This last week, we had an interesting discussion at book club.
A very brief discussion because as it turns out our book club has a form of ADD where we can't seem to stay focused on any one topic for any length of time. We're a little like putting a bunch of energizer bunnies in a room and given free roam.
(No, this doesn't make for a very effective book club discussion).
Anyways...
The book we were discussing was "Hunger Games". It was the general consensus that the book is very graphic and perhaps not suited for 12 year olds. So someone posed the question "would you let your kid read this?"
Which then prompted a (very brief) discussion on book censorship. And it was interesting because I really haven't thought a lot about it. I didn't grow up in a home where my reading materials were censored. I remember one incident where I had taken a Fannie Flagg (of Fried Green Tomatoes fame, though this was AFTER I had read that book) book to my sixth grade class to read during some readathon and the teacher CALLED my mom. Asked her if she knew that I was (big gasp) reading Fannie Flagg.
I think my mom said yes. It was never really talked about. I would just rifle through the book closet and find a book that looked good and read it. I read Fried Green Tomatoes and didn't even know what the whole story was about until I saw the movie years later and then I was like "Oh...".
So, when the question came up, I immediately said "no, I don't plan on censoring my children's reading material."
Big gasp.
Now to clear up some things: I don't read smut. There are no bodice-ripper novels in my home. Maybe I would feel differently if that was my reading genre. But it's not. So I'm not worried about my 11 year old girl reading about very inaccurate protrayals of that. (Remember, google ads. I'm just trying to save you from having to see some unsavory ads. It's not that I'm afraid of saying the word.)
There was someone who was also on my side. Albeit, she has no kids. But she did make the same argument I would. Which is:
I would hope that my kids and I had a close enough relationship that they could read something and then feel like they could come and discuss anything with me. And I want to expose my children to the real world. And I want to foster a desire for reading in my children and I think that by censoring their reading choices it could end up extinguishing their lights.
So there you have it. My two cents.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Book Review Sunday
Book: Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters
Pages: 256
Author: Rachel Vail
Okay, for starters, I don't generally like it when authors try to write a first person narrative about the other sex. For example, if you, the author, are female and you attempt a book from the viewpoint of a third grade boy. I just don't think you get the whole picture. No matter how many questions you ask to a 10 year old boy, you are just missing part of the equation.
With that being said, for what it was Justin Case turned out to be a pretty good book. It wasn't technical reading by any means. It's probably geared for a 10 year old boy to read, considering it's written about one. But, I read it anyways.
And I'm not going to apologize either.
So the book chronicles a day-by-day existence of Justin through his third grade year. The boy is neurotic. If David Sedaris (one of my most favorite authors, but please don't blame me for any content if you choose to read him.) were to publish his diaries from his third grade year, this would probably be it. The boy has some issues. But, amid those issues, you get the sense that we are all still struggling with variations of the same things--do they like me? Why does the teacher (boss) want to see me after school (work)? What am I doing here? Why won't the bullies leave me alone? You get the drift. As it turns out, we're all still stuck in some limbo between third grade and the rest of our lives.
If I were of the persuasion to censor the books my children read (or will read, given that they aren't exactly reading novels at this point), this book would make the cut. It had great illustrations that were funny and the issues that Justin grapples with like bullying and parents and girls are all things that will eventually creep into my own children's lives and reading about someone else tackling the same situations will hopefully make it more bearable.
But I'm not of the book censoring persuasion (a post for another day), so hopefully, my children will find, if not this book, then another book that will help them out. I guess I could suggest it though...
Pages: 256
Author: Rachel Vail
Okay, for starters, I don't generally like it when authors try to write a first person narrative about the other sex. For example, if you, the author, are female and you attempt a book from the viewpoint of a third grade boy. I just don't think you get the whole picture. No matter how many questions you ask to a 10 year old boy, you are just missing part of the equation.
With that being said, for what it was Justin Case turned out to be a pretty good book. It wasn't technical reading by any means. It's probably geared for a 10 year old boy to read, considering it's written about one. But, I read it anyways.
And I'm not going to apologize either.
So the book chronicles a day-by-day existence of Justin through his third grade year. The boy is neurotic. If David Sedaris (one of my most favorite authors, but please don't blame me for any content if you choose to read him.) were to publish his diaries from his third grade year, this would probably be it. The boy has some issues. But, amid those issues, you get the sense that we are all still struggling with variations of the same things--do they like me? Why does the teacher (boss) want to see me after school (work)? What am I doing here? Why won't the bullies leave me alone? You get the drift. As it turns out, we're all still stuck in some limbo between third grade and the rest of our lives.
If I were of the persuasion to censor the books my children read (or will read, given that they aren't exactly reading novels at this point), this book would make the cut. It had great illustrations that were funny and the issues that Justin grapples with like bullying and parents and girls are all things that will eventually creep into my own children's lives and reading about someone else tackling the same situations will hopefully make it more bearable.
But I'm not of the book censoring persuasion (a post for another day), so hopefully, my children will find, if not this book, then another book that will help them out. I guess I could suggest it though...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thankful Thursday #4
Man, there's so much to be thankful for today. What do I choose?
I'm going to go with the ability to run. I thought I'd be ready to talk about the half marathon I ran on Saturday, but it turns out I'm not. So, it won't be about that.
But, today, I'm grateful for the ability to get up, get dressed, and to go outside and crank out 3, 5, 8, 13 miles. On my own two feet. Before half the world is even awake.
And, there have been times that I have seriously regretted not getting out. But I can't think of a single time where I regretted going out. Even in the pouring rain, or the snow, or the temperatures hovering at zero. Not every run is fun. And not every run is a good effort. But when I get home, I'm always glad I did it.
So to all those who keep telling me "I could never run in winter", well, you can. And you might even thank yourself for it.
I'm going to go with the ability to run. I thought I'd be ready to talk about the half marathon I ran on Saturday, but it turns out I'm not. So, it won't be about that.
But, today, I'm grateful for the ability to get up, get dressed, and to go outside and crank out 3, 5, 8, 13 miles. On my own two feet. Before half the world is even awake.
And, there have been times that I have seriously regretted not getting out. But I can't think of a single time where I regretted going out. Even in the pouring rain, or the snow, or the temperatures hovering at zero. Not every run is fun. And not every run is a good effort. But when I get home, I'm always glad I did it.
So to all those who keep telling me "I could never run in winter", well, you can. And you might even thank yourself for it.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken
Yeah, I'm a little behind this week. No book. No pictures. I read a book. I took pictures. But, I'm just being lazy. Probably something having to do with running my 5th (!) half marathon in a year on Saturday down in sunny St. George. (The first time in the four years I've run this race that it's actually been WARM!!!) I'd give you all the details, but I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about it yet. Maybe by Friday. Meanwhile, I did cook up a new recipe though, so I must be feeling a little better about things...
This recipe comes courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook I picked up last year.
