From Wisconsin to Montana

I recently had a brilliant idea. I wanted to go on a vacation to see my brother, who I haven't seen since Xmas. We're talkin' 8 months which is a really long time for us, considering he is the male version of me. I waited until last minute to book my airline tickets and they were ridiculously expensive. They were up to 800 dollars. I tried everything: Wednesdays, different airports, so my mom suggested we drive together. It was going to take 23ish hours. Here's the detail for today:

Wake up: 5AM
Drive to Minneapolis (4 hours)
After 5 hours, I gave the wheel to my mom and after 3 hours, I started to feel carsick. Also, I'm a control freak and didn't like letting my Italian mother who talks with her hands driving the car. (My half car which is a 2 door Yaris). Then I drove from 3PM to 10 PM through North Dakota and now we're in Montana! Yay

This is driving through North Dakota. Farm. Farm. Farm

This is a roadside stop near the badlands right when leaving N. Dakota.

Badlands, baby

Since I'm exhausted after a 15 hour day driving, I'm headed to bed. wiped. Food was a interesting--a 15 hour picnic: crackers, PBJs, hard boiled eggs, cheese, milk, veggies & dip, bananas, yogurt, pop, water, coffee, Pringles, and roast beef sandwiches. It's strange. I'm pretty sure that is more than I would ever eat in a 15 hour period at home. My mouth was bored so I also had to occupy with sunflower seeds.

Alrighty, 12 hour day tomorrow and we.are.in.washington.

Opera-in-the-Park Raspberry Bars (Penzeys)

My cousin just got married yesterday and as a wonderful, helpful cousin, I offered to make a dessert for the treat table. I had a recipe that I tore out of a Penzey's catalogue for raspberry bars and they were quite delish. And as I am very clumsy, they never made it to the wedding. On our way, I realized I forgot to put on deodorant, only to have to turn around (too quickly since we were late) and when Mr. X turned that wheel, the bars went flying and landed on the floor of the truck. I at least got to taste them and they were delectable. Sorry Mom for picking all those berries. This was about 5 hours of lost time between the berry-picking and bar-making.

Must Haves:

Crumb Layers
1 1/2 c. oats (old-fashioned)
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Filling
3 1/2 c. raspberries
2 T raspberry enlightenment (did not have this, sorry Penzeys)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. oats
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon


1. In a bowl, mix crumb ingredients.
2. Press 2/3 of mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
3. In a saucepan, combine filling ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Preheat oven to 350.
5. Remove from heat and let cool until slightly warm.
6. Spread filling over the bottom layer in the pan.
7. Top with remaining crumb mixture.
8. Bake for 40 minutes, until center bubbles (I had to bake 50 minutes).

Nutrition: serves 24
1 bar: 230 cal, 9 fat, 20mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 35g carb, 2g dietary fiber, 2g protein

Cost: $11.50 (That's if berries are about $3). This probably cost me about $1.50 since my mom picked raspberries from her yard for me to make these.

Crazy.

This "Call Me Maybe" song will not stop following me. Every time I hear it, it reminds me of my 4th hour English class I had last year. It was mainly boys and they were singing and dancing to this (11th graders, by the way). I thought it was stupid. Now, three months later I'm still hearing this song and it has grown on me and I constantly catch myself dancing to this song. This is where your imagination should run wild with me doing the running man, hokey pokey, any other dorky dance.

Go ahead. Listen. I dare you. Addiction will ensue. Or, maybe I have that inner teeny bopper that will never fully leave the pop music genre.

How about you? What's your embarrassing song?

Zucchini Bread Done Right

My friend Re has zucchini comin' our her ears from her garden and she just posted roughly one million ideas on what to do with all that green. I recieved one zucchini from my boyfriend's mom and going out of town, I knew Mr. X would let that thing rot. So, I decided to make some bread. Thanks Eating Well.

Needs:
3/4 c low fat milk (I used Slender Soy vanilla)
2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1/3 cup canola oil (I used light olive oil)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. shredded zucchini (1 large)
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (I eliminated this)
1/2 c. chocolate chips (I used dark)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large bowl, mix milk, eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla
3. add zucchini
4. In another bowl, mix  flour, powder, cinnamon.
5. Combine bowls and fold in choc. chips.
6. Bake for 1 hour in a greased bread pan (9x5)

Yum Yum: the chocolate chips give it that sweet, indulgent factor

Look at all that color

12 slices: nutrition per slice: 229 calories; 9 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 32 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 16 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 209 mg sodium; 134 mg potassium.
Cost: about $4 if you have most ingredients at home. I got the zucchini for free and had chocolate chips in the freezer (such a yummy snack)

50 Shades Greyer

Here is a review of 50 Shades Darker/Dumber written by the one and only Leonard, Shanny's cat.. Beware, spoiler alert. I'll be letting the cat out of the bag, haha. If only they'd let me do stand up. This review is as ridiculous as the book. Here is a picture of me as I delve into what chicks all over are claiming to be the best. book. ever.

