Weekend Recap - Monterey

This weekend was a girls getaway weekend in Monterey. Of the girls who were on the trip four of them are friends I met five years ago when I studied abroad in England. It's pretty amazing that after five years we're still in contact with each other, let alone still travelling together. If you had asked me five years ago where our friendship would be today, I would have probably told you sending emails back and forth occasionally. I would have never guessed that one of these girls would have been my roommate for 3 1/2 years, I would be living in the city that four of them live in, and that we would still be travelling together. It's crazy!

 

And that's also a good way of describing the weekend. We all met up in Monterey on Thursday night, well I guess technically it was very early Friday morning. After a short night of rest we hit the city for a wonderful breakfast followed by a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I absolutely love this aquarium and it was awesome to share it with my friends. Strangely enough on our way home we found ourselves at A Taste of Monterey ( http://www.tastemonterey.com/), a tasting room which represents over 70 regional wineries. Here we quickly made friends with the wine server and sampled quite a few delicious wines. I think it was supposed to be a 6 wine tasting, but after 10 we lost track which made the walk home very enjoyable.

 

On Saturday, we decided to continue our love of wines by visiting some tasting rooms in the gorgeous Carmel Wine Valley. We drove into the heart of the valley to visit two tasting rooms and then headed back towards the coast for a tour and tasting at a third winery. I've been on a few brewery tours before but I believe this was my first winery tour. Let me just say, if you are ever in Carmel Valley, make reservations with Chateau Julien for their wine tour, it's well worth it. Afterwards it was finally time to return my lovely birds to my parents and then make a surprise guest appearance at A's Birthday BBQ. I don't think there are words to describe the amount of shock, happiness and disbelief when I appeared in her garage door. It was awesome!

 

Sadly, most of today was spent in the car driving home. It was strange walking through the front door and not having the birds chirp out their hello, but I have to admit it was nice to know that I was going to have the whole evening to myself to unpack and get things settled for the week. The last couple of weeks have been super busy between getting my Master's project turned in on time for corrections from my committee and taking care of the birds. I definitely wouldn't have survived without the weekend breaks I have treated myself too.

 

This week is a short week, I am only home for three days before I fly to Northern California to attend the California Dietetic Association's Annual Conference. I want to put everything on hold until after I return from that, but unfortunately I will be receiving the corrections to my Master's project once I return. With only a week to make the corrections and then turn in the final project, I have no choice but to work as hard as I can this week so next week I can solely focus on my project.

 

In other words the next 15 days can be broken down like this:

• 3 days of catching up from the last two weeks while sorting out school, work, and my rotation
• 3 days of networking and professional development
• 1 day off for fun
• 5 days of balancing school, work and my rotation while finishing my Master's project
• 1 day off for volunteering
• 1 final day of Master's project fun
• Freedom!

Country Music

I was listening to the CMT country countdown this morning on the radio and found a new song that really resonates with me. It's called, "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" by Tracey Lawrence. Here are the lyrics:

 

Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
Or get yourself in a bind,
Lose the shirt off your back,
Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare…

This is where the rubber meets the road
This is where the cream is gonna rise
This is where this is what you really didn't know
This is where the truth don't lie
 

Chorus

Find out who your friends are
Somebody's gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas, get there fast
Never stop to think "what's in it for me?"
Or "it's way too far"
They just show on up
With their big ol' heart
Yeah find out who your friends are.

Everybody wants to slap your back
Wants to shake your hand
When you're up on top of that mountain
Then one of those rocks will get wet
And you slide back down
Look up and see who's around then

This is where the road comes to an end
This is where the band wagon stops
This is just one of those times when
A lotta folks jump off.

Chorus

When the water's high
When the weather's not so fair
When the well runs dry
Who's gonna be there?

Chorus

Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
Man I been there
Or get yourself in a bind
Lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor, need a couch
Need a bus fare…
Man I been there
Man I been there…

 

 

So I guess I haven't ever run my car off the side of the road and into a ditch, but I have been stuck at Union station trying to get to the airport, been stranded at the airport without a way to get home, missed class and a lot of notes, and lots more. Luckily I can say I KNOW who my friends are.

 

Master's Project

This past Monday I found out that my Master's project is due the second week of the quarter you are graduating. Unfortunately, this is the second week.

Public Transportation

So there I was, sitting on the bus making my way from my current rotation to my apartment. As I was driving through the heart of my city, I received a text. I dug through my bag, pulled out my phone and read the funny text. Chuckle-ing, I loooked up from the text and realized that I had no clue where I was. Apparently, while I was reading this text, I had missed my bus stop. I immeadiately pulled the cord to stop the bus, only to find out that the next stop was 3/4 of a mile down the road from where I was supposed to get off. Oops! Luckily, I am not opposed to walking and the subject of the text and missing my stop was able to keep me smiling all the way home.

When I arrived home I relayed this story to my roommate, to which she responded, "Maybe you shouldn't be taking public transportation". I quickly reassured her that this was a fluke incident and I could handle the LA bus system. Skip to the next day.

With the memory of missing my bus stop fresh in my head I decided that instead of reading my book, I would listen to music on my way home. That way I could keep my eye out the window so I could see all the stops passing by. Imagine my surprise when the bus, that normally drives straight through the center of my city and makes no turns, merged into the left turn lane. What the heck?! Apparently, after telling my roommate I could handle public transportation, I had somehow managed to catch the bus whose end of the line was in the downtown portion of my city. Not a big problem, it just meant that once again I was faced with a walk home, however this time it was just over a mile. The worst part was having to relay this story to my roommate. She laughed with a knowing smile. But I'd just like to point out, at least I don't have mistakes on my way to my rotation, only on my way home when being late doesn't really matter.

Victorian Quartet

On the fourth day of the fourth month, four people gather to share a four course meal. . .

. . . and what a success it was! My roommate and I invited over two of our best gal pals and we had quite the mediterranean feast. To start we enjoyed spinach fatayer (or at least that's what I think it was called), dough triangles filled with a tangy/spicy spinach mixture. For the entree we had falafel and tomatoes drizzled with tzatziki and stuffed inside fresh pitas. On the side, was a delicious grape, walnut and yogurt salad. Then for dessert we had specialties from Porto's Bakery (THE known bakery of Glendale) including mango cheescake, chocolate raspberry mousse, italian style cheesecake, and a chocolate pyramid. This was all washed down with some excellent New Zealand Wines from Kim Crawford. If you haven't tried the Pinot Noir, you should, because it's delicious!

My roommate and I decided to have this dinner after I was telling her about my dad's famous dinner parties when he was our age. He used to have Victorian Octet dinners that included 8 people and 8 courses. We figured since we won't be living together in August, this was our chance. That and it's always nice to have people over. But I guess the best part of the evening was learning just how easy it is to make falafel. Here's the recipe I used:


Waiting for the egg and garbanzo beans

• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs


• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro


• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1 teaspoon minced garlic


• 1 large egg


• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed


• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Simply place all the ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth. Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook until browned or alternately deep fry in a pan of oil. Either way they'll come out brown and crispy and delicious!

