My Roots Are Showing

I admit it. I like dark meat.

It's juicier and more flavorful than white meat.

It's cheaper too.




I have also been known to eat a gizzard or two, particularly if they are from Fran's Chicken Haven. My Papaw would be proud.

Happy Anniversary!

To me and Jason, that is. Our 6-month anniversary was yesterday. I think we might finally use the gift certificate to a fancy restaurant we got as a wedding present to go out for a nice dinner this week.

Sometimes it seems like the time has flown by, but generally it feels like it's been longer than 6 months. Not in a bad way. In a comfortable way. I feel like we've worked through some key roommate kinks and are finding good ways to communicate with each other, though I know we still have a lot to learn.

It's been a good 6 months.

Dressing My Age

I went to a store today and tried on a couple of dresses. I abstained from trying on several others that I liked because I questioned whether they were appropriate for me. I know I couldn't wear them to work, but could I get away with wearing them to church?

It's a question I have. I'm 31, married and a lawyer. Can I no longer wear cute black and white toile sundresses?

I have a couple of dresses at home that I'm debating getting rid of for just this reason. Are they too young for me? Do my crow's feet make a twirly skirt look stupid? Do I look like I'm trying too hard to grasp the last vestiges of my waning youth?

Sunday Night Dinner: I'm So Thrifty

After we had our pre-Christmas turkey dinner, I cooked down the turkey carcass with some veggies and make my own stock, which I then stored in a few containers in the freezer. Jason has been griping about the tupperwares of turkey stock in the freezer for some time, which I don't understand since it's not like he ever buys anything for the freezer. I think he just wants to make sure there's space for his Homer Simpson frosty mug.

This weekend I used the stock to make black eyed peas. I also cooked down the two hambones we had left over from Easter and was able to get the rest of the ham off the bones to use in the black eyed peas. I am thrifty cooking wife extraodinaire, which should appeal to Jason's frugal spirit.

Black Eyed Peas

4 C. turkey stock
2 C. shredded ham (approx)
2 lbs black eyed peas (2 bags)
2 cans diced chiles
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 C. cooked rice (approx)
1 t. canola oil
Chili powder

Rehydrate peas overnight. Pour into a large bowl and cover with water about 3 inches above the top of the peas. Set out overnight and watch the rehydrating magic happen.

I had to cook down the ham bones so I put them both in a large stock pot with the turkey stock and enough water to almost cover them. Simmer for about an hour, or until the meat is falling off the bone. Cool and shred the meat, removing as much fat as you can in the process. Then skim the fat off the top of the stock (I heart my fat strainer).

If you're not cooking down hambones, just shred the ham and combine it with the peas in the stock and about 4 cups of water. Add green chiles.

Saute onions and garlic in canola oil over medium heat until onions are clear. Add to stock. Shake in about 1/2 T. of chili powder. Actually, if you like it spicy, I would add more than this. I didn't think there was enough.

Turn heat on medium until your stock starts simmering. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. Serve over rice. The consistently will be a bit thicker than stew.

This makes a LOT. I sent some home with Jason's sister and we still have a large tupperware of leftovers in the fridge.

An Open Letter

Dear Women's Clothing Manufacturers,

Why is it so impossible to make a white button-down shirt that is not completely transparent? For that matter, why can't you make an upscale plain white tee that is not completely transparent? Can you not spare the thread count? I would think that having women actually buy your clothes would make you more money in the long run than shaving off a few cents during the manufacturing process.

Today I went to the mall. I tried on a 3/4 length sleeve white button-down shirt that fit me so fantastically I can't even say it enough. It pinched in at just the right point on my waist and made me look so trim and sassy. However, the fabric was so thin that the arms looked more pink than white because my skin showed through. I've actually been looking for a decent 3/4 length sleeve white button-down shirt for about a year and would have willingly paid the $40 they were asking if only the shirt hadn't been completely see through. Take note.

Also, could someone make a solid tee of any kind that isn't paper thin? I used to be able to buy decent tees with some actual fabric involved. I don't want to have to layer in the summer, but that's really the only way to get away with wearing these super thin shirts. Unless you want to look slutty. I realize that's appealing to some, but I just want a nice tee to wear with a skirt and sandals to work or church in the summer heat.

In conclusion, shape up.

Sincerely,
Kelly M., Esq.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

It's warm! And sunny! Amazing!

It's been gray and blah for days and days now and it's going to be gray and blah in the near future and get cooler again, but that does not change the fact that I was driving down the highway this morning with my sunroof vented.

Sunday Brunch

We went to a friend's house for brunch and I tried to find something semi-detox diet friendly to make. I wound up with a Cooking Light recipe for a Frittata with Black Beans that I tweaked a little to add some more detox foods.

2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 ounces baked tortilla chips (about 3 cups), coarsely crushed
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can diced chiles
1 cup fresh spinach, shredded
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Cabot reduced-fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat broiler.

To prepare frittata, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until onions are only slightly opaque. Add chips; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from heat and spread the onion/tortilla chip mixture over the bottom of the pan. Combine egg whites, eggs, beans, chiles and spinach; pour into skillet. Sprinkle with cumin. Wrap handle of skillet with foil; place skillet in oven. Broil 2 1/2 minutes or until center is set. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil 20 seconds or until cheese melts. Cut into wedges; serve with salsa.

First, our friend's broiler hadn't been used in some time so we heated the oven to 500. Thus, it took probably 10 minutes or so for the center to set. Then I put it in for about 2 minutes to melt the cheese.

We wound up using a stainless steel skillet rather than nonstick, which worked very well since the onion and chip crust is coated with oil. The source recipe says it makes 4 servings, but I cut it into 8 pieces - and then had 3.

I was thinking that a way to make it a little lighter on the fat and sodium might be to just use cornmeal instead of corn chips. I think it would probably take 1/2-3/4 cup of cornmeal to equal the amount of 3 oz of smushed corn chips. I just figured it out in the SparkRecipes calorie calculator and that decreases the calorie content by 20 calories (from about 160 to 140), sodium by 52 mg, fat by 2.4 grams and saturated fat by .5 grams per slice. Also, I may use just one egg and add 3 more egg whites the next time I make it, which would decrease the cholesterol significantly (currently 81.6 mg per slice).

The Cooking Light recipe has directions for making your own salsa, but I didn't have any jalapenos and I did have a jar of Trader Joe's salsa. The whole thing turned out really well and I'm definitely adding this to my cooking rotation.

I'm Detoxing

I've sort of been neglecting this blog in favor of my other blog because I've been really focused on the healthy eating and exercising thing. I'm also doing a detox diet with a friend right now. Today is Day 7 of Day 11 and so far, so good. The first couple days I was fine, but then the third day I felt SO tired and the fourth day I got a headache, which I think was my body really kicking in with the detoxing thing. Since Day 4, I've felt great.

In other news, my tomato plants are growing like crazy. I'm going to Home Depot this weekend to buy big containers and the proper potting media. I've read some about container gardening and have a pretty good idea of what I need, but would love to hear any tips you might have.

And in more other news, Tiny the cat ate a bunch of cooked onions, celery and zucchini last night. He made a swipe at Jason's plate when we were finishing up dinner, so Jason put his plate containing a few remaining vegetables on the floor with the admonition that kitty wouldn't like the vegetables.

Turns out, he did. Weirdo.

Of course, this just adds to the list of foods we can't leave out because Tiny will devour them.