people. This weird shyness disappeared with age. I finally found my identity: I was going to be a boy wearing men's jeans, striped T-shirts, and No Fear hats-- perfect.

D: Double Dare

Everyone has been involved in some sort of dare that has gone bad, but this one, was the worst. In first grade, my buddy Tony came by to ride bikes with me. I wasn't allowed to leave the surrounding blocks, so we mostly rode up and down the alley. That gets quite boring for the average six year old and so I came up with a great dare for him. My neighbor had all kinds of boards stacked up in a section near his garage and I dared Tony to ride right into them. Well, as a boy, he didn't turn down a dare and he rode over to them with me following closely behind. As the boards came crashing down, Tony moved out of the way and No-brains Shannon stood there. Lucky for me, the board that came crashing near my skull had nails in it. And since I inherited my mother's luck, the nail came crashing down on my head and scraping all along my face. I ran home in a blood-soaked yellow outfit. When I entered the door screaming and crying as if in a horror flick, my dad panicked and yelled, "Her nose is missing! Her nose is missing!" Again, since I have a horse shoe stuck up my butt, my eyes were ok and there wasn't any major scarring.

And, this is how I got my second set of stitches.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Food Network Magazine claims this recipe is called "Beefy Mac and Cheese." However, this tasted very much like hamburger helper I had as a child. This is quite an indulgent dish, so don't eat this too often or you'll suddenly find yourself with a muffin top. A very hearty meal for a wintry night after running that will warm you right up.

Mmmm- cheesy goodness

Serves 4-- 35 minutes total cooking time
Needs:
kosher salt (don't have)
8 oz. medium pasta shells (I only had small)
3 T unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 T tomato paste (I only had frozen tomatoes from this summer)
1 T chili powder
8 oz ground beef (I used ground sirloin)
2 T flour
1 cup (1%) milk (I used skim)
21/2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese (about 8 oz.)
2 T breadcrumbs (preferably Panko)
2 scallion (also didn't have)

1. In salted boiling water, cook pasta (reserve 3/4 c cooking water, then drain)
2. Melt 1 T butter on medium heat and cook onion-- 5 minutes
3. Add tomato paste and chili powder stir until bright red--2 minutes
4. Add beef and cook until browned -- 4 minutes
5. Spread mixture in a 3 qt baking dish (could use a deep 2 qt instead)
6. Melt remaining 2 T butter in a pot (important, I used a pan)
7. Add flour--stirring 1 minute
8. Add milk and reserved water, bring to a simmer and cook until thick--2 minutes
9. Add 2 cups of cheese, pasta, and 3/4 t. of salt and stir until cheese melts.
10. Spread over meat mixture, sprinkle with 1/2 c. cheese and breadcrumbs.
11. Broil until golden brown. Top with scallions

Savor this cheesy flavor

** Amendments: Mr. X says, "What's that weird taste in the meat?" I'm assuming he's talking about the chili powder. Since I love chili, I liked it, but it is quite strong, maybe just a couple teaspoons would suffice; or, tell your mate to suck it up and start liking beans, therefore, chili.

FN claims these nutritional facts: 642 calories; 35 fat; 122 cholesterol; 1179 sodium; 54 carbs; 3 fiber; 37 protein-- not exactly healthy, but you can cut back by using sirloin, skim milk, and 2 c. cheese not 2 1/2

Pumpkin Corn Muffins

Check out that melting buttah, mmmm

A fine curtsy to Food Network. I got this idea from the pumpkin page in the 2011 October issue. So easy, yummy, and cheap.

Needs:
1 8.5 oz box of jiffy corn muffin mix (88 cents)
1/3 c. milk
2 eggs
1/4 c. pumpkin ($1)
1 t. pumpkin pie spice.

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Mix all ingredients together, let sit 2 minutes.
3. Line muffin pan with cups (or grease a muffin pan)
4. Stir batter, fill up cups half way (I made 9)
5. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Cost: about 3 dollars total.

Vanilla Rich Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Something about Fall always gets me in the baking mood. Since I'm not running because of Das Boot, I have some time to bake. I found this recipe in an ad in Cooking Light (although, there's nothing light about this recipe). Thanks McCormick :) They were quite yummy. However, there are almost 3 sticks of butter in these cookies so I can't make them often. Unless I need to pack on some pounds to move up a weight class.