1/2 C fat-free buttermilk (I couldn't find fat-free, so I used low fat)
1/2 C cornflakes, crushed
3 T flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pounds chicken parts (Is there anything less appetizing then the phrase "chicken parts"? Besides, what do chicken parts even look like? And how do you ask for "chicken parts" at the butcher's counter without sounding like a moron? I just went with chicken breasts).
4 tsp canola oil
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. (Spray liberally, or all your coating will stick. Learned that the hard way.)
2. Pour the buttermilk into a large, shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper (or, you know, another large bowl) combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes then turn the chicken over. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until cooked through.
Seems simple enough, right? And it was. Also very tasty, though it was a little dry. I think I overcooked it because there was an incident involving J. and a toy and the chicken ended up staying in the oven about 7 minutes too long.
I served my chicken parts with green beans, oranges and rice. Though, A. and Wade wouldn't eat the green beans. Wade didn't eat the oranges, and J. ate nothing, save for a few kernels of rice, at all. So really, I'm the only one who had a well-balanced meal.
Nutrition
Cal: 229 (for two chicken parts. I'm not sure what this translates into for a chicken breast, since I have no idea what chicken parts are, but let's say for simplicity sake that one chicken breast = two chicken parts)
Fat: 10 g
Sat Fat: 2 g
Chol: 64 mg
Sod: 295 mg
Carb: 11 g
Pro: 23 g
This recipe comes courtesy of the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook I picked up last year.
1/2 C fat-free buttermilk (I couldn't find fat-free, so I used low fat)
1/2 C cornflakes, crushed
3 T flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pounds chicken parts (Is there anything less appetizing then the phrase "chicken parts"? Besides, what do chicken parts even look like? And how do you ask for "chicken parts" at the butcher's counter without sounding like a moron? I just went with chicken breasts).
4 tsp canola oil
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. (Spray liberally, or all your coating will stick. Learned that the hard way.)
2. Pour the buttermilk into a large, shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper (or, you know, another large bowl) combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes then turn the chicken over. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until cooked through.
Seems simple enough, right? And it was. Also very tasty, though it was a little dry. I think I overcooked it because there was an incident involving J. and a toy and the chicken ended up staying in the oven about 7 minutes too long.
I served my chicken parts with green beans, oranges and rice. Though, A. and Wade wouldn't eat the green beans. Wade didn't eat the oranges, and J. ate nothing, save for a few kernels of rice, at all. So really, I'm the only one who had a well-balanced meal.
Nutrition
Cal: 229 (for two chicken parts. I'm not sure what this translates into for a chicken breast, since I have no idea what chicken parts are, but let's say for simplicity sake that one chicken breast = two chicken parts)
Fat: 10 g
Sat Fat: 2 g
Chol: 64 mg
Sod: 295 mg
Carb: 11 g
Pro: 23 g
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thankful Thursday #3
Man, this girl makes me laugh. She's such a...girl. And her personality cup runneth over. Almost every night I lay down and shake my head and say to Wade, "That girl..." I don't know that there's been a day in the last year where she hasn't made me laugh at something she's done or said.
A. is a full blown two year old, that's for sure. But, where J. was difficult and adament about not doing what I wanted him to do, A. is just curious. And she knows what she wants for sure. If you're not fast enough, she'll do it herself. Or at least try. With varying success. It's funny how two kids from the same family can be so different.
And look at that red hair. Every time we're out in public someone makes a comment. It's gorgeous, but it comes with a price. Namely the "red-head" temper price. Though she hasn't thrown a lot of tantrums in public, she does have a fierce temper. And she does not like it when you mock her. She's a stubborn little girl who isn't afraid to let you know if you're doing something wrong. It will be really nice when she has the words to adequately explain exactly WHAT I'm doing wrong.
J. was never really free with his kisses and hugs, but A. sure is. She loves to give hugs and kisses and she's a definite daddy's girl. It makes me a little sad that she wails when he leaves, but only says "bye-bye" when I leave. :( I know that every girl loves their daddy the best, so it should be no shocker, but still...
She's sneaky and she's cunning, but man, I love her to pieces. Today I'm thankful for my little monkey and the joy she brings into my life.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Everyday Cinnamon Rolls
I know, I know. I'm getting lazy. But...we actually ate these for dinner (with waffles) and so there you have it. This is a recipe courtesy of the cookbook my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas, "The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook".
Filling
1/3 C packed dark brown sugar (I only had light brown sugar)
1/3 C granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
Dough
1 1/2 C All-purpose flour
3/4 C Whole-wheat flour (sneaky, sneaky)
2 T granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 C buttermilk
5 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Glaze
3/4 C confectioner's sugar
1 ounce light cream cheese, softened
1 T buttermilk
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with PAM.
2. Mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. For the dough, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and 4 T of the melted butter together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the the flour mixture until the dough comes together but looks shaggy(??), about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy, 8 to 10 times.
4. Pat the dough into a 12 by 9 inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Brush the dough with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter, then sprinkle on the filling, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the top edge. Press on the filling to adhere it to the dough.
5. Loosen the dough from the counter using a scraper or a metal spatula and roll it into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log seam-side down. Pat the ends to even them, then, using a serrated knife, slice the log evenly into 9 rolls. Slightly flatten each roll with your palm, then arrange,, cut-side down, in the 8 x 8 pan.
6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the edges of the rolls are golden brown, 12 to 18 minutes longer. Remove rolls from pan and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Whisk all the ingredients for glaze together in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle rolls with glaze and serve.
SO easy! And SO good. Even if I royally screwed everything up because I was admiring my buttermilk making skills (from the butter last week). I thought the recipe said to mix everything together for the dough, so I just dumped everything in instead of separating the buttermilk and butter. And then I thought it said that I needed to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, and about 4 minutes into that process I realized my error. HOWEVER, it all turned out. YAY.
Nutritional Information per roll
cal: 290
Fat: 7 g
Sat Fat: 5 g
Chol: 20 mg
Carb: 52 g
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 370 mg
Filling
1/3 C packed dark brown sugar (I only had light brown sugar)
1/3 C granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
Dough
1 1/2 C All-purpose flour
3/4 C Whole-wheat flour (sneaky, sneaky)
2 T granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 C buttermilk
5 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Glaze
3/4 C confectioner's sugar
1 ounce light cream cheese, softened
1 T buttermilk
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with PAM.
2. Mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. For the dough, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and 4 T of the melted butter together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the the flour mixture until the dough comes together but looks shaggy(??), about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy, 8 to 10 times.
4. Pat the dough into a 12 by 9 inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Brush the dough with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter, then sprinkle on the filling, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the top edge. Press on the filling to adhere it to the dough.
5. Loosen the dough from the counter using a scraper or a metal spatula and roll it into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log seam-side down. Pat the ends to even them, then, using a serrated knife, slice the log evenly into 9 rolls. Slightly flatten each roll with your palm, then arrange,, cut-side down, in the 8 x 8 pan.
6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the edges of the rolls are golden brown, 12 to 18 minutes longer. Remove rolls from pan and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Whisk all the ingredients for glaze together in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle rolls with glaze and serve.
