Pile o' boxersMonday, October 02, 2006
Sunday, October 01, 2006
More thoughts on food
1) Quinoa flakes
I just discovered these. I thought my days of hot cereal were over. Oh no, my friend! The great thing is that because of the protein in quinoa, you feel really good and energetic after eating it. But... even with milk, brown sugar, and raisins - it's not oatmeal. It's still all "sprouty" like regular quinoa. Still, thumbs up overall!
2) Black rice
Really more of a dark, dark purple. First off - don't be fooled, this is a whole grain. So, imagine brown rice, but chewier and, well, black. The other funny thing is that the water in the pan turns aubergine, and you really don't want to get it on your shirt. But... there's so much to it that you really don't need much to fill you up - and it has a higher protein content then regular rice. The story is that the emporer of China (the bag doesn't say which one...) decreed that this rice could only be grown by him - so they call it "forbidden rice"... ooooo.... ahhhhh...
I just discovered these. I thought my days of hot cereal were over. Oh no, my friend! The great thing is that because of the protein in quinoa, you feel really good and energetic after eating it. But... even with milk, brown sugar, and raisins - it's not oatmeal. It's still all "sprouty" like regular quinoa. Still, thumbs up overall!
2) Black rice
Really more of a dark, dark purple. First off - don't be fooled, this is a whole grain. So, imagine brown rice, but chewier and, well, black. The other funny thing is that the water in the pan turns aubergine, and you really don't want to get it on your shirt. But... there's so much to it that you really don't need much to fill you up - and it has a higher protein content then regular rice. The story is that the emporer of China (the bag doesn't say which one...) decreed that this rice could only be grown by him - so they call it "forbidden rice"... ooooo.... ahhhhh...
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
I love this idea!
So, when I'm stuck for inspiration I can plan my launch party. Just like this lady did.
I'll need a fishing theme instead of a hunting theme, but it sounds like a blast!!
I'll need a fishing theme instead of a hunting theme, but it sounds like a blast!!
Boxer(s) of the day
I really don't think I can come up with a caption to do these guys justice! Enjoy!Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Fall TV Lineup... and a rant
Sure, everyone loves the crisp air, the fresh apples, school starting up again (would someone tell me that my daughter isn't the only one to make dust angels in the gravel when she's hot at recess??) But my favorite part is the new shows!! YAY!
Here are my thoughts on the fall lineup thus far:
1) Standoff - starring Ron Livingston of Office Space fame and Anna Esposito (evil chick from Alias). I mentally gave this a B after the first episode, but it jumps up to an A after the second episode. I really like it and recommend it.
2) Jerhico - Eh. Love the setup, not so hot on the execution, but it gets a few more tries to see if it goes the way of Standoff or more like Surface from last year (that's not a good way to go).
3) Studio 60 - Ah, Aaron Sorkin. I adored Sports Night like the characters were my best friends. I loved West Wing almost as much. I see great potential here. And, I will say that there is a Christian character who isn't a straw dog opposition character, or all syrupy and annoying (7th Heaven anyone?) She actually talks like a Christian that I'd know from school or church. I'm very interested to see what he does with her. He wrote religion very sensitively in WW, in fact, it's one of the ways I could tell he was gone - Bartlett's attitudes toward religion changed markedly. So, a big hopeful we'll see for this one!
4) Meerkat Manor - ok, not a new show, but new to me. It's on Animal Planet. They follow the "real life travails" of a family of Meerkats in the Kalihari. Last season ended with a cliffhanger about the fate of brave Shakespeare as he was defending the pups against the enemy Lazuli family. Be ok Shakespeare!!! We find out Friday. :)
5) Kidnapped - so far an A - good concept (a guy who retrieves kidnapped people) - good execution - seems like a hard concept to carry through, but so far so good.
6) Smith - Eh... don't like the concept, but I do like the execution. Everyone seems evil. They need to show me real fast why I should want any of them to make it. But, it gets another week.
