The Happiest Place on Earth

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! As soon as we moved to Southern California my dad and I instituted an annual tradition of going to Disneyland every year for Father's Day. My dad loves Disney. LOVES Disney. My mom insists that the only reason he had kids is so he didn't feel like a pervert going to Disney movies. The day after we moved to Orange County, my dad loaded us all into the car and we went to get annual passes. My mom? Not the biggest Disney fan. So Father's Day was always our day - my dad got to spend the whole day with someone who actually wanted to be there, and my mom got a free day.

This year the whole family got in on the action. Partly because as much as my mom doesn't like Disney, she loves spending time with all of us. So mom, dad, Jon, Alex, and I headed to the happiest place on earth.


We spent the day going on all my dad's favorite rides and getting him all his favorite Disney foods. Yay for dads! I got him light up Mickey ears which he wore all day...even to dinner.


For dinner we went to Chakra, because I was craving some Indian food. Mom and Dad? They're a little skeptical about Indian food, partly due to the fact they're not familiar with it. I love the spices, the flavors, the way the food is perfectly counterbalanced between hot and sweet.
We all got different dishes, which I love cause I can sample everyone's foods.
Jon got lamb hyderabadi, which was rich and moist.

My mom and I both got the Chicken Tikka Masala, which is one of my favorite dishes (so cliche, I know). I love the sweetness of the Masala sauce which is basically Indian marinara. The added spices balance the dish so its not too sweet.

Alex had the Chicken Chettinad which was the spiciest dish at the table, next to my masala, it was my favorite. In fact it was my favorite until I took a bite of my masala and remembered how much I love the sweetness.

And my dad had the Chicken Bhuna, which tasted very much like the Chicken, but with less spice. This mild dish was probably the perfect "introduction" for my dad.


Of course we rounded out the meal with some Naan. I love Indian food.

We came home with full bellies and sunburnt faces, but definitely happy.

Little ditty, 'bought Jack and Diane

Except Mark doesn't know I call him Jack. We had Mark and Diane over for dinner tonight. It's always nice to have them over because Diane loves everything I make. Even more than Jon. Its a super ego boost. Sometimes I wish Diane ate with us every night. I spend so much time in the library that its a wonder I'm able to hold a conversation at all, so these dinners are both necessary and potentially awkward.

Reasons I love Diane:
Diane is the perfect accomplice. You want to do something? She's in.
Diane jumps with both feet into everything she does. She decides she wants to run, she signs herself up for a marathon. She wants to start boxing? She buys herself a boxing ring.
Diane is the best workout buddy ever. Ever.
Diane lends me books even though she hates lending people books.
When Jon goes out of town, Diane takes it upon herself to make sure I never go lonely.

Reasons I hate Diane:
Diane and I made a pact in January which involved working out and losing weight. Diane lost at least 30 lbs. Me? Not so much.
Diane lives in a beautiful home.
Diane has one of the world's cutest puppies (its true, even Jon thinks so)

Since Diane is eating so healthy now and Mark has always eaten healthy I wanted to make something that would appeal to both of them. So I turned to my Cooking Light Cookbook (have I mentioned how much I love that book?) and made Thai Salad with Beef. This has got to be one of the easiest recipes I have ever made. Seriously - marinade 10 minutes, broil 12 minutes? This could easily become a fall back dinner. Ah Cooking Light, how I adore thee. I believe there are not chefs in the Cooking Light kitchens, but magicians. Possibly graduates from Hogwarts. If Harry doesn't pass his final exams, he should apply for a position.

The recipe was (surprise, surprise) a success. Diane loved it (surprise surprise) and aside from a few snide comments from the peanut gallery about how I should sacrifice beauty for substance, the peanut gallery was also happy. Happy enough to make it a regular meal? Only time will tell. Oh yeah, life goes on.

Cooking Light's Thai Salad with Beef

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lb flank steak
1 1/4 cup red onion vertically sliced
3 plum tomatoes, each cut in 6ths
8 cups romaine lettuce, torn
1 1/4 cup sliced cucumber
2 Tbsp chopped mint leaves

Directions:
1) Preheat broiler.
2) Combine first 6 ingredients in bowl. Place half of this mixture aside, and the other half in a ziploc bag with the steak. Place in fridge for 10 minutes, turning over once.
3) Spray broiling pan with cooking spray and place steak on pan. Broil for 6 minutes each side.Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
4) Heat nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add cooking spray. Cook onions for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
5) In large bowl combine onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, and mint. Toss throughly.
6) Put salad on plates. Top with steak. Drizzle with remaining half of the lime/chili mixture.

SYTYCD Week One

Okay, so I'm not terribly disappointed that Ricky and Ashlee got voted on. Ashlee's final dance? Was that even a dance? It kinda looked like when I jump around the apartment to music....when I'm pretending I'm a professional dancer. Or like that Saturday Night Live routine where there are modern dancers who leap about and throw themselves around.