SO easy! And SO good. Even if I royally screwed everything up because I was admiring my buttermilk making skills (from the butter last week). I thought the recipe said to mix everything together for the dough, so I just dumped everything in instead of separating the buttermilk and butter. And then I thought it said that I needed to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, and about 4 minutes into that process I realized my error. HOWEVER, it all turned out. YAY.
Nutritional Information per roll
cal: 290
Fat: 7 g
Sat Fat: 5 g
Chol: 20 mg
Carb: 52 g
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 370 mg
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Picture Perfect Tuesday #2
My Camera
Josh's Camera
His batteries died and it's too much work to get new ones in there right now, so you'll have to wait to see what's on there next week.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Things I'm No Longer Going to Feel Bad About
I'm going to refuse to feel bad anymore about these things:
(1) Up until an hour ago, my Christmas tree was still up. Yeah, that's right. January 17. And that's not even my record. I think I kept it up until February 1 one year. As a sidenote, I'm going to have to revamp my New Year's goal of becoming organized. Organized people don't keep their Christmas trees up until January 17. Organized people put their trees down on December 26th and neatly fold everything up into their colored totes and relabel the tops of the lids with all the new decor they accumulated over the season.
Speaking of which...
(2) I am not a holiday decorator. Sorry. I don't want to be. I have no desire. I would rather buy a few good books or a new pair of shoes than spend the money or time on decorating. This does not mean that I don't enjoy your efforts on decorating though so decorate away.
(3) I am no longer going to pretend to not like football. I will no longer participate in pretending that I'm being put out because my husband is watching a game. In reality, I would probably prefer watching the game. Now, football is not the be-all to Fall Saturday activities. There are some activities that trump even football. But on a regular weekend, when nothing else is going on, I like to watch football. Go ahead. Roll your eyes. Shake your head. Pretend that I'm somewhat inferior to you more intelligent beings. I enjoy current events. I read books. I have a degree in mathematics. And...I LIKE football. There I said it. And now, next football season, when I politely decline your invitation to craft you'll know why. Oh and because I don't like to craft.
(4) I also like basketball. But not as much. And it's not as time consuming.
(5) I subscribe to the belief that church leaders are human, and therefore entitled to their own interpretations and their own system of doing things. Therefore, I can find some of their ways to be faulty. This does not mean that I don't believe in my religion. This does not mean that I'm being disrespectful. This does not mean that I won't do those things that are asked of me even if I think it's missing the point. The only thing this means is that I am not following blindly.
(6) There are a few jobs I wouldn't mind having in the church. Primary is not on that list. I dread primary. I teach the five year olds and I'm trying. Really, really trying. And every week I end with the same number of children that I started with, so no one has escaped. And well, that's the best they're going to get from me.
(7) I work hard at exercising. And so I can gripe about a stubborn few pounds that won't seem to budge. And I'm no longer going to feel bad about griping about those few pounds. So there.
(8) We don't watch a ton of movies. But what we do watch are documentary and reality type shows. Like Modern Marvels and Mythbusters. Our absolute favorite right now, though, is Goldrush. It's a reality-type show about a group of guys who go off to Alaska to pan for gold. It's like a train wreck. And you know what? I'm not even going to apologize for it.
(9) I was recently reclassified as an Aries from a Taurus due to the shifting of the earth or something like that. I haven't heard so much commotion about astrological signs in...ever. Everywhere I read, people are up in arms about their changed statuses. Guess what? You don't have to follow the traits of your "sign". However, I recently read a description of an Aries, and it fit me like a tee. It also fit J. like a tee and kind of explains why we ram heads so much.
(10) I took J and A to the gas station today to get a treat at 2 pm and we were all still in our pajamas. Ha!
(1) Up until an hour ago, my Christmas tree was still up. Yeah, that's right. January 17. And that's not even my record. I think I kept it up until February 1 one year. As a sidenote, I'm going to have to revamp my New Year's goal of becoming organized. Organized people don't keep their Christmas trees up until January 17. Organized people put their trees down on December 26th and neatly fold everything up into their colored totes and relabel the tops of the lids with all the new decor they accumulated over the season.
Speaking of which...
(2) I am not a holiday decorator. Sorry. I don't want to be. I have no desire. I would rather buy a few good books or a new pair of shoes than spend the money or time on decorating. This does not mean that I don't enjoy your efforts on decorating though so decorate away.
(3) I am no longer going to pretend to not like football. I will no longer participate in pretending that I'm being put out because my husband is watching a game. In reality, I would probably prefer watching the game. Now, football is not the be-all to Fall Saturday activities. There are some activities that trump even football. But on a regular weekend, when nothing else is going on, I like to watch football. Go ahead. Roll your eyes. Shake your head. Pretend that I'm somewhat inferior to you more intelligent beings. I enjoy current events. I read books. I have a degree in mathematics. And...I LIKE football. There I said it. And now, next football season, when I politely decline your invitation to craft you'll know why. Oh and because I don't like to craft.
(4) I also like basketball. But not as much. And it's not as time consuming.
(5) I subscribe to the belief that church leaders are human, and therefore entitled to their own interpretations and their own system of doing things. Therefore, I can find some of their ways to be faulty. This does not mean that I don't believe in my religion. This does not mean that I'm being disrespectful. This does not mean that I won't do those things that are asked of me even if I think it's missing the point. The only thing this means is that I am not following blindly.
(6) There are a few jobs I wouldn't mind having in the church. Primary is not on that list. I dread primary. I teach the five year olds and I'm trying. Really, really trying. And every week I end with the same number of children that I started with, so no one has escaped. And well, that's the best they're going to get from me.
(7) I work hard at exercising. And so I can gripe about a stubborn few pounds that won't seem to budge. And I'm no longer going to feel bad about griping about those few pounds. So there.
(8) We don't watch a ton of movies. But what we do watch are documentary and reality type shows. Like Modern Marvels and Mythbusters. Our absolute favorite right now, though, is Goldrush. It's a reality-type show about a group of guys who go off to Alaska to pan for gold. It's like a train wreck. And you know what? I'm not even going to apologize for it.
(9) I was recently reclassified as an Aries from a Taurus due to the shifting of the earth or something like that. I haven't heard so much commotion about astrological signs in...ever. Everywhere I read, people are up in arms about their changed statuses. Guess what? You don't have to follow the traits of your "sign". However, I recently read a description of an Aries, and it fit me like a tee. It also fit J. like a tee and kind of explains why we ram heads so much.
(10) I took J and A to the gas station today to get a treat at 2 pm and we were all still in our pajamas. Ha!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Book Review Sunday
Book: Sleepwalk With Me and Other Painfully True Stories
Author: Mike Birbiglia
Pages: 191
Man, I must be on a non-fiction kick or something!
I LOVE stand up comedy. LOVE it. And in my recent conversion to NPR and it's likes, I have run across Mike Birbiglia here and there. And he's always been funny. So funny in fact, that for a 20 mile run I was doing in marathon training this last summer, where I ran the last 10 miles alone, I had downloaded a CD of his and ran to that. At one point, I was laughing so hard I had to stop because I couldn't breathe.