Ingredients:
3 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. butter, softened (no joke)
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp. McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 pkg. (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I only had chocolate and peanut butter, oh darn)
1 c. walnuts (Mr. X hates nuts, so I avoided)


Whatcha gotta do:
1. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium, until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
4. Gradually stir in flour mixture on low speed.
5. Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts).
6. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet (2 in. apart)
7. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 8-10 minutes. Makes 5 dozen (or 40, whoops, large cookies)

The perfect cookie

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

A little blurry-- my bad

Life has been quite interesting as of late. I hurt my achilles and am now in a boot (prior post... running + Shan + bear hunter = disaster). To add to my pain, I now have a sinus infection brewing. It never fails--every school year it happens. I'm starting to believe it's unavoidable. I've been eating healthily, exercising, using the neti pot, taking vitamin C, and sleeping at least 8 hours. Really, there isn't much else a girl can do. Because of these said issues, I made some homemade creamy wild rice soup that I would love to share with you. It was very delicious.

Needs:
1 c. Minnesota wild rice cooked (does not have to be MN :) )
3 c. chicken broth (made from water and better than bouillon)
1 c. half and half
2 T. butter
1/2 onion (I used yellow)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 c. carrots diced
1 c. mushrooms sliced and diced
1 c. broccoli
thyme (several dashes)
s & p
garlic powder
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. water

Doing:
1. Melt butter in sauce pan
2. Saute onion and garlic
3. Add thyme, garlic powder, and s&p-- let cook until onions are clear
4. Add cream and broth - let simmer 5 minutes
5. Mix water and flour in a bowl
6. Add (roux?) to soup
7. Add broccoli, carrots, mushroom, and rice

This is after I had a heaping bowl--so darn good.

Road Rash

School's in session and the daily blog posting is definitely a thing of the past. I'm just too busy running, grading, actually working, cooking, etc. You know, all the daily things that keep us too busy to call old friends, run errands, and do laundry.

Today's post is about another run gone bad. Today I was to set out for my 7-miler. As I left my driveway, I thought, this is it. This is going to be my good run. Shin splints? Gone. Sore feet? Gone. I've been able to go on the elliptical for 50 minutes without a problem. If I only knew how this would end....

As I was a mile in, I heard a loud gun shot and it scared the hell out of me. I turned and saw a hunter on the side of the road who then slowly lowered himself into the brush near the ditch and I looked to make sure I wasn't being hunted like Bambi's mother. When I turned my head, I rolled my ankle and fell to the side of the road, scraping my hand and whole leg. Instead of stopping, turning around, and going home, I pressed on. Like Angela Davis, I was on the run.

At mile 5, my lungs were starting to get tired, but then the torrential rain started to drop and stung the cuts on my leg. And then my knight in shining armor showed up to get me only to find: a soaking wet girlfriend with blood running down her legs and gasping for air. Half marathon? Bring it on..I outran a madman hunter :) Or, swiftly sauntered away.

5k Fun

At this point in the training, I believe we're about half way through. The half marathon is now coming up quite quickly-- only 6 weeks left. On my schedule this weekend I had to complete a 5K, which seemed quite easy at this point. And luckily, there is the Ed Hansen Memorial Run in Ontonagon, which interestingly enough, was my first 5K ever in elementary school. I "ran" a half marathon 2 years ago and I have not run a race since then so I was actually quite nervous. All the runners out there can guffaw at my time, but I was excited to have done it without stopping and at a 12 minute mile since I've been averaging a 12.5 mile lately--progress, progress. I couldn't run one mile 6 weeks ago. This put a little hop in my step (Is that the saying? I always screw those up).

So here is my good friend E$ and me after the run. It was fun, good weather, and a nice reminder of what fun we'll have in a few weeks.

We stayed after the race for breakfast with T-Ice and his family and then watched the town Labor Day parade. We ended our day with a performance of a local favorite--- Marty's Goldenaires. I also ended with a nice bright red sunburn to show off on the first day of school on Tuesday.

Also, E$ got 1st in the 10K in her division and I took fourth in the 5K. However, I will NOT tell you how many runners were in our events. :)

Politically Correct Please

I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but as a nation we’ve become extremely cautious with avoiding hurting people’s feelings based on gender, race, ethnicity, disabilities (can I say that?), age, etc. Let’s face it--we’re a pc nation, especially in the teaching field. We’ve moved from retarded to mentally disabled to cognitively disabled to cognitively impaired. It’s hard to keep up. However, this isn’t the point of my rant. My point is...

... that we should all write out legislators, friends, colleagues, family, and anyone else who will listen about the most hurtful, cruel term that is still used today: 

Source

crazy cat lady. Who am I to judge Sue Nobody who has 16 cats that she’s crazy? (Is it ok to still say crazy?) What happened to the more, the merrier? And just because it’s a cat... what about the crazy dog lady? the crazy fish lady? Why does it have to be a woman?

