Taters and tenderloin and cranberry sauce, oh yum

It's no secret that I love to cook. I'm always on the prowl for new and delicious recipes. It helps that my friend E just started a cooking blog, so  stealing ideas from her has become exponentially easier. Not that she minds sharing... in fact she just forwarded me a recipe for some mouthwatering twice-baked potatoes that inspired me to write this post. (Thanks, E!) 

Twice baked potatoes are a new concept to me. My  mom was a health nut when I was younger (and still is) so we rarely ate anything as delicious as potatoes with sour cream and cheese. So as you can imagine, when I started cooking on my own, there was a whole new world of delicious and bad-for-you foods to try. Including this one. Which I think I might have to make this evening. Recipe can be found here. Both E and I suggest putting bacon in said taters. It will only make it more delicious and bad for you.

I recently took an interest in learning how to make pork tenderloin. I remember my mom making it when I was little and how delicious and juicy it was. So one night a few months ago I did it. And Internets, I dare say, it was AMAZING. Hands down the best meal I've ever prepared. I used Ree Drummond's recipe from her fabulous website, The Pioneer Woman and she absolutely nailed it. (If you read my blog regularly, you'll find that I use her recipes quite often.)

The cranberry sauce, however, was a spin on a Cranberry and Caramelized Onion recipe that I found on Oprah's website. I used it mostly as a template for my own creation (below).

As a side dish to that pork tenderloin, I made Pioneer Woman's smashed potatoes. But since I already talked at y'all about taters, I'll save those for another post =)

Happy Cooking!!

Twice Baked Potatoes: click here.
Pork Tenderloin: click here.
Smashed Potatoes: click here.
Oprah's Cranberry and Caramelized Onion Sauce: click here.

Danielle's Cranberry and Caramelized Onion Sauce: 

Ingredients: 

1 can jellied cranberry sauce 

2 1/2 shallots finely chopped, or 1 white or yellow onion finely chopped

1 cup chicken broth 

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons honey, or as desired 

white wine to taste (optional) 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

In a medium-sized skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped shallots or onions and cook until they just start to get brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 of the chicken broth and a few splashes of wine (optional) for taste. Let simmer on low until liquid reduces by about half. Add cranberry sauce and stir until hot. Add remaining chicken broth and wine as desired. Simmer until desired consistency is reached. (Some people like their cranberry sauce thick, some like it thinner.) Add honey to taste. (Again, some people like it sweet, others like it more on the bitter side.)

Tip: the more chicken broth and/or wine you add, the more flavor it will have. If you want thick, flavorful sauce, use the full amount of broth and let the sauce simmer down until it becomes thick. If you like your sauce thinner, take it off the heat earlier. If you don't want a sauce that's too salty, add the remaining chicken broth to the cranberries in small increments until the desired taste is reached.

Enjoy!

Highlights of my week

Considering the graveness of yesterday's post, here's a list of some awesome things that I've seen/eaten/witnessed this week... things that have made me smile  =)

• "Bob's Burgers" on FOX. Hilarious new animated series about an everyday family running a restaurant. It's on Hulu if you're into that sort of thing.
• Marisco's German Taco Truck. I tried this place for the first time today, and let me tell you something about food trucks: don't let the fact that they are essentially kitchens on wheels discourage you from trying one. This particular taco truck is parked in an empty dirt lot next to a liquor store in a not-so-great part of town. Everyone on line in front of me ordered in Spanish. I didn't care.... the fish tacos were AMAZING. Someone on Yelp described the Gobernador taco like "hot sex on a Styrofoam meat tray." If you live in San Diego and have not yet tried this place, I implore you to go there the next time you're craving a shrimp taco or some ceviche. And if you're worried about price, don't be: I bought 4 tacos for me and the boyfriend and it came to $7.75. 
• Speaking of said boyfriend, he is definitely someone I'd like to add to this list. I've been going through a bit of a rough time lately and he has been nothing but supportive and caring and kind. I love you, robot. 
• KITTENS!!! That is all. 