In hindsight, I think at that point, 15 miles into a run in August at 80 degrees, anything would have been funny.
But, I'm sure it was a sight to see. Much like the time I was crying so hard because of the book I was listening to while I was running an 18 miler (though, it wasn't ALL the book, come to think of it.)
So, I was REALLY excited when I heard he was coming out with a book. What could be better than a book by a stand up comic that I like?
But, sadly, the book was almost all of the stories I had already heard. :( I was a little disappointed in that. I was hoping for some new stories and I almost returned the book to the library without finishing it. However, I'm still a huge fan, so I kept reading on and came across some new stuff I hadn't heard. In the end, it was worth it. I could hear the nuances of his voice as I read the stories and that made it just a tad bit funnier. I like that he takes some serious issues--like religion and health--and manages to poke a little fun at the trivial things that get us all uptight.
The reality is, though, stand up is more than just words. There's a lot to do with how the story is told and I think the stories are funnier when I'm listening to them rather than reading them.
So why the book review about a book I wouldn't necessarily recommend to anyone? Who knows. Maybe, if you're a huge stand-up fan like I am, you'll look up Birbiglia and get hooked on him too.
Or maybe it was just because this week, I read two books and the other one was one of those books you'd never admit to reading.
Author: Mike Birbiglia
Pages: 191
Man, I must be on a non-fiction kick or something!
I LOVE stand up comedy. LOVE it. And in my recent conversion to NPR and it's likes, I have run across Mike Birbiglia here and there. And he's always been funny. So funny in fact, that for a 20 mile run I was doing in marathon training this last summer, where I ran the last 10 miles alone, I had downloaded a CD of his and ran to that. At one point, I was laughing so hard I had to stop because I couldn't breathe.
In hindsight, I think at that point, 15 miles into a run in August at 80 degrees, anything would have been funny.
But, I'm sure it was a sight to see. Much like the time I was crying so hard because of the book I was listening to while I was running an 18 miler (though, it wasn't ALL the book, come to think of it.)
So, I was REALLY excited when I heard he was coming out with a book. What could be better than a book by a stand up comic that I like?
But, sadly, the book was almost all of the stories I had already heard. :( I was a little disappointed in that. I was hoping for some new stories and I almost returned the book to the library without finishing it. However, I'm still a huge fan, so I kept reading on and came across some new stuff I hadn't heard. In the end, it was worth it. I could hear the nuances of his voice as I read the stories and that made it just a tad bit funnier. I like that he takes some serious issues--like religion and health--and manages to poke a little fun at the trivial things that get us all uptight.
The reality is, though, stand up is more than just words. There's a lot to do with how the story is told and I think the stories are funnier when I'm listening to them rather than reading them.
So why the book review about a book I wouldn't necessarily recommend to anyone? Who knows. Maybe, if you're a huge stand-up fan like I am, you'll look up Birbiglia and get hooked on him too.
Or maybe it was just because this week, I read two books and the other one was one of those books you'd never admit to reading.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thankful Thursday #2
J. is...unique. And I love that about him. He's full of energy and creativity and ideas that blow me away. His brain goes 100 miles an hour and the questions he fires at me are sometimes a little above me on most days, but he's patient with me and my dumb answers. He'll carry on full conversations between his lego guys and makes the most amazing spaceships out of the blocks.
Stubbornness would be an understatement for this kid and I'm positive that in a few years, when he's not being forced to do things he thinks he doesn't want to do and has some more flight in his wings, that trait will pay off.
J. makes me laugh daily and I need to be better about focusing on those moments and not on the moments that frustrate me.
Today, I'm thankful for my Bug and I couldn't imagine my life without him in it.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Homemade Butter
Yeah, that's right. I ate butter for dinner.
Well, on pieces of bread.
And it was pretty decent. Creamy. Just like the butter you made when you were in elementary school. And it was pretty cool to see it all come together. And SO easy.
But why?
Well, I want to make some bread tomorrow that needs buttermilk and I didn't want to go to the store just for buttermilk so I read where you can make buttermilk by making butter and I happened to have a quart of whipping cream in my fridge...
Don't ask...
So I dumped the whipping cream in the Kitchen Aid and turned it on. I was a little worried at some point because I didn't think it would work and then I'd be known as the person who screwed up homemade butter, but it went from being liquidy to frothy to lumpy and then back to liquidy with lumps in it. And that was really cool to watch because it was almost instantaneous.
Once it became lumpy I mixed it a few minutes longer than drained the liquid (the buttermilk) out in a colander. I rinsed the butter with cold water and rinsed that. Then I squeezed (squoze?) more liquid out by smashing the glob of butter with a spatula. Lastly, I spun it around in the mixer for a few more minutes with some salt.
The consensus? It was pretty good, though it's not very cost effective. The whipping cream was $2.67 and a pound of butter is $2.78. So will I be completely switching over to homemade butter any time soon? Probably not. However, it was tasty on this sourdough bread that was SO good AND only 50 calories per slice.
And it's what I made for my dinner. Everyone else had spaghetti.
Well, on pieces of bread.
And it was pretty decent. Creamy. Just like the butter you made when you were in elementary school. And it was pretty cool to see it all come together. And SO easy.
But why?
Well, I want to make some bread tomorrow that needs buttermilk and I didn't want to go to the store just for buttermilk so I read where you can make buttermilk by making butter and I happened to have a quart of whipping cream in my fridge...
Don't ask...
So I dumped the whipping cream in the Kitchen Aid and turned it on. I was a little worried at some point because I didn't think it would work and then I'd be known as the person who screwed up homemade butter, but it went from being liquidy to frothy to lumpy and then back to liquidy with lumps in it. And that was really cool to watch because it was almost instantaneous.
Once it became lumpy I mixed it a few minutes longer than drained the liquid (the buttermilk) out in a colander. I rinsed the butter with cold water and rinsed that. Then I squeezed (squoze?) more liquid out by smashing the glob of butter with a spatula. Lastly, I spun it around in the mixer for a few more minutes with some salt.
The consensus? It was pretty good, though it's not very cost effective. The whipping cream was $2.67 and a pound of butter is $2.78. So will I be completely switching over to homemade butter any time soon? Probably not. However, it was tasty on this sourdough bread that was SO good AND only 50 calories per slice.
And it's what I made for my dinner. Everyone else had spaghetti.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Picture Perfect Tuesday
Oops, I forgot to post the first PPT last week. I remembered roughly about the time I climbed into bed, so this week, you get double the pictures.
My Camera
(there were an disconcerting number of pictures of A. in her diaper. As well as A. "playing" with the kitty. There will be some conversations in the very near future with both children.)
My Camera
J.'s Camera
Monday, January 10, 2011
Ventful
Allow me a moment to vent.
Why? Because it's my blog. That's why.
So for 18 months now, I've been waking up at the crack of dawn and running. About 3 times a week. And during the spring and summer and early fall, it's actually quite pleasant.
