It's been too long since I've written about my ventures in the kitchen. Finals are nearing and my life has gotten really hectic. It's not that I have intense finals to study for (my class load is actually rather light this semester), but I have a huge paper due for my persuasion class and...to be quite honest with everyone, I only have 4 pages written. It's supposed to be ten pages long, but I know that I will pull it out in the end. It's due on Tuesday. The stress in my life comes from...
DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING IS A RANT ABOUT FINALS WEEK.
My school doesn't have a dead week. We don't even have a dead day. The last day of class will be Next Wednesday and my first final will be a week from today. This gives me no time to prepare for the grueling task that is finals week. It's not nearly as bad for me as it is for others. My roommate has two finals on Thursday (the first day of finals) and will not have any time to study for them. So she has to study for them this weekend. RANT COMPLETE
Back to a better happier topic. Last night, I was cooking a celebratory meal. Caine made a 92 on his Genetics test (a very big deal considering most people have to take Genetics more than once just to pass it). He swore that he wasn't going to do well, but I was correct when I told him that he would. I decided to try a recipe in my wonderful little cookbook for bacon wrapped chicken with tarragon. It was possibly THE most amazing thing I have ever put in my mouth that came from my own oven! The chicken also had green onion cream cheese rolled into it. Basically I had to use my rolling pin to flatten the chicken to a half inch think, salt and peppered, spread a little cream cheese, rolled it all up, wrapped it in bacon and stuck it in the oven for 40 minutes. It was so easy, and wonderful! The chicken stayed moist, always a fear when I bake chicken, and the flavor was phenomenal. I didn't have tarragon and honestly it was a little pricey when I went to buy it, so I used the dried Italian herbs I had on hand. They worked perfectly well if I do say so myself.
This week a lot has been on my mind. Mostly, I've been thinking about my family and how blessed I am to have them. I miss my brother and sister a lot more than I thought I would when I first left for school. I find myself trying to get a hold of them, but then I remember how busy they actually are with school and sports and practices and such. I'm staying in Belton this summer and I really think I will miss swimming and laying out with Olivia every day or making Caleb go get me a milkshake. I can't even really describe how much I miss my mom and dad sometimes. I think I get more homesick now because I realize what I'm missing at home. I'm missing all Mom's antics and Olivia's boy troubles, Caleb's ball games and playing tennis with my daddy. I value home more now than I did when I was younger. Mom put on her Facebook that Caleb and Olivia had been running around chasing each other like they did when they were little. I know I can't imagine how fast our childhoods have gone for Mom, but I think I understand a little. When I look at pictures of the three of us kids, I can't believe how much older Olivia looks. She's such a beautiful young woman. I hardly recognize Caleb sometimes because he's gotten so muscular and "manly." I still see him as a four year old running around with a football helmet on his head that was seven sizes too big, making him look like a bobble head.
I wish that I hadn't hurried through my childhood. I wish that I had fought less with my sister. I wish that I had valued all the quality time with my family more. But I can't change that now. All any of us can do is live for the moment and treasure the wonderful people in our lives. I know one thing, I'm going to play tennis with my dad as many times as I can for this summer, and every time I do, thank my Heavenly Father for giving me a family like mine.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Third Wave Feminism and Leftover Chicken Pot Pie
The end of a fiscal month brings challenges to most college students, but especially to those on a strict budget like mine. To add a twist to this predicament, keep in mind that I hate eating fast food all the time and that woman cannot survive on peanut butter alone. The food in the pantry/refrigerator is running out, and so is the money in the bank. So I've found creative ways to use up all the food I have left, so none goes to waste and also keep from overspending. I wanted to make a dessert last week, so I made peanut butter cookies because all my recipe requires is peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla (Vanilla is expensive, so I've got to find some way to cut down on that expense.). I also made oatmeal cookies later because I had oatmeal on hand. Both cookies were delicious and were quickly devoured by my friends. The only way for me to really keep cookies around is if I don't tell Caine that I've made them.
I also made another chicken pot pie, because that was a huge hit the first time around. I meant to cook for more than just Caine and myself on this occasion, but my roommate was gone for the weekend as were his, so it ended up just the two of us. It was also a great budget meal because I had all of the ingredients on hand. The only thing I would have needed would be pre-made pie crusts, but instead, I knew I had supplies to make my own, so I set off on that venture. Just as I was about to roll out the pie crust (more on that later) a friend called him to go cook out at the lake. He politely turned them down. I told him that I didn't mind and we could do that instead if he wanted, but he told me that he would rather spend a quiet evening with me. How lucky am I? I love that he always appreciates my cooking, effort and time so much so that I don't even mind sacrificing. It makes a big difference when your service doesn't go unnoticed.
