Fair weather friends

Today we went to the fair. Yay fair! I haven't been to the OC Fair since before I started law school, and Jon has never been. It was great to go again. We divided our day into three parts, the animals, the food, and the games.

We began with the animals. I love seeing the animals. The animals love seeing us. The llamas, the cows, the goats, chickens, sheep, and the pregnant pigs!!!! The pigs at the fair are gigantic. I mean, Charlotte's Web had it all wrong. No way Wilbur stayed a cute little piggie for very long. I mean these things are HUGE! Jon made friends with a cow. Very good friends. She began by licking his sandal, the little slut. She quickly moved on to heavier petting, using his sandal to itch all over her face. I quickly told her he was taken and she had better remove her filthy cow mouth from my husband or she would find herself in between two toasted sesame seed buns.

Of course, the best part of the fair is fair food. Calories go out the window and health concerns? Foggetaboutit. Actually I'm not as bad as (ahem) some people. My favorite fair food? Funnel cake. So I made sure I had some. Jon? He had a fried twinkie (hated it), onion rings (loved them) and his favorite fair food, cotton candy. Seriously, if this boy doesn't have a heart attack before he's 40 I will attribute it completely to my attempts to reign him in at home. And also in the food category - we went to a pie eating contest. SO much fun! They started with the under 5 group. The contest was "who can eat the pie the fastest" which one of the kids didn't get and sat there, happily munching away watching his competitors shove pie in their faces. When the contest ended, he had eaten maybe the tip of his pie. Too cute! A girl won the contest. Yay girls! Next came the 5-10 group. They understood the rules a little better, and there were also a ton more guys, which meant pie EVERYWHERE. Well, at least all over them. Jon swears he saw one of the guys throw up on his plate, but they're little kids, so everyone wins. They also did a 10-15 age group and 16 and older age group which involved blindfolds, but really? Who wants to see a bunch of preteens and grownups stick their face in pie? Not me. Its enough to make me lose my appetite for funnel cake.

We headed over to the carnival area. I have two specific rules for fairs. 1) No clowns. 2) No fair rides. I mean, really. These are rides that are MEANT to come apart within seconds. Pack them up, drive to a new town, put them up. Yeah, that feels safe to me. And have you seen the people who run the rides? They don't exactly look like people you would entrust with your life.
But Jon had never ridden on a gravitron before. He was always too afraid. WHAT? There's a ride that Jon was afraid of that I wasn't? This is unprecedent. So we rode it. This wasn't the normal gravitron where the floor drops, instead, once you are spinning a million miles an hour, the ride lifts you up and turn vertical so you are spinning looking at the ground or the sky with only centrifugal force holding you up. Jon was scared, but he survived. Jon's favorite part of the fair is the games, so he had to give his money to every barker he could find. He did win me a cute little lobster in skiball. He won me some rather ugly little prizes too, but really, I'd rather not post pictures. They're really ugly. And me? Well I love skiball as you may remember. I found a game where it was a skiball race - you tossed your balls, and depending on what hole they went in determined the speed of your character. And guess what? I WON! And not only did I win, but the prize I won? Way bigger than ANY of the prizes Jon won. So I guess you would call me the big winner of the day. I love the fair.



















Mom and Dad came over for dinner tonight. They just got back from visiting my Aunt in Arizona and this is probably the last I'll get to see of them before THE BAR. I made Cooking Light's Vegetarian Pad Thai, which is one of my all time favorite foods. (I know, how cliche). I was sooooo concerned with my dad liking it (because he hates everything) that I didn't even realize my mom didn't like tofu. I'm such a bad daughter. The good news is, there was plenty for mom to eat even without the tofu (she gave dad her tofu - yeah mom, I saw that) and ate the rest of the pad thai, the broccoli, and the salad I made. The better news, my dad says it might have been his favorite meal I've made. Even my mom said it was the best tofu she's ever had (although that's not really saying much is it?). Jon said he loved it, and wished I had added chicken or shrimp to it. Normally pad thai has chicken, shrimp, and tofu. It would be easy enough to add those ingredients to this dish, now that we know its trustworthy. I love pad thai, and this was ridiculously easy to make at home (even though serrano peppers make me cough like crazy when I cut them). This will definitely become a common dish in the household.

And to make the day even better? When I got on to my email tonight I found out that I won a handmixer from Bakespace.com! Bakespace is great, basically its a Myspace for bakers without all the scary pedophiles. Instead its a space where you can trade recipes. Babette runs the site and really, she's done amazing things with it. Its grown immensely in numbers since I've joined, which is always cool. The whole month of July they're giving away kitchaid appliances every day through "raffle" system. Yesterday I won the raffle and this pretty new hand mixer, and whisk attachment, and dough hooks will be joining my arsenal very shortly. Isn't she lovely?
You can join bakespace by clicking here. I promise they don't ask for your first born or anything weird like that.
























Cooking Light's Vegetarian Pad Thai
2/3 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp chopped, seeded serrano chili
1/2 lb uncooked wide rice stick noodles
4 tsp canola oil
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups fresh bean sprouts
3/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts

1) combine first 6 ingredients, set aside
2) Cook noodles in boiling water 5 minutes or until done, drain and rinse with cold water, set aside
3) Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan.
4) Combine egg whites and egg, stirring well with a whisk
5) Heat 2 tsp oil in pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute 10 sec. Add egg mixture, and cook 30 secs until soft scrambled, stiffing constantly. Stir in chili sauce mixture and noodles. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in tofu, bean sprouts, onions, and 1/4 cup cilantro and cook 3 minutes or until throughly heated.
6) Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro and peanuts over noodle mixture.

