Good Eats & Such

I love to cook, especially yummy dinners....so I had to write about this great new recipe I made for dinner this past Thursday night! I'm still drooling over it....

I started subscribing to Cooking Light Magazine a few months ago so that I could expand my recipe database of healthier recipes that aren't just the same old thing. We tend to eat a lot of salmon and veggies (lots of broccoli), chicken breasts, shrimp, etc. I could eat that all the time really, but its nice to find some great new recipes that are also healthy and more fun. So far I have found that this magazine has some great recipes. I have made a couple of them so far and they've been great.

So, Thursday night I made Maple and Soy-Glazed Flank Steak with Scallion Noodles from this month's issue. See the steak recipe HERE.  I really love Asian food but often I find it's hard to get good Asian recipes that satisfy that craving and taste as good as a restaurant when you make it yourself. This recipe has some great Asian flavors, it was SO good.
This was also the first time I made flank steak - a cut of steak known for being tough - but marinading and slicing it diagonally against the grain turns it into wonderfully tender slices! I will use this again for sure! The Scallion noodles were good too and really easy, rice noodles are so yummy and fast to prepare.  I was also excited to add another Asian staple to my pantry (sesame oil) and also use Sake for the first time in a dish (thanks to Trader Joe's for having a cheap bottle). It was a really great meal! I will definitely add it to my recipe rotation and make it again!  :-)

Also, just a note about "maple"...I am really not a fan of "maple" flavor...but I recently started buying REAL maple syrup instead of the fake crap with all the added sugar - aka "pancake syrup" - you know what I'm talking about. Who knew that stuff was not really maple syrup?! Hey, I'm not from Vermont...so shoot me.  Well, REAL maple syrup which comes in Grade A or B varieties (I bought grade A from Trader Joe's) is so different, much less sweet, and still really good on waffles, french toast, etc. So, that's what is used in this recipe and it's delish! Once all the ingredients were mixed in the marinade you wouldn't even know there was maple in it, it was a yummy Asian concoction that I could put on anything! yum~

The photo from the magazine is below. It shows the steak and the noodles that I made, I would have loved to make the Sesame Cucumbers also, but Joe thinks he doesn't like cucumbers, so I didn't make them. Yummy dinner all the same!

Happy Cooking!

Moving, Blog and Jobs (what else is new?)

Update on moving....
Joe and I decided to stay our current apartment for one more year. Even though we really wanted to move to a better place I think it will work out for the best and we will hopefully be back on track by next year so that we can move into a better place and get on with our lives. We do like our area and the apartment isn't the worst, so it wont be that bad to stick it out for one more year. Plus, moving right now would have been nearly impossible with our financial situation...not to mention finding a new place would be such an added stress that we don't need right now.

A note about my blog...
Obviously I know that this situation is not unique to Joe and me. I know there are SO many people/families/couples out there who are going through or have gone through the same thing that we are now. Lay-offs, hard times, and other troubles happen along the way in everyone's marriage/life....and if they don't you must be one really lucky person. I don't want anyone to think that I don't realize that. Our life together so far has been great, but I know its far from perfect. I know there will always be bumps in the road. What we are going through now is just one really large and long bump (more like mountain) that we are trying to get over. I know we can handle what comes our way, it may not be easy, but we can handle it.  So I guess what I am saying is, please know that when I write about the hard times, the frustrations, etc, I am not looking for pity, I am merely writing to get some of the thoughts out of my head and onto this 'paper'. I am not writing this to get attention or to make others feel sorry for me. To me it's the same as writing about the good times.  Right now there is an abundance of bad times, but I know eventually it will get better. Writing my feelings down has always helped me feel better, or at least get a grip on what I am feeling. And now, come to think of it, maybe several years from now I will look back and read these posts when things are better, or when they are even worse, who knows, but either way I will remember and learn from it.