I'd also like to mention that updating this blog has been a wonderful source of comfort and stress relief for me. It forces me to take a break from my otherwise blah day and focus my energy on something completely fun and frivolous. Yay blogging!! 

What have been the highlights of your week thus far? The bakery staying open just a little later than usual because you called to say that you were on your way to pick up your order? The mechanic calling to say that a part had to unexpectedly be replaced, but they wouldn't charge you for the labor? (This actually happened to me. There's a reason Advantec Auto Repair has such great reviews.) Someone surprising you with lunch or a snack? Do share =) I like good news. 

On dealing with stress

I've never been good at it.
I don't eat, and if I do, I eat cheesy poofs and brownies.

I don't sleep well at night when I'm stressed, which makes me tired, which makes me stress over being tired, which makes me take naps in the afternoon when I shouldn't, which means I can't fall asleep at night. It's a vicious cycle.

I know I should take walks and exercise, but instead I sleep and watch TV and troll the internet for pictures of kittens. (Therapists take note: kittens have a calming effect on many people and as such, trolling the internets for pictures of them should be on the approved "stress relievers" list.)

I get cranky and snap at people I shouldn't snap at, and then I feel bad, and then I stress about possibly having hurt someone's feelings. Again, a vicious cycle.

Stress is a cold-hearted witch to whom we all succumb at one point or another. Some handle it better than others, and to those who do, I ask you: what do you do? How do you deal with stress? What makes you feel better, what makes that knot in your tummy go away? TELL ME!!!

And now, a message from the internet kittehs:

Aaah that's better......

All hail the burrito

For it is wondrous and magical and there is nothing in the world like it. Behold:

Burritos are pretty much my favorite fast food ever. It's everything I love about Mexican food in one convenient, human baby-sized package: beans (refried and/or black), rice (yellow), sour cream, salsa, lettuce, cheese (cheddar), guacamole (which I unfortunately can't eat), and the meat of your choosing all wrapped up in a giant tortilla. I don't even order mine with meat anymore because the veggie burrito from my local taco shop is so delicious on its own. And to top it all off, burritos around my hood are usually so big that I can save half for another meal! (I wasn't kidding about the human baby-size.)

I won't bore you with the origin of the burrito or the different styles, except to tell you about the California burrito. It's a San Diego specialty that includes chunks of carne asada meat, French fries, cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream. I'll let you think about those ingredients all under one tortilla for a minute. Delicious or disgusting?

 . . . . . . . . .

90% of San Diego would answer the former. I, however, think they're gross.

I shall now be exiled from San Diego and never again be permitted to eat another burrito.

Happy New Year, Interwebs!

Me: Hi Internet, how are you?! It's been so long! 

Internet: Oh. Hi. Yeah, it has been a long time. 

Awkward pause.

Me: Soo... how've you been? What' new?

Internet: Fine. Nothing. 

Awkward silence. 

Me: Um, well... how was your holiday? 

Internet: Fine. 

Me: Internet, are you mad at me?

Internet: No. 

Me: Are you sure? Because you seem mad.

Internet: Why would I be mad? I mean it's not like you just up and disappeared for six months without telling anyone.

Me: Internet, I'm sorry. I really am. It was a crazy time. 

Internet: Whatever. 

Me: I really am sorry. It's just that work got so crazy and summer kicked my butt with all the gatherings and friends, and then I went away on that business trip, and then work got crazy again... Then it just sort of got too late to get back in touch. I felt funny randomly popping back up again after so long, ya know? You know how that goes, don't you Internet? 

Internet: Ugh. I guess. Whatever. 

Me: Do you forgive me, Internet? 

Internet: Fine. Whatever. I guess. 

Awkward pause. 

Internet: Hey.

Me: Hi. 

Internet: It's good to have you back. I missed you. 

Me: Aaw, thanks, Internet. It's good to be back. I missed you, too. 

Truer words have never been spoken

Scene: I'm telling Liz how I can't believe it's been almost a year since RB and I got together, how I was nervous we wouldn't last because we jumped into it so quickly. Her response: 

When it's right, it's right.

Random Friday Ruminations

Happy Friday Before a Holiday Weekend, everyone! I know it's been a while--I've been busy. Here's a list for you.