But during the winter, it SUCKS. It SUCKS to wake up and step outside to sub-zero temperatures while the rest of the family slumbers. It SUCKS to have to concentrate so hard on an activity that's relatively mindless. I should be able to let me brain wander, but I have to keep looking for potential obstacles like black ice and cars that don't scrape off their windshields completely before attempting to drive. It SUCKS to wear three layers of clothes and still come home cold.
But you know what SUCKS the most? What my biggest frustration is right now? Because it's not the current state of the house in which I reside. It's not that my kids fight like cats and dogs. It's not that I can't get J. to wake up for the bus.
It's that, despite getting up 3 days a week at 5:30 to run outside in arctic temperatures and doing these stupid DVDs six days a week that I've barely managed to start getting through the entire warm-up without stopping in the three weeks I've been doing them, I STILL gain and lose the same three pounds EVERY WEEK.
THE SAME lousy three pounds. And that's on top of the SEVEN pounds I gained while training for a freakin' marathon.
Now, before you all start jumping on me about not needing to lose weight and all that jazz, I realize it already. I realize that there are people with a weight problem and I am not one of them. But, I can tell you that 10 pounds ago, I was in the best shape of my life. And I'd really like to get back to that point. Or within 2 or 3 pounds of that point. I won't be picky.
But the snow and the cold and the wind is making it really difficult. And I just think that if the world was fair, if I'm wearing a headlamp and traction shoes to exercise, then I should be able to eat a stupid brownie. And an ice cream cone. And another brownie. And some chips. And a few handfuls of M&Ms. And the last sour patch candy cane. And maybe another brownie if I'm running the next day.
Just a thought.
Why? Because it's my blog. That's why.
So for 18 months now, I've been waking up at the crack of dawn and running. About 3 times a week. And during the spring and summer and early fall, it's actually quite pleasant.
But during the winter, it SUCKS. It SUCKS to wake up and step outside to sub-zero temperatures while the rest of the family slumbers. It SUCKS to have to concentrate so hard on an activity that's relatively mindless. I should be able to let me brain wander, but I have to keep looking for potential obstacles like black ice and cars that don't scrape off their windshields completely before attempting to drive. It SUCKS to wear three layers of clothes and still come home cold.
But you know what SUCKS the most? What my biggest frustration is right now? Because it's not the current state of the house in which I reside. It's not that my kids fight like cats and dogs. It's not that I can't get J. to wake up for the bus.
It's that, despite getting up 3 days a week at 5:30 to run outside in arctic temperatures and doing these stupid DVDs six days a week that I've barely managed to start getting through the entire warm-up without stopping in the three weeks I've been doing them, I STILL gain and lose the same three pounds EVERY WEEK.
THE SAME lousy three pounds. And that's on top of the SEVEN pounds I gained while training for a freakin' marathon.
Now, before you all start jumping on me about not needing to lose weight and all that jazz, I realize it already. I realize that there are people with a weight problem and I am not one of them. But, I can tell you that 10 pounds ago, I was in the best shape of my life. And I'd really like to get back to that point. Or within 2 or 3 pounds of that point. I won't be picky.
But the snow and the cold and the wind is making it really difficult. And I just think that if the world was fair, if I'm wearing a headlamp and traction shoes to exercise, then I should be able to eat a stupid brownie. And an ice cream cone. And another brownie. And some chips. And a few handfuls of M&Ms. And the last sour patch candy cane. And maybe another brownie if I'm running the next day.
Just a thought.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Book Review Sunday
Book: The Council of Dads
Author: Bruce Feiler
Pages: 234
This was on the Readers Choice List for the library and it turned out to be pretty good. It went a different direction then I had originally anticipated, but overall, it was very thought provoking and a stark reminder that life is short.
Bruce Feiler, an author and journalist, found out that he had a rare form of bone cancer in his femur in 2008. His twin daughters had just turned three and he was afraid of leaving them without a father figure in their lives, so he set out to find a "Council of Dads", a group of men that were instrumental in his own live, to help steer his daughters in theirs should he pass away.
The book was very interesting in that the people he chose to be in his "Council" weren't necessarily the people you'd think. He didn't choose his brother or his own father, though both were huge parts of his life. He, instead, chose six friends from different areas of his life that embodied his own spirit so they could pass on that to his girls. Feiler figured family members would be a constant in the girls' lives and so he bypassed them to find other men who maybe wouldn't be as involved.
In the end, the book served as a reminder that life is indeed very short but our impact is huge. It got me thinking about who I might ask to be on my "council" should I find myself staring death in the eye. Who would I want my kids to turn to in times of trouble or question. What answers would I give them if I were there to give it to them myself.
This was a fast read and while not necessarily the best book I've ever read, it certainly was a good book to devote a few hours to.
Author: Bruce Feiler
Pages: 234
This was on the Readers Choice List for the library and it turned out to be pretty good. It went a different direction then I had originally anticipated, but overall, it was very thought provoking and a stark reminder that life is short.
Bruce Feiler, an author and journalist, found out that he had a rare form of bone cancer in his femur in 2008. His twin daughters had just turned three and he was afraid of leaving them without a father figure in their lives, so he set out to find a "Council of Dads", a group of men that were instrumental in his own live, to help steer his daughters in theirs should he pass away.
The book was very interesting in that the people he chose to be in his "Council" weren't necessarily the people you'd think. He didn't choose his brother or his own father, though both were huge parts of his life. He, instead, chose six friends from different areas of his life that embodied his own spirit so they could pass on that to his girls. Feiler figured family members would be a constant in the girls' lives and so he bypassed them to find other men who maybe wouldn't be as involved.
In the end, the book served as a reminder that life is indeed very short but our impact is huge. It got me thinking about who I might ask to be on my "council" should I find myself staring death in the eye. Who would I want my kids to turn to in times of trouble or question. What answers would I give them if I were there to give it to them myself.
This was a fast read and while not necessarily the best book I've ever read, it certainly was a good book to devote a few hours to.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Food Issues Version 2.0
It'd be comical if it wasn't my kid. It'd be funny if it wasn't so damn frustrating. But...I'm at my wits end here. I'm about to lose it.
Last night, we sat down to dinner. Another meal of "yuck." As one friend said, her friend--a mother of six--has taken to calling every meal "yuck". Different tastes, different textures, but all "yuck". When a kid asks what they're having for dinner she replies "yuck".
Yeah, I totally understand.
Anyways, we sit down and immediately, J. says "Ew. Icky." A. finds this very funny and repeats the sentence.
Isn't that cute? The girl won't talk except to say "ew" and "icky" at a dinner I spent TIME making.
No, I'm not bitter. Why do you ask?
Then J. pushes his plate away and A. copies that as well and so begins round 1 of our nightly dinner war.
Sidenote: It was never my intention to have World War III EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. I sat down to eat dinner with my darling husband and 2 children. I mean, did June Cleaver and Donna Reed flip out every meal? I would suspect not. Do other people live like I do? Is my home the only home in America enslaved in food wars?