And I'll take this opportunity to plug Lost, starting next month, can't wait! Also anxiously awaiting The Nine next month.
I have yet to see Gilmore Girls. Those of you who know me know that it's really the closest show to my heart, and it was new last night. It's mocking me from my Tivo box right now. Here's the thing, here's my open letter to Lorelai (or whoever's writing her today)....
Luke waited for you for EIGHT YEARS and you couldn't be patient for a few little weeks while he deals with his CHILD? After all those years of putting Rory first you don't get that??!!!
OK, my real issue here is that it isn't even a little bit true to her character. Sure, she's been a tiny bit selfish in the past. She yelled at him when Jess and Rory got in the accident and it wasn't his fault, but this? No, this isn't her and I personally feel betrayed as a fan. I think that Amy Sherman-Palladino was irritated with the way things went and turned the show on it's ear before she left, but really, why take it out on your fans.
So, I'm not watching till I hear things work out for Luke and Lorelai and then I'll catch up. I may have a long wait, but so be it. I have to protect myself. ;)
Here are my thoughts on the fall lineup thus far:
1) Standoff - starring Ron Livingston of Office Space fame and Anna Esposito (evil chick from Alias). I mentally gave this a B after the first episode, but it jumps up to an A after the second episode. I really like it and recommend it.
2) Jerhico - Eh. Love the setup, not so hot on the execution, but it gets a few more tries to see if it goes the way of Standoff or more like Surface from last year (that's not a good way to go).
3) Studio 60 - Ah, Aaron Sorkin. I adored Sports Night like the characters were my best friends. I loved West Wing almost as much. I see great potential here. And, I will say that there is a Christian character who isn't a straw dog opposition character, or all syrupy and annoying (7th Heaven anyone?) She actually talks like a Christian that I'd know from school or church. I'm very interested to see what he does with her. He wrote religion very sensitively in WW, in fact, it's one of the ways I could tell he was gone - Bartlett's attitudes toward religion changed markedly. So, a big hopeful we'll see for this one!
4) Meerkat Manor - ok, not a new show, but new to me. It's on Animal Planet. They follow the "real life travails" of a family of Meerkats in the Kalihari. Last season ended with a cliffhanger about the fate of brave Shakespeare as he was defending the pups against the enemy Lazuli family. Be ok Shakespeare!!! We find out Friday. :)
5) Kidnapped - so far an A - good concept (a guy who retrieves kidnapped people) - good execution - seems like a hard concept to carry through, but so far so good.
6) Smith - Eh... don't like the concept, but I do like the execution. Everyone seems evil. They need to show me real fast why I should want any of them to make it. But, it gets another week.
And I'll take this opportunity to plug Lost, starting next month, can't wait! Also anxiously awaiting The Nine next month.
I have yet to see Gilmore Girls. Those of you who know me know that it's really the closest show to my heart, and it was new last night. It's mocking me from my Tivo box right now. Here's the thing, here's my open letter to Lorelai (or whoever's writing her today)....
Luke waited for you for EIGHT YEARS and you couldn't be patient for a few little weeks while he deals with his CHILD? After all those years of putting Rory first you don't get that??!!!
OK, my real issue here is that it isn't even a little bit true to her character. Sure, she's been a tiny bit selfish in the past. She yelled at him when Jess and Rory got in the accident and it wasn't his fault, but this? No, this isn't her and I personally feel betrayed as a fan. I think that Amy Sherman-Palladino was irritated with the way things went and turned the show on it's ear before she left, but really, why take it out on your fans.
So, I'm not watching till I hear things work out for Luke and Lorelai and then I'll catch up. I may have a long wait, but so be it. I have to protect myself. ;)
Not just a pretty face!
This woman's boxer, Fletcher, saved her life today. Read about it here on Boxer World.
I'll summarize, a rapist in the neighborhood came to her door, and thinking it was her kid running back from the bus stop, she opened it. Her dog went ballistic on the guy and he turned and ran.