The Other One

This is the beginning of week two with "the birds". Even though they require quite a lot of attention and care, I have to admit that I am actually quite enjoying having them around. After seven days here we have quite the morning and evening routine set-up. And they are quite the characters! Here are some pictures of the second bird that I have residing in my house at the moment, the lovely Wally.


Minding my own business, looking out the window and pondering life.


Did you have to take that picture? At least let me prepare.


This is my good side!

I think it's safe to say the birds are loving their vacation. Heck! They might not even want to return to my parent's house when they get back from their vacation to the Galapagos.

Time, Time, Time

One of the downsides of spring break is that it is for such a short period of time. Every year I find myself trying to fit in as much as possible into that short week (okay, this year it was 10 days). But honestly, running from New York to Mammoth to Palo Alto and back to LA in ten days was a little exhausting. I felt like I needed a vacation from my vacation when I got back to LA.

Unfortunately, a vacation is not what I got when I returned. First of all I returned to LA with the family birds. I love them to death but the royalty treatment they are used to is very time consuming. I won't go into details but I feel like if I give them any less than one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening I am not treating them right. Plus if I do happen to put them away early in the morning I feel like I owe them even extra time at night. Gordon, the lovebird, has realized that if he sits on my shoulder he can hide between my hair and my neck, as pictured below. That way I can't get him, he can stay warm and therefore stay out longer. I'm such a sucker.


Gordon Begging to Come Out


Gordon Hiding in the Curly Mess That Is My Hair


Who Me?

Add to that the fact that I have decided to do something for the environment by taking the bus to my rotation. I must admit, it's really nice to let someone else do the driving and I get an extra mile and a half of exercise everyday. The cost: two hours of my time. From the moment I leave my apartment door to walking into the research office - one hour. If I drove, it would probably be half that.

So now we've got the birds and the rotation, but then there's the responsibility involved in my part time job, being the student nutrition association president, organizing the thank-you luncheon for my coordinated dietetics program, applying for jobs, thinking about moving out of LA or is it CA and volunteering.

And my friends and family wonder why they haven't heard from me recently. Not that I'm complaining, but I guess when I said "I like to be busy" I just didn't think it would be this busy. I promise I'll get around to getting back to you, just as soon as I get things under control.

Nutrition Research

Yesterday was my first day at my new rotation . . . and it was wonderful! For the next five weeks I am going to be working on a research study that is tracking the effects of nutrition and exercise interventions on overweight latino adolescents. The experimental groups either come in for nutrition classes once a week or they come in for nutrition class once a week combined with weight training/strengthening twice a week. It's a really cool program and the lab that they hold all the classes in is state of the art. They have a full gym (which staff can use in the mornings) connected to a demo kitchen so the kids can partake in the cooking portion and actually have hands on learning. The study also requires the family to come in for classes, which are held in Spanish, so that they can support their children in healthy lifestyle changes.

 

Usually first few days of a new rotation are orientation days; meeting the staff, seeing the facilities and learning a little bit about what is expected of you as an intern. However, yesterday, I jumped right in. One of the intervention classes was being held in the afternoon and not only was I asked to help with the prep work but I also got to participate/observe the intervention. This means that while I am busy spending my days entering data and doing diet recalls I actually understand who the participants are and what they are going through. The best part was that yesterday's class was on aguas de sabor, something I wrote about back when I was in Mexico ( http://easierthanscrapbooking.blogspot.com/2006/07/bebidas.html) I found myself being suddenly transported back to last summer and realized just how much I miss Mexico. I actually made, taught and watched the making of agua de pepino and agua de sandia. Plus I got to practice my spanish by takling with the parents and listening in on the parent class. I think this is the best first day I have ever had anywhere.

 

So yeah, I guess you can say I am excited about this new rotation. Today was a little bit slow, but I learned how to use NDS which is nationally recognized nutrition analysis software, definitely something to add to the resume. And even though it was a slow day I found it was time to leave before I knew it. I hope to get involved in some of the other studies they have going on and finding out as much as I can about research possibilities. Heck, maybe this will inspire me to get my PhD! I hear it's a great way of avoiding joining the working world . . . .

The Today Show

In case you missed it . . . last monday my friends and I appeared on the Today Show. We stayed up late making signs and arrived at Rockefeller Center really early to secure our place on TV. I am happy to report, it worked! Below is a picture of me (on the right) with my three friends, holding our sign, on the Today Show. It was quite the experience! I have yet to see the whole clip but this is enough for now.



*Photo courtesy of Marion. Thanks!

Spring Break - Mammoth

Sadly, my last trip to Mammoth has come and gone.

 

J, C, I and I all arrived in Mammoth late on Tuesday night, after being out of town for the weekend. The next day, the four of us headed out to the mountain. Luckily it had snowed a little bit the night before so we had fresh fluffy snow as we sped down the slopes. It was the first time the four of us had skiied/snowboarded together but it felt as though we had always been hitting the slopes together. The first day was overcast but excellent snow, the second day was gorgeously sunny but the snow was a little icy in the morning and slushy in the afternoon. Regardless both days were fabulous.  

 

Today, as I was making my six hour drive to my parent's house, it hit me that not only will I not be able to visit J and C in Mammoth anymore but for the next two years they will be living in another country taking part in the Peace Corps. I guess the next time we hang out will be very different from this past trip.

Recipe Analyzer

While reading a copy of Diabetes Self Management, I came across the following website for a recipe analyzer. You simply type in the ingredients and the number of servings the recipe yields, hit analyze and you get your very own nutrition facts label. I was trying to cut and paste some examples onto this posting, but unfortunately couldn't get it to work. So head over to Calorie-Count.com and try it out for yourself!

**The bonus of using recipes from the Internet is you can simply cut and paste the ingredients into the analyzer instead of retyping them all again!**

Spring Break - New York

What a weekend! Four days, three nights and 16 hours of sleep.

It snowed three inches, I saw a live band play, enjoyed the St. Patrick's day parade, experienced the broadway hit "The Color Purple", had Mariah Carey cut in front of me to use the bathroom, dug and pushed a car out of the snow, saw the Statue of Liberty, appeared on the Today show, ate a lot, drank a lot, and hung out with my awesome friends.

Next up: three days in Mammoth!

Picture this . . .

It's Saturday night, St. Patrick's Day, and there I am standing in line for the unisex bathroom at an Irish Pub in New York. The pub is not packed but definitely full of all sorts of New Yorkers celebrating the day. Luckily, the one guy in line, a stand up comic, allowed me to go ahead of him. So as soon as the door opens, it's my turn. After a few minutes, the door opens and what happens? A staff member from the pub runs in front of me and informs me that the bathroom is now closed. What?!

As I'm standing there, doing my bathroom dance, up walks two security guards, Mariah Carey and a few of her friends. Mariah Carey! Apparently, when the VIP guest needs to go to the bathroom, she gets front of the line privileges. At some point we all have people cut in front of us to use the bathroom, but it's never been Mariah Carey before. I guess I can live with this one.

Afterwards we were able to get a shot of her as she posed with the pub's leprechaun. Enjoy!

Spring Break!!