And I'm no crazy lady or cat lady. I'm a crazy Leonard girl. Leonard, my perfect, perfect feline turned 3 today. Now, I'm not sure if you know how important 3 is, but in the eyes of a Leonard Lover, it's quite important. Let me run you through our afternoon

After my run, it was shower time

And then, dinner. I argue this is the most important meal of the day

Birthday dessert: cheese

of course, birthday kisses

A little game (and new toy) of cat and mouse--look at Leonard's tongue

And finally, a birthday photo shoot. Since Leonard is my shining star, this is quite appropriate.

Garden Pasta Salad with Bocconcini

I have a few moments to sneak in a quick blog post, so I thought tonight's dish would be perfect. Since this is our first week back to school (for teachers), students, we'll see you next week, we are having a meet and greet for new staff. It's potluck and I figured I'd like to try this recipe from Food Network Magazine. As you know by now, these recipes are rarely followed exactly, so there are some modifications.

Dressing:
1 clove garlic (I used 2)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (I used one garden tomato)
3 T red wine vinegar
1/4 c fresh basil
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
(I also added a little garlic salt)

** Begin boiling pasta before starting sauce
1. Boil garlic in a small sauce pan for 2 minutes (I sauteed instead)
2. Add garlic to the blender with cherry tomatoes, vinegar and basil-- puree until smooth
3. With motor running, slowly add oil
4. Season with s&p

Salad
salt&pepper
8 oz. campanelle or fusilli (4 cups) ( I used radiatore)
1 small zucchini ( I used garden cucumber)
1.5 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1 c. halved bocconcini-- mozzarella balls (I cut up fresh mozzarella)
1/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds (I used salted/roasted almonds and chopped)
1/2 c. fresh basil thinly sliced

1. Cook pasta until al dente, strain, and rinse.
2. Add sauce to pasta
3. Shave zucchini into strips (I just thinly sliced cukes and quartered) and add to salad
4. Add tomatoes, mozzarella, nuts, basil, and toss
5. Add s & p and serve immediately or refrigerate up to 6 hours (I don't know what happens after that).
*Bring to room temp. first before serving.

Color's a little off, but the dressing is a beautiful red. This is straight up Italy.

Fish and Crash Hot Potatoes

Thanks to three people: Pinterest Inventor, Pioneer Woman, and, One of my favorite people in the world, Mr. X's grandpa. He's so funny and makes me wish my grandpa was still around. I thank these people because they made this dinner delish. Gramps always gives us some treats: garden tomato plants, apples from his tree, and the best treat-- fish from the Mississippi. Tonight was one of my favorite ways of preparing the fish.
(Note: remember to begin with the potatoes since they take longer. I would go back and change the order, but it's time to watch Dexter Season 6)

Needs:
1/2 small onion
4-5 garlic cloves
2 T. olive oil
1/2 lemon
about a pound of fish
salt
pepper
garlic salt

Warm up the oil and saute onion and garlic for a few minutes.
Add fish and squeeze lemon on top
Sprinkle sea salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
Flip after a few minutes and re-season.

One more flip and ready to eat

The second part of this meal is where I take off my No Fear hat to the Pioneer Woman. I like her food because it's Mr. X's style. This recipe is for Crash Hot Potatoes. Now, as I always change recipes and can never follow them. I turned these into Broccoli Cheese Crash Hot Potatoes.

Needs:
potatoes- as many as you need
generous amount of oil
salt
pepper
herbs
adaptation version : frozen broccoli and shredded cheddar cheese

1. Boil baby reds until they're tender-- about 20-30 minutes
2. Preheat oven to 450
3. oil the bottom of a cookie sheet
4. Smash the potatoes with a potato masher (just press down lightly, too hard will throw potato everywhere---whoops)
5. Brush the top of the potato with oil
6. Season with salt and pepper
7. Use fresh herbs- I skipped this step. PW used rosemary
8. Bake for 15 minutes
9. Add broccoli on potatoes- Bake 5 more minutes
10. Add cheddar cheese- Bake 1-2 minutes until melts

I apologize for photo quality. But dinner time was 7pm tonight and I was so hungry, I forgot to take another pic

This is what they should look like:

Source. Much better- Thanks again Pioneer Woman

Alphabet Autobiography

Since I am having my creative writing students begin with an autobiography book that is 26 pages and because a teacher must sometimes be a student, I thought I'd do a few paragraphs and create some alphabet autobiography posts. Here's A & B.

