Before
Weight: 200
Body Fat: 39%
Size: 16+
After
Weight: 147
Body Fat: 26%
Size: 8/10
I'll be posting before and after pictures soon!
]]>2. Until I was 17 I thought I was a staunch Christian Republican. I am obviously not.
3. I've been an insomniac pretty much all of my life. My worst bout of insomnia was, without break, from age 14-23, where I would sleep (if I was lucky) 2-3 hours a night and on particularly unlucky stints I would go 3-4 days without sleeping, to the point of hallucinations.
4. The worst sound in the world isn't someone sobbing in unleashed agony, country music, nails on a chalkboard or even GWBush making a speech, but is instead the sound made when someone eats a banana. Unless the banana is slightly green and care is taken not to moosh it around in your mouth. It is bad enough that in the past I have envisioned taking someone's head and smacking it onto a nearby surface to render them unconscious and therefore unable to continue eating said banana.
5. Until I turned 31 I was convinced I would die before I turned 30. When I say 'convinced', I mean that I didn't bother dreaming about or setting goals around getting married, having kids, buying a house, growing old, etc. Really, what was the point? It wasn't something I obsessed over, it just something that firmly 'was'.
6. My blood is a big pain in the ass. It inflames/coagulates in my veins at the slightest thing: stress, working out, food intollerances, etc. (Yay rouleux.) It makes for some Very Annoying Badness.
7. I've had a dream every night since her passing with my grandmother in it, peripherally or actively involved.
8. I believe that everything happens for a reason, but I don't believe that some deity or force is working behind the scenes, and I don't believe in fate.
9. I am very shy - sometimes mildly and sometimes extremely - and always have been. Which sucks because I'm a definite extrovert. I work at it on a daily basis.
10. I take life way too seriously. Therefore, this year I am deliberately working to have fun and bring 'fun' into my environment. Case in point: both of my bosses will return from a crazy work trip to find their offices decorated ala Skipper & Gilligan theme. We'll see if they blame me and my cohort in crime or the man who started it all.
11. The worst and most traumatic experiences in my life have also been the best.
12. I decided a few years ago to go against my grain of choosing safe, reliable foods and try every new food I come across at least once. Since then I have eaten less strange foods than my childhood, wherein I tried caviar, fish eyeballs and sperm, whale blubber, pickled tongue and pigs feet, lutefisk, and old school blood pudding. Even so, I'm not convinced yet that I can bring myself to eat live bugs. Or live anything. Jury's still out on those.
13. One of my dream vacations is hiking the 440 km trail Kungsleden in Sweden. I have several things to accomplish in order to bring this dream to fruition. I am currently working on the 3 day, 60 mile hike training for Susan G Komen and will soon pick another adventure in physical preparation. I will need to find a partner who's stupid enough to do this with me. (I don't know if Joe'll actually be up for it.) I have to get out of debt and or find a method to save for the trip. It looks, currently, like it might be 2-3 years out. WOOO!!!!
14. Crazily enough, I think taking Sid and His Wumun and Joe on that hike would be awesome. Even if I haven't met His Wumun yet. Whaddya say, Sid?
15. Every day (yes, every day) since January - when we originally made the plans - I've squirmed in anticipation for my May trip to DC & NY. It'll be the first time visiting the east coast. I don't care about the Statue of Liberty (please don't shoot me) as much as the fact that I'll be able to walk the halls of the Smithsonian like I've wanted to do since I was a kid, when my grandma shared her experience there. And I boggle over the weirdness of my excitement. I'm pretty certain I shouldn't be this excited.
16. I'm writing a musical about zombies.
17. I fidget, which isn't anything extraordinary, mind you. I love to indulge in kinesthetic things while my mind is working, including squishing squeeze toys, playing with a slinky, clinking things for the vibrations, clicking pens, bouncing my knee, etc. What I don't get is why people say (and actually strongly believe) this is nervous energy. I don't do it because I'm nervous. And you can make the argument that it stimulates the nerves, but that's not what the majority of people are thinking when they chastise me. Dood, it helps my brain process shit. Just because it makes YOU nervous, doesn't mean it's stemming from nervousness with ME.