I'm so hot. Resemblance of Christian Grey? I think so.

This is me after beginning 50 Shades Greyer/Darker. If you can't keep a cat interested, how you gon' keep the ladies around E.L. James?

So this the second book, the runner up, numero dos. However, I did feel it was the better of the two. I will not be reading the third; I've become too cynical. Who is every going to listen to a hardened, sarcastic cat? I get my butt whooped all the time as it is. Rural Wisconsin neighborhoods are rough.

This crap begins with Ana and Christian reuniting, thank the heavenly Feline. I have separation anxiety, so I was a bit scared that this true love thing was a hoax. No worries. I was wrong. 

The plot thickens quite a bit in this book. There are a number of hoops for Ana&Christian to jump through (AnaChrist, you know, like Bennifer, I saw it in People magazine while jumping on the coffee table. I don't know why Shanny doesn't subscribe to Cat Fancy. It's the best). Back to the hoops. AnaChrist has to dodge a crazy ex-sub Leila with her concealed weapons permit, her attempted suicide, and her love for Christian. A love so strong she may even harm our dear Ana. In addition to Leila, there is Mrs. Robinson who is always popping up--Christian's ex and first lover. Also, Ana's crazy boss. I wonder why everyone wants to rape/harm this girl???? It must be her sexy CATwalk.

Now, I may just be used to my owner, Shanny, who is always yelling, doing push ups, lifting weights, and wearing Birkenstocks (she really is the cat's meow), but I feel like Ana is a bit of a puss (no offense female kitties). She's very insecure and quite immature. I'll be three this August. I know maturity. My whiskers are beginning to thicken and my mew is quite deep. However, Ana in her shaky, hesitant stature somehow manages to kick some butt in this book. Really E.L. James? Really? I don't buy it. I'd take her down and I don't even have claws.

Another one of Ana's excellent characteristics is her constantly questioning and talking to the reader. I'm a fricken cat. I can't give advice and stop it with the inquisition. She must have never heard that curiosity killed the cat.

Now, my question is: why does she want to be with Christian? He seems quite mean. I can understand a bit since Shanny is always yelling at me to get off the table, stop crying, stay outside, come home, eat, drink water, stop shedding, etc. I love her so much-- what a beauty. But, she also pets me, hugs me (gives me my lovins), carries me around, cooks with me, and gives me a hat for my birthday every year. Oh. my.God. Shanny IS Christian Grey. She does resemble this man quite a bit: a powerful job (teacher), rich (teacher), beautiful, stunning, controlling, and most of all, her big muscles. Wow, I'm speechless at this realization. Looks like cat's cut my tongue. Or, I...cut...my..tongue?? Idioms confuse me.

Never mind, I renege on my question. I completely understand why they're together. She loves him and he protects her.... hold on. I can smell the sweet treat of Fancy Feast.

I'm back and full, yum. Salmon dinner flavor. The gel is the best part. So yea, Ana and Christian. There is also a pregnancy scare, which I could never understand. In the cat world, there are no scares, just hopes of a big litter.

But, the once again, that plot: Christian goes missing in a helicopter. Man I wish I could fly. How great. Hell, I wish I could walk on two legs like Shanny. Anyway, of course I'm not worried, because if he died, there wouldn't be a third book. Unless, it's about how Ana becomes a crazy cat lady, like Shanny. Then, that would be fantastic. I would definitely read that. But, 50 Shades Darker/Greyer/Dumber is as far as I will go. I plan to use this book if my litter box gets too full. 

My last few comments/questions are about the sex theme? Doesn't it seem a bit...what's the word...redundant? Plus, I'm not sure the point of it if there isn't going to be a litter. Although, I guess not everyone in the neighborhood wants a bunch of feral cats peeing on their azaleas. 

And finally the last few pieces of drama involve Mrs. Robinson. I'm not sure why she is suddenly so involved, but her blonde hair is always purrfect. How nice. And the last, tree-limb dangler, a man sits watching the engagement party and is ready to attack. We assume it's that publisher guy. I mean, come on meow. Like a professional editor is going to throw away the rest of his life to purrrrsue and kill the Greys. I should have continued on with my catnap and never finished this book. I need to really wake up and smell the catnip; these books I have been reading are dog crap.
I hope you avoid it like a bath. Ridic.

