Thursday, January 31, 2008

Report card! (for my paper)





And the results are in......A-! I am stoked because it is the first big paper I have done since high school. I have had to take major exams since high school for certifications, but nothing written. Sorry for the bragging. I am just excited. This is a great way to kick off a weekend. Anyway, today is beautiful, sunny and somewhat warm. There was a big storm last night, so this is the calm afterwards?
Trying to think of a way to celebrate tonight, but drinking doesn't sound like fun for my tummy. I feel great, but it is still sensitive. Hmmmm. We will see.
The paper was actually a B+ at first, but since I had perfect grammar and the rest of the class didn't get marked down for grammar, my grade was raised to an A-.
I really love the campus at PCC. There is a closer location to my house but I choose this one based off the fact that the setting is nicer. The are lots of woods and the landscape and buildings are very nice. The bench by the totem pole is where I eat lunch if the weather is OK. There are tons of study nooks everywhere and the overall feeling on campus is way more positive than the one by my house. Feels more like a university than community college. Here are some pics of my school. Those plastic chairs are everywhere and in different colors. I love them and wish i had some in my house!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

quiche dinner




Well, I got my kitchen needs met today. Tonight's dinner was Quiche. It had a whole wheat crust and the filling (besides egg) was ground turkey, feta, mushrooms, spinach, red, yellow, and green peppers, broccoli, and corn. It was yummy. I used 6 large eggs.
It was a good comfort food for me since it has been awhile since I have had such a satisfying meal. I am still trying to perfect my whole wheat crust, but this time it came out better. Well, enough time in the kitchen today. I won't have many projects in there until this weekend, I think.

inari





Next up was inari, which are little fried tofu pouches filled with sushi rice that I make often. They have a little bit of a sweet taste and taste good dipped in soy sauce. Internet articles suggest never trying to make your own inari pouches and I would agree with that. It seems so hard, and a packet of them only cost about 2 or 3 bucks. I did make the sushi rice. They are a fun little treat to make and are good for eating on the go. This was mostly for our lunches tomorrow. I usually sprinkle seaweed powder on top, but I cannot open the jar I have them in for the life of me. I went a little crazy with displaying these after I made them, can you tell that I have missed cooking and taking photos?

chocolate chip cookies!



Today was mostly spent in my kitchen because I have missed cooking since I have been sick. I wanted to make a few different things and first up was some chocolate chip cookies. These were requested by bunny. The recipe was from Joyofbaking.com. I really like that website for baking recipes, I really like the layout. Funny I get most of my recipes from the internet, even though I have loads of cookbooks. I love looking through them, but when it comes time to bake, I always head to the computer. Anyhow, these turned out quite nicely, soft and chewy, just how he like them!

show and tell: Mrs. Kitty




Yessss! I feel better! I am having my first cappuccino since the incident. Yum. Limiting myself to one cup instead of the 1 or 2 pots I usually have. My smoking is better, too. The hard part is now that I am healthier the cravings have kicked in. So I have set a limit of 2 a day. For now. I sound like a junkie trying to convince people that I have everything under control! Anyway, I am so happy to feel good. I have a lot planned today, mixed with studying. I plan on doing some baking and stuff, will post what I make.
This morning after Bunny left for work at an ungodly hour, I had a weird dream that I was eating danish pancakes called Aebleskivers, from the bed and breakfast we stayed at in Leavenworth. One by one I would pop one of those apple filled cakes in my mouth. I have been craving sweets since I got sick. i woke up all sentimental for the place we stayed at, and I when I was in the kitchen I saw Mrs. Kitty and it brought back so many memories.
When we were on our honeymoon, we decided to buy one thing to have as a keepsake. At first it was going to be a music box. Leavenworth has a huge music box store. I am a huge fan of music box music, i find it to be so pretty and relaxing. But the saleslady was creepy and was trying to sell us thousand dollar boxes, so we ducked out. Every gift shop we went to had corny stuff you could buy anywhere. We didn't know what to buy. Back at the bed and breakfast they had a little curio cabinet in the dining room with french white porcelain stuff for sale. The kitty teapot was in the middle and both of us fell in love. The next day at breakfast, Bunny left to go get his wallet, and I asked the innkeeper to box it up for me. All of the guests who were eating breakfast were like "How sweet, that is a perfect memento" When he came back, the kitty pot was gone (she was getting boxed up in the back) I told bunny "Someone else bought her while you were gone." Everyone around us was snickering, trying to pretend they didn't hear us. Bunny looked defeated and just then the innkeeper came out with the box. He was sure surprised!
We call the teapot Mrs. Kitty. It is not really "our style" but we love it so much. I haven't used it for tea, I am afraid to. I want to pass it down in my family years from now. When I am in the kitchen cooking, she always puts a smile on my face. We plan on going to that bed and breakfast every year if we can on our anniversary and each year picking something up from the curio cabinet.
I really need to learn how to make Aebleskivers, since I am having dreams about them now! My Grandpa from Denmark used to make them when I was little and they are so so so good!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