A: Automobile Accident
Now, I've heard this story a number of times. I find it hysterical, however, Mom finds it embarrassing, scary, and sad. Against what you may believe, I was a girly girl until about eight. I would wear dresses, big bows, and matching jewelry. On my birthday, I was "dolled" up even more. According to my aunt, when she showed up at the house for my soiree, I wasn't in my usual garb. Instead I had a tear-streaked face, and holy jeans that were covered in blood. Poor, poor Mom. She realized she didn't have ice cream for cake time and had to run to the grocery store quick. Now, you must remember this is the 80s. As she turned the corner, the door swung open and I flew out. Since I'm about as strong as Rambo, Van Damme,  Schwarzenegger, or any fitting man from The Expendables, I held on to that car door for my life. And because of my super-human strength, I lived to see another day. I'm pretty sure I wasn't even close to death, considering it was 20 mph, but still. It sounds a little tougher.

Not actual photo, although it's completely realistic. Source.

B: Bawling

When my youngest brother was born, I did what any great big sissy would do...I cried in my room for about three days. I had my heart set on having a little sister. One I would be able to bond with, dress up with, compete against, and be a leader to. Ok, let's be honest. I just wanted someone else who would have to wear a dress and aforementioned bows the size of her head. I envisioned us in high school, driving a convertible, (please, I wasn't exactly realistic at 4 years old) on double dates. I was also tall and skinny in the future self. Only to have my dreams smashed by having another little brother. Poor kid, he was bullied before he was even born.

And those are my little brothers-- not so little

Attack of the Birds

I need to begin with the fact that I HATE birds. I guess FEAR birds may be a little more appropriate and accurate. Stupidly, I got a hummingbird feeder. Friends have said that it is extremely entertaining watching the birds fight over the food. Now, this is where things get dangerous. We have a peaked, vaulted roof and there is nowhere to really hang the feeder for me to watch it. So, I set it on a table near the deck doors for viewing purposes. One of my summer pastimes, is reading on the deck in the sun. 

Here I am, sitting on the deck reading The Omnivore's Dilemma and minding my own business when I hear a noise that is only synonymous with a World War Two Bomber plane. And when I terrifyingly looked up, I saw this enormous hummingbird with a beak similar to a sharpened skewer made for poking out eyes or stabbing temples.

Now, when I go on the deck, I go with back up: Leonard. His new hobby includes attacking hummingbirds-- he is currently 0 for 100. 

But, those of you who do like hummingbirds, I found a very tasty recipe online. One part sugar, 4 parts water. So I boil 4 cups of water and stir in one cup of sugar. Let it cool and fill up the feeder. Make sure to clean the feeder and never add dyes since the feeder is already colorful. You don't want to introduce chemicals into the killers' (hummingbirds') diets.

Monday Marinara and Meatballs

I have FINALLY created a marinara sauce that I can make and continue to make that was delicious...and quite simple. Since I spent my morning on Pinterest, I had a tasty meatball recipe to join. The best part is, I didn't have to go to the store for anything. Yay! Also, some of the spices/herbs is about since I don't measure a lot.

I made the meatballs first and while they cooked, I whipped up the sauce.

Meatballs: (Thanks to Pinterest via Bonnie Leino)

1 lb. burger (I used ground sirloin)

2 eggs

1/2 c. milk (whisked with the eggs)

1/2 c. Parmesan, grated

1 c.  Kellogg's bread crumbs

1 small onion

2 gloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. oregano

1 t. salt 

pepper

1/4 c. fresh basil

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Mold into golf-ball sizes.

Fresh out of the oven

Marinara:

2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
2 T olive oil
1 T. sugar
1 T. parsley
1 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. oregano
1/4 t. basil (If I had fresh, I would've loved to use it. I blame the meatballs)
pepper
1/8 c. parmesan

Bubble Bubble Bubble

Heat oil and saute onion and garlic.
While sauteing, add other ingredients in a blender (or food processor, mine was too small)
Add sauteed onions and garlic to blender mixture
Blend
Heat on stove for 15-20 minutes, add 1/8 c. parmesan
Once the meatballs were done, I added them to the sauce and let it simmer for 10 minutes for a little added flavor.

Mr. X really liked this sauce and I froze the remainder for a busy weeknight meal now that school is beginning for me on Wednesday. I was able to fill a quart and a half bag of sauce.
This was quite cheap, except for the sirloin that was about 4 dollars.

Buon appetito! Look, Mr. X's hand

And best of all? A cold glass of Vanilla Almond Milk to wash it down. Or as Mr. X calls it, almond juice since almonds don't have teets.

