Sunday, June 1, 2008

The New Girl's Weekend


This week has blazed by really fast. Work is going pretty decently, I feel like I have grasped what is expected of me well so far, the Doctors, Nurses, and my boss are all very nice and make me feel secure, which I really appreciate. The only thing I cant wait for is my "New Girl" status to end in the front office, which just requires patience and continued pleasantness on my part. I am pretty good-natured, so I just hope that it will pass soon enough and stay optimistic. I am sure anyone who has worked in an office knows it can be intimidating to be the newest and youngest one there. Also, everyone was under the impression that I was like 19, so once it came out that I am pushing 30, a lot of things changed for the better for me!

Anyways, enough about that, this blog isn't for me to dwell on work, especially now that I have landed it! I took the weekend to relax with Casey and catch up on some time in the kitchen. Last night we had fun with my brother in law and his girlfriend, we played video games all night and barbecued. Then, today Casey and I just hung out at home and I spent the afternoon baking in the kitchen, something that I haven't done in awhile.

I made some Soy Strawberry Flax Seed Cornbread Muffins so we can have breakfast on the go this week, they are really yummy and have orange zest in them. I will put the recipe in the comments section later. I really wanted to make some of Spitting Ink's Muffins, but I made these on a whim with what I had on hand.
And then I made some Matcha Pinwheel Cookies, because it has just been too long since I have had any matcha baked goodies!

For lunch we had these egg salad and Canadian bacon sandwiches, which were a nice little treat:

And then dinner was outside because Portland has been fairly cold this week, with little surprise sunbreaks, and there was one right before sunset. We had grilled Mahi Mahi Tuna Steaks, with brown rice and broccoli. SOOOO good and refreshing, it was nice to have dinner on the porch and watch the sunset together. Made me feel rested and prepared for the week ahead!

Here is my bento for tomorrow. it is brown rice w/yellow curry sauce and a little ham. For snacks I have a hard boiled egg and fruit.
My bentos really cheer me up during my lunch, I have a little spot in the hospital park I eat my lunch at, and I really enjoy the bento breaks.
It was nice to get some much needed baking done today, for some reason if I don't bake for awhile I get itchy and restless, I really do think it is good for my soul!
Hope everyone who reads this has a great week!!!!

16 comments:

ling239 said...

the Matcha Pinwheel Cookies looks really good !!

can i have the roses pls... they are so pretty ^_^

Betty said...

Baking soothes the soul, at least that is what some might say and in your case I think it does. Glad you had a good week it is hard being the new girl on the block, but it will get better. I have a ? about blogging, when I want to respond on a comment you leave me on my blog do I go to your blog or comment on my blog? How would you know I responsed to your comments on my blog? Does that make any since? Thanks for the help, B

Hey Harriet said...

Sounds like your first week at the new job went well. Your 'newbie' status will not last long & you'll be part of the regular work gang before you know it!

Oh the food...I wanna come to your place for dinner! I'll arrive early in the morning so I can squish in & score a breakfast & lunch as well :D

Ku said...

Every time I see your cooking, I get hopelessly hungry, then remember, with great sadness, that you and your lovely food are 2000 miles away. TT-TT

AND, also, glad to hear the job is starting off so well. Yay! (^,^)

PS: I bet those birds in the yard would perch all over you if you gave them crumbs from your baking. XD

mushroommeadows said...

I'm so glad that your job is going well! I think it's amazing how people treat you differently based on how old they think you are! Seriously, although it's great to look younger, it's hard getting respect. :)

By the way, all your food looks so cute. I especially like that hard boiled egg. It cracks me up. ha ha :)

bunbun said...

thanks everyone! My bentos really help me feel good during the day, and baking really helps me feel calm, as long as it is things I feel like are easy to make!

Really, thanks so much for all the sweet words about my job and my baking (although I wish I baked more than cookies and muffins!), and getting the job. The work I do, I don't get to talk very much at all (just a lot of thinking!) and so when I get home I am super chatty cathy! Poor casey as soon as he walks in the door I can't stop talking, and I am sure he just wants to zone out!