family life



Not much going on here lately, since I have been under the weather. Starting to feel better, though. I didn't attend class today. I probably could have made it through the courses, but the commute was what i was mostly worried about. I don't feel so weak anymore, which is great. The main thing that is left over is that it feels like a litter of kittens are inside my tummy scratching away. My instructors were really nice and concerned. I am starting to wonder if it really was food poisoning. I guess there is a huge wave of a nasty flu going around. Regardless, I will always asscociate it with the Sashimi I ate. Ugh. The words still make me want to puke.
Anyway. Enough about that. Being this sick makes me appreciate my life and happy for what I do i have. Some people have illnesses where they feel like this forever. I feel lucky that this is not permanent. I also feel lucky to have bunny and my dogs. Bunny has been so thoughtful and caring through all of this. He listens to all of my crazy demands and and doesnt complain. Here is a picture of us the night before the illness took over. I don't mean to sound dramatic, but it seems like months ago! It was only 4 or 5 days ago.
The dogs are so sweet, and they seem to be giving me a little space today. Here they are in the living room soaking in a sunbeam on their little beds. They need to use those beds more often. Nigel was extremely protective over me when I had my fever and it was really cute. He has such a stubborn attitude, I sometimes find it cute and sometimes I am embarrased with just how much he runs things. The dog whisperer would have a lot to say about our relationship!
Tomorrow I think I will finally have the energy to move around and normal! WooHoo!
Well, this was quite a mushy little post!

Monday, January 28, 2008

wasted weekend


what a waste. friday at five a.m. I woke up feeling rotten. i have food poisoning from that damn sushi I ate on thursday. I have ate sushi for years, never getting sick. The thought of eating it makes me want to die now. I slept for 24 hours on friday, waking only once or twice. I had a fever and bunny could hardly stand being next to me because I radiated heat so badly. By Saturday my fever broke(thank goodness) but i still slept most of the day. I was maybe awake 3 hours total. Yesterday I was a little better, sleeping until almost 3 p.m., never really getting out of bed, but falling asleep around eleven. Today I was up at 9, reading in bed and this is the first time I have been able to type without feeling faint!
food has been so disgusting to me, carbs are the only thing I have been able to stomach. The thought of eating meat or fish is terrifying, which is sad because I have a freezer full of it. I even took the photo of lunch off my blog because it brings back terrible memories. I know that the resturaunt has gone downhill, but this is just wrong! i love sushi, or I loved sushi. I think it will be a very long time before I eat any raw fish again. Thankfully there are plenty of cooked options out there.
I still feel like hell, but I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I read a whole book this morning, Kitchen, by Banana Yoshimoto, it was heavenly. There are two stories in the book and I am probably over emotional due to my lack of health, but they made me cry and feel really good at the same time. Her books always have that effect on me. The sun thankfully has been shining bright in my room, which helps me from being too down.
One great thing is that I have quit smoking due to this madness. Well, I have had one. But that is tremendous for me. I hope I can keep this up. Its easy not to smoke when you are in a coma! I will have to think of something really fun to do this weekend to make up for such a bummy one we had this last weekend. The dogs have refused to leave my side, which is cute and all, but I need my space!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

I heart Uwajimaya!







