Crunchy Curried Chicken Breasts

Crunchy Curried Chicken Breasts

Adapted from How To Cook Everything

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (2 breasts), 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, rinsed & patted dry with paper towels

1 tbsp white or wine vinegar

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp curry powder

1 cup AP flour

1/2 cup warm water, plus more as needed

Peanut or vegetable oil as needed

Freshly squeezed lime juice or rice vinegar

Directions:

1. Rub the chicken all over with the vinegar. Combine the salt, pepper, & curry powder & run this mixture into the chicken. In another bowl, mix the flour gradually with warm water, adding more water as necessary to make a paste the thickness of yogurt.

2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Add enough oil to the pan to reach a depth of about 1/8 of an inch. When the oil is hot (a pinch of flour will sizzle), dip each cutlet into the batter & place it in the skillet. Raise the heat to high & cook, regulating the heat if necessary so that there is a good constant sizzle, but no burning. After 2 minutes, rotate the pieces (do not flip), so that the outside edges are moved toward the center & vice versa.

3. After 4 minutes, turn the pieces over. Cook until golden & crisp on each side, about 8 minutes total. Sprinkle with a little lime juice or vinegar & serve immediately.

Kim's Notes:

John's new past-time is flipping through How To Cook Everything & finding meals he wants to make. This was one such meal. The chicken was really flavorful & a little similar to the flavor of the chicken with Indian spices that we made a month or so ago, also from this book.

We both really enjoyed this meal. The crisp on the chicken was perfect & the flavor was so good! We served it over jasmine rice, with a carrot/cucumber salad on the side. We both agreed it would have been better with some kind of Indian creamy/curry side dish (suggestions welcome). But really good chicken. And easy! We'll definitely make this again.

Thanks, Mark Bittman!

Blog Love -- Tips & Tricks

{source: Made By Girl}

I'll be the first to admit, I have no idea what I'm doing online, or on this blog, design-wise. I have zero training in web design. What little I have figured out is through someone showing me, doing it for me (John), or reading tutorials online. Today I'd like to pay it forward by sharing some of the blog posts that have helped me, as well as giving a shout-out to these awesome, helpful bloggers!

Paying It Forward When Blogging

I recently read the blog post, Ten Ways To Pay It Forward When Blogging, by Angry Julie Monday. One of the things I find interesting is the suggestion to comment on 10 blogs a day. She stars the blog posts she wants to comment on in Reader, then goes back when she has time & leaves her comments. I do leave a lot of comments on my friends' blogs, but I rarely comment on bigger blogs. Although I will say, the few times I have, it's driven a lot of traffic back to my blog, so there's clearly something to this. I left a comment on The Sartorialist once & to this day, that's the most page views I've ever gotten in a day. So, good advice. Thanks, Julie!

Adding Media Buttons To Your Blog

Another helpful blog post I read recently is Tuesday Tutorial - Adding Media Button Links To Your Blog by Mandipidy. In this post, Mandy gives easy, step-by-step instructions on how to add icons for Twitter, Facebook, etc. on your blog. And she gives instructions for Blogger, which is rare since it seems most of these tutorials are for Wordpress. Mandy has a lot of other helpful Blogger design-related tutorials, including one on Designing a Header. As you'll notice, I actually followed this tutorial & added media buttons to my home page. Thanks, Mandy!

If You See Something You Like, Ask If You Can Copy It

Both of the above blogs I found on the twitter via one of my new, favorite bloggers, Ginger from Ramble Ramble. I found Ramble Ramble when someone linked to her blog post, Publishing Myths and Truths for Bloggers. After reading this post, I actually emailed Ginger, told her I loved her post, loved her blog & then proceeded to ask her about a million blog-related questions. She not only responded, she responded with compliments about my blog & all kinds of helpful advice. My new About Me page is modeled after her About & New Here? pages. Since I've started following her on the twitter, I'm finding all kinds of awesome new blogs. Thanks, Ginger! (Follow Ramble Ramble on Twitter here).

Email Bloggers You Like & Ask Them Questions

Another blogger I emailed is Blair from A Case of the Mundays. Blair made this awesome ruler lamp that was featured on Design*Sponge. I emailed Blair to tell her I love her blog, especially the way she incorporates pictures & to ask her about Photoshop, when I realized that she not only also lives in Nashville, but I know her husband! Small world! Blair gave me a lot of tips regarding Photoshop & web design. Thanks, Blair!