Some nights are better than others, of course. The nights we eat tacos, for example. Or spaghetti. But, last night was not one of those nights, so the artillery comes out.
We spend 45 minutes trying to coax the kids into eating A BITE of their dinner. Mind you, they won't get anything more for the night, but I would feel a little better about the amout of time I took to make dinner and the effort I put into making dinner if they'd would just TRY IT before condemning it to the "ew. Icky!" pile.
Finally, we send J off to bed because A. would have most certainly eaten dinner had he not professed his hatred of my cooking so adamently. A., however, still refused to eat. So she went to bed too.
I wrapped up their plates in foil and placed them in the fridge for breakfast. I meant business! And overall, our evening was quite peaceful and relaxing.
This morning, we started up with round two. At about 10:30, Team Kids took their first casualty. J. relented and ate a piece of chicken (by which I mean a piece of chicken about the size of his pinkie nail). It was all we asked of him and he was set free in the pantry. A., however, didn't budge.
Waging the war alone, she has battled all day, closing in on 24 hours since she's had any morsel of food. She is only allowed to drink water and so far she shows no signs of breaking.
As a reminder J.'s doctor told us to do this with him and after 10 tries he'd eat. We're way past 10 tries now with A. I think J. has found his match. And that the doctor is an idiot. But I knew that beforehand.
I'd be worried, except for that A. FULLY understands what we're trying to get her to do. I even caught her trying to feed the cat her chicken.
And she's not sitting comatose on the floor staring into space, so I know she's not starving to death. I wish I would have written down J.'s record, but I remember it was a thimble-size amount of rice he had to eat and he held out for 26ish hours. A. might take the house record tonight.
So, little Miss Red-headed Curls--remember who you got that red hair from and don't mess with Mama Bear because you're going to lose!
I'll be damned if I have TWO kids who refuse to eat!
Last night, we sat down to dinner. Another meal of "yuck." As one friend said, her friend--a mother of six--has taken to calling every meal "yuck". Different tastes, different textures, but all "yuck". When a kid asks what they're having for dinner she replies "yuck".
Yeah, I totally understand.
Anyways, we sit down and immediately, J. says "Ew. Icky." A. finds this very funny and repeats the sentence.
Isn't that cute? The girl won't talk except to say "ew" and "icky" at a dinner I spent TIME making.
No, I'm not bitter. Why do you ask?
Then J. pushes his plate away and A. copies that as well and so begins round 1 of our nightly dinner war.
Sidenote: It was never my intention to have World War III EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. I sat down to eat dinner with my darling husband and 2 children. I mean, did June Cleaver and Donna Reed flip out every meal? I would suspect not. Do other people live like I do? Is my home the only home in America enslaved in food wars?
Some nights are better than others, of course. The nights we eat tacos, for example. Or spaghetti. But, last night was not one of those nights, so the artillery comes out.
We spend 45 minutes trying to coax the kids into eating A BITE of their dinner. Mind you, they won't get anything more for the night, but I would feel a little better about the amout of time I took to make dinner and the effort I put into making dinner if they'd would just TRY IT before condemning it to the "ew. Icky!" pile.
Finally, we send J off to bed because A. would have most certainly eaten dinner had he not professed his hatred of my cooking so adamently. A., however, still refused to eat. So she went to bed too.
I wrapped up their plates in foil and placed them in the fridge for breakfast. I meant business! And overall, our evening was quite peaceful and relaxing.
This morning, we started up with round two. At about 10:30, Team Kids took their first casualty. J. relented and ate a piece of chicken (by which I mean a piece of chicken about the size of his pinkie nail). It was all we asked of him and he was set free in the pantry. A., however, didn't budge.
Waging the war alone, she has battled all day, closing in on 24 hours since she's had any morsel of food. She is only allowed to drink water and so far she shows no signs of breaking.
As a reminder J.'s doctor told us to do this with him and after 10 tries he'd eat. We're way past 10 tries now with A. I think J. has found his match. And that the doctor is an idiot. But I knew that beforehand.
I'd be worried, except for that A. FULLY understands what we're trying to get her to do. I even caught her trying to feed the cat her chicken.
And she's not sitting comatose on the floor staring into space, so I know she's not starving to death. I wish I would have written down J.'s record, but I remember it was a thimble-size amount of rice he had to eat and he held out for 26ish hours. A. might take the house record tonight.
So, little Miss Red-headed Curls--remember who you got that red hair from and don't mess with Mama Bear because you're going to lose!
I'll be damned if I have TWO kids who refuse to eat!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Thankful Thursday #1
Bare with me, the first few entries on Thankful Thursday are going to be no-brainers.
Up today is Wade. Obviously.
Wade is strange. He's odd. But he's mine. For.all.eternity. Some days I'm not sure how to feel about this. But today is one of those days where I'm glad for it.
I don't think there's another 32 year old on the planet that knows as much about random things as Wade. He's incredible. He will research and debate and comb through brain numbing statistics to make sure that anything he purchases, anyone he votes for, anything that might happen within the community, etc. meets his criteria of excellence. Rarely does he get it wrong.
It's hard to believe that this year, we're celebrating 10 years of marriage. There are times when Wade will do something and I'll wonder if I even know him at all. Even after ten years, he can still surprise me. Sometimes, I wonder if we'll ever run out of things to talk about, but so far we're going strong. We have our debates and our discussions and I really couldn't ask for a better soul mate. I'd go crazy if he was one of those boring blokes who doesn't have anything worthwhile to add to the conversation. I've listened in on conversations between wives and husbands that have almost brought me to tears because of how bland and boring they were. Wade and I like to discuss current events and politics at the dinner table. We discuss religion and work and hopes and dreams. I don't know if there's been a day where he hasn't blown my mind with some insight. He's amazing.
I can be pretty selfish with my time. I realize this and after much thought and consideration and discussion with others, I've come to see this as not a fault. Some people are happy devoting every last ounce of energy to their kids, but I never was. It drained me mentally and creatively and made me unbearable to be around. I need time for just myself. To engage in passions I have outside of my kids. Like writing and reading and socializing. Wade's very understanding about this. It's why I can be a member of two book clubs, a writing group, a bowling league (though that's when he's at work), Toastmasters and get togethers with friends here and there. Though the two book clubs and Toastmasters all meet on the same night, so I have to choose, it helps that he mostly encourages me to do these things so that I can release the stress of staying at home with kids all day.
Wade encourages me to be a better person. He is always willing to help out anyone who calls with a question about computers or cameras or electronics in general. He'll spend Saturdays working on other people's basements and showing them what to do--even if he did his own almost completely on his own using YouTube and some unfortunate soul at Home Depot, who had to answer questions fired at rapid-fire succession. He encourages me to look for the best in other people and to look for the best in me.
I'm definitely one lucky gal that he called me that fateful day in July. I'm even luckier that he didn't run screaming the other way in the 11 months we dated, because I certainly provided the incentive to do so.
Today, I'm thankful for my best friend and soul mate.
Up today is Wade. Obviously.
