Food Fun Day

For those of you who know me, it comes as no surprise that I love to cook. I love food, I love trying new things, and I love making them too! Now that I have my kitchen back, the archives of fun food experiments I've been mulling around in my mind can finally be attempted. So, Friday night I made Lobster Spaghetti. I was looking for a way to enjoy pasta without a pasta sauce. And I have to say, it was delicious! Here's the recipe and some pics:

1 package SeaQuest Lobster Pollock (you can substitute any meat here, or add pine nuts or sliced almonds instead)
1 can diced tomatoes (if you cut fresh tomatoes, make sure you save the juices)
1/2 pkg of fresh spinach
Misc vegetables - I had asparagus, mushrooms, bell peppers, chives and onions on hand. Use whatever you'd like to for your tastes, just make sure it's fresh and not frozen.
3 cloves garlic, minced
Spices to taste
1/2 pkg whole wheat pasta

In a large skillet, cook spinach in about 1/2 tbsp olive oil until it looks just wilted (it's not, but fully cooked). Set aside. In the same skillet, add 1.5 tbsp of olive oil, vegetables and minced garlic cloves. Cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add in pre-cooked meat (the lobster was pre-cooked. If using raw foods, cook those first before adding the vegetables. You can still use the same pan). Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add in can of tomatoes with juices and leftover olive oil. Cover and lower heat. You'll want to let the water of the juice reduce, this can take about 15 minutes.

While it's simmering, bring a pot of water to boil, adding in a little sea salt. Cook pasta noodles for about 6 minutes, or until al dente (read the package, each noodle is different). Drain and set aside.

You'll know the sauce is ready when it begins to thicken and seems less liquidy. Put some noodles on a plate, a layer of spinach, and then the sauce. Top it off with a layer of cheese. I like to mix it all together before adding cheese, but that's really a preference.

For a health garlic bread, we spread margarine on top of sprouted-grain bread and sprinkled garlic salt on top. Under the broil setting, I set it in the oven for about 2 minutes, took it out to add cheese and stuck it back for another 3. Our bread lives in the freezer because we don't eat it often, but if it's not frozen I would add the cheese before cooking and just watch for it to be crispy.

Let me know if you try it, and what you thought! D loved it, and I think it will be a staple for us.

More and More Like Me

I'm feeling more and more like me every day. It's true. The more I'm here, the more I see how easy it is to go back to your roots, the more I feel grounded and at ease. I have always said moving away was really hard, possibly the hardest thing I've done to date, and even 14 years later I never really felt like I got my mojo back, that part of me that made me feel confident and inspired. But that no longer seems to be the case. Being back somewhere where you belong, where your home is, makes you feel, well, like you. I feel like I'm meeting an old friend and frequently say to myself, "oh yeah, that's who I want to be! I'm glad I'm me again."

A Long December

What a whirlwind the past few weeks have been. And while I've been away from the blog world, I've been spending some quality time with the people I love the most. My beautiful, talented, loving sister came to visit and I had a blast! True, she was escaping a pretty tough break-up but I think sister time is really what she needed. We got a week away in the mountains courtesy of my future in-laws, spent some time fighting (what sisters don't?) and a great weekend with our sister-cousins capped it off. We cried at the airport as I dropped her off, even though I saw her two days later in Houston.

Courtesy of CA's photographic genius.

Next came the Christmases. First was D's family, and we had a great time. It was the first time I  met his brother and his brother's family, and really it seemed like we already knew each other. No awkwardness, just fun family time. I feel really lucky to be marrying into his family. They really do respect and love each other. I then flew to Texas and spent Christmas day with my family in Houston. And it was really nice. Just the four of us, and it will probably be the last time that happens. My mom, sister and I went wedding dress shopping and yes, I did buy a dress! I'm so excited about it despite swearing I wouldn't fall in love with the first dress I tried on. Ok, this was the 3rd but really, at the price and the way I look in it I couldn't let it go. Now if August 2012 would only come sooner!

After Christmas, it was tv heaven. As part of Christmas and a delayed engagement gift, we ended up getting the home theater items D's been eyeing for a year. The 54-inch plasma mounted on the wall with the blu-ray, receiever, and satellite all hidden in the closet. After 3 days of construction (no, really, he was in the attic and everything cutting holes), we got everything to work. Mostly. We're still working out some kinks ;)

So, after my December, I welcome January with open arms. I am resetting again, and looking forward to resuming the weight-loss journey I began a year ago (thankfully I haven't gained the weight back, just plateaued). I am also looking forward to finally finding a job here, and resuming the relatively normal lifestyle I've tried to instill for myself. But knowing the unpredictable nature of my life lately, I won't be surprised if I end up throwing all these plans and caution to the wind and just letting God take me where He wants.

