I deleted my Twitter account (GASP!). Face it, it wasn’t really my cup of tea (…even though I used it for over a year – ha!). I think it brought out the bad in me and I didn’t like it. I think it was a good decision. Maybe I’ll make a new account again, but maybe not. For now, I’m good with the one social networking site I started with. End of an era (OK, not really but still…).
Tomato Bread Salad
23
Aug
I’m hanging on to every ounce of summer. I love fall, don’t get me wrong. It’s my favorite season, but there is one thing I absolutely love about the summer. I love eating fresh fruit and vegetables, but I especially love it in the summer time when you know it was grown fresh near you. So delicious.
REB and I went to one of our favorite restaurants in town, Zingerman’s Roadhouse and I had the most amazing salad there. They feature it on their summer menu each year, and each year we’ve gone, they’ve been sold out of it! So when I found out it wasn’t sold out, I had to have it! It was just as delicious as it sounded and was described to me. And it was light!
I recreated the dish after figuring out what ingredients they used (and what I could taste). I can in no way take credit for this dish, and I know it isn’t exact, but this variation was just as delicious. And the secret? Heirloom tomatoes!!
What you’ll need:
•3-4 heirloom tomatoes (I bought some orange, a huge red one, some green), cut into bite-size pieces
•1 Roma tomato, cut into bite-size pieces
•1/2 loaf sourdough bread (day or 2-day old is best), cut into 1-inch cubes
•1 cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (leave the skin on!)
•10-12 cherry mozzarella balls, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
•1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed (don’t get the kind in oil)
•10 basil leaves, chiffonade
•2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
•2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•S&P to taste
Preheat your oven to 300ºF.
What I found best was to let the bread sit for a day or two, then cut them into 1-inch pieces (you’ll only need about half the loaf). Place on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, toss and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. I’m not sure if this is what Zingerman’s did, but I figured if it was fresh bread, it would just fall apart with the dressing. By toasting it lightly, it kept its shape and still sopped up the delicious dressing.
In a large salad bowl, add tomatoes, mozzarella and cucumber together. Add the capers, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, basil, and toss well. Add the bread in last, toss lightly. The heirloom tomatoes do it all for me. No, scratch that. The capers. I love capers. I could eat capers all day long, I love them so much. But the tomatoes are the star and they are so juicy and delicious.
Drizzle olive oil on top before serving and enjoy!
This is what happens
21
Aug
..when REB gets bored. Poor Gryff.
I like how sped Hank looks. I like how Gryff ripped his eye to make him look even more that way (o_O;
My favorites are special.
64 Years Ago
15
Aug
Today is a special day for Indians every where.
64 years ago, India gained its independence from British rule. August 15, 1947 is a day that Indians every where always remember and every year on August 15, the day is commemorated and celebrated. It is celebrated similar to how Americans do up July 4. It’s a day full of fun, raising the flag over the Red Fort in Delhi, parades and fireworks! It’s a day to remember that it’s finally free and can rule for itself.
India’s a very young country and even though I can’t be home with my relatives, I know we’re all celebrating together today.
Happy birthday India!!
In memory
14
Aug
I went to Huntsville today and my first stop was the University of Alabama-Huntsville for this building.
Six months ago our close family friend was shot and killed in this building, the Department of Biological Sciences, where he was the head of the department. The shooting took his life and the life of three other professors. I don’t know why I wanted to go there. I waffled over the idea all week (you can ask JP). I kept thinking how silly it would be to drive all the way there to look at a photo in memory and see the building where it happened.
But a part of me knew I had to go just to pay my respects. I wanted to visit his wife and daughters, but when I called them earlier this week, I learned they’ve moved. I don’t blame them. I probably would too if something like this happened to me. What still gets to me is how she sounded on the phone.
I knew this couple from when I was 7 or 8 years old when we lived in the U.P. and he and my dad taught on campus at Michigan Tech. I remember all the parents throwing parties and this couple always asked my sister and I attend to even though we were kids. They loved kids and wanted kids of their own. I remember when they had their daughter and she was just 1 when we left Michigan and moved down to the south. They were both so bubbly and happy and so kind. When I spoke to her a few days ago, it was all different. I knew it would be, but hearing her voice… She just sounded broken and it sounded like every ounce of life had left her. It was hard to talk to her, I won’t lie.
