another recipe

Here's another one from the same article. This one takes more ingredients, so it might be longer til I make it.

Picnic Oven-Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
• 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon(s) hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 2 3/4 pound(s) chicken legs, skin removed, fat trimmed
• 1/2 cup(s) whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon(s) sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika
• 1 teaspoon(s) dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
1. Whisk buttermilk, mustard, garlic and hot sauce in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour or for up to 8 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
3. Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray chicken pieces with cooking spray.
4. Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 40 to 50 minutes.

feed me!

I found this recipe on an MSN article...I'm posting it because I don't know how long they keep those articles up, and this sounds delicious.

Spaghetti Carbonara Pie

Ingredients:
12 ounces spaghetti
6 slices (diced) bacon
1 container (15 0z-part skim) ricotta cheese (not a fan of ricotta...any suggestions of a substitute?)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
1 pinch each pepper and nutmeg
2 cups milk

Directions:
1. Cook spaghetti as label directs; drain.
2. In skillet, cook 6 slices diced bacon over medium heat until browned. Drain on paper towels.
3. In blender, mix ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese, eggs, pepper, nutmeg and ½ cup milk.
4. In saucepan, combine pasta, ricotta mixture, bacon and 1 ½ cups milk; stir. Spoon into 2½-quart baking dish. Bake at 375ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, until nearly set and golden around edges. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Oh yeah...and I went to the activity center today to workout again. Go me! I'm liking this being motivated thing...

my second nose

Yesterday I woke up with another head...oh wait, it was just a gigantic zit. In the most painful spot on one's face... under the eye, a little to the side of the nose. I believe that is the worst place to get them because it is very sore there. And today it's even bigger. Grrrrr..... Jake has been trying to tell me that it's not that bad and I look pretty anyway. I'm not convinced. Sigh.

I took him out to Si Senor for dinner tonight because he'd never eaten there. We both had chile rellenos, chips and 4 different kinds of salsa, and sopaipillas with honey. Yum! I found out last night that he has never had Wendy's nuggets. I was shocked. He didn't understand why it was a big deal, and I told him because, 1) Wendy's nuggets are so delicious, and 2) We've been together a year and a half and I just never noticed that he's never had them. We have gone to Wendy's a lot together, and we've had McNuggets together, but I just failed to realize through all of that that he never ordered any, or stolen one of my Wendy's nuggets. So that's the next thing on my list of ways to change Jake (haha, I'm just kidding about that list :), buy him some Wendy's nuggets and force feed them to him. It's not that he has never wanted to have some, it's just that he has never gotten around to it.

This week has absolutely flown by. Yeah I still have tomorrow, but it literally seems like yesterday that I was complaining about the weekend being over. Hooray for fast weeks! And I pretty much have a job for the summer in Los Alamos! I'm going to be working for the YMCA summer camp like I did three years ago, because there's a new childcare director (seemingly way better than the one I worked for), and now they are offering full-time counselor positions, so I won't have to get another job for the afternoons! I'm really excited. She never actually told me "You're hired," but she found me on facebook a couple days after I talked to her on the phone and messaged me, saying she was "really excited to get me on board" and "has heard great things about me", and asked what position I would be interested in. So I'm going to go in and talk to her when I'm home for spring break, so we can work out paperwork and she can interview me in person and all that jazz.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

I was good and went to an Ash Wednesday service at 4 today, even though there wasn't anyone to shove me along! I like going to church (usually) but it's harder to go if there is no one to go with.

I didn't give up anything...yet...the past three years I've given up meat, which wasn't too hard. I was thinking of doing that again, but eh. Plus, when I got back today I heated up last night's leftover pasta with meat sauce for lunch...I forgot it was AW. So I already blew it if I decide that.

Then I thought of coffee....but....well, I just love coffee. I love Jesus more, but I don't know if I can do it!!! Plus I still have three Starbucks gift cards to spend...hehehehe ;-) Actually the real reason I have not given up anything is that I kinda want to try something new. Instead of giving up something, maybe start doing more things, like exercising more (I had a good start on Sunday), trying to be more patient, worship more, read my Bible more (and not just for my literature class), and try to love people more without getting so impatient, frustrated, or annoyed with them. And this includes everyone. I actually consider myself very patient compared to many people I know, but sometimes my patience is pushed too far. So I will strive to be more Jesus-like.

God bless!

Costa Rica and The Shack

First of all, the reason I went apartment hunting for so long yesterday was that I was in a terrible mood. For a few reasons, but mostly it was just one of those days, and I was a bit on the grumpy side. So I left my apartment because I needed to get out and do something, so I drove around for about two hours to find apartments I knew of and others I just ran into. Most of them were sketchy so I just kept driving, but stopped at two not including the ones I fell in love with, and no one was in the leasing office for either of them, so I might go back sometime. At first I couldn't find much more so I gave up and started heading home, then realized I was near the animal shelter...what better way to cure a sour mood than to play with puppies and kitties?! I left the shelter less grumpy, but a little more sad because I want a dog so ridiculously much. I would be able to afford one now...if it never got sick or hurt...but that is inevitable and I can't predict if a dog will be sick even if it appears healthy. So after that I ran into the street that these other apartments are on, by accident, and stopped by to inquire about living there in the fall. I left there in love and excited because I think I have found (temporary) home. I really hope it works out.
Anyway, it was good to get out and drive around the city for a couple hours. It was cloudy and cool all afternoon so I opened my windows a couple inches to let in fresh air. And my car has awesome gas mileage so the gas gauge barely went down.