And as for Ricky? I truly and honestly believe Cat tipped the judges $10 to get rid of that guy. Cause he's a pretty good dancer, but he's WEIRD. And he can't stop touching her. And making inappropriate comments. He makes me uncomfortable and I don't have to stand next to him. Did you see how he wouldn't let go of her hand? Cat totally threw that one.

The best dance of the week though was definitely Lacey and Kameron. Seriously. I was near tears. It helps that I love Lacey too. I'm pulling for her. She's talented and this dance proved she can do more than just swing. HOT.

In the Words of the Infamous Cole Porter

It's Too Darn Hot. Seeeeriously. Now that I'm back to running outside I can definitely feel it. I run pretty late, after I'm done studying, and its STILL hot. I've determined it must stay hot until the sun sets, and I don't really want to be running in the dark. Not with the coyotes, and the creepos (not that I've seen either, but I've heard they exist and who am I to question).

And there's nothing better to beat the heat than a nice cool drink. And by drink I mean something with alcohol. This is the PERFECT summer drink because it has the key ingredients of summer: limes and mint. Honestly, I'll drink anything with limes in it - Margaritas, pacificos, gimlets, collins, tonics......limes are the best! And mint is sooo cool and summery. This drink uses vodka, which normally Jon isn't too thrilled about, but with all the other great flavors he agreed this was the perfect way to end a hot week.

Here's my little secret, this recipe is supposed to serve 6 people, but when I put it in our giant pilsner glasses it served just the two of us. Does that make us alcoholics? The spinning room tells me it might.

Kate's Summer Kiss

4 limes
2 cups mint leaves
1 can condensed limeaid, thawed
2 cups vodka
2 cups sparking water

Directions:
1) Combine sliced lines, muddled mint leaves, limeaid and vodka in pitcher.
2) Refrigerate 1 hour
3) Add water
4) Serve in glasses filled with ice.

Dude, I'm totally baked

At least that's what my pasta would say if it could talk. Other than lasagna, I don't usually do baked pasta. Again - LA-zy. I mean, when the pasta's done in the pot its eatin' time! But I stumbled upon a WC cooking "challenge" and had to partake. "WC" for the uninitiated stands for "What's Cooking" an online community run through "thenest.com" Actually, I believe its now called "What's for Dinner" but for those of us who have been around from the beginning, it will always be What's Cooking. When I started studying for the bar I stopped almost all my online activity, save for reading blogs and emails.

I miss my online communities though, which will sound odd to any of you who haven't partaken in this experience. But I've grown to know and love the women with whom I chat with, and I've even MET some of them (and they've been even better in person). And only a few of them are crazy/psycho/don't-give-them-your-real-name-or-they'll-show-up-at-your-door-at-2-AM-with-a-knife.

I digress. So as I was reading one of the WC blogs I noticed that the amazingly talented women of what's cooking have started a "recipe of the week." I wanna play I wanna play! Its a way to stay "close" right? This week it was Cooking Light's Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato, and Cheese. Here's the original recipe. I made some changes based on taste/what we had on hand. I used whole wheat pasta (because that's what we predominately use), Trader Joes chicken spicy italian sausage (cause its healthy), canned plum tomatoes with basil (cause I had some in the pantry), and sliced mozzarella cheese (cause I hate shredding cheese).

The result? Cheesy, tomato-y goodness. I don't know if this will make it into the regular rotation, but it was good enough for Jon to eat half of it tonight. Uggghhh HALF? That's a lotta pasta and cheese. Someone's not going to be feeling so hot in a couple hours. But as always, I'll take that to mean it was good. He especially liked the sausage...and the cheese.....and the fact that it was hot...and that it was made from food....

Cooking Light's Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato, and Cheese

1 (1-pound) package uncooked whole wheat penne
1/2 pound chicken spicy Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes and basil, undrained
Cooking spray
8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
3. Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil.

4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Combine cooked pasta and sausage mixture. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 3-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

A kiss on the hand might be quite continental,

but a grill pan is a girl's best friend. Of all our wedding presents, I think the one I use most is my grill pan. Now, that's not to say that I don't LOVE my kitchenaid, but my kitchenaid is more like that sexy black dress you have in the closet. You pull it out for all your special occasions because you know it makes you look good and it always works. My grill pan on the other hand is like that worn in pair of jeans that you live in. Everyday.

I think one of the reasons I love my grill pan is because I'm lazy. Too lazy to wait for our grill's coals to heat up. Too lazy to wait for chicken to bake in the oven. But with the grill pan, a couple a minutes on the stove top and I have plump, healthy, flavorful chicken. (Or steak, or pork chops, or veggies, or portabello mushrooms) I especially love the grill marks that make it look like it I slaved over it. Tonights dinner was marinated in some homemade salad dressing (olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic). I served it with some "southern rice" and edamame. Easy peasy - but you wouldn't know to taste it! And all thanks to *drumroll* the grill pan.

If a seagull flies over the sea, what flies over the bay?

A bay-gull!

Don't you hate those people who have to start every story with a story? Yeah. Me too.