18. I will never live in Texas. You can't make me.
19. I am fascinated by native English speakers who have solidly learned, inside and out, the Japanese and or Chinese languages. (Yes Tyler, this includes you.) The language is so completely, fundamentally foreign in the way it was constructed, and constructed around a brain pattern (biological, chemical, historical, etc.) not at all similar to that of English-speakers, that anyone who can force-adapt their brains so thoroughly is worthy of a raised brow and handshake at the very least.
20. One of my 'dreams' is to become a neuroscientist with a focus in musicology. I say 'dream' because while I'm capable of accomplishing this, I'm not certain I want to put my other goals/dreams on hold in order to pursue this passion of mine. Now, if scientists would just hurry up and perfect the reversal of cell degeneration and dna manipulation....
21. I love finding out the 'why' about people. LOVE. What did you experience and what did you take from it and why did you take -that- from it and how do you approach things and how does your brain work and is it chemically different from the getgo (at birth) or did it form that way over time because of the neural firing based on the environmental factors (nutrients, experience stimulation, etc.) which made your networking differently or is it because...
22. I have actually watched something play out between people that brought an unexpected vivid image to my mind of monkeys throwing poo and violently grabbing their genitals.
23. I apologize to those I offend, but I don't understand why so many people can't differentiate between 'their', 'there', and 'they're'. It seriously confuses me. I refuse to believe that they (most of 'em) aren't capable of learning, which leaves (in my mind) only one logical argument: laziness. Which then confuses me further. This whole emotional process is usually summed up with a fist that shakes in the air, accompanied by 'WHY?!' when I receive emails. (Along the same lines, I remember my elementary teacher teaching us to spell 'their' as 'thier', and it fucked me up for four years.)
24. I really, -really- wish dogs didn't have nightmares. It makes me genuinely sad. They're generally such happy, loving, loyal, fun creatures. They don't deserve nightmares. (Yes, I realize how silly that sounds.)
25. I took almost a month to complete this meme, mainly because I find it difficult to imagine there's anything that someone would A) not know about me and B) find interesting. I know. Silly, too.
]]>While I am festive in my green, I must admit I cannot share in my favorite pasttime of drowning in the dark, foamy goodness of Guiness.
My diet only now makes me sad. =-)
]]>So. I'm looking for a second job. But I am also running into issues with looking for a second job.
Annoying big time.
Will be spending today going door to door trying to convince them that hiring a project manager for a bagger on weeknights and or weekends is really the way to go.
]]>Roasted Peppers:
Roasted peppers are very simple to make and can be used to add flavor to spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, salad dressings, and so much more. Before roasting, remove the tops and seeds. The peppers can be sliced or left whole. Roast the peppers in a 500 �F (260 �C) oven until the skin turns black and begins to blister. Remove and cover with plastic wrap or place in a paper bag. The steam will help soften the skin so that when the roasted peppers are cool it will slide off easily.
Pickling Peppers:
Some of the best chili peppers for pickling and making relishes are the jalapeno, Bermuda hot, pepperoncini, sweet banana and cherry peppers. Pickled peppers can be eaten "fresh" from the jar on salads, nachos, burgers and sandwiches or can be used to spice up meatloaf and cornbread.
Pickling destroys molds, yeasts and bacteria that cause peppers to decompose. Using sterilized containers that seal prevents recontamination of the peppers after pickling. Homemade pickled peppers should be stored in the refrigerator.
Guidelines to Pickling Peppers:
Use only fresh, unblemished peppers.
Use only unchipped enamel, aluminum, stainless steel or glass pans to heat vinegar�vinegar will react with brass, copper and iron resulting in an off taste to the peppers.
Sterilize with fresh boiling water glass jars and lids.
Jelly jars (the type with a rubber gasket) are the best type to use for pickling. If the only containers available have metal lids use squares of wax paper as a barrier between the lid and the vinegar to prevent corrosion.
Use cooking salt rather than table salt, as table salt, due to its higher iodine content, can cause the peppers to discolor.
If you choose to add spices, use only whole varieties; powdered forms will cloud the solution. Popular spices include peppercorns, chopped or whole cloves of garlic, rosemary, celery seeds, coriander seeds, and bay leaves.