Recent developments...
Until recently I was somewhat hopeful that I would be able to get back into design when things started picking up. Now, things are getting to the point where it's time to make a decision to get a job regardless of what it is. I am beginning to think that getting back into a firm anytime in the near future is pretty bleak. I need to get back to work, regardless of what it is. As much as it pains me to leave design behind and get another job, it is time.
Recently I started looking into other jobs online. I found one of interest with a Real Estate company who also has a leasing office/division. I interviewed on Monday but may have to go back for another interview. It definitely sounds like something I could do and may even be good at, but there is some negatives, like: commission only pay, lots of hours and working both Saturday and Sunday, possibly not being able to work out at my current place, which I LOVE.  As much as this sounds sort of bad I am hoping that they call me back for the second interview and I can get started working. I realize it will take time to start making any money, but the potential earnings (especially in the summer) are great (hopefully).
Also, just to preface this, I recently heard about a part-time design job that will be opening up because some women in the office are going on maternity leave. I called to inquire when I received the lead from a contact of mine and the woman explained that I would need to send in a TON of work samples along with my resume and cover letter and they would get back to me. I am going to do it, but this is the kind of thing I am talking about....due to the economy and probably hundreds of people applying for one job in design, it has become lots of jumping through hoops for only semi-decent jobs. I mean, this is a part-time job, probably paying next to nothing and they want me to send in practically my whole portfolio before they will consider me? Come on! One or two work samples is normal for a full-time job with a huge firm, but this is ridiculous. However, I am going to do it anyway, but it all just doesn't seem worth it to me anymore. Sad but true.

Anyway, I guess this is all for now. Today is a tough day because I am unsure of what will be happening with my unemployment benefits. This is why I am in a rush to get a  job now. I heard from my friend that due to working part-time during unemployment we are going to be essentially punished for it with lower unemployment checks....its a long story and I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen yet, but either way, it's time to move on.

9 Things You Can Give Up for Lent That Will Help the Environment

9 Things You Can Give Up for Lent That Will Help the Environment
Click the link above to see the article.
I am not usually one to "give up" things for Lent, but when I saw this article it gave me some great ideas!! I just hate the usual "I'm giving up candy and junk food" thing that everyone does, need something a little better than that for me.
Anyway, its a great little article and I am loving this site in general as well!
Enjoy!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day to everyone!

A very special Happy Valentines Day

to MY Valentine, Joe, I love you!

Vet and Valentines

It's a nice sunny (but chilly) day in Chicago today. I got up and went to my usual Saturday morning work-out class called Cardio Sweatshop. It was fun as usual.

Afterwards (after I got home and showered of course) we took the dogs to the vet for their annual appointments, shots, tests, the whole nine. They are so funny at the vet. They are nervous but they are so excited at the same time. They run around the room once we get in there waiting for the Dr. to come in. Louie doesn't mind it because he knows the Dr. gives him treats all the time when he's good. Chloe does OK too and also likes the treats. They are pooped out right now from their eventful morning! Louie was just snoring a moment ago in his little bed in our office. That's a lot of excitement compared to their normal Saturday morning! :-)

They told us today that they heard a slight murmur in Chloe's heart, but she said it's nothing to be worried about yet. We haven't seen this Dr. since the first time we went to this vet place, she told us about the murmur she heard the first time we saw her, about 4 or 5 years ago and every Dr. we have seen since (every year) has never even mentioned it. I think thats kind of odd, but anyway, it always makes me worried to hear things like this. She said they (murmurs) can come and go and it may be nothing, but just something to keep an eye on as she gets older. She always acts normal and plays well and is pretty spunky, so we'll just hope nothing comes of it at all or at least until she's older. :-)

Joe and I are going out for Valentines day tonight, just can't see going out tomorrow, on a Sunday for V-Day, just weird to us because Sundays are always our hang out, store, cleaning days, so we are going tonight instead.  We are going out to a restaurant in the burbs, originally because we were going to go see a movie afterwards (dinner and a movie is just easier in the burbs).  So we were going to see that Valentines Day movie that just came out, but I think now we might just come home and watch the Netflix DVD that just came in the mail, Couples Retreat. Not sure how good that one will be, but Vince Vaughn is usually hilarious, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Hope everyone has a nice Valentines Day!

Moving???