Today was my one and only final and that means it is now officially my spring break! I cannot even begin tell you how happy I am that it's finally here. Here's a rundown of what I have planned so far:

• Tomorrow the Canadian from our study abroad group will be arriving and staying with my roommate and I.


• Thursday, I'll be leaving town to spend the weekend with four of my friends in New York.


• When I return on Monday, I'll be heading directly up to Mammoth, for my last trip of the season. I'm really looking forward to hitting the slopes one more time with my gal pal and her brother.


• The last weekend of my break will be spent with my parents.

I guess you can say I'll be here, there, and everywhere! And I'm sure I'll have some adventures along the way!

When Words Escape Flowers Speak

Below is a seamed picture of these two closeup shots using
autostitch.

Guess Who I Am?

I am the 2007 College of Health and Human Services Certificate of Honor Recipient!!!

 

I received the letter in the mail today not even knowing this award existed. Apparently I was recommended by the faculty in my department based on my outstanding academic and professional achievements. Only one undergraduate and one graduate student receives the award each year, and this year I am it! The only sad part is that the award ceremony occurs the weekend I am out of town for the Annual California Dietetic Association Conference. Bummer.

 

And yes, T, this will be going on my resume in place of the other information-that-shall-not-be-mentioned.

On This Day

Three years ago . . .
I went to Disneyland's California Adventure for the very first time. It was a day trip with my study abroad friends.

Two years ago . . .
I had brunch with my high school friends before picking out a new car with my Dad.

One year ago . . .
I was planning a bridal shower for one of my best gal pals.

Today . . .
I began my final week of my administrative rotation at the local hospital; Posting invoices, educating staff on the upcoming patient room service program, testing compliance on CBORD and checking the downtime menus.

Egg In a Basket

I guess it's been a little while since I've been in the kitchen. Part of it is a time issue, part of it is a lack of inspiration issue. This morning I looked into my bare cupboards searching for breakfast inspiration, I came across bread and a single egg. My first thought was to make a soft boiled egg with toast soldiers but then I remembered this dish. Exactly the same result, toast with a soft boiled egg, but much easier; Mmmm. I'm also having issues with my camera. Apparently it doesn't like to focus unless it's in macro mode, probably a result of way too many food pictures. So to spice up this photo I added a pinch of photoshop. An easy breakfast plus an easy photo-fix equals a great start to a lazy Saturday.

• 1 slice of bread


• 1 egg


• butter/margarine

Using a glass or a cookie cutter, cut a circle out of the middle of your slice of bread. Add butter/margarine to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add your bread, hole included. Once the bottom has turned golden, flip the bread and remove the hole. Crack the egg into the center of the bread. Keep over medium heat until the egg has set. If the top of the egg isn't setting and you feel like your bread is overly toasted, whack the skillet and egg under the broiler for a few minutes or until you can flip the bread and egg over.

Slide onto a plate and enjoy with the basket lid (the circle of bread you cut out).

Squirrels

On Monday afternoons I work for a RD out of her home office. Her office is affectionately referred to as "the casita" because it has the feel of a small house even though it is a converted garage. So I was sitting on the floor this afternoon, next to the sliding glass door, going through nutrition resources when I heard a strange sound outside. I looked through the screen and saw two squirrels chasing each other down the tree. My first thought was, "Wow, I haven't seen squirrels chase each other since I was in Northern CA." So I continued to watch them as they ran down the tree, chased each other in circles across the grass and then, the squirrel being chased, ran straight into the screen door next to me. After shaking his head and recovering, the squirrels ran off around the casita. At which point I got up to close the front door, the door without the screen. As I did this I saw the squirrel walking slowly, stunned, down the driveway. He took a look at me as I was closing the door as if to say, "Boy am I glad it was a screen and not the glass door."

It was so funny I burst out laughing. If the screen door had been open I would have had a squirrel in my lap, then what would I have done?

On a completely unrelated tangent my name was the 17th most popular female name the year I was born. In 2005 it fell to 138th. Want to find out about your name? Click here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

What did one piece of string say to the other?
Be my Valen-twine!

If your aunt ran off to get married what would you call her?
Antelope

Spinach Artichoke Pie

This recipe is courtesy of the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, a blog that I absolutely love to read. If you've never checked it out before you absolutely must have a look if not for the gorgeous pictures then for the delicious vegan recipes.

I modified this recipe a little bit for my tastes. The most time consuming part of the recipe is the phyllo dough, but when you experience the crispness of the pastry when it's done you'll agree with me that it's worth the effort. Here's my modified recipe:

1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 pound firm tofu, drained
2 tsp. dried oregano
juice of 1 lemon plus lemon zest to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 14-ounce can quartered artichokes, coarsely chopped
phyllo dough, thawed

Over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. When translucent stir in the defrosted spinach until combined; remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl, mash the tofu. Stir in oregano, lemon, and cumin; mix well. Combine tofu mixture with spinach mixture; stir in chopped artichokes.

Turn oven on to preheat to 350F. While oven is heating, lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in baking dish, spray with nonstick spray and repeat until 10 layers thick. Spread spinach/tofu mixture over phyllo. Repeat the phyllo process. Using a pastry brush, spread melted butter/margarine over the last layer of phyllo. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Daylight Saving Time

Earlier this week my boss informed me that the beginning of Daylight Saving Time was changing this year. After further investigation here is what I have found:

• Daylight Savings Time was originally standardized in 1966 with the Uniform Time Act. The purpose of this federal law was to standardize when and where states within the US started and ended DST. Originally written, the law started DST at 2:00am on the last Sunday of April and ended DST at 2:00am on the last Sunday of October. It was amended in 1986 (effective 1987) and the start date was moved to the first Sunday in April.


• In 2005 Congress passed and the president signed into law the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Amongst many other provisions the Act extends Daylight Savings Time by one month, effective 2007. DST will now start on the second Sunday of March (set your clocks forward one hour) and will end on the first Sunday of November (set your clocks back one hour).


• By extending daylight savings time it is proposed that we will shave 1% off of the United States' energy bill - or 3 billion kilowatt hours. Daylight Savings Time has also been correlated with a decrease in crime rates, the number of traffic accidents and an increased participation in outdoor activities. We'll find out if this is true when the Department of Energy conducts their required study on the impact of this change no more than 9 months after it takes effect.


• Interestingly enough individual states have the right to pass a law that states they will not take part in DST, such as Arizona.

Due to this change we can't rely on our electronics to automatically update themselves this year. I am assuming there will be a load of computer updates to download very soon (if they don't already exist), but just in case there aren't we'll have to do it the old fashioned way and remember to personally set our clocks forward an hour on March 11th.

You can find more interesting incidents and anecdotes relating to DST here.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made chocolate chip cookies today. I would share the recipe, but it's a top secret family recipe from my pal Jennifer. I think she would kill me if I posted it to the entire blog-o-sphere so instead I offer you my pictures. Enjoy!

My Next Great Adventure

I was talking to my friend A this week and she mentioned that she was thinking about doing a triathlon again. She wasn't 100% sure that she was going to do it and she was debating between another Tri For Fun or stepping it up for the Tri for Real. So . . . I decided that I would do the Tri for Fun with her.