Grilled Chicken Cesar Salad

1 bag romaine lettuce
1 grilled chicken breast
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups cooked broccoli
Caesar italian dressing
1/4 grated parmesean cheese

1) Toss lettuce with chicken, tomatoes, and broccoli
2) Add dressing
3) Sprinkle with parmesean cheese.

Getting Curried Away

Last night was tofu night again. This time I found a great recipe from Kake's vegan cookery for another Thai dish. I mean, its been a week since we had Thai food. It was time. This dish is Red curried vegetables with tofu. Now Kake says this is best made with his red curry sauce. I'm sure he's right, but rather than take the extra time/ingredients to make the sauce, I opted for Trader Joe's red curry sauce. I mean its Trader Joes which is usually great, and it was already made which is a plus in my book. However, because of this change, I don't think the TJ's sauce is as powerful as Kake's and the veggies were GREAT, but the tofu was a little lacking in flavor. Next time I make this, I would either add more sauce, or simmer the tofu in the sauce before adding it to the mix. But spice-wise? I thought this was just the right spiciness. I think I really like the TJ's red curry sauce (it was our first experience with it), and I think it could be a great addition to my TJ's list.

Red Curried Vegetables with Tofu

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pckg plain firm tofu
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1/6 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 bell peppers, cut into large (2cm, 3/4 inch) squares
• 1/2 cup TJ's Thai red curry sauce
• 1 zucchini cut into thick semicircles

1. First prepare the tofu. Drain and rinse it well. 3/4 inch cubes

2. Heat a large heavy frying pan, and oil it lightly (or heavily if you prefer). Fry each side of the tofu cubes until golden brown, and set aside (you can do this while preparing the rest of the curry, as long as you keep an eye on it). Don't stirfry it, but wait to turn it until the bottom is browned, then turn carefully, without breaking.

3. To make the curry, heat a large saucepan or wok, then add a little oil, and heat again. Add the garlic, and stir for a few seconds before beginning to add the vegetables in the order given. The curry paste needs to be added before the pan gets so full that it doesn't fry properly, but not so soon that it overcooks. I add it after the peppers.

4. When all the vegetables are in, add the fried tofu and cook for a few more minutes, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally (carefully, to avoid breaking the tofu), until the vegetables are done to your liking. Take the lid off before the end if it looks like there will be too much liquid.

On my own

So now that Bar/Bri's over, I have all day to study. However, the paced program only gives me a couple of hours of work a day. Now maybe this is to reward me for keeping it up with the paced program, but it makes me nervous. So I've started supplementing. Extra MBEs, extra essays, eventually I will bring myself to do a performance test, but right now the thought gives me a headache. Right now me weakest spots are:
Evidence MBES (for some reason I'm amazing at the essays)
Con Law Essays (again, amazing at the MBEs)

- which basically tells me I know the Evidence doctrines, but can't always apply them
and
- I recognize Con Law issues, but don't know them by heart

I'm still scoring in the high 70s for the MBEs, so things could be worse, but the fact that there are now 11 days until the bar is starting to hit home.

On the homefront, today I turned to an old favorite for dinner. Sparkpeople's Oregeno Chicken. I used to make it about once a week during the school year. The funny thing is, its never the same twice, kind of like "Chicken surprise".

SP's Chicken Oregeno

• 2 chicken breasts
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  
  
• cooking spray
  
  
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
  
  
• 1 lemon, sliced
  
  
• 1 tomato, chopped
  
  
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  
  
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or one teaspoon dried)
  
  
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
  
  
• 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  
  
• 1 medium, sweet green pepper, cut into strips
  
  

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.



2. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray.



3. Cook chicken over medium heat until light brown (about 15 minutes), turning once. Reduce heat.



4. Sprinkle garlic, lemon, half of tomato, onion, parsley and oregano over chicken pieces in skillet.



5. Add wine and broth.



6. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.



7. Add remaining tomato and sweet peppers, cover and continue to simmer for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

Orange chicken at home

It's time for the WC Platinum Challenge Round 3. The ingredients this week: wine, honey, peanut butter, onions, seafood. Dish #1, Orange Chicken incorporates wine and honey. This recipe started innocently enough. I loved the citrus chicken I made last weekend, and thought I would make orange chicken. Everyone makes lemon chicken, but I thought orange chicken would be an interesting twist. Kinda like Duck a l'orange, but with chicken. And the more I thought of it, the more I kept thinking of Panda Express.

Growing up, we didn't have Chinese fast food like Pick Up Sticks or Panda Express. In my small Pennsylvania town we had one Chinese food restaurant and it was pretty "authentic" as anyone who has ever experienced both will tell you, there is a world of difference between authentic Chinese food and American Chinese Food (kinda like that "Chop Suey" number from Flower Drum Song). Combine that with the fact that my parents are New Yorkers who made their own Chinese food at home. There was almost always a duck hanging in the basement, much to the bemusement of the family dogs. My dad certainly knew his way around a wok and his peanut noodles were a family favorite.

My first experience with Chinese fast food didn't come until college when the line for Panda Express used to wrap around the Ackerman Student Union. I got in line thinking "who knows food better than college students." And of course they were right. Their orange chicken was unlike anything I'd ever eaten. I don't know if I'd classify it in the same category as Peking duck, but it was definitely tasty.

How to create this at home? Orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and sake (rice wine....it counts....I swear it counts). I made this using chicken breast because when I originally thought of it, I thought it would be more like lemon chicken. Next time I make it, I would definitely use this sauce on chunks of chicken and serve it with rice. What was so great about it was that no one flavor overpowered the other. Jon was worried the orange juice would make it too sweet, especially with the honey, but the saltiness of the soy sauce and the bite of the sake cut through the sweetness.