A Meat and Potatoes Man

Shepard's pie is this insanely delicious, 50s style meal that the English came up with. This meat pie typically has lamb, gravy, and mashed potatoes--creating the perfect northern meal. Since Super One doesn't have a large supply of lamb, I used ground beef. This can be also coined as Cottage Pie. This is a Shannon Recipe which means things are measured in abouts, maybes, pinches, heaps, etc. Sorry, I don't measure. You can look up a true Shepherd's Pie, but that's definitely not what this is. So, for the Shan version, follow along:

Here's what 'cha need:
* 2 lb. baby red potatoes-chopped
* a few splashes of milk (for mashed potatoes)

* butter for potatoes about a tablespoon or more if you like buttery potatoes

* half of a large yellow onion

* 4-5 cloves of garlic (depending on your love for garlic)

* a good sized pinch of rosemary, parsley, thyme, pepper

* 1 lb. of ground beef 

* 2 c. chopped and thawed frozen dinner veggies (green beans, zucchini, broccoli, squash, cauliflower, carrots, peas, tomatoes)-- really whatever you have leftover/in the freezer
* 1 1/4 c. water mixed with a heaping tsp. of beef better than bouillon base)
* 4-5 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (I always add cheese)
* a few splashes of olive oil
* a good tablespoon of flour

I'm pretty sure my picture is missing a few things: cheddar, milk, spices, potatoes-- I'm super super organized, but when it comes to the kitchen, I'm rushed, disheveled, and always put my apron on AFTER I spill something.

Whatcha do:

1. Start by making your mashed potatoes: add them to boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes-- until tender enough your fork slips right through one of them. Once cooked, drain and mash with butter and milk/cream. Set aside
2. Preheat oven to 400
3. As potatoes are boiling, saute onion about 1-2 minute and then add garlic, then spices (rosemary, thyme, pepper)
4. Add beef and brown, until no longer pink
5. add veggies-- cook a few minutes to absorb some flava'
6. sprinkle on flour and mix in
7. add broth and let thicken ( I wish I had dry red win to use, mmm)
8. Once thick, place on the bottom of a 2 q baking dish (I used circle, but of course there is no prejudice against the equal sided)
9. Layer on mashed potatoes
10. Sprinkle top with cheddar and parsley
11. Bake until a crisp mashed potato forms (about 30-40 minutes).

Before

After (hey, my pics are starting to improve)

I served this by itself; it already has everything: starch, protein, veg. I did go that "extra mile" and pour a glass of milk for Mr. X. He does work long days after all.

Never mind, we're back to blurry. Also,  how do you like my grandma's kitchen cottage plates? This is why people get married- for nice plates.

Voila!
This makes about 5-6 (small), 4 (large) or 2 (teenaged-boy size) servings.
Bang for your buck: $8ish and that's probably high. I usually buy my ground sirloin in family packs so it works out to about $3 a pound. I also got the veggies on sale for $1. This works out to $1.50-4 a plate depending on who is eating and how much. We definitely had leftovers for two. So if you have a hungry family of four, I suggest you buy some more meat (and potatoes of course) or serve with a few side dishes and you'll be ok.

Calories/fat: 2361/94.42 in the whole container. I didn't account for splashes of milk, spices, garlic...this is a rough estimate. Depending on servings, you do the math :)

Friends. Funs. Floating

Dorothy form Wizard of Oz once said, "Oh, you're the best friends anybody ever had. And it's funny, but I feel as if I'd known you all the time, but I couldn't have, could I?" And this exactly how I felt this weekend while hanging out with my good pal E$ and her best friends from high school--she insisted I protect her identity. Most of us went to college together and we had a great girls weekend involving food, friends, fun, swimming, sun, smiles, and of course sparkling grape juice. There were a total of 9 girls and most people may think that there would be drama, but not with these chicks.  Instead, I felt like I was with some best friends because they were so inviting and most importantly, hilarious. 

Picture this: a group of girls with a bunch of personalities...

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no.no.no....not the hot British band from the 90s. But, if we were the spice girls, I would definitely have been Baby spice, because of my daintiness. In reality, I'm sure I'd be voted Scary Spice (mostly because no one wants to be her).