Today was great! The sun has been blinding and the air has been freezing. The sun's presence makes up for everything. After class my surrogate mom (I used to stay with her when I was a bad teenager) picked me up and took me to Osakaya, a japanese restraunt that I used to be a waitress at. We had shots of sake, and I had Sake Ikura Oyako Donburi, which is raw salmon, salmon eggs served over sushi rice. Not for every American out there, but I love it! Then she took me shopping at Uwajimaya, which just totally made my day! I got sushi rice, this soy sauce that is less salty than normal and has a citrus flavor, my favorite Sembei (rice cracker), and some chewy candy that I don't know much about yet. She took me home and we hung out with her giant Poodle, Beau and my Nigel. They are old friends. Simon doesn't play well with others, so he was banished to the backyard.
I had a had a great day and cant wait for bunny to get home!

public transit day






I take public transportation everyday, but yesterday it seemed like I was on it all day. Thats OK, I had fun. I met up with my two best friends Noel and Brian at the airport. Brian has been my friend for 10 years and Noel (who used to date Brian a couple years ago) has been my friend for 5 years. Brian was supposed to be my "maid of honor" at my wedding, but he couldn't make it. Well, he would have been more of a groomsmen, but you get my point. The three of us dont get to hang out much, so it felt like old times and was just what I needed. We all took the train home together and then I met up with Casey at trader joes. We bought basic groceries like meat and produce and came home. It was a long day. I had my final draft due, which meant it had to be "publication" ready today. I freaked out on my paper, I think I may have been too hard on myself. It was the first huge project I have had to turn in since I have started school. I went to bed freaking out and ended up having some of the worst nightmares I have ever had that nothing to do with anything. When I woke up, I felt happy to not have to sleep anymore. When I have bad nightmares I am in kind of a fog the next morning. But by time I got to school I felt good and more confident on my paper.
On a lighter note I made myself a raspberry, banana, yogurt, and granola parfait last night. I have this in a bowl often, but having it parfait style somehow made it seem yummier!
Picture Notes:
Noel on the train-82nd Ave is a trashy street in Portland
Brian and I on the train-this isnt the greatest photo of either of us. I wish I would have cropped myself out of it!
Bunny playing video games on the Bus on the way home
Yogurt Parfait

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Maneki Neko (lucky kitty)




I have been up since 5 am, Bunny had a staff meeting at working at 5:45, so i got up with him. Yesterday the landlord surprised me and showed up at the house with his landscaping crew. I was trying to get ready for school and every room I tried to get dressed in, including the bathroom, had a landscaper right by the window. It was weird. But now all of the shrubs are manicured and everything(almost) looks nice. We had a good dinner last night. I took pics, but Bunny accidently deleted them right after. i was able to get a shot of the leftovers, but it's not the same! It was whole wheat pasta w/ turkey meatballs,and a turkey/mushroom/garlic gravy on top. Then I covered it in cheese.
I was so tired last night, I ended up falling asleep before 9 pm. It felt good, though. I like waking up this early and wish i would everyday. I paid all of my bills online, made a grocery list for today and had breakfast already. I just cant get my ass up most of the time.
Here is some photos of various Japanese toys we have around the house. One is solar powered lucky kitty. The green color is to bring good fortune. Her arm swings wen the sun is out, and on really sunny days I swear her little arm is going to fall off. The little ball thing is called a Daruma.I think I spelled that wrong. Daruma in japan are idols to help you reach your goals. This is a minature cute one. More traditional ones are more serious looking. We have a more serious one in the living room. These are just a few of our many japanese trinkets. The Daruma is what is called a Gashpon. that means it is meant to be sold in a coin operated machine. Japan is full of those. When my friend Kaori went back home to japan I asked to pick me up some Gashpon toys. She did and I was so excited.
Today I am going to the airport to pick up my friend who is getting in from Santa Cruz. We are going to take the train back together. She has a thing about someone waiting for her at the airport, and I understand because when I used to travel alone i would be a little bummed when I came home and no one was waiting for me. Plus, I think it is fun to go to the airport. Then i am going to meet bunny and we are going to go grocery shopping. Fun day ahead!