And know the best part of it? 1 order of Orange Chicken has 500 calories, 27 grams of fat and 810 milligrams of sodium. But because mine isn't fried, a serving has 167 calories, 6.3 grams of fat, and 580 milligrams of sodium. MUCH better.

Orange Chicken at home

2 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sake
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey

1) Combine chicken, zest, salt, pepper, and garlic and refrigerate for 30 min.
2) Preheat oven to 400
3) Combine juice, sake, soy sauce, and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sauce is reduced to 2/3 cup.
4) Heat Tbsp canola oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and saute 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and drizzle with 3 Tbsp of sauce. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve with orange sauce.

Ssssssssmmmooookin'

Smokin' 1
First off, I just have to say Sabra and Dominic are my all time most favorite best dancers ever. It's not just their dancing, which is hot and impressive, given that Dominic has never taken a formal class in his life, but also their attitudes. Their humbleness, their gratitude, their attitude, not to mention the great sense of humor they bring to their interviews. Not to mention their interactions with each other! One of my favorite moments of the show was a couple of weeks ago when they found out they were safe. They've only improved in technique and I really hope they're around for a loooong time.


Smokin' 2
The "WC Recipe of the week" this week was a Martha Stewart recipe for Smoked Chicken, which right away set off my radar. I'm not a huge Martha Stewart fan, maybe because I'm intimidated, maybe because I can't quite figure her out. What makes her tick? What's behind that calm, cool facade? How can one woman find so many uses for toothpicks?






I approached this recipe with a little trepidation, especially since I can't make a recipe without modifying it in some way. In this case, instead of making a whole chicken, I only did two chicken breasts. This also meant I had to change the quantities of the marinade ingredients. I also made it inside on the grill pan, by covering the pan with an extra large lid to get that smokey flavor. Nevertheless, I think I might have done okay.

J: Mmmmm, this chicken is really good. What's on it?
K: I marinaded it all day in Sherry Vinegar, olive oil, salt, garlic, and paprika
J: You should do that more often, its a great marinade

Martha Stewart? Eat your heart out.

Martha Stewart's Smoky Grilled Butterflied Chicken
1/16 cup sherry vinegar
1/16 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1/4 tablespoon coarse salt
2 chicken breasts






1. Combine vinegar, oil, garlic, paprika, and salt in a nonreactive baking dish or large resealable plastic bag.

2. Place chicken breasts in marinade. Cover dish or seal bag, and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight), turning occasionally.

3. Preheat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill. Cover, and grill 10 minutes. Flip chicken, and cover. Grill an additional 5-10 minutes.

One small step for mankind,

One giant step on the road to becoming a lawyer. Today was the last day of Bar/Bri. Another day of Honigsberg telling us "everyone passes." I'm actually really glad to be done with classes and have the whole day to study. Lately, its been really hard for me to stay focused in class - I blame it on the fact that we've been doing this for 7 weeks. 7 weeks? That's almost a full quarter! (poor spoiled UC brat)

I wanted to celebrate being done, and I also wanted to wish my fellow classmates good luck. After all, since all but a couple are taking the Bar in San Diego, this was the last time I'd ever see most of them. So at 9pm last night I made cupcakes.

Perhaps I should back the story up a bit. I actually started making cupcakes much earlier. Around 7pm, right after I finished the cobbler. I waited a bit for the oven to cool down (cobbler cooked at 400, cupcakes cooked at 350). However, because I am the world's worst baker and am additionally cursed with the evil oven from hell they didn't come out so good. That's actually an understatement, but you get the idea.

So at 9pm I came up with a scathingly brilliant idea. Actually I'm not sure its all that unique, but it was unique to me. Cookie cupcakes. I always have cookie dough in the freezer for those nights when Jon looks at me with that "what's for dessert" look in his eyes. I grabbed my chocolate chip dough and began pushing it into the cupcake pan. Jon looked on bewildered, not entirely convinced that my plan would work.







I frosted them with chocolate frosting, just in case there wasn't enough chocolate in the cookies.
They came out great! Everyone in the class took a bite and said "It tastes like a cookie" which made sense, cause really, it was a cookie. (I'm sure these people are going to do GREAT on the bar)

These are great because they're small, chocolaty, and easy to make. Honestly, they can be made with any cookie dough, and any frosting you like. They'd be great to take to a party, and equally great to serve for guests. I think I found my new bestest dessert.

When life hands you cherries...

I went to the supermarket today, which is always a dangerous prospect to begin with. Today as I was waiting in the checkout line I glanced over at this month's issue of Cooking Light. On the cover was a peach berry cobbler. It immediately brought to mind all the cobblers Cara has been cooking lately. It also brought to mind all the cherries Katie had brought over this weekend. Katie brought us bags and bags of sweet cherries, and making a cherry cobbler is one of the best ways to enjoy them.

So I adapted the recipe Cara had used. It calls for Bisquick, but I think I already made clear my disdain for the yellow box, so I used the "pancake mix" from earlier this week instead. I also topped the cobbler with brown sugar, because really, what's a cobbler without brown sugar?

Jon didn't love the "crust" and I can kinda see why, it is a little "fluffy" for lack of a better word. The cherries on the other hand, more than made up for it. It was a good dessert for a weekday night, and a great use of fresh summer fruit, but I don't know that I'd make it again for company. Then again, cherries do make everything better!

