Okay, well, now that I am mentally recovered from losing a music idol who I had grown up with knowing well, I am back on track...
Recently went shopping with Mike to Short Pump mall, LOVE my subscription to
Lucky because it includes those delish coupons from stores - got to use my Ann Taylor LOFT ones so here is the loot I got:
Striped Ruffle-Button-Down Shirt. $46.00
Hello I want to follow the "ruffle" trend of Fall without looking like a pirate!! and continuing my classic-preppy-with-an-edge style. This does it perfectly with it's wide, delicate ruffle down the front and around the collar, long classic dress shirt sleeves, and narrow, miniscule pinstripe pattern! Yay!
Crewneck Cardigan. $39.50.
I mostly bought this cardigan because I really enjoyed the style, found it significantly comfortable (I'm a 32D bra so I hate the buttons pulling look), and found it incredibly soft. I love the kind-of pearl polish of the buttons! It is great to layer with and have worn it 2x now, so I am thinking I may go back and buy it in a few more colors. I have it in grey, but it also comes in red, pink, orange, yellow, green, black and brown!
Michael and I are still doing faboo. We are big into staying-at-home-cooking-and-drinking routine. It's mostly because he works, yes, in the same building as me, but we maybe see each other once a workday. Also, he has a parking spot in the building, unlike me, so we cannot ride into work together (prohibited by federal regulations for his position), he trains 3x a week - Monday, Weds, and now Fridays and sometimes even Saturdays.
If I haven't explained it before, Mike is a purple belt in Jiu-jitsu from a Gracie school, has studied Muay Thai, and participates occasionally in Jiu-jitsu or MMA tournaments. He is incredibly skilled and regimental in his training from his military background and you wouldn't know it if you looked at him. I mean, you look at him and see him as a law enforcement guy, but you wouldn't be able to tell that he could break you in half. ha.
Anyway, so we like to spend time at home just cooking and hanging out. Especially now that I have started Paralegal School! Woohoo! So I am doing that 2 nights a week in Richmond and loving it. The classes are great and so are the teachers. I am really glad I chose this program to further my job prospects, etc. It's nice being back in a program where I am one of the "smart kids". I think there is no reason I shouldn't get an A in pretty much every class I take! I should be done with the degree in Spring of 2010!
Back to cooking:
Here is a recipe Michael made for me one night:
My Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts, published in
Rachael Ray 365: No RepeatsIngredients2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup milk
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
Salt and pepper
One 12-ounce bag whole grain pretzels
2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 large eggs
2 pounds of chicken breasts (4 smalls ones is easier but 2 large pieces worked fine for Mike and I)
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Directions
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisck in the flour and cook for 1minute, then whisk in the chicken broth and milk. When the milk begins to bubble, stir in the cheese and mustard. Season the sauce with salt and pepper; remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
2.Preheat the oven to 250F. Using a food processor, finely grind the pretzels. Transfer to a shallow bowl and add the thyme. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Coat the chicken with the pretzel crumbs, then the egg, then the pretzel crumbs again.
3.In a large skillet, heat ½ cup olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken in 2 batches, turning, until firm, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels; keep warm on a baking sheet in the oven.
Yummy!
Here is a recipe I did the other night when it was an unexpected 66 degrees outside and raining!! PERFECT for when it gets to be cooler. I think Mike would've enjoyed it more with a beer (the flavor is a bit dull, like Chinese dumplings?)
RICOTTA GNUDI IN PARMESAN BROTHfrom
Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis
nude. That's the translation of gnudi, which describes this pasta filling without the pasta wrapper.
PARMESAN BROTH6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
RICOTTA GNUDI21/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (I used 3 cups because I thought it needed more cheesiness)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 egg white
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh flatleaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for dredging
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the broth has reduced to 4 cups, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the gnudi. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer over high heat. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, egg white, prosciutto, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. When the water is simmering and ready, stir the flour into the ricotta mixture. (It is important not to add the flour too soon; otherwise they will become dense and gummy, not light.)
Shape the gnudi using two large soup spoons; scoop up a large spoonful of ricotta mixture into one spoon, then onto the other spoon and back again, forming a three-sided oval. Drop the gnudi into the dredging flour. Form another 8 or 9 gnudi at a time, dredge in flour on all sides, and tap off the excess.
Slide the formed gnudi into the simmering water, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they have floated to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes total.
While the gnudi cook, create another batch of gnudi and dredge them in flour. Continue cooking and forming gnudi, transferring the cooked gnudi to a platter in a single layer, until you have used all the ricotta mixture.
Divide the gnudi among the serving bowls. Pour the reduced broth over the gnudi. Sprinkle with a pinch of the pepper and a spoonful of grated Parmesan and serve.
Relationships. Well, things have been rather fantastic for me lately, although I have still been having a hard time making time to spend with GFs and BFFs, etc. I am trying really hard to prioritize. I make sure to phone visit with both of my parents at LEAST once a week, even just send a quick text, email, or voicemail to a GF/BFF who I haven't seen a while but miss a ton, and keep work and school balanced. Shwew! I am doing all I can to not wipe out! But it is all worth it, I like being busy, I like having responsibilities. I just bought tickets on pre-sale to see Nine Inch Nails (I know, weird for me, right?) with my friend Emily (if she can't go I will likely invite Isabel!) in November, and Isabel and I are thinking we may do First Fridays around town with all of the galleries after work tomorrow. It is pretty fantastico, if you ask me!
I never thought I would get where I am with Michael, mostly because I was so far involved with Adam and so interested in John. Weird how things turn out, but definitely for the best. I know I have said it a dozen times but it still rings true!! Everyday I am grateful for the things I chose to do or not do, so I was able to get here and start my relationship with Michael. : )
On to more trivial things:
Gossip Girl was ehh. I loved the clothing as usual, adored Blair's poolside retro-glam bathing suit, and loved the new slang "motherChucker" and "Basshole", and was glam things were so cheesy for the end of the Season Premiere. But I hope things get better, because this "I am a Lord" bit is kind-of random and I don't want Season 2 of GG to be like Season 3 of The O.C. (weird, random, and WTF with all of the excess drama).
The Hills. Okay, lets actually have a storyline on Heidi and Spencer if you are going to include them. Come onnnn. And the Whitney storyline is just as disjointed. Can we please have some coverage of Lo not being a huge bitch and Audrina not being slung around like a purse. And Stephanie is so fugly. What was her problem back in the day? Her face tells me it may have been meth, because she just doesn't seem happy unless she is COVERED in makeup. Good golly.
90210. Didn't see it. Hello, RNC to watch.
GREEK! So glad the show is back. I am totally addicted. And I love how accurate all the Greek-i-ness is. It's quite adorable, but I really wish Casey would stop getting screwed over. Cappie and Rebecca still weird me out, but I can handle it when Rebecca isn't being too nice or too obnoxious. I like her natural bitchy self!
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