I've never done a triathlon before, only 5K runs. But this seems like the perfect way to get into it. It's a 400 yard swim, 11 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile run. The only downside is that it is in August, one of the hotter months of the year. I'm excited that even though we are living in different parts of the state we can still train for the same thing and then compete together. And by compete I mean focus on completing. As the name says this event is just for fun, no official times or anything.

For now I guess I should focus on getting my bike out of the storage locker it is in and fixing the bent tire.

PS. In a sort of related note did you know that this year for the Bay to Breakers they are using chip timing. How cool is that?!

Today is a Great Day!

Aren't weekends wonderful? I got up this morning at 4:45 to volunteer at the Kids Fitness Challenge, a free 5K fun run for elementary, middle school and high school students. It's been a little while since I had some time to volunteer but after this I remember why I love it so much. Luckily, the projects I have recently volunteered for have been loads of fun. Maybe it's the amazing people I have met or perhaps it is the event itself, whatever it is it seems I always walk away excited about the next possibility for volunteering.

 

Then this afternoon I finally got in contact with a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator that I have been playing email tag with for a week. She and I chatted for a half hour about possible career choices and ways in which to get my foot in the door when it comes to diabetes and nutrition. She also offered to send my resume around and see if she could find anyone who knows anyone who could help me out. I've heard it before, mainly from my friend's mom, but informational interviews and networking are the keys to career success. Tested and true!

 

I spent the rest of the afternoon updating my resume, something that has been on my to-do list since the beginning of my Christmas break. By the end of the week I'll be ale to check that one off! My roommate just got home with chocolate cake, tonight I am meeting up with my coworkers for fondue and then hanging out with another one of my buddies. Can it get any better?!

 

 

Green Bean and Garlic Quiche

This is another easy throw together dinner. All the ingredients are bought prepared, so you simply take them out, combine them and then throw your dish in the oven to cook while you lay the table, change out of your work clothes and get the family together, or in my case get myself together. No prep, minimal cleanup and a delicious result . . . what more could you ask for at the end of a long week?

• frozen prepared pie crust


• minced garlic


• frozen cut green beans, thawed


• 5 eggs


• unsweetened soy milk


• shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. In a small bowl mix together the eggs, milk and cheddar cheese. (I use two full eggs and four egg whites for a lower cholesterol result, but feel free to substitute egg beaters or whatever combination of full eggs/egg whites you prefer). Spread a generous teaspoon of minced garlic on the frozen pie crust. Pour green beans into the pie crust, enough to cover the base or as much as you prefer. Pour egg mixture over green beans and bake for 35 minutes or until egg is set completely. Slice and serve.

Have You Ever . . .

• Measured/weighed out the ingredients for three different soups to feed 300 people each?
• Diced 50 onions without crying?
• Made 20 pizzas; 10 pepperoni, 5 vegetarian, and 5 today's special?
• Stirred corn chowder for 100 people with a whisk as tall as you are while waiting for it to thicken?
• Diced 6 pounds of bell peppers?

Why?

Why is it that when I find a super cheap airfare to the other side of the country it is only for the one weekend of the upcoming month I can't go? I know things happen for a reason but this better be a darn good reason, because right now I can't possibly think of a reason good enough. Hmph.

Banana Pancakes

Today is the first Saturday I have had to myself, at home, since October. With Deb's thoughts about enjoying "inordinately good homemade fare" during the weekend fresh in my mind, I took to making banana pancakes for my roommate and I.

Coincidentally, or maybe not, this is one of her favorite breakfast foods besides eggs. I meant to make her breakfast on her birthday morning this past Thursday, but unfortunately it didn't quite work out. I had to be at work at 5am and she was going snowboarding for the day. So today, over a mug of hot chocolate we enjoyed our pancakes and caught up on roommate hang out time.


The recipe I use for pancakes comes straight from Betty Crocker's cookbook. Easy to throw together when you are all out of pancake mix and quite tasty. Plus it makes just the right amount of pancakes for two people.

• 1 large egg


• 1 cup all-purpose flour


• 3/4 cup milk


• 1 tbsp packed brown sugar


• 2 tbsp vegetable oil


• 3 tsp baking powder


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 2 medium bananas, sliced


• cooking spray

In a medium bowl, beat egg until fluffy. Combine egg with flour, milk, sugar, oil, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined; do not over mix. Heat griddle or medium frying pan over medium heat. Pour batter onto pan, add bananas and cook until golden, flipping once. Keep warm in oven until ready to serve. Makes 6-5in pancakes, enough for two very happy people.

Chinese Corn Soup

During the week I am always pressed for time. That's why I love simple recipes. This soup requires opening three cans and combining their contents with a couple of always on-hand ingredients. It's that simple and believe you me, it's delicious! This Chinese corn soup is one of my favorites.

• 1 can creamed corn


• 1/2 can corn


• 1 can vegetable stock


• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water


• 1 egg plus 1 egg white, beaten

Combine creamed corn, corn, and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. When soup is warm, add cornstarch/water mixture; stirring continuously. When soup has thickened slightly, add beaten egg and egg white; stirring continuously. Serve in bowls and enjoy!


**For those carnivores out there you can use chicken stock and throw in some shredded chicken. **

Highlights of Working in Hospital Foodservice

Today marked the end of week three in my administrative rotation. This quarter I am working with the food services department at a local hospital. Everyday is something new. The theory behind this rotation is that you should experience everything first hand so you know how to be an effective manager later on. This week was spent working on the production side in the kitchen hospital. Here are the highlights:

1. The workday starts early at the hospital. My instructions: report to the chef at 5am (that was the late shift, the other chefs arrive between 4 and 4:30).
2. When making soup for 370 people you measure your ingredients by the carton, cook in a steam pot big enough to climb into, and you serve using a saucepan. It's like living in a giant's world.
3. Working with the stock room manager means at least three hours in the walk-in freezer and refrigerators. At least.
4. Production means washing dishes, making pizzas, unloading stock, lining trays, and a million other tasks.

Mammoth Weekend

Last weekend I took my second trip to visit one of my favorite married couples and just like last time it was one of the best weekends! Saturday I had the pleasure of actually hitting the slopes. Luckily for me, my slope buddy for the day was perfectly matched to my skiing abilities. We started out on a blue square to get warmed up and to enjoy the non-existent lines for the chair lifts. Then we branched out and explored the whole mountain. When we arrived at the mountain the temperature read a chilly - 4 degrees . . . Fahrenheit!!! We tried our best to keep moving and when it got completely unbearable we headed into the lodge for a cup of hot chocolate and to defrost our toes.

 

At one point my buddy suggested we head to the top of the mountain. After gazing at the crest, I commented, "It looks a little windy up there." Little did I know this would be the understatement of the day. Regardless, we decided that we wouldn't know for sure unless we went and tried it, so off we went! I guess the first bad sign was the fact that there was no one coming down the mountain. The second bad sign was that the end of the ski lift was located in a hanger, to block you from the wind. When we made it out of the hanger it was so windy that I didn't even have to use my poles to move to the top of the slope, the wind just pushed me! I think it was at this point that I began to wonder, "What have I gotten myself into?" While my slope buddy buckled into his snowboard, I headed to the top of the slope, where I encountered a slight problem. The wind was blowing up the slope so hard, I didn't know if gravity acting upon my weight was going to be strong enough to get me over the crest of the mountain! As I pondered this fact, and briefly thought about waiting for my slope buddy, I was being whipped in the face with snow and slowly turning into a human snowman. So after a half second more I decided it was now or never and actually made it over the edge and all the way down the slope. Needless to say, we didn't go down that run again.