Your love is like a rollercoaster baby, baby

Dear Bar/Bri,
When we first met I was a little hesitant about our relationship together. It seemed like you were the needy sort and would require my undivided attention. I don't do needy. As we began our courtship I learned I could manage your needs. I even began feeling as though I needed you too. Minutes I spent with out you became minutes I thought of you endlessly. You were never far from my thoughts. But what I never learned to manage was your mood swings, your changes in affection. There are times when you wrap me in your arms and tell me all the things I want to hear. "You'll pass" you coo. "I know you can do this" you murmer. Sweet nothings designed to lure me into your web. Take yesterday for example. First there was the return of my Civil Procedure Essay. "Above Average" you crowed. "I'm so proud of you!" Words of love, soft and tender will win a girl's heart after all.

But as comforting as you are, you can also turn on a moment's notice to become cruel and mocking. Scare tactics, hidden away can strike at a moments notice. And where were all your words of kindness today when the performance test was returned? I scanned the pages and it seemed as though your heart had become black and cold.

I wanted to let you know our time is quickly coming to an end. I will always be grateful for everything you have given me, but I believe there is someone better out there for me. Someone who will not toy with my emotions. Someone who loves me for who I am.

Good luck. Love,
Kate

It's Summer in Orange County

And you know what that means......Sawdust Festival!

I wanted to start out the day doing something nice for Jon. Mostly because I got back from my run around 8 something and Jon was still sleeping. Now, anyone who knows Jon knows how much he loves pancakes. This has always been a big "issue" between us. Not that I don't like pancakes, but Jon ONLY likes the kind his dad makes. Here are my issues with that:
1) His dad uses Bisquick. Before he met me, Jon didn't know you could make pancakes without that big yellow box. I'm a little bit of a snob about box mixes and pancakes are so easy I really feel strongly anti-Bisquick.
2) His dad doesn't make pancakes. Pancakes are light, fluffy, and sweet. What his dad makes are thin, gooey, and not sweet at all. Not that anyone in his family has noticed because they drown it in syrup. I notice because I don't use syrup, ever.
3) No matter how hard I try, I can never make pancakes "the way dad makes them" so I'm always frustrated and he's always disappointed.

My friend Sarah knows how much Jon loves pancakes and actually got me a cookbook of pancake recipes. I decided "Screw Jon and his dad's pancakes" and took a stab at the classic pancake recipe in the cookbook. It was perfect. Well, at least for me. The pancakes were the best pancakes I have ever made. Super light and fluffy, just the right amount of sweetness. Jon hated them. Tough beans Jon. Its not all about you.






The we headed to the Sawdust Festival in Laguna. For me, this is the quintessential summer activity. The Sawdust Festival is a local artisan fair - you must be a resident of Laguna in order to set up a booth. And oh the booths! The ground is covered in sawdust, hence the catchy moniker. There are hundreds of booths, crammed together like an Indian bazaar of bright colors and interesting shapes. One of the delights of the festival is winding your way between booths, trying to visit each one, but knowing you're sure to miss a few in your meanderings. The festival is fun for the whole family with crafts areas for kids to create their own pottery, mosaics, or other treasure, musicians around every corner. It is a feast of sights and sounds.

One of our favorite past times is watching the glass blowing demonstrations in the center of the festival. At the Sawdust Festival, the glass blower is what the Liontamer is to the circus. Children gather round in awe and fear as he plunges his rod into the roaring oven, only to remove it with a glowing amber honey-like orb now resting at its tip. Adults are equally impressed as his skill and craft mold that orb into a beautiful piece of art which catches the light and captures the heart.

And some of the finished products:

We always walk away with something amazing from the Festival. My best find was a work by Linda Pirri who paints on silk. I love the vibrant, rich, jewel tones which are emphasized in her waters and beach scenes.

This trip, Jon stumbled upon a newcomer, a young surf photographer. Sean Tiner takes photos of surfers and lights and combines them to create images which burst of the page with electricity. Jon was in love and purchased a piece. He also pointed out several others he would like to own in the future. In time, in time.










We also stumbled upon David Kluver's booth because we recognized some of the scenery from our honeymoon in French Polynesia. "That's Bora Bora!" "That's Moorea!" Unfortunately we had made our purchase for the day, and I have plenty of pictures of Moorea and Bora Bora that I should frame before purchasing more. But we enjoyed talking with David and he sent us off with his 2007 calendar. We can't wait to get his 2008, which should come out around September.

It was so much fun to see the new artists and returning artists. It really is one of the nicest ways to spend a day.

Kate Habershon's Pancakes (From Pancakes and Waffles)

1 1/2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1) Combine dry ingredients in the food processor. "Sifters are for people who don't have food processors"*
2) Mix wet ingredients with a whisk
3) Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beat gently to make a thick batter
4) Heat a lightly greased griddle on medium heat. (I use by double burner griddle Sarah got me with the book). Lower heat and place 3 Tbsps of batter on griddle for each pancake.
5) When bubble form on surface and bottom is golden brown, flip each pancake and cook for another minute on opposite side.
*Alton Brown

Sometimes I'm glad I'm already married

7-7-7; apparently the most popular marriage date this side of Valentine's Day - the original Valentine's Day that is. Apparently everyone wants to get married on this unique date...ironic given that these people will share their "special day" with hundreds of thousands of other people. Congratulations to Kim, who tied the knot today. I have some pretty incriminating pictures of her I could post here, but let's let her have her day.