Things Learned About Blogging

One of my favorite bloggers is Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman. Awhile back, Ree wrote a blog post, Ten Important Things I've Learned About Blogging. I love this post & have shared it numerous times. My favorite thing from this post is her suggestion to write like you're talking to your sister (or good friend). Good advice! Thanks, Ree!

Weekend Wrap Up: Wear Your Jesus Shirt To Bojangles' Edition

Friday:

Friday night John & I had dinner at Kien Giang, which I'm kind of obsessed with as of late. We've eaten there a lot since Delaney & Austin first introduced us to it, but I just figured out what to order & now I can't get enough of it. I get the Vermicelli # 3, which I'm a huge fan of, or you could go another route & order what John's friend Reid, connoisseur of all things spicy, recommends. Review here. Trust.

After dinner, we settled in to watch a heartwarming story of how a young man, trapped in a canyon, had to saw his own arm off with a dull, cheap, pocket multi-tool. I'm talking about 127 Hours, of course. Oh, James Franco, you never disappoint. Although the movie, at times, was like watching an extended Gatorade commercial, it was a good movie. It hit a little close to home for us as John's dad almost met a similar fate two summers ago (post here). John's dad was lost for 2 days, not 5 like in the movie, but he was dehydrated to the point that his kidneys had shut down & he said he had all kinds of crazy hallucinations. He was also found by hikers & rescued by *helicopter, so John & I both got a little choked up at the end of the movie. Good flick though, definitely recommend it.

*P.S. If you ever get lost in a National Park & need to be rescued by helicopter, you'll get a bill for oh, around $20,000. Seriously. Don't get lost.

Saturday:

On Saturday, I drove to Murfreesboro to visit Lauren & baby Ella at home, then I headed to Smyrna to take Abigail, my 5 year old niece, to the Smyrna library. Abigail loves books, so I expected to follow her around for awhile while she picked out some books, then we'd leave & go to McDonald's. Oh, no. They have kid computers set up in the Kids' Area, which is where she remained for the entire time we were there. The games are educational, so it's not like she sat down & surfed the web for an hour (again, she's 5), but it was hilarious that in a library, all she wanted to do was play on the computer. Kids!

That night, John & I went to dinner at an old favorite, Anatolia on White Bridge Road. We used to eat there ALL THE TIME, but haven't been in years. I was honestly kind of scared that it was going to be closed, but it was open & busy as shit! We had a great meal & made a mental note to put it back in the rotation.

Sunday:

John woke up (at noon) with a hankering for spicy, fried chicken (& red beans & rice, because why don't fried chicken & red beans & rice go together?), so I took one for the team & agreed to eat lunch at Bojangles', aka John's favorite restaurant. I took a picture of our plates because they were so ridiculous, but then this couple walked in wearing matching, Jesus-crown-of-thorns, air-brushed t-shirts AND matching blue scrubs AND matching Bluetooth ear pieces. Clearly, this PICTURE OF THE YEAR was going up on the blog. Don't worry, you can still see the picture of our ridiculous lunch on Flickr.

Job Interview Horror Stories: A Redaction

I've spent the past two days regretting my last Job Interview Horror Stories post. I have a lot of friends bending over backwards to help me find a job & I'm afraid I came across as ungrateful in that post, not to mention super angry. I am so, so thankful every time someone tells me about a job, or asks for my resume in order to put me up for a job. All of the interviews I've had are a direct result of this. I have yet to apply to a job on my own & get any kind of response. Please know that my frustration is not directed at you.

Also, not all of my interviews have been bad. I've had two that went really well, & even though I ultimately didn't get the job, I was told I didn't get the job in the nicest way possible. One of them sent me an email saying, "You did great during the interview & were absolutely in the running for the position. In fact, though I know no one wants to hear that "they almost" got the job, you really did. I don't usually feel bad not hiring someone - but this is one time I wish I had more than one position to fill."

The other person also sent me an email, but followed it up with a handwritten note, mailed to my house. This is what's appropriate when you either know the person, or they were recommended to you by someone you know. It's unfortunate that so many people don't know this, but it really makes the ones that do, stand out.

All of this being said, please, please, please keep telling me about jobs! I am appreciative of every lead that gets forwarded my way.

Thank you!