Some people have very strong feelings about politics, religion, the death penalty. Me? I have very strong feelings about bagels. VERY strong feelings. My family is all from New York. I consider myself a New Yorker even though I was born in New York State and not one of the boroughs. But I have spent so much time in Brooklyn/Manhattan/Lun-guy-land, that there is no place with which I more familiar. This familiarity means I am also an expert when it comes to the quintessential New York food (aside from pizza and cheesecake) - bagels.

Wikipedia defines a bagel as "a bread product traditionally made of yeasted wheat dough in the form of a roughly hand-sized ring which is boiled in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior."

But a bagel is more than a roll with a hole in it. And outside of New York it is nearly impossible to find. Oh sure, there are tons of "bagel shops" all over the place. But friends and neighbors, none of them sell bagels. What they sell are sandwich rolls with holes. They just don't get it. And I've tried them all - Noahs, Brueggers, Big City Bagels, Einstein Bros.... And don't even get me started on what they try to pass off as bagels in coffee shops and supermarkets. I refuse to eat them. Honestly, if I were stuck on a island that was deserted save for a Noah's bagels I would eat sand. Or my own leg.

But oh how I love the bagel shop by our apartment. If you're ever in Southern Orange County check out "I Love Bagels." They're as close to authentic as you can get if you still pronounce your r's. The inside is chewy, the outside is perfectly golden, and they actually have *gasp* texture AND flavor. And oh how I love the bagel man. I go in and order half a dozen and the bagel man fills my bag with a dozen fresh bagels each time. See, that's the other benefit of a real bagel store. They close early and would never think of selling a day old bagel so towards the end of the morning they start giving them away. And my car smells soooo good. And the apartment smells soooo good. I hope there are some left when Jon gets home tomorrow night!

Ain't No Sunshine When He's Gone

Jon's in SF right now for a training which means for the next three days it's Kateland. Which would be more fun if Kateland didn't consist of studying nonstop. Stupid test.

When Jon's gone I get to eat food I want and watch commercial television. Jon hates commercial television - unless of course its on Fuel TV. Then he can watch commercial after commercial. I am very much enjoying 3 full days of not having to watch surfing. Of course I would enjoy it more if I weren't studying nonstop. Stupid test.

When Jon's gone my Eastern European "throw everything in a pot and cook it" heritage comes in hard core. Its my version of "comfort food." I call it mash and its usually contains potatoes, which are my second favorite starch. Its also a great way to get rid of leftovers in a dish Jon usually isn't so interested in. I think its the fact that nothing is separate. Never bothered me.

Sausage and Potato Mash
Ingredients
1 Tbsp oil
2 links of spicy italian chicken sausage, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 red potatoes, baked and quartered
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1) Heat oil and toss in sausage.
2) Add onion and pepper
3) Add potatoes, salt and pepper
4) Cook until onions are translucent, peppers are tender, and potatoes develop a golden brown crust.

My fan-tabulous husband/weekend

I feel the need to preface the story with a little known fact about me. Something you wouldn't know by looking at me. I am a total hotel snob. Now that's not to say I won't stay at a regular, run of the mill hotel, but I much prefer a fancy schmancy place. I mean, I would give ANYTHING to be the next Samantha Brown. (I used to get up hours early to watch Great Hotels) Remember that Vegas trip I told you Jon planned for us? Well someone is thoroughly embarrassed to admit she threw a giant hissy fit when she found out they would be staying at the Sahara causing someone else to change the reservations. Like all my negative traits I blame my parents. When I was little we lived close enough to Disney World to go for a daytrip. We moved away when I was five, but continued trips to Disney on a yearly basis. The first time we went we stayed at Wally's World. It was a dump. Something you'd see in a National Lampoon Vacation movie. We learned our lesson. From then on, we stayed at amazing Disney properties and I was hooked.