I hate to be such a downer all the time but I am so mad/upset/confused right now.
We got our lease renewal for our apartment lease that isn't up until April 30th. YES, here in Chicago, they have the right to ask you to renew your lease like 90 days in advance which is so STUPID!!  So, we have to tell them by February 22nd if we are going to stay here.... for a small rent increase.... and by Feb 28th for a larger rent increase.! EFF!  I/we really want to move to a better apartment that's not so "vintage", but it's hard to predict if we can when I STILL don't have a job yet. ugh. How are we supposed to know in like 12 days from now what we want to do?!  I mean, what if we say we are going to move and then I STILL don't have a job and/or we cant find a better place?  All I know is that I don't want to be stuck in our place for another year. I mean, I love the area, I don't mind the place most days, but I am getting sick of not having basic things like an updated bathroom and kitchen and a dishwasher and laundry in the unit. Is that too much to ask?  I mean, I guess we could plan on moving and then just bust ass and make it work, but I am worried it wont work. I just don't want to be caught in the position of them finding a renter for our place and then we decide we want to stay, or have to stay, and we cant.
Geez, life is hard right now and I'm not handling it very well.  I am just sick of trying to be positive because things AREN'T getting better out there in the jobs department and I am frustrated as all hell.
OK. Off to bed to sit awake and worry about this all night. yay.

February Snow Day

Today, Chicago finally got hit with the snow that the rest of the country (Omaha and the Northeast, etc) have been getting all winter. Joe stayed home from work because it was supposed to be worse as the day went on, so we just hung out and relaxed today.
Joe took the dogs for a walk in the morning when it wasn't too deep and they had fun, then I tried to take them out to play and walk in the snow again at 4:00 and it was much deeper. Chloe wasn't having anything to do with it, she just went out and went potty and went back in. Some days she likes it some days she doesn't. It may have been because I didn't put her boot/booty things on and she hates getting snow packed in her paws.  Louie just LOVES the snow, he would stay out there all day if he could, so he was ready to go! Chloe went back upstairs with Joe and me and Louie took a little hike through the snow at the park across the street.
I wanted to try out this windows video maker thingy, so I made this little video of the photos and video I took on our walk. It was hard to hold the camera and the leash all while it was snowing, but I managed OK.
 :-)  I think it came out cute for a first try... Enjoy! (Turn your sounds on, there's music).

Happy Birthday to Andy!

Today is my little brother-in-law Andy's 19th Birthday! Well I guess he's not so little anymore! Hard to believe that the little 7 year old that I met when I was first dating Joe is now NINETEEN! Wow....time flies.... Its nice to see him growing up into a nice young man. I'm glad that we stay connected on Facebook and get to chat on there often. He's my buddy whether he likes it or not! :-)

Now for some photos to remember the little twerp when he was young and sweet. hee hee. ;-)

Andy at our Wedding in 2001.

When he was really little....Halloween (left) as a duck with Joe and Ben

Christmas morning (right) Joe is not happy to be up early, but Andy sure is! :-)

Happy Birthday, Andy!!!

I'm Awake

So, I don't have much time to write today, so I am posting this really quick with a little quick intro.  I saw this awesome video last night and I think it's great.
Even though we don't have kids yet I am always looking into and saving information on the latest awesome baby products, sites, etc. Call me crazy...I just love researching things.
Anyway, I became a fan of this company called 'g-diapers' through Facebook, they are an awesome alternative to disposable diapers, but not as "Au natural" as pure cloth diapers (even though they do have a cloth insert option). Anyway, to make a long story short, they posted a link to this video which comes from the healthychild.org.
I completely agree that we, people with kids, people who plan to someday have kids, need to be wise about the environment in which we raise our children, to be aware of what is being put into our bodies and eventually the bodies of our children. When I see stories about lead in toys and BPA in plastic baby bottles, it makes me sad. Why is our society so obsessed with producing without THINKING about the potential negative/dangerous effects certain chemicals may have. All I know is that when I am a mother I will be very careful about what is in my house and what goes into my babies body.
Anyway, I could go on forever, but I'll just post the video for you to watch. It's a great eye opener.