And the destination goes a little like this:

Source This isn't the exact cottage, but this is a pic from Gogebic Lodge's site

Now, I know what you're thinking: quaint, cute, nestled....but it was a little more like this


Imagine if you rounded up every bug you've come across in your life along with a jumble of spider/cob webs. Now decorate those delights with a garage-sale themed lodge decorated in Christmas-themed pinecone baskets, couches from Grandma's, Navajo clocks, a flat screen TV (weird, I know), deck chairs from '85, fruit-inspired curtains, and don't forget Aunt Edna's styled table cloths. The average city girl may be taken aback by this hodge podge, dirty lodge, but not us Northern girls. We trekked along, made the best of it and had a delight of a picnic: beer dip, bagel dip, ham rolls, "fruit salad", pizzas, pinwheels, cheesecake, cookies, chips, salsa, eggs, ham, bagels, and the list goes on. 

Now, as a girl growing up in the upper peninsula of Michigan, coined The U.P., we are used to this sort of situation. Most families have hunting camps:

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Hunting camps have a couple of purposes: hunting, drinking, hunting, drinking, and drinking. This northern way is what makes "camp" such a great place to be. The decor also involves a garage-sale themed motif including deer mounts of skulls, antlers, some fish, a gas stove, a generator, an outhouse, flies, dirt, dust, dirt, dust, flies, ticks, spiders, and of course wood floors and bunk beds. However, there are some "nice" camps that have running water. 


So, to get back from my rant, us Northern girls are tough (t.u.f.f.) and we can handle the dirt and grime. What we CANNOT handle is a poorly-managed, rude staff. The people at Gogebic Lodge were unfriendly, rude, and unorganized. So, please, if you ever plan a girls weekend, stay away from this place unless you would like some stories to tell and laugh about at others' expenses, then book away. However, to do that, you'll need to send a check via snail mail and call because most likely they'll lose your reservation in a number of the books that they keep. Computers are a thing of the past at Gogebic Lodge.


In spite of the place, we had a great time and it was definitely a bonding experience for me with girls I haven't hung out with in ages. Now, if you are one of those females that would rather hang out with your boyfriend/husband all the time and never get away, please get a life and a flock of girls and plan a getaway because it's exactly what I needed. Warning: you will need to sleep a full day after, rest your abs (a lot of laughing) as well as exercise to expunge of the extra calories.

Food Matters (Just love this title)

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Food Matters is a great, important book that I read last summer. My friend Travis lent this to me and I reread it this summer and it's a nice reference to put in your cookbook rack in the kitchen. This book delves into topics such as global warming and other problems (obesity, crappy lifestyles, junk food, those terrible processes carbs, and overeating meat/animal products).

This reference also gives you a meal plan (which has a myriad of meals to choose from) as well as recipes that were quite simple. The nice thing about his advice is that there are rules, no counting, figuring, logging, adding, anything that can take over people's lives, especially mine since I can have that neurotic, type A personality.

Now, at almost-27 (already?? oh my Bob), I'm not really looking to "drop my cholesterol" or any of those other problems that begin in your 30s/40s. I hope. I do want to lose that extra weight that has been lingering since college and that half marathon will be a lot easier once I fall under that 200 mark. So, I have adapted this guide for that past couple of weeks. My inner spazzzzz has also kept logging calories, but for the average person without a neuroses, I suggest you just follow the guide. His plan involves eating vegetarian/vegan all day and then at dinner having some meat. Also, stay organic whenever possible and always make sure to stay away from those nasty simple carbs. You know, the "stuff" teenagers nosh on all day: poptarts, soda (or as we say in the north--pop) cheetos, blowpops, white bread, pretzels, chips, etc. You smellin' what I'm steppin' in?

Now, not only are your choices helping your body, but they're helping our planet as well. 

This decision has also helped out my wallet. Since my contribution to the house is buying groceries, my billfold is a little thicker. For example, I used to buy steaks; Mr. X digs his rib eyes. So I would buy two rib eyes at $7.99/lb  (and that's usually the sale price). Between the two of us our steaks would cost about $12, if not more. I will never become a vegetarian, but  I will cut back and always eat steak! Now I buy one large steak and eat a small portion of his and fill up my plate with veggies (now totaling $9)-- so, you can always have your steak and it it too :)

A typical day involves oatmeal and berries (sometimes chocolate chips if I'm feeling naughty), a salad at lunch with every veggie I can fit on the plate as well as some greek yogurt. I usually have a hunger pain a few hours later and eat some nuts and a piece of fruit and then I'm ready for dinner and the options are endless there. I'm losing about a pound or two a week and it's been stress free-- the best!