Job Interview Horror Stories: Tales From The Dark (Unemployed) Side

Lesson # 1: Knowing Someone On The Inside Doesn't Always Help

I applied for a job in January that I genuinely wanted & matched the qualification/experience/education for. I had a lot of contacts there & did some heavy favor asking. I was finally contacted about the job in March & had a really good phone interview, that was to be followed up with a second interview. They told me they were moving fast & that I would be in the next round of interviews, that they wanted to meet me because I came so highly recommended. They even told me to apply for another open position that they thought I was a good fit for. That was in March. Absolutely zero communication since then. I have written, called & emailed, all to no avail. I have no idea if the position was ever filled, although I assume it was.

I have a lot of contacts, some of which are very influential within their respective spheres. I reached out to one such person after I applied to two different jobs at their agency. I was qualified for these jobs, which my contact confirmed. I applied to both jobs & immediately got call backs on both, telling me that I was through to the interview round. The first interview was scheduled. I took the day off, showered, straightened my crazy hair, put on my big girl suit & spent my morning researching & preparing. ONE HOUR before my interview, they called & cancelled because they hired someone that morning. I have a good friend who does HR for a HUGE global company in town & she couldn't believe this. She said you never cancel an interview: A) It makes your company look bad (which it did); & B) You never know what other position that candidate may be a good fit for in the future.

Okay, so that was strike one. I was still slated to interview for a second position. I was told that this was their busy season & that they wouldn't get back to me until late June/early July. Today, TODAY, I received an email from them thanking me for applying, but no dice. Again, this was a position I was 'put up for', already discussed over the phone & told I was in the interview round, & I DIDN'T EVEN GET AN INTERVIEW. At the least, I should have received some sort of personal communication, which is what's appropriate WHEN YOU KNOW THE CANDIDATE YOU DIDN'T EVEN INTERVIEW.

Lesson # 2: Working There For 3 Months Won't Always Get You The Job

During my 6 month unemployment stint, I took a part-time job to get out of the house & to bring in some much needed income. A position above my meager part-time position came open & I applied. Why not? I was qualified & I was already working there. I applied, I interviewed (twice) & was told that I was a strong candidate & that the next step was a phone interview with Corporate. That was the last communication I received until I came into work one morning & saw someone sitting in the empty office. I ask who she is & am told that she's the new fill-in-the-blank-position-I-applied-for. So not only was I not told that my interview process was over; that they hired someone else, I had to find it out by literally coming into work & seeing someone sitting there. Professional courtesy much? Needless to say, when I gleefully realized that my tenure there was over, I just quit showing up. They finally emailed me to inquire about my whereabouts & I casually mentioned I found a full-time job & wouldn't be back. Because that's how the new Kim rolls.

Lesson # 3: Remember That Awesome Thing Called HR? Yeah, That's Gone Now

Here's part of the problem, companies are cutting their HR departments to save money, so you're being interviewed by yahoos who think all an interview is is asking someone where they grew up & how they would *chop a tree down in a forest, OR how old you are & when you plan on having kids, which I'm pretty sure is illegal to ask... I had the pleasure of being interviewed by one such yahoo. I'm a prepared person & had spent some time going over the job description, matching it to my skills, etc., but every time I tried to steer the conversation in that direction, I was waved off. Literally, hand in my face, waved off. All the man wanted to talk about was himself. I was not allowed to talk. At all. I have a bad habit of not hiding my emotions well, so my frustration eventually overcame me & I rolled my eyes & purposefully turned my head & looked out the window. For like 2 minutes. We never talked about the job, my qualifications, or me, for that matter.

*One of my fellow job searchers told me that she's been asked the same question in two different interviews at two completely unrelated companies: If you came across a tree down in the forest & you could only have one of two tools to get around it, which would you rather have, an ax or a chainsaw, and why? Seriously?!
I know, for a lot of you, this post came off as whiny & inappropriate, & probably makes you think I'm HORRIBLE at job interviews. I actually interview really well. At least I think I do... Shit! Whatever, the point is, these experiences are not exaggerated. In fact, if anything, they're watered down to stay somewhat elusive. Interviewing for a job right now SUCKS. And if you didn't already know that, well, here's your proof.

Now, go hug anyone you know looking for a job right now.

Mystery Geese

{The two geese are in the raised box under the tree. You can't really see them because they're lying down, but when they're standing up, they're really tall. Also, they appear to be mute, which is disconcerting, but appreciated nonetheless.}

John & I have the luxury (?) of only having one neighbor because the other side of our house is next door to a dilapidated Korean strip mall & then there are apartments across the street. Our next door neighbors have lived there for a good 10-20 years & are really nice. They don't really speak English, but they smile & wave every time they see us & they like Linda because she doesn't bark (the previous owners had two rat terriers).