Katie is getting married next month. Poor, poor Katie. I feel for her. I really do. That last month was killer for me. Of course, Katie seems to have everything all together. AND her wedding is 3 times the size of mine and includes multiple ceremonies, scene changes, and wardrobe changes. We invited Katie and her fiance over to give them a night off from wedding planning. (To tell the truth though, I have a feeling Katie doesn't need time off and was just humoring me)

Dinner was citrus roasted chicken and a chinese chicken salad. Of course, since its Saturday I also made homemade bread - this time in the form of whole wheat rolls. The chicken was great. I adapted a Cooking Light recipe just because I thought it would be easy and tasty. Turns out I was right. In another "looks can be deceiving" type moment, Jon took a bite and made an "mmmm" noise. Curious, we all turned to await his pronouncement.

J: It doesn't taste how I would expect it to taste.
K: How would you expect it to taste?
J: It looks like it would be a spicy, Mexican dish.
K: But its sweet, huh?
J: Yeah, but with just enough kick to make it interesting.

Jon liked it so much that he suggested I keep the leftover sauce to use again. He felt even stronger about the Chinese chicken salad. "Anything with soy sauce, green onions, and sesame oil is okay in my book" and "This is really good dressing." I'm not sure, but I think he might have licked his bowl. He really liked the fried wonton strips. Everytime he walked by he would steal some, until I had to hide them so there'd be enough left for the salad. He also had me save the extra dressing. I'm afraid he's going to drink it. Luckily its in the fridge and he hasn't quite figured out how to find things in the fridge yet.

As for the rolls.....I wanted them to be hot from the oven at dinner, but quickly realized that both the chicken and the rolls needed the oven and decided that hot chicken was more important than hot rolls. Still, the rolls were only out of the oven for 15 minutes before being served so they were almost hot from the oven. I do have to say I LOVE the Alton Brown method of bread making, everything comes out so well. And I'll let you in on one of my bread making secrets and one of Alton's.

Alton's bread making secret: After mixing the dough, let it sit for 20-30 minutes before kneading it. This rest, which is called autolyse, gives the starches and proteins in the flour time to hydrate. That will make the dough a lot easier to knead and will result in better gluten structure.


My bread making secret: Know how recipes always tell you to let the dough rise in a warm place free from drafts? I put my dough in the oven. And not just any oven. I preheat my oven to 150 and then turn it off. Then I put the dough in. The oven retains enough heat to be a warm environment, and that oven door keeps those pesky drafts away.

Citrus Roasted Chicken

1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp honey
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 can thawed orange juice concentrate
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
Cooking Spray

1) Preheat oven to 400
2) Combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Brush both sides of chicken with orange mixture. Reserve remaining orange mixture. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
3) Place remaining orange mixture in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup. Serve with chicken.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp crushed ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup peanut oil
Mixed greens
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced (I coated my chicken with yellow mustard, cayenne pepper, and garlic and baked it)
8 wonton wrappers, cut into 1/2 strips and deep fried

1) In a small bowl combine first 6 ingredients. Whisk in peanut oil and set aside.
2) In large bowl lightly toss greens with 1/3 cup dressing.
3) Top with cooked chicken and wonton strips.
4) Serve remaining dressing on the side.

Whole Wheat Rolls

2 tsp sugar
1 pckg dry yeast
1 can evaporated fat free milk, warmed
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
cooking spray
1 tsp cornmeal
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1) Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm milk in a large bowl, let stand 5 minutes.
2) Add egg to mixture
3) Stir in 1 1/2 cups AP flour and 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat flour.
4) Cover and let stand 20-30 minutes (Autolyse Autolyse Autolyse)
5) Add 3/4 cup AP flour and salt. Stir until soft dough forms. Turn doigh out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in size (Remember, the oven is your friend).
6) Form dough into a rectangle and flatten to redistribute gases. Fold into thirds. Repeat 3 times. Cover and let rest 5 minutes.
7) Shape dough into ball and cut into 16 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, shape dough into balls by folding dough in on itself, pinching the bottom to create a smooth top, and lightly rolling ball on counter. Place shaped dough on 2 baking sheets, each lightly sprinkled with 1/2 tsp cornmeal. Lightly coat shaped dough portions with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
8) Preheat oven to 400
9) Brush dough portions with butter. Place one baking sheet on bottom oven rack and one baking sheet on middle oven rack. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, rotate backing sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Place on wire racks. Serve warm, or cool on wire racks.

Thai it, you'll like it

Jon and I looooooove Thai food. It might be our favorite. But I hardly ever make it at home (unless you count TJ's thai green curry simmer sauce....which I don't). Tonight I was feeling adventurous and I found this great sounding recipe on She Spills the Beans for Spicy Basil Tofu. Great because 1) It didn't include chicken, 2) Spicy is always good, and 3) Who doesn't love basil? I warned Jon this was going to be so good it would make him cry. Well he didn't cry, but he did agree it was soooo good. It was. Only, it wasn't spicy. We blame that on the fact that the supermarket didn't have red thai chili peppers and I had to sub green thai chili peppers. Next time - go red or go home.

Spicy Basil Tofu (edits in italics)

2 T. soy sauce
2 T. water
2 t. light brown sugar
2 T. peanut oil
2-3 fresh chiles, (preferably red Thai chiles), stemmed, seeded, and minced (as mentioned, I used green Thai chilies, but next time would use red)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 pound extra-firm or firm tofu, crumbled and blotted dry between several layers of paper towels (I made two changes here, first I used silken tofu, because its what I had on hand, second I cut it into bite size pieces instead of crumbling - which doesn't work so well with silken tofu)
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced (Just like the chilies, I used a green bell pepper instead....which made this a very green dish and not so very red)
1/3 c. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1) Combine the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar in a small bowl, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.