Blast from the Past

I think as a weekly theme, I'd like to post a favorite memory of the past. Or, not necessarily favorite, but something quite vivid.

Here's #1: The First Stitches

At four years old, I was destined to be a gymnast. I would jump and somersault off the old-fashioned radiator. My younger brother was drinking juice out of a baby bottle ( at two? What a loser) and I desperately needed a sip since I had been sweating and burning calories from tumbling and practicing my routines in the living room, my gym. As he was the youngest at the time and quite stingy, he failed to give me any of his drink. I know I said juice earlier, but it probably was Kool Aid.

As any dehydrated four year old athlete would do, I brought in my intimidation factor. By beating on my chest and threatening to kill him, he was sure to give in. Instead of my terrible two brother folding, he wound up and whipped that bottle at me.

Straight shot to my oversized Finnish dome and sliced open my forehead. And then, I was off to the emergency room. Sadly, I do not have a picture of this, but maybe this will be close: a bleeding gymnast who earns gold.

This is graphic, yet accurate. Notice all of that authentic blood. My main injury was the head, but my ankle also hurt.

Youth Novel Review

This month I read two young adult novels-- one good, one not so good.

First up: 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Source

First off, I took a pledge to read books before I see the movies. And... you should too: Read It First. This book is coming out in 2013 and I've heard that it's an amazing YA novel. There are definitely mixed reviews, but I'm all in support of this book. It's about a young girl who commits suicide and leaves behind a trail of audio tapes. We see the story through two people's eyes: the deceased girl (Hannah) and Clay (a classmate and friend). He receives the tapes and we hear all of the events and the things people do to Hannah to push her to suicide.

Now, some argue that the plot is unbelievable. These things would really cause a girl to kill herself? And I say, you never know what goes on in someone's head. Bullying and teasing happened to me as a kid and I'm sure you too. It probably happened to most. When the bullying happens, our personalities take over. It affects some and not others. When my 5th grade boy classmates (and brothers) teased me for wearing men's jeans and slicking back my ponytail with a sweet, and I repeat, sweet No Fear hat, I did as Jay Z told me to. I went ahead and got that dirt of my shoulders, I surely brushed them off (Thanks JayZ; I owe you one). So what sent Hannah Baker over the edge may not have sent others. Who are we to judge? Well, I guess a reading audience, but characters become more than characters to me while I'm reading. I thought the book was so great I ordered it for my freshmen this year.

It will take you a day to read this and you won't want to put it down. Plus, it brings up everything you may come across in high school: depression, bullying, partying, school, teachers, etc. It's the perfect high school read. Also, now I can go see the movie in 2013.

Next: Fade by Lisa McMann

Source

This is another young adult novel. My colleague once told me she read somewhere that "adults should read more young adult novels and vice versa" (Source). And to an extent, I agree. Sometimes we forget what it was like to be 16 or 17 years old. How dramatic it REALLY was when a boyfriend dumped you. It felt like life was actually over and no one would love you the same. I mean c'mon. You have to be understanding. Also, between coaching, teaching, reading endless essays, planning, cleaning, cooking, and yearbooking, who has time to read heavy material? Hunger Games please.

Anyway, this book is first in a trilogy. I do not read a series of books, ever. I've tried and just can't do it. Twilight, read 1-3. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, read 1-2. Hunger Games, just one. I. Just. Can't. Do. It. (**coughs 50 Shades of Grey 1-2** cough)

Back on track, Wake is about a young girl named Janie who can enter others' dreams. Now, I just really like this idea; it was really intriguing. When people near her fall asleep, she joins their dream which dominates her life. She can't sleep when she's in another's dream. The story and idea are good. However, the writing is terrible. The story is told in 3rd person present tense, which makes it feel completely summarized or something causing the reader to have a distance from the characters since it's some omniscient God-like creature narrating. Odd. In addition to the narration, the sentences are so choppy. Really choppy. One word. Maybe Two. See? It's strange.

I think my students may like this more since they are not necessarily a critical audience, some are, but not most. They may like the teen romance, the mystery, and the fantasy-like qualities. There are unnecessary cussing interjections as well. A simple and believable "oh crap" would be more suitable then some kid screaming "oh F&^%#!" Sometimes the reactions characters had were also unrealistic. This book took about three days for me to read. Not because it was difficult, but I got so mad at McMann for her writing style; it kept me apart from the characters and getting emotionally involved. Disappointment. If you want to read, please don't buy and just ask for my copy. It's in my classroom library. Also, if any of you darling readers want to donate any old/used books to my library, I'll give you a big hug or kiss or air high five or make cookies. :)