 

The rest of the day was spent challenging eachother to double black diamonds and trying to find the best powdery runs we could. The best part of the whole adventure was being challenged by my slope buddy. It's rare that I have the chance to spend time on the slopes with someone who matches my abilities. It creates such a different day of skiing. At think that at some point during the day we each admitted that the runs we did that day we wouldn't have done if we had been skiing solo. But since we were together, I guess we egged eachother on to do the best we could. Awesome!

 

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing with friends, both old and new. We experienced the nightlife of Mammoth and also relaxed to watch some football. I predicted the final score of the game 24-21, but I had hoped that the Chargers would beat the Patriots. I guess there's always next year. All in all I have to say this was a wicked weekend away from LA. Definitely worth repeating, as long as my friends will have me.

Las Vegas

The weekend began and ended with four twenty-somethings and a rental car. What happened in between? Well you know what they say . . . what happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

 

But trust me, if you knew, you'd wish you were there with us.

Nike+

So I have this really cool friend who got me the coolest christmas/birthday present in the world . . . the Nike+ running system. If I wasn't a running nerd before this definitely has the potential of making me one. Alright, who am I kidding? This already has made me a running nerd. Now while listening to music from my ipod I can track my distance, my time, my pace, and my calories burned. How cool is that?!

Not to mention that there are about a billion and one nifty features. If I click on run for distance, my trainer (the electronic male voice) will count up the half miles to the halfway point, then count down the distance remaining to the finish line. My trainer will also provide the same inspiration in increments of time or calories. At the touch of a button I can rock out to my power song at any point during my workout. I can upload all my run data to nike.com and track my progress as I reach my goals. If I go to Itunes I can buy pre-recorded mixes that include a real trainer and music to help you increase your speed.

I hope this hasn't come across as a sales pitch for Nike, but I just got back from my first run with my new gadget and was so excited about it. Especially since I ran 2 miles at an average pace of 7'39". Just imagine what I could achieve with a little bit of training!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Super simple to throw together, these cupcakes are a perfect excuse to use your silicone baking cups to impress a weekend visitor. Especially if that weekend visitor is known for her obsession with peanut butter.

• 6 oz very soft butter


• 3/4 cup sugar


• 3 eggs


• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 325F. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix with electric beaters until smooth. Place 12 silicone baking cups on a baking sheet. Spoon the very thick batter into cups, top with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and swirl together. Bake for 20 minutes or until beginning to turn golden.

**Recipe from Modern Classics Book 2 by Dorothy Hay**

Christmas Weekend

For the past three days I have been playing hostess to my parents and it's been incredible. A sense of peace enveloped me on Friday when I realized, for the first time since I moved out of my parents house, I didn't have to spend my evening packing and preparing to spend another holiday away from my home. There was also a little bit of anxiety over the thought that for the next three days I was going to have to feed and entertain my parents. Lucky for me everything went smoothly. So smoothly that when I dropped my parents off at the airport yesterday my Dad turned to me and said, "We'd like to book in for next Christmas, Thanksgiving, and summer holiday".

Saturday when my parents arrived I whisked them off to one of my favorite lunch spots, the Coral Tree Cafe. We sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed our organic lunches. Dad treated himself to blueberry pancakes, Mom had a breakfast panini and I enjoyed a tuna salad sandwich. Mmmm! After fueling up we headed out to the beach to wander along the pier and enjoy the local talent. It's a great day when you feel the sea breeze blowing gently across your face and the warmth of the sun on your back as you gaze out over the ocean. Normally not something you would expect two days before Christmas.

The next stop was the Getty Villa. Originally opened in 1974, the Getty Villa has been closed for the past nine years for major renovations. Admission is free, but you have to reserve a timed entrance ticket online, something my roommate and I have been trying to do since the reopening in January. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that spaces were available for my parents visit. The villa is modeled after the Villa de Papiri, a Roman country house in Herculaneum buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79.


The villa is setup like an archaeological dig. When you arrive at the museum you must climb down into the excavation, passing what appear to be wood planks (but upon closer examination are revealed to be cement). The left picture above shows the stairs you must climb down and the horizontal lines of the faux wood planks. The center picture is the view of the outer peristyle and gardens. The picture on the right is of the fountain in the center of the Herb Garden. **Click on the photo to enlarge**

When we arrived at the villa we joined an orientation tour which introduced us to the layout, the history, and a little bit about the design of the museum. We then spent the afternoon wandering through the exhibits of Roman, Etruscan and Greek art.

My favorite was the current exhibition Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa. I've always been fascinated by mosaics but I don't think I have ever seen any that date back to the 2nd century AD. Artists impress me with their ability to portray life using their medium. Mosaic art is even more amazing in that the artists portray life using small pieces of colored tiles.

After thoroughly examining the gardens and the different exhibits at the Villa we felt quite parched and decided to head to the museum cafe, where we enjoyed an Izze soda while watching the sun sink towards the ocean.

At this point we decided to head up the coast to the barefoot bar for drinks as we watched the sunset and rested for our evening exercise. A Christmas Tradition in my household is to do the walking tour of the Christmas lights at Griffith Park. I think the 1.6 mile walk thoroughly tired us out, as we decided to pick up Chinese and enjoy a quite meal at home before settling into bed for a peaceful nights sleep.


We spent Sunday in my apartment cooking, eating, watching football, drinking, and relaxing. As the hostess for the Christmas meal I had complete control over what would be served. My parents feared that I would force tofurkey upon them but I think they were pleased with the combination of traditional and new dishes that I prepared:

Appetizers
Assortment of Baked Potato Chips
White Bean Dip served with Tortilla Chips
Pistachio Nuts
Lavosh

Main Meal
Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts with White Wine Gravy
Winter Vegetable Ciabatta Stuffing
Oven Roasted Rosemary Carrots and Parsnips
Brussels Sprouts
Green Beans
Oven Roasted Potatoes

Dessert
Stilton and Assorted Cheese Biscuits
Assorted Chocolates
Pear-Red Currant Crisp
Truffles

After gorging ourselves we decided to open our Christmas presents before going on an evening stroll around my neighborhood. Despite our stroll and respite from eating, we were still too full to even think about dessert and decided to leave the pear-red currant crisp until Monday.


Monday was similar to Sunday; A day for rest and relaxation. We finally made the pear-red currant crisp and then went for an afternoon stroll to the local park in the 75F degree sunshine. During the afternoon we watched the Eagles beat the Cowboys and then had a small dinner before it was time to return to the airport. I have to say it was really lovely to have my parents in "my world" for a weekend. I think they thoroughly enjoyed the role reversal, my dad was able to watch a complete football game for the first time in over ten years and my mother was able to avoid doing dishes, opting to sit on the couch and read her magazine instead. I enjoyed being able to try new recipes and finally give back a little bit of what my parents have provided to me over the years. I think it is safe to say there will be a lot more of this to come in the future.