Where were they going without ever knowing the way?
We left on Friday around 5-ish. Jon still wouldn't tell me where we were going. Bastard. (I really need to stop doing that - he doesn't deserve it...from now on I will only thing positive thoughts about my sweet and caring husband.....until he does something stupid). We headed south. I let out a deep sigh of relief as we left Orange County. As he exited in Oceanside, my stomach sunk (hey, its not that bad, maybe his friend in San Diego told him about some great Oceanside place). Then he started pulling into the Travel Lodge...the one beside the freeway (It's okay, we're not rich and he didn't have a lot of time, he wanted me to get away, which is a sweet thought...he's sweet, this will be okay) At the last minute he veered away with a "Ha Ha, we're not staying here." And back to the freeway we meant. He got off again in La Jolla. (Woot Woot, I LOVE La Jolla. Wait a minute, why did he get off at La Jolla Village Drive? All the good hotels are by the beach......its okay, there's a Sheraton here, it'll have to do. Wait a minute, why is he turning right? All the hotels are to the left...is he taking the long way to the beach? Tricky. Wait a minute, why are we turning into a supermarket parking lot? There's no place to stay here.) Turns out we were just stopping for dinner. "Um, I appreciate this" I told him, "but this is an awful long drive to go to a Chipoltle." After dinner we got back on the road and almost got on the 5 North until there was another veer, another "Ha Ha." (Seriously, this man is going to kill me) We kept heading south. When we passed downtown I was certain we were headed for Mexico. "15 miles to the border" I told him. He cryptically nodded....and then took the exit for Coronado. "Coronado? I LOVE Coronado. They have the most beautiful beach! This is going to be the best weekend ever!"
And then he did it. He pulled into the Hotel Del Coronado. "SHUT UP, we are not staying at the Hotel Del" (I miss you Jenna). The Hotel Del is only one of the most amazing hotels in the country. Established in 1888 it has housed president, movie stars, and now Jon and I! I was BEYOND excited. We checked in and then headed down to the bar for a couple drinks as we watched the people and the ocean. Then it was sleeptime.
No Sleep Till Brooklyn!
Alas for me, there would be very little sleep. At 6AM a knock on the door woke me. As Jon went to answer it, his phone went off....twice. Who calls and visits at 6AM you might ask? The hotel. Jon arranged for a wakeup call at 6 so he could be up when the balloons arrived. THE BALLOONS? This is kinda an old/inside joke. When I was a little girl, my parents would blow up balloons and sneak into my room the night before my birthday and put them all over the floor. My first year at college my mom called Jon and asked him to do the balloon thing because she couldn't. Jon didn't quite understand and hid helium balloons in his closet till I fell asleep. This year he had the hotel go out and get me balloons. At 6:15AM I got another delivery, a bottle of red wine.
At 7AM my brother called. At 8 AM a friend called. By 8:30 we had given up and Jon made us coffee. He made me open my presents and GUESS WHAT I GOT!!!! Alton Brown's latest. So cool. We spent the morning at the pool till my parents came down and met us for lunch. My mom brought a cake. What a sweetie. We had lunch and ate cake and GUESS WHAT I GOT!!!!! A new purse! (Seriously, a girl can never have too many purses) Then my parents headed home and Jon and I went back to the beach. Then the pool. Then to the room to get ready for dinner. While we were getting ready, we got another delivery from the hotel, a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.
We consumed the red wine while getting ready and headed down to dinner. Jon had made us reservations at 1500 Ocean and we both got the tasting menu which came with wine pairings. (Oh we are living it up!) I'm definitely drunk by this point.
We began with complimentary appetizers - yellowtail with avocado, and when our waiter, Chris, found out I don't eat fish, he had the chef make me a special appetizer with artichoke. Next came course 1. Jon had artichoke soup paired with a Spanish Albarino. It was perfect. Tasted JUST like artichoke dipped in drawn butter.I had salad with Sacred Hill Sauvignon Blanc. We both had the same thing for our main course, rib-eye coulettes paired with a Santa Barbara Syrah. We weren't impressed with the wine, but Jon LOVED it with the steak. The steak itself was perfect and tender and rich.For dessert Jon had a chipoltle chocolate cake with port. Jon was a little nervous it would be too spicy and not chocolatey enough, but he thought it was very chocolatey with just a zing of spice. I loved the homemade carmel ice cream which was soooooo light!I had a trio of berries, custard, and cookies with a vin d'glacier. The berries were sweet, the custard was a little too sweet for me, and Jon really enjoyed the chocolate cookies. I was REALLY drunk by this point, but thought Champagne sounded like a good idea, so we went back up to the room and drank until I passed out. I think.
This morning we got up, had fresh squeezed oj, coffee, and leftover cake before heading back to Orange County and studies. It was hard to get back to work, and its going to be even harder to go to class tomorrow!!!!

All My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready To Go...

OR

Ahhhh Joni. I bet when your bags are packed you knew where you were heading. Me? Not so much. Jon's taking me away for the weekend (well tonight and tomorrow, we head home early Sunday morning so I can *gasp* study) and he won't tell me where.

I'm VERY excited and could definitely use a break and a getaway, but at the same time, Jon's not the bestest at planning. Now, my expectation bar is a little high in this area because I am the worlds most amazing trip planner. AND I love surprising people so I have taken Jon on a number of amazing surprise vacations. Once I made him get up at 4AM so he would sleep in the car the whoooooole way up to Napa. He woke up in San Francisco and was SO confused! I've planned trips for us to San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara - all surprises. And when the trips aren't surprises I'm even better! New York, Mexico, Europe, the South Pacific, I know what to do and when to do it.

Jon on the other hand, is incredibly sweet, but not so good with either surprises or trip planning. The first time he tried to "surprise" me with a trip to Vegas I guessed in about two minutes. And then there was the anniversary where he told me he was "taking me away" to Laguna Beach.....you know about 15 miles from home...........

The one exception is our engagement/my 24th birthday where he managed to surprise me with an amazing trip to Catalina Island. I mean, he REALLY outdid himself, it was one of the most perfect trips of all times. Remind me to tell you about it someday.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up that we're going anywhere amazing and he hasn't done much to allay my fears. Right now it is entirely possible that we're heading up to his parents, since he refused to tell me we weren't.

No matter what I should have some great stories on Sunday, and Jon has a non-stop chorus of "Are we there yet?" to look forward to. I hope its a long drive.

