Boo on Summertime Sickness

Yes, I'm sick. I'm not quite sure what I have. The doctor gave me some vague diagnosis-"bacterial infection" a.k.a., "I don't know what the hell I'm talking about but I'll charge you for the visit anyway and make you fill prescriptions that cost a fortune." Errrr......so glad I wasted half of my day, a dose of steroids and some IV fluid for that one:( I think my favorite part of this sickness is the ear infection. Man, I haven't had one of those in YEARS! At least it gives me a day off from work. I'd probably just be sitting there staring off into space, oh wait, isn't that what I usually do?

I just wanted to say hi. Robert and I are off to Mexico next Monday. Here is a picture from our trip to Playa del Carmen in December. I can't wait to go again!

Hopefully I'll be over my "bacterial infection" soon. Hope everyone is doing well! I'm sure I'll get bored and write again later.

What a weekend!

Good Afternoon!

Well, where do I start? I had such a wonderful weekend. It started on Friday night at Carrabba's where 15 of my closest friends (who are in town) and their significant others/friends, Robert and I celebrated my birthday with a nice dinner. Carrabba's is one of my all time favorite restaurants. Even though I worked there and it's a chain restaurant, it is sooo good! Robert and I also held our rehearsal dinner there and we always celebrate special moments there. I had the Sirloin Marsala, which was so yummy. I rarely treat myself to steak when we dine out, so this was a nice treat. I got some great presents from friends and family. Robert bought me a dozen of assorted flowers which happened to be the most beautiful flowers I have ever received! There were white roses, red roses, pink roses and some kind of yellow flower that reminded me of lilacs. I also got a new digital camera, a cookbook, new wine glasses (there's a story that goes with those), and lots of wine and my favorite, Three Olives Cherry Vodka (I can't find it in stores).

After dinner, we attempted to head downtown to McNellie's Public House to meet with with some of my high school friends who were in town for the reunion. We never made it. Parking was a nightmare because of Diversifest. The headliner band was The Flaming Lips so everyone was out that night (btw, if you ever get a chance to see the Lips play, don't pass it up! they are so much fun to see). So Robert and I went home and crashed.

Saturday I head to the pool with Sheila. We went down the slides over and over again! It was so much fun. However, I think I inhaled half of the pool water every time I came down from the slide. I couldn't stop sneezing!

Then it was off to my 10 year reunion. Kristin and Deana: you didn't miss anything:( Christina P. says " hi" to you both. It was from 7-10 at the Renaissance hotel. Out of the 980 odd people I graduated with, there were only about 40 people there (with their spouses/friends). There was no DJ, only some guy playing music off his computer from iTunes. It was nice to see some old faces, but other than that, I probably could have gone without going. Oh well, you never really know. I still had a good time.

On Sunday, I went shopping with Sheila. She is interviewing with ESPN and we needed to find her a power suit. Luckily, she loved the first one she tried on and it was done and over. For those of you who don't know, I really hate going shopping:) I wasn't feeling very well (no, not hungover) all day so I went home and took a nap after shopping. Then my mom and David took Robert, Angie and I out to dinner at Mimi's. It was fun catching up with Angie and having dinner with everyone.

When I woke up today, I felt worse than when I woke up yesterday. I went to the doctor...I have an ear infection, sinus infection and some kind of bacterial virus. He thinks that I caught the virus from the pool I went to. Who knows. It sucks being sick when it's 100 degrees outside!

Sorry for the long post, but I had so much to write about! No recipe today:( Maybe after I use my new cookie cookbook!

Ciao!

Hello...

Good Morning!
Well, today is my big 2-8! I'm actually pretty excited. This is the first year since I've graduated from OSU that I feel accomplished and feel like I'm on the right track. I finished my last day of clinic work (for the summer that is) yesterday and it feels so good not to be at the TU clinic anymore, even if it is just for a few weeks. I only have one more semester of class work left and then I'm off to my externship before I graduate. Time has gone by so quickly.

This has been a good week. I got to visit with my friend Rachael and her husband Robert on Sunday. I haven't seen either one of them in a few years. I think the last time I saw Rachael was at my wedding in 2003. It was so nice to see them. They are really a lot of fun to be around. Hopefully I can be better at keeping in touch this time around.

Besides my birthday celebration dinner tonight, I am going to meet up with some old/lost friends from high school at our 10 yr reunion. I know in my first post I said that I wasn't sure if I was going to go or not, but I actually am pumped about it. I've talked with a few people that I haven't talked to in years (do you see a trend?) and we are all going to meet up. The festivities take up the whole weekend beginning tonight with a mixer, picnic/school tour tomorrow and a "business casual" party tomorrow night at the Renaissance hotel. I'll give you an update after I attend!

Well, I need to go to the gym and then to find some cute shoes for my dress I am planning on wearing tonight. Wouldn't it be nice to have a personal shopper?

TTFN!

Chi

Oh, here is a very simple and easy recipe. It's my mom's recipe for Peach Salsa. Yum !

5 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
1 tsp fresh, seeded, minced jalepeno
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Random Babbling...

Hello! It has been awhile since my last post. This week has been so hectic. We are moving offices at work and I've literally been an "office bitch" and have been put in charge of packing.....the WHOLE office. I thought I was going to go off the deep end this week. I have forgotten how much packing sucks and that it is physically tiring as well. I kept thinking that some of the other people in the office were going to start packing, but that has not been the case. Oh well, I'm over it now.

Robert left for Houston yesterday and I have to admit that it has been nice having the whole house to myself. I went to the Peach Festival in Porter, OK today and it was interesting to say the least. It was extremely hot outside. But the free peaches and ice cream were worth it. We even got to pick some peaches off the tree and take them home with us. I chose white peaches. I didn't even know there were so many different kinds of peaches.