And everyday I feel more comftable.....but things may already be changing for me again......

Unknown said...

Hi H, my comment earlier was missing but anyway, here goes:
Glad you had a good working environment and good luck to a great start in career :)

Happy that the envelope FINALLY arrived and I do hope you like what's inside.

If I do go to your home, I wont just stay for dinner or lunch, I'll stay way longer hehehe ...dont say I didn't warn you :)

You are a good cook and baker. I had sashimi bento yesterday..bought from the supermart, I am really lazy in cooking, so its good to know that you eat well and not junk food like me at times.

let me know if you like what's inside the envelope

hugs always :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you're doing well at your new job! New jobs are so hard, it's hard to know where you fit in and what some of the unspoken little rules are. Hang in there - it will get easier. I'm proud of you for getting that job! Your food looks delicious, as always. I was wondering, when you use matcha powder in your cooking, how much do you use? Do you follow a recipe? I don't know if you remember the matcha powder I bought at Uwajimaya, could I use that in baking? I just want to try something new and don't know where to start! :)

Anonymous said...

i like matcha cookies...the bento look beauty and yummy...

Unknown said...

wow...the matcha cookie looks good!

Jorgelina said...

Hi! That delicious everything what you prepared. Very pretty your blog. A greeting from Argentina

bunbun said...

amanda-well said! Thank you! I really like my job, but there are some quirks. Anyways, I will tell you more about next time I see you, probably to the point that you will be thinking, shut the hell up!, to yourself!
Regarding the matcha cookies, yes I am sure the latte mix you got should work great, it may be a tiny bit more subtle so I would suggest using two TB to any baked goods recipe, I like to add a little water to make a paste so that it blends easier. I also find that matcha (at least I think) tastes best in baked goods that have no other strong flavor and a re really good served with fresh fruit. Those are just suggestions, though!
oh and also, if you add a lot of water to make a paste, subtract the amount you use from whatever liquid you use in the baked goods (such as milk) so that the dough does not become to watery, but I usually don't use too much water to make a huge diff.

Mkate- Casey picked it up today! What sucks is that he wont be home until almost 10 tonight and it is only almost seven! So I have to wait! But he opened the envelope and told me on the phone that it is the best wrapping paper he has ever seen before! I am so excited! I cannot wait!
Please someday you should come here! I know you have a few friends in Oregon! But I would be possesive and take up all your time!

squall, thank you for always leaving sweet little comments, it makes me happy, considering what a food expert you are!

jorgelina, Thank you for visiting my blog! I look forward to seeing yours more, too! Very pretty as well!

Emily: Thank you, my baking hero! I aspire to be like you, having a job and family and baking amazing delicacies all the time!

For some reason, I am feeling really good about everything, I finally feel motivated and not so lost as I did last week, thank you everyone, and I might might might (very little might) have more exciting news soon, but don't hold me to it, because it very well might not happen at all, and I am sure everyone is sick of my cryptic little messages, so will just stop now!

But I have been filled with a huge amount of optimism and happiness lately and that never hurts anyone, does it?

Oiyi said...

Glad to hear things are going well. Your food pics always make me hungry. The matcha cookies look awesome. You know how much I love matcha flavored baked goods!

Christine said...

I know I'm late, but CRGRATULATIONS on landing your job!! I agree, being the new kid is a pain, but it does happen to everyone.

I really love that first photo of the red flowers. What kind are they? You do bentos! Whee! I haven't done bentos since I was working! I'll have to practice them again just for fun.
Ja ne!

bunbun said...

kirin, thank you! Arigato! I am not sure when we will be able to go to Japan, because a lot of things are up in the air for us right now, but the goal is to try to go a year from this autumn, I really want to see the beautiful eki colors in Kyoto.

Buggins: I am not sure what those flowers are called, but I am going to get a flower encylcopedia becaise I am way too illiterate when it comes to flower names, those orange flowers are all over the place here right now.
I love making bento! I want to get better! I bet you could make some really cute bunny themed bentos!

Rachael Hutchings said...

LOVE the pinwheel cookies!