Presto, it's Pesto!

Jon looooooves pesto. Me, I like it okay, but usually its a little overpowering for me. The garlic, the basil, its a little too much. But I will do ANYTHING for Jon (and I have on more than one occasion). So I tweaked the classic pesto recipe a bit to make it, um, less assuming by adding some more and different kinds of herbs. I am totally going through a herb stage of my life right now. It makes everything seem so much fresher and I don't care what Kermit says - it IS easy being green.
I served this with penne (Presto Penne Pesto?) which I love because its little ridges catch all the sauce. Oh and the verdict on the pesto? Jon loved it, said it was some of the best pesto he's ever had. And me? Oh yeah, I ate an entire serving! (which says a lot for me). We popped open a bottle of Pillar Box (our favorite red!) and ate our pasta while watching So You Think You Can Dance. I call the evening a success.

"Presto It's Pesto" Pesto

Ingredients
1 cup packed cilantro leaves
1 cup packed curly parsley
1 cup packed mint leaves
1 cup packed basil leaves
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/6 cup toasted chopped walnuts
4 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
cooked penne
grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions
1) In a medium bowl combine herbs, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, walnuts, and garlic.
2) Working in batches, place mixture in food processor and process to a rough paste.
3) With machine running slowly, add olive oil until mixture is smooth.
4) Season with salt and pepper.
5) Place hot penne in bowls and top with pesto. Garnish with grated cheese.

Tag!

Sharon tagged me for a meme.
Each player starts with seven random facts or habits about himself or herself. A tagged player then writes a blog entry with the seven things, as well as these rules. Then the player tags seven others and lists their names on his or her blog. Remember to leave a comment for your newly tagged players, letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog!


I'm superstitious so I'll play:
1) I'm dentally retarded. I didn't have any teeth until I was two years old. I didn't start losing my teeth until I was in 2nd grade. I got my 12 year molars when I was 16. BUT I have superhuman teeth. I've never had a cavity and even though I grind me teeth, my enamel is perfectly intact. Basically I think I've evolved.

2) I HATE horror movies. They scare the crap out of me. Apparently this makes it MORE fun to make me watch them. I usually end up on the floor with my head in my chair, or in my chair with my head in someone's lap. After I watch a scary movie I have to watch a cartoon.


3) I have a fear of clowns. Not pictures of clowns, or clowns on television, but real honest to goodness in your face clowns. And that is the problem. I don't like my personal space invaded and that's what clowns do. I don't want strangers that close to me. It creeps me out. If I see a clown at a fair or something I literally run the other way.

4) I LOVE music. All music. Rap, Country, Opera, Pop. And I LOVE to sing. I sing in the shower and in the car. All through school I was in musicals and choruses in which I had to audition. I even had solos. Ready for the irony? Apparently I'm a TERRIBLE singer. Both my parents and Jon tell me so. And they have no reason to lie.

5) I have Social Anxiety Disorder. Most people find this hard to believe because I'm outgoing, but I'm only outgoing with people I know, around people I don't know I'm REALLY shy. And I get super nervous. And I cling to the person I'm with. I hate going to parties! (I don't mind throwing them, cause then I know everyone there)

6) I cry at almost every movie I see. And not just "tears rolling down my cheek" kinda crying. I get hysterical. Jon almost got into a fight with a guy during "Gladiator" because I was crying so loud. I made the mistake of seeking "The Rock" with 4 of my closest guy friends. I don't think they've ever been so embarrassed. My parents still make fun of me for crying during "Honey I Shrunk the Kids"

7) I worked for a Veterinarian when I was around 13. My first day the Dr. asked me "where to tears go?" I'm no idiot, I replied "Down your face." I got to spend the rest of the day reading about tear ducts before watching a surgery which restructured a dog's tear ducts. Day 2 we performed a sex change operation on a cat with leukemia. By the end of the summer, I actually was suturing up animals all by myself. (Ummm Helllloooo can anyone say liability???????????)


I bet you all feel sooooooo much closer to me now, right?
I'm tagging Foodiebride, Amber, Kayte, MrsSisler, Cara, Liisa, and Joelen

"With all this manure, there must be ponies coming"

What I love about Barbri: I learn an entire subject in three days or less. I wish law school would have been like that. Why did they spend weeks teaching us something that can be learned in three days? Survey says: Its only easy now because we have basic understanding. Okay, I get that, but then maybe the last three days of class could have been a Barbri like review? You know, so I could actually do well on finals? I really think I am learning something because I keep getting more and more multistate questions right (either that or I am becoming the world's most luckiest guesser - either way, it increases my odds of passing)

What I hate about Barbri: At the end of each semester of law school there is great celebration because, for the most part, you NEVER have to look at that subject again. (This was especially true for me and Tax) Today was my last day of Property lecture. Am I celebrating? No. Know why? Cause I still have property questions to do, property essays to write, property notes to review. IT DOESN'T END! There is no break. My light at the end of the tunnel isn't for another 6 weeks, 6 days and 22 hours (yeah, I'm keeping track)!!!!!!!!