2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the chiles and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the tofu and stir-fry until lightly colored and firm, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and soy mixture and stir-fry until the pepper has softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the basil and stir-fry until wilted, about 20 seconds. Serve immediately.

Dead Men Tell No Tales

At least that's what I was thinking today in our last substantive lecture - Wills and Trusts. Of course, it doesn't help when they inform you a constructive trust is "giving a treasure map that leads to buried treasure"

Honestly, THAT'S what probate is missing. Pirates. Every Will problem should be based on Pirates:
"Long John Silver leaves everything to Davy Jones in a will. But Long John Silver does not realize that he has children from various wenches throughout the seven seas. If these children find out about the will, what rights do they have to Silver's booty?" (And yes, every question should also try to work in the word booty)

I also started playing the mnemonic game today. Oh its a fun game. Not as fun as say, Life, or Jeopardy, but my idea of fun is VERY different than it was 2 months ago. Here are my good ones for you:

Trustee's Duties: "Lemonade Is Excellent" Said Dear Aunt Daisy. (Loyalty, Investment, Earmarking, Segregation, no Delegation, Accounting, Due care)

State Investor duties: Gold Canaries Fly, Singing Songs. No Bird's Near Sighted (Government bonds, Certificates of deposits, First deeds of trust, Sometimes Stocks, No new Business, No Second deeds of trust)

And my FAVORITE, Prudent Person Investor Duties: GoldFinger Caught Bond. Miss Moneypenny Notifies British Naval Service. (Government bonds, First deeds of trust, Certificates of Deposit, Blue chip stocks, Maybe Mutual funds, No new Business, No Second deeds of trust)

Baked, not Fried

I wanted a simple supper tonight, mostly because its hot and lately, when I get home from my run, I just want to collapse. So baked chicken is my staple. Mostly because I just have to throw it in the oven. Also because this is kinda what I grew up on. I don't think I knew you could make chicken on the stovetop until law school!

Baked, not Fried Chicken

2 chicken breasts
1 egg
1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/4 tsp oregeno
Salt and pepper
bread crumbs

1) preheat oven to 350
2) Place egg in bowl and beat slightly. Add spices. Dip chicken in egg and coat in breadcrumbs (everyone remember how I told you to do this?)
3) Bake for 25-30 minutes

Back to work

Back to Bar/Bri work today. Its not as fun as it sounds. Although today wasn't so bad. Wills, and the lecturer was jamming through it. Speedy McSpeedster. Which I don't mind. But it got me thinking. For everything negative I have to say about my school, I cannot complain about the professors. More and more I realize how excellent they were. I thought about that again today during the lecture. I really felt like the lecture, as well as the speed made Wills seem much more complicated and difficult than it really is. I could understand Haley's frustration with the subject because it really does seem confusing this way - and I definitely felt comfortable with the material all through my law school class. It's not hard material. It's even easier when you're learning it solely for the bar because there is a limit as to what they can test you on in essay form. But honestly, if I didn't have prior knowledge? I think I'd be confused too.

Celebrating Freedom

We had off Bar/Bri for the 4th of July. I mean completely off. Not even an assignment on the paced program. So I did what any good student would do. I did PMBR questions all day. Seriously. Okay, I did take the evening off to go to dinner at my parent's house. My dad is king of the grill, and of course we were not disappointed

As for me, I can never go anywhere empty handed - even to my own parent's house. One of the things I love about the WC Platinum Challenge, is looking at everyone else's recipes. Amber had a recipe for a Banana Blueberry Roll which I thought I could tweak a little to make a very "patriotic" dish (can you hear the national anthem playing?) by adding a little red. Plus, for me 4th of July is always associated with strawberry pie my mom used to make. So add a couple strawberries and voila: a dessert even Uncle Sam would be proud of. I was really nervous about making this dish, because 1) I'm not a baker, 2) I've never made a roll before. But it came out really well. Jon, who usually tells me I need to work on my presentation was shocked that I made it. He kept saying it looked store bought. Everyone liked the dish, though my dad thought it would be better with a little cinnamon in the cake part.

And since I was already on her page, I figured I would make her black bean dip too. This was a HUGE hit. My dad kept saying how great it was and my brother mumbled something that sounded like "awesome" (sorry Diane, I forgot to take a picture of him eating). Everyone was very surprised to learn it was made from black beans and not refried beans - which I think must a good sign.

It was nice to have a couple days off from class, but it'll be even nicer after the bar when I REALLY have freedom!

Amber's Banana Roll with Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
(And Strawberries) (edits in italics)

Cake ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (I used 1 banana)
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Filling ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup blueberries

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray (don't forget to spray the sides).
3) Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes. Then gradually beat in the sugar until batter is thick and lemon colored. Add in banana and lemon juice and mix to combine.
4) In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Fold dry mixture into wet mixture and spread mixture evenly into prepared pan.
5) Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. While cake is baking dust a linen towel with confectioners' sugar.
6) Immediately after removing cake from oven turn it onto prepared towel. Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake up in the towel (starting at short end), let cool.
7) While the cake is cooling prepare filling. Add cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice to mixing bowl and mix until well blended. (I reserve 3 Tbsp of filling for the "topping")
8) Once cake is cool carefully unroll it. Spread filling onto the cake and top evenly with blueberries. Roll cake back up, (This is where I placed that reserved filling in a line down the top of the cake and covered with sliced strawberries) cover it, and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Amber's Spicy Black Bean Dip (edits in italics)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
4 cloves minced garlic, separated
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz cream cheese
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
S&P to taste
Cheese for topping (I used Monterey jack) (I used Manchego cheese)

1) Saute' corn and 2 cloves of garlic until the corn is slightly browned. Set aside to cool
2) Add 2 cloves garlic, beans, cream cheese, jalapeno and the seasonings into a food processor and process until smooth.
3) Place 1/2 of bean mixture into bottom of serving dish, then 1/2 the corn; repeat with remaining beans and corn. Top with cheese, if desired. (I didn't layer them, I mixed them all together, including the cheese) Serve with tortilla chips.