Now, Costa Rica. This woman came and spoke to our Spanish class a couple weeks ago (she was Spanish and I understood almost everything she said!!) about a program compatible w/ NMSU in which you go and study Spanish for however many weeks you want, whatever part of the year you want. The classes are intensive and small (about 4 or 5 people per class) and you have the option of staying on one of the three campuses or with a host family. It's not particularly expensive (I'm thinking I'd go for three weeks) considering what's included (except not the plane ticket...). Since I want to minor in Spanish, and may not have enough time to do so if I want to graduate May of 2010, this might be a great opportunity. Nothing's for sure yet, just something to think about.

One last thing (man I've been posting long blogs lately). I am reading a book called The Shack, by William P. Young. I'm borrowing it from my mom, who got it as a Christmas gift from my dad's mom. It's a really good book and may change the way you "see" God, and I'm sure some people don't like that, and others do. It's totally not what I expected, the twist in the middle really caught me off guard from the beginning appearance. Anyway, so far it's really making me think. I can't imagine what the end of the book will be like. My mom said it's very interesting and deep, and your thoughts on it really depend on how you look at it. So once I finish the book I'm sure I'll be posting many more thoughts on it. Maybe you should give this book a go?

I found one!

I finally found an apartment that I'm actually excited about! They're clean, in a quiet neighborhood, the staff was extremely friendly, helpful and professional (total opposite of where I'm living now), and a little cheaper than the apartments I've found close to campus. The floor plan is comfortable to me (I'm really weird...I'm very particular about floor plans, because some make me uncomfortable...no joke), and just the right size for just me, the neighborhood seems quiet and fairly safe. One of the managers (who is my age) actually had a class with me last semester, so that made it even better because we knew each other. I really hope this one works out!
A couple drawbacks:
-It's far from school. I'd have to hit the interstate to go to school and back, and it would take more for me to go out and visit people, and I'd have to pay more for gas than I am this year. BUT Shanda lived far from campus before we lived together, and that was one of the least of her complaints. And maybe being far from campus will mean less parties going on around me. And my car has superb gas mileage.
-I won't know if I can get one til mid-to-late summer. However, the girl helping me (former classmate) got my name and phone number and put me in the computer so they knew I'd want one, and they'll give me a call when they know what they will have for me. I didn't even have to apply to be put on this informal waiting list.

A few more positive things (besides above):
-New-ish, nice -looking with brick buildings, and nice layouts
-Only have to pay electricity, cable and internet
-Best of all, THE WALLS AND FLOORS ARE SOUND-PROOF!!! One of the biggest reasons I don't like the Grove is that I can hear the girl in the apartment next to mine talking when I'm lying in bed, and the neighbors above stomp around like elephants and make the doors rattle, and the people below have a new sound system that makes the floor vibrate and...Okay, not complaining. I've done that. Now I will praise the newfound apartments

I was talking to a family friend on Facebook chat a while ago, telling her about my apartment woes of a roommate with severe OCD tendencies and our constant, silent power struggle. She had the same experience when she was single and living w/a roommate, and told me she loved living alone after that. She got me really excited to have my own little place. No toes to step on, no compromises have to be made...I will be in control of my space...ME!!
I'm going to take my mom to see them in a couple weeks (if there's a one-bedroom open still) cuz she is coming down here again.

Pray that I can live there!!!

runner's high

This weekend has been good. Yesterday Jake and I hung out til about 1 in the afternoon. He made me a late breakfast: soft-boiled eggs with toast. I didn't know how to soft-boil eggs, and had never had them, so he decided it was time. He can't fry eggs, so we decided that I'll be the designated egg-fryer and he'll be the egg-boiler. It was yummy. Then I got my homework done and did less productive things, like testing all my markers so I could throw away the dry ones (I have a life, I promise). Then I walked around the apartment complex twice when it was getting dark because I had been inside all day, and took a bath!!! I haven't taken one in a long time. I used Bath & Body Works wild honeysuckle bubble bath. Mmmm. Then I watched White Oleander on YouTube cuz I'd read the book and knew that it was on TV once. Jake came over again and we watched Seinfeld and made lots of taquitos and ate those with salsa. Then Jake went and knocked my downstairs neighbors' door and asked them to turn their sound system down, because we could feel the base pulsating in my floor. No fun! The guy was confused about why we would be bothered by that on a weekend, and "he would understand if it was on a weekday." Sorry dude, we don't party every night like you do. Even if we did, it would still be annoying to feel the dang base in every square foot of my apartment! Nonetheless, he turned it down even if we were old-fashioned losers who yell "Turn the damn music down you kids!" Just joking.

Today we both went to church and after Jake went home, I decided to go to the Activity Center on campus (finally) and utilize my student free membership. It felt so good! I haven't gone running in so long, and I was able to run an hour straight, most of the time going 4.6 miles per hour. Then I did 75 sit-ups on the ab ball. During the time I didn't feel like I was working myself too hard (it was adrenaline and I felt really good!), but I'm sure I'm going to feel it tomorrow! I treated myself to a small Keva Juice raspberry smoothie afterwards and my legs feel great. Soon I'll take a hot shower, heat up some leftover lasagna and watch the Oscars. Maybe I'll do some reading for my Ethnicity and Prejudice class. Well, hope your weekend was good! I'm going to sleep very well tonight.