Overtime, blog recipe trying

I usually never, ever work during the week. Though, my husband works a M-F, 0730-1630, I find myself enjoying life more seeing him on an everyday during the week basis, than on a weeknight few hours basis. I'm quite nocturnal, you see. But, last week, I worked 4 twelve hour shifts, thus, me not being able to blog. I was trying to help a co-worker cover a shift of hers, but, boy am I beat. Overtime in a row almost always kills me especially when we're having an usually busy birth month, we're currently double the amount of deliveries we do and the month isn't over. When I first started nursing I used to do pick up shifts all the time, nowadays, I feel less motivated. I have been cooking, just not being able to take pictures of anything. My new thing is to try recipes from other blogs, and these ladies have really good pictures. This week we had Martha's Mac-n-cheese from SmittenKitchen. It was oh so cheesy, and, I think I've probably gained 8 pounds from eating a piece, I keep telling myself I worked it off grating all that cheese. I will definitely have to try the gruyere. For our dessert of the week, I borrowed Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies from Bake or Break. My husband happens to be a chocoholiclover and nearly died eating them. And though, I am not into chocolate desserts as much as he may be, I found myself eating 4 slices after the ganache set, also contributing to the 8 pounds I've gained.

Why is it that when I finally have to pay for my own health insurance, my health has gone down hill? I had to be nice and healthy as a military dependent, but blind and metabolism wacky as a real civilian. First, my hyperthyroidism, now, currently on the road to hypothyroidism with the medical bills to prove it. I just went to my eye doctor today expecting my vision to not have changed as it has been stable for the last four years. Bam, I managed to fail every eye chart test and got diagnosed with astigmatism. I had attributed my dry eye symptoms and squinting to my hyperthyroidism, but, I guess that wasn't it. So, my $20.00 usual co-pay, turned into a $265.00 new contact lens fitting, new glasses visit.

Ay buhay (that's life).

an interview with hulagirl

I stole these questions from Burnt Lumpia, a blog I stumbled upon today. This dude's way entertaining and his pictures remind me of Filipino parties past.

What were you cooking/baking 10 years ago?
I was baking chocolate white chocolate chip cookies, I would bring them to school, so my friends could gobble them down, my mother was not happy with all my gas oven consumption and the mess I would leave.

What were you cooking/baking one year ago?
Recipes from foodnetwork.com & allrecipes.com. Giada & Ina were my favorites on food network (except for how many times she says, “use really good vanilla,” okay, lady we understand, you want us to use really good ingredients, enough already) The recipes had to have five star ratings for me to even look at them. I was on the quest to find the perfect mac & cheese, so, my husband ate a lot of cheese last year.

Five snacks you enjoy:
· Stacy’s Garlic & Parmesan Pita Chips with a Laughing Cow Light Garlic Cheese Wedge (yes, makes for very stinky conversation)
· Dried Mango
· Caramel Pretzel Crunch Frozen Custard
· Canteloupe or Avocado with some skim milk, ice, and splenda
· A warm chocolate chip cookie with a tall glass of iced milk

Five recipes you know by heart:
· Grilled Chicken Adobo
· Broccoli Casserole
· Lasagna
· Crab Rangoons
· Portuguese Sausage, Eggs, & Rice (I’m making it count)

Five culinary luxuries you would indulge in if you were a millionaire:

• 3 houses (Austin, TX, Kailua, HI, Somewhere, Virginia) within biking distance to a Whole Foods (I may have to build a few) each house with kitchens each to include double ovens, 4 dishwashers, every all clad pan ever made, a set of global knives, and all the baking equipment one could dream of . This is why I buy lottery tickets twice a week.


• My own Sheridan’s Frozen Custard & Latte shop. Everything on their huge menu is orgasmic and they have a light mist coming from their outdoor ceilings, nice, especially on hot days. I’m thinking prime location would be in front of Kailua Beach Park. Just thinking about it, oh, it makes me shiver.


• A trip around the world to every major big city with reservations to all the go to restaurants. I would probably start in NYC, then maybe Chicago, or Seattle, Bora Bora would be nice, Venice…oh, the list goes on.


• Attend pastry school in Austin and be taught by Bronwyn Weber. Cute, spunky, talented, Bronwyn, you are my cake hero.


• Return to my favorite restaurants a few times a year from my around the world trip. Note to self: must buy a couple of lottery tickets this week.

Five foods you love to cook/bake:
· Bar Cookies/brownies
· Penne (my ultimate blank canvas, I guess)
· Chicken Adobo
· Cake
· Just dessert in general
Five foods you cannot/will not eat:
· Goat
· Lamb
· Pickles
· Fresh tomatoes on burgers or sandwiches
· Rabbit

Five Kitchen Gadgets you enjoy:

• Dutch Oven, I could probably make everything in it, if I had to
• My future global knives: chef’s and paring, saving up for it
• Hand held microplane grater
• Waring Blender
• Kitchen Aid Mixer

Five dishes on your "last meal" menu:

• The Yard House’s California Roll
• This really doesn’t count as a dish, but, who cares: my typical Ruth’s Chris Meal. Rib eye medium rare, garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli au gratin, and a fruit cup
• Haupia Cake
• Mom’s Lechon Paksiw
• Max's Chicken with Garlic Rice

Five happy food memories:
· The first time I tried to barbeque. My mom had sent over some of her famous barbeque to grill over at my apartment. So my roommate’s friend and I lugged all of our equipment onto the fifth floor. At first we couldn’t start the fire, so we loaded the old school charcoal grill with the entire bag of no lighter fluid necessary charcoal. We nearly burned our eye brows off, and because we were partly drunk and laughing too much, we almost lost our dinner for the next two days. Some guy had to haul him and his toddler child out of the pool but he came back and helped us. Though we were red in the face, half because of the heat, the other half, embarrassment, we rewarded him with a plate of barbeque and a beer.
· I went over to my mom’s house to have some pancit, she decided to use low sodium soy sauce and after everyone had taken their share and she had a bite, she took everyone’s plate, dumped their pancit back in her gigantous wok and added regular soy sauce. Flash to the horror on my face in front of my then boyfriend (now husband) and my roommate.
· Zippy’s in Hawaii, many of them, where we would go at 5 in the morning after a late night of drinking and desperately flirting, each of us bonding with the toilet on different occasions, then savoring a big bowl of saimin with an orange bang. Oh, to be young again.
· My last “kid” supper at Max’s. Just me & my parents.

Many a meals with the hubby at Pinky's or Big City Diner. I miss paradise and the simpler days.