Anyway, they're older & spend 90% of their time outside working in their yard. They're BIG gardeners. They're also into random woodworking projects, mostly related to their gardening, but a few weeks ago I noticed that the husband was building this big, raised box in the back yard. I pointed it out to John & said it looked like he was building a chicken coop. John thought he had seen him wiring it for electricity, so he didn't think that's what it was. We spent a couple of days trying to figure out what it was. I thought it must be a greenhouse that he had wired for some kind of special lighting.

Well, the mystery is over. It's a goose house, presumably without electricity. Because who doesn't have two huge geese in a box in their back yard? I made this discovery over the weekend while John was out of town. Here's the rapid-fire series of texts I sent upon my discovery:

7:24pm - Me: That weird box our neighbor built IS a chicken coop! I knew it! There's effing chickens in there! Wait, they may be turkeys. Shit!

7:25pm - Me: Ducks! They're ducks! Two of them. Weird!

7:26pm - Me: What the duck?! HAHAHAHA!

Then, the next day:

3:20pm - Me: Okay, nevermind. My dad thinks they're geese. Why would they have two geese in their back yard? This is so weird!

In the five days since my goose discovery, I still can't figure out what they're doing with them. They don't appear to be collecting eggs or feathers, which was my dad's guess. Every morning, the woman comes out, raises the front of the box & throws a bunch of stuff from a bucket in there. It's very bizarre, and I'm sure she's sick of having me & Linda staring at her every morning as she feeds her apparent two pet geese. I can only guess that at some point, they're going to eat these geese. God, I hope they don't kill/butcher them in their back yard. Ugh!

Catfish Sandwich with Fried Okra

Open-Faced Blackened Catfish Sandwich

From Cooking Light

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 3/4 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

3/4 tsp ground red pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

*4 (6-ounce) catfish fillets

2 tsp olive oil

1/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp honey

**2 cups packaged cabbage-carrot coleslaw

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread, toasted

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of fish with paprika mixture. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add fish; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Combine yogurt, juice, & honey in a medium bowl. Add cabbage & cilantro; toss well to coat. Top each bread slice with about 1/2 cup slaw & 1 fillet. Top each fillet with remaining slaw.

Kim's Notes:

*We bought/cooked 2 (6-ounce) catfish fillets, instead of 4.

**I accidentally bought broccoli slaw & it was totally fine. Team Fiber!

Fried Okra

Adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

4 cups peanut oil

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk

*2 cups cornmeal

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

**2 lb fresh okra, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

crushed red pepper flakes to taste

sea salt to taste

Directions:

The directions say to use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 3-quart enameled cast-iron casserole. We used our fry daddy (woot!).

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs & milk until they are well combined, about 1 minute. In a medium bowl, sift the cornmeal, flour, salt, & pepper together twice. Add the okra to the egg mixture & toss until it is evenly coated. Scatter half the dredge over the okra & toss to coat. Scatter the remaining dredge over the okra & toss again.

Transfer about 1/2 of the okra to the oil & fry in batches, turning as necessary, until the slices are golden brown all over, about 2 minutes per batch.

Transfer the okra to a plate-lined with a double thickness of paper towels. When it has drained, transfer to a ceramic serving dish that holds heat well & place in the oven until ready to serve.

Dust the okra with red pepper flakes & sea salt, if desired. Serve.

Kim's Notes:

*We added a little Panko & breadcrumbs to our cornmeal.

**We only used 1 lb of okra & it was still way to much for 2 people.

John & I both really liked this meal. The catfish was super flavorful & could stand alone, or over rice. And it wasn't hard to make. John has become quite the cast-iron-skillet master. The fried okra was good, but it wasn't as good as my grandmother's. I think we didn't fry it long enough. All of that being said, we'll definitely make this again, or some variation of it.

Viva la catfish!

Weekend Wrap Up: Your Face Is Going To Stick That Way Edition

Friday:
John was out of town this weekend, so I planned a girl date with my friend Jaime. She had a baby recently & needed a night on the town. We rendezvoused at City House for dinner. So good!

Saturday:
Speaking of having babies, my good friend Lauren, who wasn't due until July, went into labor on Saturday & delivered Ella Lucille at 12:27am on Sunday, June 19th. Baby Ella weighed in at a healthy 6 pounds, 10 ounces & both mom & baby are doing great!