Color can be added to an otherwise monotone mixture by adding whole baby carrots.
Pickled peppers are best when allowed to mature about 2 weeks.
Drying Peppers:
Dried peppers are handy for adding spice to sauces, soups, stews and chilis. One of the best things about cooking with dried peppers is that it is easy to control the heat of the dish: when it's spicy enough simply fish out the pepper!
You can dry your peppers in one of several ways: ristras, rack drying, dehydrator, or oven drying. Always use fresh, firm, unblemished peppers for drying. If air-drying, ensure that the racks or ristras are placed in an area that is dry and has good air circulation.
Ristras are the strands of dried peppers that hang in many southwestern kitchens. They can be made from red, green or yellow chilies or any combination of these. To make a simple ristra use a needle to thread the stem of each chili pepper so that the chilies form a spiral, then hang from the ceiling. Chilies drying in ristras or on racks may take several weeks to dry completely. While using a dehydrator or oven is definitely faster, the chilies don't retain the bright color seen in chili peppers that are air-dried.
Dried chili peppers can be dry pan roasted prior to being added to sauces for a nuttier flavor. Dry roasted peppers are especially delicious in enchilada sauce. Peppers can be rehydrated by soaking in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes and used to spice up stews and sauces. Dried peppers can be ground into chili powder using a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.
Freezing Peppers:
When freezing peppers plan ahead. How do you think you'll be using them in the future? Will they be used in something "fresh" like in salads, fajitas or tacos? Or will you use them to flavor something cooked, like your favorite chili recipe? Follow these steps to freeze peppers for later use:
Wash peppers well, selecting only those that are blemish-free and firm.
Cut out the stems and remove the seeds.
Blanch them quickly in rapidly boiling water if you plan to use them in cooked foods. [Skip the blanching if you want them fresh.]
Pat dry with paper towels or other clean absorbent cloth.
Pack into containers or zipper-seal bags, removing the air before sealing.
Freeze. (You can even freeze salsa! Just make sure to drain the liquid before you do. Otherwise you'll end up with a layer of ice on the salsa.)
Information thanks to Chili Pepper Plants Dot Com
*Capsaicin is the heat factor in chilies that is used medically to produce deep-heating rubs for treating sports injuries and arthritic therapies.
If you have a problem with ulcers or stomach acids: 1) don't mix your peppers with liquor, caffeine, nicotine, aspirin, or emotion, and 2) eat fat beforehand--cheese or cream especially.
If you have a problem with ulcers or stomach acids and refuse to give up your cigarettes and margaritas or refuse to stop worrying about your kids/mate/lover: 1) eat LOTS of cheese, 2) drink lots of cream, and 3) hope for the best.
If you're too stubborn to wear rubber gloves when you're cutting chiles and then justifiably worry about rubbing your eyes or performing other bodily functions: And this goes double for people who wear contact lenses and have to take them out at some point. WELL, there really IS a bonafide solution here--and I do mean solution. Just get yourself a little bowl of clorox (bleach), diluted 5 parts water to 1 part bleach, and so long as you dip your fingers in from time to time you've got the problem licked. Why? Capsaicin compound is not soluble in water, but chlorine or ammonia turns it into a salt, which IS soluble in water. Please be advised, though, you should never soak your hands in this solution--that will compound the problem and cause burns. Just dip the fingers quickly. Alternatively, one reader advises that you can also protect your hands by coating them lightly with vegetable oil as a barrier--not as good as rubber gloves, but the same principle.
]]>Ingredients:
5 or so cups of brown sugar
1 cup of light corn syrup
1/2 cube of butter
1 can condensed milk
Bring to boil on medium-low, stirring. When sugar is all blended and dissolved, cook to 250 on candy thermometer. Drizzle the mixture a bit at a time over the popcorn with a large spoon until it's coated.
Makes 24 cups.
]]>Directions:
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add boththe brown rice and the wild rice to the boiling water, cover and cook over low heat until the rice mixture is very soft, about 55 minutes. Drain the rice mixture and spread it on the platter, then let cool completely.