Also, if you "Don't read; therefore, you don't rule,"  you can always watch the documentary. Either way, it's interesting and maybe you'll make some changes or find new recipes you'd like to check out.

Running. Well, Jogging. Actually, Wogging.

As I said before, I'm training for a half marathon on the 13th of October. I "ran" one two years ago and it was terrible, claiming I'd never escalate my walking pace again. Well, here now two years later I signed up again. My first official day to start training isn't until the 22nd (this Sunday). In preparation for this big day, I wanted to make sure I could at least run three miles. I've been doing it in 32-34 minutes (walk/run) and have not been able to run all the way through. My pace, I must mention, is very slow as I weigh a lot and my sprints in high school were obsolete. I think I ran the mile in 7:14 in 8th grade, pretty sure I was on the verge of passing out. You get the hint. I'm heading out of town for a girls' weekend today and figured I would attempt 3 miles one more time. It went like this:

Whew! Exhausted. How long have I been running? Check watch: hmm 4:30 (that's minutes and seconds of course). Check watch again, 5:05. Suddenly, my body took a break and didn't even ask my mind if I was ready. I suddenly noticed I was walking.

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      Not Fast, must I mention

I let myself walk for one minute and forward I went. I made it up the hill and assumed I could run down it. I did. Yay! Then onward: watch check? 10:15. I've been running for 5 more minutes. I am so awesome. And this is where things get horrific.  A fox ran out of the woods onto the road. (I also had realized I hadn't run 5 minutes, just since I walked. Damn). Back to this fox; it stared at me and I figured "I can't possibly run UP this hill with that fox guarding it like Didymus protecting the bridge to The Eternal Bog of Stench (Labyrinth anyone?)" So I took a hard left and ran down the hill and went the wrong way. Now I was faced with a 90 degree hill that I had to climb. Why? Why me?

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Up the hill I went while repeating the I Am Awesome mantra. Now, as I reached the top, gasping for air and looking like I had just surfaced from drowning, I spotted two young guys. I wanted this run to appear effortless so instead of running, I walked hoping to pass with ease and of course, looking striking. I'm pretty sure the only way I appeared effortless and striking was because I was wearing see-through capris with bright pink underpants and a cut off bright orange shirt. Foraging on. Crap, another hill. Running up yet another hill, I felt I deserved a break. I began walking again when my next obstacle appeared. This was beginning to be quite a quest. Who am I Odysseus? Then I saw it. A giant Boston Terrier. He looked vicious and maybe...rabid? 

This wild boar began chasing me: good. I needed a little motivation. Once out of the monster's reach.... I quit. I just wasn't cut out for the conquest anymore. Forget it. I'll never be a runner, or a jogger, just a wogger. I walked the last half mile home and thought, "This must be one of those runners' lows." Screw it; I'll wait 'til Monday.

We'll see what happens on Monday.

Best. Crust. Ever.

This is a picture of my favorite pizza crust I came across. I can thank Kyle Phillips from About.com for the delicious crust recipe. Very, very simple, no fructose, and extremely tasty. Just make sure you make it about an hour ahead to let it rise properly. This makes 2 crusts.

Needs:
3 1/2 c. flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast (1/4 oz)
1/4 t. salt
1 1/3 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 T olive oil

Doing:
1. Pour water in a bowl and sprinkle yeast on top, stir, and let it get semi-bubbly. Let sit 10 min.
2. Mix flour and salt in another bowl
3. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture
4. Add oil
5. Knead for 6-10 minutes ( I usually last about 7).
6. Coat dough in olive oil and coat, yet another bowl in oil. Cover with Saran Wrap and let sit for an hour to rise and double in size. ( Yes, I know it rhymes. Me= lyrical gangsta)
7. Mold onto your pan
             add your favorite sauce (I usually blend tomatoes, garlic, basil, sugar, and salt)
             add cheese and topping
(Pictured above I have fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, prosciutto, and basil)
Bake at 475 for only 15 minutes.
This is by far my favorite pizza; it reminds me of Italy sans wood oven. The fresh mozzarella is much stretchier and watery, but this pizza tastes fresh, chewy, and amazing.

I'm going to say this crust probably costs $1 (not even). The yeast is about a quarter and the flour is cheap. This makes 2 pizza crusts, which you could freeze. Now, much cheaper than getting a $5 Boboli crust from the supermarket.

Fall Harvest Muffins

{Again, do not judge photo abilities} This photo was taken awhile ago, but I made these yummy muffins again. I must be eagerly waiting for Fall.