It was hard being at the campus today. If you’ve never been there, it’s a beautiful campus. In front of this building is a huge reflecting pool with a fountain and it’s just gorgeous. There’s a little parking area where you can park your car and look at the reflecting pool.
I parked there, stared at the building and started to cry.
I couldn’t even go into the building. I mean, I didn’t think I’d be able to; I’m sure the security at that campus has gone way up since the shooting. But even being there, and knowing it happened less than a year ago, is just sad. The whole thing is sad and it hit my family in a way as if one of our own family members had passed.
It isn’t fair, and it’s never fair when something tragic like this happens. I’ll never be able to know what his wife and daughters, and the other victims’ family’s are feeling (obviously), but I do know that it’s a great loss and that department has lost a great professor as well as three others. At least I was able to pay some kind of tribute. He’ll be missed, but he’ll be remembered forever.
6 down, 6 to go
14
Aug
Six months ago I decided to take part in the Flickr craze called “Project 365″. OK, I don’t know if it’s a Flickr craze, but I saw it there first. I decided I’d give it a shot and take and upload 1 photo every day for 1 year.
Although I haven’t been able to take a photo every day on some days, I did keep the number up to date (sometimes taking 2 photos a day to make up for the one I missed). It’s definitely been fun. I initially started the project as a way to learn my new digital camera, an entry-level Canon Rebel XSi. I love that thing. But some of the photos were taken with my phone or with my point and shoot. Both are very reliable alternates if I don’t feel like using the big fancy one.
I’m not going to lie. I’m really proud of myself. When I look back at how I started this hobby, and how I take photos now…it’s a definite transition.
My first digital camera was a Polaroid a500#, which…wasn’t the best camera.
Washed out, kind of blue-tint, not great resolution and horrible lighting. My mind was in the right spot: ah, a moving photo of a mom and her son watching the boy’s father surfing. The outcome just wasn’t there. After that, I learned how that camera worked and when I’d put it on higher resolution, my batteries died almost instantly. The camera just couldn’t handle what I wanted it to do.
The next camera I bought was the Canon Powershot A590. I remember the exact day I bought it. It was before my trip to Arizona for work. I knew I was going to the Grand Canyon over the weekend and couldn’t bear to think of taking photos with that Polaroid, so I saved my pennies and bought this better point and shoot.
This was one of the first photos I ever took with it:
Not a bad photo, but when I first got this camera I didn’t ever use Manual setting. I always, always used the a preset or Auto and was done with it. Then my sister showed me how to properly use the camera and that’s when photo walks were born.
As you can see, she taught me well. From then on, my camera was always set to Manual and nothing else. But I wanted to do more with photography. I had wanted a DSLR for many years, but could never justify the cost. My uncle even told me to get a better point and shoot as a step up, but I knew I wanted to go the full way and graduate myself to a DSLR. I wanted to have different lenses to be able to do more and expand my photographic horizon (as cheesy as that sounds).
I’m so happy I finally did get one. It has made me appreciate photography and brought it to a whole new level. I keep learning new things and know I will continue to learn new things. I still travel for work and now my coworkers and I have started photo scavenger hunts, which motivates me to take more photos each day. The project has done that for me, too. The Flickr community has motivated me to keep clicking and I learn a lot of new things from fellow amateur photographers.
And today, six months later after I started the project, I’ve reached another level in my hobby. It’s a wonderful thing and I love it!
Six Months
09
Aug
One of my friend’s mom made a tweet about how today is 8/9/10. Very cool (I love cool, number dates like this).
But for me personally, today is kind of special. Six months ago today, REB asked me to marry him. I know, I know, it’s kind of lame to try to make a “big thing” about it, but the people who really know me, know how great it is. Before him, I had some of the worst relationships ever (if you can even call them that :P). Before him, I didn’t know what it was like to really feel like you could love someone so much. Before him, I wasn’t this mushy about stuff.