At least tonight So You Think You Can Dance is on. That's always a good time. It also means we're in for an easy dinner, since I want to be sitting and not cooking tonight. Usually this means a Trader Joe's meal since I heart Trader Joes.l Tonight its TJ's Pollo Asada which is incroyable (look! English, Spanish, and French all in the same sentence, and I butcher ALL of them!!!!) I love carne asada, but frankly, if it doesn't come from a carneseria its usually crap. (I'm lucky enough to live close enough to Mexico that I can be a Mexican food snob). So I pick up pollo asada instead, cause really, you can't mess up chicken. I toss it on my handy-dandy-how-did-I-ever-live-without-you-grill pan and voila! Dinner is served. I serve it with some TJ's basalmic veggies (cheater cheater pumpkin eater) and garlic/onion/cheddar mashed potatoes. Now bring on the dancers!!!!

PS - I promise to take care of my tag tomorrow, first I have to find 7 other bloggers - bah!

Oh they built the ship Titanic to sail the ocean blue, they said it was a ship that the water would never go through

Do you ever get the feeling that things aren't going exactly as planned? Like you're in a lifeboat with a leak? No matter how much you bail out the water, more keeps coming into the boat? Well folks, I'm just praying the water isn't too cold.

I am bailing out as much Barbri assignment water as I can, but more keeps filling up my boat. I hate being behind. I hate that I haven't had time to return emails, voicemails, and snail mail (I have 2 thank you cards I still haven't sent out for my graduation 2 weeks ago - heck, I don't even HAVE thank you cards!)

Yesterday was supposed to be great for me. Jon went to an Angels game which meant I had the place to myself all night. I'm not one of those girls who hates being alone. In fact, I LOVE it. I relish the rare evenings to myself when I get to eat what I want and watch what I want and do what I want. Meanwhile, Jon is never not around. He hardly ever travels for work and his hobbies all take place during daylight hours. So how did I spend my rare night on my own? Barbri assignments. I studied yesterday from 9AM to 11:30PM with a couple brief sanity breaks (walking and cooking). And I STILL didn't catch up on all the assignments. And I'm not even talking about flashcards (FLASHCARDS? FLASHCARDS? That idea went out the window last week. We don't need no steenking flashcards)

And I should mention a little secret about me. I have a touch of the OCD. Theoretically I know I don't have to do all the assignments. I know that most people don't do all the assignments. But I also am positive, even though aware that its irrational, that if I don't do all the assignments I will not pass the bar. So I am chugging along.

I think its just about time to start counting my blessings:
1) I am soooo glad I'm not in the live class. First because they are all SUPER stressing each other out instead of the laid back vibe we've got going in my class. Second, because there are 515 of them and only 1 entrance/exit from both the lecture hall and the parking lot. And finally, because our current lecturer sings.....and likes group participation. I am soooooo thankful I didn't have to sing "I'm sorry Miss Jackson" in front of 514 of my peers.

2) Dinner last night was fantastic. Mostly because I only had to cook for one. Secondly, because I got to use up some leftovers. Thirdly, because it was yummy. My fridge is getting a little ridiculous because its both bare and filled with leftovers. I had leftover rice, leftover seasoned ground turkey, and leftover red bell peppers so I did what any good cook would do - I made stuffed peppers! Sometimes I'm so brilliant I scare myself.

3) I think I might be able to get caught up tonight......cross your fingers! I only have to do 34 questions and read an outline. (BWAH HA HA HAHA HA. I crack myself up)

4) Jon's gone 3 days next week, which might give me the extra time I need to get done what I need to get done.

Oh yeah, I'm REAL zen now. Back to work!!!

Stuffed Pepper for One
Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, top cut off and cored
EVOO
1/4 cup diced onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cooked ground turkey (previously seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, and chipolte chili powder)
1/2 cup cooked white rice (I actually used rice which was mixed with nutmeg, celery, and chopped pecans)
1/4 cup marinara sauce
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking sheet with PAM and then place bell pepper on sheet, spray pepper with PAM too
2) Heat EVOO over medium heat and add onions. Cook till translucent. Add garlic.
3) Add turkey, rice, and marinara and cook until heated through.
4) Stir in cheese and place mixture in bell pepper.
5) Cook for 30 minutes.

Lets name our first son Mister!

I'm not quite sure what happens to me when I lay down in bed, but as soon as the lights go out I feel an irresitable urge to talk. I think its either too many, or not enough, sleepovers as a kid. Honestly, I get giggly and have been shushed on more than one occasion. Last night I .wanted to talk about stupid celebrity baby names. This quickly degenerated into REALLY bad names for our own future unborn children (poor, poor, future unborn children. They don't know WHAT they're getting themselves into) We vetoed plenty of perfectly good names like "Wind" and "Cloud" before settling ourselves into professions. After considering names like "Doctor" and "Judge" we decided on "Mister" cause how cool would that be? I just keep thinking of them paging him over the loudspeaker "Would Mr. Mister ____ please report to the waiting room?" AWSOME. Good thing we still have a few more years before we have to worry about that kind of stuff.