Must See Movie

Jon and I went to see "Sicko" tonight. Please, please, please - go see this movie. And then tell everyone you know to see this movie. And maybe get some strangers to go see it too. I'm a little pedantic about it because this is my baby, this is what I want to do when I grow up, this is it folks. My studies in health law, my studies of European health law while I was in Europe - go see this movie and you'll understand my drive, my raison d'etre. Okay, that's a little overly dramatic, but come on, I WAS a theater major.

On a related side note - one of the commercials before the movie was for the Scion - it showed a bunch of sheep getting mutilated. And all I could think was "That's me! I'm supposed to be a sheep!" Now granted, they were cartoon sheep, but still. It's a foreboding omen.

"How Kate is smarter than the devil" or "Studying for the Bar sure ruins a good time"

We sat down tonight to watch Ghost Rider. I've been wanting to see it for a long time, and Papa Kate had a copy he lent us. In the first 15 minutes the main character sells his soul to the devil, which led to this monologue:

"You know, I bet the devil doesn't record that sale. If you were smart, you'd sell your soul again to someone else and make sure they recorded it first. Then they would be a BFP and they would have superior rights to the devil in either a notice jurisdiction or a race-notice jurisdiction. Then the devil wouldn't ever get your soul."

Yeah, I'm a ton of fun at parties too.



In other news, Jon dared me this week. I'm pretty rebellious, so if someone tells me I can't do something, it makes me REALLY want to do it. By this time I know you're on the edge of your seats. Well sit back, its not that exciting. Basically what happened is that I told Jon this week's ingredients for the Platinum Challenge.
K: Blueberries, Cheese, Corn, Citrus, and Hot Peppers
J: How come they never give you anything that you can make into one dish?
K: What are you talking about, you can use all of those things in one dish.
J: No, it would be weird.
Okay, so its not exactly a dare, but its close enough. So tonight I made pork with blueberry salsa. I got the idea from one of my all time favorite salsa's TJ's pineapple salsa. Fruit salsa is great because the sweet and the hot are so complementary. The jalepeno keeps the salsa from being too sweet, the blueberry keeps it from being too spicy. I topped it with some Spanish machego cheese, which is slightly salty and very mild. As usual Jon was quick to change his mind once he tasted it. In fact, the salsa was so good on its own that it might become our new staple for with chips! And even though I used leftover porkchops, this would also be very excellent on chicken (surprise surprise) or even steak. I know for sure I'm bringing some to Mama and Papa Kate's 4th of July Barbeque! (My way of thanking them for Ghost Rider)

Pork Chops with Blueberry Salsa and Manchego Cheese

Ingredients:
2 cups blueberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup corn
3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pork tenderloin - cook it anyway you like it then slice
grated manchego cheese

Directions:
1) Combine first 9 ingredients
2) Let salsa sit for an hour to let flavors blend (I believe Alton calls this the flavor tango)
3) Top pork with salsa
4) Sprinkle with manchengo cheese

Orange you glad I didn't say Banana?

Jon went to law school in Orange. He used to live a block away from "Old Town" and really, we never went. But in an effort to get out of the house, and away from the books we ventured to Old Town Orange. PLUS Jon had to drop off his VW Vanagon and his mechanic is in Orange.

We started out with breakfast - one of those meals that we really only do on weekends. Best place for breakfast in Old Town Orange? Watson's Soda and Drugs. Its a classic throwback to the 1950s soda fountains with vinyl booths, a jukebox that still costs a quarter a song, and of course, checkered floors.







Jon always gets both a milkshake and a vanilla coke when we're there. (He may have a drinking problem). Problem is, after Jon finishes his milkshake he never has room for the giant portions they have.









Jon had the french toast, which is giant, and comes with eggs - in case you're still hungry.












I had the Watson's breakfast - eggs, and potatoes/ham/green peppers/onions in a cheese sauce. And of course, homemade biscuits and gravy. I love the cheese sauce here and I'm not a cheese sauce fan. But its REAL cheese, so maybe that's why. The biscuits are light and fluffy and melt in your mouth, and they serve the gravy on the side which is perfect for dippers like me.

Of course, neither of us came close to finishing.

After breakfast, we went in and out of all the antique stores that make up Old Town. This is always a good time as Jon began picking out pieces for our home in Acapulco, our castle in Ireland, and our house in Connecticut. We took a break in the middle of the day to sit in the square and watch the fountain, before continuing on with our window shopping. We went into a great wine and cheese shop and picked up an interesting red and some cheddar soaked in cabernet. More on that later, we were too full last night to try them out. We also picked up another Thin Man movie to add to my collection - so exciting!

For dinner we went to PJ Abbey's, a converted Victorian Era Baptist Church. Its absolutely beautiful with stained glass window, and wood paneled, well, everything. All the chairs are oversized and none match the other tables. There's a live piano player and the food is as beautifully presented as the ambiance. We began with artichokes stuffed with cheese. These were incredible. Definitely a heart attack in the making, but they were perfectly fried, the melted cheese had a kick to it which complemented the buttery flavor of the artichoke.