• Being alone in the office is about the only time I get to listen to (good) hip hop and rap music. Today I am alone in the office. Connect the dots....
• Living with a vegetarian and a manly man who eats a lot of meat has been a wonderful balance for my diet. Roommate T-money (the veggie) has opened my eyes to so many Trader Joe's items that I don't know what to do with myself. I might explode when she takes me to the Asian market. 
• Speaking of food, I love it. Love it love it love it. There is nothing I mind spending money on less than food. Take me to a good restaurant and I will be content for days, or as long as the leftovers last. That is all.
• It's been a year since I moved to San Diego. How about that. =) 
• Have I ever mentioned that Rad Boyfriend is a carny? I can't remember and I'm too lazy to go through all the posts tagged "boyfriend." So I'll just tell you now (and possibly again) that RB is descended from carny blood. His grandfather worked the fairs all over the west coast and the southwest, and his dad has been doing it since RB was born. Which means RB spent every summer working the basketball hoops, the registers, and doing various other things for his dad's concessions. Is it weird that I find this super sexy? Maybe. But I don't care. I'm getting a t-shirt made that says "My boyfriend is a carny." Swear. 
• So the reason I've been MIA is that I had a bit of a scare last week that brought me to the emergency room. I'm fine, it was likely nothing, but I have a follow-up appointment with a specialist today. Fingers crossed! (And that's all I'm saying about it.) (No I'm not pregnant.)
• The older I get, the more I think I want to live in a small town somewhere in North Carolina. I picture a house on 4 or 5 acres with a spectacular view and so secluded that you can walk out onto your porch naked in the morning to drink your coffee. Doesn't that sound awesome? 
• It's a three-day weekend, you guys!! What do you all have planned? My weekend is going to involve card games, beer, cleaning, decorating, a BBQ, THE WILD ANIMAL PARK!!!!!!!, and lots of sleep. What about you?

Cacti, Coors Lite, and a gun named Diana

I spent my birthday weekend out in Landers, California. Which, if you Google Map, you will find is in the middle of the desert.

We shot some guns.

And watched some amazing sunsets.

And then my rugged bearded man from Maine put on hiking boots and played wiffleball while drinking a beer. Is there nothing this man can't do?!

Thank you to everyone who made the trip. I had an absolute BLAST with you guys =) And many thanks to Jenny for taking the above photos. More to follow!

28

• The postal code of the province of Madrid in Spain.
• The number of dominoes in standard domino sets.
• The age of Brandon Lee, Heath Ledger, and Big Pun when they died.  
• Approximately the number of grams in an ounce, and used as such in the illegal drug trade.
• The standard number of days spent by celebrities in a rehabilitation facility.
• How old I will be on Saturday. 

I will be celebrating my two-years-away-from-30th birthday out in the desert, shooting guns and drinking beer and sleeping under the stars. And I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend it.

Happy birthday to me!

How I gained 5 pounds in one weekend

This past weekend was like a cacophony of flavorful delights for my taste buds. Homemade beans with cilantro and pico de gallo turned into a quesadilla filled with cheese, sour cream and more pico de gallo. A food truck delivered onto my tongue the perfect-size cheeseburger on a fresh bun with all sorts of yummy toppings, along with Mexican Coke and poutine so tasty I almost when back for seconds. Following that gastronomic feast was chocolate ice cream from a bona fide ice cream shop! And then, just when I thought I couldn't eat anything else, our friends prepared for us a pile of nachos with just-grilled carne asada, re-fried beans, and homemade guacamole. Hit with the cooking bug, I decided to cook dinner on Sunday night: oven-baked panko-breaded chicken, and garlic mashed potatoes (skin included) with mushrooms cooked in butter and garlic.

 My lunch today? Water and coffee. It's time to detox.

Digg asks, I answer

I was trolling digg.com today and noticed a lot of articles with questions as the headline. I'll save you some time by answering those questions for you right now:  

Are Alien Aircrafts in our Solar System? No.