Yesterday was my day off from studying and I made the most out of it. I kinda cheated a little and did some studying in the evening (Old habits die hard). We started out with brunch at Five Crowns. Five Crowns is one of my parents favorite restaurants. Its a Lawry's restaurant, which means they are known for their steaks. In fact, Jon and I usually get the prime rib when we go for dinner. This was our first time for brunch though, and it definitely was worth it. It's a 2-course meal, but Jon and I both started out with the same course - Strawberries and cream. Hey, who can say no to a ripe strawberry? From there on though we took two decidedly different courses. Jon got the prime rib hash. It was really good, but I'm not a meat for breakfast girl. No bacon, no sausage, and probably not prime rib. Jon was happy though, he described it as "prime rib meets french onion soup meets potatoes." Ummmmm okay....... On the other hand, I had one of my favorite combinations - eggs and spinach! I had the eggs Florentine which was Yorkshire pudding stuffed with spinach and topped with two poached eggs. It was great!

AND it left us full enough to continue on with the rest of our exciting day. Hold on to your seats kids cause we're going to Roger's Gardens. In all honesty, Roger's Gardens is just a gigantic nursery, but there's something soooo cool about it because it really is so large. There are multiple rooms full of orchids, giant fronds, a rose garden, and so on. They pipe relaxing music throughout the whole place and you really get a great sense of calm as you wander amid plants, flowers, cacti, and birds. Jon caught this little guy which is the first bluebird he's ever seen. And we picked up a little souvenir - a basil plant for me. I go through so much basil, I'm really excited to have my own plant to use! Especially cause I'm making pesto later this week.

We then went to see Shrek III with my folks. My mom has never seen a single Shrek movie, its very much not her thing. In fact, one of the things I think she loves most about me is that I go see these movies with my dad so she doesn't have to. I saw the previous two movies with my dad, so of course I HAD to see the third with him too. Mom tagged along because she wanted to see me. Yes people, I am THAT important that people will go see movies they don't want to see just to have the opportunity to sit next to me. I liked the movie, the baby Shreks are adorable. Dad loved the movie, thought it was the best one yet. Mom thought the wicked step sister was hysterical. And Jon? Jon turned to me after the movie and asked "Did I like the first two movies?" If you have to ask..........

Then it was back home for some good old fashioned Barbri. Yeah, even on my days off that big red book haunts my dreams. We'll try again for a day off this weekend and hope I'm a little more successful!

These Are Then People in Your Neighborhood

I thought it might be fun for y'all if I introduce you to the cast of characters who share my study space with me. Apparently no one warned me about the animal magnetism I seem to possess with the weirdos, although from some of my past friendships I should have been tipped off. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how they find me, but find me they do.

First, there's the creepy old man who mutters things under his breath. Things like "I'm going to kill you" or "I hope you all die." Yeah, I'd worry more if he wasn't being chaperoned by a group of mentally ill elderly people and one custodian. Awww crap, maybe that's NOT a good thing.

Then there's the woman who believes the library is her office. She comes in and starts making calls on her cell phone "setting up appointments." (I should point out that as soon as you enter the library there is a sign that says cell phones are forbidden and use of them will result in the revocation of your library privileges) Little Miss "I do what I wanna" makes numerous calls on her phone before her clients start showing up. One after another after another. This goes on for several hours and she conferences with them at the table beside mine.


The computer section of the library is run by a little old man who seems to know diddly about computers. He's constantly getting in trouble with the patrons and the library staff because he doesn't know how to work the machines. He likes to come by and chat with me about the temperature of the library. (Why yes, I AM wearing a sweatshirt, gosh you're observant!)


There's also OCD Man. Now 1) I don't know that he really has OCD and 2) I am in no way making fun of people with OCD, but this guy is Strange (notice the capital S). He arrives at the library with one of those gigantic backpacks you use when backpacking across third world countries. Then he proceeds to unpack it. First comes a garbage bag which he places over his chair. Then comes another garbage bag which is wrapped around a mysterious giant box. The come multiple plastic bags, each housing various computer/stationary accoutrement. He unpacks the giant box to reveal, gasp, a laptop computer. He keeps his laptop computer in a giant cardboard box in a garbage bag. And this routine happens every day.

And because apparently the library is THE PLACE for little old men with nothing better to do, I am also well acquainted with Mr. Nosey. Mr. Nosey wants to know what you're doing. Why you're doing it, and whether you are a student or a teacher. I don't really know why that matters, but it apparently of great importance to Mr. Nosey.

And lest you think I'm the only one at the library actually doing any work, I should introduce you to Mr. PMBR. He walks around carrying his PMBR book and looking for people who have Barbri books. Mr. PMBR is NOT taking Barbri and he would like to engage you for hours discussing its pros and cons. In fact, feel those eyes boring into the back of your head? That's Mr. PMBR now since he seems to come around to chat every 15 minutes. Now, I'm no expert on the California bar, but I do believe that you might do better if you spend your library time actually, I dunno, studying?

