Monday, January 11, 2010

Chicken Cordon Bleu in Pastry

I have never been a fan of anything Cordon Bleu, BUT, Mark made this last week, and it's pretty awesome, and SUPER easy to make. Here's what you'll need:

1 tube (8oz) refridgerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup spreadable chive and onion cream cheese (or plain cream cheese with a little onion powder added for taste)
4 thin slices of deli ham
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 slices swiss (or pepperjack) cheese

On an ungreased baking sheet, separate dough in to 4 rectangles, seal perforations. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese lengthwise down the center of each rectangle. Place ham widthwise over dough. Arrange chicken in the center of each rectangle. Wrap ham aound chicken. At each long end, pinch dough together around chicken, forming points. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Top with swiss cheese (we only had papperjack) and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and pastry is golden brown.



and serve with:

Autumn Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

3 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tsp orange juice (from concentrate)
1/8 tsp salt, pinch of pepper
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (we didnt have these, so we left them out)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 cups spinach leaves (or mixed greens)




Combine first 6 ingredients in one bowl for dressing, combine last 4 in salad bowl. Add vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Serves 4, looks like you made a fuss. Total prep and cooking time is 35-40 minutes.

Nicotine Addict No Mo?

Hopefully. It's been 11 days since I quit smoking. COLD TURKEY, people. Like as in, no smokes at all and no supplements either. No Gum, no patch, no inhaler, no gross tobacco pouches to suck on (ew).  I feel... decent. The first day was ok. It was like being at work and having to wait to have one, or being out. I have really had to change my habits. The car is the hardest part, so I chew gum like a mad woman. The second and third days were ok... like I was getting used to not smoking. The fourth day was pretty bad. I guess it took that long for all of the nicotine to find it's way out of my system, because, man, I was a BITCH. Epic Bitch is what Mark was calling me behind my back, I'm sure. He was really supportive when I allowed him to be, but mostly, I was just HATEFUL. FULL OF HATE. MEAN. UGLY. NOT NICE.

I am not joking. Anyway, feeling better now, but it's weird. I don't have that urge anymore, but when I see people smoking, I think man, I would love one of those. However, when I smell people smoking I have a mixed reaction. It's more like: You stink like ass, here, give me that. Weird.

Snuff

This Christmas I got about 10 books. I read the shortest one first, just to get into my groove. Man, if you can stand sexual deviancy and some seriously bad language, try "Snuff," by Chuck Palaniuk. It's weird and different, and something you should try.

Chuck Palahniuk didn't dissapoint this round. "Snuff," one of his more recent books, was well, totally dirty and sexually charged. There were seriously jacked up parts and parts that actually sounded a lot like discussions I've had with girlfriends. Not a read for everyone. It's sad and twisted. And dark. Did I mention dirty?

Things I'm Loving- January

Top 10 things I'm enjoying in January:

10. "The Hobbit"
9.    Hot Tamales
8.    Mark's Cooking
7.   'Cold Mountain'
6.   Cherry Lemonade Lifesavers
5.   Fallout 3 for PS3. (NERD ALERT!)
4.   Thoughts of Spring
3.   Snow
2.   New Boots and Furry Hoodie
1.   Not Smoking

What do you love when it's cold?

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Traditional Feast


In the south, the traditional New Years Day Feast consists of Black Eyed Peas, Cornbread, Greens and Pork. Each represents something different, but are all considered to bring good luck to the coming year.

Above, are my black eyed peas. That thing floating in the middle is called Hog Jowl. I had a pretty good idea what that was, but I wanted to be sure. Answers.com tells me that this is the cheek of a pig. (I was right!)

Anyway, it's salty and make the beans taste a lot less like dirt. I also added a little garlic to mine.  The beans are supposed to symbolize prosperity in the coming year because when they take on water, they swell.

Next up, Pork Ribs. Supposedly, Pigs root forward when scrounging for food. So, the pork represents forward progress in the coming year. No dwelling on the past!













We also had greens, and I know this picture only shows broccoli, but my camera died before I could get a picture with everything. The Greens are to represent money, and who doesn't need a little extra money? The cornbread was because no true southern meal is complete without cornbread and butter.

It's the first thing I crossed off my list of 100 things and that feels pretty great. I hope this meal brings us plenty of good luck, too! Happy New Year!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Resolute.

This year, I made three Resolutions.

Number 1. Quit smoking.
How long do you think it takes before you have "officially" quit? A month? A year?

Number 2. Join a Gym.
I am looking for something in the Kingston/Harriman area. Nothing too expensive. Ideas?

Number 3. Make my Bucket List.
See previous post.

So that's one down, 2 to go. I haven't smoked all day today, but my house is spotless. I took down my tree, unceremonious again this year, and started my black eyed peas. I may have to start over soon, because the need for nicotine is about to drive me insane!!!!! : )   Also, a gym......hmmmm

What were your resolutions?

One Hundred Things I Wanna Do

As promised, my Life List. Inspired by Maggie Mason, over at Mighty Girl, here is my life list: (in no particular order!)

run in the Race for the Cure / visit Hawaii / take a cooking class / have children / open an animal rescue / live on a farm and produce 75% of my own food / go backpacking through Europe / see the Pyramids / learn to sew / be satisfied with myself / read the Bible / skydive / take a girls only trip with Courtney / have a Margarita in Mexico / become as GREEN as possible / feel physically and emotionally healthy / study world culture / understand politics / swim with dolphins / write a book / find Mark a cuban cigar / take Mark to Jim Morrison's grave / gamble in Vegas / have a white Christmas / visit all 50 states / make a traditional southern New Years Day dinner / build my dream home / make a quilt / go dog sledding / make chocolate chip cookies from scratch / buy Mark a new computer / sleep curled up in front of a fire / see the ball drop in Times Square / wear yellow rainboots and slicker in London / start a food fight / dance naked in the rain / cook a holiday meal for both sides of my family / have a beer and hotdog a baseball game / make homeade wine / go deep sea fishing and eat what I catch / serve on jury duty / make a time capsule for 20 years and include this list / have a wildflower garden like my grandmother's / take dancing lessons / be a zombie extra in a movie / attend a ball / throw a costume party where eeveryone dresses up / have lunch with JK Rowling / go fly fishing / ride horses on the beach / learn sign language / watch the 10 greatest American movies of all time / go to a wine tasting / own a houseboat / learn to change a tire / donate blood / take a second honeymoon / become a vegetarian / have a library with leather bound books / see a fashion show / see all Oscar nominated  films before the Oscars show / Find inner peace /  have a mint julep athe Kentucky Derby while wearing a large hat / break a guiness world record / read the classics / ride with my grandfather to his birth place / make peace with people I need to / meet Heather Armstrong / reach out to my biological family / get my sister to read a book of my own choosing / get a tattoo / banish the need for anxiety medication / volunteer at a homeless shelter / visit Niagra Falls / get 2 comments from people I don't know on my blog / solve a rubics cube / involve and educate my community on recycling / create a kitchen compost / remodel my bathrooms / take photography classes / go to a Titans game / coach something / stop eating fast food / meditate daily / invent something / work with adopted children / see the lighting of the tree in Rockafeller Center / spend Christmas in a tropical place / sleep in a hammock on a warm afternoon / learn to love spiders / pet a tiger cub / get hypnoitized / quit smoking / make an apple pie from scratch / go to Bonaroo / try caviar / see my mother with companionship again / play baseball with fruit / play soccer again / take trip by myself /
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