Can you spot my Neti pot in the background. Obviously it was fall because I always get a sinus infection from the germs of my darlings. Also, a gatorade, interesting. What can you spy? My amateur food photos can be fun and entertaining.

These muffins are a great breakfast food at 404 calories, but since this time I eliminated the topping, it is somewhat less of an indulgence. If you would like, eliminate nuts and substitute apple sauce for some of the butter. This will make it a healthier treat. Also, if you do not have all of the spices, just make sure you have the cinnamon and use what you have.These are thick, soft, crunchy and filling--everything one would want in a muffin. There are a lot of ingredients and can be a bit time consuming, but worth every minute. (Just imagine sitting on the deck with a piping hot cup of coffee, your Fall Harvest Muffin, and a brisk breeze-- sounds like a perfect Saturday morning before I'm forced to watch college football all day:)

Fall Harvest Muffins (recipe taken from our local newspaper: The Daily Globe)

What you'll need:

Topping                                                    

4 T butter, softened

1/4 c flour

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 c oats

pinch of salt

Muffins

1 c. flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1.5 t baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

1/2 t. allspice

1/4 t. cardamom

1/4 t. ground clove

1/2 t. salt

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3/4 c. butter, melted, cooled

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 c. canned pumpkin

1 apple (peeled, cored, grated)--3/4c. (I used Red Delicious)

1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)-- save on calories

1/2 c. craisins

Whew! Now what to do:

1. Preheat oven 375

2. Mix all topping ingredients and set aside (I skipped this because it was unnecessary and added unnecessary calories)

3. In a medium bowl, mix flours, baking powder, soda, spices, and salt.

4. In a large bowl, whisk butter and brown sugar

5. Whisk in egg and vanilla

6. Add pumpkin

7. Gently and thoroughly add/mix dry ingredients to wet ingredients. 

8. Add apple, pecans, cranberries

9. Divide into muffins pan (which I sprayed with olive oil-- thanks ReRe for the olive sprayer thingy)

10. If you so wish, add the topping at this point.

11. Bake 20-25 minutes

Makes 12 muffins

404 cal; 20 g fat (!!! eliminate nuts and substitute some applesauce for butter); 53 carbs, 5 protein, 5 fiber

These are the totals if muffins made according to original directions.

I'd say these would run about $8.50 to make, considering you have the spices. Just make sure you get the apple, nuts, pumpkin, and craisins, but it would be tasty if you were missing any ingredients. That's a whopping .70 per muffin-- take that Starbucks morning muffin. Invite a friend over for "breakfast." The muffin and coffee may cost you a total of $1 and you can spend a great morning with a friend eating a homemade treat.

I read; therefore, I rule

I try to read as much as possible in the summer because I'm way too busy in the school year with basketball and grading papers and reading the novels I must teach to my little darlings. I think I read one book last January. Anyway, my latest summer reads and current reads are as follows:

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Now, I know this is completely old and the movie has been out since I was in high school, but I just finished Bridget Jones's Diary today. I loved this book. It was sarcastic, funny, and always made me feel good about myself that I wasn't obsessed with weighing myself everyday or using words like arse and bloody. If you haven't read it, I suggest it if you have a day of boredom.

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I finished this yesterday. It's a story about a young boy who can talk to wolves and he is on a quest. I'll be teaching this to my 7th graders this year and it was a really cute, quick easy read (of course, it's for 7th graders). It's a bit long, but the words are large and when told through the eyes of the wolf cub, it's absolutely adorable. If you have a couple days and want to read, I suggest you pick up a copy--so cute. The kids consider it a "page turner."

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This book I read in high school, but as I'm also teaching this to 7th graders, I had to re-read it. It never fails that some male sports team always dye their hair blonde. My brothers did it in high school and the kids at my last school I taught in did this and all I could think was that they all looked like a bunch of Ponyboys on the run..? Anyway, if you haven't read this "classic," then you're missing out. It's the story of two rival gangs told through the p.o.v of a gangster (not really in my eyes, but maybe to the middle school youth). It's very good and will only take a few days and you'll find yourself saying "Let's do it for Johnny, man."

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Now, I've read all of Chelsea's other books and my favorite was My Horizontal Life. That was funny. As the books went on, I felt she was running out of material and getting ridiculous. Trusting advice from a friend that this was HILARIOUS, I downloaded it and was extremely disappointed. I found myself empathetically smiling. It wasn't funny; it was dull and I immediately wanted my money back. But, maybe you'll feel different and side with my friend who recommended it.