In Fletcher's honor, I'll post his picture today for my Boxer Hero of the Day!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
He wants to play!!!Tip of the day
If you are using a "smart" hair dryer that shuts itself off when it gets too hot, and the dryer does just that... don't just set it down and walk away.
The dryer will eventually cool down and turn itself back on and you will jump to your feet thinking:
A) Someone broke into your house to dry their hair in the bathroom
or
B) There are poltergeists in your bathroom drying their hair
C) The hair dryer turned itself back on will be the *last* thing to occur to you.
And I don't even want to think about fire hazards...
The dryer will eventually cool down and turn itself back on and you will jump to your feet thinking:
A) Someone broke into your house to dry their hair in the bathroom
or
B) There are poltergeists in your bathroom drying their hair
C) The hair dryer turned itself back on will be the *last* thing to occur to you.
And I don't even want to think about fire hazards...
Tofu, I'm not scared of you!
The Lemke's made their first foray into the wild world of tofu last night. OK, maybe this doesn't seem too crazy to the rest of you, but I've always been a little intimidated by it - how *do* you cook it?? And I don't like anything remotely resembling the texture of mushrooms, so it really did pose a problem.
Last night I made tofu crumbles. I'm linking to the recipe, but in summary, I took 2 lbs of tofu (extra firm) and pressed and dried it to get as much water out as possible, then I *crumbled* it into a bowl. It looked kind of like feta crumbles (not such a scary thing). Meanwhile, I made a sauce with hoisin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic. See the recipe for proportions, but know that I at least doubled the hoisin. I love that stuff! Once it all simmered together and then cooled I poured 1/2 of it over the crumbles. Then I baked them for an hour to get a lot more moisture out of them.
That was the hard part - but I have a lot of this, so it's gonna be a short cut from here on out. For dinner, then, I just sauteed veggies I had on hand (onion, red pepper, 'shrooms, green onions) and added some of the sauce from the tofu. Then tossed the tofu in and served it over jasmine rice. YUM!!!! The crumbles took forever, the actual dinner took just minutes.
Gigi loved it and ate it by the fistful - Kira, not so much, but she didn't actually gag like with the eggplant, so that's an improvement!!
Last night I made tofu crumbles. I'm linking to the recipe, but in summary, I took 2 lbs of tofu (extra firm) and pressed and dried it to get as much water out as possible, then I *crumbled* it into a bowl. It looked kind of like feta crumbles (not such a scary thing). Meanwhile, I made a sauce with hoisin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic. See the recipe for proportions, but know that I at least doubled the hoisin. I love that stuff! Once it all simmered together and then cooled I poured 1/2 of it over the crumbles. Then I baked them for an hour to get a lot more moisture out of them.
That was the hard part - but I have a lot of this, so it's gonna be a short cut from here on out. For dinner, then, I just sauteed veggies I had on hand (onion, red pepper, 'shrooms, green onions) and added some of the sauce from the tofu. Then tossed the tofu in and served it over jasmine rice. YUM!!!! The crumbles took forever, the actual dinner took just minutes.
Gigi loved it and ate it by the fistful - Kira, not so much, but she didn't actually gag like with the eggplant, so that's an improvement!!
Friday, September 22, 2006
Another very special boxer of the day
This boxer pic is courtesy of a friend and blog reader, and as she pointed out, the boxer wants to be a writer, too!
Dinner tonight
I made eggplant parmesan and an upside down apple cake. Here's a burning question... I've been committed to "whole foods" so whole wheat flour would be a necessity, except that I can't eat wheat. So I have gluten free flour that is a blend of rice, soy, and potato flour. How do I know if this is "whole" or "refined"? I have no idea.