Wade is strange. He's odd. But he's mine. For.all.eternity. Some days I'm not sure how to feel about this. But today is one of those days where I'm glad for it.
I don't think there's another 32 year old on the planet that knows as much about random things as Wade. He's incredible. He will research and debate and comb through brain numbing statistics to make sure that anything he purchases, anyone he votes for, anything that might happen within the community, etc. meets his criteria of excellence. Rarely does he get it wrong.
It's hard to believe that this year, we're celebrating 10 years of marriage. There are times when Wade will do something and I'll wonder if I even know him at all. Even after ten years, he can still surprise me. Sometimes, I wonder if we'll ever run out of things to talk about, but so far we're going strong. We have our debates and our discussions and I really couldn't ask for a better soul mate. I'd go crazy if he was one of those boring blokes who doesn't have anything worthwhile to add to the conversation. I've listened in on conversations between wives and husbands that have almost brought me to tears because of how bland and boring they were. Wade and I like to discuss current events and politics at the dinner table. We discuss religion and work and hopes and dreams. I don't know if there's been a day where he hasn't blown my mind with some insight. He's amazing.
I can be pretty selfish with my time. I realize this and after much thought and consideration and discussion with others, I've come to see this as not a fault. Some people are happy devoting every last ounce of energy to their kids, but I never was. It drained me mentally and creatively and made me unbearable to be around. I need time for just myself. To engage in passions I have outside of my kids. Like writing and reading and socializing. Wade's very understanding about this. It's why I can be a member of two book clubs, a writing group, a bowling league (though that's when he's at work), Toastmasters and get togethers with friends here and there. Though the two book clubs and Toastmasters all meet on the same night, so I have to choose, it helps that he mostly encourages me to do these things so that I can release the stress of staying at home with kids all day.
Wade encourages me to be a better person. He is always willing to help out anyone who calls with a question about computers or cameras or electronics in general. He'll spend Saturdays working on other people's basements and showing them what to do--even if he did his own almost completely on his own using YouTube and some unfortunate soul at Home Depot, who had to answer questions fired at rapid-fire succession. He encourages me to look for the best in other people and to look for the best in me.
I'm definitely one lucky gal that he called me that fateful day in July. I'm even luckier that he didn't run screaming the other way in the 11 months we dated, because I certainly provided the incentive to do so.
Today, I'm thankful for my best friend and soul mate.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
What's For Dinner Wednesday--Cran-Orange Pork Tenderloin
I cheated this week. There was no new recipe for the week, BUT a few weeks ago I made this for my brother and sister-in-law and took it up to Primary Children's Hospital while they were there with their daughter after surgery. They liked it and Wade liked it, so I thought I'd share it because it was super-dooper easy and tasty.
I found it in the Taste of Home magazine my grandma has sent to me as a Christmas present. They have some really good recipes that use normal every day ingredients.
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pork tenderloin
CRAN-ORANGE SAUCE:
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used craisins)
1/4 cup plus 1 T orange juice, divided
1/8 tsp ground ginger
Dash ground cloves
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges
1 T cornstarch
In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients; rub over pork. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 or 25-28 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, 1/4 C orange juice, ginger and cloves. Drain oranges, reserving juice. Set oranges aside. Add reserved juice to cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and remaining orange juice until smooth; stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Fold in oranges. Serve with sliced pork.
This was a really nice meal that was quick and tasty. I spread the sauce over the sliced pork and it was perfect, even if it wasn't as hot as I would have wanted due to the 40 minute drive to the hospital. My only complaint was that my pork tenderloin took longer to cook then 25-28 minutes. It was closer to an hour, but it was also a bigger tenderloin (closer to 2 pounds) and it was all I had on hand.
I served this with stuffing, apples and a salad. Yay for having a complete meal for once.
Nutrition info (on the pork tenderloin, not the sides):
Serving size: 4 ounces cooked pork
Calories: 242
Fat: 4 g (1 g saturated)
Cholesterol: 63 mg
Sodium: 163 mg
Carbohydrate: 29 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 23 g
I found it in the Taste of Home magazine my grandma has sent to me as a Christmas present. They have some really good recipes that use normal every day ingredients.
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pork tenderloin
CRAN-ORANGE SAUCE:
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used craisins)
1/4 cup plus 1 T orange juice, divided
1/8 tsp ground ginger
Dash ground cloves
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges
1 T cornstarch
In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients; rub over pork. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 or 25-28 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, 1/4 C orange juice, ginger and cloves. Drain oranges, reserving juice. Set oranges aside. Add reserved juice to cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and remaining orange juice until smooth; stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Fold in oranges. Serve with sliced pork.
This was a really nice meal that was quick and tasty. I spread the sauce over the sliced pork and it was perfect, even if it wasn't as hot as I would have wanted due to the 40 minute drive to the hospital. My only complaint was that my pork tenderloin took longer to cook then 25-28 minutes. It was closer to an hour, but it was also a bigger tenderloin (closer to 2 pounds) and it was all I had on hand.
I served this with stuffing, apples and a salad. Yay for having a complete meal for once.
Nutrition info (on the pork tenderloin, not the sides):
Serving size: 4 ounces cooked pork
Calories: 242
Fat: 4 g (1 g saturated)
Cholesterol: 63 mg
Sodium: 163 mg
Carbohydrate: 29 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 23 g
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Book Review Sunday
Book: Unbroken
Author: Laura Hillenbrand
Pages: 398
Ah, the first book of a new year. Some years they're duds, but not this year. This year the first book was a winner.
I belong to two book clubs. The first one is a club where I'm the youngest member by about 20 years. There are six of us and four of the ladies are older than my mom. The fifth lady is the daughter of one of the other ones, but I'd say she's around 50. At first, I felt funny going. They are part of the other kingdom but the offending "princess" moved away. But, as it turns out, I really like going. They are people I wouldn't really socialize with outside of the book club because of our huge generational gap, but we all come from different walks of life and the discussions are both interesting and entertaining. Plus they tend to read books that are vastly different than the ones we read in Book Club #2.
Book Club #2 was the one that I helped organize on my side of the street. We have about five faithful members, though others will flit in and out during the year. We're all about the same age with about the same story and tend to read the same types of books every month. And so, while I really enjoy it, I enjoy it for different reasons than I do the first one.
To be honest, I thought one of the book clubs would flounder and I wouldn't have to choose, so I just kept going to both of them. But then, I really started getting into both of them and I realized I didn't want either of them to fail. So I've just been going to two book clubs a month.
What does this have to do with the book? Nothing really. Just that it was Bookclub #1's pick for January.
And I LOVED it. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. When it was picked, I hadn't heard anything about it, but over the last month, it's picked up some serious press. It's by the same person who wrote Seabiscuit. I hated the movie Seabiscuit, so I was a little nervous to pick up this book, but I'm glad I did.
What's it about? It's about Louis Zamperini, who was one of America's best middle distance runners in the mid 1930's. He went to the Olympics in Berlin in 1936 at just 19 years old. He was rumored to be closing in on the four-minute mile--a benchmark previously thought humanly impossible--when he enlisted in the air force in 1941 for World War II.