For dinner Jon had the meatloaf. Poor Jon, he loves meatloaf and his evil wife never makes it.












I had Boneless Beef Shortribs in a honey hoison barbeque sauce. The meat was soooo tender. They gave me a knife, but I didn't even need it. And the sauce was sweet and smokey. Yum!

We walked back to the car, full and happy. When we got home we crawled in to bed and watched Nick, Nora, and Asta solve another mystery. It was a pretty mellow day, but sometimes those are the best kinds of days!

Call Me Mr. Marsala

I'm not kidding, those were the words I heard as I was drifting off to sleep last week.
K: huh?
J: I decided pesto isn't my favorite sauce anymore
K: Good to know, I'll make sure to alert the Pesto Parade
J: I've decided my new favorite sauce is Marsala
K: And you want me to call you Mr. Marsala?
J: Mr. Jon Marsala
K: Go to sleep.

But far be it for me to crush my husband's dreams, so last night I made veal marsala. It was kind of a special occasion since my friend Andrea was coming over for dinner and I hadn't seen her in AGES! Now, in general I don't do veal because when I think of it I picture the poor baby cow penned in and awaiting slaughter. But, I will make a sacrifice for my husband and friends, as long as its not too often. I stole a recipe from Cooking Light and was on my way. It was amazing! I was worried about not cooking it enough/cooking it too much, but both Andrea and Jon thought it came out perfectly. Jon even went as far as to say it was some of the best veal he's ever eaten, and one of his favorite of the meals I've made. I served it with some noodles and some fabulous mint peas (which Jon didn't find as fabulous as I did, but he did like the mushrooms).



I like to have something for my guests to nosh on while I'm making dinner, so I whipped up some shrimp and avocado cornets. They went over really well. Jon loved them and Andrea kept eating them, even after they got cold.


And the piece de resistance? I made homemade bread. I love making bread, its one of my all time favorite things to make. And I've been dying to try out my new Alton Brown techniques from the book I got from my birthday. Alton has never let me down, and he didn't let me down yesterday. The bread was beautiful and golden and the inside was all chewy bread goodness. Yum! Seriously, there is nothing as satisfying as eating a piece of homemade bread and knowing that your hands created it. (Kneading is also a GREAT stress reliever)



We ended the meal with my second entry for Cara's Platinum Chef Challenge. As you may recall I used the first three ingredients (jalepeno, corn, and citrus) in my black bean salsa (remember the black bean salsa? I'm SURE you do. It has its own theme song). The last two ingredients were blueberries and cheese. I took a blueberry muffin recipe and recreated it as a cake. Except, it probably would have been better as a muffin. Nevermind. After 2 bottles of wine, Andrea and I were very pleased with the result. (Shiraz is the wine of choice for Blueberry Almond Struesel Cake)

Shrimp and Avocado Cornets

Ingredients:
1/3 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp minced cilantro
1 Tbsp minced shallots
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 400. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) In medium bowl combine shrimp, avocado, cilantro, shallots, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, and cumin.
3) On lightly floured work surface roll out 1 sheet of pastry to measure 12 inches square. Cut into thirds in one direction and then into quarters in the other. Cut each rectangle in half diagonally to form 2 triangles.
4) Place one triangle with long side nearest you. Spoon 1 tsp filling in center of triangle. Bring bottom corner of shortest side up to top point, then wrap remaining corner to create bottom of the cone. Pinch to seal; transfer to baking sheet.
5) Repeat procedure with remaining puff pastry sheets.
6) Bake in heated oven 17-19 minutes, or until golden.

Cooking Light's Veal Marsala

Ingredients:
1 lb veal scaloppine
1/4 cup AP flour
2/3 cup beef consomme
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1) Dredge veal in 3 Tbsp flour. Combine remaining 1 Tbsp flour and consomme, stirring with whisk. Set aside.
2) Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add veal, cook 1 1/2 minutes. Turn veal over; cook 1 minute. Remove veal from pan.
3) Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Add consomme mixture, mushrooms, and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until thick. Return veal to pan.

Mint Peas

Ingredients:
2 cups peas
2 tsp butter
1 1/2 cups mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 Tbsp mint
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1) bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add peas. Cook 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, set aside.
2) Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and green onions. Sautee 2 minutes.
3) Add peas, mint, salt. Sautee 2 minutes

French Bread Baguette

Ingredients:
1 pkg dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
cooking spray
1 Tbsp water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Directions:
1) Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes
2) Combine flour and salt in food processor. Add yeast mixture to dry materials and process until dough forms a ball.
3) Place dough in large bowl coated with cooking spray and let sit for 20-30 minutes (Alton says this allows the gluten to rest)
4) On a lightly floured surface knead dough 4 or 5 times.
5) Return dough to bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes (I turn on the oven while I do the first steps and turn it off, then place the dough in the still warm oven)
6) Knead dough again a couple times, then let sit for another 5 minutes (that gluten is LAZY!)
7) Shape dough into 9x8 inch rectangle. Roll up dough, starting at long side, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Pinch seam ends to seal. Cover dough, and let rise again for 30 minutes.
8) Preheat oven to 450.
9) Uncover dough and make 3 diagonal cuts across the top of loaf, using a sharp knife. Combine 1 Tbsp water and egg white, and brush mixture over top of loaf.
10) Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Blueberry Almond Streusel Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup 2% low-fat milk
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup light ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups blueberries
Cooking spray
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie stick margarine, melted

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400°.

2) Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 6 ingredients (milk through egg whites); stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Gently stir in blueberries. Spoon batter 9x9 pan coated with cooking spray.

3) Combine 1/4 cup flour and remaining ingredients; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until done.