20110427

Three Hundred and Forty

340

That is the number. The number of journal articles and handbook chapters I have to read and reread this summer for the preliminary exam. It's just a little bit daunting. I believe I have eight 3" binders full of these articles. It's totally doable but just, well, you know.

This is why I'm glad I'm getting new spectacles with a proper prescription! These, in brown, will be on my face sometime next week:
I think they're quite fun and sophisticated.

The highlight thus far today (pretty good to have a highlight by 10:20!) was Facetime with my sister and brother-in-law! Daphne is getting BIG! Also, I think the call was Apple commercial worthy. Just sayin'. 

Now I'm going to go be productive while I eat my yoghourt and fresh blueberries drizzled with honey. The eat in challenge is proving to be delicious...

20110424

Stuffed Bell Peppers - The Eat In Challenge

Dear Blogosphere,

I have a problem. I eat at restaurants too frequently. And I forget how much I like cooking. I also have lots of tasty things in my pantry which want to be dinner. Hence, I'm challenging myself to a week of eating in. Tonight on the menu:

Stuffed bell peppers with vodka sauce 
(a modified version of the best thing ever)

* 2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers
* 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice 
* 4 ounces precooked frozen ground chicken
* 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
* 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
* 1 jar vodka sauce (I used Trader Joe's Organic)
* 1 ounce mozzarella 
* Salt and pepper to taste


Start at the beginning and when you come to the end... stop.

Preheat oven to 400*F. Start by cooking salted onions over medium high heat in a large frying pan sprayed with PAM. Cook until almost translucent. Add chicken. Cook until heated through. Add about 1 1/2 cups of vodka sauce. Make it bubble. Add frozen spinach and cooked brown rice. Mix it up.


Cut the tops off the peppers, seed and take out those bitter ribs. Place the peppers in some sort of bakeware that can withstand the high heat of a 400*F oven. Fill the peppers with rice mixture. You'll have left over rice. Eat that while these cook. :-) Top the rice with the mozzarella.


Pour the rest of the vodka sauce into the bottom of the casserole, or what-have-you. Put the tops on the bell peppers and toss those suckers in your oven! Keep 'em cookin' until the peppers have softened.


Oh baby. Am I right? Am I right?


I believe I am.

The Happiest Place on Earth

Thanks for noticing us.
There's a lot of ways to write about one of the best weekends of your life. I considered several of these for this epic blog post of fantastic while I lay on my shag rug for several hours last night wondering if I was going to be able to walk today. When my family does Disneyland, we do Disneyland. To the point of shin splints. Awesome!

I think I'll start with the highlights then post the random pictures I took (my mom took the normal kind, like the one above). So, voila, the highlights!

  1. Hanging out with my younger sister and mom for a weekend. No stress, (almost) no work to do. It was fun to chat and run around riding rides and eating delicious foodstuffs with them. As we walked out of the park yesterday afternoon, my younger sister and I found ourselves doing the typical child thing of finding random things to do to avoid leaving. Like a $0.25 vibrating machine to cure foot pain. "Wait! One more time!" My mom remarked, as we walked down Main Street U.S.A., "This is the happiest place on Earth." Agreed. And, I'll add, it's only that way because of my fantastic family.
  2. Gluten-free friendliness! I have to say, there are lots of delicious snacks at Disneyland and fortunately they take good care of us Celiac diseased persons. I ate pizza, a chicken sandwich, enchiladas, a turkey leg, and ratatouille *with* a tasty savory sort of cornbread. All gluten-free. Whenever you request anything gluten-free, they bring out the chef who prepares your meal her/himself. It is so easy and carefree. Like a vacation should be.
  3. WORLD OF COLOR! Seriously the best show I've seen at a Disney park. They have really outdone themselves. It's a fountain show. A HUGE fountain show. With fire. And a movie. And a cheesy soundtrack. Ali and I got prime standing spots. Our eyebrows were singed and we were soaked by the end of it. It was amazing. This description isn't doing it justice. Let's just say, this is what my face looked like during most of it: :-O
  4. Silly moments! (1) Ali read a few select parts of the Heart of Darkness to us on Jungle Cruise. (2) I got a Mint Julep and Ali got beignets in New Orleans Quarter. We were hungry so we fought over the cherries in my Mint Julep ("You got beignets! I'm keeping my cherries." "Can I have a mint leaf?" "Sure."). My mom took the lemon and dropped it in the beignet bag full of powdered sugar. And ate it. We challenged her to do it again. Apparently she'll only do that once a vacation. (3) And just ridiculous things we said and we heard others say.
  5. Getting back to the hotel on Friday afternoon... getting on Facebook and seeing that two of my favorite people, Caitlin and Evan, had changed their relationship status! ENGAGED! And let's just say that Evan has excellent taste in rocks. ;-) You're the man, Evan! So smart to get up the guts to ask one of the most wonderful people I know to tie the knot. You guys make my heart smile! <3
And the photos!

Enjoying a Mad Tea Party.
Reading Heart of Darkness.
We're not nerds. Heavens no!
Most snoozy ride in the park.
Hollywood Tower of Terror.
At the end of World of Color.
Gay Pride World of Color caramel and white chocolate apple.
The ears are chocolate covered marshmallows.
Just in case the caramel apple from heaven wasn't enough!
Honey pots galore!
I like Rabbit.
I bet that surprises you.
On my favorite kids' ride: Alice in Wonderland.
My mom bought me a Mickey Mouse apron and had my name embroidered on it.
I think it's mighty cute! 
The rest of my souvenirs!
My sister and I split a variety box of Wonderland teas.
And I got that darling tea pot and tea cup set for my new (come June 20) kitchen.
Fun trip! I can't wait to go again in a few years with Emily, Taylor, and Princess Daphne!