Anyway... eggplant parmesan, I created this from several recipes:
1) slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices
2) dip in egg, then in flour mixed with salt and pepper
3) fry lightly in olive oil (I learned that 2 skillets is ideal here)
4) layer in lasagne pan
5) pour marinara sauce* over eggplant
6) cover in grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese
7) bake till cheese is golde
*I always make my own sauce, but this time I did a simplified version - just sauteed some onion and garlic, added a can of tomato sauce and some basil and voila
The cake was easy too - just chop up some apples and put in the bottom of a pan - bake till soft. Remove from oven and toss brown sugar on top. Then mix up 1 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1/3 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 egg, 1/3 c milk, 1 stick butter and pour on top. Then bake till it looks done. :)
YUM!!! The meal scored rave reviews from Randy (despite having ordered eggplant parmesan for lunch - the cad!) but Kira barely choked it down. The cake however was a hit with both of them. Here is a transcript of what was said in the car on the way home from school today:
Me: Kira, I made you dessert today!
Kira: What is it?
Me: Apple upside down cake
Kira: I have 2 questions: What's for dinner, and how much of it do I have to eat to get dessert?
That's my girl - cut to the chase. :)
Anyway... eggplant parmesan, I created this from several recipes:
1) slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices
2) dip in egg, then in flour mixed with salt and pepper
3) fry lightly in olive oil (I learned that 2 skillets is ideal here)
4) layer in lasagne pan
5) pour marinara sauce* over eggplant
6) cover in grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese
7) bake till cheese is golde
*I always make my own sauce, but this time I did a simplified version - just sauteed some onion and garlic, added a can of tomato sauce and some basil and voila
The cake was easy too - just chop up some apples and put in the bottom of a pan - bake till soft. Remove from oven and toss brown sugar on top. Then mix up 1 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1/3 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 egg, 1/3 c milk, 1 stick butter and pour on top. Then bake till it looks done. :)
YUM!!! The meal scored rave reviews from Randy (despite having ordered eggplant parmesan for lunch - the cad!) but Kira barely choked it down. The cake however was a hit with both of them. Here is a transcript of what was said in the car on the way home from school today:
Me: Kira, I made you dessert today!
Kira: What is it?
Me: Apple upside down cake
Kira: I have 2 questions: What's for dinner, and how much of it do I have to eat to get dessert?
That's my girl - cut to the chase. :)
Thursday, September 21, 2006
On coming in this morning
"Hey Robin, do you need a new badge? I see you managed to make it through the front door alright!"
Everyone's a comedian...
Everyone's a comedian...
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
This morning
I could mention the hour plus commute, the fact that I needed to get to a bathroom for over half of it (yet still drank my entire latte - makes you question what I have going on upstairs), or that I fell flat on the pavement right in front of the front door at work (in flats, no less) - but I think this email sums it up:
Good Morning Robin*,
I think we have your keys down here at The Security desk. If you want to come down and get them, it will be here for you.
Clearly, I'm not operating with a full deck today, and as already noted, I *have* had my coffee.
Beware, those that cross my path on this Wednesday!!!
*please also note that my keys have nothing with my name on them and I do work in an office building of several thousand people.
Good Morning Robin*,
I think we have your keys down here at The Security desk. If you want to come down and get them, it will be here for you.
Clearly, I'm not operating with a full deck today, and as already noted, I *have* had my coffee.
Beware, those that cross my path on this Wednesday!!!
*please also note that my keys have nothing with my name on them and I do work in an office building of several thousand people.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Back in gear
After a kick in the pants from my buddies over at the I Should Be Writing forums, I stopped planning and started writing again. I have a lot of great ideas for how to build in more tension, more plot mirrors and knots, but if I'm not putting the words on the page it won't get done. So, I did another 500 words today - still not a lot, but I'm ramping back up! I think I know where I'm going for the next 10,000 words or so, and that should be good enough to build up the momentum.
Here it goes! I'm still trying to finish by 10/31 and it's fast approaching!
Here it goes! I'm still trying to finish by 10/31 and it's fast approaching!
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