Pear-Red Currant Crisp

I guess you could say the weekend wasn't quite the storm I was expecting. In all honesty, I guess a weekend for three isn't really that intimidating. When I asked my mother what was the highlight of Christmas this year she responded, as if on cue, "the Christmas meal" and I couldn't agree more.

I tried quite a few new dishes this Christmas; surprisingly they all received rave reviews. I'm not going to post all the recipes but here's what we enjoyed:

Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts with White Wine Gravy
Winter Vegetable Ciabatta Stuffing
Oven Roasted Rosemary Carrots and Parsnips
Brussels Sprouts
Green Beans
Oven Roasted Potatoes

In fact, the meal was so satisfying we were forced to save our dessert, pear-red currant crisp, for the following day. Lucky for you that means I could spend time taking pictures of it to accompany the recipe.


This recipe is modified from a recipe for Pear-Cranberry Crisp found in an old Cooking Light. Since the supermarket was out of cranberries I substituted Red Currants and eliminated the maple syrup and some of the salt in the recipe.

Filling

• 6 cups sliced peeled pear (about 8 small d'Anjou pears)


• 1 teaspoon cornstarch


• 1/2 cup fresh red currants


• 1/2 cup apple juice


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger


• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 3/4 cup regular oats


• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup butter, melted


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F

To prepare filling: place pears in a large bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch and toss well to coat. Stir in red currants, apple juice, vanilla extract, ginger, and salt. Spoon pear mixture into an 8x8 glass dish.

To prepare topping: in a medium bowl combine oats, flour, sugar, butter, and vanilla tossing until moist.

Sprinkle topping over pear mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until topping is golden and fruit is bubbling. You may need to increase the heat to 400F to brown the topping.

White Bean Dip

Right now it's the calm before the storm. In about an hour I'm going to pick my parents up from the airport. This year I have invited them to my house for Christmas. Not only does that mean that I am now responsible for the entire Christmas meal, it also means I am responsible for feeding and entertaining them for the next three days. I'm really excited about this opportunity. It could make them want to come back again and again, or it could completely dissuade them from ever visiting me again. Nervous? No, I have a game plan.

Since I won't be able to prepare the meal ahead of time I've stocked up on drinks and nibbles to keep my parents busy when I don't need their assistance in the kitchen. With the dining room table in the kitchen, they can either watch me prepare everything or I can send them to the living room to relax and read a book. To go with my nibbles I whipped up this quick and easy bean dip. Unfortunately it's been the only dish I have been able to make ahead.


White Bean Dip
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
juice of one lime
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz great northern beans, or other white beans
1 teaspoon minced garlic
chopped plum tomato (one or two)

• Place all items in a food processor and blend until smooth.


• Top with diced tomato and serve with tortilla chips.

Pictures from London

This may take a little time to load but I promise it's worth the wait!

3 Course Meal

"The soup was amazing and the tart was spectacular." ~Guest #2

"These dishes are truly impressive!" ~Guest #3

"The flavor combination in this tart is out of this world!" ~Guest #1

Last night my roommate and I had some friends over for a dinner party and, as you can see, the reviews were pretty favorable for the dishes we made. Or, should I say, the way I remember the reviews, were pretty favorable. I love dinner parties because they are a chance to sit down, enjoy good food, and catch up with whomever you decide to invite. All of the dishes we served were made ahead so it was simply a case of heating them up and serving them out. This is a real time saver when having a dinner party because it cuts down on the amount of dishes to clean afterwards and also allows the hostess to enjoy the party instead of being in the kitchen all night. The menu for the evening was as follows:
Leek and Potato Soup

Eggplant, Tomato, and Smoked Mozzarella Tart with Herbed Salad

White Chocolate, Cranberry and Macadamia Nut Cookies
Pistachio and Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes




Leek and Potato Soup
This recipe comes straight from my mother, the master leek and potato soup maker.

3 medium leeks, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 large potato, cubed
1 small onion, diced
reduced sodium vegetable stock
herbes de provence

• In a large skillet or wok, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and leeks and cook until softened.


• Add diced potatoes and enough vegetable stock to cover all ingredients. Season to taste with herbes de provence. Simmer until soft.


• When potatoes are soft, let soup cool, and then liquidize in batches in your food processor.


• Enjoy!

Eggplant, Tomato, and Smoked Mozzarella Tart
This recipe is originally from Cooking Light (April 2004). The smoked mozzarella really brings the flavor up a notch and is a nice contrast to the herbs and garlic. Serve with simple side salad, such as herbed salad which you can find in the bagged salad area at your local supermarket.

I have to admit I am not that great at following original recipes to "T" and therefore made a few substitutions. I eliminated the mint from the recipe, used Chinese eggplants and dried herbs, and bought a premade pastry crust. Below is my modified recipe:

frozen prepared whole wheat pastry crust
2 medium sized Chinese eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

• To prepare the crust, preheat oven to 400F. Remove frozen crust from its packaging, pierce the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.


• To prepare the filling, arrange eggplant on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat the eggplant slices dry, brush with oil, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until eggplant is soft. Stack eggplants on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 7 minutes to steam.


• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add basil, oregano; mix well. Remove from heat, stir in tomatoes.


• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons smoked mozzarella on the bottom of the cooled baked tart. Layer the eggplant and the tomato mixture in the crust. Top with remaining smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.


• Cut into wedges and serve with a simple side salad. Yield: 4 servings

White Chocolate, Cranberry, and Macadamia Nut Cookies
This is one my roommate picked out from this months copy of Bon Appetit. A baker she is not, but honestly I have to say she has a lot of potential. It was loads of fun working together in the kitchen as it gave us a chance to catch up away from the normal stresses of our lives. Cooking making is a great holiday activity for all, young or old. We only used a cup of the cranberries and white chocolate chips, but I wish there had been more macadamia nuts.

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (about 6 oz)
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips (about 8 1/2 oz)
1 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted macadamia nuts (about 4 1/2 oz)

• Preheat oven to 350F.


• In a medium bowl combine first three ingredients. Set aside.


• In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until just blended.


• Using a spatula, stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts.


• Drop dough by teaspoonful onto baking sheet, and bake until just golden. About 15 minutes. Yields 36 (large) or 72 (small) cookies.

[Note: Due to the holidays we had to use Christmas color swirled white chocolate chips. From this recipe we made 45 medium sized cookies]

Pistachio and Cherry Mexican Wedding Cakes
The tart chewy cherries provide a wonderful contrast to the powdered sugar coating and crumbly cookie.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar plus more for coating
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup cherries
2 1/2 cups flour

• Preheat oven to 350F.


• In a large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt, then pistachios and cherries. Using a spatula stir in all flour (do not over mix dough).


• Shape dough by generous tablespoonfuls into football-shaped ovals. Place on baking sheet and bake until bottoms just begin to color. Approximately 15 minutes.


• Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes, before coating.


• Pour a generous amount of powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add cookies to bowl and gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to a sheet of wax paper, cool completely and enjoy!