Monday, January 21, 2008

New Hair



So here is my new hair, I feel a little silly blogging about it, but it is very different. The color has faded a bit since these photos (thank goodness) I like it and it looks a lot healthier, but i feel like Elvira or the brunette on three's company with it. I am overall happy with the results, its just taking some adjusting to.
I do like the layers that she gave me, much nicer than my DIY hacked layers I had.

pretzels and soup




Today was a lovely day. It was so sunny and pretty. It is freezing cold, but beautiful. I don't mind the cold as long as the sun is out. I didn't have to work today because of the holiday, so I spent the day studying and doing laundry. I also made pretzels from my friend in North Dakota's recipe on her blog. They turned out wonderful. I use a toaster oven for my baking, since our oven emits fumes that makes us feel like we are going to faint. No matter how much we have cleaned it, it always does it the second it is turned on.
The toaster oven is fine and since i had to bake in small batches I was able to do different things each time. Some just had flax seeds, some mozzrella cheese, and some with crushed garlic and cheese. The kitchen smelled so good with the fresh baked bread scent. I really enjoyed kneading the mixture, it was relaxing. The night before bunny came home from work with a free organic ham, so I made split pea soup in the slow cooker. Tonight's dinner was soup with cheese melted on top and pretzels on the side. I loved it!
So I am about to hit the hay, catch a few wonder years episodes in bed! I have a big day in class tomorrow.
Thank you Average Rai for your great recipe, and Bunny thanks you, too!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

saturday breakfast





Every Saturday morning we always have a big breakfast. I like to take my time with it, having a cappuccino with bunny in the mudroom, and it almost always includes waffles. My favorite waffle mix is from trader joes and it is a mixture of oatmeal powder, cornmeal, and whole wheat flour. I mix in blueberries, blackerries and raspberries and also put the on top. We had them with Chicken maple sausage. I also made bunny an egg scramble with cheddar and mozzerella cheese melted on top. I like to watch America's Test Kitchen on public broadcasting on my old black and white television in the kitchen while i do this. It is kind of a ritual, I guess. Then we went out, bunny was supposed to get his haircut today, but he somehow got out of it! He's sneaky! I got my hair cut and colored, I will post pics later. I like it, bt its a little dark. But it always is this way and fades drastically about a week later. I was starving by time it was done, so we went to new season's deli and had really yummy corn chowder. The walk home was nice, it was kind of a dark day, though.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Mochi cupcakes





I baked mochi cupcakes today, I got the recipe from kawaii crafter's blog. I made them today for two reasons: 1, I have been wanting to try it since I read the recipe, and 2, because our friend, who also works with Bunny, just got diagnosed with a wheat gluten allergy. He eats muffins every morning and loves food, so he has been pretty bummed out. So since this is made with rice flour, I thought it might be a nice pick me up for him. They were really fun to make, the dough has the coolest texture and is easy to work with. I like the taste because it is not too sweet just right. The recipe is on her blog, and pardon me for not knowing how to link to it!
The pics include the bean paste that is the filling, the sweet rice flour box, it is only 50 cents, my prep station, and the finished product!
Thank you kawaii crafter!

unagi bento




This is my lunch today. It is unagi, which is broiled/bbq eel over sushi rice. I sprinkle furitake, which is seaweed shavings over it.
Unagi is one of my favorite types of sushi, i love how oily it is. it makes me feel really good after i eat it. I don't even try to make it myself, something about grilling eel doesn't sound fun! Served on the side is pickled ume, which is japanese plum. It supposed to be really good for you, part of the probiotic diet. I like it, it has a sour taste. Pickled ume and Unagi are not for everyone, however, bunny is not fond of either. But I love it and that it why it is my lunch today and not dinner!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Tonkatsu Night






We had Tonkatsu for dinner tonight, which is pretty much our favorite dinner here. It is a popular japanese dish which is a pork cutlet dipped in flour, then egg, then panko. Panko is a light japanese breadcrumb. Then you deep fry it and serve it over rice, drizzled with tonkatsu sauce. The only way my tired brain can describe tonkatsu sauce is like a sweet thick worchishire (sorry for spelling) sauce. I love tonkatsu very very much and it has been too long since the last time i made it. since I went to Uwajimaya's on Monday this is kind of the start of japanese food for the next few days.
I am tired, but really happy and full, after a long day of school and studying I am ready for a hot shower and bed!
No school tomorrow, but lots of studying! I have a report due on thursday about bento box lunches and japanese food, so wish me luck!
Also the photos are tonkatsu sauce( they actually sell some at Safeway,but a different brand)
and the prep station of breading the pork. it is kind of a messy job
and the frying,those are cooking chopsticks, I like to use them instead of spatula.
and the finished result!