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I borrowed this book from my friend Nicole as she suggested it was a great read from college. I started it this past winter and had to put it down. I was reading/had read too many dystopian novels that outraged me and had me swearing I would turn into a robot or some other futuristic cyborg. This is a story in the future where women have no rights, become vessels to impregnate, are not allowed to speak, and have no money, jobs, etc. Quite scary, but a very good read. Once I had some time away from Fahrenheit 451 and Hunger Games, I was able to pick this back up and finish it in one night.

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Another lend from my bestie Nicole, aka ReRe. This was hilarious. I read it in two days and I can't really summarize because it's not really about anything other than her life and it was quite funny, which leads me to my next funny, quirky read:

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Now, Re claims this one wasn't as funny, but I thought it was equally funny if not funnIER. Again, a novel about her life and all the oddities and quirks she has. Another "coupla day" read.

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Since I LOVE The Wizard of Oz I figured I would love this book. It tricked me by bringing up Dorothy within the first couple of pages, but she really isn't in this book. It took me months to get into it. I probably started it in February and was able to finish it in June by reading it only at night for ten minutes before I began drooling and snoring. Not my favorite read, but also not my genre. I will see the musical next summer and join everyone in saying, "Well, the musical was awesome." This of course is from people who are unaware that it is even a book.

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This book took me about three hours to read since it is a young adult book, which is a genre I'm trying to get into a little bit more. This is a story of a girl who is looking for a pen pal and she finally finds one, but...it's not an ordinary girl...dun dun dun ( ominous musical overtones ensue). It was quick, good, and surprisingly full of swears.

And my last book that I read this summer (so far...of course it is only July 19) is

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Not only, do I not want to post this, I don't even want to admit to reading it to friends. I was duped into downloading 50 Shades of Grey by my friend Rachel who has a great blog : Thou Must Live...and eat! She posts about things she's obsessed with and this was one of them. Now, I did not know going into the download that this was an erotic novel; the obsession had not been in the national news yet. Also, a high school student of mine had been reading it, so I figured why not? Well, by the second chapter I realized what I had got myself into: literary porn; I of course use the term literary loosely here. Anyway, of course I finished reading it and flat out refused to read the second one. While visiting a friend the other day, she mentioned she had the second book and was done reading it and that I must read it also to find out what happens. So there you have it folks. An English-teaching, literature-reading, feminism-supporting, intelligent woman is currently reading 50 Shades Darker. Why I ask? Why? It's badly written and terribly misogynistic, yet it is on my nightstand and I'm already on page 100...dang.

I'll post a part deux in August when I have the rest of my summer reading finished.

Chicken and Kale Mini-gnocci

One of my purposes of this blog is to post recipes  or adapted recipes that Michael Pollan would approve of that are healthy or a low calorie option that tastes great. (If you haven't read any of his books, I suggest you do). I try to make recipes that have actual food ingredients: minimally processed as well as cheap. I'm currently training for a half marathon, so I'm looking for foods/meals with a lot of carbs/protein while throwing in some vegetables for nutritional value. First up..........

 Gnocci with Squah and Kale recipe completely revamped and adapted from Food Network. I know it's July and this is a winter recipe. But for once, the temperature dropped below 80 today and I felt like having something hearty and delish. This was specially labelled "low cal" in the Magazine. However,  like any self-respecting American, I did add chicken thighs and cheddar cheese, so it is a bit higher in calories and fat. This adaptation was a must for me as well as my honey (Mr. X) and made this creation:

You cannot judge me for a plethora of reasons. Mainly, my camera is broken because like a genius, I keep it in my European satchel, which I throw around. So, as you can see, the flash is broken as well as the zoom. If you can tell, this is what I made and didn't think to take a picture until after we ate half of this dish. This is only my second post; I guess I don't have the status of "blogger" yet. Fine-- you can judge. To give you a real picture, this is what it should look like (please remember, mine is without squash, but with.....cheese! Cheese makes everything better doesn't it??): 

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Whatcha will need:
4 raw chicken thighs (about a pound)
1 T butter
1 T fresh sage (1t dried sage)
4 cloves garlic
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 t salt
1/2 c mushrooms
1/2 c onion (I used yellow)
1 t chicken better than bouillon base (make your own stock, make Mr. Pollan proud)
1.5  c water from the boiled chicken thighs to mix with bouillion or just use water
1 bunch kale (9 cups)
1 16 oz pckg mini gnocchi
3/4 c grated parmesan
3/4 cheddar cheese shredded

How to do it
1. Boil chicken thighs about 15 minutes until cooked
2. In a small pot make chicken broth mix 1.5 water (can use leftover chicken water if wanted)
3. Simultaneously, in a dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion for a few minutes and add garlic, sage, red pepper, salt. Cook 1 minute and add mushrooms
4. Add chicken broth and let simmer. Once it simmers, add kale.
5. Once kale wilts, add gnocchi, cover and cook 5 minutes.
6. Add parmesan, cheddar and put in the oven to broil for 5 minutes until it bubbles and cheese melts.