Reflections

Panorama Photos

This is a panorama view of the bench surrounding the Gran Placa Circular in Parc Guell. I was shocked when I arrived here and there wasn't a single tourist on the bench. A big difference from the overcrowded, fight for seat, bench that I remember from my last visit.

This is the gorgeous skyline of Barcelona as seen from the bench of Parc Guell.

A panorama view of the Barcelona skyline with labels.

Photos from Europe!

Now that I am home safe and sound I can finally post the photographs from my trip. I took quite a few photos and below are two slide shows with the ones that I felt were worth sharing.

Part of the fun of travelling during Christmas is experiencing the holiday traditions of different cultures. In Barcelona I learned about caga tio and cagnares. Caga tio is a wooden log with a painted smiley face and hat that has sweets inside. The children beat it open with a stick on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to find the hidden treasures. It was quite entertaining to hear the children chant the traditional song and then beat the over sized caga tio at the Christmas market Feria de Santa Lucia. On the other hand Cagnares were quite a different tradition. Cagnares are little defecating gnome-like porcelain figurines of everyone from saints and prophets to Homer Simpson and political figures. Catalans use these figurines in their nativity scenes.

So with that I'll leave you to enjoy the photos!

Christmas in Europe


| View Show | Create Your Own

Photos from Barcelona


| View Show | Create Your Own

Rainy Day, Internet Cafe

Location: Barcelona

Time: 12 noon

 

I am having a great time here in Barcelona! Honestly I have to say I have been blessed by the weather gods. Besides today, which is wet and rainy, I have had nothing but beautiful weather. So instead of wandering around in the puddles I thought I would take a moment to use this internet cafe and provide you with a little recap of what I have been up to.

 

Wednesday was my first day for exploring, on the schedule was Parc Guell and Poble Espanyol. When I arrived at the park I found that I was one of the first ten tourists in the park. This meant that I was the only person sitting on the winding bench enjoying the view over Barcelona. It was so tranquil compared to the chaos I experienced the last time I was here. As I was wandering up the hill to the higher vantage point I met a nice old man who insisted on showing me around the park and pointing out all the sights across Barcelona. This of course all occurred in Spanish, good thing that I still remember a word or two from Mexico! After telling me the history of the sights he checked his watch and revealed that he needed to get on with his day. I thanked him for sharing his knowledge and then was left to admire the view and wander around the park some more. Unfortunately, by the time I made it back to the front of the park I had been joined by a couple of tour buses of Asian tourists, a tour bus of Italian school kids and many other visitors. So much for more peaceful time in the park.

 

At this point I decided to wander back into the center of town and took a stroll down La Rambla. I grabbed a bite to eat and then continued my wander in the direction of Palau Nacional and Montjuic. The Palace, at the end of the Avenue of Cristina is such a spectacle to behold. Last time I was up here I wandered around the Olympic Stadium, however this time I was determined to check out the buildings and crafts of Poble Espanyol. Built as an homage to Spanish architecture this area contains all sorts of craftspeople. It was great to wander around and see all the local talent.

 

Thursday, I used the day to get lost in the old town. First stop was La Cathedral. Located in the center of the old town neighborhood it is absolutely amazing. There are something like 26 side chapels inside the church, all decorated differently. Although I have to say the best part of the church is taking the elevator to the top and wandering around on the roof. At a cost of €2.20 it is definitely the best item I have spent money on since being here. On the roof I was able to enjoy the sunshine while having a 360 degree panorama view over Barcelona. After visiting another church I grabbed a bocadillo y jugo and headed down to the water front to enjoy even more of the sunshine. I think the temperature yesterday was 15º, perfect weather for watching the yachts in the harbor by Mare Magnum. After a stroll along the waterfront I headed back to the old town to get lost in the winding streets and alleys. I found quite a few arts and crafts stands along the way and eventually ended up at the Feria de Santa Lucia next to the cathedral. It was amazing how quickly five hours pass when you are just wandering aimlessly through the streets of Barcelona.

 

Today, despite the rain, I have been perusing the shops around town. For lunch I am going to the Falafel place that my friends and I loved the last time we were here. This afternoon, Dad and I are hoping to visit La Sagrada Familia and then we are treating ourselves to dinner. Tomorrow I have to say goodbye to Barcelona, as we have a 7 o´clock flight back to London. It´s been an amazing few days and I only wish I had more time and more sunshine to explore even more. Next time I come I am definitely planning a day trip out of Barcelona to the Freixenet winery, only 45 minutes away by train.

Part 2

Location: London

Time: 9pm

 

Just a quick update. Last night Dad and I spent the evening at M&C's for sunday dinner, and what a dinner it was! I experienced the best roast potatoes I have ever eaten (sorry Dad!). I have no idea how M gets them so crispy on the outside yet so moist on the inside but however it is done, it is heaven sent. I also had the pleasure of meeting both M's daughter and her daughter for the first time. It was such an enjoyable evening that before we knew it, it was time to walk back to the station to make the last tube back to our flat.

 

I spent today wandering around the city completing some last minute errands and also using the free time to take some photographs of London. It's been a while since I have spent time just wandering around, taking photographs and I realized how much I have missed my little hobby. I also realized how old my digital camera is when I noticed my camera is only capable of taking pictures that are 2.0 megapixels.

 

Now that my suitcase is packed, I am ready to head off to Barcelona. I hope the weather stays pleasant, cloudy is okay as long as it is dry, so that I can really enjoy wandering the streets of Barcelona.

London

Location: London

Time: 5pm

 

I was just gazing out the window watching the London Eye spin around, amazed by the number of flash photographs being taken of the city, when I caught a glimpse of the glowing face of Big Ben and realized, wow, I am in London. It's hard to believe that it's already day three here, but what a wonderful three days it has been so far.

 

Friday E arrived from Paris via the Eurostar, and we spent the evening chatting away over a pint at the local pub. Saturday we slept in and then spent the day wandering around the city. We stopped in at Westminster Cathedral and marvelled at the beautiful interior. While Westminster Abby is architecturally beautiful, Westminster Cathedral is decorated beautifully. My family and I went to a Christmas service at this church two years ago and all I remember is the black ceiling and thinking to myself that it was as though I was looking up into the night sky. Little did I know that slowly the church would be installing amazing, colorful, and inspiring mosaics throughout. Even better, there aren't a million tourists buzzing around so you really can enjoy the peaceful sanctuary of being in a church.

 

Saturday evening my Dad threw together a wonderful dinner party. It was great opportunity to spend some time with my aunt and uncle and to see my dad's friends P&P and T&R. Unfortunately we didn't have enough chairs to seat the number of people we had invited so instead of a traditional sit down meal we had a rolling buffet; a few dishes at a time served throughout the evening. Lots of laughter and at least 7 bottles of wine later, we had to call it a night so our guests could make it home before the Tube closed.

 

Sadly, E had to return to Paris this afternoon but only after searching out fish and chips for lunch. It was wonderful having her here but next time I am definitely heading over to Paris. Tonight Dad and I are off to M&C's for a Sunday roast, rumored to be one of the best I will ever experience. Then Tuesday I will be off to Barcelona for a week of exploring. I am looking forward to spending some time in Parc Guell, checking out the Christmas markets, and enjoying the Catalan cuisine.