Still flying solo that night, I got Indian take-out & watched Casino Jack. Meh. It was interesting, but I don't know if I'd recommend it. Pretty dry. Sorry, Kevin Spacey.

Sunday:
En route to Smyrna for Father's day, I stopped by the hospital to visit Lauren & meet/hold Baby Ella. She's so sweet! In Smyrna, Abigail, my 5 year old niece & miniature replication of myself, challenged me to a face making contest (see above). Much to Abigail's chagrin, I was unwilling to stick my finger into my nose for the camera, heretofore Abigail wins.

Last night I watched All Good Things via Netflix Instant Streaming. It was really good, much better than I expected. I wish I could quit you, Ryan Gosling. I finished the movie just in time for the season finale of The Killing. OMG!!! Best. Show. On. TV. Thank you, AMC. Thank you.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

{source: erin jane}

Disclaimer: this is probably one of the more passive aggressive posts I've written, but I'm just going to go with it.

I've noticed a few changes in myself in the few weeks that I've been employed again. The number one change I've noticed is that I'm a more positive person. I know, who knew? It's weird. The funny thing about going back to a job you've had for years is that there's no honeymoon period. Co-workers who used to come into your office & vent, still come into your office & vent. Now, I'm not begrudging them this. I remember how they feel, but at the same time, I just want to say to them, "You have no idea how good you have it." I'm not saying this, of course, I'm just staying positive & thankful for having a job again & hoping it rubs off on them.

It goes without saying that there are far worse things a person can go through than being unemployed for 7 months, but what I went through was pretty rough & I've clearly come out a different person. For one thing, I now know what it feels like when the other shoe drops. I've lost the security of thinking that people like me don't lose their jobs, or that people my age don't face things like worrying about losing your house or getting into an accident when you don't have health insurance. I've also learned that you really don't get dealt more than you can handle, & that you do come out stronger in the end. Cliche, but true.

I feel like going through this has given me an advantage that will hopefully shine through as I continue to look for a permanent job. I've noticed a lot of my friends with jobs, but looking for other jobs, have this bravado about them, like they deserve the job. There's a fine line between confidence & entitlement & I hope it's apparent to potential employers which side of the line I'm on now. Also, having a job, interviewing for another job & not getting it does not put us in the same boat. A little sensitivity goes a long way. I've been turned down for every job I've applied to for the past 7+ months. When you've been turned down for that many jobs, come talk to me, but until then, put on your big girl panties & be thankful that you have a job.

Whew, I feel better. Okay, moving on.

I'd also like to think I'm attractive to potential employers because there's no way I'm losing another job anytime soon. I'll be the best employee a company could ask for. Plus, I'm fresh. I'm starving to be challenged & to put my brain to use again.

I'm kind of all over the place here. Congrats if you're still with me on this blog post/cover letter. I guess I just want to say that I feel different. I feel very glass-half-full. I've made a concerted effort this past year to surround myself with positive, supportive people & I think it's made all the difference. My hope is that others will start to see me in this same light & that instead of using me as a sounding board, will instead look to me as someone they'd like to be more like. God, is that as arrogant as it sounds? Whatever.

Thanks for listening!

Book Review: Boomsday

I recently finished reading Boomsday by Christopher Buckley, author of Thank You for Smoking. I really liked this book, as did everyone else in Book Swap who's read it. It's political satire, but I don't think you necessarily have to love politics to enjoy the book.

I found both the plot & the characters well developed. I really liked the main character, Cassandra. She's a PR maven by day & a blogger by night. The PR campaigns she & her boss, Terry, work on are hilarious, as are the baby boomer lobbying groups. The association names alone make the book worth reading.

This book was super easy & quick to read. I loved the main character & I loved the story. Plus, all of the inside political/lobbying stuff was right up my alley. I definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed Thank You for Smoking. I think now I'm going to have to go back & read more of Buckley's books, of which there are like 20.