All I know is that next year we’re getting married and I can’t wait. He makes everything better in my life and I know it’ll only get better from here. I’m a sucker for silly milestones, and I never used to be. But with him, I can’t help it. He brings out the cheesy-lovey-dovey side of me and I love it.
Green and White
07
Aug
I had the day off work yesterday, and so did my coworker and friend JP. Her and I had decided, during our flight home last Sunday, that we’d make a trip up to our alma mater to spend a day there. We stuck to our word and ventured out to Michigan State University – home. :)
I love that school. I didn’t grow up loving it since I moved around so much as a kid. So I never had the “I was destined to go there” attitude, but I knew I wanted to go there not only for their Journalism school, but because I knew how beautiful and wonderful that campus was.
It’s still just as beautiful. We did all the things we loved to do there when we were there for school. We ate at our favorite sushi place, Omi, had super strong Long Island Iced Teas from Peanut Barrel, bought some more t-shirts (I haven’t bought MSU t-shirts since my freshman year there, so they were looking kinda dingy and hole-y) and walked around campus. I had so much fun going back to the library, the stadium, Beaumont Tower, the chapel, walking along the Red Cedar River, going to the botanical garden and remembering all the fun times I had there.
Those memories can’t be touched either. That school will always have a special place in my heart. I’ll forever bleed green and white <3 :)
General’s Tofu
04
Aug
Much like the famed dish that stars chicken, this dish is the perfect one for vegetarians every where! It has a ton of heat, the sauce is smooth and man, is it good. We found this recipe online but jazzed it up a bit for our tastes.
Here’s what you need:
•1 block of extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
•2 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, some minced, some grated
•1/4 cup soy sauce
•1/4 cup water
•1/4 cup orange juice
•1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
•1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (we LOVE spice, so we added more. This amount is totally up to you, though!)
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
We served this with rice, so start by cooking some rice.
In a large, deep skillet coat the bottom with vegetable oil, about 2 tablespoons. When it’s nice and hot, add the tofu and cook until brown on all sides.
While that’s happening in a 2-cup measuring cup (you know, like those Pyrex doohickies), measure out the soy sauce, water and orange juice. Add the corn starch, minced garlic, cayenne pepper and add some minced ginger and then grate some in there too, Stir it all together and finish cooking the tofu.
When the tofu has browned on all sides, reduce the heat to medium and add a few pieces to the sauce mixture to help warm it up to the temperature of the tofu. Then pour it all back into the skillet and then the magic happens. Almost instantly, you’ll see the sauce thicken into a beautiful glaze (ah, the beauty of corn starch! It worked in the 1950s, it still works today!). Let that reduce and continue to thicken for 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot over white (or brown) rice. Enjoy!
OMFG
04
Aug
I got the coolest surprise today! REB had something delivered in the mail from Olivia Munn and I immediately called him asking what it was. He told me to open it and it was two autographed magazines! Various celebrities took part in My Mag and had a magazine made just for them and then mailed them out to their fans, signed. Olivia jumped on board and said she’d send signed magazines, and REB did this for me! He also got an autographed magazine when she was on Maxim for himself.
I adore Olivia Munn. Not a lot of people like her. Even she knows that people don’t like her. People have their issues with her saying she tries too hard to be awkward or whatever, but I completely disagree. She’s a nerd at heart, loves video games, loves her fans and the Olivia Munn Fan Group (OMFG), full supporter of E.B.B.G.A.S.F., is gorgeous and loves pie. What’s not to love? A lot of people think I’m weird and awkward, but that’s who I am, too! If you don’t like it, you can leave, kthx.
I could go on and on about how awesome she is, but it speaks for itself. She’s cool and I find it refreshing to know that there’s another nerd out there not afraid to be the way she is.
What I do know is that REB is the absolute best. He knows how incredibly nerdy I am about some things, just like Olivia, and I just love that he gets how nerdy I am. Hell, I get how nerdy he is. I got him an autographed photo of his two favorite characters from Battlestar. We are nerds at heart and in love. It’s a perfect fit.