Unwarping Oneself

I have been warped. It's true, being in a city like Washington, D.C., has the effect of hardening oneself to the people and situations around you. Being in Canada, I've noticed that my once positive, rosy outlook on life has been replaced with an impatient, selfish attitude. This is especially noticeable this time of year when people around me really do need a giving heart and a shoulder to lean on. For example, a very dear friend of mine lost her mother earlier this year. And the last week has been very hard for her as she tries to get into the Christmas spirit. The other day, when she called and was just talking out her feelings, I felt annoyed. Doesn't she know I am working? Doesn't she understand I have other things to do? But then I checked myself; does it really matter if I take an hour out of my day to listen to her, which is all she really wanted? I felt like a first-class jerk for even thinking those thoughts (I did stay on the phone with her, btw).

One of the things I've always loved about D is that his heart is very giving. If a friend needs a hand, he runs out and helps without expecting compensation. So many of us would expect some kind of remuneration for taking time out of our busy lives to help a friend. But shouldn't that be the reward...the knowledge that you helped someone out? I have always admired this about D and despised it in myself. I see that by living in a city like DC, where everyone is worried about "me, me, me," I have lost sight of selfless giving and been hardened to the simple idea of lending a helping hand. So, I am resolved to change that in me and worry less about time and inconvenience in favor of showing love towards others. After all, isn't that the spirit of the season?

Thankful for Much

I can't say I'm ungrateful, as this year has been very good to me. I've moved to Canada to be with an amazing man who is everything I've ever hoped and prayed for. And although it's frigidly cold this week, I'm grateful I have a roof, a car that works, and a warm blanket to sleep under. I am thankful for my consulting work, and although I do struggle to make myself concentrate and work from home, I am grateful that I am employed. I am grateful for the Christmas season and the joys it brings. As I decorate the house for Christmas this weekend, I will happily bop along to the Christmas tunes blaring out of my iPod (thank you Glee Christmas and Sufjan Stevens!). I am grateful for my family who have been supportive and uplifting. And although this Thanksgiving I will not really be celebrating with decadent foods and desserts, I am grateful that I can be thankful for so much.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Write Drunk: Edit Sober

Write Drunk: Edit Sober ~ Ernest Hemingway

This is one of my favorite quotes. The writer in me agrees wholeheartedly. The realist in me says, get real...you can't be drunk all the time! True, but that doesn't mean I don't want a glass of wine every now and then to help me get started!

In just a short few days, I will be participating in a writing challenge called NanoWrimo. For those of you too lazy to click on the link, it's a novel-writing challenge where you write 50,000 words in 30 days. You choose a genre and get cracking. They have smaller support communities in different cities, all striving to simply write. They even have these 15-minute challenges where you write to see how many words you can in the short time frame. Sounds like fun, right (write!)?

Well, here's my problem. I've been sober for too long. As an editor, I have honed a special craft of rewriting and rewording almost everything that comes across my inbox and into my magazine. So when I sit down to write, I'm stuck. I keep rewriting sentences and searching for words that don't materialize. I have lost the ability to tap into my creative mind and just write. So when my cousin suggested I try this, I thought "what do I have to lose?"

I'm still not sure what I'm going to write about. I've decided to write in the romance genre because, well, why not? And since deciding this, the phrase "engorged member" has become a running joke around the dinner table at my Aunt's house. But I don't care, the point is to just write, relax your mind and write. Thank goodness I use a computer instead of a pen and paper...I can destroy the evidence afterwards! But at the end I hope I can say I've started drinking the proverbial wine and leave the editing until later.

Working It All Out

Well, it’s been 6 weeks and life here has been, well, fast. I am really surprised by the lack of down time and the number of things to do. I had grand plans of taking some time off, traveling and generally being lazy. Well, that will have to wait until I retire! After 6 weeks, here’s what I love about living in Edmonton:

1. D, of course! I love being near him, seeing him, kissing him…well, you get the point. I am more and more impressed by the person he is and I am so glad I moved. Any nagging doubts about whether or not this was the right decision are long gone.
2. Family. I am so glad to be near family. I am feeling so loved and blessed, it’s contagious. I have a blast with my aunts, uncles and cousins! Even though I don’t have many new friends yet, I don’t feel like I’m missing out.
3. Radio stations. I do a lot more driving here, and the radio is infinitely better b y a long shot. More stations + more variety = a lot of car karaoke!
4. Food. The quality of food is so much better here. It’s less processed, more organic and servings are much smaller, which is great for my waistline.

But should you think I am looking at all this through rose-colored (or coloured) glasses, I am not. Here is what I am learning to live with, grudgingly:

1. Cold. Yes, it’s cold here. Hovering around 60 during the day. And they consider that warm! It actually snowed in Calgary over the weekend. And while that city is 2 hours away, it does not bode well for me. I have already purchased a warm winter coat and am shopping for boots.
2. Expenses. Things here are really expensive. Gas is more, food is more, clothes are more, shampoo is more! The sticker shock is getting old. All my budgeting is kind of out the window because I am always underestimating what I need to spend. It’s like starting over from scratch!
3. Dirt. There is dirt and dust everywhere! My car gets really dirty and I have to wash it almost every week.

Compared to the love list, I can live with the hate list. I am looking forward to the holidays and experiencing the sights and sounds associated with that time of year. And while I do miss things about the states, I am glad I’m here and this chapter in my life is turning into an exciting one!