From Entertainment Weekly:

"As might be expected from a novel by the author of Thank You for Smoking, Boomsday spares no one from the sting of satire — not the U.S. government, not the Catholic Church, not the French. Even little old-folks homes get kicked around a bit. The story takes place in a not-so-distant future in which the U.S. is engaged in six wars, the economy is ''flatter'n a pancake'' due to a $1.1 trillion deficit, and citizens under age 35 face tax hikes of 30 percent to pay for the retirement of 77 million baby boomers. For 29-year-old PR maven-cum-blogger Cassandra Devine, this last point is unacceptable. Why should she and her peers (a.k.a. ''Generation W,'' short for whatever) shoulder the burden of that ''self-indulgent, pampered'' group of ''Wrinklies''? Fed up, she devises a plan: Get opportunistic Sen. Randy Jepperson to sponsor a bill urging boomers to commit suicide — voluntarily ''transition'' themselves, in PR speak — at age 70. Soon, a bill that ''began as a turd in the Capitol Hill punch bowl'' becomes a decisive election-year issue.

There's no shortage of laughs in Boomsday, even if the jokes are not always subtle. (Cassandra’s archconservative foe hails from the Society for the Protection of Every Ribonucleic Molecule. Yes, SPERM.) But Buckley's ace storytelling trumps any shortcomings. And when you're as ticked off about the state of our country as Buckley seems to be, who has time for subtlety?"

New Clothes!

I finally spent all of my birthday gift cards & cash. It took 3 trips to Green Hills Mall, 1 trip to Old Navy & 2 trips to Target.

In order from left to right, starting at the bottom:

Charcoal tank: Old Navy

Brown braided skinny belt: New York & Company (clearance)

Grey skirt: Old Navy (clearance)

Pink (?) dress: Target

Striped tank: J Crew

Gray tee: Old Navy

Gray ruffle tank: Old Navy (clearance)

White tank: Old Navy

Navy short-sleeved cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft

Black scoop-neck tee: New York & Company

Grey long-sleeved tee: Old Navy (clearance)

Chartreuse (?) v-neck tee: New York & Company

Olive 3/4-length-sleeve button down: J Crew

Sandals: Target

My favorites so far are the sandals (thanks, Tiff!), the Target dress & the 2 tops from J Crew. I needed to replenish my summer basics, thus the abundance of tees & tanks. The one thing I was looking for that I didn't find was a basic summer skirt. I had a good black one from Old Navy last summer that I wore 24/7, but it's too big now & I haven't found a replacement yet. I also want/need a good denim skirt, but all the ones I found were too short. Alas, the search continues.

Thank you to all of my friends & family who contributed to this much needed shopping spree. You guys are awesome!

XOXO!

Pesto Salad with Salmon

Last week I bookmarked a recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Bitchin' Camero. I emailed it to Mary Katherine & she & Marshall made it, added salmon & reported back that it's DELICIOUS. John & I made it tonight. It's one of the best things we've made, and healthy to boot!

Pesto Power Salad

From Bitchin' Camero

Makes 4-6 main servings, or 8-10 side servings

Ingredients:

For the pesto:

2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed

1 cup almonds

6 cloves garlic

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut into small pieces

1 cup olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

*4 cups cooked farro (2 cups uncooked)

**1 lb (16 oz.) shelled, frozen edamame beans

Directions:

Prepare the farro. (Mine took 30 minutes to cook, plus cool time.)

Boil the edamame in a pot of water for 5 minutes. Drain and run with cold water.

Prepare the pesto by blending all of the ingredients in a food processor until there are no large pieces of basil, cheese, garlic or almonds. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the farro with the edamame and half the pesto mixture. Taste & see if it needs more pesto. Add more to taste. Reserve any leftover pesto in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze it in a plastic bag & it will keep for a couple of months.

*I had a hard time finding farro. I finally found it at Whole Foods, but had to be led to it & literally took the last bag. Is farro trending?

**I also had a hard time finding "1 lb" of edamame. The bags of frozen edamame at Trader Joe's are 12 oz. After quizzing every employee at Trader Joe's, I found out 1 lb is 16 oz, so I bought 2 bags. Whatever.

Kim's Notes:

This makes a ridiculous amount of food. Mary Katherine warned me to cut it in half, but I had already bought all of the ingredients. I'll be (happily) eating this for lunch all week. I had a lot of leftover pesto, too, which is never a bad thing. And on that note, this is hands-down the best pesto I've ever made. I think it's the almonds & the fact that I bought manned-up & bought the good cheese, which I rarely do (hooray for having a job!).

John & I both LOVED this meal & will probably be making it fairly frequently. We made salmon fillets to go with it tonight, but I would happily eat it alone or as a side dish with pretty much anything. It's so good! Thanks, Bitchin' Camero!