This was definitely a hearty meal. Had I known, I would have cut the recipe in half. I'm still learning how to cook for two. The soft gnocchi combined with the bitter bite of kale soaking in a simple, flavored broth?? Sounds like a winner to me. I figure it's a delicious meal to eat on a cool July evening, but most people would desire to indulge by the fire on a crisp December evening.

Makes 4 servings. About 30 minutes prep. About 658 calories, but to make it low cal, cut out the cheese or chicken thigh or substitute with chicken breast. The serving size was appropriate. Enjoy!

Cost: about 8-9 bucks for the whole dinner (only about $2 a serving!). I bought the chicken on sale. If you have the staples in the house, you probably only need to spring for kale (easily sub spinach), gnocchi, and chicken.

Costa My Rica

Quepos Manuel Antonio Reserve

As my first post, I'd like to capture the beauty of Costa Rica, where I traveled recently this past June. I, along with another teacher, took 18 Spanish students to this humid, rainy country. We had a lot of amazing experiences and encounters including beaches, crocodiles, wild animals, hot weather, incredibly kind people, mind-blowing coffee, shopping, and a butt load of rice and beans. The beaches were beautiful. We were not allowed to swim at Jaco Beach, but we were allowed to swim at this haven pictured here.  The sun was warm, the weather was beautiful, and the day was perfect. If you are there though, watch your back since raccoons will steal your Cheddar Cheese Pringles right out of your backpack, those cuties are no joke.

Each morning we'd wake up and begin our day
with a cup of jo. It was piping hot, rich, and silky.
In Costa Rica, they would warm the milk before adding
 it to the coffee to keep it freshly hot. Making it at home in
 my Mr. Coffee maker just isn't the same as a slow-brewed
cup made by the locals.

Speaking of locals, these roadside stands were everywhere. Now, I know everywhere, it seems, since we spent an hour or two in our sweet Marvi coach bus each day. However, this market was big and beautiful and I bought an avocado the size of my head, no not a hyperbole, promise. It cost $4 which was a surprise to me. But, their gas was priced the same as well.

Now, you may be thinking that us rural Americans
may have a lot in common with a Costa Rican. Well, as my boyfriend and step-dad both work in construction. I'm somewhat aware of the process. We encountered a situation handled a little differently than in America. As our giant bus tried make its way across the country, there was only one road. So instead of a detour, a man jumps in the front-end loader (I'm assuming that's what that machine is/does. I know the process, not the machines) and made a road for us--intrigue.

And now, the best part of the trip-- the animals.

 

First off, this isn't a great picture. However, the "animal" wasn't so great either. As I was walking to plant my tree, you know helping the rainforest one plant at a time, I almost stepped on this poisonous-eight-legged death trap.

 

Now, I know that fury octoid was probably enough, but we went on a crocodile  (el cocodrilo, my favorite Spanish word) tour. This boat driver has some sort adrenaline deficiency since he must do this ordeal quite often. Still, I found him feeding this beast awe-mazing. Raw chicken is this little guys' favorite snack-- hm, low carb. 

Look, I know this seems fake like one of those pink flamingos in your yard. (Btw, if you have pink flamingos in your yard, I hope it was from some high school prankster, not decoration). This was a Macaw--it was beautiful, loud, and obviously scary, after all, it's a bird. 

It wasn't just those crazy raccoons that came to visit us on our ocean day. These furry little friends wanted to "hang out" too: lame pun intended. Not the closest picture, but if you can imagine your cutest  pet hanging from a tree, grabbing leaves from your hand, then you've got it. Unless, you already have a monkey pet--then you're just lucky.

Now I suppose I'll close with the end of our trip. We stayed at a beautiful resort at Jaco Beach called Hotel Balcon del Mar. I loved this place. As for a 4 star American resort, it may not live up to many folks' standards. But considering some of the places we stayed along the way, I felt like quite the queen. I mean c'mon, we had air conditioning and hot water. So that was the quest to Costa Rica--I hope you enjoyed it half as much as I did.