In a food processor, pulse the cooled rice mixture until it is coarsely chopped and sticky. Scrape the chopped rice mixture into a large bowl and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until well blended. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1/2 cup of the rice mixture onto one half of the prepared cookie sheet and pat it into a disk. Cover the rice disk with plastic wrap, then press or roll it out to a very thin 7-by-10" rectangle. Repeat on the other half of the cookie sheet.
Bake the rice crisps in the lower third of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden brown. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the parchment paper with the crisps to a wire rack and let the crisps cool completely. Repeat with the remaining rice.
(The rice crisps can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, layered between sheets of wax paper, for up to 2 days. Recrisp on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven if necessary.)
]]>Let rise while you mix the next ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 cup of warm milk
1 tablespoon of salt
3/4 cup melted shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups of flour
2 eggs
Directions:
Mix all and add flour 1 cup at a time as needed to meet the desired consistancy. Put the mixture into a greased bowl.
Raise one hour, then knead.
Raise one hour, then knead.
Raise one hour, then shape.
Raise 2 1/2 hours, before baking. Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes.
]]>Directions:
Wash and peel russet potatoes. Cook russet potatoes until tender, and then grate in large cheese grater to get the 1/3 cup of lightly packed potatoes.
Put ingredients in a food processor with the metal blade. Mix. Add 1 cup of warm water while processing. Add 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix.
Put in a little oil in the mixing bowl and rub it around the sides. Put dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Heat oven to 200F. Put the dough in the prepped oven (in a safe bowl) and turn the oven off. Let sit in oven for 30 minutes.
Flour the counter. Put the dough on it when it is done, and press down and shape into a 12" round.
Oil a 14" pan. Use enough oil to get a touch of 'fried' to it. Put the pizza dough on there and cover with a plastic wrap for 10 minutes.
Shape the dough to the pan. Cover back up for another 1/2 hour, and then work it once more. Poke the dough with a fork like you would a pie crust. Put in the oven for 425F for 15 minutes on a pizza stone.
Take the dough out of the oven and put the ingredients on the pizza. One traditional recipe includes the following toppings: chopped tomatoes, mozerella, garlic, basil, and parmesan. Whatever the ingredients, put the pizza back in and bake for 10-15 minutes. For a slightly more done pizza, leave in for 5 minutes more.
]]>Tomato Sauce:
3 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, tomatoes crushed, juices reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
� cup finely chopped parsley
Ingredients:
1. Make the Pasta Dough: Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. With the machine on, add the eggs and process until moist crumbs form. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until firm and smooth. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Make the Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
3. Cut the dough into quarters; work with one piece at a time and keep the rest covered. Using a hand-cranked pasta machine, roll the pasta through the widest setting. Then roll it until you reach the next-to-the-thinnest setting. Halfway through, when the sheet of dough becomes too long, cut it in half crosswise and continue rolling. Cut the pasta sheets to 10 to 12 inches long and drape them over drying racks or the back of a chair. Repeat with the remaining pasta dough. Let the sheets dry slightly before cutting them.
4. Beginning with a short end, loosely roll each pasta sheet into a log. Cut the logs crosswise into � inch strands. Unfold the strands and arrange them loosely on a large rimmed baking sheet.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well and return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce and toss well. Transfer the pasta to 6 warmed plates, garnish with the parsley, and serve at once.
Serves 6.
]]>Ingredients:
Brown hamburger. Add tomato sauce and paste as needed, basil and garlic, and simmer for thirty minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook lasagna noodles.
Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Layer the cooked noodles, ricotta mixture, and the meat in a 13X9 dish, then repeat the layers. Bake at 350 degrees for forty minutes.
This recipe serves 8 to 10.
]]>Directions:
Note: The amount of flour you use is approximate. It can vary on the humidity of where you live, and also how much you use to roll out and stuff. Just judge the actual ball of pasta you're making by experience and get to know the consistency of it.
Note2: If you allow your eggs to sit in their shells for about an hour before actually whipping them, it will help with the consistency of the noodles.
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten eggs, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Let dry for about 45 minutes, and then flip over and let dry for 30-45 minutes more. Roll tightly, without cracking the sheet of pasta dough. Slice evently down the 'log', approximately 1/4" to 1/2" each slice. Remember that the width you're cutting the pasta is going to expand once you cook it.
]]>