Weekend Wrap Up: Nothing But Food & Books Edition

This weekend was super low-key. In fact, the only thing I did was eat & read. On Friday night, I met Katie & Alexis for a lady dinner date at Bella Napoli in Edgehill Villa. It was my first time there & I really liked it. Alexis & I shared the Calzone pizza & ohmygod, it was AMAZING!

On Saturday, I went to Book Swap & left with a gazillion books (not really, see above). I keep swearing I'm not going to keep taking books because I already have so many at home to read, but I can't resist.

Here's what I took, from top to bottom:

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichi
Promises to Keep by Jane Green
The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Lost Symbols by Dan Brown

If you follow me on the twitter, you saw that I started reading Outlander. I'm pretty into it. I read it most of the day on Sunday. I'm a little over a hundred pages in. I just started Part Two. Even though it's 850 pages long (!!!), I'm hoping to finish it this week so that I can get cracking on this new stack of books I'm hoping to read this month. Oy....

The Nasty

As you all know, I run with a local running group called East Nasty. I started running with them about a year ago. They run once a week, rotating through 12 different runs. The runs start at 3 miles & work up to 6. Last night was the last run, Run # 12, aka the Nasty. If you complete the entire 5.96 mile run, you get a bumper sticker.

I'm a sucker for a logo & I've been pining away for this bumper sticker for about 9 months now, but every time Run # 12 comes up, I'm either injured, out of town, or just too scared. Jessica, my running partner, is out of town this week, so I didn't plan on running last night. I'm just not a good runner by myself, especially on a run this hard. But then my friend Jolie emailed me & said she wanted to try it & that we could run it together, along with her friend Kathryn. So I went.

Me, Jolie, Kathryn & 2 other gals formed a little team & ran the entire run together. It was awesome! It was definitely the hardest course I've ever run, but doing it in a group made it tolerable. We stopped & walked when we needed to & there was a water stop at the top of Mount Nasty, the biggest hill on the run. (Thanks, Lululemon!)

I was just about the last person to finish, but I walked right up & snatched that bumper sticker out of Drew's hand! I'm really glad I did the run. I had built it up in my mind to be this unaccomplishable thing that I'd never do, but now that I've done it, it's not so formidable. Hell, I may do it again in 12 weeks! We'll see....

ENFL!

Back In The Saddle Again

So I kind of secretly started a new(ish) job last week... Of course, the week I decide to start talking about being *unemployed, I get a job. My old job brought me back & put me in a different office, obviously. But I'm essentially right back where I was in November, & where I've been for the past 4 1/2 years.

This isn't permanent, & I'm still very much looking for a job, but I have this for at least 12 months & I have health insurance again. This is a huge, HUGE weight off of my shoulders. Plus, there's the school of thought that it's always easier to get a job when you have a job & that you're more attractive to potential employers when you're working, so we'll see.

I think just being here will help & put me back on everyone's radar. People will see me again & remember that I'm still looking, etc. We'll see. Regardless, I'm officially, legitimately employed (& insured) again.

Thank you all for being so awesome this year. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end.

*I do still plan on talking about the process of looking for a job since I am technically still looking. Plus, I have a lot of back stories that I haven't shared yet. For now, the "Unemployment" label will remain & I will continue to talk about how hard it is to find a job, how ridiculous the interview process is, etc.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday:
Friday night I stayed in & watched You Don't Know Jack. Weird movie. Interesting though.

Saturday:
I met Mary Katherine at Starbucks on Saturday afternoon to celebrate our birthdays. We went over to Serenity & got our nails done. I chose Essie Tangerine, which I really like. That night, we met Katie & Rollum for dinner at Bombay Palace, where I proceeded to eat myself sick. So good though.

Sunday:
On Sunday morning, Ashlee texted me & asked if I wanted to run Belle Meade Blvd with her. So we ran our 5-ish miles, then rewarded ourselves with Starbucks. I wish I could quit you, Mocha Coconut Frappuccino. After that, I went home & got John, then we went to meet my parents for my birthday lunch.

Good, relaxed weekend!

Pimm's!