Europe Here I Come!

Well I guess this is goodbye for a little bit. Tomorrow I am getting out of LA, getting out of California, and getting out of the US . . . Europe here I come! Not only will I be spending a week in Barcelona with my Dad, but I will also be going to an alumni event at the university where I spent a year studying abroad during college. There's also the possibility that my ex-winglady who moved to Paris from LA might make an appearance. Who knows what will happen if the two of us are let loose in London! Let's just say it's going to be an exciting ten days.

 

However, I have to say my excitement has been a little dampened after checking the forecast this evening (pun intended). Not only is it going to be rainy in London for the next ten days but look at the temperature difference between where I am now and where I will be spending my vacation:

 

	Monterey Park	London	Barcelona
Low	48	44	45
High	71	53	58

 

I guess this just means that I will have to pack my coats, scarves and sweaters tomorrow because even if it's cold and wet at least it's Europe. I'll do my best to take loads of photographs while I am travelling, but I know for a fact that I won't be able to share them until I return. I might have a chance to post a blog or two, but it's not guaranteed. Either way, we'll definitely catch up once I return.

 

Adios!

Nutella Ravioli

**It's a holiday miracle! When I turned on my computer today the pictures were back! So now you can see how beautiful these little gems really are.**



In the excitement of sharing my freshly made and instantly gobbled batch of nutella raviolis I accidentally deleted all of the pictures I just took. Sad, because they really were beautiful photographs. So instead you will have to imagine the golden brown crispy triangles of oozing nutella until you make them yourself. Which I promise is the easiest thing to do. Here's my recipe from what I remember seeing on Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis.

1 package of wonton wrappers
1 jar of nutella
vegetable oil for frying
powdered sugar

Take out one wonton wrapper, place a teaspoon of nutella in the middle. Using a pastry brush, brush two edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper diagonally in half and press down to seal. I like to press the edges with a fork to add a little detail to the raviolis. Repeat to make as many raviolis as desired. I recommend four per person.

Heat the oil over medium high heat until warm. You can tell the oil is hot enough when a piece of the wonton wrapper turns brown after 10 seconds in the oil. Place each ravioli into the oil and fry until golden, remember to turn the ravioli at least once. Set on a paper towel to dry. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Weekend Getaway

This past weekend I spent some time with my favorite married couple J&C up in the mountains. With a whopping 6"-12" of man-made machine groomed snow we decided we would sit out on the skiing/snowboarding this weekend in exchange for Christmas decorating and catching up. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend! I arrived on Friday after a short five hour drive (yes I combined short with five hours, but only because I was able to use cruise control the whole way and for some reason I was under the impression it was going to take me six hours). After a few "welcome to the mountain" drinks, we decided to take an evening stroll to enjoy the crisp mountain air. Surprisingly this stroll took us straight to the local bar. We called it an early night so that C could get up for work in the morning, but only after impressing the locals with our shenanigans.

 

Saturday J made me a wonderful breakfast sandwich to power us up for decorating the condo for christmas. I am heading off to Trader Joe's tomorrow to invest in the secret ingredient, and I promise I'll share the recipe as soon as I am able to recreate it. So check back on the food blog later this week. After decorating we used the rest of the afternoon to browse the local shops.  J treated me to an ice cream and I treated myself to a Chia Herb Garden. It's hard for me to contain my excitement about this find, but that will have to be saved for another post.

 

Night number two was pretty much a repeat of night number one except the evening stroll was a little bit longer due to the scenic detour through the woods. It was a sad day on Sunday when I had to pack up my car and leave the wonderful mountain town. But that just means that I will have to return . . . how about the end of the month?

One rotation down, two to go!

It's hard to believe that this week was the last week of my clinical rotation. It's hard to believe that today was the last day. It feels as though no time has passed between taking my first step in the hospital door, only having a slight idea of what clinical dietetics meant, and now, leaving the hospital for the last time capable of functioning as an entry level clinical dietitian. Since that first day I have seen, heard, experienced and learnt so much. I can now do TPN calculations without even thinking. I don't need my little yellow sticky note to remember what to ask patients when I assess them for the first time. I can write a follow-up progress note. I can converse confidently with patients about cardiac, diabetic, and renal diets. And I am no longer scared to track down a nurse to ask about my patient. I feel like I finally fit into the hospital scene.

 

Next week will be different. I no longer have to wake up at 5am to be at the hospital by 7. I won't get to spend time with the clinical dietitians. I won't get to hear their stories and discuss our always entertaining patients. I won't get to read patient charts to learn their history. I won't have to avoid the medical group as they do their rounds and take over the nurse's station. I won't get to use my Spanish to interview patients. I won't get to be a part of the hum drum of the hospital atmosphere. Instead I get four weeks of vacation; I guess I can't really complain.

 

I've always been advised by other Registered Dietitians that it is best to start out as a clinical dietitian to get broad exposure to different disease states. It's been in my career plan for the past two years, but now I know what being a clinical dietitian really means. More importantly I know that even though it's not my passion, clinical dietetics is interesting and appealing to me for a short term career. I no longer see it as "two years of work experience I have to grin and bear", clinical dietetics holds its own challenges and opportunities for me to grow and learn even more about how nutrition applies to the disease process. I guess now I understand why it's an important background to have. 

 

Next on my plate is my administrative rotation. New hospital, new staff, new experience. It starts in January. But for now, I can relax and enjoy being an adventurous twenty-something.

A New Look

So I finally decided to switch over to the blogger-beta. As a result you can now search my recipes by category instead of just reading through the post titles.

I am messing around with some of the formatting so you might see a few more changes over the next week or two. Hopefully I can figure out how to get my sidebar all the way down the page, because that really bugs me.

This is a picture of the phyllo wrapped cod I made the other day. A simple throw together from freezer ingredients.

Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread

(11/07) After making this dish again, I have decided that the tweaked recipe below simply does not do Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread justice. So if you are going to make this, stick to the original recipe not the tweaked version below. The wheat germ and buttermilk are irreplaceable.

In case you haven't noticed, I have a new favorite food blog listed on the right. My friend K has finally decided to join me in the blog world and you can find her at Damn Delicious. She and I are constantly swapping recipes back and forth. This girl knows how to pick 'em and is definitely not afraid of a little adventure in the kitchen. The recipe below is one of my favorites from her, a quick and easy crusty bread that goes perfectly with that hot bowl of soup for those cold winter nights.

Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread**

• 7 oz whole wheat flour



• 2 oz plain flour



• 2 oz oatmeal



• 1 teaspoon baking soda



• 1 teaspoon sugar



• 1/3 teaspoon salt



• 1 large egg



• 10 oz soymilk

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mold dough into a round loaf and turn out onto a baking sheet. Score the bread into six even slices. Bake 50 minutes or until a knock on the bottom produces a hollow sound. Enjoy!

**The above recipe has been tweaked based on what was in my cupboard. The original recipe calls for 6 oz whole wheat flour, 1 oz of wheat germ, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 10 oz buttermilk.