I'm combining the last two because they're not individuals, they're groups. The first group are the people on cell phones. The second group are the hordes of teenagers who use the library as a place to hang out with their friends. Now, honestly, I totally remember when libraries were places where you had to be as quiet as humanly possible or some shrewlike woman with a tight bun and impossibly long nose would be over to "SHUSH" you. Apparently that is no longer the case. First of all, I am completely against cell phones in libraries, but if you MUST use one, maybe try using your library voice? I mean, cell phones were invented so you didn't have to yell across state lines to talk to someone. These people are not only using normal voice, but they're talking louder than normal. On the phone. In a LIBRARY! And apparently, even though there are signs, no one bothers to enforce them. (Why have rules if you don't have to follow them? Good thing I'm going to be a lawyer) And the kids. THE KIDS! What is ironic is that there is a coffee shop across the street from the library, but apparently delusional parents think that if they drop their kids off at the library with 10 of their closest friends they'll get homework done (Could you hear me snort over the internet? That's SO embarrassing). I know all about who's asking who to prom, Sally's new puppy, how we're not talking to Sam, how this girl won't stop texting David. I have yet to see ANYONE doing anything that resembles homework.

In addition to the library crazies, Jon and I have added another set to our neighborhood. We went out to dinner with Liz and Bill last night. It was our first date. I was nervous. I wanted to make a good impression. I got more nervous when Jon started drinking, not because he's an alcoholic, but because he doesn't drink very manly drinks. Now don't get me wrong - he loves his scotch, but on a regular basis, he tends to veer more towards, well, this:Nevertheless, I think we made a good impression. We went to Dave and Busters which guarantees a good time because even if you hate the people you're with there's tons of other distractions. Luckily we we didn't hate the people we were with, and we were all distracted by the same thing - Jon's girly drinks. We also played mad rounds of skeeball. Thank heavens they like skeeball, that's a sure sign you're good people. Welcome to the neighborhood Liz and Bill!

Cream Cheese Frosting, Take 2

"Aha!" you are probably wondering, "What happened to Take 1?" Well my friends, I regret to inform you that in an epic battle between Kate and Cream Cheese Frosting, Round 1 went unquestionably to the frosting.

Perhaps I should start the story at the beginning? (I heard its a very good place to start) I met "Niane"* through the online dating service known as theknot.com. This used to be a great place to meet people, although, I can no longer recommend it since last year there was a bloodless coup and the current dictatorship is definitely hostile. But back to the story. I met Niane and we instantly had a connection. Birds sang and bells rang. It started out innocently enough, weekends at the gym, happy hours, but soon enough the relationship had developed into a full blown friendship. Like any good relationship Niane and I primarily converse through the magic of email. I highly recommend this form of relationship since it avoids that icky interpersonal contact. We'll fast forward a little bit. Yesterday was Niane's birthday. She's ancient and I was worried she may not survive another year without her hip breaking so we wanted to make it especially nice for her. For me, that means "make a cake." Niane's favorite cakes? Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, and Red Velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles. Noticing the common denominator? Cream Cheese. Niane also loves chocolate. So I figured I would make a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. The chocolate cake part I had down pat. I have my favorite, amazing recipe. But cream cheese frosting? Never made it before. (Hmmm this sounds like we're coming to the good part!)

After looking at several recipes I decided it would be easy enough. It appeared to be butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk. I could do this.
Attempt 1, or why Kate is a cooker and not a baker
- I looked at some recipes to determine amounts, all the recipes made some reference to "as much milk as necessary to achieve desired consistency." That should have been my first hint. I also probably should have read the instructions first. I put all the ingredients in my pretty kitchenaid and thought "I'll just add the milk now" before turning her on. I estimated I would need about half a cup. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. First, because all the milk flew up and out of the bowl as soon as I turned it on. Now I'm covered in milk. Second, because half a cup of milk is faaaaaarrrr to much milk. I am now the proud owner of cream cheese cream. (Stay tuned for later this week when I will try to use said cream over some chocolate-soufflé type dessert)

Attempt 2, Success!
- I went and picked up more cream cheese and more sugar and tried again. This time I creamed the cream cheese and milk before adding the sugar and vanilla and then, and only then, did I add a smidge of milk, about 2 teaspoons. And voila. Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting.


Niane's birthday was a huge success, good food, great company, and of course the cake was excellent. I really loved the combination of the chocolate with the cream cheese frosting - it might be my new favorite combination!

Niane's Cake
Cake:
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 eggs
1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup cold coffee
2 tsp vanilla
12 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 13 x 9" pan.
2. Sift together first 5 ingredients.
3. In separate bowl combine eggs, milk, coffee, and vanilla.
4. In third bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat 1/3 dry ingredients into butter mixture, then beat in 1/3 of egg mixture. Repeat twice.
5. Pour into pan. Bake 28-32 minutes. Remove from pan, let cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Ingredients
8oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 box (4 cups) confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp milk

Directions
1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth
2. Add sugar and vanilla
3. Add milk "as necessary to achieve desired consistency"

*All names have been changed to protect the innocent