I received a bottle of Pimm's No. 1 Cup for my birthday & I can't wait to use it! I've never been a master mixologist; I tend to stick to wine & beer, but I have high hopes for this bottle of summer fun. I've been bookmarking drink recipes that include Pimm's & here are a few of the ones I'm hoping to try:

Ginger Ale Pimm's Cup via Sweet On You

• 2 oz Pimm's
• 3 oz ginger ale
• 1 lemon slice

Pimm's Original via Pimm's

• 1 part Pimm's No. 1
• 3 parts chilled lemonade
• add some mint, cucumber, orange & strawberry

Pimm's PimPom via Pimm's

• 1 part Pimm's No. 1
• 3 parts pomegreat
• add a slice of orange & ripped basil

The Windsor Knot via The London Bar

• 2 oz Pimm's
• 2 oz Chambord
• apple, cucumber & orange (soaked in Pimm's)
• Prosecco
• mint leaf

I'll report back!

Long Boy Burgers

On Sunday night, John & I made a new recipe that I found online: long boy burgers. We also made homemade fries to go with them. Overall, it was a really good dinner, although these are definitely more of a meatloaf sandwich than a burger. Regardless, we'll probably make this again. I think next time, I'll try adding diced green chilies and/or jalapenos. I need a little more kick & a little less ketchup.

Long Boy Burgers

Adapted from Sunshine and Bones

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup cornflakes, crushed

1/2 small onion, minced

1/2 cup low fat milk

6 tbsp ketchup, separated

1 tbsp Worcestershire

1 tsp fresh thyme, minced

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

salt & pepper

2-4 (6-inch) hoagie rolls, cut in half lengthwise

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees & adjust oven rack to upper-middle position.

Bake rolls, cut side up, on wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet until golden & crisp, about 5 minutes. You do this so that the 'meat juice' doesn't make the bread soggy while baking.

Combine cornflakes, onion, milk, 4 tbsp ketchup, Worcestershire, thyme, garlic powder, egg, 1/2 tsp salt, & 1 tsp pepper in a large bowl. Add the meat & knead gently until well combined.

Top toasted rolls evenly with meat mixture, spreading meat to edge of rolls. Brush top of meat mixture evenly with remaining ketchup & bake until meat registers 160 degrees, about 20-25 minutes. Remove burgers from the oven, top with cheese & continue baking until cheese melts, 3-4 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

Kim's Notes:

We put a thin layer of Trader Joe's Wasabi Mayo on the rolls before baking them the first time, sans meat. Also, we were confused about this, so I'm assuming you may be, too - you do not cook the meat first. The meat goes onto the rolls & into the oven raw. The 20-25 minute baking time will cook the meat, but make sure & check the temp. Ours had to cook the entire 25 minutes before registering 160 degrees.

Also, our bread was totally fine. We were worried it would be rock hard. The trick is to completely cover the rolls with meat. If the ends do start to burn, cover them with foil.

If you like meatloaf, you will love this sandwich. If you love burgers & are expecting a burger, SURPRISE, you're getting a meatloaf sandwich, ha ha, but it is a really good meatloaf sandwich.

Blog Redesign

Just a quick note to those of you reading this via Google Reader. I've made a few updates to my blog. I switched templates & added two pages. I've added an About Me page & a Blog Roll page, which can be found at the top of the homepage, under the header. I've also reworked all of the links in the margin.

To see the new About Me page, click here.

To see the new Blog Roll page, click here.

*If you either write a blog, or know of a blog that you think I would enjoy, please let me know! Also, if you link to my blog on yours, please make sure I link to yours.

If you're a regular reader, please consider becoming a follower. All you need is a Google/Gmail account.

Thanks!

Unemployment

I unexpectedly lost my job in November & have spent the subsequent 6 months unemployed & looking for a full-time job. While those of you who know me personally have been exhaustively listening & counseling all of these months, those of you who know me electronically have been left out the loop. I haven't blogged about this much for fear of how it would come across. This is not a topic that's light or funny, on the contrary, it's quite personal & uncomfortable to talk about.

I'm hoping that those of you who are either going through this yourself, or are simply interested in reading about it, will find solace in reading about my experiences. Being unemployed & looking for a job in this economy is the hardest thing I've ever gone through & that's without the ridiculous amount of crap that companies are putting applicants through right now just because they can. For the rest of my life, I will never be as nice & supportive of anyone as I will be to those who are unemployed & looking for a job.

If you're still with me & interested in reading more, I've added an Unemployment label for these posts, which you can access over yonder (-->) by clicking "Unemployment" under Labels, or by clicking here.

I'm on the fence about this & am open to feedback. Please let me know if this is something you do or do not want to read about. I'm hoping to put a voice to what this feels like, but it's possible I'm just going to come across as whine-y & pissed off (which I totally am). Regardless, let me know.

XOXO,

Kim