I also bought the first Harry Potter book. I never got into the craze while it was going on (even though it is still going on), but my sister convinced me that I would really like them. So, after I go have dinner at my mom and David's house tonight, I think I'm going to be a big nerd and come home and read.

I know that I normally sign off with a recipe, but I'm going to search for a recipes for my peaches, beyond the typical peach pie. I'll test it out and post it next time.


"

Sunday.....

Good Morning!
I awoke this morning to the sound of a nice rainfall. Lately it has been raining so hard that the sound isn't comforting. I started watching Samantha Brown's trip to Macchu Picchiu, which is the lost Incan city that was discovered about 100 years ago. It was beautiful and made we want to plan my next trip. I really hope we are able to travel a lot when I am done with school. I probably wouldn't mind living in land-locked OK for the remainder of my life as long as we traveled often. Actually, I still want to move. I have been picking out "potential moving destinations" that we are going to visit in the next year. So far, we have researched Madison, WI, and after seeing Michael Moore's SICKO, we have put serious thought into making a bigger move overseas. When I graduate, I have to do my CFY year, which is a clinical fellowship year to earn my certification. It is a 9 month fellowship year. As much as I would love to pack my things and move overseas, the smartest thing for us to do is probably stay in the States until I receive my certification. Who knows what will happen.

I wasn't very productive yesterday. While Robert is gone at work, I try to stay home and tidy up and catch up on school work. I did both, but after that, I did nothing but watch movies and read. I also ended up going on a small hike, even though I said yesterday in my blog that it was too hot. It was nice and refreshing. I love going on hikes. They really let your release your daily stressors and give you time to just think. Oh, I did go to the grocery store and picked up a few things. How I wish we had more options than Super Target, Wal-mart, and Reasors. We do have a Wild Oats here, but it is a little expensive. Robert and I only shop there when we have some extra $$! I wish there was a Trader Joe's here. I used to stock up on products when I visited my sister in Santa Fe, but she no longer lives there. I guess I will have to save that trip for when I visit Gina B. in Michigan. The highlight of my day was last night while I was making Pad Thai (use the Thai Kitchen, Pad Thai for 2 mix-it's so good and easy---and cheap too!). I like extra lime in my Pad Thai so I decided to grate the lime into my mix, so I could get all the essential oils out of it and add extra flavor. While I was grating, my hand slipped and I grated a large chunk of my thumb, right about the bone, off. It was quite painful---I even had to sit down for a bit because I was a little light-headed. I guess when it heals, it will add some character to my thumb!

Well, I guess I'll stop writing for now. Blogging is addicting. It's like having a personal journal. I could have probably written forever today!

Here is my closing recipe--My friend Melissa (who just got accepted into the Pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America-YEAH!) and I make these often. She obviously is a better baker than I am-but I try!

Ginger Creams, AKA, The best cookies ever....
1/3 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c molasses
1/2 c water
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinammon

Easy creamy icing
1 c confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla or lemon
1 1/2 tsp water

mix shortening, sugar, egg, molasses and water. stir dry ingredients together and blend in. chill dough (it will be very sticky and look not very chilled, but it is)

heat oven to 400 degrees. drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2" apart on lighty greased baking sheet (I use parchment paper or a Silpat instead of greasing my sheet). Bake about 8 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly. while slightly warm, frost with lemon or vanilla icing.

i also store mine in the fridge after they have cooled.

Welcome to my blog

Hello to everyone and welcome to my first blog. I was inspired to start this blog by my friends, Kristin and Deana. I love reading their blogs and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

So, it is 10:20am in Tulsa, OK. I think the temperature has already reached 90 degreess. I don't enjoy this weather. But, I have lived in OK all my life, so it is something you get used to. Robert always has to work early (5:30) on Saturdays, so I generally spend them by myself. Sometimes I go hiking on Turkey mountain, but today it is too hot. And, last week, I got lost on a trail and ended up spending four long, hot, hours on that mountain! So, this is how I spend my Saturdays: I get up around 8:00am, let my three dogs out, get back in bed and read a book (this week it is PREP by Curtis Sittenfeld). It is about a young girl's recollection about her time at a prestigious boarding school. Sounds a little immature, right? It is totally not. Let me give you a little background about how I chose this book....

My 10 year high school reunion is right around the corner. Two weeks to be exact. It happens to fall on my 28th birthday. Am I going? Still undecided. My closest friend from high school, Lisa Coakley (Friedl) will be in town and we are planning to go. Does that mean I want to go? Not exactly. Reasons I don't want to go? I see most of the people I graduate with on a regular basis. It's not that I had a terrible time in high school, it was hard. I had some GREAT friends though. The two women that inspired me to write this blog were among the list of GREAT friends I had. But it was tough for me. But that is another blog in itself. Anyways, back to the book, PREP. I chose it because it really puts into perspective the issues that face young adults. I related to most of what the main character, Lee, was going through. And it was like a trip down memory lane. If you get a chance, read it, or better yet, I'll send it to you! I love sharing books!

Well, I think I'm going to stop blogging for now. I have decided that I am going to sign off each of my blogs with a recipe. I love cooking and am pretty much obsessed with food. I think that I was a chef in another life. I guess it's never too late........

Green chili, chicken and black bean empanadas

1 package of puff pastry (thawed-follow directions on box)
1 small can of green chilis
2 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
cumin, salt, pepper to taste (and for extra heat, red pepper flakes)

mix the green chilis, chicken, black beans, cumin, salt, pepper and red flakes (if you want) together. cut the sheets of puff pastry into quarters. Put a little (about a tablespoon) of the chicken mixture into the middle of each sheet. Seal the puff pastry together by putting water on the edges and crimping together with the edge of a fork. Bake as directed on the back of the puff pastry box. YUM!

See you later!