Why Aren't Safety Airline Videos Better?  Because for years, airlines had to maintain an air of professionalism. (Back in the day, as family of an airline employee, we had to dress up to fly standby. Truth!) Today, with airlines like Jet Blue and Southwest offering cheap tickets and choose-your-own seating arrangements, things have gotten more lax in many aspects. Including forcing passengers to listen to 20-year old safety videos that mostly promoted the class and comfort the airline rather than what to do in an actual emergency.

Should We Nuke the Broken Oil Well in the Gulf? Great question. I'll leave this one up to the scientists.

Why Do Cult Comedies Have Such Trouble in Theaters? Because you can't smoke pot in movie theaters.

Less Annoying: Ashton Kutcher or Katherine Heigl? Trick question--they're both equally heinous and vomit-inducing.

Happy weekend, everybody! w

My inner scaredy cat was right!

THIS is why I avoid revolving doors at all costs!!

And just for good measure, here are some other things I'm irrationally paranoid about.

Moving (!)

My house is in shambles. My belongings are in boxes. My cats are going nuts. That can only mean one thing: I'm moving!

I love my little craftsman house, and I heart my roommate Red to death. But oh am I ever glad to leave that place and move into a gated complex. No more sleeping under a window that faces the alley. No more d-bag neighbor. No more chopping vegetables on the stove because there's no counter space. ::Contented sigh::

Other things I'm looking forward to in the new place:

1. Cheaper rent.
2. Assigned parking.
3. On-site laundry. 
4. Roommates who love to cook as much as I do.
5. KITCHEN SPACE TO COOK!
6. Keeping my bathroom stuff in the bathroom. 
7. Having the bathroom right outside my door. 
8. Second floor living and stucco walls to keep out the street noise.
9. Locked gates to keep out the crazies. 
10. Living within walking distance of Rad Boyfriend, new roommate's Rad Boyfriend, our friends Jenaynay and Jayrayray, and a bunch of awesome bars and restaurants.

Tonight will be my first night in the new apartment and I am super duper excited =) 

Rest In Peace, Arnold

The 5 best things about dating nerds

Not that Rad Boyfriend is a nerd. I'd call him more of a sexy geek than a nerd, but still. He falls into the category that this blog post describes. (And how.)

The 5 Best things about dating nerds

Proposed letter to our neighbor

We're moving out this week, and we'd just like to thank you for being such a great neighbor!

Thank you for running your diesel cars at all hours of the morning and late evening! There's nothing like the sound of an engine turning over repeatedly to lull me to sleep.

Thank you for keeping your property neat and clean by mowing your lawn at 7:45am. We also enjoyed listening to your weed whacker, edger, trimmer, leaf blower and various other loud tools, as well as your yappy dogs. Especially on Sunday mornings.

Thank you for keeping the parking situation in check! We loved having someone leave notes on our cars reminding us not to park over the lines, lines that you took upon yourself to paint on the street without permission from the city. We also appreciate you knocking on our door at 8am on street sweeping days to remind us where not to park. How would we ever have remembered without you?!

Speaking of parking, thank you for parking your three oversize vehicles on the street instead of in your empty 3-car driveway. By taking precious street parking away from those of us without assigned spots, you really taught us the value of off-street parking. Growing up in New York City, it's a lesson I've always needed to learn.

Thank you for taking such an interest in our lawn! Specifically, thanks for trespassing on our property and illegally hooking up a hose to our house without telling us, causing us to freak the f*ck out when we saw water gushing down our alley and assuming a pipe had burst.We also really appreciated comments such as, "Your lawn looks like shit" and "It looks like every dog in the neighborhood has been pissing on your grass."

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. You have been without question, truly, the most douchebag neighbor we have ever encountered. Keep up the good work, Batman. Gotham isn't safe without you.

Living together before marriage: yes or no?

RB and I were invited to a get-together this weekend, but we had to decline because we'll both be moving. When the question of whether we're moving in together came up, and we answered no, we got an interesting reaction: "That's strange."

Hmm....