So back to the pie crust. My mom makes a really good pie crust dough, but it's one of those recipes that doesn't really have a recipe; she just does it. So I called her up Saturday afternoon and asked her how to make it. She gave me a good description of what I would need to do and sent me on my way. My mom is always great about helping me learn things that I'll need in the future. Though, she doesn't usually teach me kitchen things. Isn't it amazing how the older you get, the wiser your parents seem? I suppose that's relativity at its finest. I had some butter that needed to be of use, so I decided to substitute that for Crisco which my mother's recipe calls for. OH MY WORD!!!! Best pie crust I've ever even attempted to make. It was flaky, buttery and crunchy without being hard...delicious. So, the moral of this is that I can make delicious pie crust that isn't too salty, gummy or hard and I don't have to rely on Pilsbury to make it happen!
I had the leftover pot pie Tuesday night at work and it was still wonderful. Though I did wish that I could have heated it in an oven instead of a microwave. As for feminism...
This semester I have taken a Women's Studies class as an upper level history to finish my minor. What this class taught me is that I am a feminist. Feminism is not all about bra burning and refusing to be domestic. Third Wave feminism is about the right to choose. Women should have the privilege to choose who they want to be. If I want to grow up and become June Cleaver, then that is my right, but no one should be allowed to force me to do something. On that note of feminism and women's rights, I leave with this thought:
We're merely soldiers in petticoats
Dauntless crusaders for women's votes
Though we adore men individually,
We agree that as a group,
They're rather stupid....
So cast off the shackles of yesterday
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray
Our daughter's daughters will adore us,
and they'll sing in grateful chorus
Well done! Sister suffragette!
I also made another chicken pot pie, because that was a huge hit the first time around. I meant to cook for more than just Caine and myself on this occasion, but my roommate was gone for the weekend as were his, so it ended up just the two of us. It was also a great budget meal because I had all of the ingredients on hand. The only thing I would have needed would be pre-made pie crusts, but instead, I knew I had supplies to make my own, so I set off on that venture. Just as I was about to roll out the pie crust (more on that later) a friend called him to go cook out at the lake. He politely turned them down. I told him that I didn't mind and we could do that instead if he wanted, but he told me that he would rather spend a quiet evening with me. How lucky am I? I love that he always appreciates my cooking, effort and time so much so that I don't even mind sacrificing. It makes a big difference when your service doesn't go unnoticed.
So back to the pie crust. My mom makes a really good pie crust dough, but it's one of those recipes that doesn't really have a recipe; she just does it. So I called her up Saturday afternoon and asked her how to make it. She gave me a good description of what I would need to do and sent me on my way. My mom is always great about helping me learn things that I'll need in the future. Though, she doesn't usually teach me kitchen things. Isn't it amazing how the older you get, the wiser your parents seem? I suppose that's relativity at its finest. I had some butter that needed to be of use, so I decided to substitute that for Crisco which my mother's recipe calls for. OH MY WORD!!!! Best pie crust I've ever even attempted to make. It was flaky, buttery and crunchy without being hard...delicious. So, the moral of this is that I can make delicious pie crust that isn't too salty, gummy or hard and I don't have to rely on Pilsbury to make it happen!
I had the leftover pot pie Tuesday night at work and it was still wonderful. Though I did wish that I could have heated it in an oven instead of a microwave. As for feminism...
This semester I have taken a Women's Studies class as an upper level history to finish my minor. What this class taught me is that I am a feminist. Feminism is not all about bra burning and refusing to be domestic. Third Wave feminism is about the right to choose. Women should have the privilege to choose who they want to be. If I want to grow up and become June Cleaver, then that is my right, but no one should be allowed to force me to do something. On that note of feminism and women's rights, I leave with this thought:
We're merely soldiers in petticoats
Dauntless crusaders for women's votes
Though we adore men individually,
We agree that as a group,
They're rather stupid....
So cast off the shackles of yesterday
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray
Our daughter's daughters will adore us,
and they'll sing in grateful chorus
Well done! Sister suffragette!
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