What happened after that is unbelievable. He went from being a hometown hero to being stranded out in the shark-infested Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat to a POW in Japanese labor camps. His family wouldn't hear from him in nearly 2 1/2 years. His experiences are a harrowing reminder of the sacrifices our military has made over the span of many years and wars to ensure our freedoms today.
With so much written about Germany's hand in the war and the atrocities that occurred under Hitler, it's easy to forget that Japan was just as cunning and evil. Zamperini's stories gave me goose bumps and I teared up on more than one occassion. It's hard to fathom that a person, or group of people, could be so mean and degrading to other human beings.
This book read almost like a novel. I found myself so nervous to see if someone made it out of the camps alive or not, I had to flip to the back of the book. I loved that Hillenbrand dove into Zamperini's history, before the war, and after. I got a true sense of who he really was outside of his experiences in the war, as well as how those experiences changed him when he returned home. She definitely did her research--it took her a reportedly 7 years to write the book--and the book is peppered with facts and statistics that really brought the whole thing full circle. It really hits home that he was younger than me when all this was happening.
Unbroken is a definite read. Obviously, I loved it because it combined two passions--running and World War II--but even if running isn't your thing, you would still find this to be interesting and, strangely enough, uplifting. If Zamperini survived what he did, then I can most definitely survive my trials. I love that Zamperini took up skateboarding in his seventies and is still alive at 93. However, it's a reminder that the last of those who fought in World War II are nearing the end and soon there will be no more survivors to tell these stories.
Author: Laura Hillenbrand
Pages: 398
Ah, the first book of a new year. Some years they're duds, but not this year. This year the first book was a winner.
I belong to two book clubs. The first one is a club where I'm the youngest member by about 20 years. There are six of us and four of the ladies are older than my mom. The fifth lady is the daughter of one of the other ones, but I'd say she's around 50. At first, I felt funny going. They are part of the other kingdom but the offending "princess" moved away. But, as it turns out, I really like going. They are people I wouldn't really socialize with outside of the book club because of our huge generational gap, but we all come from different walks of life and the discussions are both interesting and entertaining. Plus they tend to read books that are vastly different than the ones we read in Book Club #2.
Book Club #2 was the one that I helped organize on my side of the street. We have about five faithful members, though others will flit in and out during the year. We're all about the same age with about the same story and tend to read the same types of books every month. And so, while I really enjoy it, I enjoy it for different reasons than I do the first one.
To be honest, I thought one of the book clubs would flounder and I wouldn't have to choose, so I just kept going to both of them. But then, I really started getting into both of them and I realized I didn't want either of them to fail. So I've just been going to two book clubs a month.
What does this have to do with the book? Nothing really. Just that it was Bookclub #1's pick for January.
And I LOVED it. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. When it was picked, I hadn't heard anything about it, but over the last month, it's picked up some serious press. It's by the same person who wrote Seabiscuit. I hated the movie Seabiscuit, so I was a little nervous to pick up this book, but I'm glad I did.
What's it about? It's about Louis Zamperini, who was one of America's best middle distance runners in the mid 1930's. He went to the Olympics in Berlin in 1936 at just 19 years old. He was rumored to be closing in on the four-minute mile--a benchmark previously thought humanly impossible--when he enlisted in the air force in 1941 for World War II.
What happened after that is unbelievable. He went from being a hometown hero to being stranded out in the shark-infested Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat to a POW in Japanese labor camps. His family wouldn't hear from him in nearly 2 1/2 years. His experiences are a harrowing reminder of the sacrifices our military has made over the span of many years and wars to ensure our freedoms today.
With so much written about Germany's hand in the war and the atrocities that occurred under Hitler, it's easy to forget that Japan was just as cunning and evil. Zamperini's stories gave me goose bumps and I teared up on more than one occassion. It's hard to fathom that a person, or group of people, could be so mean and degrading to other human beings.
This book read almost like a novel. I found myself so nervous to see if someone made it out of the camps alive or not, I had to flip to the back of the book. I loved that Hillenbrand dove into Zamperini's history, before the war, and after. I got a true sense of who he really was outside of his experiences in the war, as well as how those experiences changed him when he returned home. She definitely did her research--it took her a reportedly 7 years to write the book--and the book is peppered with facts and statistics that really brought the whole thing full circle. It really hits home that he was younger than me when all this was happening.
Unbroken is a definite read. Obviously, I loved it because it combined two passions--running and World War II--but even if running isn't your thing, you would still find this to be interesting and, strangely enough, uplifting. If Zamperini survived what he did, then I can most definitely survive my trials. I love that Zamperini took up skateboarding in his seventies and is still alive at 93. However, it's a reminder that the last of those who fought in World War II are nearing the end and soon there will be no more survivors to tell these stories.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
Some time last week, I opened my freezer in the basement and noticed a large turkey in there. So I thought what better time to cook a turkey than New Years. And so I invited my parents out for dinner. Then I thought maybe my brother and sister-in-law, who have spent 23 straight days in the hospital with their daughter, who is recovering from surgery could use a good meal. They can get a day pass if my niece is feeling well enough. And luckily, today, she was.
So I got some recipes from my mom and some advice on how to prepare a Thanksgiving feast for New Years. And then I promptly forgot all her instructions, like start the day before. I mean, what fun would it be if I started early and it wasn't stressful.
No fun at all, that is.
This morning, Wade woke up absurdly early to run to Walmart and Home Depot to check out their Christmas Clearance items and I set about preparing a turkey for the oven.
At precisely the time I had my one hand stuck halfway inside a turkey trying to extricate various body parts that don't belong in there, the phone rang and it was Wade, asking my opinon on...
something. Lights, or cups or wrapping paper or something. I don't remember because I was otherwise occupied.
I finished the turkey, got it stuffed with homemade (yes, homemade--and it's DELICIOUS. So much better than Stove Top) stuffing and everyone showed up with their various contributions. I wasn't all that stressed out, considering.
And it was good. Dang good. And a great way to start the new year. Family and good food.
Happy 2011!
So I got some recipes from my mom and some advice on how to prepare a Thanksgiving feast for New Years. And then I promptly forgot all her instructions, like start the day before. I mean, what fun would it be if I started early and it wasn't stressful.
No fun at all, that is.
This morning, Wade woke up absurdly early to run to Walmart and Home Depot to check out their Christmas Clearance items and I set about preparing a turkey for the oven.
At precisely the time I had my one hand stuck halfway inside a turkey trying to extricate various body parts that don't belong in there, the phone rang and it was Wade, asking my opinon on...
something. Lights, or cups or wrapping paper or something. I don't remember because I was otherwise occupied.
I finished the turkey, got it stuffed with homemade (yes, homemade--and it's DELICIOUS. So much better than Stove Top) stuffing and everyone showed up with their various contributions. I wasn't all that stressed out, considering.
And it was good. Dang good. And a great way to start the new year. Family and good food.
Happy 2011!
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