Now I'm not a traditionalist. I have no problem with living together before getting married or engaged. It makes sense for most people, both economically and practically. (I mean, don't you want to know your significant other's bathroom habits and kitchen-cleaning methods before moving in together? I know I do.) So there are no religious or family-related reasons behind our decision. And it's not that we don't think we'd get along in tight quarters. (We've taken several trips together and have spent many a weekend house-sitting together.) It's not that we have vastly different schedules or dislike each other's sleeping habits. (We probably spend 3-4 nights a week together and sleep just fine.) And it's not that we get on each other's nerves after spending a few days together. (See above.) It really comes down to two factors: 1) we're in no rush, and 2) RB has never lived alone before, which is something I strongly encourage. We already know we're in this relationship for the long haul and have the rest of our days to find that "perfect apartment" together. So "why rush it?" is our thought process. 

So there you have it. Two adults who are in a healthy, committed relationship (and have been for 10 months), who love each other like crazy, and who are choosing to postpone living together. It was the right decision for us. Now what about you guys? Do you live with your significant others? How did you make the decision to/to not live together? Why do you think/not think it's a good idea? Share!

My final thoughts on LOST

I've thought about it long and hard. I mulled it over and gave it a few days to sink in. And I've come to the conclusion that I did not like the LOST finale.

The entire 6th season of LOST was disappointing. It raised more questions than it answered. It felt drawn out and protracted, like the writers didn't know what else to give us. So instead of revisiting old storylines or cleverly tying up loose ends, they gave us 15 more episodes of "WTF" and "who is that" and "what does it all mean."(And, if I can get nitpicky here for a second, what the HELL did that Asian zen master and his temple have to do with anything? They spent how many episodes on that plot arc and it went absolutely nowhere. That's a fail, LOST.)

And then came the Finale. The episode where we thought we'd finally get some answers. At least that's what I thought. I really believed they would finally explain how the island can move in space and time, how it/Jacob drew people to it, the science behind it all. Why is Desmond so special? How did the island's power come to be on the island? How did Jack know he was supposed to go back and protect the island? Why was (real) Locke so emotionally attached to it? And those are just the broader, more fundamental questions I have about the show. What about smaller nuances, like the fake plane crash that Widmore orchestrated--how was that ever explained? Or how Jin survived the freighter explosion. Or what happened with Sawyer's daughter and Aaron.

I realize now that all that stuff isn't important. Yes it all happened, the Dharma Initiative and the time travel, it all happened and it was real. But the show was never about the island--it was about people. I see that now. It was about relationships and bonds and life experiences and how flaming darts and a crazy French woman can bring strangers closer together.... so close that they create a special place in their collective subconscious to return to with each other after death. It's moving and I acknowledge the significance. I just can't get over the fact that for 6 years, the writers made it seem like it was about the island. Smoke monsters and donkey wheels and polar bears, oh my! What does it all mean? It doesn't matter what it means. All that matters is that Jack and Kate and Claire love each other and will never forget about each other.

Not what I was expecting, LOST. Not what I was expecting at all. I'm disappointed =(

"I dont even like jelly. I get hives if I even look at jelly."

I went into Albertson's the other day specifically for peanut butter and jelly. None of that crunchy organic unsalted nonsense they sell at Trader Joe's (my usual grocery store), but some real unhealthy, processed, bad-for-you Jif peanut butter. And cheap no-name raspberry jelly. So I'm walking down the PB&J aisle and a see a couple standing in front of the jelly.

"I really want this one, but the other one is cheaper," she says.
"So get the one you want," her boyfriend/fiance/husband says.
"But it's like a dollar fifty more expensive."

I'm now wondering why this sounds so familiar.

"So then get the cheaper one. They're the same flavor, right?"
"But the other one is seedless. I like seedless."
"So then get the seedless one."
"Hmm. Maybe if I get a different flavor...."

At this point I can see that the guy getting visibly irritated. He's rolling his eyes and leaning heavy on the cart, willing his girlfriend to make a decision.

"Can you just please choose a damn jelly so we can move on?" he says.
"But last time I bought jelly because it was on sale, it just sat in the cabinet."
"SO THEN BUY THE ONE YOU WANT!"

And then it hits me: holy shit, I'm witnessing a real life jelly fight! 



Highlight of my day by FAR!

They could make an infinate number of these